Chapter 964: Chapter 506: Attempting Refinement Gu Sheng felt a sharp pain, his organs seemed to have shifted. He struggled to open his eyes, everything was a blur, only flickering starlight and towering trees that reached the clouds. A buzzing sound echoed in his ears, as if the deafening blast from the Heart of the Divine Tree was still reverberating. "Cough, cough..." He coughed up a mouthful of blood, the metallic taste spreading in his mouth. He tried to move his fingers, finding that he could still move, which gave him some reassurance. "Shi Lou! Er Gou!" Gu Sheng rasped, his voice so weak it was almost inaudible. After a moment, he heard a groan from not far away. "Brother... Brother Sheng..." It was Er Gou’s voice, weak and powerless. Gu Sheng endured the pain and crawled towards the sound. Er Gou lay not far away, pale-faced, with blood on the corner of his mouth. "How are you?" Gu Sheng asked anxiously. "Still... still okay..." Er Gou forced a grin, trying to smile, but it pulled on his wound, causing him to gasp in pain, "Just... just feels like the bones... seem broken..." Gu Sheng checked Er Gou’s injuries and found that his leg seemed to be fractured. "Where’s Shi Lou?" Gu Sheng asked again. Er Gou shook his head, eyes full of worry: "I don’t know... during the explosion... I didn’t see him..." Gu Sheng felt a sinking feeling in his heart, Shi Lou’s physique was not as good as his and Er Gou’s, if anything... he dared not think further, forcing himself to start searching for Shi Lou. All around them was chaos, trees toppled, the ground cracked, the power of the explosion far exceeding their imagination. Gu Sheng crawled with difficulty, every movement accompanied by intense pain. "Shi Lou! Shi Lou!" He kept shouting, his voice hoarse, tinged with a trace of despair. Finally, amidst the ruins, he saw Shi Lou’s figure. Shi Lou lay motionless on the ground, his life or death uncertain. "Shi Lou!" Gu Sheng used the last of his strength to crawl to Shi Lou’s side, forcefully patting his face, "Shi Lou! Wake up!" Shi Lou didn’t react. Gu Sheng tremblingly reached out to check his breath, finding a faint breath. Gu Sheng breathed a sigh of relief, thankfully, still alive. He quickly tore a piece of cloth from his body and simply bandaged Shi Lou’s wound. "Brother Sheng... I... I’m so cold..." Shi Lou suddenly spoke weakly, his voice as soft as a mosquito’s. Gu Sheng then noticed Shi Lou’s face was unusually pale, lips turning purple, body trembling slightly. "Hang in there! Shi Lou!" Gu Sheng transferred Divine Power into Shi Lou, preserving his vitality. At that moment. He suddenly heard a rustling sound, as if something was approaching. Gu Sheng abruptly lifted his head, cautiously scanning his surroundings. In the dim light, he saw pairs of glowing green eyes slowly emerging from the surrounding woods... Gu Sheng’s heart sank, a chill shot from his feet to his head. In the darkness, those glowing green eyes flickered like ghost fire, their sheer number causing his scalp to tingle. "Damn it..." Gu Sheng cursed under his breath, gritting his teeth against the pain, shielding Shi Lou behind him. The rustling grew nearer, and the creatures hidden in the darkness gradually revealed their forms. They varied in shape, some resembling giant wolves, some like fierce tigers, and some akin to massive lizards, yet without exception, all emitted strong Demon Qi. "Demon Beasts of the Divine Bridge Realm..." Gu Sheng instantly identified their realm, despair deepening in his heart. In his current state, protecting Shi Lou and Er Gou, let alone himself, was problematic. A massive black tiger charged first, muscles knotted, claws gleaming with a cold light, mouth wide open, letting out a deafening roar. "Roar!" 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮 The roar was like a thunderclap, making Gu Sheng’s eardrums ache. The black tiger lunged at Gu Sheng, its huge paws swooping down with the sound of the wind. Gu Sheng gritted his teeth, rolling to the side with all his might, narrowly evading the strike. "Boom!" The tiger’s paw pounded the ground heavily, instantly causing it to collapse, stones splattering. Gu Sheng hadn’t even had a chance to catch his breath before another Demon Beast pounced. This one resembled a cheetah, incredibly fast, and in the blink of an eye, it was in front of Gu Sheng, its sharp claws tearing the air, aiming directly at his throat. Gu Sheng hurriedly raised his arm to block, and with a "crack," his arm bones snapped. "Ah!" Gu Sheng couldn’t help but let out a scream. The intense pain nearly made him faint, but he knew he couldn’t fall. If he fell, he, Shi Lou, and Er Gou would all be doomed. He fought through the pain, kicking the cheetah’s belly and sending it flying. However, more Demon Beasts were already closing in, eyeing Gu Sheng like starving wolves, ready at any moment to tear him apart. Blood trickled down Gu Sheng’s arm, staining the ground. The pain surged like a tide, threatening to overwhelm him. Breathing heavily, his vision darkened repeatedly, yet his eyes remained fiercely fixed on the surrounding Demon Beasts, filled with defiance and madness. "Come on! You beasts!" Gu Sheng roared hoarsely, his voice cracked like a broken bellows, "Even if I die, I’ll take a few of you down with me!" Intimidated by Gu Sheng’s aura, the Demon Beasts hesitated to approach. They growled at each other, seemingly testing Gu Sheng’s strength. "What? Afraid?" Gu Sheng sneered, spitting out a mouthful of bloody froth, "A pack of beasts, dare to be arrogant in front of me!" A giant wolf couldn’t hold back anymore, lunging forward first. Gu Sheng clenched his teeth against the pain, punching directly at the giant wolf’s head.