Outside Baixun city, the scenery was vast and open. Cao yaun looked back at the city walls as he walked away from the city gate. Beyond the city were four famous dangerous zones that attracted all kinds of explorers and hunters.
To the east there was a grassland with a great number of wolves, bovines, lions, and other herbivores and carnivores which made it a relatively safe hunting ground for low realm cultivators. To the north there was a Mountain Range which had various cliffs, gorges, and caves while dense woods stretched to the west which housed many cold-blooded creatures like snakes and lizards. To the south there was an ancient woodland said to be the habitat of powerful beasts and rare medicinal herbs.
As Cao Yaun stepped out of the city walls, he watched as many people walked away from the city towards the wilderness, some were in groups while others wandered off on their own. Turning around and watching the scenery of the city gate for the last time, Cao Yaun took a deep breath and headed towards the mountain range.
He wanted to test his power in a real battle. At the same time, he also wanted to collect some materials to buy a weapon, preferably a personalized one. Cao Yaun followed the winding road heading north and the road gradually became steeper as he ascended the mountain. From a distance, he could see the mountain peaks which were covered with dense woods and rocky cliffs.
It grew cooler and more comfortable as he got closer to the mountain range, with the rocky wind blowing from the high mountains, brushing past his arms, and making him loosen up.
Cao Yaun walked on for a while, keeping his senses at full volume. He had heard that there were several Grade 1 beasts and a handful of Grade 2 beasts in the Azure Mountain Range. Not only that, but it was known as a prime hunting ground for Bone Transformation and Muscle Refinement realm cultivators.
As he walked the road, he saw many cultivators walking into the forest, some of them even inviting him to join their party, but he had politely refused since he was used to solo adventures.
Several hours into his journey, Cao Yaun entered the foothills of the mountain range. The road became rocky, with many boulders and clusters of trees blocking his path. The Azure mountain range was one of the four great mountain range from the "sea of mountains", which towered at the very front line and was closest to the Baixun city.
The Azure Mountain range stretched out to the horizon, spanning the size of three cities tied together. From a distance, the Azure mountain range was shrouded in mist, with a number of tall peaks piercing through the clouds. The range was famous for its aerial predators as well as nimble beasts with bodies of iron.
The change from the nice road to the rough mountain road was sudden. It took about an hour for the road to turn from gravel to rocky inclines covered in mountain vegetation. Cao Yuan roamed the lower slopes of the Azure range for a while, finding little signs of beasts as he had yet to see anyone on his path. Though it was understandable that he would not see any beasts on the outer region of this range.
The chirps of birds and small animals echoed through the forest, but Cao Yaun kept his senses sharp and his gaze darted from rock to rock and deep mountain crevices searching for any trace of potential prey, but to no avail. While wandering the mountain range, he noticed that some of the hills on the mountains had massive trees growing on them, with fruits hanging from their branches and vines.
Bang~bang
Several sounds of stones hitting each other rang out behind him as Cao Yaun stood, arms crossed, looking at a tree in front of him. Turning around, Cao Yaun saw a mountain goat coming down a hill. The huge creature slowly walked down the slope, leaving large pits in the ground where it had stepped on rocks and other debris on the ground, crushing it under its hooves.
Cao Yuan was well-informed before coming here. Looking at the iron-like hooves of the creature, he recognized it as one of the rare beasts of the mountain range. They had a fearsome reputation for their aggressive nature and the power of their kicks. The beast possessed a frightening charging ability and powerful kicks that could prove difficult to withstand even for cultivators in the peak iron or golden bones stage.
Standing at the peak of the beast in the bone transformation realm, it was a powerful tier one monster, and most people would have to retreat or avoid encountering it due to its massive size and savage nature.
The beast facing him was at the peak of first-tier Mortal Realm. Its body was covered with dark gray fur, from which two large, curved horns grew out of its head like iron spears. The creature's hooves were metallic and exceptionally hard, capable of crushing rocks. The beast came to a stop halfway down the hill, fixing its stare on Cao Yaun's tree-meter figure from the rocky folds. Cao Yaun tensed up immediately, locking eyes with the iron-hove goat.
Upon feeling his gaze, the beast's temper seemed to flare up. Digging it's iron-like hooves into the mountain, and let out a furious bleat. The beast lowered its head and charged recklessly down the slope, picking up speed due to the hillside, turning into a rampant train.
Cao Yaun had barely had the time to react as the beast's head came at him with frightening speed. Instinctively, he prepared for the oncoming collision and planted his legs firmly on the rocky ground. He crossed his arms over his chest in front of him to use as a shield.
Boom!
That was the last thing Cao Yaun heard as the creature's head made contact with his arms, sending him flying backwards. The impact pushed him back, and he skidded on the ground before coming to a stop ten meters away from the beast.
"Damn it!" Cao Yaun cursed as he stood up, his mouth twitching in pain. His arms felt like they had been hit by a scalding iron plate. Luckily, his abnormal body structure meant that the only injuries he suffered were some nasty red bruises.
Seeing that Cao Yaun had recovered from his attack, the iron hoof mountain goat's eyes flared with rage as it charged at him again. But because it was now on flat ground at the foot of the hill, its speed was much lower compared to the previous charge.
Cao Yaun immediately activated one of his Shamanic runes power surge at that moment, a powerful surge of energy coursing through his body. With the same stance as before, he stood his ground to welcome the incoming beast.
Bang!
Again the beast collided with him, Stonework and debris exploded outward from the point of impact, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. This time, however, Cao Yaun did not fly off, but rather slid backward for a considerable distance, leaving two furrows in the ground before coming to a stop. His body trembled from the impact as he struggled to steady himself.
Before he could recover, the creature charged at him once more, but instead of running into him head-on, it made a complete u-turn a few distance away from him and fluidly exeucute a powerful kick at him with its rear hooves. The goat used its hind legs to deliver five consecutive horse kicks with frightening speed and power.
Bang! Bang! Bang!....
Continues sound of collusion echoed through the canyon as cao yaun managed to react in time, blocking the series of kick. One of the attacks landed right on Cao Yaun's ribs, sending a dull clang up his spine, making him slide back. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. The iron-hoofed mountain goat was angry at the two-legged beast for not finishing it off quickly enough. So it began furiously thrashing its head, trying to gore Cao Yaun with its horns.
The battle between the two had turned into a brutal tussle, as the mighty iron-hoofed mountain goat fought with all of its might. The beast was simply too strong and durable compared to Cao Yaun, who was of a similar cultivation level. The goat's horns and hooves were also very hazardous, and it was surprisingly nimble on the rocky terrain, constantly backing away and launching short bursts of speed to deliver powerful charges, forcing Cao Yaun to keep blocking without being able to find an opening to strike back.
"I have to end this quickly before something else shows up," Cao Yaun thought as he panted, sending out large puffs of mist. Realizing that the additional increase of one rune wont give him an advantage over the beast. cao yaun no longer hold back, activating the both runes. A powerful wave of energy surged through him as he prepared to meet the opponent's next attack.
As the iron-hove mountain goat launched a final, desperate charge, its deadly horns aimed right at his chest. This time, instead of bracing himself to take the blow, Cao Yaun sidestepped with a burst of speed, his body blurring past the charging beast. With both hands, he seized the horns, roaring loudly as he exerted his strength to lift the massive creature off the ground.