「Two days later.」

The Nine-headed Serpent, carrying news of a human expert, left the area. About an hour after the Serpent's departure, Ta Qing, the hyena who had been ordered to stay put and await its return, finally reached its own territory deep beneath the wilderness.

Ta Qing sat in his spacious Great Hall, watching his subjects prostrate before him. They presented the strange objects and treasures they had gathered, but his mind, troubled by an uncertain future, remained unsettled. He showed no interest.

He ordered curtly, "Everyone out, leave me in peace!"

"Yes, my king!..."

Twenty-three leader-level beasts responded. Even the weakest among them was comparable to a human Grandmaster, demonstrating the Hyena Clan's profound strength.

"King, what's wrong?"

However, while sixteen leader-level beasts departed, seven remained. Their auras weren't overwhelmingly strong, mostly mid-tier, yet they could speak intimately with their king. Their brownish-grey fur occasionally shone with a little luster, very soft, and their eyes were gentle. Although they were also beasts, and notorious hyenas among many other tribes, they were not without a tender maternal instinct.

These were Ta Qing's "queens," the "Mother Queens" of the Hyena Clan under Ta Qing's command.

Indeed, this was a matriarchal clan. If not for Ta Qing's emergence, all hyenas would have had to submit to these seemingly gentle and unthreatening female hyenas.

Hearing them, Ta Qing felt the air grow somewhat stifling. Despite being a King-level beast, he was still vexed and said irritably, "Don't ask what you shouldn't know."

He kept feeling that the human's death had come too easily. It seemed like a suicide mission, yet with that human's speed and strength, he should have posed a considerable threat. So... what was the catch?

One of the female hyenas, the largest and most imposing, spoke with a hint of helplessness after Ta Qing's rebuke. "King, whatever happens, you, as the king of the Hyena Clan, must lead by example and guard our clan. Moreover, once you succeed and leave the clan, we will inevitably lose our greatest protection. So, have you thought about the future continuity of our clan?"

Ta Qing, snapping back to reality, stared at the female hyena and said in a low, resigned voice, "What exactly are you trying to say? I left the clan to help it develop better, not for myself. We've reached our peak. If the right opportunity doesn't come, the Hyena Clan is bound to lose all its opportunities for subsequent development! You should see this too."

If any other hyena dared speak to him so, he would have slapped it to death. But the one speaking was his most steadfast support, the "Queen" of the clan.

The Queen looked at Ta Qing and said gravely, "You need to leave more seeds for our clan. Only more offspring who inherit your mighty royal bloodline can give our clan a deeper foundation and a stronger vitality."

Instantly, all seven female hyenas stared at Ta Qing, their eyes seemingly glinting with a green light, and the air grew still.

...

Meanwhile, above the Great Hall, a human buried deep in the earth for nearly two days was abruptly startled by the suggestive sounds from below. Wang Zhan hadn't expected to witness such a spectacle of tribal turmoil on the Star War Battlefield.

The corners of Wang Zhan's mouth twitched. He could only console himself, Well, the Beast Clan is heavily influenced by innate factors. However... Look not on that which is inappropriate, listen not to that which is inappropriate, approach not that which is inappropriate!

Wang Zhan quickly retreated his mental energy, not daring to do so too quickly for fear of catching Ta Qing's attention. Even though he hadn't yet discovered any beasts able to perceive his mental energy, he still had to be cautious.

Only after successfully banishing those images from his mind did Wang Zhan close his eyes and mutter, Damn it, I've been suffering here for two days, and you make me listen to *this*? Forget it. I'll wait until those female hyenas leave. At least let him enjoy himself fully for once...

Ever since his upgrade, Wang Zhan hadn't yet fully utilized his strength in real battle, and without much confidence, he had to play it safe.

Fortunately, perhaps because the king of the Hyena Clan was below, the vigilant hyenas searching the area didn't do anything that might expose Wang Zhan's hiding spot. Thus, Wang Zhan could continue to hide safely beneath the earth, experiencing the scent of the soil and the occasional intimate brush of tiny creatures crawling past...

「Finally, half a day later, tranquility returned below.」

Consequently, Wang Zhan's Essence Energy and mental power began to stir, gradually forming a drill-like shape on the surface of his body.

Another martial art from the hidden techniques of the Small World.

Having been busy for nearly a day, reluctantly 'servicing' several female hyenas, Ta Qing finally found a rare moment of peace. Exhaustion permeated his body, making him drowsy, his back aching. He sighed resignedly and signaled, "Alright, you guys go ahead. I want to be alone and rest for a while."

This time, they finally left. Ta Qing breathed a sigh of relief and began to recall the events of that night, a sense of uncertainty gnawing at him.

Judging by the aura, I shouldn't be mistaken. Apart from a Martial King of the Human Race, only one other mysterious person appeared that night. But why were their auras so mixed and scattered throughout the jungle? Could there be some conspiracy...

He desperately needed this opportunity to search for his breakthrough. The royal level might still be distant, but for the Beast Clan—excluding the old and decrepit—most young successors were eager to advance. Just like the Human Race. Therefore, he was very concerned his judgment might be flawed, jeopardizing his future prospects.

And yet, the events of that night had been far too effortless.

Far too easy...

He muttered, gazing absently at the Great Hall, his mind racing as he desperately sought a solution.

Just then, a savage killing intent materialized above him, swooping down from the sky. The bizarre, floating figure remained silent, but its potent aura unmistakably conveyed its intentions.

Fatal---One Slash!

One slash, fatal!

By the time Ta Qing realized what was happening, it was already too late. The light of the blade was at his nose, almost face to face with the daunting, featureless face.

"HOWL..."

As a King-level beast, Ta Qing's instincts took over. He reacted instantly, not questioning the identity of his assailant, but instead using his immensely powerful Essence Energy and internal energy to form a solid defense around his body. His gaze sharpened, pupils constricting to pinpricks, eyes wide with terror. He prepared to defend with all he had.

...

Wang Zhan smirked. Although he didn't say it aloud, Ta Qing could feel the endless contempt and a life-or-death crisis he hadn't felt in years.

Wang Zhan grinned. "You're a bit slow!"

Then, as the Liyun Blade left its sheath and his Essence Energy surged, the Fatal One Slash was unleashed like a river bursting its banks, water thundering down.

With a deafening BOOM,

'Strength +130'

'Agility +150'

'Physique +107'

The throne beneath Ta Qing, crafted from some unknown beast's fur, instantly became the epicenter of a crater. Web-like cracks spread outwards from the deeply indented center. In the center of the crater, Ta Qing's entire body lay sprawled, limbs limp. The sudden attack had reduced him to a helpless Snot Worm. The tip of his snout was even more horrific: a massive gash ran from the crown of his skull, down his nose, all the way to his wolf-like mouth. A glance at the deeply scored head and mangled flesh revealed that Wang Zhan had utterly disfigured him; Ta Qing's world had turned crimson.

Not a bad opponent! A single strike yielded so many base attribute points. Truly worthy of a King-level beast!

No matter what Ta Qing thought, Wang Zhan was only satisfied with his own gains. A single attack, causing merely superficial wounds to a King-level beast, had increased his base attributes by over one hundred points. At this rate, he might break through his current realm and become a level 8 Martial Master in not too many moves.

But just as he was about to press his advantage, a dozen or so hyenas swarmed into the Great Hall, surrounding Wang Zhan and Ta Qing. All were at least leader-level and radiated killing intent. It seemed that if Wang Zhan made any rash moves, he would become the hyenas' meal today.

Meanwhile, urgent and anxious cries of "King! King! King!" erupted. Among them, the few female hyenas who were Ta Qing's "queens" were especially frantic, terrified that something irreparable had happened to him.

But for Wang Zhan, the fact that these beasts on the Star War Battlefield were all speaking the human tongue was something he still couldn't quite get used to.

He paused, his gaze sweeping indifferently over the beasts—all leader-level or higher. A thought suddenly struck him: Apart from their fur, these beasts are no different from humans. Where did they even come from?

Wang Zhan could clearly sense that countless hyenas had been rushing back from the surrounding wilderness from the moment his fight with Ta Qing began, completely encircling them and making him a captive. However, he remained unconcerned. He merely glanced quietly at the King-level beast Ta Qing, who had struggled back to his feet, Fresh Blood streaming down his head. Wang Zhan chuckled, "Heh heh heh... So you dare to provoke us humans, are you satisfied with this little lesson?"

BOOM!

Ta Qing's aura surged. Though the Fresh Blood on his head made him look gruesome, it also added a savage fierceness to his appearance. His eyes glinted dangerously as he snarled, "Human, you're courting death!"

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