Seeing the group of hunters filing in one after another, Ye Long and his three companions did not linger. They chose a direction and soon vanished into the jungle.
Only then did the hunt truly begin!
Awooo!
The jungle was vast and boundless, occupying a full half of the Cultivation Mainland. Here, not only were there countless ferocious beasts, but Monster Beasts roamed everywhere as well.
The sun had just climbed above the treetops, casting its light through the gaps in the foliage, making the otherwise dim place a bit brighter.
Clusters of common herbs grew wildly like weeds, swaying in the gentle breeze fed by the nourishing light.
"Swish, swish..."
In an instant, four figures flashed past at top speed, stirring up gusts of wind. So fast were they that their figures disappeared from view in the blink of an eye. Yet the moment these figures stopped, it became clear they were none of the others—it was Ye Long and his companions.
Qin Hu inspected the urine, mud, and residual claw marks in the bushes, then made a decisive call: "Careful! Keep a sharp lookouts all around. It's nearby!"
Hearing this, Ye Long instinctively gripped the hilt of his weapon, staying on high alert for any movement around them. They had long since put their complete trust in Qin Hu's judgment. Relying on Qin Hu's years of jungle experience, the four of them had successfully evaded encirclements by ferocious beasts time and time again.
At that moment, a rustling came from the bushes, causing Ye Long's expression to tighten. As a strange, eerie aura permeated the hidden surroundings, their heartbeats involuntarily quickened.
A fine layer of sweat suddenly broke out on Ye Long's palms, and he said, "Something's not right. This thing has been following us for so long—it seems to possess a very high level of intelligence."
Hearing this, Qin Hu could not help feeling a bitter urge to cry. They had entered the jungle not long ago, and the four of them had been unstoppable, cutting down everything in their path. Along the way, dozens of packs of ferocious beasts had been sent fleeing in panic.
Who would have thought that after a while, they would inexplicably begin to be targeted by ferocious beasts? Moreover, each wave was stronger than the last, and on several occasions, the beasts had appeared in groups of three to five! It was as if the beasts possessed organization and discipline.
Qin Hu and the other two had actually long suspected this phenomenon. Now, hearing it confirmed by a novice like Ye Long made the future easy to foresee.
Qin Hu and the two others exchanged glances, their faces turning ashen to the extreme!
"We must withdraw immediately! This is already..." Qin Hu said decisively.
Before he could finish his sentence, a blade of wind slashed toward them.
Instantly, Qin Hu raised his sword with one hand, blocking it in front of his neck.
Bang!
A thunderous crash rang out, its roar impossible to ignore. Qin Hu was knocked stumbling backward repeatedly by the sheer force, his chest heaving violently as he shouted: "Watch out! There is a Monster Beast nearby!"
A Monster Beast!
Far more ferocious than ordinary beasts, Monster Beasts possessed awakened intelligence, allowing them not only to cultivate, but the stronger they were, the more terrifying their intellect became.
Ye Long suddenly recalled the novels he had read in his past life, where Monster Beasts were unimaginably terrifying. Right now, aside from a slight trace of nervousness, he felt mostly excited.
At that moment, the brushwood around them stirred once more, as if something were right on top of them...
Ye Long abruptly leaped onto a tree branch, scanning his surroundings, and instantly spotted a gray afterimage darting swiftly in all directions!
"Qin Hu, five zhang to your left!" shouted Ye Long.
As he spoke, he silently calculated the Monster Beast's movement trajectory and already charged out!
Qin Hu and the other two instantly went on high alert, unleashing their ultimate defenses!
"Qingshi Formula!"
They instantly formed a triangular defensive formation.
To be fair, if this Monster Beast had continued playing tricks from the shadows, they might still have harbored three parts of caution. But now that its position was known, their fear vanished.
Then, flash after flash of deadly blade-light erupted!
"Roar!"
By this time, Ye Long had already intercepted the Monster Beast, only to be blasted backward by a recoil force.
Boom!
A large tree was snapped cleanly in half, its shattered branches raining down with a loud crash.
Only then did Ye Long clearly see the appearance of the Monster Beast. It looked like a wild wolf, but far larger than any ordinary wolf... In fact, it resembled a fierce tiger.
Thump, thump, thump!
A ground-shaking roar followed. Qin Hu and the other two burst forth, unable to suppress cries of shock.
"This... this is a Bright Moon Heavenly Wolf!"
Tall and robust, baring silver fangs, its beastly face covered in scars, it was currently sweeping its large, crimson eyes from side to side.
Zhou Yun instantly turned solemn, a murderous aura radiating from him. "Kill it quickly and let's get out of here. This Heavenly Wolf is a pack animal; it probably isn't safe here anymore!"
Ye Long was startled by these words, his mind racing with further implications. If the Heavenly Wolf clan moved in packs, the one before them might merely be a scout, and even stronger existences likely lurked nearby!
"Kill!"
Amidst an angry shout, he proved himself to be a decisive man. After all, if they didn't kill it now, it would continue to trail behind them, raising the danger level exponentially.
From a distance, Qin Hu and the other two charged at the Heavenly Wolf like rolling boulders, while Ye Long danced around the edges with his blade, hunting for the precise moment to strike a fatal blow.
Awooo!
The Heavenly Wolf widened its fierce eyes, and a demonic aura rivaling the Meridian Opening Stage suddenly surged outward.
Clang, clang, clang!
With a single claw swipe, it shattered Long Aoxing's forward momentum, then lashed out with its hind paws, sending Qin Hu and Zhou Yun flying backward in succession. The two swords were left deeply wedged between the beast's claws.
The Heavenly Wolf abruptly whipped its head around, slamming its paw down toward Long Aoxing with the force of a thousand jun.
Clang!
The moment the blade met the beast's paw, a series of deafening shocks exploded outward.
Seeing Long Aoxing fall to the ground, the Monster Beast opened its jaws to bite down.
"No!" Qin Hu cried out, but he was too far away to rescue him in time.
At that critical juncture, "Monster Beast, how dare you!"
Seizing the opening, Ye Long flashed forward with his blade.
His speed was as swift as a bolt of lightning. He drove his blade straight into the beast's flank, burying it all the way to the hilt!
Awoo...
Ambushed by this single strike, the Heavenly Wolf flew into a frenzied rage, a violent wave of Qi churning violently around its body.
Caught off guard, Ye Long was blasted high into the air by the sheer force.
Monster Beasts were uniquely blessed by the heavens; facing one of the same rank was clearly more than three people could easily handle. A Meridian Opening Stage Monster Beast possessed strength comparable to a Xiantian cultivator.
Roar, roar, roar!
The Heavenly Wolf roared as it charged, its blood-red eyes firmly locked onto Ye Long. As a whirlwind swept up dust across the ground, its furious roar shook the heavens and earth!
"Mountain-Crushing Force!"
Seeing the true power of the Heavenly Wolf, Ye Long realized he had been far too arrogant. Yet, even if he wanted to beg for mercy, the creature was clearly beyond communication.
Glancing at the knife handle protruding from the beast's flank, he abandoned all retreat and launched a frantic counterattack!
Seeing this, Long Aoxing and the others turned pale with fright. Rushing forward, they roared at the top of their lungs: "Get out of the way!"
However... for the frantic Ye Long, only one thought filled his mind: *Without madness, one cannot become a demon!*
Azure light flickered across his body, his hair whipped wildly in the wind, and a chilling frost covered his face, radiating an eerie, sinister aura. He looked utterly murderous.
Moreover, the Heavenly Wolf was already upon him; even if he wanted to escape now, it was too late.
Seeing a massive claw brutally swipe down with terrifying brutality—
"Now!"
Unbeknownst to the beast, Ye Long's small figure suddenly dropped into a crouch. He had been waiting precisely for this moment.
Thud!
The Heavenly Wolf glared down at the flea-like ant with towering rage, opening its blood-stained maw to snap shut on him.
Alas, it was already too late...
Ye Long rolled past the wolf beast's flank, grabbed the knife hilt with a sudden reach, and burst upward with explosive force!
One can easily imagine the outcome.
Infused with the tremendous power of "Mountain-Crushing Force," his blade slashed straight across the horizon!
Splat!
The Heavenly Wolf was instantly drenched in blood, a torrential rain of gore bursting from its entire body. Along the path of the razor-sharp edge, muscle and flesh parted to reveal white bone.
The excruciating pain caused the wolf beast to stagger and lose its footing, collapsing to the ground with a string of strange, mournful howls. When it struggled back to its feet, most of its fierce momentum was already gone.
Seeing this, Qin Hu and the other two were overjoyed, launching a double strike of Mountain-Crushing Force in the blink of an eye. A sword violently pierced straight into the Heavenly Wolf's eyes!
The massive wolf completely lost its previous ferocious spirit, only to be lifted high and slammed back down onto the earth.
Waiting precisely for this moment, Ye Long stepped in and delivered the finishing blow.
...
For a time, their conversation flowed with absolute ease and delight!
The four of them hoisted the wolf carcass onto their shoulders, turning into afterimages that vanished from the spot in a flash.
And their bursts of laughter lingered long in the air.