A power far greater than before flowed through Little Shrubby as the Seven Beasts Burst activated once more after years.
~GAOOOH!~
It was as if seven beasts were roaring at once and announcing their authority.
The cultivators that were weak hearted directly fell unconscious upon hearing it, while those that were a bit more firm, shook in their boots. Only the most valiant and brave could withstand the oppression contained in the roar.
Even Lin Mu could feel it, as the Great Slumber Bear Bloodline within his body stirred upon hearing it.
"It's truly powerful… I felt that deep in my soul." Lin Mu spoke.
"Hmm… The Seven Beasts Burst unearths the latent potential of little Shrubby when it's used. With the improvement from the Beast Qi has been giving him, the quality should have increased greatly.
And we can certainly see it now." Xukong spoke up as well.
The Dao Treading realm cultivators of the northern tribes that were heading towards little Shrubby couldn't help but pause in their tracks momentarily. But they quickly recovered and even increased their speed.
'We can't let the beast take the initiative first.' They thought.
"Die foul beast!" One of the Dao Treading realm cultivators took the lead and attacked little Shrubby.
~WHOOSH~
But before they could even react, the man who had just attacked, disappeared.
"Huh?"
"Where did Lao Zia go?" his companions were left confused.
~HISS~
A second later though, scorching heat spread in the area, burning the robes of the Dao Treading realm who had come a little too close.
~BOOM~
But that was just the start as a loud explosion was heard, as if the very air had been torn apart.
"ARGH!" the Dao Treading realm experts that were closer were knocked back and felt the impact of the shockwave.
Master Cull Mountain, who was watching from afar, trembled slightly upon witnessing it all. While others might not have seen it, she had seen it all clearly.
'That beast… just what speed is that? Its many times faster than even mine,' Master Cull Mountain realized.
"Retreat! Retreat! Activate the formation array!" Master Cull Mountain ordered, knowing that the Dao Treading realm cultivator she had just sent out were no match for the beast.
Even if they could overpower the beast with collective numbers, it would be impossible for them to match up with that speed. And speed was something that would easily flip the odds of the battle.
After all, even if they could match in quantity, with Little Shrubby's speed, he would take them out individually and the others won't be able to react at all.
Master Cull Mountain had seen the Dao Treading realm who had taken the lead in attacking little Shrubby die instantly. And what had killed him was a claw, little Shrubby's claw.
The shock wave from the claw was what had knocked everyone away and spread the scorching heat as well.
Back at the scene of battle, Little Shrubby's flaming eyes gazed upon the humans that had approached him.
"One killed, twenty one to go." Little Shrubby spoke, though it could only be heard as a growl to everyone other than Lin Mu.
~WHOOSH~
Little Shrubby finally moved, turning into a flaming comet that streaked across the skies.
"No!" Master Cull Mountain saw that her men would not be able to retreat in time.
Gritting her teeth, she took out what looked like a withered branch. There were no leaves on it and the bark on the branch was peeling off.
She held the branch with both her hands and firmly snapped it.
~CRACK~
As soon as the sound of the crack spread, it was as if the world had stood still.
Master Cull Mountain disappeared from where she was standing and appeared in the path of Little Shrubby.
~Boom~
Propping up her hands at the front, Master Cull Mountain blocked Little Shrubby who slammed into her.
"Ugh!" Even then, she was pushed back several meters, but the beast had been halted.
Lin Mu felt the spatial fluctuations in the air and knew that Master Cull Mountain hadn't just moved fast.
She had teleported!
"What was that branch?" Lin Mu wondered.
"I believe that was a branch of the Broad Expanse Void Tree. How it got into her hands, though, is mysterious." Xukong spoke, finding it all to be strange as well.
This was not the first time Lin Mu was hearing about the Broad Expanse void Tree either. He had read about it in the memoirs of the Lost Immortal and knew that it was one of the few trees that were of the spatial element.
The tree was unique in that it grew in places where there were natural spatial cracks. Its roots would spread over the crack and absorb the spatial energy from the void. It was technically not a rare tree, but obtaining a branch from it was very difficult.
The tree itself was surrounded by spatial energy that would destroy most things and damaging the tree would be even more problematic as it would react appropriately, killing all that wandered next to it.
"How would she get a branch here?" Lin Mu couldn't help but wonder.
"There is no doubt the northern tribes have been obtaining them from the higher worlds. The branch she used was an old dead branch that had been shed by the Broad Expanse Void Tree, so it cannot be used for much, but even then, this is alarming." Xukong replied.
Seeing that he had just obtained more proof of the northern tribe's interaction with the higher worlds, Lin Mu decided to rush into the battle.
The Dao Treading realm cultivators who had just been saved by Master Cull Mountain now became Lin Mu's targets.
Little Shrubby had already moved away from Master Cull Mountain and was now running around, attacking her whenever there was an opening.
Master Cull Mountain could only block for now, while trying to find openings during which she could attack.
"Give it your all! The Savior Beast and Alliance leader are holding them back for us!" Patriarch You Yi said to the alliance members.
