A tremor ran through Bai Yu as his crude sword met the Bloodwolf King's hide. The metallic clang echoed through the clearing, ringing in his ears. But unlike the anticipated bite of flesh, the blade met unyielding resistance. He stared in disbelief as the borrowed weapon shattered in his hand, leaving just the hilt.
"Shit!" he cursed, throwing the useless hilt aside. Panic threatened to rise, but he quelled it with a surge of cold determination. Bare-handed against a creature of such power?The monstrous claw of the Bloodwolf King swiped at him, a crimson blur. With a desperate lunge, Bai Yu twisted his body, the wind whistling past his ear as the claw ripped harmlessly through where he had stood a moment before.
Landing precariously close to the hulking beast, he met its enraged gaze head-on. "This will be your end," he declared, his voice laced with a chilling certainty.He launched himself into the air, a blur of Qi propelling him forward. His fist connected with the Bloodwolf King's skull with a sickening crunch. A heavy wind swept through the clearing, scattering leaves and dust. A bone-shattering crack echoed through the forest, and the colossal beast crumpled to the ground, unmoving.
Silence descended upon the clearing, broken only by the ragged gasps of the surviving hunters. The Blood Condensation cultivators stared at Bai Yu, their eyes wide with disbelief and a tinge of terror. His feat had been a display of raw power bordering on the supernatural.the village chief finally found his voice. "Fuck," he breathed, more in awe than anger, "What kind of monster are you?"A nervous chuckle escaped one of the Bone Forging experts. "Genius," he muttered, his voice filled with a newfound respect.The other Bone Forging expert, more practical-minded, interjected, "Let's see if the Bloodwolf King has a Monster Core."
The group huddled around the fallen beast, carefully dissecting its body. A moment later, a gasp rippled through them. Nestled within the creature's chest cavity was a small, red orb, pulsating with a faint, yet potent energy – a Monster Core."We are truly lucky," declared the village Chief his voice heavy with both relief and excitement. "Only a third-stage demonic beast can successfully condense a core by 100%."
Monster Cores were prized possessions, valuable for their use in alchemy, weapon forging, and even powering formations. They held immense value on the market, and this particular core, obtained from a king-grade beast, would fetch a staggering price.