Bio-engineered Dinosaur in the immortal world

Not far away, in a dense, green forest who was alive with the rustling of leaves and the occasional screech of distant creatures, suddenly, a strange aura of decay was in the air.

The scent of rot mixed with iron was strong, and it wrinkled the nose of the Autumn Dragon Sect Disciple as he stood amidst the carcasses of his latest kills.

His sword dripped with dark blood, its surface reflecting the dying light of the setting sun.

"Tch," the disciple clicked his tongue in irritation, kicking away the body of a juvenile beast that barely put up a fight.

"Another one fouled by the Demonic Dao essence. Disgusting." He flicked his sword, shaking off the last of the blood before shifting his stance as another creature lunged at him from the underbrush.

This one, like the others, was gaunt, its ribs visible through patches of mangy fur.

Its once-bright eyes were murky, clouded by corruption. Its movements were erratic, unpredictable, but sluggish, as if its own body betrayed it.

The disciple sighed, bringing his sword down in a single, sharp arc.

Schhling!

The beast's head rolled across the dirt before its body slumped lifelessly.

He barely had time to exhale before another two of them pounced from opposite directions.

With an effortless step, he twisted his wrist, sending his sword through the air in a wide, sweeping motion.

"Haaah!" he grunted as his blade cleaved through both creatures in a single stroke.

The smell of rot thickened.

The disciple grimaced, taking a moment to look at the heap of dead beasts before him. "I was prepared to fight demonic cultivators, yet here I am, hacking away at mindless beasts all day. This better be worth it."

He rubbed his wrist, exhausted but not yet spent. He had only been at this for an hour, yet he had lost count of how many he had slain.

The mission given to him was clear—eliminate all beasts tainted by the Demonic Dao essence—but this was nothing more than a glorified extermination.

He had trained for years, honed his skills, built his foundations for something greater.

Yet here he was, slashing through nothing more than corrupted wildlife.

Just as he was about to sheathe his sword, a sound thundered through the air.

BOOOOM!!

A deep, resonating force shook the ground beneath his feet.

Leaves trembled and scattered from the trees, the wind howled as if crying out in warning.

The disciple's body stiffened, his grip tightening around his sword.

"Another one?" he muttered, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

This was not the first time he had encountered beasts afflicted by the Demonic Dao essence.

The sounds they made, the unnatural screams, the eerie wails—this was different.

He exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple before straightening up. "Sigh... I was hoping for a real fight against demonic cultivators. Instead, I get this. Just another beast."

Shaking his head, he turned toward the source of the sound, his steps careful but determined.

The forest around him was dense, but his movements were swift, his robes flowing behind him as he maneuvered between the towering trees.

The further he went, the stronger the air felt—thicker, heavier, as if pressing against his chest.

Then, something strange happened.

The sound of snapping twigs and rustling leaves filled the air—not from his own movement, but from something else.

He stilled, his senses sharpening.

A shadow moved in the distance.

Then another.

And another.

Then, suddenly, they came.

Beasts.

Dozens of them.

Running straight toward him.

He barely had time to react before they charged past him, not even sparing him a glance.

Their eyes were wide with terror, their bodies frantic, legs moving with desperate speed.

They were not attacking.

They were fleeing.

The disciple remained frozen for a moment, watching them pass. "Strange..." he mumbled under his breath. "Even beasts afflicted by the Demonic Dao essence shouldn't be able to scare these lot. Why are they running?"

More and more beasts stormed past him, all in the same direction, their panic palpable.

A few tripped, crashing into the ground before scrambling back up, desperate to keep moving.

A pack of green-scaled buffalo barreled through the foliage, followed by agile shadow panthers that usually hunted them.

Yet today, predator and prey ran together, side by side, united in their fear.

The disciple's unease grew.

He had seen beasts scatter before, but never like this.

This was not instinctive flight from a stronger predator.

No, this was something else.

Something deeper.

Something primal.

His fingers instinctively curled around the hilt of his sword.

Then, the air around him seemed to shift.

His body tensed as a strange pressure settled over the forest.

The wind stilled, the rustling leaves ceased, and for the briefest moment, it felt as if the world itself held its breath.

Then he heard it.

A single, distant sound.

Something subtle, yet undeniable.

His pulse quickened.

The disciple turned his head sharply, his gaze locking onto the distant horizon. His breath caught in his throat as he saw something beyond the veil of trees.

His eyes went wide.

His fingers trembled on the hilt of his sword.

He did not move.

He could not move.

For the first time in his life, true fear gripped his very heart.

Wave of beasts!

Not a wave of normal beast but a wave of beasts affected by demonic dao essence!

Immediately, the disciple turned around and sprinted fast.

His chest heaved as he went through the uneven terrain, his robes billowing behind him like tattered banners.

His heartbeat pounded in his ears, drowning out the guttural snarls and frenzied screeches of the monstrous horde that pursued him.

Each step sent a jolt of pain through his legs, but he dared not slow down.

The beasts—twisted, gaunt creatures with matted fur and festering wounds—moved unnaturally, their limbs jerking as if pulled by invisible strings.

With a sharp breath, he bit his thumb and performed a rapid hand seal.

"Demonic Repelling Incantation!" he roared, slamming his palm onto the ground.

A golden barrier erupted around him, sizzling against the corrupted air.

The frontmost beasts crashed into it with mindless fury, their skin bubbling upon contact, but they did not falter.

Instead, they clawed at the shield, their blackened talons leaving searing grooves against its surface.

The disciple's lips curled into a grimace. "Damn it, why aren't they slowing down? I knew these Demonic Dao-infested beasts were troublesome, but this is ridiculous!"

He reached into his robes and withdrew a jade-green pill.

"Haste Pellet!" He crushed it between his teeth, and a surge of energy flooded his veins.

With a mighty leap, he launched himself onto a boulder, then bounded into the air, his body twisting mid-flight.

His transformation was instantaneous—scales rippled over his skin, turning him a deep emerald, his pupils slitting into vertical lines.

Translucent, bat-like wings unfurled from his arms, shimmering under the dimming sky.

Now in his hybrid form, his speed doubled, and he soared above the charging beasts. "Hah! Try catching me now, you ugly bastards!" he sneered.

Yet, even as he gained distance, the creatures did not relent.

They scrambled over each other, a writhing mass of fangs and claws, pushing forward with single-minded determination.

His sneer faltered.

"They're still not stopping?"

His wings flapped harder as he took another pill, this time a Rejuvenation Elixir, to stave off the exhaustion creeping into his limbs.

His fingers trembled around the porcelain bottle. "Tch, I only have three of these left. If this goes on any longer, I'll—"

A roar from behind sent a chill through his spine.

He whipped his head around just in time to see a grotesque, horned beast lunge at him, its mouth unhinging wider than should be possible.

Cursing, he twisted his body to evade, but the creature's claws grazed his shoulder.

Pain seared through him, and he tumbled mid-air, barely managing to steady himself before hitting the ground.

Blood dripped from his wound, hissing as it met the corrupted earth.

"Damn it! I can't keep this up!" He shoved another pill into his mouth, his movements growing more frantic. "These things shouldn't be this fast! Why are they—"

His thoughts ground to a halt as he noticed something strange.

The beasts weren't fixated on him.

He risked a glance over his shoulder, expecting to see them lunging at his exposed back.

Instead, they barreled past him without a second glance, their manic eyes focused solely ahead.

The disciple's breath hitched.

"What…?"

He slowed to a jog, then stopped altogether. His chest rose and fell as he turned in disbelief, watching the monstrous tide continue forward, as though he were nothing more than a speck of dust in their path.

His fingers trembled. "What… could make creatures like these ignore prey right in front of them?"

If it can make these beasts affected by dmdomic Dao essence, just what is it?

Something far more terrifying was ahead.

The disciple's grip on his sword tightened.

What is it?

Suddenly, he was about to turn his head and stop but his instincts told him not to.

He swallowed, his throat dry, and took a hesitant step forward, following the path of the horde.

Yet somewhere deep in his head, there was something. He felt like he had to know what could instill such terror into beasts that had long lost their minds to the Demonic Dao.

However, shaking his head, the disciple decided not to. He could see the desperation of the beasts afflicted by demonic dao essence yet chose to escape!

If they are scared, that means that the thing behind was even more terrifying.

Suddenly, he froze.

Soon, when he was about to finally turn his head, a massive prehistoric jaw swallowed him!