Chapter Six: Captured

A giant python let out a mournful cry, thrashing its tail in agony. After snapping several massive trees as thick as a man's embrace, it finally collapsed helplessly to the ground, and soon life faded from its body.

About a minute after the python’s death, when all should have been still, its jaws suddenly parted. From its mouth, a much smaller serpent—barely a hundredth its size—cautiously poked its head out, surveyed its surroundings, and swiftly slithered free.

“You dared to eat me? Serves you right to die from poison!” Zhou Tian cursed the giant python with resentment. He expertly extracted its magic core, as he had done many times before, and prepared to leave.

It was the third day since Zhou Tian had ventured deep into the Forest of Magical Beasts. While the threat of mercenaries no longer loomed, the dangers posed by the countless magical beasts within the forest had not diminished—in fact, they had only increased.

Through venom, wit, and luck, Zhou Tian had stumbled and battled his way through myriad encounters with the forest’s magical creatures, and had managed, by fortune, to survive until now.

“I can’t stay here any longer. The smell of blood will surely attract more beasts soon, and with my current strength, I cannot fend off their attacks. It’s best to leave early,” Zhou Tian resolved, readying himself to depart. Yet as he truly began to move, he suddenly felt his entire body constricted and was lifted off the ground by a ‘person.’

“I never expected to find such an intelligent serpent species on the outskirts of the Forest of Magical Beasts. As it happens, I need a pet. Little one, you’ll come with me,” declared the figure.

Hearing this, Zhou Tian’s heart clenched, and he could only smile bitterly to himself. He had encountered many beasts before, some far beyond his ability to handle, but those creatures either were not much stronger than him or lacked intelligence. Even when things got perilous, Zhou Tian had managed to get through each time.

Now, however, he knew his luck had run dry.

Lesser magical beasts are larger and stronger than wild animals; intermediate magical beasts possess some ability to use magic. The greatest difference between intermediate and advanced magical beasts is intelligence. To speak as humans do, or even take on human form, is possible only for a select few species—like dragons—or for the very strongest magical beasts, those of the sacred beast class and above.

Facing intermediate or even advanced magical beasts, Zhou Tian might not have lost hope. But if he was captured by a top-tier or sacred beast, he knew his skills would never be enough to escape such a creature’s grasp.

Since escape was impossible, Zhou Tian could only submit to the ‘person’s’ will.

“If I must be a pet, so be it. A little shameful, perhaps, but at least it’s safe!” he comforted himself, then obediently nodded to show his acceptance, cooperating with his small stature to appear somewhat cute.

“Hmm, you look quite decent. Anna should like you,” the familiar voice sounded again. Without giving Zhou Tian a chance to reply, the figure swung him, and Zhou Tian found himself rapidly leaving the ground behind.

He had no idea where he was being taken, but after spending some time in the Forest of Magical Beasts, Zhou Tian could still discern his current location.

“We’ve left the Forest of Magical Beasts! Could it be that this being isn’t a magical beast from the forest?” Questions swirled in his mind, but faced with overwhelming power, Zhou Tian dared not ask. He simply stared below, feigning the part of a dead snake.

He didn’t know what kind of beast his captor was, but one thing was undeniable: the being that had seized him possessed extraordinary speed. In just a few seconds, Zhou Tian was flown out of the forest. As he peered down, he saw one city after another pass beneath him, so swiftly that he scarcely had time to make out their layouts.

Thanks to the magical beast’s astonishing speed, even though their destination was far from the forest, it took barely ten minutes for Zhou Tian to notice the pace slowing, and they began to descend toward the ground.

As soon as they landed, Zhou Tian was still dizzy, not yet fully recovered, when two white tigers, each nearly two meters tall, suddenly bounded out from somewhere and began roaring in his direction.

Although Zhou Tian had no idea what the two white tigers were saying, he was almost certain they meant no harm. Rather than warning or threatening, it sounded more like conversation.

Indeed, after hearing their calls, the powerful being who had caught Zhou Tian began to converse with the two white tigers.

“What? Anna actually had you two guarding the gate? Nonsense! You’ve only just entered maturity and haven’t even learned to speak yet. How can you guard the gate with such little strength? If those others see this, they’ll laugh at our white tiger clan for being short-handed.” With a wave of its hand, the magical beast commanded, “You two go back! Tell them I sent you, and have XX and XXX come to guard the gate.”

The two white tigers nodded in a surprisingly human manner, then excitedly ran off in a certain direction.

Throughout, the two white tigers never glanced at Zhou Tian. Clearly, though Zhou Tian had arrived with someone they recognized, his strength was so insignificant that they paid him no mind—at most, they simply did not treat him as an enemy.

Zhou Tian felt no displeasure at this outcome; the world of magical beasts operated strictly by power. The stronger one’s strength, the greater their authority. He didn’t know exactly what kind of magical beast the white tigers were, but he was certain they were stronger than any beast he’d encountered in the forest. Though they could not yet speak, they already possessed intelligence; from their behavior, they were likely on the verge of, or had already entered, the ranks of advanced magical beasts.

Advanced magical beasts are considered the backbone of strength even within the Forest of Magical Beasts. Yet in this unknown magical beast tribe, their power wasn’t even enough to qualify as gatekeepers—a fact that set Zhou Tian’s thoughts spinning.

He no longer imagined himself among top-tier magical beasts; from the conversation alone, Zhou Tian was almost certain that the being who had captured him possessed at least the strength of a sacred beast. Realizing he had fallen into the hands of such a powerful creature, Zhou Tian abandoned any notion of escape, and instead began to wonder if he might use this opportunity to strengthen himself with the help of his captor.