Deep within the Celestial Cloud Mountain Range lay a pool of water shrouded in white mist. Any living creature that drew near would feel a chill seep into its bones, causing it to shiver uncontrollably.
This was the lair of the White Jade Rhinoceros.
Yang Xiao had known this for a long time.
In fact, he had flown over it several times.
He provoked the White Jade Rhinoceros, which flew into a rage every time.
But there was nothing it could do to him.
Because the current Yang Xiao was at the Orange Flame Great Success Peak, nearing his limits. The moment the wings on his back unfolded, they spanned at least forty zhang.
A single light flap could carry him forty li.
At such speeds, even the White Jade Rhinoceros couldn't possibly hit him.
He was too fast.
However, the White Jade Rhinoceros was a Tier Five Barbaric Beast, after all.
Although Yang Xiao had scared it off once before, he didn't dare provoke it too much.
After all, the creature's true strength was still terrifying.
But today.
In order to test the ultimate combat strength of his Qilin True Body.
Yang Xiao had come.
With the wings on his back spread wide, he hovered about three hundred meters in the air.
This immediately lured out the White Jade Rhinoceros.
"MOOO!"
An enraged roar.
Blood-red eyes.
Staring fixedly at Yang Xiao.
'This was the despicable human who had killed its only beloved son.'
But the White Jade Rhinoceros did not move.
Because of the terrifying aura emanating from Yang Xiao's body, its entire body trembled.
This was suppression from a superior bloodline.
Just as Yang Xiao had said, the White Jade Rhinoceros's bloodline was too weak. It hadn't been born with the bloodline of a Tier Five Barbaric Beast; rather, a mutation had allowed it to break through to that level.
While its strength was far beyond what a Tier Four Barbaric Beast could compare to, it was at the very bottom among Tier Five Barbaric Beastsāeven among the Tier Five Low Grade ones.
And yet, if a creature like this hadn't run into Yang Xiao, even a Tier Four Dominator Level Barbaric Beast would have been turned into an ice sculpture by a single blast of its searing white breath.
"MOOO!"
Seeing Yang Xiao remain motionless, neither fighting nor fleeing, and instead sizing it up like livestock, the White Jade Rhinoceros grew even more furious.
As its fury rose, even the suppression from the auraāwhich it had originally found so terrifyingāseemed to weaken.
A glimmer of intelligence suddenly flashed in its eyes.
As a Tier Five Barbaric Beast, the White Jade Rhinoceros's intelligence was no lower than a human's.
Moreover, something like an aura is always most terrifying the first time one encounters it.
Because it is unknown.
But having experienced it once and felt the true power behind the aura, the White Jade Rhinoceros could now make a more informed judgment.
Just now, fueled by the fire of its rage, this suppression had lessened even further.
The White Jade Rhinoceros seemed to be deep in thought.
Suddenly, it opened its great maw.
"MOOO!"
A stream of searing white air shot from its mouth.
But Yang Xiao was already prepared.
With a mere thought, a terrifying, crimson-purple Fierce Beast burst forth from his body.
The moment this Fierce Beast appeared, it began to grow.
And larger.
"ROAR!"
With a great roar, it used its body to block the stream of white air head-on.
The searing white stream, capable of flash-freezing a Tier Four Barbaric Beast, was utterly useless against this terrifying Fierce Beast. The dancing crimson-purple flames on its body easily repelled the attack.
The Qilin True Body.
At this moment, the Qilin True Body's flesh and blood had solidified.
It was as if it were a true Flame Qilin.
'Judging from its appearance alone, it's already seventy to eighty percent similar to a Purple Fire Qilin. But its strength is still a bit lacking.'
Yang Xiao was very satisfied with the Qilin True Body's current form.
It had devoured the flesh and blood of nearly thirty Tier Four Barbaric Beasts and over a hundred Tier Three Barbaric Beasts.
Its current form was substantial, no longer illusory as it was when first condensed.
Furthermore, it was filled with Blood Evil Qi, giving it an overwhelming, ferocious presence. Once unleashed, never mind its Qilin Bloodline or Heaven and Earth Origin Auraāthe Blood Evil Qi alone would force those with weaker dispositions to submit.
It was utterly terrifying.
However, compared to a true Purple Fire Qilin, it was still far inferior.
After all, that was the true Qilin Lineageāa Divine Beast.
Meanwhile, the distant White Jade Rhinoceros couldn't help but take a step back upon seeing Yang Xiao's Qilin True Body emerge.
But it quickly stopped itself.
Clearly, it had prepared to fight to the death.
'It worked. If it had run away the moment it saw the Qilin True Body, this fight would have never happened. This makes my long wait and all the hatred I've stirred up worthwhile.'
Yang Xiao smiled.
He hadn't released the Qilin True Body right away, precisely because he was afraid the White Jade Rhinoceros would flee.
It seemed his plan had succeeded.
The White Jade Rhinoceros was now squaring off against the Qilin True Body.
'It's a pity this thing isn't guarding any Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. Still, if I can get its mutated Inner Core, it'll be worth more than dozens of Peak Level 9 Spirit Medicines.'
Yang Xiao was a bit greedy.
The White Jade Rhinoceros's pupils turned blood-red.
Apparently, the longer this dragged on, the more ferocious it became.
"It's time. Qilin True Body, go!"
With a cold snort from Yang Xiao, the Qilin True Body, wreathed in crimson-purple flames, pounced viciously at the White Jade Rhinoceros like a true Purple Fire Qilin.
The aura it emitted was mixed and impure.
It was noble, ancient, and viciously malevolent all at once.
This mixed aura slammed into the mutated Tier Five Low Grade Barbaric Beast, striking terror into its heart and causing it to involuntarily take another small step back.
But immediately after, it began to counterattack.
It charged forward savagely.
CRASH!
A head-on collision.
The Purple Fire Qilin was sent flying.
The White Jade Rhinoceros merely staggered, its momentum barely checked.
Clearly, in terms of raw strength, the mutated Tier Five Low Grade Barbaric Beast was still stronger.
Yang Xiao's brow furrowed slightly.
But he said nothing.
Instead, he controlled the Purple Fire Qilin to begin fighting evasively.
In terms of speed, the mutated White Jade Rhinoceros was not slow.
But when it came to agility, it was far inferior.
Yang Xiao exploited this, having the Purple Fire Qilin constantly circle behind the White Jade Rhinoceros to wound it. Each swipe of its claws left behind a cluster of crimson-purple flames.
These terrifying flames, born from the Heaven and Earth Origin Flame, burned unceasingly.
They continuously inflicted damage on the White Jade Rhinoceros.
Soon, after just over half an hour of this evasive fighting, the White Jade Rhinoceros was on the verge of death.
Its entire body was covered in wounds.
The flames seared its very Soul, causing it immense pain.
'Victory is certain. As long as I get this Tier Five Low Grade Barbaric Beast's Inner Core, my breakthrough to the Yellow Flame Realm will be practically guaranteed.'
Yang Xiao grinned.
"MOOO!"
But just as Yang Xiao thought he was about to obtain a Tier Five Low Grade Inner Core, the White Jade Rhinoceros erupted in rage.
It was furious.
It was indignant.
It was filled with hatred.
All these emotions accumulated and transformed into a monstrous hatred.
And with it, the thought of mutual destruction.
Self-destruction!
'Even in death, I will not let my child's murderer have an easy time!'