“You’re right, Master. I was wrong. But since I’m not taking the Nine Dragon Quenching Essence Pill yet, what should we do next?”
Ling Xiao asked, puzzled.
“Wait a moment, I’ll be right back.”
Yuan Zun flashed a mysterious smile before darting out.
About the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Yuan Zun returned, followed by over twenty wolves.
These wolves weren’t large, easily fitting inside the cave.
But their strength was impressive, all being fourth-level ferocious beasts.
Ranging from low-tier to peak fourth-level.
Ling Xiao noticed that the wolves were injured and looked terrified of Yuan Zun.
He found it hard to imagine how his master, whose soul resided in a small dog’s body, had managed to defeat these wolves.
“Master, why did you bring these wolves back? Are they for food storage?”
Ling Xiao couldn’t help but ask.
Yuan Zun chuckled, “You asked what to do next, didn’t you? I’ve found something for you to do.”
“You’re not saying I have to fight these wolves, are you?”
Ling Xiao gave a wry smile. Fighting them while carrying the array stones would be tough.
One wolf might not be much, but a wolf pack was terrifying. The combined strength of over twenty wolves was comparable to a low-tier fifth-level ferocious beast, perhaps even stronger.
“Exactly, you’ll fight them, and you must carry the array stones. You can’t kill them, only spar with them. How you fight is up to you, and you can use any martial techniques, as long as you don’t die or kill, maim, or cripple them.”
Yuan Zun smirked mischievously.
“Master, you’re setting me up!”
Ling Xiao’s expression grew even more bitter. Not killing, not maiming, just sparring—this was pure torment.
“You’re right, this is torturous training. But through it, your control over true essence will reach its peak. I know you’re already exceptional, but that’s not enough. As your true essence grows, you need to keep refining this skill.”
Yuan Zun nodded, “Plus, this training will greatly enhance your true essence and combat skills. Trust me, train like this for ten days or so, and you’ll naturally break through to the Fourth Layer of the Mortal Realm. If you don’t, I’ll call you Master!”
Hearing this, Ling Xiao grew serious.
With Yuan Zun so confident, how could he be afraid?
It was just fighting over twenty wolves. At worst, he’d suffer a bit. He’d endured worse during past training and come through fine, hadn’t he?
Why fear now?
“Good look in your eyes. Give it a try, but remember, wolves excel at coordinated attacks. They’re completely different from the disorganized martial artists you faced at Sha Family Fortress.”
Yuan Zun mused.
“Let’s do it. Who’s afraid?”
Ling Xiao nodded.
Yuan Zun smiled faintly, then turned to the lead wolf, “Listen up, kill him, and you’re free to leave. Otherwise, you’ll keep fighting him until we leave this place. If any of you try to escape, I guarantee your entire pack will be wiped out!”
At that moment, Yuan Zun was like a terrifying demon, his tone chilling.
“Understood!”
Though the lead wolf couldn’t speak, it conveyed its agreement through telepathy.
They were truly unlucky. Out hunting today, they spotted a small dog, planning to kill it for their cubs.
What a disaster. Who knew that little dog was so ferocious? Their pack of over twenty wolves was taken down in one move, forced to follow it to this cave to serve as labor.
“Disciple, you heard them. They won’t hold back. They’ll fight with the intent to kill, but you can’t kill them. How you fight is up to you!”
Yuan Zun glanced at Ling Xiao, then lay down to rest.
Ling Xiao smirked.
He’d counted—twenty-two wolves. No small number. He’d never trained in such a wild way before.
“Oh, one more thing, don’t use the Heavenly Dragon Scale Armor. If you do, they won’t be able to hurt you, and the training’s value will be greatly diminished.”
Yuan Zun, mid-yawn, added another condition.
Ling Xiao hadn’t planned to use it anyway, as he understood the purpose of this training.
He slowly walked to the center of the cave. Though young, his height rivaled an adult’s, his build sturdy. With flowing black hair and green robes, he exuded the air of an expert.
Beckoning to the wolf pack, he grinned, “Come on, let’s see how strong your killing intent is. Don’t hold back, and don’t worry about damaging the cave. I’ve already stored anything valuable.”
“Awoo~~”
The pack leader howled, and a wolf suddenly lunged from the group.
A low-tier fourth-level ferocious beast!
Clearly, the pack leader was testing Ling Xiao’s strength.
Of course, the other wolves were ready to join in, aiming to kill Ling Xiao if he let his guard down.
They had no intention of showing mercy.
Their minds weren’t as complex as humans’. Since Yuan Zun said they could kill Ling Xiao, they would absolutely try.
The beast charged, its speed blinding. The terrifying aura of a fourth-level ferocious beast made Ling Xiao’s expression turn grave.
He kept an eye on the lunging wolf while also watching the reactions of the others.
He knew he wasn’t fighting one wolf but an entire pack.
As the wolf pounced, he seized the moment, sidestepping and aiming a palm at its belly.
Since he couldn’t kill them, he didn’t dare use his sword yet—once drawn, it was meant to draw blood.
Huh?
To his surprise, the wolf reacted swiftly.
Mid-air, its body, which shouldn’t have been able to shift, arched sharply, accelerating instantly. Its tail whipped toward Ling Xiao.
Ling Xiao was genuinely shocked. These wolves’ reactions were far sharper than many martial artists of similar strength.
But it was all within his grasp.
The keen insight from his Mountain and River Martial Soul allowed him to anticipate the attack.
Not good!
In that instant, he sensed trouble. This fight wasn’t going to be as easy as he’d thought.
