Chapter 131: The Crimson Flame Rhinoceros

Chapter 131: The Crimson Flame Rhinoceros

Shen An’s gaze remained cold as he shifted his focus to the heavily wounded Crimson Flame Rhinoceros. He knew the beast had not yet unleashed its full potential; had it done so, he would have found the situation quite troublesome. By striking first and inflicting severe wounds, he had ensured that the creature was no longer capable of posing a significant threat to anyone.

Shen An looked over and said, "In your current state, how can you hope to be my enemy? You have no chance of victory."

The Crimson Flame Rhinoceros naturally could not understand human speech, but it could perceive the provocation in Shen An’s eyes. "Moo!" the beast bellowed repeatedly, as if deliberately resisting him. After all, it was Shen An who had left a deep, undeniable gash on its body only moments ago.

The rhinoceros suddenly pawed the ground and charged at Shen An. This charge seemed fueled by pure hatred and was terrifying in its intensity; even a massive boulder would have been pulverized by such an impact. Shen An smiled faintly. To him, the beast’s actions were nothing more than those of a stubborn ox.

"A mere brute, and you still wish to harm me? Heh, I fear you vastly overestimate your own strength," Shen An said calmly.

In an instant, the Crimson Flame Rhinoceros reached him. At that moment, Huang Feng and his companions could no longer bear to watch, certain that Shen An would be killed by the beast’s unstoppable momentum.

"It’s too powerful. An impact of that magnitude could topple a city wall. He actually intends to block it with his bare body? I admit he is a mid-stage Rank 3 expert, but to withstand that..." Huang Feng sighed. He did not want to see Shen An get hurt, but injury seemed inevitable.

Then, a sword strike, delivered at the speed of sound, descended with terrifying force, appearing utterly irresistible. In a split second, the blade struck the rhinoceros, carving a massive wound into its neck. Blood gushed out, and the flames surrounding the beast’s body dimmed significantly.

Shen An, however, remained completely unscathed.

Huang Feng and the others were stunned. Was this the true power of a mid-stage Rank 3 expert? It was far too shocking.

"Too strong. A mid-stage Rank 3 expert of this caliber is truly terrifying," one young man remarked.

"What a horrifying individual. It is fortunate he is not our enemy; if he were, none of us would have survived today," another added.

"Powerful indeed. 'Terrifying' is the only word for it."

Huang Feng withdrew his gaze, his eyes filled with shock. With such strength and ability, who could possibly rival him? "He killed the Crimson Flame Rhinoceros in just two moves? It’s hard to believe," Huang Feng said, dumbfounded.

Shen An sheathed his black iron sword. It was no exaggeration to say the blade could cut through iron as if it were mud; killing the rhinoceros had been no difficult task. He glanced at the beast lying on the ground and shook his head. In his eyes, the creature possessed at most mid-stage Rank 3 strength—hardly anything exceptional. Why was it considered an invincible existence to these Awakened? Perhaps it was simply a matter of perspective.

Shen An approached Huang Feng and his group. "I have slain the Crimson Flame Rhinoceros. Are there any other powerful monsters in these woods?"

Other powerful monsters? Huang Feng was at a loss for words. Did Shen An actually want to challenge even stronger beasts?

"He actually wants to seek out stronger monsters to fight? As expected of an expert; his standards are truly high," a young man whispered.

"Expert," Huang Feng said, "this Crimson Flame Rhinoceros was the strongest monster in these woods. You will not find anything more powerful here."

"It seems I must return to Silver City. There is nothing left here worth my time," Shen An said. And indeed, there was not.

"Expert, you were the one who killed the rhinoceros. All the treasures on its body belong to you," Huang Feng offered.

"The rhinoceros was just a warm-up for me. Since you like it, take it. I have no use for it," Shen An replied. He truly did not care for the materials harvested from the beast.

With that, Shen An departed under the awestruck gazes of Huang Feng and his companions. Such was the way of an expert—appearing and disappearing without a trace.

"He killed the Crimson Flame Rhinoceros and didn't even take any of the materials. Is this what they call the 'style of an expert'?" one young Awakened mused, secretly aspiring to become as strong as Shen An.

Huang Feng watched as Shen An’s figure grew smaller in the sunlight. "We only managed to kill the rhinoceros because of the expert’s help. We won't be so lucky next time. We must improve our strength as quickly as possible," he said.

"Your decision is correct. If you lead us, we will surely be able to establish a foothold in Silver City," another young Awakened agreed.

"In that case, shall I be your leader from now on?" Huang Feng asked.

"I agree!"

"I have no objections."

Through this event, Huang Feng became the leader of this group of Awakened—a development Shen An could never have known.

Not long after returning to Silver City, Shen An was walking down the street when a blue Ferrari suddenly pulled up beside him. The sight drew many eyes; a Ferrari itself was not a surprise, as anyone with enough money could acquire one. But in this world of spiritual recovery, money was no longer the most precious commodity. The only things that commanded respect were status and strength. Whoever possessed both would be revered wherever they went.

"Look, that’s a license plate with four ones! I didn't expect to see it here. That’s the private car of the Silver City Martial Arts Hall Master," a young man noted.

"The Silver City Martial Arts Hall Master? I’ve heard the name, but is he someone very powerful?" a woman asked.

"The Master is no ordinary person. His strength has reached Rank 3, and he is extremely renowned throughout Silver City," the young man replied.