"Swish!"
As Ye Gou swung his longsword, a massive blade aura shot forth in an instant.
The energy of the sword aura was extraordinarily terrifying, far exceeding the level of proficiency expected from a second-tier sword-drawing technique...
"Boom!"
The colossal sword aura exploded upon striking the Fire Wolf, instantly tearing its body asunder.
Seeing this scene, Ye Gou was momentarily stunned, hurriedly searching for the severed half of the wolf's head.
As the Flame Flower adhered to the headgear of the Fire Wolf, a small blue energy sphere quickly merged with Ye Gou's body.
Feeling the faint energy surge, Ye Gou couldn't help but mutter in frustration.
"Damn it, had I known this would happen, I would have held back a little..."
Just as he lamented, a Fire Golem leapt into the altar and roared in anger.
Upon seeing the massive figure, Ye Gou nonchalantly waved his hand.
The Fire Golem angrily pounded its chest and leapt toward Ye Gou with explosive force.
"Dammit!" Ye Gou cursed under his breath, his earlier confidence vanishing in an instant.
He never expected this Fire Golem, a hulking beast, to move with such surprising speed.
"Boom!!"
The Fire Golem's massive fists slammed into the altar with devastating force, causing the ground where Ye Gou had stood to sink half a meter in an instant.
Ye Gou, heart pounding, glanced at the spot where he had just stood, realizing that if he hadn't reacted just a moment earlier, he would've been crushed without a chance to fight back!
Now, he understood: this massive creature was on an entirely different level compared to the previous three.
In terms of speed, strength, and explosive power, it was a crushing force!
For the first time, Ye Gou felt truly outmatched...
The Fire Golem roared in fury and began lumbering toward Ye Gou with enormous strides.
Seeing it charging toward him, Ye Gou gripped his longsword tightly and engaged in a fierce battle.
After over twenty exchanges, Ye Gou quickly drank a bottle of stamina potion.
If it weren't for the boosts from his previous status effects, there's no way he would've lasted this long against the Fire Golem.
In fact, without those effects, he would have been reduced to nothing more than pulp after two rounds.
"Dammit, I'm going all in!" Ye Gou gritted his teeth and swung his longsword fiercely at the Fire Golem.
The Fire Golem, as if anticipating every move, blocked Ye Gou's strikes with its forearms, using its hardened skin and thick fur to absorb the blows.
Despite the intensity of Ye Gou's attacks, the Fire Golem seemed utterly unfazed, its defense unyielding.
After several continuous strikes, Ye Gou glanced down at his now-dull sword, cursing silently in his mind.
If only he had a weapon above the C-rank, he was confident he could defeat this Fire Golem.
But as it stood, even finding a decent D-rank sword as a backup was a near impossibility.
Just as he thought of a way to break the stalemate, the Fire Golem's colossal fist came crashing toward him.
Without a weapon in hand, Ye Gou's combat capabilities took a sharp dive.
Under the sheer force of the Golem's attack, he could only desperately dodge and scramble to survive.
"Boss, come save me! I'm done for!" Ye Gou shouted, but his voice couldn't reach the underground chamber where Xu Que was absorbed in his cultivation.
Xu Que, deep within his meditative state, had no awareness of the battle unfolding above. He was completely immersed in absorbing spiritual energy.
Initially, he thought the sudden appearance of an S-rank would suffice, but the sheer volume of spiritual energy here far surpassed his expectations, even exceeding what he had imagined.
Refusing to let any of it go to waste, he dedicated most of the remaining energy to improving his martial skills.
As he mastered both the Sword Drawing Technique and the Sky-Splitting Slash, he turned his focus to perfecting the Returning Sword and Sword Control Techniques.
The improvement of his Breathing Method was of no concern to him; after all, his ability to absorb spiritual energy was already highly efficient. The small amount that he could have gained from further refining it was negligible.
The vortex of spiritual energy around him continued to swell and contract, creating a satisfying rhythm as Xu Que reveled in the unparalleled joy of his cultivation.
...
Ye Gou, breathless from evading the Fire Golem's relentless assaults, found that his sword had shattered beyond repair.
Now, he had no choice but to run and dodge. He was utterly powerless to face the beast.
"Roar!"
The Fire Golem roared in fury, and it seemed to read Ye Gou's every move. After pounding its chest twice, it began to taunt Ye Gou.
"Damn!" Ye Gou raised his middle finger defiantly at the Golem.
Although the Fire Golem didn't understand the gesture, the sheer audacity of Ye Gou's response only fueled its rage.
Another deafening roar echoed, and the Fire Golem lunged once more, fists raised to strike.
Ye Gou gritted his teeth, hurling his sword with all his might, then performed a dramatic backward leap, widening the distance between him and the Golem.
As the Fire Golem chased after him, Ye Gou continued to evade, leading to a bizarre scene of the two of them dancing around the altar.
"Boss, if you don't come out now, I swear I'm going to run!" Ye Gou shouted, his voice tinged with desperation as he ran past the stone door leading to the underground.
But once again, there was no response. Ye Gou, exhausted and frustrated, was on the brink of collapse. The toll on his stamina was becoming unbearable.
"Roar!"
The Fire Golem, shaking with fury, raised both fists and brought them down on Ye Gou with earth-shattering force.
"Boom!!"
The mighty blow struck the stone door, shattering it into pieces as if it were made of mere tofu.
In that instant, the vortex of spiritual energy Xu Que had been gathering dissipated, scattering into nothingness.
Xu Que's eyes snapped open, his gaze burning with fury. He had been so close—just a fraction of a moment more, and he would have perfected the Sword Control Technique...
Standing, Xu Que's body moved with the grace of a red-winged phoenix. He propelled himself forward, vanishing from the underground chamber in an instant.
As he leapt out, he immediately saw Ye Gou, in a desperate flight, with the Fire Golem standing menacingly, its eyes burning with fury.
"Boss, you're finally out!" Ye Gou shouted in relief.
The Fire Golem turned to face him, roaring once more.
Ye Gou, still recovering from the shock of the beast's roar, took several steps back, realizing that his strength was all but spent. If he provoked the Golem now, he would be pulverized without mercy.
"This one's mine. Go rest over there," Xu Que said indifferently, his tone sharp.
He had been suppressing his fury, for just moments ago he had been on the verge of mastering the Sword Control Technique, only for the beast to ruin everything by smashing the stone door!
Upon hearing Xu Que's calm command, Ye Gou hesitantly withdrew to the side.
The Fire Golem, enraged, pounded its chest and charged at Xu Que.
As it neared, it let out a ferocious roar, and a jet of fire erupted from its mouth.
The two forces collided with explosive intensity, leaving Ye Gou stunned.
He knew full well how terrifying the Fire Golem's strength was, yet Xu Que had effortlessly blocked its attack...
A smug smile curled on Xu Que's lips as he realized: this was the true power of an S-rank!
"Ha!"
Xu Que's expression hardened, his voice a battle cry. In a burst of strength, he gripped the Fire Golem's left arm and, with a mighty pull, lifted it off the ground!
"Boom!"
The Fire Golem crashed heavily into the earth, shaking the very altar beneath it.
Ye Gou's mouth hung open in disbelief. He stared at Xu Que, utterly awestruck.
"This... this S-rank... is this really what it's capable of?"
Xu Que, oblivious to Ye Gou's thoughts, swung the Fire Golem's colossal body with ease, and with a deafening crack, sent it soaring through the air.
The Golem's body hung suspended in midair, unable to come back down...