The cold moon hung high! Beneath the silver moonlight, the earth was shrouded in a hazy veil. Following the indistinct glow, I sprinted south at full speed, perhaps influenced by Jidu. I had come to enjoy this singular focus on direction, charging forward in a straight line, traversing the land at full tilt. Cliffs, precipices, mountains, and rivers—nothing seemed to pose an obstacle anymore. The blurred scenery rushed past my flanks at an astonishing pace until, exhausted from the run, I settled onto a towering tree to rest for a moment.

The wilderness under the moonlight was a world entirely different from the day. The chirping of various insects echoed around me intermittently, occasionally punctuated by deep, coarse roars. These came from the Dama, massive beasts on the continent of Marfa, resembling the tigers of Earth from my past life, yet far larger. Their height alone surpassed two meters, and they stretched nearly six meters long. Instead of soft fur, their hide was incredibly hard, covered in sharp, backward-pointing barbs, resembling armor. For this reason, some people called them Majiashou (Armored Beasts).

The Majiashou were immense and possessed astonishing strength, ranking among the fastest animals on Marfa. Furthermore, they were incredibly agile, capable of traversing mountains, cliffs, lakes, and forests, even capable of leaping into trees. They were truly terrifying predators; any prey targeted by one stood absolutely no chance of escape.

An adult Dama was certainly not something an ordinary person could provoke. Measured against the combat strength standards of the Ranger World, an adult Dama was equivalent to a monster at the Elder level, capable of easily overpowering a warrior at the peak of the Red Moon realm, tearing them to shreds. They were inherently fierce and brutal. On Marfa, people feared the Dama as much as ancient China feared the man-eating tigers blocking their roads. Even high-level Rangers dared not engage them head-on; if encountered, the only option was flight.

Countless people perished under the claws of the Dama every year on Marfa, leading them to be named one of the continent's Four Scourges. I never imagined I would encounter this legendary, terrifying beast at this moment.

However, judging by the sound, this Dama seemed quite far away. I shouldn't have to worry about running straight into it. Yet, even so, I couldn't help but feel a knot of apprehension in my stomach.

The earth-shattering roar made the dense forest and even the ground tremble slightly, followed by waves of panicked snarling. Clearly, the other animals in the woods were severely startled by this frenzied Dama. They fled in every direction with desperate abandon, creating a scene of breathtaking chaos beneath the trees.

Under the hazy moonlight, countless beasts I couldn't name surged like a black torrent toward the eastern horizon. Many animals, thrown into disarray, lost their footing and tumbled to the ground, only to be immediately knocked airborne by the panicked stampede behind them, before crashing back down and being trampled into a pulp.

Even I, accustomed to scenes of bloodshed, felt a chilling lurch in my heart witnessing that scene.

Good heavens, that Dama had quite the imposing presence.

But then, suddenly, a series of rapid, long howls split the air! Ao—wuu—Ao—wuu—Ao—wuu—Ao—wuu—Ao—wuu!

Ah! This—this must be the Scarlet Moon Azure Wolf, I thought instantly. In that single moment, a terrifying legend circulating across the continent flashed through my mind. The Four Scourges of Marfa were the Scarlet Dama, the Duotie, the Ma, and the Jiao.

Chi (Scarlet) referred to the Scarlet Moon Azure Wolf, a terrifying creature found only on the Demonic Dragon Continent.

Duo referred to another ferocious beast called the Duotie, but this beast only inhabited the Demon Sealing Continent and was never seen on other continents.

Ma referred to the Dama, a beast found exclusively on the Demonic Dragon Continent.

Jiao was an aquatic creature inhabiting the Four Great Seas, the most feared monster by all sea voyagers.

And on the Demonic Dragon Continent, two of the Four Scourges coexisted: the Scarlet Moon Azure Wolf and the Dama.

It must be said that on the Marfa Continent, the most terrifying beast was not the Dama, but the Scarlet Moon Azure Wolf. While an adult Scarlet Moon Azure Wolf wasn't as ridiculously huge as a Dama—its size comparable to the Siberian tigers of my past life—a single Dama could easily kill nearly a hundred Scarlet Moon Azure Wolves in a one-on-one fight. However, the Scarlet Moon Azure Wolves were terrifying pack animals, cruel and cunning by nature. Attacking in forces of thousands, a collective charge would shred any living thing in their path. Thus, although the individual combat strength of the Scarlet Moon Azure Wolf was the weakest among the Four Scourges, their dreadful pack behavior meant that the number of people killed annually under their claws far exceeded those killed by the Dama—by a hundredfold. Therefore, the Scarlet Moon Azure Wolf ranked first among the Four Scourges.

Packs of Scarlet Moon Wolves swept across the land like a harsh wind, leaving devastation in their wake. No creature dared to confront them directly.

What kind of day was this? Two of the continent’s Four Scourges, sharing the Demonic Dragon Continent, had collided.

Roar! Roar! The coarse, muffled roars struck my eardrums like thunder from a clear sky.

Ao—wuu—Ao—wuu—Ao—wuu—Ao—wuu—Ao—wuu! The assembled Scarlet Moon Azure Wolves answered with world-shaking howls, as if accepting the Dama's challenge.

My goodness, this was shaping up to be a grand spectacle! Although I couldn't see what the Scarlet Moon Azure Wolf and the Dama actually looked like, just hearing the sheer volume suggested an epic battle was imminent.

Wouldn't it be a terrible shame to miss such a spectacular event? I hesitated internally. Should I go and see? If I missed this, I might never have another chance.

After much thought, sheer curiosity finally triumphed over fear. For safety, I donned both my Gale Ring and Gale Necklace. Then, I unfurled my movement technique and sped toward the direction of the sound.

Hiding within a colossal tree, I parted the branches and, through the dim moonlight, finally spotted the savage slaughter raging about two hundred meters away.

Roar! Roar! Under the moonlight, a figure of snowy white charged back and forth through the dense mass of gray shadows at incredible speed, batting countless gray figures away, sending them slamming hard onto the ground.

But even more dense, black shapes surged like the angry waves of a vast ocean, drowning that single white silhouette.

Moments later, I heard sharp, agonizing screams.

Due to the distance and the dim light, I couldn't discern the exact appearance of the Dama and the Scarlet Moon Azure Wolves. I could only sense their aura and the ebb and flow of their life force through my Eye of Deathly Desire.

Soon, I realized the Dama's situation was deteriorating. As the saying goes, two fists are no match for four hands. The Dama was completely encircled by the swarming wolves. Although it had killed many Scarlet Moon Azure Wolves, its tough, barbed hide had already been rent by countless gashes from the wolves' sharp steel claws and hard fangs.

Moreover, I could feel the Dama's stamina draining rapidly. Before long, this beast was bound to perish under the wolf pack.

This sight made my heart pound with terror.

It truly is brutal—survival of the fittest, the strong endure. This principle holds true whether on Earth in ancient or modern times, or in the Marfa world. Feeling my own precarious situation, that Dama let out a fierce roar and, ignoring the wolves blocking its path, charged madly toward the area where the wolf pack seemed thinnest. However, the end of that path was an endless, bottomless cliff!

Ah! Did it intend to commit suicide by jumping?

Ao—wuu—Ao—wuu—Ao—wuu—Ao—wuu—Ao—wuu!

Apparently caught off guard by the Dama's desperate move, the wolves guarding that direction scattered instantly. Then, a white streak, like a meteor, plunged toward the abyss.

Ao—wuu—Ao—wuu—Ao—wuu—Ao—wuu—Ao—wuu!

The Scarlet Moon Azure Wolves let out triumphant, earth-shattering howls, celebrating their hard-won victory. But after each wolf howled at the moon, it immediately crouched low and gathered around the corpses of its fallen packmates, emitting low, mournful cries. The scene was indescribably sorrowful and tragic.

Even from afar, I could feel those mournful howls that sounded like weeping. The Scarlet Moon Azure Wolf pack voluntarily formed a vast circle, dragging their dead companions into the center. Then, a white Scarlet Moon Azure Wolf, visibly twice the size of the others, slowly walked toward the middle.

After several mournful howls, the weeping pack quieted down. Clearly, this wolf was their leader. The alpha howled a few times, then clamped its jaws onto the corpse of one of the dead Scarlet Moon Azure Wolves, tore off a piece of flesh, and began to devour it.

Ao—wuu—Ao—wuu—Ao—wuu—Ao—wuu—Ao—wuu!

As if by some invisible summons, all the Scarlet Moon Azure Wolves howled a few more times before pouncing on the mountain of corpses in the center, beginning to furiously tear at the bodies of their companions.

In barely ten minutes, only eerie white bones remained of the pile of dead bodies.

This scene utterly stunned me. They were eating their own kind! Good heavens, what kind of creatures were these?

It took me a while to shake off the shock. I hadn't even noticed when the wolf pack had vanished completely.

What a cruel world—is this the true face of the Marfa world? I could profoundly feel the deep sorrow and pain radiating from the wolf pack in the presence of their fallen comrades. I believe beasts possess their own emotions; those crying howls could not be faked. Perhaps this is the law of survival in the Marfa wilderness. But why did they consume their own dead?

I couldn't fathom it. Still, I believe that what exists must have a reason; perhaps the Scarlet Moon Azure Wolves have their own logic for this behavior.

Thinking this, I subconsciously glanced toward the bottomless cliff. Would they rather die falling than be eaten by wolves? That Dama was truly an arrogant creature. A wave of inexplicable melancholy washed over me. Both the Dama and the wolves were fighting to survive, perhaps. Maybe this forest could only sustain one supreme power, and the surplus was destined to be culled. It just happened that this time, the loser was the Dama.

It was just a beast, so why did I feel as if a gaping hole had been punched in my heart, leaving it empty? In those final two roars, I clearly sensed the Dama's loneliness, despair, and the humiliation of defeat. I couldn't imagine the mindset of a Dama that, seeing no escape, chose the cliff. Yet, that intense despair, coupled with its resentment and humiliation, and the profound solitude longing for aid from comrades, stirred a strange resonance within me.

Yes! Loneliness! When facing despair, who doesn't wish for someone to extend a helping hand? But I knew well that the Dama was a solitary animal, only congregating for mating. Once the young matured, they too were driven away by the mother, destined to repeat the path forged by their ancestors.

This fate meant that when pushed into a corner, a Dama could never expect support from its own kind, because they simply had no companions.

What a stubborn creature—solitary, proud, obstinate! I could not decipher the Dama's thoughts, but that defiant solitude resonated with me strangely!

Was I not once like that Dama falling off the cliff? My life in my previous existence was solitary and bleak until I grew up and found friends like Tiantian and Long Ge; only then did I begin to feel like a real person, having at least found comrades.

Coming to this world, I was even luckier to have my own mother, along with many more caring companions. Solitude seemed impossibly far away. But that Dama's two desperate roars before it fell seemed like a mysterious incantation, releasing those long-suppressed emotions buried deep within my heart that I preferred not to recall.

What is happening to me? Why have I become so sentimental all of a sudden?

Hic! Hic!

Just as I was puzzling over my unexpected rush of emotion, a faint, almost inaudible murmur reached my ears.

What was that sound? I instinctively focused on the direction the sound came from.

Ah! It was from the bottom of the ravine. In an instant, I identified the sound as the Dama's voice. Could it still be alive? Thinking this, I felt a strange surge of excitement.

So it wasn't dead yet! I should go down and see. Though I had been on Marfa for four years, there were still many things I hadn't witnessed, and the Dama was one of them. Considering its earlier state, the beast must be severely injured. No matter how ferocious it was, it couldn't harm me now.

Of course, even an undamaged Dama might not intimidate me, as my strength had reached the Grandmaster level.

I carefully climbed down the cliff. Finally, at the base, near a small pool of water, I found the Dama, barely breathing. Seeing someone approach, the beast let out a low growl, and its blood-red eyes flared with intense killing intent.

I was certain that if it still had enough strength, it would attack me without hesitation. But at this moment, it was powerless against me. Seeing me walk brazenly toward it, the killing intent in its eyes intensified. Yet, all it could manage was a resentful roar.

"Good heavens, it's huge—it’s practically the size of a small truck." Only now did I get a clear look at this massive Dama. It was like a Siberian tiger magnified several times, except its body was covered in hard, armored barbs, making it look even more grotesque and terrifying. However, its armor was now ripped in countless places, and most of the barbs were broken or shed.

Its two blood-red eyes were the size of my fists, and its slightly parted maw, exposing sharp fangs, made my blood run cold. I considered myself a veteran of harrowing sights—I had seen fearsome monsters, and the Evil Centipede was infinitely larger than this Dama; I had even slain the Yellow Spring Sect Leader. Yet, the Dama before me radiated a terrifying aura—a primal, pure fear that humans have for beasts, like mice fear cats or rabbits encounter wolves. It was an innate sense of dread and trembling that this Dama now instilled in me.

Roar! Roar! As I drew nearer, the Dama's roars grew more rapid, but it couldn't move at all. It seemed its luck held when it jumped; it must have landed right in this pool, and though it managed to swim to shore, it had completely exhausted its strength.

"Heh heh, you're pretty banged up," I muttered instinctively.

Seemingly realizing that roaring was futile, the Dama stopped moving altogether. The fierce glare in its blood-red eyes vanished. It had apparently given up, adopting an attitude of resigned fate.

This creature truly has character! I was quite taken aback to see such a humanized expression on it. But the faint sorrow and the fleeting despair in its eyes sent a tremor through my heart.

Interesting. Even in death, it refuses to die like a coward, begging for mercy? For some reason, I felt an inexplicable sense of goodwill toward this colossal creature before me.

Fellow, you have spirit; you’re a true fighter. Meeting me is your good fortune. Just because of that look in your eyes, I’ll spare your life. There’s another reason, too: I place great stock in destiny and fate, just like how I was tricked into joining the Roaring Dragon Gang by Long Xin's words back then.

It was precisely that encounter that changed the course of my life afterward. If I hadn't met Long Xin, I wouldn't have passed through the Woma Forest, and subsequently, after leaving it, I wouldn't have met Jin Hong, then Dong Guan, followed by Lu Tong, and the string of miraculous encounters thereafter.

Fate is truly inscrutable, and I believe fate is a method of grasping destiny. Otherwise, why would Buddhism in my previous life advocate for widely fostering good connections?

Hic! The Dama emitted a low grunt, and its blood-red eyes showed a flash of confusion, as if trying to understand my intentions. However, when it spotted the healing potions I pulled from my inventory, it let out a low sound of relief.

On the Marfa Continent, animals also tend to their wounds after injury. All creatures seem to possess their own methods for survival and healing. Injured wolves and other fierce beasts instinctively seek out medicinal herbs or certain minerals to treat their cuts.

Healing potions are also made from these special plants. Although the potions in my hand differed greatly from those grown in the wild, the unique scent was unmistakable to the Dama. Clearly, it recognized that I held something vital for its survival and healing.

I carefully opened the healing potions, poured them into a bowl, and held it to the Dama's mouth.

Goodness, it took a full ten jars of healing potion before it let out a satisfied, low rumble!

I stood nearby, meticulously observing the Dama's changes. Soon, I noticed its vitality beginning to recover—the medicine was clearly taking effect.

By this time, a reddish glow was appearing on the horizon. The myriad stars and the thin crescent moon had long faded. It must be almost dawn. Thinking of this, I suddenly startled!

Heavens, what have I been doing? I wasted so much time!

"Big fellow, I have to go now. Don't try to be a hero in the future; if you run into those wolves, get as far away as you can." I said with a hint of self-mockery. Could it even understand me?

Roar! The Dama's low growl carried a hint of warmth and attachment, which surprised me. Could it understand my words? But now was not the time to investigate that.

"If fate allows, we'll meet again," I said, leaping back up the cliff. Behind me, the Dama's low, muffled roar sounded, as if responding to my farewell.