Chapter 12
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Chapter 12: Sword Dance of Wind and Thunder
Inside Tianliang Forest, dozens of demon beasts abruptly halted their movements. Their blood-red eyes slowly scanned the surroundings as their primal instincts warned them of human intruders in their territory.
After rushing forward over ten meters, Lou Yun slowed his pace. Relying on his heightened senses, he cautiously advanced deeper into the forest while scanning his environment.
Moments later, Lou Chong appeared beside Lou Yun. Watching Lou Yun’s timid, slow progress, a sneer spread across his face as he mocked, \"Truly a worthless weakling! Look at you cowering. I suggest you quit now. With that pitiful sword of yours, you dream of killing demon beasts?\"
Though slightly younger than Lou Yun, Lou Chong had never viewed him as an elder brother due to his upbringing under their father and brothers’ influence.
Lou Yun merely glanced at Lou Chong without a word and continued walking into the woods.
Rebuffed, Lou Chong scoffed, \"The demon beasts here are blessed—finally, a meal delivered right to them!\"
With a flick of his wrist, a silver broadsword materialized in Lou Chong’s hand—his magical weapon: the Silver Wolf Slash, rated beginner one-star!
He’d summoned it to show off and provoke Lou Yun. After deliberately waving the blade before him, Lou Chong surged past Lou Yun into the forest.
Lou Yun watched his receding figure with a cold smile. \"Unsheathing your magical weapon so early is sheer spiritual energy waste!\"
Magical weapons formed from spiritual energy consume none while stored within the body. But manifesting them externally requires continuous spiritual energy to sustain physical form. Lou Chong’s decision to wield his weapon before confronting enemies was unwise.
After a short distance, distant roars signaled Lou Yun’s kin had engaged demon beasts.
Seeing others already fighting, Lou Yun quickened his pace.
About a hundred meters away, a red wolf the size of a tiger licked its jaws as it caught Lou Yun’s scent. Hunger gnawed at its stomach, urging it to devour this human fresh.
Yet this Giant Fire Wolf held intelligence. Though impatient, it didn’t charge straight out. Instead, it lowered its body behind a thick tree trunk, waiting for its prey to draw nearer.
Advancing swiftly past fifty meters, Lou Yun froze. His sharp senses detected the hidden wolf, and he slowly reached for his Stone Sword strapped across his back.
Right then, Chang Xiang’s voice spoke: \"Not the sword yet.\"
Lou Yun paused briefly before grasping this was a test of his physical strength.
Despite sparring with Chang Xiang before, he’d never truly battled without his blade. Anxiety flickered in him—could his body alone defeat a demon beast?
\"If even a single demon beast frightens you,\" Chang Xiang taunted, \"best abandon cultivation immediately.\"
The challenge ignited Lou Yun’s pride. He withdrew his hand from the sword and leapt lightly forward, his body hurtling arrow-like over ten meters—a feat gifted by rigorous body refinement.
Observing its prey accelerating, the distant Giant Fire Wolf abandoned stealth. It lunged from behind the tree, paws pounding the ground as it bounded toward Lou Yun.
Swiftly crossing forty meters with just two landings, the wolf closed in head-on.
\"Giant Fire Wolf!\" Lou Yun cried, identifying the beast. Flipping backward mid-air, he retreated ten meters.
The wolf leaped again, front claws slicing sharply through the air in a deadly swipe.
Lou Yun darted lightning-quick beneath it, fist ramming hard into its exposed belly.
\"Thump!\"
\"Awooo!\"
As his punch connected, a grievous howl tore from the wolf’s maw. The massive beast flipped backward through the air, crashing upside-down meters away.
Lou Yun stared at his own fist in disbelief. This wolf weighed at least two hundred pounds—and he’d knocked it flying? Had he truly done it?
\"Stop hesitating!\" came Chang Xiang’s snap. \"Use this chance and finish it!\"
Chang Xiang\’s warning jolted Lou Yun back to awareness. He looked up to see the Giant Fire Wolf with its belly pressed firmly against the ground from the impact of his punch, its body trembling violently. Yet, its two blood-red eyes stared fixedly at Lou Yun, blazing with hatred.
Abruptly, the Giant Fire Wolf threw back its head and let out a piercing howl. Simultaneously, Lou Yun pushed off with both feet, shooting toward the wolf like a gust of wind.
Sensing the danger, the Giant Fire Wolf endured its excruciating pain, struggled to its feet, and leaped sideways with all its strength. Simultaneously, its jaws snapped open, and a ball of blazing fire, about the size of a palm, shot suddenly from its mouth straight at Lou Yun.
Its enormous size and its ability to spew fireballs were the origins of the name Giant Fire Wolf.
Lou Yun had read descriptions of the Giant Fire Wolf in books and knew it could spit fireballs. However, this was his first real battle; he lacked experience and thus hadn\’t prepared a defense. Added to that, he was already airborne and couldn\’t dodge in time. He could only watch helplessly as the fireball streaked toward him at incredible speed.
Meanwhile, Lou Qian, hidden in the shadows to protect Lou Yun, had long wanted to intervene. However, the rules stipulated that anyone receiving assistance would forfeit their hunting qualification. This caused Lou Qian to hesitate constantly.
Witnessing the precarious situation, Lou Qian stamped her foot resentfully. Just as she was about to act, someone suddenly grabbed her arm. Wheeling around furiously, she saw her father, Lou Tianzhi, standing behind her. He was calmly watching Lou Yun below and said, \"Wait a little longer!\"
\"Shit!\"
Cursing, Lou Yun frantically lowered his head and instinctively crossed his arms to shield his chest. With a resounding \"Boom!\", the fireball struck him squarely!
\"Crap!\" Lou Qian tried to break free from her father’s grasp but noticed a faint smile lifting the corners of his mouth.
The flames suddenly surged several meters high, sending up a plume of black smoke. As the flames dissipated, Lou Yun’s figure emerged once more.
He was now completely blackened from head to toe, his handsome face smeared black, his hair slightly singed. Yet, his large eyes still gleamed brightly.
Lou Yun lowered his head to inspect his arms. Aside from a faint burning sensation, he felt no other discomfort.
He flexed his arms, twisted his neck, and a confident smile finally broke through the soot on his face. \"Heh heh, so I’m this tough now! Alright, I won\’t fool around with you anymore!\"
Lou Qian stared, wide-eyed, unable to believe what she was seeing. Although this Giant Fire Wolf was merely a beginner one-star demon beast, the fireball it spat in its desperation carried immense force—a blow she herself wouldn’t dare to take head-on. Yet, not only had Lou Yun taken it, he wasn\’t even seriously injured!
Only then did Lou Tianzhi chuckle softly. \"The Yun\’er of today is hardly the good-for-nothing he once was. Watch closely—he hasn’t even used his Sword yet!\"
Lou Yun flashed before the Giant Fire Wolf like lightning. Seeing the fireball it had relied upon as its lifeline had utterly failed to harm this human, the vicious Giant Fire Wolf instantly realized its doom was sealed.
\"Now die!\"
Accompanied by Lou Yun’s roar, his fist landed squarely on the Giant Fire Wolf’s head this time.
The mournful cry in the wolf’s throat choked off abruptly after only half a sound. Its massive body crashed heavily to the ground. The creature’s toughest part—its head—had been utterly shattered by Lou Yun’s single punch!
Lou Yun reached out, effortlessly lifting the Giant Fire Wolf’s corpse with one hand. His other hand plunged into the mangled remains of the wolf’s maw.
After rummaging around inside, his brow furrowed deeply. \"Could I really be this unlucky? This Giant Fire Wolf actually hasn’t got a beast soul?\"
Indeed, not every demon beast contained a beast soul. Acquiring one required both strength and considerable luck.
Before Lou Yun could even lament his misfortune, Chang Xiang’s voice immediately echoed in his mind: \"Your luck is just fine. Three more demon beasts are coming. I guarantee one of those three certainly carries a beast soul!\"
Lou Yun swiveled around just in time to see three more Giant Fire Wolves ambling slowly from the distance. They had clearly been drawn by the earlier howl of their kin.
Their gazes locked onto the body of their fellow wolf in Lou Yun’s grasp, and low, guttural growls rumbled in their throats. Wolves are social creatures. Though they may fight amongst themselves, they become fiercely united when faced with an external enemy. Accordingly, the three wolves fanned out, assuming an encircling formation as they approached Lou Yun from three directions.
Having tested himself in the previous battle, Lou Yun now grasped the extent of his strength. Though now confronted by three beginner one-star Giant Fire Wolves, not a shred of fear flickered within him. Excitement glinted in his eyes instead. His left hand swung up, hurling the corpse away, while his right hand reached back to grasp the hilt of the Stone Sword strapped across his back.
This time, Chang Xiang offered no warning or protest.
Clenching the hilt of the Stone Sword only amplified Lou Yun’s confidence. Yet, he felt no urge to draw it immediately. He merely gripped it tightly, sweeping a cold, fiercely murderous gaze over the three wolves.
The three Giant Fire Wolves, too, didn\’t charge impulsively. They fixated their eyes just as intently on Lou Yun.
One man and three wolves locked in a standoff, frozen into a tableau like a still painting.
After all, the three Giant Fire Wolves were merely beginner one-star demon beasts. In terms of patience, they were utterly outmatched by Lou Yun, who had persevered through nine arduous years cultivating a magical weapon without surrendering. So, naturally, they moved first.
As if by prior agreement, all three launched their attack simultaneously!
All three Giant Fire Wolves suddenly leapt high into the air. Mid-jump, their mouths gaped, unleashing three fireballs. Simultaneously, six massive claws and three sets of jaws bristling with icy, needle-sharp fangs lunged toward Lou Yun.
A flash of ferocity sparked in Lou Yun\’s eyes. He bellowed, \"Star-tier upper-level weapon technique – Sword Dance of Wind and Thunder!\"
The black Stone Sword finally slid free from its scabbard. Its hilt, blade, and edge—all pitch black—whirled through the air, splitting into three ethereal forms. They transformed into three black streaks of lightning, whistling with faint rumbles of wind and thunder, slicing down with devastating edge toward the three Giant Fire Wolves.
\"Swoosh!\"
Three jets of blood rained down from the sky. The three Giant Fire Wolves didn’t even have time to utter a sound. Their huge bodies were each severed cleanly at the waist. Internal organs, flesh, and blood scattered and rained down everywhere.
One sword strike!
Three wolves slain with a single stroke!
