Chapter Forty-Four: The Frenzied War Beast

Silence, long and unbroken, hung heavy in the air. If not for the sudden uproar from the arena below, Hu Mo and his companions might have remained lost in that silence indefinitely.

Despite the windows being tightly shut, the tumult from the arena still reached them, attesting to the magnitude of the chaos unfolding beneath. Hu Mo glanced over and noticed Cang Ling reclining comfortably in her fur-covered chair, wearing an expression of deep satisfaction, as if she had accomplished something truly delightful. His instincts screamed that something was amiss. He opened a window, and the scene before him left him speechless.

The shrieks were piercing enough to rupture an eardrum, and Hu Mo could hardly believe such sounds were human. Soon, though, he heard the cries of beasts. All the cages had been shattered; the war beasts were running wild as though intoxicated, rampaging through the arena, terrifying the spectators who fled in all directions. The entire arena descended into unprecedented chaos.

“My heavens, what happened here? Have all the war beasts gone mad? How did they escape?” Huang Sheng stared, dumbfounded, at the frenzy, his mouth agape enough to fit a basket of eggs.

This was indeed a true Festival of Beasts. Thousands of war beasts galloped across the arena, roaring as if to celebrate their newfound freedom.

All the beast tamers had mobilized, struggling to evacuate the crowds and subdue the rampaging animals, overwhelmed and frantic. Yan Xiao’s face was grim and forbidding; though the war beasts were no stronger than fourth rank, their sheer numbers gave them the advantage, and the tamers seemed powerless to control them.

“What’s going on? How could the cages have failed? Who did this?” Yan Xiao roared, crushing several fourth-rank beasts with ease, splattering red and white across the floor.

Hu Mo stared in shock at Cang Ling, who lounged with her legs crossed, and asked telepathically, “Big sister, was this your doing?”

Cang Ling pursed her lips, summoned a cup of tea with a flick of her fingers, and drank it down.

“Yes, it was me. Is there a problem?” she replied, utterly indifferent, as though none of it concerned her.

“Uh… you’re fierce!” Hu Mo was stunned, at a loss for words.

“What’s so strange? Why should these humans be allowed to enslave beasts for their amusement? All things possess spirit, all are entitled to freedom—it’s an instinct no one has the right to deny. I merely awakened their instincts. Whether they escape or not depends on their luck.” A trace of fatigue crossed Cang Ling’s face; freeing so many war beasts had drained her.

Hu Mo was speechless. This woman was truly mad.

“Hu Mo, look!” Huang Sheng shouted, jolting Hu Mo from his daze.

Du Zhong and Lin Meng were at the window, eyes wide. Hu Mo hurried over, and at a glance, his brows furrowed. The beast tamers weren’t stopping the beasts—they were slaughtering them. Corpses rained down, turning the empty arena into a sea of blood. Though the beasts were many, they were scattered and far weaker than the tamers, their resistance pitifully futile beneath the slaughter.

“What ruthless methods—none are spared!” Lin Meng’s mouth hung open, a bead of cold sweat trailing down his cheek.

“Of course. These beasts are now worthless and have caused enormous trouble; naturally, they must be wiped out. ‘When the birds are gone, the bow is put away; when the cunning hare dies, the hounds are cooked.’ That’s how this world works—when something loses its value, why keep it? Lin Meng, wouldn’t you agree?” Huang Sheng smiled, his words making Lin Meng sweat even more, subtly alluding to the Lin family’s own fate.

“Let’s go. There’s nothing here worth staying for. Du Zhong, Lin Meng, take your time to think things over. Whatever your answer, I’ll accept it. Still, I must say—I’m reluctant to part with you two brothers.” Hu Mo patted Du Zhong’s shoulder, smiling as he headed for the door.

Just then, a shrill scream echoed from outside, followed by a blood-red shadow bursting through the door, landing in their midst. It was a headless corpse, its attire marking it as one of the corridor attendants.

Du Zhong and Lin Meng turned pale, instinctively stepping back. Hu Mo moved swiftly to their side. Among them, only Cang Ling and Hu Mo possessed significant cultivation.

Huang Sheng no longer played the coward, instead standing shoulder to shoulder with Hu Mo. The corridor was thick with the stench of blood, making Du Zhong and the others nauseous.

“How did the beasts get up here? Where have the guards gone?” Huang Sheng cursed, his small eyes fixed on the door, alert for any sudden threat.

“They’re probably all dead. The beasts making it up here must be the real killers,” Hu Mo said coldly, his gaze shifting to Cang Ling. To his frustration, she remained comfortably nestled in her chair, showing no intention of helping.

Three thunderous roars sounded; at the door appeared three golden-furred leopards, each holding a severed human head in its jaws, crimson and white dripping from their mouths, chilling Du Zhong and the others.

Their eyes glowed blue, and a black halo, like a necklace, encircled their necks. A disturbing aura of bloodlust radiated from them, growing stronger as they advanced.

“My God, fourth-rank Magic-Spotted Leopards from the Black Demon Forest—three of them, and they’re triplets! What is the Divine Fire Arena doing? How could these monsters be here?” Lin Meng cried, his legs trembling uncontrollably.

“Fourth-rank Magic-Spotted Leopards? Why the Black Demon Forest again? What kind of place is it, and why are beasts from there so strong?” Hu Mo asked, keeping his eyes locked on the leopards. He wasn’t overly worried; with Cang Ling present, she wouldn’t let them die.

“Hu Mo, have you forgotten? The Black Demon Forest is known as the forbidden zone for humans. The beasts there are influenced by demonic energy, making them far fiercer. Only the most powerful warriors can capture beasts from there. But this is too strange—these leopards, even at fourth rank, rival the fifth-rank peak beasts from other regions!” Huang Sheng explained in detail, his expression grave.

What to do? The situation was beyond dangerous; even one of these leopards could easily kill them all.

“Big sister Cang, I’m counting on you to handle those big cats. Surely you wouldn’t let someone as frail as me face such ferocious creatures?” Hu Mo pleaded telepathically, his eyes pitiful and soft, making Cang Ling’s skin crawl.

“Disgusting! Relax—they won’t come in. Humans can’t see me, but those cats can. They won’t risk their lives,” Cang Ling replied, scornfully dismissing him with a snort.

Hu Mo’s anxiety vanished instantly. With this witch’s guarantee, what danger could remain?

Yet his curiosity about the Black Demon Forest lingered—why were its beasts so powerful? What was the demonic energy that pervaded it?

“Ice Extinction!” A sudden shout rang out. Hu Mo and the others felt the temperature around them plummet. Before they could react, three icy claws shot forth, gripping the leopards and flinging them against the wall.

The claws dissolved into a chill that froze the leopards, and with a crisp sound, they shattered into icy powder, falling to the floor, leaving not a trace of blood.

Before anyone could recover, familiar figures appeared at the door: Si Tu Feng, Si Tu Jie, and the one who had acted, Bai Han.

Si Tu Feng stepped forward with a faint smile. “Gentlemen, you’re unharmed. That was a close call. We wanted to rescue you sooner, but our own room was surrounded by beasts—we had to fight our way out. Alas, the Divine Fire Arena’s security is getting worse; many have died today!” He sighed, shaking his head, full of sorrow and compassion.

Hu Mo inwardly scoffed, but outwardly he smiled and bowed. “Thank you, Young Master Si Tu. The beasts went mad—there was nothing we could do. We’ll see how the arena explains this. The air here is thick with blood; we four brothers will take our leave. Another day, I’ll host a banquet to thank you for saving us. Farewell!”

He was eager to limit his dealings with Si Tu Feng, whose presence always left him uneasy. Lin Meng, Du Zhong, and Huang Sheng had all vomited, even their bile gone, unable to stomach the carnage. Hu Mo, for his part, was done pretending—he had exposed enough in front of Si Tu Feng.

Si Tu Feng was gracious, nodding and gesturing them out. The four nodded in return, supporting each other as they made their way to the door.

At that moment, Bai Han, who had been so formidable, suddenly cried out and collapsed. Hu Mo turned to see Cang Ling beside Bai Han, her tiny fist clenched, fearless and defiant. He was stunned—this girl truly obeyed no rules.

“Strong, are you? Hmph! I just don’t like you!” Cang Ling muttered fiercely, rubbing her little fist. Hu Mo was utterly bewildered.