It had to be said, the Cat Demon Beast's speed was truly astonishing. Wang Zhan retreated rapidly, but the Cat Demon Beast relentlessly closed in. In the blink of an eye, it was by Wang Zhan's side once more.

Wang Zhan's expression changed. Considering the current situation, evading the Cat Demon Beast would be no easy feat. But he couldn't afford to remain entangled with it. After all, the Cat Demon Beast's strength was formidable, and a prolonged confrontation would bring him no benefits whatsoever.

Wang Zhan hesitated for a moment, then glanced at the Deep Fire Blade in his hand, gritting his teeth. Do I really have to throw the Deep Fire Blade?

Having considered this, Wang Zhan clenched his fists tightly. Just as he was about to hurl the Deep Fire Blade, a streak of light abruptly fell from the sky. The streak of light slammed heavily onto the Cat Demon Beast's body.

The Cat Demon Beast seemed caught off guard, feeling only a powerful force strike its chest. It retreated swiftly, but compared to the streak of light, its speed was far too slow. In the next second, the Cat Demon Beast was flung away and then vanished into nothingness.

Wang Zhan's expression changed. He turned his head to look behind him, where a figure was gradually appearing. Wang Zhan was utterly shocked. After all, anyone who could eliminate a level 9 beast single-handedly was by no means ordinary. Such methods were far beyond his imagination.

What surprised him, however, was that the one who killed the Cat Demon Beast was an old man with snow-white hair.

Within a few steps, the Old Man had walked to his side. He glanced at the Cat Demon Beast, now a corpse, then shook his head and said, "They say this creature is extremely formidable, yet it couldn't even withstand a single strike from me. I truly don't understand why so many people here spread such nonsense."

Wang Zhan was taken aback, his eyes widening. No one knew better than him just how strong the Cat Demon Beast was. If it weren't for the Old Man's sudden intervention, he would be a corpse by now. After all, a level 9 beast was an existence far beyond the norm.

Wang Zhan's gaze shifted to the Old Man, and he asked curiously, "May I ask who you are, Senior?"

The Old Man only then noticed Wang Zhan, who had been fighting beside him, and chuckled. "I am just a humble villager from the mountains. I was passing by, happened to spot the Cat Demon Beast, and simply dealt with it." His words were filled with an air of nonchalance.

Wang Zhan gave an awkward smile. How could someone who dispatched a Cat Demon Beast so effortlessly be a mere mountain villager?

"Still, your strength is quite formidable, young man," the Old Man remarked, "to hold out against the Cat Demon Beast for so long. It seems you're no ordinary person yourself. Are you one of those Bounty Hunters from Kui City?"

Wang Zhan quickly shook his head. "I just arrived here, and I never expected to encounter a Cat Demon Beast. Clearly, my luck isn't the best. After all, a level 9 beast isn't so easy to handle. I must thank you, Senior, for your timely assistance. Otherwise, I might indeed be a corpse by now."

"It was merely a slight effort. Besides, our meeting is due to fate, so there's no need for such pleasantries."

The Old Man waved his hand, then turned to leave. However, he didn't head towards Kui City but walked into the nearby mountain forest.

Wang Zhan quickly followed him. From what he had gathered, the situation in Kui City didn't seem promising. Even if he went there, he would likely struggle to establish himself. Most importantly, Wang Zhan wasn't interested in that kind of environment.

Evidently, this plane was home to many demonic beasts, so humans naturally needed to unite. However, the people in Kui City seemed to lack this understanding.

But to Wang Zhan's astonishment, though he had been able to see the Old Man clearly just moments before, the Old Man vanished within a few steps.

Wang Zhan quickened his pace, rushing in the direction the Old Man had taken. He traveled for a considerable distance but still couldn't find any trace of him.

Damn it, how can this old fellow be so fast? Wang Zhan frowned slightly. Although his own strength didn't match the Old Man's, he was, after all, much younger. He had assumed that keeping up with an elderly man wouldn't be difficult. He never imagined that after chasing for so long, he would still find no trace of him.

It had to be said, this Old Man was truly extraordinary. And the more extraordinary he seemed, the more Wang Zhan wanted to follow him and find out more.

Wang Zhan stood still, carefully surveying his surroundings. As far as he could see, it was all the same mountain forest, with no discernible differences. Wang Zhan swiftly climbed to the top of a tall tree and scanned the area again.

As he turned, he suddenly spotted smoke curling up from the mountain forest in the distance. His eyes lit up, and he quickly dashed towards the source of the smoke.

Before long, Wang Zhan reached a clearing in the forest. Before him stood a house built of logs. The house, it had to be said, was quite exquisite, with a courtyard in the front and a garden at the back.

Wang Zhan carefully surveyed the surroundings once more before heading towards the house.

As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, streaks of light suddenly flashed around him. Wang Zhan quickly retreated a few steps, his expression wary as he scanned his surroundings. A barrier?

Wang Zhan stared at these streams of light and instantly grasped the underlying Mystery. Who would have thought someone actually knows how to set up a barrier?

Even with his abilities, he couldn't achieve something like this. It was clear how terrifyingly powerful the owner of this house must be.

Just as Wang Zhan was about to enter the barrier, a colossal sword light suddenly slashed down towards him. Wang Zhan retreated rapidly, but the sword light struck him directly.

Before Wang Zhan could react, he felt a massive sword aura slam viciously into his chest. The Fire Deity Armor covering his body was instantly revealed. With a loud CRASH, Wang Zhan was forced back only a few steps, and the sword aura had already vanished.

Wang Zhan glanced at his chest. Fortunately, the Fire Deity Armor was undamaged. If the Fire Deity Armor hadn't manifested in time, he would already be a corpse. This alone was enough to show how terrifying that sword light had been.

Who on earth set up a barrier here and possesses such powerful offensive means? Wang Zhan narrowed his eyes as a familiar figure surfaced in his mind. Could it be the Old Man I just met?

After hesitating for a moment, Wang Zhan once again walked towards the courtyard. Whatever the situation, he had to go in and investigate. Besides, he sensed that the person in the courtyard bore him no malice; otherwise, he would have already become a casualty of that sword aura.

Soon, he reached the edge of the courtyard. He produced the Deep Fire Blade, a faint smile playing on his lips. He swiftly raised the Deep Fire Blade and swung it forward. A colossal Fire Dragon instantly soared up and slammed into the barrier. Immediately, the barrier began to vibrate intensely.

"Young man, I didn't expect your strength to be this formidable." Suddenly, the Old Man Wang Zhan had encountered earlier rushed out of the house. In a few quick strides, he was in front of Wang Zhan. With a wave of his sleeve, the barrier before them vanished.

Wang Zhan merely smiled faintly, quickly sheathed the Deep Fire Blade, and then bowed respectfully to the Old Man before him. "Forgive my abrupt intrusion, Senior. I apologize."

The Old Man chuckled, waved his hand, then headed towards the room, beckoning to Wang Zhan as he went. "Come in with me."

Wang Zhan's eyes lit up, and he quickly followed the Old Man into the room. The room, it had to be said, was furnished in an extremely simple and rustic manner: just a table, a bed, and some cooking utensils. Nothing else was visible. Clearly, this was where the Old Man lived alone. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Wang Zhan moved to one side and stood respectfully. After a moment, he asked softly, "Senior, is this your home?"

The Old Man nodded. "Just find a place to sit. No need to be so formal."

Wang Zhan smiled and waved his hand. "I hadn't realized we were truly fated to meet, Senior. We parted only a short while ago, and now we've met again."

Destined? The Old Man gave him a sidelong glance, then chuckled. "Don't think I don't know why you're here. You were following me the whole time, which is why you kept appearing near me. And you probably saw the smoke from my chimney, right? That's how you found this place, isn't it?"

"So, kid, no need for the smooth talk. Just tell me your purpose obediently. After all, if I sense any ill intent from you, don't blame me for being discourteous."

Hearing this, Wang Zhan quickly sat down beside him, rubbing his hands together and chuckling. He had initially hoped to build some rapport with the Old Man, but he hadn't anticipated the Old Man immediately adopting such a distant demeanor. For a moment, Wang Zhan was at a loss for words.

"To be honest, Senior, I came looking for you to inquire about the circumstances of this plane. It would be ideal if you could provide me with a map of this place. That would make my activities much more convenient." Wang Zhan grinned, no longer bothering with pleasantries.