All at once, an invisible, oppressive aura emerged. This chilling aura of slaughter, thick with the stench of decay, seemed to solidify the air itself. It felt as if it would expel all foreign elements within, exuding a bloodthirst that sent shivers down one's spine.

Let alone Wang Zhan. Even one of Ta Qing's most capable subordinates—a Hyena general who held sway over a vast territory and was no weaker than the Blood Wolf King, Yu Huan—was so oppressed by this aura that his head involuntarily drooped. His gaze towards Ta Qing held a clear trace of fear.

The same could be said for Ta Qing's "concubines." Perhaps procreation and the continual strengthening of their clan were their natural instincts, memories deeply etched into their bloodline. However, this small space, enveloped by the King-level beast's will, nearly suffocated them. They had no choice but to stagger back several steps, gazing at Ta Qing with a mixture of reverence, admiration, and a desire to draw close.

Without a doubt, Ta Qing was the undisputed king of the Hyena Clan, their well-deserved hero.

Unfortunately, Ta Qing's target just so happened to be Wang Zhan. Moreover, this was a Wang Zhan who had developed a certain resistance to such auras. Though he might still be stunned for a fraction of a second, he could recover almost instantly.

Wang Zhan chuckled lightly.

"So what? Do you plan on killing me? Can you?"

With that, he took a casual step forward. This provoked Ta Qing to bare his fangs, his breath reeking of putrid meat.

"All of you, get out! This battlefield is not for you. Remember, protect our territory and don't let anyone ambush us!" Ta Qing ordered, his gaze growing increasingly furious.

As a king who dominated an entire region, having his head cracked by Wang Zhan today was, without a doubt, his greatest disgrace. And to salvage this disgrace, the most effective means would be to shred Wang Zhan to pieces!

Who does he think he is? Daring to come alone to assassinate me, and he almost succeeded!

This infuriated Ta Qing further, making him lose control of his temper, but it also made him realize something with chilling clarity.

"You had such a good chance to kill me just now, but you didn't. It seems you lack the ability. So, from now on, I will make you experience something worse than death!"

BOOM!

While not reaching sonic boom speeds, the velocity of a King-level beast was nonetheless not to be underestimated.

Just as Ta Qing was about to erupt, the obedient and docile Hyenas had already tactfully retreated from the Great Hall without pause. Even the "Queens" among them were mixed in the retreat. They knew very well what kind of power Ta Qing possessed. A genius leader-level beast might make him somewhat wary, but it would absolutely not threaten his core strength, let alone force him to retreat even a single step.

In the past, other King-level beasts who had become nourishment for the younger generations during the Hyena Clan's rise had already proven this to all Hyenas.

Therefore, obeying their king's command to depart swiftly and guard the surroundings was their mission. This was because the Hyena, Ta Qing, was the Hyena Clan's greatest power, their most formidable asset, and the fiercest new king of his generation!

...

A rumbling noise filled the air.

A swift silhouette, exuding a fierce momentum, flashed through the air. It seemed a bloody battle was about to erupt within this vast underground structure, right in the middle of an enormous Great Hall.

Wang Zhan, however, remained completely indifferent. The ring of his Liyun Blade resounded, like the cacophony of clashing weapons from thousands of soldiers in battle—a sharp, piercing sound that echoed endlessly.

Then, the blade's light flared anew, and Wang Zhan sneered, "Why don't we test it out? See who dies—you, or me? Of course, it's also possible your entire Hyena Clan will be wiped out! Hehehehe…"

Ta Qing retorted darkly, "Survive my attack first, then we'll talk! No matter what tricks you have up your sleeve, you die today!"

And so, a swift and savage silhouette finally slammed into Wang Zhan's body, seemingly about to smash him to pieces, reducing him to a pile of mangled flesh.

In fact, Ta Qing, possessing King-level strength, did manage to achieve just that!

Wang Zhan's figure was gone. The air seemed frozen in time; every movement hung suspended, becoming ghostly images in a slow-motion world.

But, in the very next instant, a defiant voice suddenly roared out, "Fatal---One Slash!"

At that very moment, a piercing blade light flared, like the moon plummeting from the heavens into the depths of the earth. Though hazy, it was nonetheless clearly visible.

"Impossible! What in the Nine Hells are you?" A terrified roar suddenly echoed throughout the Great Hall.

At this moment, Ta Qing could clearly see it. Wang Zhan's seemingly shattered body miraculously solidified again, then gradually became ethereal as the blade's light condensed with even greater intensity. Eventually, it condensed into a wave of blade energy, perhaps a dozen times larger than the actual blade in Wang Zhan's hand, completely filling Ta Qing's field of vision.

Immediately, the Liyun Blade, holding nothing back, hacked down viciously right in front of Ta Qing. Because Ta Qing had rammed Wang Zhan with his head, the Liyun Blade was now even closer than during Wang Zhan's previous assassination attempt, leaving Ta Qing absolutely no room to dodge.

And so, accompanied by a deafening roar, it was like a cataclysmic collapse. To the countless, terrified eyes watching from the outside, the originally vast and calm wilderness suddenly caved in from the center, revealing the damp earth beneath and a deep pit that exuded a palpable chill.

Other than this, no one knew what had occurred underneath.

Immediately, a figure laughing wildly shot up from the deep pit.

"Ta Qing, impressive! But since I can't deal with you for now, I'll be back next time. I hope you'll be prepared for a life-or-death battle with me then, HAHAHAHA…"

Clearly, this person was Wang Zhan.

Watching this figure soar freely through the sky on a pair of massive wings, the members of the Hyena Clan quickly tucked their tails. They huddled together, forming small teams and bracing themselves for an attack.

However, Wang Zhan didn't even glance at them. He simply departed, his loud laughter filled with utter contempt for Ta Qing.

Of course, all these actions were merely part of Wang Zhan's larger plan.

Only after Wang Zhan had finally departed from the sky above did a battered figure emerge staggering from beneath the ground. Fresh blood streamed from his head, his body was covered in deep gashes, and he trembled uncontrollably.

However, this trembling was not from fear or terror, but from an accumulated anger that had reached its absolute peak.

Facing the twilight sky, Ta Qing roared, "That human from two days ago—the one who should have died but is somehow alive again—I won't forget you! Come! I'll be waiting! After I kill you, your head is destined to become my trophy!"

At that moment, I almost thought I was going to die, thought my judgment had been wrong again. But in the end, I realized Wang Zhan simply couldn't kill me! He couldn't break through the Martial King's fascia protecting my body! The reason I looked so badly injured was merely due to Wang Zhan's sadistic amusement. He definitely did it on purpose, intentionally leaving me covered in wounds just to humiliate me, a powerful king of the Beast Clan! As the ruler of this region, Wang Zhan had already put me in two life-or-death crises, yet each time it was all thunder and no rain—all bark and no bite—just like that other equally crazed human from that night!

Thus, Ta Qing, who had initially been somewhat doubtful, finally confirmed Wang Zhan's identity in a surge of anger. His smile turned cold and sinister, and the surrounding jungles and wilderness seemed to grow exceptionally grim.

...

Just then, several powerful presences rapidly converged on his location. They immediately noticed Ta Qing's injuries, and each one exclaimed in astonishment.

"What happened?"

"What occurred? How did you end up like this?"

"Who didn't die? That mysterious person from that night? He was clearly killed by Lord Nine-headed Snake's hand!"

However, they recovered in the next moment, and unconcealed schadenfreude couldn't help but appear in their eyes.

"Haha… Excellent, excellent! No matter who did it, why do I feel so happy?"

"If I heard correctly, he mentioned that mysterious person from that night… Does this mean Lord Nine-headed Snake will lose the credit for the kill? If it finds out Ta Qing lied to it, hehe…"

"...Interesting, very interesting! Didn't you, Ta Qing, always look down on us? Didn't you want to soar to greater heights? Let's see how you handle this! Still, I need to be cautious. Whoever did this uses such ruthless means; I must find allies to counter them..."

And so, just as a frustrated Ta Qing was about to speak and explain the whole incident, the group of King-level beasts who had supposedly rushed to support him began to make their excuses one by one.

"Oh, so that's how it is! I almost forgot, Lord Ta Qing is a great figure; you don't need our help. We also need to protect our own clans, so we'll be leaving first…"

"Indeed, indeed. That mysterious man just admitted he's no match for you, Lord Ta Qing. We were worrying unnecessarily. However, if that person is still lurking about, we're also in danger. So, take care, my friend."

"If Lord Nine-headed Snake learns that you, Lord Ta Qing, personally killed that human, surely there will be even greater rewards! HAHAHA! We wouldn't dare dream of such honors, nor would we try to snatch your credit. Farewell, Lord Ta Qing!"

In just a short while, not only the King-level beasts but also all leader-level beasts—aside from those of the Hyena Clan—had departed, leaving no one behind.

The Hyena Clan, aside from its own members, was now utterly isolated and without support!

The rage simmering in Ta Qing's heart grew even more intense, his frustration deepening.

These beasts are so short-sighted! No wonder the Beast Clan, despite launching such a ferocious offensive, was firmly held back by the Human Race on the Star War Battlefield… But what if that man returns? What then?

One of the "Queens" had intended to step forward and offer Ta Qing some comfort, but a single, harsh word from him sent her scurrying away dejectedly.

"GET LOST!"

At that moment, his voice was hoarse from endless roaring. One could only imagine the depths of Ta Qing's fury, and his utter helplessness.

Unbeknownst to him, this entire scene was also reflected in the eyes of a certain Human Race member harboring ulterior motives.

"Heh heh heh... Go on, create chaos. Create all the trouble you want. I'd like to see who will dare to help you next..."

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