Upon seeing Ye Tian suddenly appear and charge toward the wolf pack, many villagers of Ye Family Village gasped in shock.
Ye Meng, overwhelmed with fear, shouted, "Tian'er, hurry back! Don't come any closer!"
Ye Feng and Ye Ba were equally anxious, fully aware of Ye Tian's capabilities; facing a single howling moon wolf was a formidable challenge, let alone plunging into the midst of the pack—it was undoubtedly a suicidal act.
With a thunderous roar, Ye Shi summoned his inner energy and confronted the surrounding wolves. He bellowed to Ye Feng, "Go save him! We must not let him die!"
Without a word in reply, Ye Feng dashed out, wielding his long blade to slay the approaching howling moon wolves.
However, fatigue had already taken its toll on him, and as he was besieged by over a hundred wolves, he soon revealed a vulnerability. One wolf lunged at him, sinking its teeth into his arm, eliciting a collective gasp from the villagers of Ye Family Village.
"Damn!" Ye Feng felt a sharp pain in his left arm and immediately realized the gravity of his situation. With a steely resolve, he gritted his teeth and, with a single stroke, severed his own arm along with the wolf's head.
Although a level nine martial artist is formidable, the human body is not invincible; even a level ten martial artist could be incapacitated by a wolf's bite. Thus, Ye Feng decisively opted to amputate his arm.
"Captain!"
Ye Ba and Ye Meng rushed in, clearing a path to bring Ye Feng back.
A member of the hunting team hurried over to bandage Ye Feng's wound, but Ye Feng brushed him aside, coldly insisting, "No time for that! We must defend ourselves. I'm going to save Ye Tian—he cannot die!"
"Captain!" Ye Meng's eyes brimmed with tears.
"He is the hope of Ye Family Village; nothing must happen to him!" Ye Feng ignored him, the resolute man standing tall and radiating an undeniable brilliance.
At that moment, Ye Tian, having sprinted from afar, plunged into the throng of wolves. Many howling moon wolves quickly noticed this unexpected intruder and launched an assault against him.
Three wolves charged simultaneously, their green eyes glinting with malice, their jaws wide open to reveal sharp fangs.
"This is bad!"
The villagers of Ye Family Village recognized the peril, understanding that Ye Tian, a mere level four martial artist, stood no chance against three howling moon wolves at once.
"Ye Tian!" Ye Meng wailed in despair, desperate to rush in for a rescue, only to be thrown back by the wolves.
Ye Feng and Ye Ba were equally frantic but found it impossible to break through.
"Roar!" The village elder, Ye Shi, unleashed his fury. A torrent of powerful energy erupted around him like a whirlwind, obliterating a hundred wolves in an instant.
Yet still, hundreds more howling moon wolves pressed on, and the relentless horde made it difficult for Ye Shi, a level ten peak martial artist, to escape.
Just then—
"Swish!" "Swish!" "Swish!"
With a bloodied blade that moved like a meteor, Ye Tian swept through the wolves, and blood splattered as three severed wolf heads soared into the air.
The villagers of Ye Family Village stood in stunned silence.
In Ye Tian's hands, the bloodied blade resembled the scythe of death; with just one swing, three howling moon wolves lay lifeless.
Then, Ye Tian plunged into the fray, each strike claiming the life of a wolf. With the prowess of a late-stage level seven martial artist, these howling moon wolves were no match for him.
Before long, he neared the wolf king.
"How is this possible?"
"Is that really Ye Tian? His power seems to have reached level seven!"
"Level seven! When did Ye Tian become a level seven martial artist?"
The villagers of Ye Family Village were astounded, including Elder Ye Shi, Ye Feng, Ye Ba, and Ye Meng, all of whom were left in disbelief, rubbing their eyes to confirm they were not dreaming.
"Not just level seven; he's stronger than I am," Ye Meng muttered in amazement, watching his son wreak havoc, pinching himself in disbelief.
"Indeed, he's level seven, but his swordsmanship is exceptional. He can pinpoint the weaknesses of the howling moon wolves and strike them down in one blow!" Elder Ye Shi marveled, his aged eyes sparkling with astonishment.
"Look, he's aiming for the wolf king! How did I not realize that killing the wolf king would disperse the pack?" Ye Feng suddenly exclaimed, his face alight with joy.
"Exactly! This boy is quite clever!" Elder Ye Shi nodded in agreement, though he soon grew pensive, saying, "The wolf king is formidable; while only a level seven, it's nearly level eight, and with the support of the surrounding howling moon wolves, can he truly succeed?"
The expressions of Ye Feng, Ye Ba, and the others turned grave; they dared not harbor excessive hope.
Finally, Ye Meng spoke with unwavering conviction: "Let's believe in him. I know his character; he never undertakes a task without confidence. He will succeed."
Elder Ye Shi, Ye Feng, and the others were taken aback but then nodded solemnly.
The villagers of Ye Family Village began to alter their tactics; they ceased their defensive maneuvers and charged toward the wolf king, diverting the wolves' attention and drawing their firepower.
With this shift, Ye Tian found his burdens eased. He stepped over the bodies of howling moon wolves and finally stood before the wolf king.
"Roar~~~" The wolf king let out a furious howl, its icy gaze fixed fiercely on Ye Tian, and in the blink of an eye, it transformed into a blue shadow, hurtling toward him.
At the same time, a dozen howling moon wolves lunged at Ye Tian.
"Hmm?" Perceiving the oncoming threat, Ye Tian's gaze sharpened. In that moment, he remained extraordinarily calm, swiftly shifting the bloodied blade to his left hand as he prepared to strike at the wolf king.
Simultaneously, he unleashed the Thunder Palm with his right hand, sending nine shadowy palms soaring toward the attacking howling moon wolves.
"Thud, thud…"
A series of explosive sounds erupted as Ye Tian swept his bloodied blade, sending severed heads flying. The terrifying force of his palm strike, fueled by his internal energy, sent the howling moon wolves hurtling away.
"Excellent!"
In the distance, Ye Shi and the others marveled at the scene. Despite being besieged by the pack and facing the wolf king, Ye Tian remained astonishingly calm, showcasing his innate talent as a born warrior.
"Such remarkable swordsmanship, such powerful palm strikes, and such composure!" Ye Feng exclaimed in awe.
Ye Meng felt an overwhelming surge of excitement; his son had surpassed him, becoming a true powerhouse.
…
"Roar!" The wolf king howled, evading Ye Tian's bloodied blade. With a powerful push from its legs, it lunged at Ye Tian once more.
The surrounding howling moon wolves surged forward again. Although Ye Tian displayed extraordinary prowess, the sheer number of wolves posed an ongoing threat.
"We can't afford to delay any longer; we must swiftly take down the wolf king!" Ye Tian's gaze was icy, his eyes sharp as blades, fixated on the oncoming wolf king.
Gripping his bloodied sword tightly, he leaped high into the air, charging toward the lunging wolf king.
"Roar!" The wolf king bellowed, its sharp fangs glinting menacingly.
"Prepare to meet your end, beast!" Ye Tian sneered, his eyes filled with deadly intent as he wielded the sword like a flash of lightning, striking at the wolf king.
"Boom!"
With a deafening crash, the wolf king's claws clashed against the bloodied blade, creating a thunderous sound as both Ye Tian and the wolf king landed on the ground.
"What an incredibly powerful wolf king; its claws can actually withstand my blade!" Ye Tian felt a chill run down his spine.
The wolf king was remarkably swift, launching an immediate assault on Ye Tian after landing. Its claws gleamed with icy brilliance in mid-air, clashing against Ye Tian's sword with a series of metallic clangs.
Ye Tian wielded his bloodied blade and thunderous palms, while the wolf king countered with its sharp claws and unparalleled speed.
Both were at the eighth level of martial prowess, resulting in a stalemate, yet as more howling moon wolves gathered around them, Ye Tian realized his peril.
"I can't waste any more time!" Ye Tian contemplated coolly, searching for the wolf king's weakness. His eyes finally locked onto the creature's two fierce eyes, and he broke into a chilling smile.
"Die, beast!"
Ye Tian suddenly erupted with force, decisively swinging his blade at the wolf king.
The wolf king roared, its sharp claws blocking the bloodied sword, resulting in yet another explosive clash.
However, this time, neither side retreated. To be precise, Ye Tian forced them to remain engaged. As the blade struck the wolf king's claws, he reached out, gripping the wolf king's leg tightly.
With cold eyes, the wolf king growled, its sharp claws piercing into Ye Tian's palm, but he held on relentlessly, as if oblivious to the pain.
"Die!" Ye Tian continued to clutch tightly despite the blood pouring from his hand, his eyes burning with frenzied killing intent.
"Roar!" Even the brutal wolf king seemed unsettled at the sight of Ye Tian's wild gaze.
Swish!
Enduring the agonizing pain, Ye Tian swung his blade horizontally, striking the wolf king on the head. In that critical moment, the wolf king raised its paw to protect its throat, believing Ye Tian aimed to deliver a fatal blow.
Yet, despite its cunning, it had misjudged the situation. Ye Tian knew it wouldn't be so easy to kill the wolf king, so instead of targeting its throat, he struck at its eyes.
The eyes were the wolf king's most vulnerable spot; upon impact with the bloodied blade, they were immediately reduced to a bloody mess. The wolf king roared, now completely blinded, unable to find its prey.
The surrounding howling moon wolves instantly fell into disarray, as their king went mad, attacking even its own pack.
Terrified, the howling moon wolves refrained from attacking their king, each cowering far away.
Seizing the opportunity, Ye Tian surged forward, and after a fierce struggle, he finally brought the wolf king down with his blade.
Seeing their formidable leader slain at Ye Tian's hands, the pack of wolves scattered in panic, fleeing in all directions.
The crisis posed by the wolf pack had been averted, and the villagers of Ye Family Village rushed forward, their faces radiant with excitement and joy.
Standing beside the slain wolf king, Ye Tian received their enthusiastic praise.
"Well done! You've certainly exceeded my expectations!" The village chief, Ye Shi, was the first to arrive, clapping Ye Tian on the shoulder, his face alight with exhilaration.
Ye Tian smiled, about to respond, when he suddenly caught sight of Ye Feng behind the village chief, missing an arm, causing his smile to falter.