C18 The Wisdom of the Demon Beast

Upon entering Silverflow Canyon, the once prevalent Cloud Leopards near the valley's mouth were nowhere to be seen.

Zhang Heng, guided by landmarks recorded on a black wooden token, made his way toward the nearest territory of the Swift Shadow Demon Wolves.

Throughout his journey, he encountered first-level Qi Refining Demon Beasts, all of which were no match for him. With his Overlord Spear in hand, he cut a swath through them with ease.

Upon reaching the fringe of the Swift Shadow Demon Wolf territory, Zhang Heng slowed his pace and became vigilant, scrutinizing his surroundings. At the slightest rustle or movement, he would halt and only proceed once he had ascertained the cause.

The intelligence on the black wooden token had warned him: Swift Shadow Demon Wolves lived in groups, sometimes numbering in the thousands.

These wolves were not only keen of hearing and sight but also possessed a sense of smell far superior to humans. They were sly creatures, known for setting traps at the outskirts of their domain to ensnare unsuspecting human braves.

Once their prey was surrounded, they would capitalize on their numerical superiority to overwhelm and slaughter the human braves.

Facing such deceitful beasts, renowned for their wind-like speed which far surpassed that of ordinary first-level Qi Refining human braves, meant a human brave could only fight to the death.

Zhang Heng, confident in his combat prowess and unbeatable against any foe below the second level of Qi Refining, couldn't help but worry about the wolves' relentless group tactics.

He could easily dispatch a handful of wolves, but if faced with hundreds, the prospect of escape would become a pressing concern.

Yet, reality proved to be unforgiving.

No matter how cautious Zhang Heng was, he inadvertently fell into the Swift Shadow Demon Wolves' trap.

Initially, he encountered a single Swift Shadow Demon Wolf at the mid-stage of first-level Qi Refining.

Zhang Heng swiftly raised his spear and thrust it forward, aiming for a quick and decisive victory. In a flash, he ended the life of his adversary, extracted the Demon Crystal, and immediately made his escape.

To Zhang Heng's surprise, his Overlord Spear, dark and menacing, had barely reached the apex of its arc above the mid-stage Qi Refining demonic wolf's head when a blurred figure, swift as the wind, interposed itself, its claws striking out to meet the spear's tip. A piercing clang echoed through the air.

The figure, having shielded the demonic wolf from Zhang Heng's Overlord Spear, was propelled away by the overpowering force of the blow. It executed an agile somersault mid-flight and landed gracefully in a field of wild grass some thirty feet distant, seemingly unscathed.

It was then that Zhang Heng got a clear view of his adversary: another Swift Shadow Demon Wolf. Remarkably, this creature's cultivation matched Zhang Heng's, both at the pinnacle of the first Qi Refining level. The Swift Shadow Demon Wolf, maintaining a cautious distance, fixed its almond-yellow eyes on Zhang Heng with an expression of sly ferocity.

Its fur, a deep shade of green, blended seamlessly with the foliage, a perfect camouflage. When it lunged at full speed, it became one with its environment, leaving only an indistinct figure in its wake—the very trait that earned the Swift Shadow Demon Wolf its name.

Observing the wolf's formidable stature, Zhang Heng found himself momentarily distracted. Along the creature's limbs and spine ran a row of pale, curved spines, each one a testament to its savage might, surpassing even the Wind Lightning Demon Tiger Zhang Heng had previously encountered.

Zhang Heng had not exerted his full strength in his initial attack, yet he had deployed a significant portion—about thirty percent. To his astonishment, the wolf appeared unharmed by the impact. This realization forced Zhang Heng to reconsider the combat prowess of the Swift Shadow Demon Wolves.

He was confident that his earlier strike would have been sufficient to defeat Luo Zhongkun at his peak first-level Qi Refining stage. If this wolf could withstand his blow, could it not also surpass a minor level and defeat Luo Zhongkun, hailed as a prodigy?

Lost in his contemplation, Zhang Heng was abruptly brought back to the present by the sound of rustling vegetation all around him.

Suddenly, the sound of rustling vegetation filled the air. Zhang Heng looked up to see three Swift Shadow Demon Wolves emerging from the dense shrubbery beside the two he had initially spotted. Each wolf had attained the peak of the first Qi Refining level. The one in the middle had even surpassed Zhang Heng, achieving Perfection in the first Qi Refining level.

Zhang Heng squinted his eyes in confusion. "What's happening here?"

"The Darkwood Plaque's intelligence indicates that the highest level a Swift Shadow Demon Wolf can reach is the first level of Qi Refining. That means Perfection is the absolute limit for their realm," he recalled.

"Does that mean this Swift Shadow Demon Wolf before me represents the pinnacle of their kind?" Zhang Heng couldn't believe his eyes as he stared at the wolf ten yards away. He muttered to himself, "Is this incredible luck or a terrible misfortune? Have I just entered the edge of the Swift Shadow Demon Wolves' territory and stumbled upon the Wolf King on patrol?"

No sooner had he spoken than he heard more rustling sounds from behind and to both sides. Turning around, Zhang Heng immediately knew his luck had turned sour. In just a moment, he watched as the verdant grass parted to reveal more greenish-blue Swift Shadow Demon Wolves, stepping out with a graceful gait.

A quick count revealed nearly seventeen Swift Shadow Demon Wolves surrounding him. And from the distant, peculiar rustling noises, it seemed as though even more were continuously arriving.

What baffled him most was that the Darkwood Plaque had clearly stated the highest realm of a Swift Shadow Demon Wolf was only Perfection in the first level of Qi Refining. Yet, with just a brief glance over his shoulder, Zhang Heng had spotted at least five wolves that had reached that very state.

Two Umbra Shadow Wolves stood out among the pack, their formidable and fierce forms clearly surpassing those of the other demonic wolves around them. Their presence was deeper and more obscure than that of the five wolves at the peak of Qi Refining Perfection, indicating a significant disparity in strength between them. It was evident that these two wolves were not merely at the Perfection stage of Qi Refining Stage One.

Zhang Heng was almost certain that they had transcended the first stage of Qi Refining and ascended to the second stage. He just wasn't sure exactly which sub-level they had reached within that stage.

"Fairy tales are often said to be deceptive, and now it seems intelligence reports can be just as misleading," he mused.

Clutching the ebony waist tag in his hand, Zhang Heng was so frustrated he felt like crushing it to pieces. However, considering he still needed it to navigate around the Shadow Wolves' territory, he reluctantly refrained from doing so.

More and more Shadow Wolves were converging from behind and the sides. Even at a distance of over a hundred yards, he could already smell the pungent scent of the beasts, which was growing stronger as the pack approached.

"These creatures are indeed bloodthirsty fiends that devour their prey whole," he thought grimly.

"It seems I must adopt the strategy of a tactical retreat this time."

"With such a large number of Shadow Wolves behind and beside me, do I dare attempt a breakthrough ahead?"

"But that would mean venturing deeper into the wolves' domain. Advancing seems akin to delivering myself to them."

As Zhang Heng contemplated his next move, the wolves continued their relentless advance. In just moments, they had closed the gap to a mere fifty yards.

If he didn't act soon, he would likely become their next meal.

"If it's my time to die, then so be it! I'll just have to play it by ear," Zhang Heng muttered resolutely, charging forward.

Only five wolves stood ten yards ahead, one of which had reached the peak of Qi Refining Stage One. Confident in his ability to break through, he prepared to make his move.

"I'll worry about leaving the Swift Shadow Demonic Wolf territory once I'm out of this predicament," he resolved.

"These Swift Shadow Demonic Wolves are quite peculiar; it's best to avoid tangling with them in the future."

With that, Zhang Heng summoned all the Yuan Qi within him and surged ahead. Gripping the Overlord Spear tightly, he channeled a torrent of Yuan Qi from his dantian into the weapon's tip, ready for the confrontation ahead.

As the sounds of dragons roaring and tigers howling filled the air, Zhang Heng thrust his spear directly at the pack of five demonic wolves in front of him, aiming for the Swift Shadow Demonic Wolf at the Perfection level of Qi Refining.

The wolf, seemingly enraged by Zhang Heng's bold move, let out a deep growl and sprang forward, swiping its front claw toward Zhang Heng's Overlord Spear. The dark spearhead clashed with the wolf's claw, emitting a piercing, metallic ring.

The demonic wolf had mustered all its strength to fend off the formidable strike from Zhang Heng's Overlord Spear, only to find, to its surprise, that the force transferred to its claw was unexpectedly light.

In that instant, the wolf realized that the young man had used the force of the spear pressing down on its claw to propel himself upward. Like a resplendent meteor, he soared over the heads of its four companions and landed gracefully atop a towering ancient tree some thirty meters away.

The first-grade Qi Refining Demonic Wolf was clearly taken aback by Zhang Heng's dazzling maneuver, staring in bewilderment. The other four demonic wolves cocked their heads, their eyes clouded with confusion, as they watched Zhang Heng suddenly appear atop the distant ancient tree, leaving them utterly perplexed.

Zhang Heng, feeling a wave of relief wash over him as his escape plan unfolded more smoothly than he had anticipated, was already thinking about how he would soon shake off the wolf pack. But in that moment, he heard all five demonic wolves howl in unison, an ominous sound that sent a shiver down his spine.

Before he could make sense of the situation, a thunderous boom erupted from beneath his feet, causing the ancient tree to shake violently. "What's going on? An earthquake?" he wondered, a sense of dread creeping in.

As confusion reigned, another explosive crash struck the trunk of the ancient tree where Zhang Heng stood. A resounding crack signaled the tree's demise as it was snapped in half.

Perched atop the now swaying tree, Zhang Heng felt as though he was on a small boat caught in a tempest, the ground heaving beneath him, his world spinning uncontrollably. He quickly regained his composure and leaped down, only to spot a cyan-colored demonic wolf waiting below.

Zhang Heng barely managed to stabilize himself before leaping down, only to see a grim, cyan-colored demonic wolf standing beneath the tree. The beast's body was more massive than two oxen combined, and at that moment, it was vigorously shaking its enormous head as if trying to shake off all the dizziness within.

Clearly, it was this very demonic wolf that had used sheer brute force to snap the towering tree Zhang Heng had been standing on—a tree so thick it would take two people to encircle it with their arms. This feat was vastly different from Zhang Heng's own ability to pierce through a giant tree with his spear, an ability enhanced by his mastery of a secret technique.

"The Darkwood Tablet described the Swift Shadow Demonic Wolf as having a copper head, iron bones, and a tofu waist. I never imagined its head would actually be this hard. Damn it, the good stuff never works, and the bad stuff always does!" Zhang Heng cursed under his breath.

"I must be cursed to have believed such nonsense!" he muttered to himself.

Realizing that the demonic wolf had now regained its composure and was fixing its gaze on him, Zhang Heng continued to mutter curses as he turned to leave. His expression shifted subtly as he surveyed his surroundings.

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