The more anxious Mo Han became, the more inarticulate his speech grew; by the time he finished, even Mo Han himself wasn't sure what he had been trying to express, let alone Bai Ling.

Seeing Mo Han’s tense expression, Bai Ling couldn't help but laugh, saying softly, "Alright, you don't need to say any more. I know what you mean."

With that said, Bai Ling paid Mo Han no further attention, instead turning her back to him and focusing on meditation.

In truth, given Bai Ling's power, she hardly needed to meditate after traversing those roads, but she feigned the act purely to avoid awkwardness. Mo Han understood Bai Ling's intention immediately, and a silence fell between them. Finally, Mo Han broke it, chuckling lightly, "Heh, perhaps we should rest early. We still have a long journey tomorrow."

Bai Ling merely offered a soft 'Mm,' her composure completely restored, betraying no hint of the earlier tension. Seeing this, Mo Han swiftly settled down to meditate as well, and the night passed in this delicately charged atmosphere.

The next morning, both Mo Han and Bai Ling awoke early. After a brief consultation, they decided to head in the direction from which the monstrous beast's roar had come the previous night. Based on the sound alone, they both surmised the creature must be of a considerable rank.

High-level magical beasts generally avoid the forest fringes, preferring the deeper interior; the more powerful they are, the truer this rule becomes.

Yesterday, the cover of night, coupled with Mo Han and Bai Ling's unfamiliarity with the Forest of Death—which housed many potent high-level beasts, some even preferring nocturnal activity—meant they dared not venture rashly, even with their current strength. Thus, they delayed investigating until daylight, trusting their abilities to at least allow an escape, if not outright victory, against any freakish beast they might encounter.

They proceeded towards the source of the sound. Perhaps due to still being near the forest edge, they encountered nothing truly formidable, only beasts around the sixth or seventh tier. For individuals with their skill, these were minor obstacles, easily dispatched. For ordinary martial artists, however, the journey would have been far less forgiving.

"Bai Ling, are we sure we haven't taken a wrong turn?" Mo Han asked with a wry smile, gazing at the seemingly identical trees around them. "We've been walking for the better part of the day. The location of yesterday's roar shouldn't be far off. At our pace, we should have found something by now. Yet, all we've met are low-level threats. Could we be circling around?"

Hearing him, Bai Ling shook her head, replying calmly, "Do you think with our current strength, we’d make such a rookie mistake? While the trees look the same, I can clearly sense that these are much larger and denser than those on the periphery. I believe our direction is correct; we are moving toward the heart of the Forest of Death."

At Bai Ling's explanation, Mo Han quickly examined his surroundings. Indeed, the trees here were noticeably taller and more luxuriant than those he recalled from the outer reaches. He couldn't help but admire Bai Ling’s perceptiveness; since the landscape hadn't drastically shifted, he had overlooked the subtle changes in the flora, noticeable only to someone as attentive as she.

Where sunlight previously managed to filter through the canopy on the edge, here it was almost entirely blocked. Only sparse, tenacious rays occasionally pierced the thick foliage, barely illuminating their path.

Although mages possess 'Night Vision' to navigate darkness, casting it continuously strains the eyes. Since they had no idea how long they might be trapped in the Forest of Death, neither felt it wise to rely on it unless absolutely necessary.

With this realization, Mo Han nodded. "As long as our direction is right, we'll eventually find the Ancient Blue Ruins."

They continued in that direction for another full day. By this point, the trees on either side were significantly more massive than anything they had seen before. Mo Han and Bai Ling looked up, but the dense leaves completely obscured the sky, preventing them from gauging the trees' true height. Judging by the trunks, which stretched dozens of zhang high, their altitude was immense.

Here, all daylight was swallowed by the towering growth. With no option left, they reluctantly activated their Night Vision, proceeding slowly through the perpetual gloom. Even with the magical aid, the environment felt alien compared to the outside world, where starlight or moonlight usually assisted the spell. In this absolute void of light, their progress inevitably slowed.

Yet, despite the difficulty, Mo Han and Bai Ling maintained a slow, steady pace, committed to their single direction, believing they would eventually break free of this oppressive place.

Suddenly, Bai Ling, walking beside Mo Han, stopped abruptly and spoke with a measured gravity, "Mo Han, I sense an extremely powerful presence ahead. I can’t be sure if it’s a beast, though. It feels like it's deliberately trying to conceal itself, actively hiding its existence."

Mo Han's magical cultivation was lower than Bai Ling's, making his senses less acute, but he never doubted her judgment. Seeing her expression so unusually serious sparked his curiosity. "Can you gauge the depth of its power?"

"I'm not entirely certain," Bai Ling admitted, shaking her head. "The entity seems to be intentionally masking its aura, so I can only perceive a very faint fraction. However, based on the sliver of energy leaking out, its strength is certainly not low. If my estimation is correct, it might be a Saint Beast level creature."

This puzzled Mo Han further. Given Bai Ling's current strength—surpassing anyone he knew save for the two formidable Dragon Patriarchs and the Underworld King Hades—even ordinary members of the Dragon Clan were no match for her. Why then, would a Saint Beast, ranked below the Dragons, warrant such caution? He voiced his confusion. "Miss Bai, even a Saint Beast shouldn't make you this guarded. You don't fear Dragons; why fear a Saint Beast, which ranks beneath them?"

Bai Ling shook her head. "Dragons are nothing. You don't realize that in the ancient eras, Dragons were not the apex predators of this world. I know of several creatures whose power easily matched or surpassed the Dragons, such as the Qilin or the Water Demon Beast—ancient beings whose strength was at least on par with Dragons."

Mo Han was genuinely astonished. The Dragons weren't the most powerful beings? Bai Ling constantly managed to surprise him.

"Some high-ranking Ancient Demon Beasts were even more fearsome than Dragons; even Dragons would tread carefully around them," Bai Ling continued. "But for unknown reasons, these Ancient Demon Beasts vanished. This Forest of Death, however, seems largely untouched by environmental shifts over millennia, so I suspect traces of those primal creatures might still linger here."

"That powerful?" Mo Han sounded doubtful. "Even if they were strong, they are still just Demon Beasts. How could they possibly surpass Dragons? Dragons are revered as Divine Beasts!"

Bai Ling refuted him with a gentle shake of her head. "The current designations of 'Divine Beast' and 'Demon Beast' are inaccurate. Only the Dragons can barely qualify as Saint Beasts. True Divine Beasts are far more potent than you imagine. If we encountered a genuine Ancient Divine Beast, our only option would be to flee."

Seeing Mo Han's skepticism, Bai Ling sighed and elaborated. "It is incredibly difficult for Demon Beasts, much like humans, to ascend from the Saint Beast level to the Divine Beast level. It mirrors a human striving to advance from Saint Magus to Magic God—it is a qualitative leap, an entirely different plane of existence, not a simple rank difference. To reach Magic God means approaching the power of the actual Gods. That's why we have countless Saint Magi, yet no one achieves the rank of Magic God."

"It's the same for Demon Beasts. The gulf between Saint Beast and Divine Beast is immense. While a Divine Beast might not reach the peak power of a human Magic God, the gap wouldn't be large. Not significantly, anyway."

"Within the Dragon Clan, perhaps only those two Patriarchs truly qualify as Divine Beasts; the rest are merely Saint Beasts. It was only after the Ancient Demon Beasts disappeared that the Dragons’ power grew to be so feared, leading to their current title. But they are not genuine Divine Beasts; at best, they are Saint Beasts."

Only then did Mo Han grasp the implication. He swallowed hard, his shock evident. "You mean the strength of those Divine Beasts equals that of those two old Dragon monsters?"

Bai Ling nodded. "Precisely. Divine Beasts operate at that power tier. If I asked you now to face the two Dragon Patriarchs, how confident are you of victory?"

Mo Han immediately rolled his eyes. That was a ridiculous suggestion. Unless he were insane, he wouldn't dream of confronting those two ancient powerhouses. He slumped slightly. "Miss Bai, please stop joking. To defeat the two Dragon Patriarchs? Do you take me for a Magic God? Even if I were a Magic God, I wouldn't have absolute certainty. And I am nowhere near that realm. If I fought them, escaping would be a victory in itself."

Bai Ling acknowledged his self-awareness. "You understand your limits well. But the Divine Beasts possess strength equal to those two Dragon Patriarchs. So, if we encounter those Ancient Divine Beasts, wouldn't running be our only recourse?"

Mo Han nodded vigorously, like a chicken pecking grain, his worry palpable. "We wouldn't be that unlucky, would we? If such a rare misfortune befell me, I should buy a lottery ticket."

"Lottery? What is that?" Bai Ling asked, genuinely puzzled.

Mo Han realized the concept didn't exist in this world and offered a rough explanation. Bai Ling listened, then looked at him strangely. "There's such a thing? Heh. But you are right; if we ran into those Ancient Divine Beasts, we could certainly buy a ticket. Now, we can only pray our luck isn't that poor. Hopefully, the beast ahead is merely Saint level, giving us a fighting chance. If it's Divine, we run."

Mo Han could only agree, silently praying they wouldn't cross paths with the Ancient Divine Beasts; otherwise, flight would be their only recourse. Only now did Mo Han comprehend why countless powerful experts had entered the Forest of Death, yet none had returned alive. If those Ancient Divine Beasts truly inhabited the depths, even experts at the Saint Domain level would face dire peril. Such high-level individuals rarely joined mercenary excursions anyway; among mercenaries, a Great Magus was considered top-tier, yet facing a genuine Ancient Divine Beast would mean certain death.

As they moved forward cautiously, Mo Han and Bai Ling remained alert, tightly wrapping their auras to avoid leakage. While they suspected such measures wouldn't fool a Divine Beast, it might deceive a Saint Beast. For now, they could only proceed step by step, slowly closing in on the location Bai Ling had sensed.

Just then, out of a massive thicket ahead, more than a dozen intense red lights suddenly flared, fleeting yet clearly illuminating the source for Mo Han and Bai Ling: a gigantic Nine-Headed Serpent Monster. Judging by the length of the few heads visible, each was nearly ten meters long, not counting the unseen portions. Mo Han estimated the entire creature easily exceeded a hundred meters. It was the largest serpent he had ever witnessed, and he involuntarily sucked in a breath.

In the world of Demon Beasts, size directly correlated with power—a small beast might be strong, but a massive one guaranteed formidable strength. This creature, though unfamiliar, was clearly no pushover based on sheer bulk alone.

This brought to mind Bai Ling's mention of the Ancient Saint Beasts. Mo Han looked to her, seeking confirmation. Bai Ling met his gaze, a hint of surprise in her voice as she whispered, "It’s the Nine-Headed Serpent King. This Forest of Death truly harbors Ancient Demon Beasts."

Mo Han noted that Bai Ling’s tone lacked the heavy gravity he had expected, suggesting this Serpent King wasn't one of the Ancient Divine Beasts. He voiced his conjecture.

Bai Ling nodded softly. "Correct. The Nine-Headed Serpent King only possesses the strength of an Ancient Saint Beast. Only when it evolves into the Nine-Headed Serpent Emperor will it become a true Ancient Divine Beast, and its power will be terrifying. For now, facing it should not be an issue with our combined strength. However, unless absolutely necessary, we should avoid provoking it." In Bai Ling’s view, even as an Ancient Saint Beast, the Serpent King would require effort to defeat. They hadn't even found the entrance to the Ancient Blue Ruins yet, and she saw no need to waste energy needlessly.

Mo Han frowned slightly, expressing his concern. "This Serpent King can evolve directly into a Divine Beast? I hope it doesn't suddenly evolve mid-fight, or we'll truly be forced to flee."

Bai Ling offered a reassuring smile. "Relax. Although the Serpent King has the potential to evolve into a Divine Beast, becoming one isn't simple. It requires not only sufficient strength but also the right opportunity and environment, much like a human Saint Magus advancing to Magic God. If it were easy, this world would already be ruled by Demon Beasts."

Mo Han accepted the logic and nodded. "That’s a relief. Since you're more familiar with it, does the Nine-Headed Serpent King have any specific characteristics?"

"Its most terrifying attribute isn't its size, but its nine heads," Bai Ling explained patiently, knowing Mo Han’s limited knowledge of these ancient creatures. "Each of its nine heads can launch spells of the Water, Fire, and Dark elements. Essentially, every three heads specialize in one distinct elemental magic."

"When it evolves into the Nine-Headed Serpent Emperor, it gains three more distinct magical capabilities: Earth, Wind, and Light. At that stage, the potency of all its magic increases dramatically. At that point, even Saint Domain experts would flee upon sighting it."

"How monstrous," Mo Han gasped. "That makes it almost a full-spectrum mage. Thank heavens it’s only a Saint Beast now; its Divine Beast form would be disastrous."

Bai Ling gave him an exasperated look. "Of course. Do you think a spell cast by a Magic God is on the same tier as one cast by a Saint Magus?"

With this understanding, Mo Han and Bai Ling resolved to bypass the Nine-Headed Serpent King, even if it meant taking a longer route. Fighting an Ancient Saint Beast was simply not worth the risk, and the Forest of Death was vast enough that this patch of thicket wasn't unavoidable. Thus, Mo Han and Bai Ling began slowly skirting around the Serpent King's right flank.

Just as they reached its right side, both felt a surge of powerful energy ripple through the air. Mo Han whipped his head around to see three of the Serpent King's heads pivot sharply toward their position. Simultaneously, they spat out dozens of magic projectiles, hurtling toward Mo Han and Bai Ling, arriving in an instant. A quick glance revealed that these spells were, at minimum, at the level of a rank ten proficiency.

Mo Han's heart jolted; he hadn't expected this Nine-Headed Serpent King to be so monstrously fast, unleashing high-tier magic almost at instantaneous speed. This far surpassed those so-called Sacred Beasts back in the Magic Forest. In mere moments, it had managed to launch over a dozen spells of Archmage-level or higher across different elements—a sight Mo Han had never witnessed before.

Though inwardly astonished by the Nine-Headed Serpent King’s capabilities, Mo Han showed no hesitation. A brilliant white light erupted simultaneously from his body, and the Holy Sword of Light materialized swiftly in his grasp. Immediately, over a dozen streaks of white light flashed out, shattering all the incoming magic aimed at him and Bai Ling into dust, watching them vanish into the air in the blink of an eye.

“Damn it, this nine-headed freak actually knows how to set a trap and ambush us.”

Mo Han held the Holy Sword aloft, locking his gaze onto the Nine-Headed Serpent King opposite him. “Luckily, this young master came prepared. If I hadn't been paying attention just now, being hit by all those spells at once would have left me scrambling, even if it didn't injure me.”

Hearing this, Bai Ling merely smiled as she watched Mo Han. She had initially considered intervening herself, but since Mo Han had taken the initiative, and because she wanted him to gain more combat experience—believing that only by sparring against higher-level magical beasts or people could he fully elevate his overall strength—Bai Ling decided to remain in place, content to watch him until the moment real danger arose, at which point stepping in would not be too late.

Witnessing the strength Mo Han revealed, the Nine-Headed Serpent King seemed to register that these two humans were clearly not weak. It grew instantly cautious. Several of its heads, each representing a different elemental affinity, turned toward Mo Han and Bai Ling. The massive serpent slowly emerged from the undergrowth, its gigantic eyes flashing waves of crimson light, fixed tightly on the pair. Given the Serpent King’s inherently monstrous size, merely beholding this spectacle would have sent chills down the spines of ordinary people or low-level mercenaries.

And then, simultaneously, the Nine-Headed Serpent King’s nine heads began to writhe violently. A subsequent wave of far more concentrated magical attacks surged toward Mo Han and the others. Whereas before only three heads had attacked, now all nine struck in unison, making the density of this magical assault significantly higher than the previous volley.

Leaping