Ning Fan stepped into the darkness. The illumination from the Shattered Fire Stone was far weaker than he had imagined. Beyond a two-meter radius, its glow scattered into a hazy, dim halo. In truth, his line of sight stretched no further than eight meters.

It was hardly a vast distance, but it would have to suffice.

"Profound-grade heavenly materials and earthly treasures are immensely precious. Whether they serve as cultivation resources or rare items for tempering the body, I absolutely cannot let them slip away."

With this in mind, his pace quickened. He moved further and further from the campfire until he was thoroughly swallowed by the night.

"These cursed restrictions block out nearly all the moonlight."

Ning Fan muttered to himself.

The next moment.

Sniff, sniff-

He twitched his nose, suddenly catching a strange scent. It was not fragrant, but rather peculiar, carrying an inexplicably dizzying sensation.

Ning Fan instinctively lowered his gaze to the Shattered Fire Stone in his hand and scraped it with a fingernail. With a soft rustle, a layer of powder flaked off the surface. It was clearly not part of the stone itself.

It had been deliberately coated onto the stone.

"This is..."

Ning Fan murmured.

He instinctively raised his finger to his nose, but before he could catch the scent, a faint rustling echoed from the shadows just ahead.

...

Ning Fan instantly froze.

What was out there?!

He couldn't see a thing!!

Nothing but pitch-black darkness met his eyes. To uncover the source of the sound, he would have to step forward and close the distance.

Yet in such a perilous place, anything lurking in the dark was certainly no friend.

Should he retreat?

Or investigate further?

Whoosh-

Right as he hesitated, the sharp sound of parting air rang out. A black shadow shot from the darkness, pouncing with lightning speed. It moved so fast that by the time it entered the dim halo of light...

He had less than two seconds to react.

-A fierce tiger!!

Its body was entirely black and covered in intricate golden patterns. Foul, reeking saliva dripped from its gaping maw!!

It was a terrifying sight.

A half-step Profound Extreme Realm Demon Beast-the Gold-Patterned Demonic Tiger!!

...

Ning Fan's figure blurred. He twisted sideways, narrowly dodging the razor-sharp claws. The moment the Gold-Patterned Demonic Tiger hit the ground, it spun and lunged at him again.

This time, he was prepared.

"Dragon Snake Evolution Hand!"

Ning Fan met the beast with a ferocious punch. Spiritual energy surged wildly around him as a serpentine shadow condensed over his fist.

Bang!

A muffled impact echoed through the woods. The strike sent the Gold-Patterned Demonic Tiger flying backward.

Roar-!

A shrill howl erupted. A deep, vertical laceration had been torn right across the Gold-Patterned Demonic Tiger's face.

Blood poured freely from the wound.

Demon Beasts naturally possessed far greater physical strength than human martial artists. Yet Ning Fan had managed to physically repel a beast whose cultivation realm surpassed his own.

It was a testament to his terrifying strength!

Of course...

Such a feat could only be credited to the Tianxuan Heart Sutra and the Dragon Snake Evolution Hand!

...

The Gold-Patterned Demonic Tiger lingered at the boundary of light and shadow. It crouched low, fixing Ning Fan with a ferocious glare-but deep within those feral eyes lay a flicker of apprehension.

Taking such a heavy blow from a single punch was enough to instill caution even in a Demon Beast.

A moment later.

The Gold-Patterned Demonic Tiger slowly backed away. After a few silent steps, its massive frame melted entirely into the darkness.

...

Ning Fan stood his ground. He did not give chase.

The pitch-black environment left him at a severe disadvantage. Blindly pursuing the beast could easily lead him into a fatal trap. It was far wiser to prioritize the Profound-grade heavenly treasure.

"Junior Brother Ning, are you alright?!" A shout rang through the trees.

It was Shao Hong.

The three of them had split up to widen their search for the treasure, but since they remained within a one-kilometer radius, they weren't actually that far apart.

Both Shao Hong and Ling Tian had easily heard the commotion.

They could even see the frantic swaying of his light.

"Junior Brother Ning, did you run into a Demon Beast?"

Ling Tian's voice echoed out as well.

"I'm fine! You two must also-"

Ning Fan called back. But just as he was about to warn them to stay vigilant, two more black shadows lunged from the darkness, choking his words back down his throat.

Two more Demon Beasts!

Two entirely different ones.

One was a pure white wolf, and the other a massive ape...

Both radiated the aura of a half-step Profound Extreme Realm!

...

Ning Fan's heart took a sharp dive. Stumbling upon one Demon Beast in the dark could be chalked up to bad luck, but being ambushed by two more?

No, something was deeply wrong here.

Unless their territory was invaded, their guarded treasures stolen, or their lives threatened, Demon Beasts rarely went out of their way to hunt human martial artists.

Yet now...

Three powerful Demon Beasts had zeroed in on him, one after another.

"Junior Brother Ning!!"

Shao Hong's voice pitched with anxiety, clearly sensing that the situation had gone south.

"I've run into a bit of trouble!"

Ning Fan shouted back.

"I'll come help you!!"

Shao Hong replied decisively.

This was the perfect opportunity to curry favor! After witnessing Ning Fan's terrifying talent, Shao Hong deeply understood that this monstrous genius could absolutely not be offended. Forging a life-and-death bond was the smartest move.

Through the trees, Ning Fan saw a dim cluster of light slowly bobbing toward him.

It was Shao Hong!

However...

They were still separated by several hundred meters. During the day, that distance could be crossed in a matter of breaths. But in this treacherous darkness, it would take no small amount of time to reach him.

Roar-!

Howl-!

The ape roared and the white wolf howled. As if executing a coordinated pincer, they rushed Ning Fan from the left and right!!

"Get lost!!"

"Dragon Snake Evolution Hand!!!"

...

Ning Fan stood undaunted. He threw out both fists to meet the beasts. Spiritual energy exploded from his meridians, condensing into two massive serpentine shadows over his arms.

Two heavy impacts echoed out.

Bang! Bang!

Both the white wolf and the ape were driven back. But facing two half-step Profound Extreme Realm Demon Beasts simultaneously had stretched his defenses thin.

The white wolf's claws managed to clip his chest.

Razor-sharp talons tore right through his robes.

They carved a half-meter-long gash across his muscular chest. Instantly, a torrent of hot blood soaked into his outer garments.

He looked to be in a wretched state.

However...

Barely a heartbeat later, that terrifying wound knit itself back together and vanished without a trace. Yet the copious amounts of spilled blood still made him look severely injured.

"Junior Brother Ning!!!"

Shao Hong's voice pitched higher with sudden panic, and his light began moving faster.

...

Seeing this, a contemplative light flickered in Ning Fan's eyes.

These unprovoked Demon Beast attacks reeked of a setup.

But...

He could easily beat them at their own game...