In the Forest of Green Horn, two cultivators sat beside abeside a small campfire, its weak flames flickering under the thick canopy above.
Between them lay an old, worn book. Its pages were filled with crude sketches and notes of strange , twisted beast formed from mismatched parts. One drawing showed a lion's body fused with the limbs of a spider.
"How are we supposed to kill this thing?" one of them asked, his voice tense. "There's no clear weakness anywhere on its body."
"I don't know, Yu Zhou," the other replied, still staring at the book. "I've checked it again and again. Nothing stands out." He shut the book and stood up. "Let's just do it the usual way. You attack from behind. I'll face it from the front."
Yu Zhou frowned. "Zhang Long, use your damn brain for a moment. How is a Shenlin supposed to defeat a monster like that?"
"There's nothing to be afraid of," Zhang Long said casually. "It's just a Shanling."
"Just a Shanling?" Yu Zhou snapped. "It's a second-tier one! The last first-tier beast nearly killed us!" His hands trembled slightly, anger barely hiding his fear.
RAHH—!
An earth-shaking roar tore through the forest, making the fire flicker violently.
Yu Zhou sucked in a sharp breath. "It's here! Put out the fire , hide! That thing can see the light!"
"No," Zhang Long said firmly. "We're not hiding. We're killing it, no matter the cost."
Before Yu Zhou could stop him, Zhang Long stepped forward and shouted into the darkness.
"Hey, dumb beast! Come closer! Has anyone ever told you that you smell?"
He grimaced exaggeratedly. "So ugly… did your mother mate with a garden spider or something?"
The forest trembled as a furious roar answered him.
Though the spider-lion beast had yet to awaken true intelligence, it could still feel mockery. Rage surged through its massive body as it burst from the shadows, crushing shrubs beneath its limbs.
Yu Zhou stared at Zhang Long in shock. "Y-you're courting death! This isn't bravery—it's a free ticket to the Yellow Spring! That beast is completely enraged!"
"What are you afraid of?" Zhang Long laughed. "It's just a paper tiger! Come on—attack us, you vile thing!"
The monster charged.
"RUN!" Zhang Long shouted suddenly, turning around and sprinting at full speed. "It's gone mad!"
Yu Zhou's eyes widened. "Wait—what? Didn't you say we were killing it?!"
His legs moved before his mind could catch up.
" and also are my legs faster than my thoughts?!"
Branches whipped across his face as he ran. "Ouch! Damn it—these trees are hard!"
"Zhang Long, wait for me!" Yu Zhou shouted. "You can't just leave me alone with that thing!"
"Hahaha!" Zhang Long laughed while dodging branches. "If you want to become its snack, feel free! I'm out—ouch! These branches are really hard!"
"Come on, beast!" Zhang Long shouted over his shoulder. "Faster! You've got this!"
Behind them, the spider-lion beast roared in fury, snapping thick tree trunks in half as it chased. Despite its terrifying strength, it struggled to keep up. The forest was dense, filled with obstacles that slowed its charge.
It felt mocked.
"Ooh," Zhang Long suddenly said, skidding to a halt. "We have a problem, Yu Zhou."
Yu Zhou stopped beside him, panting. "What now?"
"There's no path ahead."
Yu Zhou raised his hand and swore. "I told you we should've hidden earlier! But no—you had to tease that ugly thing." He glanced back as the ground shook. "Now we either fight it… or jump."
Zhang Long turned to look behind them. A cliff stood there, its depths swallowing all light.
"We can't jump," he said quietly. "It's too deep. We're not experts—no flight, no wind control."
The beast drew closer.
Yu Zhou swallowed hard. "It's coming."
For a brief moment, the spider-lion beast gazed at the two humans cornered before it. A strange sense of justice stirred within its instincts.
Karma is real.
Zhang Long took a cautious step forward. "Hey, beast… maybe we can negotiate?"
Yu Zhou stared at him in disbelief. What is this idiot doing now?
The beast's many eyes locked onto Zhang Long—the human who had mocked it, baited it, and turned its hunt into humiliation.
"There's no retreat now," Yu Zhou said, stepping back as the ground trembled beneath each of the beast's steps. "There's no way we can fight this thing. Say a short prayer."
He exhaled slowly.
"Come on, brother. If there's a next life, I hope I'm your bro again. Good luck to us on the road to the Yellow Spring."
"I just hope Yama won't punish me for pushing my own death by following you to hunt," Yu Zhou added bitterly. "It was all your idea, saying we could sell its core for higher prices."
"What? How come it's me?" Zhang Long shot back. "Wasn't it you who said the tendons and meat would be sweet when cooked? You fully supported the hunt!"
The spider-lion beast slowed its steps.
Its massive head tilted left… then right.
The humans before it did not attempt to struggle to be free.
Instead they argued.
A low growl rumbled deep in its throat as one claw dragged across the ground, carving deep grooves into the soil. The earth trembled beneath its weight.
Still, the humans kept talking.
The beast's eyes narrowed.
Either these two had lost their minds from sheer terror…
Or they truly believed their lives were already forfeit.
It roared again, louder this time, shaking leaves loose from the canopy—making its presence unmistakably clear.
"Fine," Zhang Long said, spreading his hands. "Beast, we know we're dead meat. Can't you at least spare us a moment to plan our deaths?"
That was the last straw.
The beast could no longer tolerate the blatant disrespect from these petty humans.
With a deafening roar, it launched itself forward, claws tearing through the earth as it charged, intent on crushing them into nothingness.