*Snap!*
Ling Xiao had thought he could easily block the wolf’s attack.
But the result was far beyond his expectations. The wolf’s tail still whipped across his body, leaving a vivid red blood mark.
He couldn’t block it!
Though he predicted the move, his speed couldn’t match the wolf’s. Plus, the tail’s flexibility made it hard to fully deflect, and Ling Xiao ended up injured.
“Ha, interesting!”
Despite the injury, Ling Xiao wasn’t discouraged. Instead, he grew more excited.
Training with challenges was what made it worthwhile. Otherwise, what was the point?
One injury triggered a chain reaction.
Several wolves seized the moment, lunging at him, tearing and biting. Though he avoided vital spots, his body was soon covered in wounds.
Yuan Zun didn’t intervene. He merely watched Ling Xiao, saying, “Your insight is remarkable, but without speed and reaction to back it up, it’s useless. Remember, what your eyes see is always a step late. You need to train to dodge attacks by instinct, letting your muscles and true essence react to the enemy’s strikes!
“There’s a technique for using true essence called ‘Earth Sight, Heaven’s Hearing,’ or more vividly, ‘True Essence Sphere.’ Release your true essence to form a sphere enveloping your body. Anything it touches will instantly relay feedback to you.
“Try it now. Keep your true essence released. It’ll drain you, but with consistent practice, you won’t need to rely on sight. No one will sneak up on you, and your true essence will adapt, growing thicker over time.”
…
In the narrow cave, twenty-two level-four ferocious Wind-Tail Wolves lay battered and scarred.
The cave walls were marred with claw marks and fist craters.
What was once a pristine space now looked like the site of hundreds of brutal battles.
At the center, Ling Xiao’s smooth skin shimmered with golden light, though it bore bloodstains and claw marks.
Even bite marks from teeth were visible.
Yet these wounds hadn’t pierced his skin or muscles, causing minimal harm.
His battle with the Wind-Tail Wolves had lasted half a month.
In that time, Ling Xiao increased the weight of his Refining Array Stone from three thousand to five thousand jin, facing relentless, cunning, and ferocious attacks from the wolves.
The scars on his body were from over ten days ago.
In the first few days, he was constantly injured, sometimes severely. Once, the alpha Wind-Tail Wolf bit off his arm.
Another time, a wolf’s claw shattered his ribs.
Yet even in such dire moments, Yuan Zun didn’t step in.
Ling Xiao didn’t remove the Refining Array Stone either.
He endured.
After four or five days of fighting, he began to handle the wolves with ease. Over the past ten days, his wounds lessened. At most, a wolf’s claw might graze him, but serious injuries were nearly impossible.
He now wielded a sword.
He could precisely control his true essence output, ensuring the wolves weren’t killed, severely injured, or permanently maimed, even while armed.
Initially, Yuan Zun had brought twenty-two Wind-Tail Wolves, but only ten attacked at first.
This was Yuan Zun’s decision after the first battle, realizing that all twenty-two attacking at once would’ve killed Ling Xiao.
The number grew from ten to twelve, then gradually to all twenty-two. Now, Ling Xiao could handle their simultaneous assault with ease.
In the cave passage, Yuan Zun, who had been resting outside, suddenly opened his eyes. Seeing Ling Xiao’s relaxed smile, he nodded.
“Almost there!”
Yuan Zun grinned, waving his claw to point at the twenty-two wolves from afar.
Instantly, their wounds healed, and their strength surged, doubling from before.
“Disciple, no need to hide it. I sealed half their power earlier, fearing you’d die. Now, it seems that’s unnecessary. If you can defeat all twenty-two at full strength, this training is over.”
Yuan Zun said with a sly smile.
Ling Xiao had sensed this, especially five days ago when he broke through to the early fourth stage of the Mortal Realm.
He knew the wolves weren’t at full strength.
But he hadn’t questioned his master, trusting Yuan Zun had his reasons.
Now, it was confirmed.
“Earth Sight, Heaven’s Hearing!”
Ling Xiao didn’t dare slack. His true essence surged, forming a massive True Essence Sphere around him, expanding until it enveloped the entire cave.
The name “True Essence Sphere” was fitting.
Within this sphere of true essence, nothing could escape his detection.
Here they come!
The twenty-two wolves attacked almost simultaneously, but the alpha lagged a beat, cunningly.
It knew that after half a month of training, Ling Xiao had adapted to the combat and broken through in cultivation. He was no easy target.
To kill him, it had to outsmart him.
Ling Xiao effortlessly dodged the first wolf’s pounce.
Despite carrying five thousand jin of Refining Array Stone, he moved nimbly, even executing Cloud Dragon Divine Walk.
This was immense progress.
The second and third wolves attacked low, near the ground.
Ling Xiao channeled true essence into his legs, shooting two air swords from his soles, blasting the wolves away.
The fourth, fifth, sixth…
More wolves attacked simultaneously, now at full strength, over twice as powerful as before.
Initially, they sought revenge, aiming to kill Ling Xiao.
Unable to challenge Yuan Zun, they vented on him.
But the outcome defied their expectations.
Ling Xiao dodged or blocked each attack, even countering!
All twenty-one wolves’ assaults were neutralized.
Only the alpha’s attack remained.
Ling Xiao wasn’t fully satisfied. His inner cultivation technique had lingered at the third layer too long.
In battle, whenever his true essence ran dry, he felt the urge to break through.
Perhaps taking a hundred-year Nine Dragon Quenching Essence Pill would do it.
Ling Xiao took a deep breath, deciding to end this challenge quickly.
It no longer offered much training value. It was time for a new approach.
