No matter how enraged Ta Qing was, it definitely did not expect Wang Zhan to be so audacious. Not only had he never actually left, but he had also been lurking in the surroundings, as if he had already marked Ta Qing as his prey.

Under the night sky, the round moon rose again. At that moment, a horrific howl suddenly pierced the air.

"AHH!"

Immediately, a burst of manic laughter followed, grabbing everyone's attention. At the edge of the wilderness, a leader-level beast, split clean in two down the middle, was thrashing in agony, fresh blood spilling everywhere. Then, the attacker flew into the distance and escaped; no one could see the murderer's face.

"Humans! You are courting death!"

But how could this scene possibly be concealed from Ta Qing, the Hyena King? Especially the wound on the corpse—it was a great humiliation. It wasn't a killing technique but rather a brute-force impact that had smashed a leader-level hyena in two.

Its towering figure roared under the moonlight, its heart filled with frustration, repression, and rage, as if brewing a storm of thunder and fire. Ta Qing never expected it would see a day like this: assassinated by a human on its own territory, who then brazenly hunted down its subordinates. The question is, how did that human know about its grudge against him and even plan to scheme against him?

So, when another leader-level beast fell to Wang Zhan's hand, it could no longer contain its temper. Immediately, it gave a command. Its roaring voice echoed in the ears of the Hyena Clan throughout the entire region, as well as any unrelated beasts that happened to be passing by.

"Hyena Clan, heed my call! All General-level beasts and above, gather around me!"

「In just an hour.」

Nearly hundreds of General-level beasts had appeared before Ta Qing. Even seventeen leader-level beasts had assembled! One should know that their Hyena Clan boasted twenty-three leader-level beasts, with Ta Qing, the Hyena King, as their linchpin, serving as the Sea-Stabilizing Divine Needle suppressing the jungles.

But now?

Undoubtedly, those poor hyenas who couldn't arrive in time had already died at Wang Zhan's hands. Inevitably, fear gripped them; every hyena was afraid of becoming Wang Zhan's prey. They bared their teeth, their snarls carrying a bloody wind and rain, collectively exuding an odor of decay and the herald of death. However, their hearts trembled incessantly.

What is that thing that killed our kin right under the King's gaze? Although it wasn't a match for the King, could we, ordinary hyenas, really stop that mysterious individual?

Ta Qing looked at them, naturally sensing their fear. Its gaze cold, wolf fangs slightly bared, it said sternly, "Are you afraid? Are you cowed? For three hundred years, we, the Hyena Clan, have fought our way to this day through countless battles. Has a life of ease made you so soft that even a single, insignificant human can make you shrink back in terror?"

The field fell silent.

As Ta Qing's 'consorts' and 'Queen', those female hyenas also stepped forward. With a simple sweep of their tails, they knocked over the General-level beasts cowering behind them. Although they didn't strike hard, it still caused an uproar, reducing the warriors to whimpering like pitiful puppies at the mercy of others.

"HISS... We, the Hyena Clan, never fear powerful enemies; we only despise weak companions! If you're scared, step forward now! From this moment on, you will no longer be a creature of the Hyena Clan!" the Queen snarled, her aura fluctuating, emanating an air of ruthlessness.

The other six female hyenas also cast menacing glares at the General-level and leader-level beasts around them, gathering around Ta Qing like stars clustering around the moon.

Ta Qing did not stop them but continued in its deep voice, "War has always been an opportunity for the Hyena Clan. Death has always been the Hyena Clan's chance to feast. Corpses are the greatest gift bestowed upon us by the heavens!

"So, are you afraid? Are you so timid that you can no longer stand tall and fight for the Hyena Clan? If that is the case, as King of the Hyena Clan, step forward! I permit you to leave the Hyena Clan.

"But those who stay will, from this moment on, follow my will and officially wage war on that shameless human lurking in the surroundings!"

This was the declaration of war from the King of the Hyena Clan.

Therefore, even those leader-level beasts that had remained silent exchanged glances. Finally, they began to act, having made their decision, and stood firmly and unhesitatingly by Ta Qing's side.

"My King, we will always follow your path!"

Even if they were afraid, even if they wanted to retreat, they were hyenas. Following their King, hunting powerful beings, gnawing on and swallowing rotten corpses—this was the meaning of their existence, the foundation of their strength. Otherwise, they would have chosen to die in this field of bones when they first accepted the guidance of Fate on the Star War Battlefield.

Perhaps a phrase Wang Zhan often heard was more appropriate: Survival of the fittest.

Subsequently, nearly two-thirds of the General-level beasts stepped forward, faithfully standing behind Ta Qing, once again becoming part of the Hyena Clan. But the remaining one-third hesitated.

"Very good!" Ta Qing didn't press them further, instead looking at its kin. Ever since Wang Zhan's appearance, it had suffered setbacks numerous times, its dignity challenged more than once. But now, its dignity was finally acknowledged again by its clan.

Instantly, baring its four sharp, colossal canine teeth, it roared, "Since the Hyena Clan are still hyenas, then... kill them for me! Fill your bellies with their flesh and blood! Return their bones to our land! Let their existence mark the beginning of our warpath!"

「The next moment.」

Innumerable, echoing roars erupted.

"ROAR..."

The Hyena Clan, fully prepared and seething with murderous intent, immediately began to infight. However, to call it infighting might be an understatement; "massacre" would be more accurate.

The one-third of hyenas that had been separated out even included a top General-level beast on the cusp of becoming leader-level. They still clung to the illusion of kinship, hoping Ta Qing would forgive past grievances. They wished to be allowed to exist as a branch of the Hyena Clan, or perhaps to part ways and continue to proliferate on this land.

However, Ta Qing was Ta Qing, the King of Hyenas. Once a decision was made, there would be no regret, no retraction. So, just as one female hyena, still harboring compassion for her kind, hesitated to strike, Ta Qing bluntly kicked away the female hyena before it, one that had once shared intimacy with it. Then, with a ferocious expression, it looked at that top General-level beast.

If it remembered correctly, this should be its nephew? A pity…

"The Hyena Clan doesn't need a loser like you who retreats from battle."

AWOOOO...

A cacophony of barks and howls, piercing and endless, filled the air.

Eventually, fresh blood stained the bodies of the fallen hyenas. Their silent devouring of the dead was proof of their stance.

Wang Zhan, who had witnessed Ta Qing quelling the dissent within its clan, said nothing. He merely gazed at the unfolding scene with profound depth in his eyes, as if he were watching something familiar.

"The Hyena Clan... this infighting is so similar to the Human Race!" Wang Zhan thought. He now understood how he should view these Beast Clans. They were also 'people'—not human, but beings with thought processes nearly identical to humans. While their societal customs, lifestyle habits, and values might differ, their thinking set them apart from mere wild beasts; they were an entirely different concept! Anyone still seeing them as simple-minded creatures who had merely gained spiritual wisdom by luck would surely suffer a great loss.

"But what does any of that matter?" A mysterious smirk touched Wang Zhan's lips. "Human Race, Beast Clan, infighting—none of it matters. Anyone who stands in my way, anyone who obstructs the future the Human Race yearns for, will forever be an enemy. There is absolutely no room for reconciliation." He was certain. These beasts had not only put on a grand show for him but had also given him genuine experience in dealing with hidden threats like the original organization. "Therefore," he resolved, "I must repay them properly for their 'guidance.'"

An ethereal figure instantly appeared at the edge of the battlefield, behind a leader-level beast that had unknowingly distanced itself from the other hyenas.

Ta Qing, already on high alert over the battlefield and not daring to relax for an instant, was immediately struck with a tremendous shock. Howling, it rushed towards Wang Zhan's direction.

"ROAR! Human!! Stop him!"

Wang Zhan casually glanced back, offering only an intensely mocking smile and a cruel curve of his lips.

"GHEHEHE! You're too slow again!"

「Immediately after.」

"Fatal---One Slash!"

Like the blazing sun, like burgeoning life itself.

A vast blade light suddenly flared behind the leader-level beast. Essence Energy and mental energy crazily poured into the Liyun Blade as if they were free. In a silent breath, Wang Zhan's figure became hazy and indistinct, as if on the verge of transcendence.

「Subsequently...」

"Go to hell!"

BOOM!

The leader-level beast only managed to turn its head. Its eyes, filled with horror, fixed on the mysterious faceless man slashing down with his blade, full of fear and panic.

No… Too late! Too slow! Dead!

Wang Zhan's lips curled into a grim line as Ta Qing crashed into his clone, which had already completely dissipated. He watched intently as the leader-level beast before him collapsed. Under the Liyun Blade's colossal pressure and destructive power, it was crushed to the ground in an instant, leaving no room for suspense.

Where it fell, a deep gash scarred the earth. The two halves of the corpse bled profusely, as if intending to dye the entire world of the Hyena Clan red.

Only a group of dumbstruck hyenas remained, watching the killer disappear. And Ta Qing, howling madly, venting its fury.

"ROAR!..."

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