Chapter 6: The Beast Is Not a Beast

"Go ahead, shatter the air with your blows, let's see how long you can keep it up." Han Xing sneered coldly, his toes lightly touching the ground as he darted back and forth, moving across the ring with the nimble grace of a meteor in the galactic world. Each circling step relied heavily on inertia, requiring little effort on his part.

"Even if you manage to defeat me, there are still eight more to face. You'll exhaust yourself to death..." His acerbic words poured relentlessly from his lips, needling Du Gu Bieli's nerves, hoping to muddle his focus and force a mistake. The black dagger in Han Xing's hand flickered and probed, inching closer, its edge radiating a chilling intent to kill that spilled and coiled from its tip.

"This can't go on. I must change tactics, at the very least conserve my energy," Du Gu Bieli thought, shifting his stance. He tapped the ground with his other foot, alternating positions, and slowly moved toward one side of the platform.

Staying in the center was akin to being a target—an unfavorable position.

By firmly holding a corner, the range of attacks he faced was instantly reduced by nearly a third. Moreover, his maneuver disrupted Han Xing's rhythm, causing his movements to falter, no longer as smooth or flowing as before.

"Damn it," Han Xing gritted his teeth in frustration, powerless to change the situation. His temper flared; finally, in a burst of desperation, he lunged forward. The dagger sliced through the air with a hiss, aimed at Du Gu Bieli's throat. Empowered by his battle force and speed, the dagger's sharp tip shot out a deadly black gleam, like a venomous snake flicking its tongue.

"Empty hand against naked blade!"

Du Gu Bieli moved calmly, defending while attacking. His hands traced an enigmatic path, intercepting the dagger before it could harm him—blocking, cutting, and seizing.

Shing—

Han Xing retreated swiftly, feeling his hand suddenly lighten. Alarmed, he tried to respond, but saw the counterattack begin.

Arrow Storm!

In his vision, Du Gu Bieli's arms unleashed a barrage of punches, forming a vast net that descended overhead. This technique belonged to Han Xing’s prodigious younger brother, yet his opponent wielded it with mastery—and against him. Han Xing’s face turned black as thunder, veins bulging on his forehead. He rolled desperately across the platform to the other side.

"Arrow Storm!" Whether intentional or not, Du Gu Bieli struck again, unleashing the move in succession, weaving a mesh that forced Han Xing back, cornering him until there was nowhere left to retreat.

Thump, thump, thump—

When a Commander exerts himself, his body emits the sound of a general’s drum. Despite Han Xing’s wretched state, he risked everything, making a final desperate move to salvage his defeat.

Do not forget—he, too, is a Commander.

Every Commander deserves respect. Facing those who can concentrate the power of their spring at a single point, caution is vital. Underestimating a Commander often leads to regret. Compared to others, Han Xing’s strength is not lacking.

Unfortunately, his luck failed him—he faced Du Gu Bieli!

Du Gu Bieli’s fists turned to claws, seizing Han Xing's hands as he unleashed the Primordial Nether Art.

"Ah—!" Han Xing screamed, his hair bristling, feeling his strength, spirit, and even vitality draining rapidly. Terrified, he tried to wrench his hands free, but it felt as though they were bound by divine iron—the harder he struggled, the faster his energy ebbed.

His muscles began to shrink. Already slender, his body grew gaunt. His blood slowed, vitality faded. His skin aged, wrinkles appearing like the bark of an ancient tree. He tried to cry out, to beg for mercy, but, to his horror, found he could no longer speak...

This bizarre turn stunned the entire arena. Many watching Han Xing’s misery involuntarily swallowed, their throats working nervously.

"Concede..." The one most concerned for Han Xing was, without doubt, his kin—his brother, Han Bing. Though he didn’t understand what was happening, he saw his brother aging, the grey creeping into his hair. Ignoring pride and honor, he hurriedly spoke up to surrender on his brother’s behalf.

With a flick of his wrist, Du Gu Bieli tossed Han Xing from the platform and strode to the center, his spirit shining. Facing the officials below, his eyes flashed fiercely as he declared, "Next!"

The official trembled in fright, thinking, "This is bad, seems we've invited a plague god. Better not make trouble for me in the future. This one’s temperament is anything but gentle or broad-minded." Panic-stricken, he could only steel himself and announce in a quavering voice, "Third round, the challenger—Wild Beast!"

Boom—

Chaos erupted in the arena. Many wisely abandoned their seats, moving as far back as possible. No one spared a glance for the barely alive Han Xing below. Han Bing cradled his brother, gazing at Du Gu Bieli with unexpected gratitude. "Du Gu, if you lack any secret defenses or if your battle force isn’t at its peak, for the sake of sparing my brother, I advise you: concede now. Wild Beast isn’t human."

Seeing the Han brothers retreating hurriedly, Du Gu Bieli wondered aloud, "What sort of creature can frighten all the Commanders away? Not human... Are they bringing out a real beast?"

The answer soon surfaced.

Wild Beast was not an actual beast, but a man—a very unusual man.

He wore no clothes, his body covered entirely in a foot-long pelt grown from his own skin. Standing roughly two meters tall, his hair was wild, obscuring half his face. The exposed parts were crisscrossed with scars.

Roar~ Roar~

With every step, he let out a primal bellow. When he roared, his lips parted wide, revealing two rows of teeth, the gaps still stained with blood.

He was the embodiment of wildness.

Those familiar with Wild Beast knew his origins.

Born into an ordinary family, his early life was peaceful. But then, bandit hordes massacred his village. Only he, a toddler, survived, hidden in the deep mountains by his mother. After she died from her injuries, he survived alone, living among wild beasts. The countless scars on his body were earned in desperate battles with animals—a living testament to his past.

Later, a hero found him and brought him back to the human world. Over the years, he grew into a Commander.

Perhaps Wild Beast was not the strongest among Commanders, but he was certainly the most terrifying.

His fighting style was infused with the ferocity of beasts. When injured, he might go berserk, causing his battle force to surge. If his bloodlust was triggered, even the arena could scarcely restrain him.

To face Wild Beast in combat was little different from a duel to the death.

Seeing the crowd flee, Wild Beast laughed triumphantly, relishing the feeling of being king of beasts—a nostalgia for his mountain life. To him, every Commander was a helpless creature, groveling for survival at his feet.

The power of life and death over all 'beasts' seemed to rest in his hands. That emotion infected his mind, and he howled ceaselessly, wherever and whenever he pleased. His psychological momentum soared, and every Commander swept by his gaze felt suffocated, as if under a crushing cloud.

As the saying goes, the bold fear the reckless, and the reckless fear those who disregard their own lives.

Wild Beast was the latter—utterly ruthless.

Once the fight began, it was nearly to the death—insanely fierce. His entire body was a weapon, attacks unpredictable and unpatterned, impossible to guard against.

Du Gu Bieli, upon meeting him head-on, felt a suffocating pressure. It was as if he faced a true beast—wild, mad, with overwhelming possessiveness and aggression. Wherever he went became his territory, and any challenge to his supremacy would be met with extreme violence.

In the crowd, Liu Si’s face was ashen. "It’s over. All hope is gone—even the faintest chance is shattered."

Behind the scenes, the chief official smiled sinisterly. Wild Beast was a unique case in the Commander-level arena; his participation was a disaster—either death or serious injury, leading to widespread complaints. In the end, the Tiger King decreed that Wild Beast need not fight for rewards, but would be subsidized by the arena, essentially kept on retainer. Today, to deal with Du Gu, they opened his cage.

"If the Han brothers could defeat you, that would be best. If not, that’s fine—they just warmed you up. Now, the main course—enjoy it slowly, my deputy commander."

...

"Are you the one?" Wild Beast stepped onto the platform, fixing Du Gu Bieli with a ferocious gaze. His voice was hoarse, like a broken gong. "I don’t know who you offended, but they let me freely enter the arena just for you. For that, I admire you. To show my respect for a worthy foe, I’ll use my full strength."

"Come," Du Gu Bieli’s eyes blazed. His opponent’s formidable presence ignited his own fighting spirit—his blood boiled, and the long-lost thrill surged through him. "You’re worthy of my full strength."

"What?" Someone with sharp ears caught Du Gu’s words and exclaimed, "He hasn’t used his full power yet? What kind of warrior is he..."

Thump, thump—

Power danced, beating out a general’s command—deep, resonant drums, as if dozens or hundreds were pounding them in unison. The entire stone platform trembled and groaned.

Roar—

Wild Beast howled, stretching his limbs as he charged headlong.

Whoosh—

A foul wind swept in, murderous intent billowing visibly in its wake.

"Tenfold Perfect Battle Power!" Du Gu Bieli erupted on the spot, his strength concentrated as he punched forward. The blow carved a vacuum channel through the air, the residual currents unable to withstand the violent turbulence, colliding and exploding loudly.

Bang!

The punch landed.

Wild Beast grinned, revealing his bloodstained teeth.

He was laughing.

"Too weak," Wild Beast said hoarsely. "Is your technique called ‘Tickling’? Or did you not eat enough?"

Swish—

Du Gu Bieli retreated several meters, his expression full of surprise. "How was Wild Beast’s body forged? I can tell he relies solely on physical toughness for defense."

"My turn," Wild Beast patted his chest, his pelt in disarray. Minor wounds didn’t bother him—in fact, they only fueled his wildness, making him fiercer.

Bang!

With a powerful kick, Wild Beast lunged, arms wide, attempting to seize Du Gu Bieli in a crushing embrace. With his formidable body and explosive strength, if he grabbed hold, he could easily break bones and rupture organs.

Du Gu Bieli ducked low, darting nimbly beneath Wild Beast’s ribs.

Twisting his waist, spinning his foot, reaching out—

Primordial Nether Art.

He acted decisively, unleashing his technique at once. A vortex spun in his palm, like a gluttonous beast that could never be sated. His formidable strength and vital energy poured through his hand, surging back in a torrent.

Awo—

Wild Beast shrieked, spinning around, his massive hand swiping with destructive power, paying no heed to the slight loss of energy, attacking with full force. Du Gu Bieli tapped his toe, retreating sideways. The reliable Primordial Nether Art was forced to break off for the first time.

Wild Beast remained spirited, his fighting intent high, energy undiminished.

"Again, I refuse to believe your strength and vitality are inexhaustible," Du Gu Bieli insisted, seeking another chance to use the Primordial Nether Art. Again, Wild Beast evaded.

Try again, evade again.

...

Battling this anomaly was an arduous struggle.

Among Commanders, so few have honed their bodies to such extremes—not one in ten thousand. Du Gu Bieli couldn’t help but muse, "Wild Beast, you aren’t truly a beast, but you’re certainly more of an animal..."

Zhulang Editor’s Joint Recommendation: Zhulang’s Hot Novels Collection Now Online—Click to Bookmark