Chapter 828: Snow Bear King
The Mountain Gods Valley duo clearly couldn't break through any time soon, and the longer the fight dragged on, the more exhausted they'd become.
Max's mind began to move swiftly, calculating risk and timing. 'Maybe... I can reap the benefits without lifting a finger.' His instincts told him that with patience, the opportunity would present itself. For now, he would wait—silent as the snow, sharp as a blade, ready to strike the moment the balance tipped.
Just then the Snow Bear King roar!
"AAAOOO!"
At the roar of the Snow Bear King, the atmosphere inside the cave shifted violently. The thunderous growl echoed across the icy walls like a command from a warlord, and the effect was immediate—dozens of snow bears responded in unison, charging down from the deeper parts of the cave like an avalanche of muscle and frost.
Their heavy paws pounded the ground, shaking it with each step, and within moments they had flanked the two Mountain Gods Valley members. Trapped between the incoming horde and the towering Snow Bear King, the two cultivators were suddenly overwhelmed.
Their movements became frantic, coordination began to break down, and their rhythm faltered under the suffocating pressure.
Max, watching from the shadows with his aura fully suppressed, narrowed his eyes, believing that this was the moment the two would fall. But then, unexpectedly, Senior Brother Mack made a bold move.
With a shout, he pulled out a palm-sized bead that glowed with a furious red light. Even from a distance, Max could feel the scorching heat radiating from it, completely at odds with the frigid cave. His eyes widened slightly in recognition. "A Fire Bead?" he murmured to himself, surprised.
The Fire Bead was a special kind of treasure—its creation required the essence of condensed flame to be stabilized and sealed through ancient techniques, something only cultivators at the Mythic Rank or above could accomplish.
That meant either Mack had strong backing or he had access to extremely rare resources. Either way, this wasn't something an ordinary Legend Rank cultivator should possess.
The moment the Fire Bead was revealed, the reaction from the snow bears was immediate. The Snow Bear King's crimson eyes flared with alarm, and it let out a loud, warning growl. The bears began to slow, hesitation creeping into their steps, but it was too late.
With a flick of his arm, Mack hurled the Fire Bead into the midst of the snow bears. What followed was a thunderous boom that lit up the cave like a second sun.
A towering column of fire burst into the air, and tendrils of flame—jagged, serpentine arcs like fiery lightning—raced outward in all directions.
The explosion was so violent that it cracked nearby stalagmites, sending chunks of ice falling. The fire tore into the tightly packed group of snow bears, igniting their fur and blasting them apart. Bodies were hurled into the air, limbs scorched, roars replaced by agonized wails.
Some died instantly, while others lay on the ground, badly burned and unable to move.
Even the Snow Bear King, despite its powerful instincts and dense hide, couldn't escape unscathed. One of the fire tendrils caught its back mid-turn, and the impact tore through flesh and scorched bone. A trail of blood poured down its thick fur, staining the snow beneath its feet.
The beast bellowed in pain, the roar shaking the walls and sending shudders through the air. Its round eyes turned bloodshot, brimming with fury and savage intent. It pounded its chest like a war drum, every thud resonating with sheer violence, and then—like a glacier set loose—it charged forward.
The ground trembled beneath its weight, and the force of frost and killing intent in its wake surged like a tidal wave, freezing the air around it.
Max, still hidden at the edge of the battlefield, watched the scene with a frown. The Fire Bead had done serious damage, but it hadn't ended the battle. If anything, it had only enraged the Snow Bear King further. And now, wounded and cornered, the beast was even more dangerous.
"This... might be my chance," Max muttered to himself, eyes gleaming with intent as he continued to watch, waiting for the moment the tide would shift.
Seeing the Snow Bear King wounded and staggering, the blood still gushing from its severed limb, Senior Brother Mack's eyes turned cold and cruel. "Kill this beast first," he growled, his voice like iron scraping against stone.
The other Mountain Gods Valley disciple gave a firm nod, and without hesitation, the two surged forward like twin hurricanes, flanking the beast on either side. Their bodies pulsed with raw physical strength, the unique inheritance of their force empowering every strike with brutal, mountain-breaking force.
Mountain Gods Valley was famed for its body-strengthening techniques, and here in the depths of this icy cave, that power exploded to its fullest.
The Snow Bear King roared in fury, but the pressure was overwhelming. It lashed out wildly, its huge paws sweeping arcs of snow and force, but the coordinated attacks of the two cultivators left it reeling, its steps faltering more and more with every clash.
Then came the moment of execution. With a roar that echoed through the cavern like the cry of an ancient war god, Senior Brother Mack unleashed the full power of his cultivation. A brilliant copper light surged out from his body, engulfing him entirely.
In the next breath, he transformed. His muscles expanded, his skin took on a metallic sheen, and his entire figure became like that of a towering bronze giant—an ancient warrior reborn. He grasped a massive halberd conjured from his essence, lifted it high above his head, and brought it down with thunderous force.
The Snow Bear King tried to dodge, its instincts screaming danger—but it was too slow. The other Mountain Gods Valley disciple held the beast in place, and the halberd came down like the axe of heaven.
With a sickening puff, the blade cleaved through the beast's shoulder. One of its massive arms fell away in a spray of blood, and the Snow Bear King let out an earth-shaking roar of pain as it stumbled backward. That was all the opening the two needed.