Liu Zhenhan surveyed the valley bottom first, the environment was tranquil and possessed a unique charm. Occasionally, birds similar to orioles were singing melodiously deep within the bamboo grove, making the surroundings very serene.
Liu Zhenhan stepped on the grass that felt like carpet, staring at a dark mountain cave located at the rocky edge of the valley. Although there were several caves in the area, Liu Zhenhan only paid attention to this one for some reason unknown to him.
The mouth of this cave was as if a giant monster from ancient times had opened its jaw. Jagged sharp rocks were scattered around the entrance, with the wind eerily swirling around it. Based on Liu Zhenhan's experience defending caves on the battlefield, this cave was ideal for defense - not too high or too low from the ground, suiting both offensive and defensive tactics.
An ominous feeling buzzed through Liu Zhenhan like a thread of electric current.
Standing on the cliff, Helen's pupils dilated as Richard, her beloved, swiftly, and silently moved into a reptile-like position, slithering towards something with an inexplicable agility.
There was a strong and foul smell of urine near the cave entrance. Piles of black and shiny fecal matter were sprawled around the jagged rocks, each pile as large as half a pile of cow dung. Liu Zhenhan used a wolf-fang arrow in his hand to poke at a fresh pile, detecting no traces of grassy fiber; he then brought his restructured nostrils close to the dung and sniffed it carefully.
Liu Zhenhan slowly reached out his hand, picked up the dung from the ground, and meticulously started smearing it on his forehead, arms, and body as if applying ointment - even Guoguo was not spared. When his whole body was littered like falling stars, releasing a foul and pungent odor, he threw a small stone into the cave and swiftly hid at the side of the cave, back leaning against a sharp stalagmite.
"Clatter..." The stone rebounded off the cave walls before landing inside, producing a series of crisp sounds.
No movement came from inside the cave.
Liu Zhenhan put his bow and arrow on the ground. Although he didn't hear any footsteps, he picked up a faint sound of sniffling; even Guoguo seemed to be holding her breath.
Helen, watching his war-ready demeanor from the cliff, grew increasingly tense, continuously shifting positions to get a clearer view.
Liu Zhenhan, like a cheetah pouncing on its prey, vanished into the entrance of the cave in a flash.
Just as Helen's worries surged, Liu Zhenhan emerged from the cave, holding three fluffy little creatures. Being quite a distance away, Helen couldn't make out what they were.
Waving the three little magic wolves at Helen, he knew his tense demeanor must have worried her. He swiftly killed the first little wolf, its fluffy blue head just peeking out of the cave entrance, sniffing around, with a swift hand chop to the base of its neck.
The force of Liu Zhenhan's hand chop could shatter ten stacked bricks. After executing the first wolf, he sprang into the cave without a second look. Two more pups, sniffing and wagging their tails in the corridor, were silenced before they had a chance to whimper, each swiftly dispatched with a single twist of his hand, snapping their vertebral columns.
The cave was not deep; it was padded with a pile of dried hay and dimly lit. Liu Zhenhan picked up the three pups and examined them closely; they were precisely like the magic wolf they had encountered before.
There was a large dent in the pile of hay; Liu Zhenhan even found several blue wolf hairs as thick as hairpin ends in it.
Liu Zhenhan stared at the dent.
Once outside the cave, the hand wave he gave Helen signalled that she should leave; it's no longer safe here.
Without wasting another moment, Liu Zhenhan discarded the three wolf pups and ran out of the cave. He hastily grabbed several rose branches from a bush, not minding their thorns, and wrapped them around his head and body.
Helen's melodious war song rang out in the air, filling Liu Zhenhan with an overwhelming sense of urgency.
After hearing two sentences, Liu Zhenhan felt something was off, the lyrics of the battle song were changed, it wasn't the Spirit Communication War Song, but a song that was somewhat similar in melody, but it sounded even more resolute and powerful, it had a taste of the battlefield.
Liu Zhenhan felt that his eyes had become brighter, his skin's sensitivity had greatly increased, he could clearly feel the slight flow of the air brushing over his skin, even the minute fibers on the bamboo leaves in the grove not far away being blown around by the wind, were all captured in his sight.
"Natural evolution?" Liu Zhenhan was taken aback. He remembered what Helen had said, that in the Beamon Saint Altar Sacrificial Ceremony, a few exceptional individuals could, under extremely dangerous circumstances, comprehend the power of Kampas, the God of War, and naturally evolve, mastering the battle song only higher level of sacrificial rites could learn.
Liu Zhenhan felt that the song Helen was singing was very much like the "Blessing War Song" she often mentioned.
Before any further thoughts could emerge, as if making a demonstration, a clear and refined howl resonated from the depths of the bamboo grove, akin to a top-quality coin being blown between lips, carrying naked provocation and dominance, and echoing in the valley.
Liu Zhenhan felt that he had completely lost any trace of worry or fear, he did not know if it was the effect of the "Blessing War Song", but he indeed felt like every fiber of his body was burning, with an urgent feeling of wanting to hack at someone, or be hacked at.
This feeling was akin to the sound of a charge horn, deeply ingrained in his memory, making Liu Zhenhan's blood boil over his forehead.
Kicking up a gust of wind, Liu Zhenhan rushed toward the depths of the bamboo grove whence the wolf howl came from, his body blended into the sea of green with the vast Buddha belly bamboo grove.
There were some natural pathways in the grove, Liu Zhenhan stormed, with leaves flying all around from his passing.
After running madly for no more than five minutes, Liu Zhenhan's pace gradually slowed down, his mind gradually calming down.
"Can't do this recklessly." Liu Zhenhan suppressed the fight-or-flight thoughts bubbling in his heart, reminding himself.
From the depths of the bamboo grove, a deep growling sound echoed again, Liu Zhenhan couldn't be more familiar with it, it was the precursor to an attack by a Wind System Magic Wolf, Liu Zhenhan threw himself forward, after landing, he rolled, swift and light.
He had reverted to his former self, the scout who crawled through holes on the battlefield. This snake-like crawling was the unique skill of him and all his comrades.
The center of the grove was an open area, the surrounding Buddha belly bamboos seemed to obey some agreement, lining up in a rolling barrel shape. Liu Zhenhan pushed aside a clump of berry shrubs blocking his way, instantly spotting a blue wolf's behind, reminiscent of a calf, facing him.
Another Wind System Magic Wolf.
Liu Zhenhan's pupils, like those of a predator snake, immediately tightens.
The wolf's size was slightly smaller than the one that ambushed him the other day, with long swollen breasts hanging from its abdomen, confirming this Magic Wolf's gender.
This female Magic Wolf was facing a huge turtle, pacing from side to side with a low and anxious growl.
The wolf made a side glide, allowing Liu Zhenhan to clearly see the full view of this turtle.
Liu Zhenhan was shocked again.
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