Others who wanted to follow also retreated under Hei Ting's cold gaze, deciding it was best not to provoke him when he was clearly in a bad mood.
A Shi led the way, trembling, but his pace was surprisingly swift, like a terrified beast fleeing a predator.
Even without a word from Hei Ting, one always felt as though their head was precariously attached. With Hei Ting, there was no room for sentiment. He remembered a follower named Meng who had angered the leader two years ago. His corpse was found in the snake den, chopped into countless pieces and fed to the snakes.
Ever since that pair of White Spirit Beasts, mother and daughter, had escaped, the leader had become so volatile that he'd eat people at the slightest provocation. All the Fallen Beasts dared not get too close, fearing they might be devoured if they displeased him one day.
A Shi only hoped the leader would grant him a quick death, sparing him such a fate.
The night was dangerous for solitary beasts, but with Hei Ting present, those dangers were insignificant. Hei Ting himself was the greatest danger.
A Shi and Hei Ting's appearance immediately caused a stir among the Triceratops herd. Da Jiao, jolted from a deep crisis, watched the intruders from the sky with vigilant eyes.
Hei Ting swept a nonchalant gaze over the scene below, his attention finally settling back on A Shi. A Shi was drenched, and he pointed unerringly at the nest where Da Jiao had laid its egg. "Boss is in that nest. He was there this afternoon, but he might have run off by now."
He was utterly terrified. It was truly no longer there!
Hei Ting glanced at the nest, covered by leaves. He showed no anger at being deceived, having expected this outcome. It was merely a game for him to see what tricks A Shi would play.
"I don't know your name yet," he said calmly, which terrified A Shi into a stupor.
"A-A-A Shi!" A Shi trembled like a sieve.
"Oh, A Shi. A good name."
!
A Shi's eyeballs bulged outwards. His hollowed-out body plummeted directly into the center of the Triceratops herd, where he was frantically trampled by the startled beasts, eventually reduced to a pulp. Hei Ting devoured his heart and quietly observed the scene below, a cruel curve to his lips. It was indeed interesting.
As he finished his meal and prepared to leave, a gust of cool wind blew by, dislodging a large leaf from the nest. Shuan woke up instantly, looking around in surprise. What had happened?
Da Jiao let out a warning growl beside her ear, its gaze fixed on a naked, stern-faced beast.
Shuan yelped, covering her eyes in embarrassment. Then she realized something was wrong; this beast meant no good, it was here to hunt!
The next second, she lowered her paws, warily watching the male approaching them.
A flicker of surprise crossed Hei Ting's eyes. So A Shi hadn't lied. But he deserved to die for calling a White Spirit Beast a rabbit-beast, hmph.
Da Jiao growled, warning him not to approach, but who was Hei Ting? His aura was more terrifying than that of a savage beast. Alone amidst the Triceratops herd, not one dared to attack him.
Hei Ting stared at Shuan in the nest. "White Spirit Beast?"
Shuan's heart leaped. She dared not speak, fearing this might also be a Fallen Beast!
Da Jiao, as the leader, could back down from anyone but itself. Seeing Hei Ting intrude upon their territory, Da Jiao launched the first attack.
Hei Ting sneered, extending his arms to block the charging head. Even his robust frame was forced back a step by the impact. He then transitioned from blocking with his arms to gripping the horns with both hands, and the man and beast began to spin in place. Seeing this, Weng Weng moved to help.
Hei Ting found them too bothersome. With a roar, the beastman vanished, replaced by a black dragon-beast over ten meters tall. Da Jiao and Weng Weng were consecutively sent flying by its tail, crashing into the ground and creating deep pits.
Shuan, startled, jumped out of the nest and ran towards the injured Da Jiao. "Brother Da Jiao!"
As Hei Ting was about to attack again, he caught sight of the little White Spirit Beast running down. He naturally eased his attack, using his tail to block the little White Spirit Beast's advance.
Shuan clawed at the bad dragon-beast's tail scales. "What do you want? Let me go!"
Hei Ting did not revert to his human form. Instead, he used the tip of his tail to press Shuan to the ground, preventing her escape. Seeing his sister being bullied, Da Jiao struggled to its feet and attacked again.
Hei Ting grew extremely impatient with this meddlesome creature. His glowing beast eyes released killing intent, and he swung his tail again, sending Da Jiao flying.
This time, Da Jiao fell disastrously, spitting blood upon landing. Shuan cried out in distress, "Brother Da Jiao!"
"You bad dragon-beast, what exactly do you want!" She tried to reach her brother Da Jiao, but the dragon-beast's tail kept her pinned.
Hei Ting looked at her strangely. "You call a herbivore 'brother'?"
Shuan gnashed her teeth angrily on his scales. "What's it to you? Let me go!"
Hei Ting raised an eyebrow in confusion. "You are a beastman, you can speak the beastman language. Why are you staying with a herbivore in your beast form?"
Shuan struggled to break free. "What does it have to do with you? What do you want here in the middle of the night? Are you a Fallen Beast?"
Hei Ting admitted, "I am a Fallen Beast, but my target is you."
Shuan was not only shocked but also disheartened. It was no use; she hadn't escaped. This was also a Fallen Dragon Beast, and he looked even more powerful than her brother and father. What should she do?
Meanwhile, Da Jiao had managed to get up again. Hei Ting's patience was wearing thin. Shuan felt the pressure on her ease, and a black shadow lunged towards Da Jiao.
In a moment of desperation, Shuan screamed, "No!!!"
Da Jiao was sent flying again. Hei Ting, for the first time, showed mercy.
Shuan ran towards him with all her might, only to be pinned by his tail halfway. Though furious, her mind was clear. She shouted, "You said your target is me. Why are you hitting my brother Da Jiao!"
"If you want me, I'll go with you. Just stop hitting him, okay?"
Hei Ting: "..." He suddenly felt foolish. He should have just taken the White Spirit Beast away instead of dawdling with a herbivore for so long.
And so, Shuan was taken away, without even a chance to say goodbye.
Da Jiao, severely injured, lay on the ground watching his sister being taken away, helpless to do anything but worry!
Hei Ting did not take Shuan back to the tribe but to a nearby riverbank. At this point, he was in his human form.
Shuan unceremoniously raked bloody marks across his chest with her claws. The scratching didn't sate her anger, so she bit him. Just as she was about to sink her teeth in, she was grabbed by her fur and lifted.
Hei Ting commanded, "Turn into your human form and let me see."
Shuan contemptuously turned her face away. She had her pride! "Why should I listen to you? Do what you will, I'm not afraid of you!"
Hearing this, Hei Ting was even more surprised. This White Spirit Beast...
He let out a cold laugh. "Not transforming, huh? I'll go back and kill that one called Da Jiao."