Chapter 48: Hunting the Dragon

Zhou Quan hesitated and dragged his feet, appearing very reluctant. However, he finally agreed over the communicator to accompany Chu Feng into the mountains.

His main reason for hesitation was the immense trauma from his last experience. First, he was hunted by fierce birds and monstrous beasts, nearly scared out of his wits. Then, he witnessed Chu Feng fighting a group of ruthless individuals armed with rocket launchers, a truly terrifying and chilling sight that made his hair stand on end.

Chu Feng and the Yellow Ox were fast enough to pick him up outside the county town.

Zhou Quan arrived late, having braced himself for the encounter. He slowed his pace long before he reached them.

Chu Feng was momentarily stunned, then couldn't help but laugh.

Zhou Quan’s slicked-back hair was surprisingly permed and curled. It was thick, dense, and shiny, making his head appear two sizes larger than before. The curls were combed backward, specifically to conceal a pair of horns.

"Quite the unique hairstyle!" Chu Feng genuinely couldn't think of any other compliments.

Having not seen him for a few days, Zhou Quan had lost even more weight. He was no longer just not fat; he could now be described as lean and wiry.

"I can't call you 'Fatty' anymore. 'Skinny Zhou' would be more fitting," Chu Feng chuckled. "You're too thin. Are you taking diet pills every day?"

The Yellow Ox was also a bit stunned because Zhou Quan looked nothing like the person it had first met; he had transformed from a jovial Buddha-like figure into a skeletal being.

Zhou Quan indignantly pointed at the horns on his head. "It’s absorbed all my essence! If this keeps up, I'll find a chainsaw and saw them off, no matter how much it hurts!"

The horns on his head had grown noticeably thicker and larger, exuding a wild, primeval aura. He used to call the Yellow Ox the "Ox King," but now he himself was starting to resemble one.

Chu Feng couldn't stop laughing.

The Yellow Ox, for its part, leaned in, touched Zhou Quan's horns, and grinned widely. Unusually, it showed no contempt and even patted his shoulder in a friendly manner.

"What do you mean by that?" Zhou Quan glared, wary. He felt uneasy; this ox had never been kind to him, always picking fights whenever they met. Why the sudden change of heart?

"You've become handsome," the Yellow Ox inscribed on the ground. This was truly rare, as it had never praised anyone before.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Quan felt a wave of relief and lifted his head, his confidence soaring. What was wrong with having a pair of horns? He was still quite dashing, and even this ox was complimenting him!

The Yellow Ox added another sentence: "Among minotaurs, you'd rank as superior."

"You damn Ox King, I'll kill you!" Zhou Quan yelled, his voice rising in fury. So, after all that, the Yellow Ox had been saying he was becoming more and more like a minotaur! It infuriated him.

Throughout their journey, Zhou Quan's shouts of anger and pain, and the Yellow Ox's lowing, never ceased!

Finally, they once again approached the primeval mountains.

The moment he stepped into the mountain pass and saw the vast expanse of dense primeval forest, Zhou Quan began to tremble. His last experience was too vivid; the various monsters had almost scared him to death, causing him nightmares for days.

"Hey, I say, let's go slowly!" he mumbled, wanting to gradually adapt.

However, no sooner had he spoken than he leaped up and dashed madly into the forest, not daring to stop.

Behind him, a three-meter-tall giant spider descended from mid-air and immediately began chasing him, targeting his rear.

"Oh, my cursed life, it's starting again!" Zhou Quan shrieked.

He still felt lingering trepidation recalling his last experience.

However, he knew that more experience and being tempered by danger would make him more resilient in the future.

Chu Feng had already informed him that many wild beasts and fierce birds across the country were mutating, even more so than the "mutated humans," but they were currently dormant. Something could happen at any time.

In the primeval forest, fallen leaves were piled several feet deep, many having long since decayed into rich, fertile soil.

Some vines were thicker than water vats, and the large trees completely obscured the sky, their massive branches like colossal umbrellas supporting the heavens.

The forest floor was covered with ancient trees, and the miasma was dense. An average person entering would certainly not be able to withstand the harshness of this environment.

In mid-air, mist swirled, almost obscuring the sun. Occasionally, gigantic fierce birds soared across the sky like clouds, a terrifying sight.

At the same time, beast roars continuously echoed all around.

Arriving here was like entering another world, completely different from the outside.

"This time... we're going to hunt a dragon?!" Zhou Quan could hardly believe it. Did dragons really exist in this world?

Chu Feng also doubted it. Was there truly a dormant dragon deep in the mountains? Did they have the ability to fight it, and how could they contend with such a legendary creature?

The Yellow Ox nodded, confirming it.

At the same time, its expression was very solemn, warning Chu Feng to be careful and not to be negligent this time.

"You mean, you want me to hunt the dragon alone?" Chu Feng's eyes widened.

"Of course!" the Yellow Ox wrote these two words.

"I think this ox is a trickster; don't listen to it!" Zhou Quan said.

The Yellow Ox squinted at him, glaring maliciously, then gestured, indicating it would properly temper him later.

Zhou Quan shivered violently, immediately shut his mouth, and dared not say another word. Last time, the Yellow Ox had deliberately angered a monster to temper him.

The mountain forest grew increasingly steep and extremely primitive. Occasionally, they had to climb cliffs. Clearly, they were traversing the mountains to reach a different area.

Finally, they even passed through several swampy areas.

They were almost there. The Yellow Ox gradually slowed its pace.

Ahead, giant trees were sparse, the ground was dry and hard, and there were many piles of rubble. A baleful aura permeated the air.

This area was distinctly different, giving off a sense of danger.

Miasma lingered, and occasionally when fierce beasts passed by, they seemed terrified, unwilling to linger, fleeing in panic, showing extreme apprehension towards this place.

They had arrived!

The Yellow Ox indicated a pool ahead, and in the stone forest by its edge, there was an open area where white bones were scattered everywhere.

They looked like the discarded bones of prey eaten by some creature.

Deeper within the open ground, the miasma was even denser. Upon arriving, even before seeing any giant beast, Chu Feng felt a fierce, malevolent aura wash over him. This place was truly terrifying.

The Yellow Ox stopped, pulling Zhou Quan backward, leaving Chu Feng to go alone.

Chu Feng took a deep breath and strode into the stone forest, arriving at the open ground.

Behind him, Zhou Quan was so nervous his breathing almost stopped. He stared at the spot. Was there really a dragon here?

As the miasma was somewhat dispersed by the wind, Zhou Quan's hair stood on end, and he almost cried out. He saw a pair of eyes in the mist ahead, as large as lanterns, cold and merciless, fixed on Chu Feng!

At that moment, goosebumps rose on Chu Feng's skin. He saw a colossal creature.

It was a gigantic beast, at least ten meters tall. In the mist, its body was covered in dense silver scales, exuding an overwhelming aura of malevolence. It was looking down.

Its pupils emitted a dazzling silver light, and its eyes were as large as washbasins!

In an instant, the colossal beast erupted, charging forward at an incredible speed. Accompanied by a terrifying malevolent aura, the ground trembled with its every step.

Chu Feng dodged, evading it by moving sideways.

Boom!

There was a pile of rubble ahead, which it smashed through directly, completely ignoring it, tearing through everything with destructive force.

"Tyrannosaurus?"

Chu Feng finally got a clear look at the giant beast. Its form was identical to a Tyrannosaurus Rex, but it was silver, standing ten meters tall. Its length was even more astounding, and its dense scales gleamed brightly.

Buzz!

The silver Tyrannosaurus whipped its tail, sweeping it horizontally. It was incredibly swift; despite its massive size, it showed no clumsiness at all, generating a terrifying gust of wind.

Chu Feng dodged again. The tail struck directly into the stone forest, instantly causing many large rocks to shatter and send rubble flying.

"Roar..." The silver Tyrannosaurus roared loudly, shaking the ground as if the heavens were falling.

This was the "dragon" the Yellow Ox had spoken of!

Chu Feng was somewhat startled. Wasn't this a dinosaur? But it was clearly different from what paleontology described, being much larger.

"This is the dragon you mentioned?" Zhou Quan's voice trembled from a distance.

Even from this distance, he could feel that the "dragon" was extraordinarily terrifying, far surpassing the monsters they had seen earlier. Its silver scales glowed, impervious to even large rocks, and its malevolent aura was immense. Could any human possibly contend with this?

A person standing before it was too insignificant to even land a meaningful blow.

In the clearing within the stone forest, Chu Feng's battle with the silver Tyrannosaurus began!

He took the initiative, using his exceptional speed to rush to one side, unleashing his full strength with a fist strike towards the Tyrannosaurus.

Clang!

The sound was incredibly deafening. The silver scales on the Tyrannosaurus were even harder than steel, producing a terrifying metallic reverberation when struck.

Chu Feng's heart sank. This was a monster. Its body was incredibly tough, making it difficult to penetrate its scales, let alone kill it.

Then, he noticed something unusual: the Tyrannosaurus's breathing was strange, especially when he attacked.

"It knows a breathing technique?!" Chu Feng was shocked.

No wonder it was so strong. His punch, capable of shattering ten-thousand-jin boulders, had landed on it like striking metal. It was resisting forcefully, clearly linked to some breathing technique.

For a moment, Chu Feng's mind reeled. A Tyrannosaurus actually knew such a technique.

His gaze was strange as he observed closely. He could tell that the silver Tyrannosaurus's breathing technique was simple and crude, likely incomparable to the Yellow Ox's.

Its strength stemmed from its sheer size, naturally thick hide, and sturdy scales—innate advantages.

This was Chu Feng's first time encountering a giant beast that understood a breathing technique. He was in trouble.

However, what reassured him was that while the silver Tyrannosaurus was fast, its speed still didn't surpass his. Moreover, his fist strikes weren't ineffective; constant attacks caused the Tyrannosaurus pain, making its eyes increasingly fierce.

In the distance, the Yellow Ox gestured to Zhou Quan, indicating it was time for his tempering.

Zhou Quan was startled. "Can we really leave him here alone? What if that savage 'dragon' eats him?!"

Without a word, the Yellow Ox lowered its head and rammed its horns into Zhou Quan's backside.

"Ow!" Zhou Quan leaped high and fled, realizing the ox was serious. If he didn't dodge, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Shortly after, Zhou Quan's terrified screams echoed from the distant mountain forest. He was in dire straits, having alarmed several monsters.

His training had begun!

Half an hour later, after Zhou Quan escaped a large, colorful snake, he returned to the spot and saw Chu Feng still fiercely battling the Tyrannosaurus.

An hour later, Zhou Quan was exhausted. He had managed to blast terrifying flames, burning to death a six-meter-long bat that had been relentlessly chasing him. Now, he didn't want to move a muscle.

When he dragged his weary body back to the edge of the stone forest, Chu Feng was still fighting the silver Tyrannosaurus.

However, the battle was winding down. Chu Feng, too, was utterly exhausted, covered in sweat, his clothes tattered and almost reduced to rags.

"Hoo..."

The silver Tyrannosaurus's breathing was heavy, and the air expelled from its nostrils was like silver flames, possessing powerful concussive force that made nearby giant trees sway and their leaves dance wildly.

It was fighting for its life, as some of its scales had been shattered and torn open by Chu Feng's relentless attacks, leaving it bloody.

Its silver eyes were cold and merciless, exuding a bloodthirsty and brutal aura. When it opened its enormous mouth, its pure white fangs were like broadswords, sharp enough to easily cleave an opponent's bones.

Roar!

With a final roar, the Tyrannosaurus fought desperately.

Its breathing was peculiar, and its entire body trembled. It seemed as if a mysterious power was erupting within it, causing its malevolent aura to surge dramatically.

Despite his extreme fatigue, Chu Feng's mind was highly focused. He unleashed his strongest power and, having observed its patterns, aimed to forcibly disrupt the Tyrannosaurus's breathing rhythm.

He leaped, continuously unleashing his Great Vigor Ox Demon Fist. Using his extreme speed, he struck various parts of the Tyrannosaurus's body. Simultaneously, he performed his own unique breathing technique, which amplified his punch force, causing it to surge significantly.

His judgment proved effective. When his fist strikes landed on the Tyrannosaurus's nostrils, throat, chest, and abdomen, its breathing rhythm became chaotic.

Thud!

One after another, bloody gashes appeared on its body, continuously tearing open, until blood spurted out.

"Dragon slaying!" Zhou Quan shouted from a distance.

The Yellow Ox also appeared, entering the clearing within the stone forest.

The silver Tyrannosaurus collapsed, crashing to the ground. The area shook with its impact. It was so heavy that the blood flowing from its colossal body formed a small stream.

Chu Feng sat on the Tyrannosaurus's mountain-like body, not wanting to move a muscle. He panted heavily, with blood at the corner of his mouth, having been struck by the Tyrannosaurus's tail. Fortunately, his injuries were not severe.

After a grueling battle, he had finally defeated the colossal creature.

"We have the 'dragon sinew' now," Chu Feng said, still panting. "I'll fix the Great Thunderclap Bow as soon as we get back. Tomorrow, we'll enter the Taihang Mountains and see just how powerful it is."