Beast Taming Star Journey

Deeper into the passage, the figure grew clearer, tall and imposing, like an iron tower. I felt my breathing become labored; the oppressive aura almost crushed me. My intuition told me this was an extremely dangerous opponent. I immediately whispered to Howling Moon Wolf, "Hide your presence, quick!" Howling Moon Wolf understood instantly; its light vanished instantly, and its aura disappeared completely, as if it had merged with its surroundings. I quickly looked around, searching for a place to hide. Fortunately, there were some recessed stone walls on either side of the passage, just big enough for one person. I slipped into one of the recesses, held my breath, and remained motionless. The tall figure drew closer, and I finally saw his face clearly. He wore black armor, his face was cold and stern, his eyes sharp as blades, and he held a huge battle axe in his hand, radiating a chilling light. He was the elite guard of the dark forces—the Tantalum Guardian. The Tantalum Guardian walked to the spot where we had just fought and stopped. He looked around, seemingly searching for something. His sharp gaze swept over the stone wall where I was hiding, and my heart leaped into my throat. "Strange, I clearly sensed a presence here..." the Tantalum Guard muttered to himself, his brow furrowing slightly. I held my breath, afraid to move, terrified of being discovered. Time seemed to stand still, each second stretching endlessly. The Tantalum Guard searched carefully again, but still found no trace of me. He shook his head, seemingly giving up the search. "Perhaps I was mistaken," he murmured, then turned and continued walking. I finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling my back drenched in cold sweat. This Tantalum Guard's perception was incredibly sharp; if I hadn't concealed my presence in time, he would have discovered me long ago. I cautiously peeked out from behind the stone wall, watching the Tantalum Guard's retreating figure, secretly relieved. "That was close..." I muttered to myself, but dared not relax for a moment. I knew this was only temporary safety; I had to find the intelligence room as soon as possible and leave this place. I took a deep breath, composed myself, and continued forward along the passage. The passage was quiet, only the soft echoes of my footsteps reverberating in the empty space. A faint smell of blood lingered in the air, the lingering scent from my battle with the Shadow Rats. I moved cautiously, each step deliberate, constantly alert to any movement around me. After walking a distance, I sensed a powerful aura again. This aura was even stronger than before, sending a chill down my spine. I knew the Tantalum Guardian had returned. I immediately stopped and hid again in a recess in the stone wall. This time, I didn't choose to conceal my presence; instead, I gripped my sword tightly, ready to fight at any moment. The Tantalum Guardian reappeared in my sight, still with that cold, stern expression, the massive battle axe in his hand gleaming with a chilling light. He stopped not far from where I was hiding, seemingly sensing something. He slowly turned around, his gaze locking onto the stone wall where I was concealed. "Come out, I know where you're hiding." His voice was deep and powerful, carrying an undeniable authority. I took a deep breath and slowly emerged from behind the stone wall... The sword I gripped emitted a soft hum. I stared at him, my gaze resolute. "You are indeed strong, managing to evade my detection." The Tantalum Guardian looked at me, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. "You flatter me." I replied calmly. A tense atmosphere filled the air... "You flatter me." I replied calmly, trying to make my tone sound calm, but my grip on the sword tightened involuntarily. The Tantalum Guardian's oppressive aura was overwhelming, like a towering mountain, making it almost impossible for me to breathe. His black armor reflected a faint light in the dim passage, like a lurking beast, ready to pounce at any moment. I glanced at the giant axe in his hand, its blade gleaming coldly, as if recounting its glorious past. Just then, the image of Su Yao flashed into my mind. She was valiant and her eyes were resolute; she always gave me strength in times of crisis. Thinking of her warm smile, a tenderness welled up in my heart, dispelling my fear and making me calmer. "You are special," the Tantalum Guardian's voice broke my thoughts. "Your aura is weak, but unusually...pure." He paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully. "I sense an unusual power surging within you." His words sent a chill down my spine. He had actually sensed my Beast Taming power! It seemed this battle was inevitable. The Tantalum Guardian took heavy steps, approaching me step by step. Each step felt like it was pounding on my heart, making it difficult to breathe. He slightly raised his giant axe, the cold light on the blade flashing in my eyes like the scythe of death, ready to reap my life at any moment. "Who exactly are you?" His voice was deep and powerful, echoing like muffled thunder in the passage. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. I knew this was not the time to back down. I had to fight, for my goal, and for Su Yao. “Who I am is unimportant,” I said firmly, staring intently at him. “What matters is that you are blocking my way.” My words had barely left my lips when the Tantalum Guardian’s eyes suddenly sharpened. He swung his massive axe with a fierce swing, creating a gust of wind as he cleaved towards me. I was prepared; I dodged to the side, avoiding his attack. The blade of the axe grazed my body, sending a chill down my spine. I could even feel the icy killing intent emanating from the axe blade. “Quick reflexes,” the Tantalum Guardian said, a hint of surprise in his voice, “but you are ultimately no match for me.” He swung his axe again, launching a fierce attack. His speed was lightning-fast, his strength immense, each strike carrying an overwhelming force. I kept dodging, searching for an opportunity to counterattack. But the Tantalum Guardian’s attacks were too dense; I couldn’t find any openings. I felt the pressure mounting, my strength dwindling. At this rate, I would be defeated sooner or later. I had to find a way to change the situation. My gaze fell on the walls on either side of the passage. A bold idea surfaced in my mind… “You think you can trap me?” A confident smile crept across my lips. My hands began to form rapid hand seals… I swiftly formed hand seals, channeling the surging beast-taming power within me. A strange energy fluctuation emanated from me, permeating the entire passage. This energy resonated with the surrounding environment; the air began to distort, and the light began to blur. “Child's play!” The Tantalum Guardian scoffed, swinging his giant axe again, attempting to shatter the illusion I had created. But this time, his attack missed. My figure flickered like a ghost in the passage, shifting left and right, up and down, making it impossible for him to pinpoint my true location. “Illusions?” The Tantalum Guardian seemed to realize something, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. Indeed, I had used my beast-taming power to create multiple illusions, confusing his vision. These illusions were not simple phantoms, but rather fused with a portion of my power, enough to withstand his attacks. “You underestimate me!” I sneered. Taking advantage of the Tantalum Guardian's distraction by the illusion, I quietly circled behind him. Taking a deep breath, I concentrated my Beast Taming power into my right fist. "Thunderbolt Fist!" I shouted, and my right fist shot out like a cannonball, striking the Tantalum Guardian hard in the back. "Bang!" A muffled thud echoed as the Tantalum Guardian's body flew through the air like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the wall of the passage. "Cough cough..." The Tantalum Guardian clutched his chest, coughing violently, a trickle of blood escaping from the corner of his mouth. I didn't give him a chance to catch his breath; in a flash, I reappeared before him. "You...you actually..." The Tantalum Guardian's eyes were filled with shock and disbelief. I ignored his words and swung my fist again, smashing it down hard on his face. "Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!" A barrage of attacks rained down like a storm; the Tantalum Guardian was powerless to resist, forced to passively endure my assault. Cracks began to appear in his armor, and blood continuously gushed from his mouth. "Impossible...I...I am..." The Tantalum Guardian's voice grew weaker and weaker, his eyes gradually becoming unfocused. Finally, he collapsed to the ground, unconscious. I slowly withdrew my fist, my chest heaving violently. This battle was far more difficult than I had imagined. The Tantalum Guardian was indeed very strong. If I hadn't used my Beast Taming power to create an illusion to confuse him, I probably wouldn't have been able to defeat him. I glanced down at the Tantalum Guardian lying on the ground, feeling no pity whatsoever. He was a henchman of the dark forces, his hands stained with the blood of innocents; he deserved to die. I turned and continued walking deeper into the passage. After passing through the long passage, I finally arrived at the door of the intelligence chamber. The door was made entirely of black metal, covered with various strange runes and devices, exuding a dangerous aura. I reached out and gently touched the runes on the door... "Click—" With a soft sound, the device on the door suddenly activated, emitting a blinding light...