The two fourth-rank Golden Mane Lions, despite being in the early stages of their rank, exuded an intimidating presence. Their golden eyes locked onto Meng Lin, and she could see the intelligence within them.
Ancient spiritual beasts that are within the third rank can speak and transform into humans, although depending on the purity of their blood, some aren't able to do so.
These two 4th rank beasts don't seem to have the ability to communicate, or maybe they don't want to communicate with her because Meng Lin could still see the intellect within their eyes.
The other lions, all peak rank 3, formed a semicircle around her, effectively blocking off any escape routes.
Meng Lin smiled slightly and took out a small golden talisman out of nowhere, injecting her elemental qi into it, a massive 5 meter long sword began to take shape, its multi-colored form being composed entirely of her Elemental qi.
The massive elemental sword hovered above Meng Lin, its blade shimmering with power. The lions growled in unison, their eyes narrowing at this new threat.
The two fourth-rank Golden Mane Lions exchanged a glance, and suddenly a massive aura began to emanate from them as their bodies became surrounded by a golden light.
Clank!!
Within an instant, two golden armored lions emerged from the light, their roars echoing through the air like thunderclaps, their 15-meter-long bodies gaining an additional layer of gold.
"ROAR!"
The ground trembled under the weight of their transformation, sending shockwaves that rustled the leaves of nearby trees. Their golden armor gleamed, making them appear even more majestic and fearsome.
Meng Lin's eyes narrowed, her grip tightening on the talisman. She could feel the raw power radiating from the two armored lions, and it sent a thrill of excitement through her veins.
Her smile widened, and with a swift motion, she pointed with her finger. "Let's see how strong you are," she murmured.
"BOOM!" The elemental sword shot forward with a deafening explosion, slicing through the air toward the nearest fourth-rank lion. The lion roared in defiance and leaped to meet the attack head-on, its golden armor glowing as it raised its claw to swipe.
Peng!!
Sparks flew all around as the Lion stumbled back while the sword stayed in place, the impact had sent shockwaves through the ground, causing the other lions to momentarily falter. But Meng Lin didn't let up. With a fluid motion, she redirected the sword to swipe at the second fourth-rank lion, causing it to jump back to dodge the attack.
Slash!!
The sword didn't stop in its momentum, slashing across in a circle all around Meng Lin, cutting apart half of the peak rank 3 lions while the other half retreated with startled growls.
The elemental sword glowed brighter, its multicolored hues blending into a radiant arc as it completed its circle slash.
The two fourth-rank Golden Mane Lions roared once more, their synchronized cries resonating like a war drum, they charged simultaneously, their golden armor glowing with each powerful stride.
Meng Lin pointed her finger, her eyes never leaving her foes. The elemental sword spun around her before thrusting towards one of the lions, its speed increasing as it was met with a lion's claws.
Puchi!!
The sword pierced through the lion's golden armor with a sickening sound, drawing a spray of blood. The lion's roar turned into a pained howl as it was pushed back, struggling to stay on its feet. Its companion, undeterred, used this moment to lunge at Meng Lin from the side.
Meng Lin anticipates the attack. twisted her body gracefully, evading the lion's claws by a few inches. With a flick of her finger, the elemental sword was upon the attacking Lion, its tip behind the lion's head.
Puchi!
The elemental sword struck fast and pierced through the back of the lion's head, emerging from its forehead with a gruesome spur of blood.
The lion's forward momentum ceased instantly as its body crumpled to the ground, lifeless. Blood pooled around its golden mane, now tarnished by defeat.
The remaining fourth-rank Golden Mane Lion, witnessing the swift demise of its companion, hesitated. Its golden armor seemed to dull, and its eyes darted around in uncertainty.
Meng Lin's eyebrows raised, noticing the shift in the Lion's gaze. Her elemental sword, still radiant and dripping with the blood of its victims, hovered in the air, awaiting her command.
It was the peak rank 3 lions, witnessing the defeat of one of their leaders, retreated into the woods, their figures running away into the distance.
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Meng Lin smiled as she noticed another emotion within the gaze of the remaining fourth-rank ancient beast—fear. The mighty Golden Mane Lion, once filled with unyielding ferocity, now showed vulnerability after it saw its subordinates run.
With a deep, guttural growl, the fourth-rank lion came at a decision as it charged on yielding, its claws extended and fangs bared. But Meng Lin only shook her head.
With a swift motion, she commanded the elemental sword, its size doubling as its blade sliced through the air with blinding speed.
"Slash!"
The lion's claws were cut through with the blade not slowing down as it continued its lethal path. The force of the slash cleaved through the lion’s formidable golden armor with ease, splitting its body in two.
Meng Lin stood amidst the aftermath, the elemental sword hovering beside her, its blade now returning to its original size. She took a moment to survey the scene, her eyes reflecting a mixture of satisfaction and contemplation.
She raised her hand to look at the golden talisman within her hand, noticing how it was glowing smaller than before, its power waning after the battle.
The golden talisman was called the Weapon Manifesting Talisman, it stores energy and manifests it into any weapon imagined, the strongest it could be depends on the amount of qi put into it, however, its storage is only enough for 10 percent of her qi, thus it would not be that useful in a real battle.
Storing the talisman away she released her spiritual consciousness, scanning the area for the white door which appeared after the completion of a trail in the pagoda, however, she didn't see it appear.
Thinking about it she realized that the beast within this tower was different from the other ancient spirit beast pagoda, these beasts seemed to be 'real', made from flesh and blood while the other pagoda's beasts were mist.
Furthermore, the other Ancient Spirit Beast pagoda had normal spirit beasts with the second floor being an ancient spirit beast, however, the first floor of this pagoda seemed to be entirely composed of ancient spirit beasts.
Arriving next to one of the dead rank 4 bodies she released her spiritual consciousness to scan the body and within the body she saw a small crystal, after retrieving the crystal Meng Lin felt her blood surge and circulate as if excited.
'Is this blood essence' she wondered. She could feel that she would gain some benefits in her blood essence if she absorbed these beast crystals, it's probably the reason these beasts seem so alive.
She wondered how the sect was able to create something like this however thinking back to the StarLord King of the spiritual essence pagoda, Meng Lin realized this sect seemed to be more than meets the eye.
Retrieving the Crystal from the other dead beasts she thought of the other rank 3 beasts that ran away, they were alive, she wondered if killing all the ancient spirit beasts within this floor would open the door to the next floor.
Her thoughts were proven correct after she went around and cleared all the remaining beasts, a white light appeared near the center of the tower, her door to the second floor.
Entering the white light, Meng Lin was transported once more, this time appearing within an unknown place, submerged in water.
The cool embrace of water surrounded Meng Lin as she found herself submerged in a vast underwater subspace. The water here was crystal clear, allowing her to see the vibrant still water and the ethereal glow that seemed to emanate from the very depths.
She oriented herself, adjusting her breathing and circulating the Imperial Water Art, feeling a connection form with the water around her, allowing her to remain underwater without concern for air.
Boom!!!
A powerful current suddenly surged through the water, catching Meng Lin off guard and sending her spiraling through the depths. The calm water transformed into a chaotic torrent, the force of the current pulling her every which way.
Meng Lin was disoriented, not making sense of her surroundings, she gritted her teeth, focusing on stabilizing herself.
Boom!!
She was met with another current which sent her spiraling over hundreds of meters in seconds.
Swish!
Suddenly Meng Lin felt a chill run down her spine as a sharp tail emerged before her, its target her heart.
Peng!
A shocking force collided with her robe, bouncing off, as a small mark formed on the Immortal Lotus Robe.
Boom!!
Another huge wave of current clashed against Meng Lin sending her hurtling through the water once more. Her mind raced as she tried to regain control, her body moving reflexively as she summoned her elemental qi, weaving it into her Imperial Water Art to control an area of the water around her.
however it was all pointless, it was like a giant hand was trying to drag her deeper into the abyss. Meng Lin's eyes narrowed as she fought to regain control. She extended her spiritual consciousness, trying to do something, however, even the current seemed to clash against it, causing her to sharply withdraw it.
Peng!!
Another shocking force collided with her robe, this time from a different angle, sending her tumbling through the water once more. Meng Lin gritted her teeth, refusing to be overwhelmed.
Circulating her Black Tortoise Essence Art, she quickly morphed into a monster, her claws extending with black scales forming all over her body.
Bubbles formed from behind her as a snake head hissed the snake head's gaze surveyed the area, her aura intensifying as she transformed into her monstrous form.
The snakehead looked menacingly, its eyes glowing with a sinister light, providing Meng Lin with an enhanced perception of her surroundings.
Boom!!
The currents clashed violently against her, but this time, her reinforced form held firm. She could feel the faint power surging through her veins, her blood essence chunking as it coursed through her body. Her claws sliced through the water while she propelled herself forward with ease.
Swish!
Another sharp tail darted towards her, but Meng Lin was ready. She twisted her body with agility, her claws intercepting the attack in a flash of sparks. The force of the collision sent vibrations through her arm, but she remained unfazed.
"Enough!" Meng Lin's voice echoed through the water, a command that seemed to reverberate with the very water, causing it to come to a still for a moment.
Boom!
She summoned her qi into a concentrated burst, a pulse of elemental power that rippled outward, disrupting the currents around her.
The water seemed to tremble in response, the oppressive force momentarily shifting. Meng Lin took advantage of the brief respite, her eyes scanning the dark waters for her unseen assailant. The snakehead behind her hissed again, its gaze locking onto a shadowy figure lurking in the depths.
With a swift, decisive motion, Meng Lin launched herself toward the figure, her claws poised to strike. The water parted before her, and for a moment, her target became clearer—a 25-meter-long Flood Dragon, with a protruding horn on its tail.
Peng!
Her strike was explosive, the force sending shockwaves through the water. Meng Lin's claws tore into the creature's hide, and she saw a surge of current clash against her as the beast recoiled in pain.
"A Sharptail Flood Dragon" Meng Lin instantly recognized it, her eyes widening with recognition. The Sharptail Flood Dragon was a very rare and powerful beast, she only knew that small description from the ancestral symbol.
The dragon's eyes gleamed with a mixture of anger and surprise, its massive body coiling and uncoiling as it prepared to counterattack. Its horned tail flicked through the water with lethal intent, a blur of motion aimed directly at Meng Lin.
But Meng Lin was not one to be easily intimidated. Her Black Tortoise Essence Art surged within her, reinforcing her monstrous form. The snakehead behind her hissed fiercely, its eyes fixed on the dragon, ready to strike at a moment's notice.
Peng!!
The dragon's tail struck with a thunderous impact, but Meng Lin met it head-on, her claws clashing against the horned appendage. The force of the collision sent ripples through the water, sending Meng Lin flying back.
Stopping a few meters away, she raised a finger and a thunderous aura reverberated throughout the area.
"Heaven Punishment" A dense qi materialized around her pointed finger, crackling with raw power.
"Puchi!"
The concentrated energy shot forth, and a blinding beam of light pierced through the water, striking the Flood Dragon with unerring precision. The dragon let out a pained roar as the energy touched its scales, forming a gaping hole in its side.
But Meng Lin wasn't done. Her eyes narrowed as she called upon the technique again. "Heavens Punishment".
"Puchi!"
Another powerful beam of energy struck the Flood Dragon, this time targeting its chest. The beast writhed in agony, its powerful body convulsing as the destructive force tore through it.
"Heavens Punishment!" Meng Lin called out once more, her voice echoing through the depths.
"Puchi!"
The third strike hit the dragon's head, the impact shattering its horn and leaving a deep, smoking crater. The beast's roars grew weaker, its ferocity dimming as it finally stopped moving.
Blood clouded the water as the dragon's body sank slowly into the abyss, its life force extinguished.
Meng Lin a moment to arrive before the huge flood dragon's body, holding it up, she released her spiritual consciousness into its body.
Her spiritual consciousness probed through the Flood Dragon's lifeless body, searching for the crystal, she sensed a faint, pulsating energy emanating from within the beast's chest. Her eyes glinted with anticipation as she focused her qi, drawing out a small crystal, its core.