Liu Xing also noticed that the blue portal was outlined by a thin black thread, almost as fine as a thin rope. If he hadn't taken the time to observe closely, he might not have noticed it. This black thread could potentially be Ji Dongyang, and Liu Xing needed to investigate before jumping into the portal.

"Ji Dongyang, you think you can deceive me? I know you're still here," Liu Xing declared, pointing towards the portal.

It was a bluff, but if Ji Dongyang really was the black thread, Liu Xing wanted him to believe his disguise had been exposed.

The portal continued swirling without reaction. Seeing this, Liu Xing summoned his gun and made it invisible. He then activated the Lightning Palm technique, forming a blade of lightning.

When there was still no response, Liu Xing extended the blade and swung his ultra-long blade towards the portal. He knew from his knowledge of pocket dimensions that the portal itself couldn't be disrupted. So he wasn't concerned about destroying the portal and trapping Yan Yu and other cultivators inside. Typically, a portal would only close when its energy source was depleted, usually found within the pocket dimension itself.

As his blade almost touched the black thread, the skeleton with black bones under the tree suddenly charged at him. Liu Xing's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected Ji Dongyang to still be here.

"Smart bastard. I didn't expect you to realize I was still here," a voice echoed from the portal.

Liu Xing ignored the comment and activated the Lightning Cloak technique. Electricity coated his body just as the skeleton closed in from behind.

Liu Xing canceled his Lightning Palm, spun around, and deflected the black skeleton hand with his gun. When the skeleton attempted to strike with its left hand, Liu Xing countered with a punch that exploded the skeleton's head into black powder. The black skeleton collapsed in front of him, darkness receding from its bones and transforming into black smoke that drifted upward.

Tilting his head, Liu Xing watched as the darkness gathered from the black skeleton and the black thread gathered into a single spot, forming a black sphere. From this sphere sprouted legs, arms, and a head—a skeletal cranium with glowing eye sockets. Four wings resembling dragonflies emerged from its back. It stood about a meter tall, and Liu Xing sensed it was at least at the sixth stage of the Lock Opening realm.

"It seems your cultivation advances each time you absorb that black smoke," Liu Xing observed.

"Hmph!" Ji Dongyang snorted. "A worm like you wouldn't understand the complexities of this shadow. Still, I must commend you for forcing me to transform into this form earlier than planned."

"You and I are both in the Lock Opening realm. I don't think you have the right to call me a worm," Liu Xing retorted. "However, since you are in the mood for conversation, why don't you enlighten me about this 'shadow'?"

"Hmph! As I said, a worm like you doesn't need to understand my shadow. In fact, I've changed my mind. You're not going anywhere. You'll die at my hands!" Ji Dongyang declared.

With that, Ji Dongyang flew towards a tree with black leaves in the center of the clearing and dove inside it, creating ripples as though the tree were a water surface.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the ground began to rumble, and the tree started shaking. Eventually, the tree uprooted itself. Some branches transformed into hands, and its roots morphed into two human legs. A face appeared in the bark, eye sockets ablaze with white fire.

Seeing this, Liu Xing licked his lips. Ji Dongyang had now possessed a tree, and its qi felt akin to that of a spirit beast.

Then Ji Dongyang screamed. The sound was so loud it stirred the wind. The scream lasted a full ten seconds, leaving Liu Xing with ringing ears.

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"I admit my power is not as great as it once was, but I can still use this technique," the face in the bark sneered. "Let's see how you do."

Moments later, Liu Xing heard screeches, howls, stomps, and flaps all around the clearing. Spirit beasts came, gathering around. Liu Xing saw a white tiger with yellow eyes and blue flames around its ankles, a familiar mantis with a red body, a butterfly with a human torso and a cow's head, a wolf-like creature with eyes like wriggling worms, a gigantic bat the size of a boulder, three giant catfish of gold, red, and black swimming in the air, and many more spirit beasts. Each beast stared at Liu Xing as if he was an elixir of immortality.

Liu Xing's heart raced. Dozens of fifth stage spirit beasts were about to tear him apart. It seems like Ji Dongyang has a technique to command the spirit beasts! The good thing is that he only seems to be able to summon spirit beasts with a lower cultivation than his own.

"Attack!" shouted Ji Dongyang, and the spirit beasts rushed toward him.

The red mantis was the first to reach him. With the Lightning Cloak still active, Liu Xing aimed at its eyes and pulled the trigger twice. The first shot exploded the eye, the second the head. Blood and gore showered Liu Xing, and the stripes on his gun glowing faintly. Before he could wipe the blood from his face, a tiger pounces at him from the side.

Liu Xing moved like lightning, sliding under the tiger and firing bullets infused with beast core qi. When the bullets hit the tiger's belly, it exploded, leaving nothing but blood.

Liu Xing stopped sliding and jumped onto a tree branch. The spirit beasts rushed at him in a mad frenzy, but looking at his invisible gun, Liu Xing's lips formed a ferocious smile.

Every time he killed a spirit beast, his gun absorbed the beast core and infused it into the bullets. Normally, Liu Xing would absorb the energy to cultivate, but now he didn't have time. Instead, he needed to use the bullets to kill more spirit beasts. He had never tested how strong the bullets infused with beast cores were, but judging by the remains of the tiger, Liu Xing was confident each bullet could kill a spirit beast in a single shot.

Suddenly, being surrounded by spirit beasts didn't seem so terrifying.

"Alright, everyone. Let's dance!"

He flared his Lightning Cloak, creating a lightning blade, and leaped into the horde of spirit beasts.

The massacre began.

***

Lei Kun was a farmer of humble beginnings. Born in a small village, he grew up helping his father on the farm. He had the chance to marry a simple but lovely girl and envisioned a life of hard work and eventually succumbing to old age or illness.

Instead, a cultivator arrived in his village, declared Lei Kun his disciple, and kidnapped him to join a small sect in the northern section of the Dark Forest continent. In this sect, Lei Kun suffered. He was robbed, beaten, insulted, and even forced to grovel and kiss the feet of his enemies.

In this sect, Lei Kun learned the cruelty of the cultivation world, but he soon adapted to it and flourished in it.

Now he is not Lei Kun, but Ji Dongyang!

Unlike Lei Kun's pathetic life, Ji Dongyang's story was grandiose, the story of the birth of a future world ruler! Although he had to split his soul and need to start cultivating from scratch again, he was determined to impose his will on the world and ensure that his enemies met their end. Although these years were hard, once he found a great vessel, he would rise like a phoenix from the ashes.

Despite his unwavering belief in his eventual comeback, standing behind a mad horde of spirit beasts and witnessing his army obliterated caused a slight doubt in Ji Dongyang's heart.

That bastard Liu Xing is stronger than he looks. He is only a fifth-stage Lock Opening disciple, yet his power surpasses his cultivation. With that lightning enhancement technique, he moves as fast as real lightning. Every time he pauses, a spirit beast will explode, split in two, or lose its head.

Even with his spirit beast eyes, Ji Dongyang strained to follow Liu Xing's movements.

For a moment, Ji Dongyang considered transforming into a cloud and attacking. It seemed like his cloud form was a bad match for Liu Xing, but he rejected the idea. Even in that form, Liu Xing was still able to hurt him, and as a cloud, his attack options were limited. Possessing this spirit beast is the best strategy.

Liu Xing appeared under a spirit beast that resembled a giant golden catfish. He kicked the catfish into the air, raised his left arm, and fired an invisible bolt, causing the spirit beast to explode. Without pausing, he moved behind a giant butterfly and slashed at it with his lightning blade, splitting it in two. A giant worm tried to attack from below. Liu Xing pointed his left hand and shot an electric bolt at the worm. The worm shrieked as its body stiffened. Liu Xing then leapt into the sky and unleashed a barrage of invisible bolts that quickly killed it.