Xiao Chen let out a helpless sigh. Zhao Lin'er indeed had courage, risking her life to drive him into a dead end. He spun around and fled—he could not let such a ferocious beast tear him apart.
A sharp crack sounded beside him. The tyrannosaur's thick, powerful claw snapped a massive tree trunk, landing perilously close to Xiao Chen, brushing him with the specter of death.
Xiao Chen did not wish to die, but despair crept in. Now that this ancient beast had detected him, what hope was there of escape? He had thrown off Zhao Lin'er, only to fall into another death trap.
Crack after crack echoed like the rattling chains of the Grim Reaper, closing in around him. Even pushing his speed to the limit, he could not outrun a beast that covered a dozen meters in a single stride.
A thunderous roar burst from the tyrannosaur, its sound waves crashing against Xiao Chen so violently that he nearly lost consciousness. He sealed his hearing, yet still felt as if his eardrums were splitting with pain.
He tumbled across the ground, mud soaking his clothes. Not far away, the massive dragon claw, gleaming cold and razor-sharp, plunged more than a meter into the earth. Xiao Chen broke out in a cold sweat—another hair's breadth, and he would have been pierced through.
Xiao Chen was not one to give up easily, but now he felt true escape was impossible.
A flash of silver caught his eye. Not far off, a small horse carved from divine jade appeared, its large eyes like black gems. Though terror filled its gaze, it leaped atop the treetops and began to circle the tyrannosaur, stepping lightly.
Was it drawing the attention of the ancient beast? Xiao Chen was stunned. This young unicorn had come here, seemingly to save him!
The tyrannosaur was indeed distracted. Its ferocious, hideous dragon head turned toward the shimmering little celestial horse, and with a bellow, it advanced.
Xiao Chen scrambled to his feet and ran a hundred meters in one breath, then stopped. He feared for the little unicorn. This adorable, mysterious little celestial horse had come to rescue him—if it met with harm, his conscience would never rest.
The little celestial horse danced across the treetops, swift as lightning, a blur of light moving through the endless ancient forest. Even the ancient tyrannosaur, mountain-like and covering a dozen meters per stride, could not catch it.
So divine was the little unicorn, leaping from one tree crown to another, its whole body flowing with iridescent light, as if truly flying.
Xiao Chen's heart eased, and without looking back, he fled into the distance. Of course, he could not head toward the coast—Zhao Lin'er would surely be waiting on that path. The island's interior was dangerous, but no one there deliberately sought his death; perhaps it was safer for him now.
Through that dark, rainy night, Xiao Chen ran coughing blood, unable to stop or turn back. He had to flee the ancient beast's territory while the little unicorn occupied the tyrannosaur.
After covering more than ten li through the mountains, he collapsed into the rainwater. His body, already ravaged by Prince Wind's attack, finally gave out. He lay facedown in the muddy water, blood mingling with rain dripping from the corner of his mouth.
His eyelids grew heavy. Part of him wanted to sink into an endless sleep, but he knew he could not. In the boundless primeval forest, ferocious beasts roamed freely; once the rain ceased even briefly, he would become their prey.
Struggling to his feet, he looked back at the path behind him. He had put enough distance between himself and the ancient dragon. With difficulty, he climbed a towering ancient tree, then lost consciousness on a thick branch.
Through the haze of that rainy night, Xiao Chen felt the little celestial horse approach him. The pure white, luminous little creature circled him, blinking its large, spirit-filled eyes. It extended a crystalline forehoof, as if wanting to touch him, but then shrank back in fear…
When Xiao Chen awoke, it was noon. The heavy rain had long ceased; sunlight streamed down through the leaves. He sat up with effort and surveyed his surroundings.
Dense, lush ancient trees surrounded him. Beneath one large tree, a saber-toothed tiger glared at him hungrily. Among a pile of rocks not far away, a serpent thick as a bucket lay motionless. Further off, in a river, several giant crocodiles drifted and submerged.
A relatively safe place. The creatures below, though formidable, were tame and gentle compared to the savage, aberrant beasts of the island.
Still, Xiao Chen felt he should move on. Two li away, he found a small peak covered in fragrant flowers and grass. Its higher elevation allowed him to survey the surroundings—not only to guard against Zhao Lin'er but also to spot any movements of the local beasts in advance.
He owed his narrow escape entirely to the little unicorn's aid. Even now, his heart pounded with lingering fear.
At the same time, he was deeply puzzled. Legend said that ancient tyrannosaurs could control wind and lightning, soar through the skies, and burrow into the earth. Yet during that rainy night, he had seen none of those divine powers—only its bestial, ferocious side. Was the legend false?
It should not be.
Like the Eight-Armed Evil Dragon, many ancient texts recorded their vast supernatural abilities. They were far from mere brute-force beasts!
Xiao Chen recalled Prince Wind's words about this island: 'It requires a divine stele descending from heaven to suppress it!'
Was the ancient beast's loss of divine power related to that? Xiao Chen's thoughts churned…
Near the little peak, the grass was fresh, the trees lush, and a clear spring gurgled, lending the place an aura of spiritual vitality.
After a lunch of decent flavor, Xiao Chen lay in a hammock woven from vines among the trees. He savored a pineapple soaked in the spring, breathed the soul-soothing fragrance of flowers and grass, and listened to the melodious birdcalls in the distance. His entire body relaxed.
This time, Prince Wind had severely wounded him by sacrificing his own life essence. Had Xiao Chen not retreated and defended in time, he might have perished. Even so, he would need at least a full month of rest to fully recover.
Thirty days! If Xiao Chen could survive quietly for thirty days, then Zhao Lin'er's nightmare would begin.
Time was life. Xiao Chen would not waste a single moment. He began to circulate the Ancient Stele Profound Art to heal his injuries.
This luxuriant forest was covered in vegetation, filled with boundless wood and grass vital essence. Xiao Chen stood within the sea of trees, feeling the freshness of the plants' spiritual energy, guiding that primal force into his body.
Tiny strands of green light flowed through his body with each breath, joyful and brimming with infinite vitality. His flesh, organs, and bones seemed infused with endless life force…
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