Chapter Twelve: Gāng Yán Bào

  Following the prompt of the small Tibetan mastiff in his consciousness sea, Ling Qingyan walked slowly along the edge of the inner enclosure's woods.

  All the way, the surrounding area is filled with vast groups of trees. Looking at them, it seems like they have gone through many years! Even more so, when Ling Qingyan was at a turning point earlier, he suddenly discovered a broken thick tree trunk, and the tightness of the annual rings in between made it impossible for him to distinguish!

  It is common knowledge that the age of a tree can be easily determined by its annual rings. However, the number of indistinguishable rings seems to be telling stories of antiquity and vicissitudes around it...

  "Alright, little guy, don't move!"

  As soon as they entered a dark area similar to the primeval forest, Ling Qingyan felt that the emotions of the small Tibetan Mastiff in his arms were fluctuating greatly, and he patted it with his hand, comforting it. Ling Qingyan was clear that this reaction from the Tibetan Mastiff meant that place was almost there!

  Have you arrived?

  Under the guidance of Xiao Cangao, Ling Qingyan turned a corner. However, at the same time, a chill suddenly appeared out of thin air and swept towards him from behind. Ling Qingyan's face stiffened, turning somewhat pale, and his eyes also flashed with a hint of fear, as if he had sensed something.

  "This pressure..."

  Ling Qing turned her head with difficulty at the same time, and her body also turned around.

  Before his eyes, a leopard-like demon beast with a body that seemed to shine with different sharp lights, its sturdy and powerful limbs were stepping on a large stone, its perfect body was like an extremely rare work of art. At this time, the demon beast's eyes were looking at Ling Qingyan with a hint of mockery.

  Not bad! Indeed it is teasing!

  This leopard-like monster seems...to possess intelligence no less than that of humans!

  "Leopard on the rock!"

  Ling Qingyan was completely stunned at this moment.

  The leopard-like demon beast in front of him, he had seen a description of it in the ancient books stored in the Tianjian Sect's library... The Gāngyán Bào, a 7th-level demon beast! Its attack power is ordinary, but equivalent to that of an initial-stage Zǐjí (Purple) warrior! However, its most terrifying feature is its physical body! Its defense is so strong that even a late-stage Zǐjí warrior cannot easily break through it!

  Gangyan leopard, as its name suggests, has a body as hard as Gangyan rock, and is extremely powerful. It is a mid-to-high level existence among the seven-level demon beasts. But this Gangyan leopard shouldn't be here! This place is just the inner edge of Nanhuang's border! Aren't seven-level demon beasts supposed to exist in that deeper region?

  Indeed, the classics have records that the Chongwu Continent is a gathering place for three major wild beasts. The outer periphery is filled with low-level demon beasts! As you approach the inner periphery and the edge of the inner periphery, it is filled with fifth- and sixth-level demon beasts! As for seventh-level demon beasts, they generally exist in the inner periphery area.

  In the inner core area, it is said that those powerful noble-level demon beasts reside!

  "Run!"

  Ling Qingyan had no other thoughts at this moment, tightly hugging the small Tibetan Mastiff in his arms. His body moved and his true strength was fully unleashed, his physical power bursting forth as he directly pulled over several residual shadows, rushing straight forward!

  Ling Qingyan deeply knew that his current attack power had already subtly surpassed the blue rank pinnacle, but still hadn't reached the purple rank initial stage. Moreover, there was still a not-too-distant gap between him and the purple rank initial stage. And yet, this Gangan Leopard in front of him was said to be so formidable that even a purple rank late-stage warrior would find it difficult to inflict any damage on its body!

  Since it's impossible for me to harm myself, then...

  Run! Only run!

  Watching Ling Qingyan's figure gradually disappear from view, Gang Yanbao didn't seem to be worried at all. He twisted his head and suddenly made a "cracking" sound, then moved his body and appeared 10 meters away!

  Leopard-type demon beast, generally known for its sturdy limbs and swift speed! This Gangan Leopard, although its attack is a bit weaker among the 7th-level demon beasts, its defensive capabilities and speed are unparalleled among the 7th-level demon beasts.

  Hoo! Hoo!

  Although he felt that he had already flown very far, Ling Qingyan's face was still tense, and his speed remained at the limit. The surrounding plants seemed to be retreating from both sides of Ling Qingyan like a residual shadow, and the cold wind was also constantly cutting across Ling Qingyan's bronze-colored handsome cheek.

  Ling Qingyan was in the midst of all this, yet seemed to be completely unaware, with only a desire for survival flowing between his eyes.

  Since coming into this world, Ling Qingyan has had many entanglements, too many entanglements!

  He doesn't want to die, really doesn't want to die!

  Familiar with the records of the classics about the Gāngyánbào, Língqīngyǎn naturally knew that the Gāngyánbào was good at defense and speed! He had never thought that his own speed could surpass that of the Gāngyánbào. Now he can only wish that the surrounding thicket would become an obstacle, making it difficult for the Gāngyánbào to find him easily.

  The true power of the external release has reached its limit, and Ling Qingyan's speed has also reached its limit.

  Hah! Hah!

  Staring blankly at the front, a large tree with a trunk as thick as a dragon's, a flash of despair crossed between his eyes, and his rapidly advancing figure suddenly stopped, with a slight friction sound between the soles of his shoes and the ground.

  On the trunk, that leopard is standing upright! Moreover, looking at its appearance, it seems to be even more relaxed, completely without a hint of fatigue on its face! Ling Qingyan had previously desperately escaped, already doing his best...

  Full force unleashed! Physical strength fully exploded!

  But even so, it is still far from catching up with the speed of this rock leopard! The gap between the two is too big! They are not even on the same level at all!

  "Are you really going to die?"

  For a moment, Ling Qingyan's mind kept echoing with this voice.

  Then, several different images flashed through Ling Qingwan's mind... There were the parents of this life's family, Fourth Uncle, and several elders; Tianjian Sect's adopted elder brother Tuoba Xiū, as well as Guan Zhong and others... The scene shifted, and the image of his older brother Tieshān from his previous life, his girlfriend Lì'er, and the figures of many younger brothers also appeared one by one.

  Two lifetimes as a human being, entangled with too many worries and concerns!

  Watching the leopard jump down from the tree with its strong limbs, it seemed to be staring at him slowly as if looking down on an ant... A wave of shame and anger flashed through Ling Qing's heart! In his two lifetimes, when had he ever suffered such humiliation?

  A gentleman can be killed but not humiliated!

  Ling Qingyan slightly tilted his head, and only then did he discover that at this moment, a few meters to his right side, there was the existence of a steep slope! The steep slope appeared mysterious and unpredictable in the hazy fog. As his mind fluctuated, Ling Qingyan's face revealed a sly smile, and immediately, the true energy between his legs suddenly burst out, and his physical strength exploded completely!

  "Boom!"

  As Ling Qingyan kicked off with both legs, his whole body was swept towards the existence of the steep slope. After landing, Ling Qingyan rolled down the slope directly! Although he knew that even if he fell down the slope, it would be difficult to escape the mouth of the mountain leopard, but Ling Qingyan was not a person who sat and waited for death. Even if he knew he would die, he had to struggle before his death!

  "I have lived for two lifetimes, and I am not a person who will sit idly by waiting for death!"

  Oddly, after Gang Yan Bao rolled down the steep slope, a look of astonishment flashed across his eyes, but he didn't chase after it. His robust and perfect body stood still at the top of the slope. Looking into the depths of the slope, Gang Yan Bao's pupils seemed to hold a hint of fear. It was as if... beneath this slope, there existed something that made him equally fearful!

  Ling Qingyan was so agitated and tense that he didn't notice... At the moment when he rolled down the steep slope, the little Tibetan mastiff in his arms started shaking even more violently, as if it had seen something exciting, its emotions soaring to a peak!

  What's at the bottom of the steep slope?