Chapter 4: Strange Trees and Fierce Beasts

At the highest cliff face on Kunlun Mountain, a small three-foot-tall tree grew alone. Treating bronze as its soil and nourishment, it had stubbornly rooted itself. Its entire form was glistening green.

The tree trunk was as thick as a wrist. Though not tall, its old bark was cracked, resembling layers of scales, giving it a sense of ancient power. Its leaves, like carved green jade, were translucent and vibrant, shaped like a child's palm. They held glistening dewdrops that, when a breeze passed, rolled like white pearls on a jade platter.

At the top of the small tree, there was a fist-sized flower bud, silvery-white with golden flecks. Poised to bloom on the sheer cliff, it already emanated a delicate fragrance, looking exquisitely beautiful. The extraordinary little tree stood silently, proudly.

Chu Feng tried several times, but he truly couldn't ascend the bronze mountain from this side. He decided to risk it and climb from the side full of loose rocks, but he would need to be extremely careful, or he might lose his life.

He retreated from the bronze cliff face, reached a flat area, and began circling the mountain while looking upwards. "How can it grow on bronze?" Chu Feng wondered, unable to comprehend it. He could only attribute it to the world, which had undergone several transformations, becoming increasingly incomprehensible.

Chu Feng's mind had calmed. He frowned, pondering all of it: the strange plant, the eerie bronze mountain—none of it made sense. A figure appeared in his mind because that person had said something he hadn't paid attention to at the time, but now it resonated with him.

"One day, perhaps even a weed by the roadside will bear fist-sized, bright red fruits. Everything we consider ordinary might cease to exist." These were Lin Nuoyi's words, spoken plainly, as if an offhand remark. It was similar to when she had broken up with Chu Feng—a slight indifference, her voice sounding distant, as if she were speaking from a great height.

Chu Feng had thought she was talking about their relationship, implying that nothing in life or love was immutable. "Was she hinting at something?" In this post-civilization era, the world had undergone several transformations. Although most people were unaware of the details, a small number knew the truth. What exactly did Lin Nuoyi know?

Her image surfaced in his mind, and Chu Feng sighed. Though a little wistful, he decided to let the past remain in the past. He looked up again at the bronze mountain peak, a strange expression on his face. Had she truly been hinting at something? Following her line of thought, if many ordinary things were to change, what about rare, extraordinary trees that were already unusual to begin with? A small tree like this, even before any transformations, must have been extraordinary!

There were many loose rocks underfoot, and Chu Feng had reached the edge of the bronze mountain. The path here was extremely difficult. Suddenly, a gust of strong wind swept through. Chu Feng's eyelids twitched. He saw a shadow suddenly appear on the ground, about to engulf him. Something was approaching!

He reacted quickly, his body agile. With a swift roll, he dodged away, tumbling rapidly down the mountain for a distance. As he did so, he pulled out his folding crossbow for self-defense, assembling it efficiently and quickly. When outdoors, especially traveling alone, how could one not have some self-defense tools? Chu Feng turned and fired a steel arrow, which shot out with a *bang*.

At the same time, he saw what it was! An unspeakable look of shock appeared on Chu Feng's face. The creature was enormous, far larger than its kin. It was a golden raptor with bright wings that, when spread, measured five to six meters long. It swooped down from the sky, having just barely missed grabbing him.

With a *clang*, the steel arrow flew past, striking a large bluestone nearby and sending sparks flying. It grazed the fierce bird but was astonishingly evaded. At the same time, its sharp, large talons scraped against the soil and rocks on the ground, creating a grating, chilling sound. It then soared upwards, the wind whistling around it.

A chill ran down Chu Feng's spine. If he hadn't reacted so swiftly just now, and the fierce bird had clutched him, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Ordinary falcons could easily crush the skulls of prey like wild rabbits. The strength of such an enormous golden raptor was unfathomable. If he had been even a moment slower, the outcome would have been truly dire.

Chu Feng immediately retreated, choosing an advantageous position with his back against a large boulder. He then held his folding crossbow, aimed at the sky, and watched cautiously. In mid-air, the golden raptor circled. It was incredibly fierce, flying close to the mountain and stirring up strong winds! He had never seen a bird so large. It resembled a golden eagle, without any mottled feathers, its entire body gleaming. Its enormous size was terrifying, making it appear extremely powerful. Its golden eyes shone brightly, full of wildness and a hint of ferocity.

How could an ordinary golden eagle be so large? This one was an anomaly, far from normal! In ancient times, some tribes might have regarded this golden raptor as a legendary Great Roc. This was because ancient accounts were often exaggerated. A golden raptor five to six meters long was certainly an anomaly; its appearance would undoubtedly cause a massive stir. Especially in the Kunlun Mountain region, it would only add to the mystique.

The giant golden bird was fierce, but it didn't immediately dive. Instead, it circled, possessing extraordinary keenness and clearly aware of the power of the crossbow in Chu Feng's hand. Suddenly, Chu Feng caught a whiff of a bloody smell. Three snow leopards emerged slowly and silently from below the mountain. Their eyes glowed faintly, and their mouths were stained with blood, their snowy-white fangs sharp—they had clearly hunted something recently.

They stared at Chu Feng, their bodies slightly tensed. At the same time, they looked at the golden raptor in mid-air with great apprehension, emitting uneasy growls. The three snow leopards were far stronger than their typical counterparts. Their sharp claws glinted menacingly, and their powerful bodies were poised for an immediate pounce.

Chu Feng frowned. He hadn't expected such danger: a fierce golden raptor in the air and swift leopards on the ground. His situation was precarious. Suddenly, the fur of the three snow leopards bristled, the hairs on their necks standing on end. They quickly dodged, leaping into the pile of loose rocks.

Silently, a yak appeared on the mountain. Its entire body was glossy black, its dark fur resembling flowing silk, shimmering with a dark luster. A pair of thick horns curved upwards, pointing towards the sky. This could be called a yak king, over ten feet long, with thick limbs and an enormous physique, standing there like a small black mountain.

This startled Chu Feng. Such a massive black yak, yet it moved as silently as the snow leopards, also appearing abruptly without him noticing it beforehand. Moreover, the three snow leopards were clearly terrified of this glossy black yak, hiding among the rocks. This was highly unusual! The large black yak looked up at the golden raptor in mid-air, then stood motionless, quietly gazing towards the bronze mountain peak.

How had all three of these creatures ended up here? Chu Feng knew he was in a dangerous situation and didn't act rashly. He waited for an opportunity to leave. In the distance, six or seven animal figures ran rapidly up the mountain, their white fangs exposed, their ferocity evident. They were six wolves, all tall and stronger than their counterparts. The leading "alpha wolf" was entirely white, with only one eye, which glowed faintly green, making it appear particularly ferocious.

After approaching, they paused briefly. They became slightly agitated upon seeing the large black yak, then looked at the golden raptor, showing unease. Suddenly, the tranquility was broken. The six fierce wolves simultaneously exerted themselves, charging towards the mountaintop through the rocky area. At the same time, the three snow leopards also moved, sprinting with lightning speed towards the bronze mountain peak.

Chu Feng retreated, wanting to leave this place. Near the summit, animal roars echoed continuously as they vied to ascend.

*Bang!* A violent jolt struck. A snow leopard's face was distorted and bloody, and it fell heavily down the mountain. It had been struck down by a yellow blur. It was like a bolt of lightning, moving too fast. It abruptly appeared from an angle and charged into the group of animals.

It was a mastiff, with thick, long fur around its neck, like a lion's mane. Its size was comparable to a typical Tibetan Mastiff, and its paws were stained with leopard blood. However, it was incredibly fast, leaping several meters in a single bound as it lunged forward. Wolf howls rang out, truly tragic. Blood splattered as a gray wolf had its neck bitten through and was flung away. Another wolf was sent flying by the fierce dog, crashing against the rock face and instantly collapsing.

"This is the 'true mastiff' from Tibetan legends!" Chu Feng exclaimed in surprise. According to locals, true mastiffs live in the wild and can contend with tigers and leopards. They are extremely rare and seldom seen by people. This true mastiff, however, was even more formidable than the legends described. It was as fast as lightning, tearing into the pack of animals, and in just a single encounter, it took down one leopard and two wolves.

"This is a mastiff king," Chu Feng surmised. "It's even more powerful." The mastiff leaped again, covering seven or eight meters. Its large paw came down with force comparable to a bear's, and with a *thump*, it struck out a wild wolf's eye, sending the wolf tumbling away. As it landed, the mastiff tackled another snow leopard. Its roars were terrifying as they rolled around; it was an unleashing of primal ferocity. The snow leopard lay in a pool of blood, its throat torn open, clearly beyond saving.

The mastiff was unharmed. The long fur around its neck, like a lion's mane, bristled. Though not large in stature, it possessed a unique aura, like a *suanni* beast. It leaped again, charging towards the remaining fierce animals. Chu Feng could barely believe such a formidable mastiff existed! In just a few bounds and leaps, it had almost dispatched all the wild animals. The last snow leopard also died, leaving only the one-eyed silver "alpha wolf" desperately fleeing down the mountain, hoping to escape with its life. However, within a few bounds, the mastiff caught up to it. A gaping, blood-stained maw opened, savagely biting through its neck, nearly severing the wolf's entire head.

In this manner, all nine fierce wild beasts were dealt with in a short amount of time. Chu Feng gripped his folding crossbow tightly, standing ready and alert. This place was truly too dangerous!

The mastiff quieted down, its mouth covered in animal blood, none of it its own. It stood motionless, looking up at the small tree on the bronze cliff. Though not very large, it appeared exceptionally formidable, its earthy yellow mane stained with the blood of other fierce beasts, radiating an imposing aura. Throughout this process, the black yak had been continuously staring at the small tree on the bronze mountain. It hadn't moved at all, remaining remarkably calm. Meanwhile, the golden raptor circled in mid-air, just as before, looking down at the scene below.

The three peculiar creatures were all remarkably composed, as if possessing human-like intelligence. They were extremely patient, their target being the small tree, but they did not act immediately, seemingly waiting for something. Chu Feng was deeply astonished, as these three creatures were truly extraordinary.