Chapter Ninety: Duel with the Ghost-Faced Fox

What? If that is the case, will it not be very hard for your cultivation to recover in the future? Lin Yanghao said in astonishment.

He drew a sharp breath. If things were truly as Bingxiao said, then Lin Yanghao would not want him to do it. This concerned Bingxiao’s future; nothing was more agonizing than seeing one’s cultivation halt in place.

If he truly went through with it, it would be no different from destroying his own prospects.

“If we don’t do this, do you have a better way? If this drags on any longer, we’ll both lose our lives! Stop dawdling like a woman and hurry up!” Bingxiao urged anxiously. Every passing moment was precious now; if they delayed any further, the masked fox would inevitably grow impatient.

“Hmph! What are you two up to? If you’re going to fight, then fight already. If you still don’t move, then I’ll strike first. And you, traitor to the beastfolk—I’ll make sure you die horribly!” The masked fox snorted coldly, clearly having lost all patience for wasting time on Lin Yanghao and Bingxiao.

With that, he made as if to attack.

On Lin Yanghao’s side, he had already channeled his spiritual sense to Bingxiao.

“Lin Yanghao, you’re absurdly monstrous, damn it. Not just in strength—your spiritual sense alone is probably enough to make even a Nascent Soul cultivator hang his head in shame. I have no idea how you cultivate!” Bingxiao exclaimed in delight. With the support of Lin Yanghao’s monstrous spiritual sense, the strain on his own would be greatly reduced, and it should leave no hidden danger behind.

Once he successfully unleashed Ten Thousand Beasts Return to the Source, what upper-grade spirit beasts? They would all be no more than straw dogs, unable to withstand a single blow.

You had to know, Bingxiao’s Ten Thousand Beasts Return to the Source was an immortal art. Even though Bingxiao’s strength was far inferior to what it had once been, how could these spirit beasts possibly resist it?

...

“Today I’ll properly keep you company and have some fun! I’ll let you understand that no matter what tricks you use, before absolute power, they are all futile!” The masked fox had not fought anyone for many years, and his hands were simply itching for action.

How could he possibly miss such a perfect opportunity today? So he was in no hurry to kill the two of them; it would be better to play with them first.

“Hmph, let’s see whether you can keep laughing later! Taste the might of my Ten Thousand Beasts Return to the Source!” With a cold smile, Bingxiao began to unleash the technique.

He let out an angry roar, and the aura around him began to grow stronger and stronger.

This change shocked the masked fox, who began to realize how serious the situation was.

If he let this continue, that would be disastrous.

Although he knew the other side was using a secret art that boosted strength and its duration would certainly not be long, the masked fox would not give them any chance to turn the tables, so he charged at Lin Yanghao and Bingxiao.

What the masked fox did not know, however, was that it was already too late. In just a few breaths, Bingxiao had successfully completed Ten Thousand Beasts Return to the Source.

His strength surged severalfold, climbing all the way to the level of an upper-grade spirit beast.

Though still on the same level as the masked fox, Bingxiao was absolutely certain of victory.

The reason was simple: a masked fox of the same realm was, in Bingxiao’s eyes, no different from a small child.

The masked fox on the side was utterly dumbfounded. What in the world was this?

If he could, the masked fox would have rushed up to grab Bingxiao and demand, “Are you cheating, damn it? No matter how powerful a secret art is, it can’t possibly leap across two great realms at once!”

“Could it be that all of this is just bluster?” The thought naturally occurred to the masked fox.

Yes! That was it! It had to be! Knowing he was no match for me, the other side must have used some kind of illusion to pose as an upper-grade spirit beast, all in hopes of making me back down!

Fortunately, old fox me is clever; otherwise, I would have almost fallen for it this time!

“Try my Ghostflame Severing Strike!” the masked fox launched his attack, thinking inwardly, “How dare you try to deceive me? I’ll make you learn the price of lying to me right now!”

Bingxiao sneered coldly and immediately charged forward as well, striking at the masked fox.

The masked fox could not help feeling a chill down his spine. Bingxiao’s speed had completely surpassed his imagination, and for some reason, there was also an inexplicable sense of oppression.

“He’s definitely just putting on airs again. Yes, he must be trying to make a desperate struggle.” The masked fox refused to believe Bingxiao truly possessed such terrifying strength, and so comforted himself with wishful thinking.

Bingxiao gave a frosty smile and shouted in a low voice, “One Body of Ten Thousand Beasts!”

Boom!

As his palms slammed together with the masked fox’s, the latter only felt an immense pressure surge over him, enveloping his entire being.

A thunderous blast rang out—the sound of the masked fox being sent flying as he crashed away.

You had to know that fusing ten thousand beasts into Bingxiao’s body was equivalent to the power of ten thousand beasts. How could the masked fox possibly withstand that?

“How... how is this possible!” the masked fox said tremulously, voicing his shock.

Even now, the masked fox remained in a dazed state. Hadn’t they said it was all bluster? Then how the hell was it this monstrous? He was nearly stupid with disbelief, unable to accept the reality of his defeat.

Though Lin Yanghao and Bingxiao regretted that one strike had not killed the masked fox, they thought of the great crash just now and knew that someone would surely come soon.

In any case, the masked fox was already severely wounded, so Lin Yanghao no longer bothered with him. He sent Bingxiao back into the spirit beast pouch and once again vanished underground.

“I am enraged to death! I swear I will not rest until this vengeance is paid!” Even after burrowing underground, Lin Yanghao could still clearly hear the masked fox’s furious roar.

Not long afterward, the entire Beast Sovereign Palace, inside and out, was surrounded thoroughly. Judging by the spectacle, they would not rest until Lin Yanghao and Bingxiao were captured.

As expected, shooting for the moon and missing had only meant they hit themselves with the ricochet. They had not found the treasure vault, and instead had stirred up a heap of trouble for themselves.

Now Lin Yanghao was trapped between advancing and retreating. If this went on much longer, the earth-escape talismans on him would not last either. Worse still, there might even be spirit beasts capable of burrowing underground. If that happened, would he not truly be finished here?

...

“What happened?”

A voice full of authority rang out, instantly lifting Lin Yanghao’s spirits.

“Reporting to the Beast Sovereign: a human cultivator and a spirit beast intruded into the palace just now, and even wounded the masked fox. We have already laid a net from heaven to earth; even if they grow wings, they will not escape.”

The voice above gradually faded, and then there was suddenly no sound at all.

At this point, how could Lin Yanghao not realize that the authoritative voice belonged to the Beast Sovereign, and that he was now actually beneath the sovereign’s sleeping chambers?

As the saying goes, the most dangerous place is the safest place. If I can hide inside the Beast Sovereign’s sleeping chambers, no one will ever find me. Heh heh heh, I’m truly a genius. With an idea in mind, Lin Yanghao’s mood instantly brightened.