Míngzhì Tiān fell to the ground, his gaze upward. The height was over twenty meters, making climbing impossible, let alone jumping.
What Míngzhì Tiān didn't know was that the mad old man was desperately searching for him above. Trapped in this sealed cave, he couldn't hear anything from the outside.
Míngzhì Tiān breathed a sigh of relief. "Finally, they're not chasing me."
He began to meditate, recuperating and tending to his internal injuries. Observing his surroundings, the large cave seemed to have been dug out by the claws of some animals.
"Such a massive cave, if excavated, would require at least ten beasts, and it would take them a full day to dig."
Míngzhì Tiān estimated, thinking to himself, "I'm still injured, I just pray no wild beasts show up..."
Just as he thought this, a piercing lion's roar echoed from not far away, "ROAR!!!"
The sound grew closer, and what came into view was a male lion as massive as an elephant!
Estimates placed its length at about eight meters, its height at three meters, and its weight over ten thousand jin!
The great lion lowered its body and slowly approached Míngzhì Tiān. With each step it took, the ground trembled, as if the entire cave might collapse at any moment.
Outside, the mad old man thought it was an earthquake. "Not good! This place is not safe!"
He immediately turned back to pursue Hǎimián Yī and Hǎimǐ'ér, but to no avail. He was consumed by rage! He was determined to capture at least one of them today, no matter the cost, or he would not rest!
Míngzhì Tiān rose from his meditation, his expression grave. He met the beast's gaze with wariness, his fists clenched, battle imminent.
The man and the beast were less than twenty meters apart. The great lion was already eight meters long. Angered by the intruder, it glared at Míngzhì Tiān and suddenly roared, "ROAR! ...ROAR! ......"
Míngzhì Tiān felt as if he were being buffeted by a raging storm. Even standing on the ground, he was pushed back involuntarily.
Spit, mixed with the wind from the lion's roar, splashed onto Míngzhì Tiān's face. He wiped it away. "Hey, that's a bit much."
The great lion reared back and lunged at Míngzhì Tiān!
Míngzhì Tiān narrowly dodged, then quickly circled behind it and bolted!
Míngzhì Tiān hadn't recovered from his injuries, and he was still poisoned. Not running would be foolish.
The great lion landed with a thud that sent ripples of dust through the surrounding area. Seeing the direction Míngzhì Tiān was running, it became even more enraged! With a few swift leaps, it gave chase!
Despite its immense size and weight of ten thousand jin, the great lion's speed was astonishing. Each stride covered five meters, and in just a few leaps, it was in front of Míngzhì Tiān, blocking his path.
With nowhere to hide, Míngzhì Tiān, still wounded, punched the great lion's head! It felt like hitting steel, barely making a dent.
The great lion swiped at him with a long, sharp claw! Míngzhì Tiān stamped on its head and sprang away, dodging the attack!
The great lion, feeling mocked, powerfully kicked off with its hind legs! Its front paws, armed with ten sharp claws, descended upon Míngzhì Tiān.
Míngzhì Tiān seized an opening, sliding low beneath the lion's thick, yellowish-white fur and scrambling to his feet, running without looking back!
The great lion missed its prey and turned to pursue, its claws gouging deep marks into the wall. It was clearly furious!
"ROAR!..." The great lion leaped down from above. Míngzhì Tiān dodged frantically, almost crushed into a pulp.
He suddenly realized that the further he ran, the more enraged the great lion became.
A thought flashed through Míngzhì Tiān's mind. "Could this be the exit? I need to push harder!"
Míngzhì Tiān ran with all his might, the massive lion chasing him relentlessly, occasionally slashing with its long claws and tearing Míngzhì Tiān's clothes.
Míngzhì Tiān felt a growing chill down his back. He couldn't help but touch the countless holes on his back as he ran, shouting, "Damn it!"
He sped up again. Just as Míngzhì Tiān naively believed he had found the exit, he stopped dead and froze.
All around were dead ends, like bare walls, forcing one to confront their doom!
It was over. The great lion had surrounded him. There was no escape. Moreover, the lion seemed intelligent. It lowered its body, fearful that Míngzhì Tiān might try another sliding maneuver to escape.