Inside the Soul Hunting Ground, Qin Jian and Ning Rongrong steadily approached the mountain summit.
"Roar!"
The Twin-Winged Gale Demon Wolf had long noticed their presence. It did not retreat but instead fixed its eerie green eyes firmly on the pair.
"Rongrong, this soul beast won't be easy to deal with..."
Qin Jian held Ning Rongrong back, stopping about a hundred meters from the Gale Demon Wolf.
"After you release your first soul skill, step back and quietly follow me. Don't get too close," he instructed.
Ning Rongrong instinctively nodded but voiced her concern. "Brother Jian, if I'm not by your side, we won't be able to use our Martial Soul Fusion Technique."
"This is a Gale Demon Wolf. Its speed won't give us the chance to perform a Martial Soul Fusion Technique..."
Before Qin Jian could finish his sentence, the Gale Demon Wolf couldn't wait any longer and charged at them.
"Roar!"
A violent storm swept over as it closed the distance.
"Rongrong! Your soul skill!"
Qin Jian summoned his Emotion Sword martial soul in an instant. At the same time, Ning Rongrong activated her Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda.
"The Seven Treasures are renowned. First: Strength!"
A beam of light enveloped Qin Jian, granting him a 20% boost to his attack power.
"Fall back!"
Qin Jian charged forward, sword in both hands, and swung it down towards the Gale Demon Wolf's head!
"Boom!"
The wolf merely condensed a green wind barrier on its head, easily blocking Qin Jian's attack.
"Roar!"
It then lunged, its massive jaws snapping at the retreating Qin Jian!
"Brother Jian! Watch out!"
Even before Ning Rongrong's shout reached him, Qin Jian sidestepped, and with a swift movement, unleashed a massive sword energy slash towards the wolf's flank.
"For a wolf-type soul beast, the head and tail are the most heavily defended. The weakest point is the waist! Did you really think I wanted to hit your head?"
Qin Jian smirked coldly as his sword energy struck the wolf's side, forcing it back. With a powerful leap, he dashed to the beast's flank.
"Watch this—Sword Qi!"
A streak of purple sword energy shot out, targeting the wolf's waist once more.
"Roar!"
However, having been hit once, the wolf was now cautious. It concentrated its soul power, forming a green wind barrier around its waist, narrowly canceling out Qin Jian's sword energy.
"Quite clever…"
Qin Jian missed his strike and quickly retreated. As expected, the Gale Demon Wolf's claw swiped the spot where he had just stood.
Both man and beast backed off several meters, panting lightly while maintaining a fierce glare at each other.
The rapid exchange left Ning Rongrong wide-eyed, her heart pounding with tension. Even the onlookers outside the Soul Hunting Ground held their breath, captivated.
This duel far exceeded the excitement of previous battles. The Gale Demon Wolf's higher intelligence and refined combat skills starkly contrasted the simpler tactics of lesser soul beasts.
"Roar!"
Sensing the difficulty of defeating Qin Jian, the wolf took several steps back. Then, unfurling its wings, it prepared to take flight.
"Trying to escape?!"
Having found such a suitable soul beast, Qin Jian would never let it go so easily. Without hesitation, he charged forward.
"Whoosh!"
The Gale Demon Wolf's wings began to flap, lifting its massive body into the air.
"Don't even think about running!"
Qin Jian leaped after it, landing on its back before it could react.
"Roar!"
The wolf howled furiously, flapping its wings with intense speed, carrying both itself and Qin Jian into the sky!
"Brother Jian!"
Ning Rongrong's eyes widened in shock.
The onlookers were equally stunned.
With a soul power of only rank 20, Qin Jian would be pulverized if he fell from such a height!
"Shing!"
Sword Douluo's aura surged outside the Soul Hunting Ground, summoning his Seven Kill Sword martial soul, ready to intervene at any moment.
Inside, the Gale Demon Wolf alternated between soaring high and diving low, trying to shake Qin Jian off.
But Qin Jian had already sheathed his Emotion Sword and clung tightly to the wolf's fur with both hands, anchoring himself like a nail.
"Roar!"
Frustrated, the wolf plunged into the forest, weaving through branches at incredible speed. It repeatedly tried to slam Qin Jian against tree trunks.
"This wolf is terrifyingly smart…"
After a few collisions, Qin Jian felt his soul power draining rapidly.
He knew he had to take a risk. If this continued, he would collapse first.
Keeping his left hand tightly wound in the wolf's fur, Qin Jian twisted the strands around his palm and freed his right hand.
The wolf noticed his movements and began flying even more erratically. With only one hand holding on, Qin Jian's body was thrown around violently, slamming against a tree trunk and nearly being flung off.
The harrowing scene drew gasps from the audience outside.
On the mountain peak, Ning Rongrong was beside herself with worry.
"It's just a 900-year soul beast. Submit to me already!"
Ignoring the pain coursing through his body, Qin Jian roared in anger. His right hand summoned the Emotion Sword once more and plunged it forcefully into the wolf's waist!
"Shhhk!"
At such close range, and with all his strength behind the strike, the sword pierced three inches deep.
"Roar!"
The Gale Demon Wolf let out an earth-shaking howl, its feral green eyes now tinged with fear.
"Whoosh!"
In a desperate bid, it shot skyward, spreading its wings to invert its body, attempting to shake Qin Jian off by suspending him in midair.
"Brother Jian!"
"Jian'er!"
"Qin Jian!"
Cries erupted from the audience.
Yet Qin Jian held fast, his left hand clutching the wolf's fur while his right hand drove the Emotion Sword deeper into the same spot.
"You're not going anywhere! Become Rongrong's soul ring!"
Suspended in the air, the youth roared defiantly.
Summoning strength from nowhere, he gripped both the wolf's fur and his sword, using the momentum to flip himself onto the wolf's underbelly.
"Die!"
With both hands gripping the sword, he thrust downward with all his might!
"Roar! Roar!"
The Gale Demon Wolf howled in agony. Severely injured, it could no longer maintain its flight. Both wolf and youth plummeted from the sky.
As the ground rushed closer, Qin Jian knew he would die on impact.
"I'm not dying with you!"
Clenching his teeth, he grabbed one of the wolf's wings, twisted midair, and used his martial soul sword to flip the beast beneath him.
As the ground neared, the wolf's survival instincts kicked in. It managed a few final wingbeats…
--------------------------------
If you want to support me and read advance chapters, please visit:
patreon.com / igotneonlight
I would greatly appreciate your support if you choose to join my patreon 🙏