The next three days flew by as Jing Yan hunted in the Blackrock Mountains.
In that time, Jing Yan had hunted down 16 Fanged Wolves, three Two-headed Snakes, and seven Redhorn Tigers.
So far, all the Spiritual Beasts Jing Yan had killed were First-grade Spiritual Beasts. Yet he could exchange the sources he had obtained for more than 100 Spiritual Stones.
Gaining more than 100 Spiritual Stones within three days was unbelievable. Even warriors at the Seventh or Eighth Heaven couldn't expect results anywhere close to this.
The beast skin sack on his back had gotten fatter and fatter. If he kept that pace, it would probably only take him about ten days to fill the sack with all kinds of resources.
Jing Yan had originally planned to stay in the Blackrock Mountains for a month. He hadn't expected his Spiritual Beast hunting trip to be so efficient, so he hadn't taken into account how quickly he would rack up kills.
Jing Yan had already traveled more than 10 miles into the Blackrock Mountains. Although it was still technically part of the outskirts of the mountains, there were far more Spiritual Beasts than Jing Yan had encountered when he first entered the mountains.
Chirp!
Jing Yan had settled himself on a big tree and taken a break to eat and drink when he heard a faint noise.
His face suddenly changed. He sprang to his feet and glanced around nervously.
Jing Yan was no stranger to the sound. He knew exactly what kind of Spiritual Beast made noises like that. That's why he was so nervous.
Chirp! Chirp! The sound came again. It was a lot clearer this time.
Jing Yan furrowed his brows and raised Moonbeam Sword.
"It's a Shadow Gale Wolf!"
"Impossible! How could a Shadow Gale Wolf show up here?" Jing Yan's eyebrows furrowed as he considered the situation.
Shadow Gale Wolves were Second-grade Spiritual Beasts. They were quite rare, and it was very unusual to see one in the outer area of the Blackrock Mountains. Jing Yan hadn't expected to come across a Shadow Gale Wolf there at all.
When it came to Shadow Gale Wolves, even Sixth Heaven warriors would be nervous, not to mention Jing Yan, who was only at the Fourth Heaven.
In the Blackrock Mountains, more than a few warriors of the Sixth Heaven had been killed by Shadow Gale Wolves.
Shadow Gale Wolves weren't known for the power of their attacks; in fact, their attacks might not be as strong as those of a Fanged Wolf. Rather, they were notorious for their speed. The name "Shadow Gale Wolf" was partially based on how quickly they could move.
Some warriors who ventured into the Blackrock Mountains alone didn't even get a chance to take a good look at the Shadow Gale Wolf attacking them before they were killed.
In addition to their extraordinary speed, Shadow Gale Wolves were also known for their unique sound. Someone who didn't know better might mistake the sound for that of some small animals. In Jing Yan's case, because he had once been a strong warrior at Precelestial rank, he had seen Shadow Gale Wolves before.
Jing Yan hopped off the tree, holding Moonbeam Sword in front of him. He licked his lips.
Shadow Gale Wolves were incredibly dangerous. But if he could kill one, the reward would be significant. Their unique fur could be used to make a certain kind of gear for warriors. Once a warrior put it on, their speed would be improved significantly. Due to the scarcity, Shadow Gale Wolf fur was ridiculously expensive.
Even most Third-grade Spiritual Beasts wouldn't sell for as much as Shadow Gale Wolves.
Besides, Shadow Gale Wolves were among the very few low-ranking Spiritual Beasts with comparatively higher intelligence. They could tell a warrior's strength level by watching the person breathe. If they encountered someone strong, they would run. On the other hand, they tended to target weaker solo warriors and hunt them down.
Now it was apparent that Jing Yan had been targeted by a Shadow Gale Wolf. Otherwise, he wouldn't have heard the unique sound made only by the elusive creatures.
Whoosh!
A Qi flow came as a green shadow flashed into Jing Yan's line of sight, dashing at him from the side.
Slash!
Moonbeam Sword stabbed at its target like lightning. The sword moved so fast that its blade blurred in an arc.
Chirp, chirp, chirp, chirp!
The green shadow flashed by and vanished in front of Jing Yan.
Several green hairs danced their way to the ground. Jing Yan's eyes grew intense. He gazed at the falling hair.
"It's too fast! The strike of my sword only shaved off some of the Shadow Gale Wolf's fur? Unbelievable!" Jing Yan was impressed.
Jing Yan calmed down quickly, though. With his acute senses, he could see the Shadow Gale Wolf very clearly. When the Shadow Gale Wolf attempted its attack, Jing Yan had seen it very well as it was flying at him.
If it were some regular warrior at the Fourth Heaven, that attack would probably have killed them. Even if the warrior survived, they would have been severely injured, and the next attack would have been fatal.
Standing under the big tree, Jing Yan didn't move at all. The seconds ticked away, and yet Jing Yan was still as motionless as a statue.
The Shadow Gale Wolf hadn't made any sound after its attempted attack. But Jing Yan was well aware that it hadn't left the area. Shadow Gale Wolves were known for being sly. Jing Yan had cut off a pinch of its fur, which would only make the creature angrier. There's no way the wolf would let Jing Yan go now. Chances were that it was waiting for a good opportunity to strike again.
"This b*stard is very patient. I will give it that." Jing Yan narrowed his eyes slightly.
He could sense that the Shadow Gale Wolf was still lurking nearby.
He lowered the Moonbeam Sword in his hand and relaxed his muscles.
Jing Yan did this on purpose, trying to lure the Shadow Gale Wolf into taking the initiative. Jing Yan was aware that as long as he appeared alert, the Shadow Gale Wolf would keep waiting. They were known for their patience. Jing Yan once heard a story about a Sixth Heaven warrior who had been hunting in the Blackrock Mountains. A Shadow Gale Wolf had followed him for three whole days. As he was finally about to leave the mountains, he naturally let his guard down. The Shadow Gale Wolf had chosen that moment to strike. The warrior was killed by the Shadow Gale Wolf's sneak attack.
Jing Yan didn't want to be followed by a Shadow Gale Wolf for long.
Chirp! Chirp!
As Jing Yan acted as if he was letting his guard down, the green shadow appeared again.
"Beasts, even smart beasts, are still no match for humans." Jing Yan raised the corners of his lips as he whipped up Moonbeam Sword.
The glistening black sword left a chain of blurred shadows and made a jarring sound as it struck.
Jing Yan got his first good look at the Shadow Gale Wolf. It was only about one-third of the size of a Fanged Wolf, and it didn't have long fangs. Its primary attack method was to use its sharp claws. Its claws were pitch-black and poisonous. For a regular warrior, even a minor wound on the skin would leave him poisoned. The person would become slow and dispirited.