"Alright, that's two. Where's the next one?" Cutting into the beast with a small knife, Yang Chen retrieved a beast core and looked at the small red bird.
The bird flew up and looked around. After scanning for a few seconds, it shook its head and chirped at Yang Chen.
Seeing this, Yang Chen frowned slightly. "Xiao Hong, you can't find the next one?"
Xiao Hong can only detect beasts within a certain radius. Yang Chen thought. Normally, this wouldn't be an issue as all the intermediate demon beasts are usually equally spread apart. Since Xiao Hong can't detect any beasts, does this mean all the beasts are gathered in one location? He stood still and pondered for a few seconds. Since Xiao Hong can't find any more intermediate demon beasts, I guess I'll have to aim for the advance stage demon beast. Hopefully, Yang Bai hasn't already killed it.
"Xiao Hong, let's go. We'll aim for the advanced stage demon beast." Yang Chen commanded the bird. He sprinted towards the center with the bird flying over him.
****
"Are you sure there was something in this direction?" Yang Bin asked Yang Mengyao, as he pushed a branch aside.
"I'm very sure." Yang Mengyao nodded her head. "I saw a golden flash in this direction. There was definitely some fighting going on here."
"It just seems a little too quiet…" Yang Bin said. He continued to maneuver around the trees. After pushing aside a bush, he froze.
"You were right. There was a battle here." In front of him was a trail of broken branches and trampled grass. Scattered within the destruction were arrows, fur, and pools of blood. Looking left, the trail ended. Meanwhile, on his right, the path of destruction continued.
"The trail seems to be going this way." Yang Bin pointed.
"Are we going to follow it?" Yang Mengyao asked.
"We are."
The two started running. Very quickly, they found two wolf corpses a few meters apart from each other. Both corpses had an arrow piercing the eye.
Yang Bin crouched down and studied the corpses. "The blood is still flowing; it seems like it was very recently killed." Thinking of something, he frowned. Aside from the arrow stuck in its eye, there are no other wounds on its body, but these wolves look too strong to be ordinary beasts. Activating extreme piercing fingers, he stabbed the chest of the wolf. After a bit of digging, he retrieved his hand and in his palms laid a beast core. He moved over to the other corpse and did the same.
"The beast cores are still inside." Yang Bin furrowed his brows, as he tried to put the pieces together. Suddenly his head snapped up and his eyes sharpened. "Mengyao, we need to chase after it." He took off.
"Huh?" Yang Mengyao said. Despite being confused, she still chased after Yang Bin.
Meanwhile in Yang Bin's head, many thoughts were spinning. These two wolves still had their beast cores intact, meaning the killer quickly killed them then fled. These wolves aren't something to be feared by themselves, but if there were five or six of these, even Yang Chen will have to flee, and the only demon beast that could gather so many wolves would be the advance stage demon beast.
Yang Bin's guess was correct, but it wasn't Yang Chen who was fleeing.
****
A few minutes ago, Yang Bai found the advanced stage demon beast, the wolf king. Excited, she took up her bow and attacked.
Naturally, the wolf king retaliated. Blocking most of the arrows with its legs, it launched itself at Yang Bai. With every swipe of its claws were heavy, causing rocks to explode and branches to fall.
Still, Yang Bai, known as the strongest young talent in the Yang Clan, didn't falter. Nimbly avoiding each and every attack, her hands continued nocking arrows and firing. As she continued to pelt the wolf king with arrows, wounds began to appear on him.
After an arrow hit the wolf king's face, it stopped and howled loudly. Promptly, multiple distant howls resounded around them as if replying.
Hearing this, Yang Bai narrowed her eyes and felt a sense of foreboding. Channeling her qi, she nocked another arrow and unleashed a devastating attack. The arrow streaked away, aiming for the wolf king's eye.
But right before it was able to land, another wolf leaped from the trees and bit the arrow, holding the arrow in its mouth. It landed next to the wolf king and stared at Yang Bai with its glowing red eyes. On top of it was a yellow halo.
"Tsk." Yang Bai clicked her tongue in annoyance. "An intermediate stage steel wolf? Alright, I'll hunt you as well." She reached for the quiver on her back, but before she could grab an arrow she froze.
She heard rustling sounds from all around her. One by one, wolves began to appear, until there were six surrounding them.
Watching this, Yang Bai's mouth became dry. "Six initial stages, an intermediate stage, and an advanced stage demon beast."
The wolf king gave a low roar, and the seven wolves charged at Yang Bai.
Drawing her bow, she quickly killed two of the wolves and fled through the opening she created.
****
"Huff, huff." Yang Bai panted. With a bow in hand and a quiver on her back, she ran as fast as she could. Glancing behind her, she saw six wolves chasing her.
Seeing this, she grimaced. "I already killed two of these wolves, but instead of making them afraid, it seems like they became more enraged." She continued to weave through the trees in hopes that they would give up, but they were relentless. Eventually she realized she had hit a dead end: a wall of boulders a few meters front of her.
Looking behind her, Yang Bai saw that the wolves were still chasing her. A trace of anger appeared in her eyes. "Since I can't run, I'll just kill all of you!"
Drawing 3 three arrows at once, she came to a stop. Imbuing the arrows with her qi, she shot at the closest wolves. "Star light stream!" The arrows bolted away with a golden trail, each one guided to their target.
The nearest wolf, still charging at Yang Bai, wasn't able to react in time and immediately died after the bolt pierced its skull. Its corpse was blasted back and collided with a nearby tree.
Watching the death of its companion, the second wolf hastily tried to slow down and dodge, but it was only able to turn its body. The arrow stabbed its side, causing it to howl and collapse.
The last wolf narrowly dodged it, shredding off a few strands of fur. The arrow continued on its path and disappeared among the trees. Seeing the might of these golden arrows, the rest of the wolves hastily halted and growled at Yang Bai.
Yang Bai faced them confidently, but internally she was nervous. That technique cost about 30% of my qi, but it was only able to kill one and disable another. She thought.
While the weaker wolves slowly began to circle Yang Bai, the wolf king and steel wolf cautiously approached her, stopping at about 3 meters away. From then on, they stood still and stared at Yang Bai.
Tense and nervous, Yang Bai stared back, but as the seconds passed, she grew suspicious. Why are they not attacking? She questioned in her mind. Could they be waiting for something?
A small breeze blew past them. After feeling this wind, the wolf king bared its fangs and leapt at her.
Simultaneously, Yang Bai dropped her bow and reached for the blade strapped to her waist. She stepped forwards, prepared to duck and cut the belly of the wolf, but suddenly she felt a sense of imminent danger. She hurriedly pulled back and retreated.
Right before her eyes, a large white blur flashed by. Landing on the ground, it took on the shape of a white wolf with green patterns on its fur.
"Intermediate stage wind wolf!" Yang Bai's eyes widened in shock, as she pivoted aside to dodge the wolf king.
Realizing the trap didn't work, the wolf king barked and all the wolves charged forwards.
Yang Bai jumped back dodging the claws of the steel wolf. Unfortunately, behind her was another demon beast.
From under the shades of the trees, a shadow moved. It bared its fangs and leaped up at Yang Bai.
Feeling another crisis, Yang Bai quickly turned her body in midair, barely avoiding the jaws. But even though she avoided the jaws, the danger wasn't over. The shadow knocked her aside, straight into the pack of wolves.
Watching herself slowly fall into the pack of wolves, Yang Bai felt bitterness and resentment. I would have never thought hunting the wolf king would lead to my disqualification.
Looking back, she saw the shadowy figure. An intermediate stage Dark wolf. That was her final thought, before she closed her eyes.