The Black Dragon

The Black Serpent used a secret technique to project a false body at the entrance of a cave.

Its ethereal form was half as substantial as its real body, yet still appeared quite realistic.

Before it stood a small mountain, oddly shaped like a pile of dung spiraling upwards.

At the base of this mound was a cave entrance as large as a big truck. The interior was dark and mysterious. Daylight penetrated halfway into the opening, but beyond that, all was obscured.

The Black Serpent had just sensed a Nascent Soul stage beast in the vicinity. Still furious with Pan Hang, it decided to carefully plan how to make him taste true despair.

As the Black Serpent prepared to enter the cave, a massive creature suddenly bolted out from the other side.

It was moving quickly, seeming to flee in panic. As it neared the mountainside, it began to roar from afar.

"Darling, we must leave immediately! There's a terrifying being nearby!"

It was an enormous tiger, crossing the distance to the cave entrance in the blink of an eye.

At that moment, it spotted the black dog standing at the mouth of the cave.

Screeeeech!

All four of its paws dug into the earth, razor-sharp claws sinking into the soil.

But its previous momentum was too great. It skidded for some distance, leaving long, deep scratches in the ground before finally coming to a stop.

Now, it stood merely ten yards from the Black Serpent.

The Black Serpent looked at the tiger, somewhat bemused.

Wasn't this the same tiger that had been fleeing at top speed earlier?

Which meant the beast in the cave must be its mate?

Not bad. It seemed the creature in the cave likely possessed significant intelligence as well.

This would make it easier to accomplish the task at hand.

Regarding the brown-black tiger before it, the Black Serpent spoke: "Am I the terrifying being you mentioned?"

Gulp.

The tiger standing before the Black Serpent couldn't help but swallow hard upon hearing these words.

Oh god!

What was happening?

How could it be here?!

"I... I..." The tiger was at a loss for words, its body trembling so violently that it made audible sounds.

Just then, an even larger brown tiger emerged from the cave entrance.

"Can't you stop making such a fuss? I'm at the Nascent Soul realm. What being could possibly be a match for me?"

As the words faded, a brown tiger the size of two vans walked out of the cave.

The character for "king" was strikingly visible on its forehead, as if emphasized with extra ink.

It emerged with an imposing air, even uttering words of self-praise.

However.

Upon reaching the cave entrance and seeing the black dog on the ground, along with its quivering husband nearby, it froze.

It had never seen its husband in such a state.

The Black Serpent then turned its gaze to the brown tiger at the cave mouth.

"I need you to do something for me," it said, its tone relatively mild.

However, as it spoke, it deliberately leaked a bit of its aura.

With just that hint of power, the brown tiger before its eyes plopped to the ground.

Suddenly infected by the same fear as the distant tiger, it began to tremble like a sieve.

This can't be happening!

This isn't possible!

What's going on?!

"Will you help or not? Answer me," the Black Serpent impatiently demanded, seeing the brown tiger motionless and too panicked to speak.

Hearing these words, the brown tiger snapped back to reality as if struck by an invisible force. It nodded frantically.

Only then did the Black Serpent continue, "Good. You'll do exactly as I say."

It then proceeded to explain its plan.

After finishing, it prepared to leave, letting the two tigers make their own preparations.

But at that moment, the brown tiger stammered out a question.

"G-great one, may I ask you something? W-what kind of being are you?!"

That soul-deep terror was unlike anything it had ever experienced.

"You wish to see my true form?" the Black Serpent asked flatly.

The brown tiger nodded.

Thinking that it might as well satisfy their curiosity since they were helping with its plan, the Black Serpent nodded once in agreement.

It silently recited an incantation.

In the next instant, its form began to change.

It grew rapidly.

The two tigers watched the scene before them with bulging eyes, scared out of their wits.

The Black Serpent's true form, when fully revealed, was as massive as a small mountain.

It no longer resembled a serpent.

Two horns had grown from its head, its limbs were powerful, and while its scales remained black, they now gleamed with an otherworldly light.

A Black Dragon!!

The two tigers stood dumbfounded, utterly stupefied.

They gazed upon the colossal being before them as if beholding a deity.

The Black Serpent had consumed the dragon pearl given by Huang Zhengqian.

Having digested eighty percent of the dragon essence, it had acquired the initial bloodline of the dragon race!

...

After a brief rest, Chen Ping'an and his companions continued on their journey.

They hadn't gone far when they suddenly encountered another beast.

When Tian Shanshan and the others saw the creature ahead, their expressions turned peculiar.

Wasn't this the Foundation Establishment stage tiger that had fled earlier?

Chen Ping'an's eyes lit up upon seeing the tiger, and he charged forward once again.

To his surprise, this time the tiger didn't immediately turn tail and run.

Chen Ping'an called out to his companion, "Little Blackie, let's attack together!"

He was curious to see what his black dog was capable of.

Tian Shanshan and the others found it strange that the tiger hadn't fled this time. Seeing Chen Ping'an, who was only at the first level of Foundation Establishment, facing off against a tiger at the eighth level, they prepared to join the attack.

Otherwise, Chen Ping'an might perish.

However.

Just as they were about to move, a thunderous roar erupted from their left.

The sound startled Tian Shanshan and her companions.

They quickly turned to look.

When they saw the massive creature charging towards them, they were paralyzed with fear.

A Nascent Soul stage beast!

"Run!" Pan Hang shouted, his eyes wide with terror. He was the first to turn and flee.

Tian Shanshan and the others snapped out of their stupor upon hearing his voice and also turned to run.

Liu Shuai first glanced at Chen Ping'an, then gritted his teeth and followed Tian Shanshan and the others in their escape.

He was convinced Chen Ping'an would be fine, given the celestial artifact in his possession.

But if they didn't flee, they would certainly meet their doom.

The gap between late Foundation Establishment and early Nascent Soul was vast, and they weren't even at late Foundation Establishment, merely mid-stage!

The difference was like a chasm.

If this beast caught up to them, one pounce would mean certain death!

But despite their quick reaction, it was futile against a Nascent Soul stage beast.

In the blink of an eye.

Pan Hang, who was running at the front, was cut off.

He stared blankly at the brown tiger before him, bewildered.

He had been running the fastest, so logically, shouldn't Wang Dagui and the others at the back have been attacked first?

He had been hoping that if the beast pounced on Wang Dagui and the others first, he might have a chance to escape.

He never imagined the beast would bypass Tian Shanshan and the others to confront him!

Tian Shanshan and her companions were equally confused by this turn of events.

The brown tiger stared at Pan Hang, its mouth curling into what seemed like a grin.

This must be the human, it thought.

Having confirmed its target, it advanced towards Pan Hang.

The Black Dragon had given them simple instructions.

Their task was straightforward: beat this human until he could no longer take care of himself.