Chapter 143: Bloody Battle
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation
“Awroo…”
Under the veil of night, the chilling howls of wolves echoed incessantly. Dense fog shrouded the surroundings as packs of wolf beasts closed in, their eerie green eyes glowing menacingly. The area was entirely encircled.
Outside the Wolf Hall, Qin Ming stood with his blade, calm but tense. Danger surrounded him on all sides. Even the skies above were dominated by the most formidable of his foes—the Black Roc, glaring down from its perch.
“Who tipped you off?” Qin Ming asked, his voice steady, though a storm brewed within him. How could the four elder demons have anticipated his arrival?
Had someone betrayed him, or had some misstep revealed his intentions? The four elder demons had laid their trap, awaiting his arrival.
The Silver Wolf King, towering at four meters, radiated moonlight-like brilliance from its sleek silver fur. Holding its wolf-tooth club, it bared a mouthful of sharp teeth in a grim smile. “You’d be better off dying clueless, human. Today, you dared slash me twice. Think you deserve to die with an explanation? Dream on. You’ll perish filled with despair and regret!”
The crimson-scaled beast scoffed, its voice deep and imposing. “Fourth Brother, you’ve disgraced yourself. To be grievously injured in mere moments—had we been any later, your so-called Wolf Hall might’ve been reduced to rubble.”
“Fire Lion Second Brother, this boy is formidable. You all better stay alert,” the Silver Wolf King growled, blood still dripping from its neck and chest.
The massive beast was of extraordinary lineage, carrying traces of true qilin blood. It was ranked second among the elder demons.
Qin Ming frowned. Was this it? Would he meet his end here today? Despite his best efforts, he hadn’t been able to kill the weakest of the four—the Silver Wolf King. The other three could only be stronger.
“You brat, it was you who killed my younger brother a few days ago, wasn’t it?” The old donkey finally spoke, seated in its sedan chair, its donkey face stern and humorless.
The creatures carrying the sedan were a grotesque ensemble: a pig demon, a dog demon, a goat demon, and a rat demon, each exuding malevolence.
“I’ve never killed a donkey,” Qin Ming replied, his gaze scanning the terrain. He assessed the power imbalance, calculating the best direction for a possible escape.
“Disrespectful wretch! How dare you speak to Master Lu like that?” barked the dog demon.
The old donkey descended from the sedan, standing upright at nearly four meters. Draped in fine silks, it might have passed for an old landlord if not for its jet-black donkey face. “My younger brother was Master Huang,” it said coldly before lunging at Qin Ming.
“Third Brother, watch out for his blade!” the Silver Wolf King shouted in warning.
The old donkey was ferocious, its towering figure radiating oppressive energy. As it charged, sand and stones were sent flying, the ground trembling with each step. Rolling black fog swirled around it, enhancing its monstrous aura.
Qin Ming couldn’t afford the slightest negligence. With heightened focus, he wielded his white jade alloy blade, its radiant glow slicing through the dense fog, engaging the old donkey in close combat.
The donkey’s martial skills were astonishing, each strike producing a sonic boom. Specializing in hammer-like punches, it struck from above with its hooves, aiming to crush its opponent.
Each hoof strike broke the sound barrier, enveloped in a chilling white mist. Its powerful kicks shattered the ground, leaving craters in its wake.
Despite its deadly skill, the old donkey found itself at a disadvantage. Qin Ming’s blade danced with precision, deflecting the demonic aura and clawing through its defenses. Piece by piece, the donkey’s hooves were sheared away, leaving them nearly bare.
Some of the surrounding wolf beasts struggled to suppress their laughter.
“Bring me my gauntlets,” the old donkey ordered in a low voice, its tone unwavering. Its dog-like seriousness made it a creature incapable of humor.
The dog demon promptly fetched the gauntlets, crafted from a rare alloy mixed with traces of jade iron, and fitted them onto the donkey’s hooves.
The Fire Lion spoke up, its voice resonating with authority. “You and your stubborn pride, donkey. We’re here to kill, not spar. Why challenge him alone?”
Chastised, the old donkey relented. “You’re right, Second Brother. Let’s end this quickly together. This human boy, barely in his teens and not even at the Outer Saint realm, is unlike anything I’ve seen before.”
Qin Ming’s expression darkened. The donkey demon equipped with its alloy gauntlets could already fight him to a standstill. Against the Fire Lion and Black Roc, his odds of survival were slim. And now all four elder demons were joining forces—escape seemed impossible.
In an instant, Qin Ming made his move. He charged directly at the injured Silver Wolf King, his blade flashing with a cold, deadly light.
A deafening screech came from above as the Black Roc dove like a bolt of black lightning. Thunder boomed as it descended, its talons twisting the air and shattering the fog.
Though only ten meters in length, the Black Roc exuded an aura of unparalleled menace. It resembled a blazing black sun, emitting waves of destructive energy.
Even with his jade iron blade, Qin Ming didn’t dare to clash head-on. He sidestepped swiftly, evading the Roc’s devastating strike.
The Roc’s speed was unmatched, far surpassing every other creature present. As its talons missed their mark, it seamlessly pivoted, sweeping its vast wings in a deadly arc.
The ten-meter wingspan glowed with a dark radiance, like black flames burning fiercely. The mixture of demonic energy, killing intent, and celestial light radiating from them was terrifying, even as it extended only a meter beyond its body.
Qin Ming slashed with his blade, aiming to counter the wing strike. However, as the blade neared, it felt as though it had sunk into a quagmire, nearly wrested from his grasp by the Roc’s overwhelming energy.
With a thunderous crash, the Roc’s wing struck Qin Ming, sending him flying twenty meters through the air. The combined force of celestial light and killing intent slammed into him, nearly shattering his own Celestial Light Force.
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth as he stumbled upon landing, barely keeping his footing.
In the air, the Black Roc stood upright, its wings spread wide like arms. Its body radiated intense dark light and killing intent, like a tempest of black flames threatening to consume everything.
Qin Ming’s crisis had only begun. Just as he landed, the Fire Lion charged toward him.
Its sheer presence was overwhelming, every step shaking the earth and shattering rocks. The lion-like creature, covered in crimson armor-like scales that radiated fiery light, was larger than an elephant yet alarmingly agile.
Qin Ming darted about, desperately evading its attacks. Despite its mountainous size, the Fire Lion moved with surprising swiftness, pursuing him relentlessly. When it opened its massive maw, torrents of fire and waves of celestial light swept forward. Qin Ming gritted his teeth and activated his Wind Force, sidestepping to the lion’s flank and striking with his white jade alloy blade.
The Fire Lion’s mane trembled, its fangs gleamed, and its red scales clanged like metal armor. Radiating demonic energy and celestial light, it shone like an eruption of red clouds, an awe-inspiring sight.
It sneered and braced itself, allowing the blade to strike.
Qin Ming’s face darkened. His attack, despite the power he poured into it, failed to penetrate. His blade’s momentum was diffused within the fiery aura and red radiance before even reaching the scales.
With a metallic clang, sparks flew as the blade glanced off, leaving the crimson armor unscathed.
With a thunderous roar, the Fire Lion raised one massive paw—each as large as a winnowing basket—and brought it down toward Qin Ming with fiery force.
Even an elephant would be obliterated under such an attack.
With no way to avoid it, Qin Ming channeled his Celestial Light Force and slashed upward with his blade. Though he managed to deflect the paw’s strike, the impact sent him flying more than ten meters.
Qin Ming knew the Fire Lion’s strength surpassed his own. As he landed, the old donkey leaped into the fray, launching a flurry of punches, while the Black Roc swooped from above. The bird’s mix of demonic energy, killing intent, and celestial light shattered the ground upon impact, breaking the earth into jagged fragments.
The old donkey retreated to give way to the Black Roc, which descended like a harbinger of death.
Faced with mortal peril, Qin Ming activated his three supreme techniques, merging his mastery of eighteen perfected Celestial Light Forces into one. His body resonated with a divine brilliance, unleashing dazzling power.
Yet even with this ultimate technique, he couldn’t withstand the Black Roc’s assault. Its strike sent him flying again, blood pouring from his mouth.
His white jade alloy blade pierced through the Roc’s dark glow and struck its wing, severing a few black feathers, but failing to inflict any serious damage.
The celestial light and killing intent radiating from the Black Roc’s body extended barely a meter, but its density and potency surpassed anything Qin Ming had encountered, far beyond the Outer Saints he had faced before.
A deafening roar from the Fire Lion shook the heavens, sending sand and stones flying. It lunged, its massive claws slamming down.
Qin Ming fought with all his strength, but it wasn’t enough. Blood streamed from his nose and mouth as he was hurled through the air, his protective Celestial Light Force dimming, on the verge of dispersing.
The Fire Lion glanced at its slightly cracked crimson scales, a small trickle of blood oozing out. Yet it was far from a serious injury, let alone a crippling blow.
When Qin Ming crashed to the ground more than ten meters away, the old donkey and the injured Silver Wolf King both advanced. The latter wielded its wolf-tooth club, swinging the massive weapon toward Qin Ming. Rolling desperately, Qin Ming barely avoided the crushing blow. The club smashed into the ground beside him, sending debris flying and leaving a deep crater.
The old donkey leapt high, bringing all four hooves down in a coordinated flurry of punches. Qin Ming rolled again, narrowly dodging the devastating strikes, and finally scrambled to his feet.
But the Black Roc returned, its wings unmoving as it hovered effortlessly in midair. It extended a single talon, sending dark energy streaking toward Qin Ming.
Though Qin Ming raised his blade in defense, he couldn’t fully counter the talon’s strike. His Celestial Light Force shield faltered, and blood erupted from his arm and chest as deep puncture wounds appeared, narrowly missing his vital organs.
The Fire Lion followed up, its massive paw, wreathed in flames, crashing down. Qin Ming had no choice but to grip his blade with both hands, channeling all his energy into a direct clash.
The impact drove him into the ground, which collapsed beneath him, crumbling into rubble.
Simultaneously, the Silver Wolf King swung its wolf-tooth club, while the old donkey kicked out with its hind legs.
The Black Roc, unable to join the melee, hovered above, its cold, piercing eyes observing the chaos below like a silent judge.
The Fire Lion’s massive paw drove Qin Ming deeper into a pit, flames and celestial light engulfing him.
With a loud crash, the Silver Wolf King’s club struck Qin Ming’s chest. Were it not for the Fire Lion’s paw pressing down on him, the blow might have shattered his skull. Qin Ming coughed up a mouthful of blood, his Celestial Light Force nearly dissipating under the relentless assault.
Exerting all his strength, Qin Ming swung his white jade alloy blade. Pain shot through his chest as a fragment of the wolf-tooth embedded in his flesh broke off.
It wasn’t just any wolf-tooth club—it was made from the Silver Wolf King’s own fangs, shed during its evolution. Though it had failed to ascend to a silver-tier being, its past glories were evident in the power of its weapon.
Qin Ming drew a deep breath. He had never suffered such a grievous loss before. A wolf tooth embedded in his chest throbbed painfully, while the Fire Lion’s earlier blows reverberated through his body.
At the same time, his back burned with agony—two powerful kicks from the old donkey had fractured two ribs on his left side.
The Fire Lion growled low, a mocking grin curling its lips. It hadn’t even unleashed its full strength yet. With a sudden movement, its massive paw swept through the air.
With a thunderous crack, the ground shattered beneath Qin Ming. Bloodied and battered, he was driven into the earth, his protective Celestial Light Force collapsing under the impact.
Yet once again, Qin Ming burst forth in a surge of radiant light.
But the Fire Lion’s second paw strike was relentless, swiping horizontally and slamming into him.
The impact left him with severe injuries—four fractures, including his left arm and three ribs. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he tumbled through the air, landing heavily in the distance.
The Silver Wolf King grinned wickedly, hefting its wolf-tooth club despite its own wounds and advancing menacingly.
The old donkey’s cold expression betrayed its murderous intent, determined to avenge its fallen brother, Master Huang.
Struggling to his feet, Qin Ming steadied himself. He had one last resort, a technique he had hoped to save for the Black Roc. If he couldn’t kill or critically injure it, escape was impossible, and he would die here today.
Surrounded by the four elder demons, Qin Ming’s bloodied figure stood defiant. Above him, the Black Roc loomed like a descending black sun, its terrifying aura radiating outward. It advanced slowly, its talons poised to strike.
Qin Ming inhaled deeply, forcing himself to focus. Ignoring the toll on his body, he channeled every ounce of his unified Celestial Light Force into his white jade alloy blade.
His intent was clear—he would face the Black Roc head-on in a desperate bid for survival.
The ground quaked as the Black Roc approached, its oppressive aura cracking the earth around it.
Qin Ming narrowly dodged its talons, then mustered all his strength to pierce through the dark protective glow surrounding it, aiming for its underbelly.
But despite his efforts, his blade only grazed its surface, unable to penetrate the Roc’s dense aura.
“Do you even understand what it means to challenge the impossible?” the Fire Lion sneered, its massive frame shaking the ground as it approached.
Qin Ming gritted his teeth, drenched in blood, his body cracking under the immense pressure of the Black Roc’s aura. Every bone in his body groaned as if about to shatter.
The Roc bore down on him, its demonic energy and celestial light grinding him beneath its gaze.
Just as Qin Ming’s protective Celestial Light dimmed to near extinction, a miraculous surge erupted from his chest.
From within his body, a radiant beam of light shot forth, carrying a small white jade sword-shaped pendant. In an instant, the pendant surged along his jade alloy blade, piercing through the weakened dark aura around the Roc.
With a sickening squelch, the white jade sword buried itself into the Black Roc’s flesh, twisting and tearing as it went.
This tiny blade, forged from exotic metal found only in near-immortal Eight-Trigram Furnaces, could pierce through celestial light and consciousness alike. The sword ripped through the Roc’s body before emerging on the other side, its glow dim but still deadly.
Unexpectedly, the blade struck the Fire Lion as well, piercing its forehead.
A horrendous scream tore through the night as the Black Roc flapped its wings desperately, retreating into the dark sky.
The Fire Lion roared in pain, shaking its head wildly to dislodge the blade, which was now stained with brain matter. Its massive paws clutched its head as it staggered backward, gravely injured.
This devastating attack stemmed from a unique ability Qin Ming had developed during his sixth awakening. The radiant energy was his peak strike, unaffected by his body’s current condition and capable of extending several meters beyond him.
As the light faded, Qin Ming summoned the white jade sword back to his hand.
Though he longed to finish the job, he knew his condition was critical. Even with the Fire Lion gravely wounded, he lacked the strength to land a killing blow.
Clutching the small sword, he turned toward the old donkey, charging with reckless determination.
Terrified, the old donkey spun on its hooves and fled. Both of its sworn brothers had been inexplicably injured by the same weapon—how could it not fear for its own life?
Ignoring the donkey, Qin Ming turned his focus to the Silver Wolf King.
“You…”
The two battered figures clashed repeatedly, their injuries leaving them stumbling and staggering. Finally, Qin Ming’s blade found its mark, severing the Silver Wolf King’s head in one decisive stroke.
The wolf’s eyes dimmed in despair and resentment before fading entirely.
Slashing through its chest, Qin Ming retrieved a silver heart. The organ emitted a faintly sweet and bloody aroma, its aura potent and alluring.
He took the silver heart and fled toward the distant horizon without hesitation.
“Awroo…” The remaining wolf beasts howled in unison, surging toward him in a desperate attempt to stop his escape. But they were no match for him.
“Fourth Brother, chase him down! That human boy is at his limit!” The Black Roc, still reeling from its injuries, landed unsteadily, its internal organs heavily damaged. “Old Donkey, go after him!”
The Fire Lion roared in pain, clutching its throbbing head. “Quickly!”
Qin Ming sprinted across the Shenzhang Plains, running for his life. Behind him, the enraged elder demons plotted their next move, but for now, the battlefield was his to leave.