The black clouds loomed thickly, crackling with thunder and lightning, as heavy rain poured down like a waterfall, stinging on the skin.

Wang Xuan moved agilely, leaping into the dense forest, completely disappearing from sight. After the thunder roared, darkness engulfed the land again. Although he was far away, Wang Xuan could confirm that the figure atop the black beast was a man.

In the desolate Black Mountain, with its dense old woods and the fierce black beast radiating hostility, an unsettling chill filled the air. Any ordinary person would feel a primal fear, as if encountering an ancient corpse in the depths of the mountains.

For decades, the people near Black Mountain had fled, leaving behind an increasingly desolate landscape, yet today, a rare creature was approaching, carrying a man.

Wang Xuan moved silently, quickly weaving through the forest, taking twisting paths and constantly changing directions. He sensed something unusual—a danger was closing in.

"Roar!"

Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed through the woods, and a massive shadow charged toward him, crashing through trees and lunging at Wang Xuan.

With a thud, Wang Xuan leaped six or seven meters away, narrowly avoiding the beast's ferocious attack. The ground trembled violently behind him, branches snapping and the beast's deafening roars growing ever closer.

A flash of lightning illuminated the dim forest, revealing the beast—a five-meter-long, nearly two-meter-tall creature covered in thick black fur, its gaping maw lined with dagger-like teeth, stark white against its dark body.

With a crash, it swung a massive paw, missing Wang Xuan, but effortlessly snapping a tree trunk as thick as a bowl.

Wang Xuan evaded the attack, swiftly moving to the beast's side. He struck out with a palm, and with a resounding bang, even this mighty creature staggered, shaking violently. It let out an even angrier roar that resonated louder than the thunder above, leaving Wang Xuan's ears ringing.

At the same time, the man on the black beast leaped down, moving like lightning, aiming a fierce kick at Wang Xuan's chest. The attack was as sharp as it was fierce.

Wang Xuan reacted instantly, not only sidestepping the beast's gaping maw but also retreating to evade the powerful kick.

Crack!

The man's foot missed and he used the momentum to land on a nearby tree, which cracked under his weight. Still airborne, he kicked back at Wang Xuan with tremendous force.

In that moment, the black beast charged again, its massive frame shaking the forest, threatening to crush Wang Xuan with its sheer size.

Wang Xuan's gaze turned cold. With both a man and beast attacking him, there was no room to evade. He leaped into the air, kicking at the beast while simultaneously thrusting his palms toward the man's incoming kick.

"Roar!"

Though the five-meter creature was fierce, its movement was somewhat hindered by the dense trees. Its bloodied mouth missed Wang Xuan's foot and instead met the sole of his kick, resulting in a shriek of pain as it suffered a serious injury.

The creature's nose, its most vulnerable point, was directly struck, causing it to bleed profusely and stumble back, knocking down smaller trees and bushes in its wake.

Simultaneously, Wang Xuan's palm met the man's foot, creating a muffled sound akin to thunder rumbling through the woods.

Wang Xuan felt a tingle in his right hand but showed no signs of retreat. Instead, he pushed forward with his left hand, aiming for the man's calf.

The man reacted swiftly, grabbing a branch mid-air to avoid Wang Xuan's blow, then repositioned his leg to counter with a powerful kick.

Bang!

Another dull thud echoed as Wang Xuan was propelled back several meters, crushing low-lying bushes and even fracturing some rocks beneath him.

It was evident how devastating the collisions were between them; Wang Xuan endured an overwhelming force that would make even seasoned experts cough blood under such pressure. Though his hands didn't shatter, they were still left sore and bruised.

Wang Xuan shook his hands, feeling a painful tingle, yet the skin on his palms remained intact. This was the manifestation of the fourth level of his Golden Body Technique, which provided astonishing defense against even ordinary daggers.

However, this also demonstrated the opponent's formidable strength. The man's movements were incredibly agile, and his strikes were sharp, showcasing immense power.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The man seemed surprised, perhaps even shocked. His analysis had led him to overestimate Wang Xuan, believing him to be a remarkable young master in the realm of ancient arts. But now, he realized that his assumptions had missed the mark; this young man had managed to withstand his two attacks.

"Roar!"

The black beast howled, shaking the entire forest.

Despite the torrential rain, Wang Xuan could clearly see the man and the beast now. The man appeared to be in his forties, with a healthy complexion and dark hair. However, the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes betrayed his true age, suggesting he was likely in his fifties.

As for the ferocious black beast, it was not a native species of the Old Earth but rather one cultivated in the New Star. Its form bore resemblance to the mythical hound known as the "Hound of Hell."

Rumor had it that such beasts were recently bred and domesticated over the past decade or two in the New Star, surpassing lions and tigers in strength. They quickly became favored by many wealthy individuals.

This particular hound was larger and more ferocious than any ordinary specimens, indicating it was an extraordinary variant. Few experts in the realm of ancient arts could withstand its savage assaults.

"You're quite impressive, young man. At your age, I was nowhere near your level. It took me years of training in ancient arts to achieve my current prowess. If you continue on this path, you might just become a master in the field, even reliving the glorious legends of ancient arts," the man in black said, blending seamlessly into the shadowy forest.

Wang Xuan's eyes were icy. This was a premeditated ambush—someone had anticipated his arrival at Black Mountain and was lying in wait.

He had only contacted two childhood friends the night before to inform them of his intention to enter the mountains. How could this man have known? It was clear that someone was eavesdropping on his conversation.

"Are you with the Gray Blood Organization?" he asked coldly. Recently, he had faced repeated assassination attempts and could no longer hold back his rage.

The man in black responded calmly, "No. I've grown disillusioned with them. Their stronghold on Old Earth was uprooted, and the survivors are now hiding in fear. That's why I've decided to take matters into my own hands."

Upon hearing this, Wang Xuan's killing intent surged. The mastermind had finally revealed themselves!

His heart burned with anger. Being hunted time and again was intolerable. He felt he had no major enemies and could not fathom why someone would want him dead. Yet, they kept coming after him, testing his limits.

Now that the main player had come forth, it was time to settle the score.

"I don't know you, and I believe I have no conflicts or grudges with you. Why do you keep targeting me?" Wang Xuan asked solemnly.

Suddenly, he lunged sideways, and a small tree, as thick as his arm, splintered with a loud crack, its crown crashing to the ground.

Wang Xuan's gaze turned frosty. The black-clad man was formidable, but it became evident that he had set up snipers hidden in the shadows. The man's earlier dialogue was merely a ploy to keep Wang Xuan distracted.

The heavy rain had likely caught them off guard; they must have believed he wouldn't show up. Only when the perceptive black-clad man spotted him did they decide to move, seeking advantageous terrain.

Among them, the man on the black beast was the quickest to act, convinced he could swiftly eliminate Wang Xuan.

Having entered the inner realm twice and practiced the fourth level of his Golden Body Technique, Wang Xuan's spiritual awareness had sharpened significantly.

In an instant, he leaped again. Where he had been standing moments before, a terrifying bullet hole appeared in a large tree, the projectile having spiraled in, shattering the trunk. It was clear they were using forbidden special ammunition.

In quick succession, two snipers had fired at him. What did he do to deserve such enmity? Now the main antagonist had taken center stage.

Without hesitation, Wang Xuan charged at the man in black and the ferocious hound. He refused to believe that the hidden snipers could accurately strike him amidst such chaos.

With both the man and beast moving rapidly, it would be difficult for snipers to target him directly. Wang Xuan was determined to eliminate the hound and the man before tracking down those shooters.

The black-clad man was indeed strong; his hands gleamed with a faint golden light, suggesting he had mastered an exceptionally powerful ancient technique. His punches possessed immense force, and whenever he struck a tree, it exploded into splinters.

Moreover, his kicks were equally potent; when he leaped off a tree trunk, it would splinter beneath him.

This was Wang Xuan's first encounter with such a formidable opponent since mastering the ancient arts. Had he not reached the fourth level of the Golden Body Technique, he likely would not have survived today.

Both men moved swiftly, shattering trees along their path, even the hound struggled to keep pace, nearly colliding with its master multiple times.

Bang!

Another tree, as thick as a water barrel, snapped and fell down. The two fighters maneuvered around each other, their fists and feet colliding continuously, creating thunderous sounds in the forest. Wang Xuan found that his tiger mouth had split open, blood dripping down, which shocked him; the opponent's punches were too hard, even his fourth layer of Golden Body Technique struggled to defend against them.

"Great Diamond Fist?!" he exclaimed, realizing what technique his opponent was using. He had practiced the Diamond Fist himself but only at the beginner level; the complete version, the Great Diamond Fist, was an immensely powerful martial art passed down in Buddhist scriptures.

The black-clad man coldly did not reply. His agility surpassed that of a monkey and his ferocity rivaled that of lions and tigers as he charged again, shaking Wang Xuan's arms and reddening his hands, deepening the wounds in his tiger mouth.

Boom!

Suddenly, Wang Xuan accelerated, launching a fierce attack. Finally seizing an opportunity, he crashed into the black-clad man, breaking two of his ribs with a crack, causing him to cough up blood and fly away.

The black-clad man, overwhelmed by pain, was shocked. He had assumed Wang Xuan was like him, having mastered a secret technique that made his fists extraordinarily hard and powerful. Wang Xuan had concealed his true toughness, not directly enduring the impact of the Great Diamond Fist, which misled him.

"Golden Body Technique, fourth layer?!" he gasped in disbelief, finally realizing what Wang Xuan had achieved. The extraordinary hardness of Wang Xuan's punches came from the enhancement of the Golden Body Technique rather than just his martial arts skill.

Roar!

Seeing its master at a disadvantage, the black hound lunged at Wang Xuan, its blood-red mouth wide open, viciously.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Wang Xuan landed on the beast, raining down blows on its nose and forehead, blood splattering everywhere. He ferociously struck a gaping wound into the creature's head, eliciting a heart-wrenching roar before it crashed to the ground with a thud.