C30 Neckslashing

"Evil beast! Perish!"

The middle-aged man radiated a domineering aura as he hoisted the Great Ring Blade aloft. The blade's edge was wreathed in layers of piercing Genuine Qi, exuding a daunting blade intent.

With a mighty swing, he sent a blade light over a dozen meters long slicing through the void, ferociously targeting a Ghost Mastiff.

*Roar!*

The Ghost Mastiff's fierce eyes swept across the battlefield, and it abruptly expelled a stream of black fog.

The black fog was chilling and sinister, carrying with it a potent corrosive power.

The formidable blade light hissed as it made contact with the ominous black fog, its potency rapidly diminishing under the fog's corrosive effect.

Witnessing this, the middle-aged man's brow furrowed deeply, his demeanor grave.

Simultaneously, he tapped the ground with the tip of his foot, retreating rapidly to narrowly evade the black fog unleashed by the Ghost Mastiff.

"These Ghost Mastiffs, though only at the Body Refining Level Nine Peak, can emit black fog that corrodes a cultivator's Genuine Qi. It's enough to cause even a Qi Gathering Level One master serious trouble!"

Jiaang Lin observed the scene from a shadowy corner, murmuring to himself.

"Tyrant Blade Spell!"

The middle-aged man bellowed furiously as his Battle Soul burst forth, manifesting a black blade shadow that radiated an intense blade intent.

In that instant, his Great Ring Blade turned jet-black, as though it were crafted from dark gold.

The Tyrant Blade Spell, a Yellow Rank Middle Grade martial skill, was his most powerful move.

Once executed, with his level of cultivation, he could take on a Qi Gathering Level One Peak Stage expert.

"Slash!"

With a thunderous shout, he swung the long blade, unleashing a massive black blade light that spanned dozens of meters, cleaving through the heavens and bearing down on the Ghost Mastiff.

The blade light cut through the air, strong winds howling and Qi waves rolling, as if it had the might to bisect the very fabric of space.

*Roar!*

Confronted with the unleashed Battle Soul and the martial skill, the Ghost Mastiff exuded a wild blade intent, and a flicker of human-like terror appeared in its savage eyes.

It tried to evade, but alas, it couldn't escape.

Puchi~

A massive black blade light swept across, effortlessly cleaving the Ghost Mastiff in two.

From within its body, a blood-colored Crystal Core burst forth, swiftly caught by the middle-aged man with a deft hand movement.

"Hall Master Qu, watch out!"

From afar, a member of the Celestial Wolf Gang suddenly yelled out a warning.

The middle-aged man reacted instantly, sensing a malicious aura behind him. In a rush, he spun around and swung his blade, unleashing a blade light.

Sizzle~

The sinister black fog completely dissolved the blade light he had unleashed.

A larger and more ferocious Ghost Mastiff lunged at the middle-aged man like a gust of wind, its deadly claws sweeping toward his chest.

Hiss~

The sound of fabric tearing filled the air as blood sprayed into the night.

The middle-aged man was ambushed by the Ghost Mastiff, his chest armor shattering in an instant, leaving five deep gashes across his torso.

Boom~

With a thunderous noise, the middle-aged man was hurled back like a cannonball, crashing into a distant mountain and sending a shower of stones and dust into the air.

Eventually, as the dust settled, the middle-aged man's figure re-emerged, battered and bloodied.

At that moment, with blood trickling from the corner of his mouth and his complexion ghostly pale, he was a picture of utter defeat.

"The Ghost Mastiff King?!"

He looked up to see the enormous Ghost Mastiff that had blindsided him was none other than the Ghost Mastiff King, a first-level Spirit Beast Demonic Beast, on par with a Qi Gathering Level One cultivator, far surpassing an ordinary Ghost Mastiff in strength.

"Damn, I can't believe I overlooked it!"

Coughing up a mouthful of reverse blood, the middle-aged man's complexion grew even more ashen. Suddenly weak, he collapsed to the ground, gazing at the menacing Ghost Mastiff King in the distance, a bitter smile etching his face.

A Demonic Beast that ascends to the Spirit Beast realm typically develops a measure of spiritual wisdom.

As a Demonic Beast of the Spirit Beast Level One, the Ghost Mastiff King naturally possessed considerable spiritual wisdom.

Previously, it had observed the middle-aged man's battle from the sidelines, aware that the man's cultivation level was on par with its own. Engaging in direct combat would surely result in mutual destruction.

Thus, seizing the opportunity while the middle-aged man was preoccupied with another Ghost Mastiff, the Ghost Mastiff King launched a surprise attack, inflicting severe wounds.

With its spiritual wisdom, it was clear to the Ghost Mastiff King that eliminating the middle-aged man would render the remaining members of the Celestial Wolf Gang utterly harmless.

With a roar, the Ghost Mastiff King, having grievously injured the middle-aged man with one blow, charged at him with all four hooves pounding the ground.

In the distance, the gang members of the Celestial Wolf Gang, locked in fierce combat with other Ghost Mastiffs, looked on with faces etched in worry and anxiety, fearing the middle-aged man would meet a grisly end under the Ghost Mastiff King's claws.

"Could it be that I, Que Chunye, am destined to die such a tragic death?"

The middle-aged man, seeing the Ghost Mastiff King rapidly bearing down on him, attempted to rise and defend himself, but his severe injuries left him powerless to move, let alone fight back.

A whooshing sound pierced the air.

In the middle-aged man's moment of despair, a figure materialized like a phantom, stepping in front of him.

The middle-aged man, taken aback, realized to his astonishment that the figure was a mere sixteen-year-old boy!

"Get out of the way!"

Upon seeing the young man who had appeared out of nowhere, poised to confront the Ghost Mastiff King, the middle-aged man snapped out of his shock. With the last ounce of his strength, he bellowed a warning.

Yet, the boy remained unmoved, standing his ground in calm defiance as the menacing Ghost Mastiff King closed in.

This unexpected savior was none other than Jiaang Lin, who had been lurking in the shadows. At that moment, Jiaang Lin had unleashed his Blood Eye Battle Soul, his normally dark eyes now a sinister shade of blood red, exuding a demonic and enigmatic presence.

The sight of him was enough to make one's soul quiver uncontrollably.

"Kneel!"

Jiaang Lin's blood-red eyes emitted a chilling glare as he locked onto the Ghost Mastiff King charging toward him and bellowed the command.

The menacing Ghost Mastiff King came to an abrupt halt just five meters from Jiaang Lin. To the astonishment of the middle-aged man, it submissively knelt at Jiaang Lin's feet.

"This..."

The middle-aged man stared in disbelief at the unfolding scene.

He was at a loss to explain how the formidable Ghost Mastiff King could be so compliant with Jiaang Lin's command.

"Mr. Que, may I borrow your Great Ring Blade?"

Jiaang Lin turned to the middle-aged man, a smile gracing his face.

He reached out, and the blade flew into his grasp. With a casual flick, he effortlessly severed the Ghost Mastiff King's neck.

Puff~

The Ghost Mastiff King, offering no resistance, was swiftly dispatched by Jiaang Lin's blade, falling dead on the spot.

The middle-aged man's expression was a picture of amazement; his mouth agape, as if he could swallow an egg whole!

Inside, he was engulfed by a tidal wave of shock.

Heaven help me, am I seeing things? Has the Ghost Mastiff King gone mad? How could it just kneel there, meekly awaiting its demise?

Meanwhile, the Celestial Wolf Gang members engaged in fierce combat with other Ghost Mastiffs caught sight of their king's submissive kneeling before Jiaang Lin, ready to be executed.

Each one was dumbstruck, the scene defying belief.

A single thought crossed their minds in unison — Holy crap, am I dreaming?

Jiaang Lin, paying no mind to the astonished looks from Que Chunye and the other gang members, gripped the Great Ring Blade and executed the Flashing Shadow Step, swiftly lunging at the remaining Ghost Mastiffs.

Under the influence of the Blood Eye Battle Soul, the Ghost Mastiffs were completely subdued by Jiaang Lin, utterly powerless to resist.

One by one, they knelt reverently at Jiaang Lin's feet, awaiting the fall of his blade.

In the span of a mere breath, several Ghost Mastiffs, each boasting strength on par with Body Refining Level Nine or even the Peak Stage, were all cleanly dispatched by Jiaang Lin with a single stroke.

"Has the world gone mad, or is it just me?"

The middle-aged man was still reeling in shock, his face a picture of astonishment, as he watched Jiaang Lin effortlessly slay all the Ghost Mastiffs with his blade. He muttered to himself, trying to make sense of the scene before him.

"Hall Master Qu!"

From a distance, the gang members of the Celestial Wolf Gang snapped to attention and rushed over to the middle-aged man's side. They quickly helped him to his feet and assessed his injuries.

Regaining his composure, the middle-aged man gave his subordinates a reassuring smile and waved them off, signaling that he was not seriously harmed.

"Mr. Que, are you hurt?"

Having dispatched all the Ghost Mastiffs, Jiaang Lin approached the middle-aged man with a warm, sunny smile. He respectfully offered the Great Ring Blade back to its owner, his youthful face beaming with friendliness.

"You... recognize me?"

Upon hearing Jiaang Lin's words, the middle-aged man looked at him with a mix of surprise and curiosity.