Lin Tian silently withdrew from the grass, moving quietly for several hundred feet before increasing his speed and racing deeper into the forest. At this point, his speed was akin to that of a cheetah in the wind, easily evading any possible pursuit. Even a peak Qi Cultivator would struggle to detect him. Only an innate-level expert could perceive the slightest movement within a few miles, creating an insurmountable gap between them and a peak Qi Cultivator.
The Qi Cultivation stage in martial arts was important, but it was ultimately just a bridge to the innate realm. Crossing into the innate realm was the true dividing line, and once that threshold was crossed, one would no longer be considered a mere mortal.
After running for nearly half an hour, Lin Tian was already over a hundred miles away from the valley. His speed was now almost on par with the swift golden-striped cheetahs of the forest, and as he entered deeper into the woods, he noticed the number of animals around him began to dwindle. This signaled that he was nearing the territory of a fierce beast. These evolved wild creatures had a strong territorial instinct, and any other beast that entered their domain would face a bloody battle. The ancient forest stretched endlessly, and the number of fierce beasts within it was impossible to count—no immortal would be able to enumerate them all.
Lin Tian had once accidentally killed a Mo Yun fierce beast, and after that, its territory had remained empty for miles, with no other beasts daring to intrude. Today, he intended to draw out a beast known as the Six-Legged Crocodile. Though this creature resided in the swamps, its territory was vast. It ventured deep into the forest when hunting, and its six muscular legs, covered in scales, could easily push through the trees without being impeded. If Lin Tian had not reached the peak of Bone Forging, he would never have dared provoke such a giant beast.
However, now that his strength had grown significantly and his spiritual sense had become sharper, along with the increase in his magical power, he felt confident in handling any danger. With his current cultivation, he no longer feared facing the Six-Legged Crocodile.
When he entered the crocodile's territory, Lin Tian quickly sprang into action. He chopped down a three-foot-long tree trunk, swiftly split it with his dagger into two halves, and then bound them together with vines to create a simple sled. He had learned this technique years ago from his master, Old Li, and had used it many times in the snow-covered northern lands to successfully escape pursuit.
Though it wasn't winter, the sled was still highly effective in the swamp. Lin Tian jumped onto the sled and, as always, sped forward at an incredible pace, almost like an arrow released from a bow, racing deeper into the swamp.
The Six-Legged Crocodile's aura was immensely powerful. Even though it was still over a hundred feet away, Lin Tian could sense its presence. At the same time, the crocodile also became aware of Lin Tian's intrusion. It let out an earth-shaking roar, and giant waves surged in the swamp as massive tree-like wooden pillars flew toward Lin Tian at high speed.
Lin Tian let out a loud, defiant cry, fully displaying his intention to provoke. The Six-Legged Crocodile had ruled its territory for decades and had never encountered anyone who dared challenge its authority. It was enraged, and its six thick legs started moving swiftly, speeding up until, in just a few breaths, it had closed the gap to within twenty feet of Lin Tian.
Lin Tian knew he couldn't hesitate any longer. He pushed off the ground with all his strength, using the sled to accelerate. Like a gust of wind, he tore through the swamp, with the crocodile hot on his heels.
Finally, he broke the vines binding the sled, discarded the wooden poles, and swiftly passed beyond the Six-Legged Crocodile's territory. Once out, he stopped quickly and, facing the enraged crocodile, kicked a stone into the air. The crocodile roared, its tail lashing out with such force that the stone was pulverized instantly, but it also bought Lin Tian some time.
However, the Six-Legged Crocodile didn't stop. It became even more furious and charged forward, now moving faster than before. Lin Tian felt unprecedented pressure. Despite pushing himself to the limit, he knew that his strength and speed were starting to wane compared to the crocodile.
Just as Lin Tian felt that he was about to be caught, a sudden idea struck him. He led the Six-Legged Crocodile in a wide arc, entering another fierce beast's territory. This new area was ruled by a massive, monstrous python that Lin Tian had seen from a distance before. Back then, the snake had hunted like lightning, shaking the entire forest. Even Lin Tian had to flee from it.
This monstrous python was different from other fierce beasts. It was already at the peak of its evolution, and if it continued to advance, it might become a demonic beast. Demonic beasts were beings that had gained spiritual intelligence, rivaling innate experts and possibly even matching certain Daoist masters. It was rumored that this python carried the bloodline of the Teng Snake, and once it evolved fully, it could become a legendary flood dragon, surpassing demonic beasts in power.
The python's eyes gleamed with intelligence. Lin Tian could sense a cunning air in its gaze. This snake was no ordinary beast—it had developed enough intelligence to act like a rational hunter, no longer relying solely on instincts.
At that moment, the Six-Legged Crocodile stopped. It felt the immense pressure from the python and immediately retreated. But just as it halted, a Windstorm Golden-Patterned Leopard suddenly appeared, stealthily entering the python's territory. Lin Tian was taken aback. He had once been involved in a deadly chase with this leopard. How could it have ended up here?
Seeing the leopard's fearful gaze, Lin Tian suddenly realized that the golden-patterned leopard had likely unintentionally entered the python's domain and was now subdued by it. Clearly, the python had developed enough intelligence to not only rely on its instincts but also to capture other beasts, strengthening its own power.
Lin Tian's heart surged. He realized he had found himself in an inescapable predicament. If the python was capable of rationally judging threats and responding accordingly, then with his current strength, he might have no chance of escaping.
Countless solutions flashed through Lin Tian's mind, but he soon realized that all his plans and preparations seemed meaningless in the face of the python's intelligence.