C7 Fifth Level Pulse Opening Stage
In the secluded reaches of Ink Bamboo Peak's back mountain, a shadow darted through the dense forest at a blur of speed, barely perceptible to the human eye. Abruptly, the shadow halted, revealing the visage of a striking young man, about fifteen or sixteen years of age—Yang Fann. Twenty days of relentless combat in the wilderness had stripped away the timidity typical of youth, leaving in its wake a newfound maturity and composure.
Without warning, Yang Fann's brows, sharp as drawn swords, lifted; his gaze fixed intently on a clearing ahead. The space was modest, merely a hundred feet across, dotted with a smattering of leaves—nothing ostensibly remarkable. At the center stood a massive boulder, yet nothing about it seemed amiss. Still, an inexplicable sense of danger gnawed at Yang Fann, compelling him to halt his advance and brace for the unknown.
In that breathless moment, a fearsome roar shattered the silence, echoing in all directions. A head emerged from behind the boulder—pitch black, with two enormous eyes that nearly consumed its face, gleaming with a ravenous light. Its maw was a portrait of savagery, teeth razor-sharp, with two tusks jutting three inches long, and a tongue that flicked menacingly, snake-like.
The fearsome Exotic Beast revealed itself at last: a sleek, muscular creature cloaked in lustrous black fur, sporting a half-meter leopard tail that swished with nonchalance. "This is a high-grade fifth-level Exotic Beast—the Bloodthirsty Panther!" Yang Fann's heart clenched. Exotic Beasts were known to surpass martial artists of equivalent rank, and among fifth-level beasts, the Bloodthirsty Panther was a formidable adversary. Even Sixth Empyrean martial artists would quail at its presence, a true sovereign among the myriad beasts of the back mountain.
A flicker of confusion crossed Yang Fann's face. Exotic Beasts were territorial by nature. Here, on the fringes of the back mountain, where only first and second-level beasts roamed, a fifth-level colossus like the Bloodthirsty Panther had no place.
The Panther growled again, its bloodthirsty gaze locking onto Yang Fann with a chilling ferocity. It held back its assault, still gauging the young man's prowess.
Unlike mere wild beasts, this creature possessed a cunning intelligence, rivaling that of humans in some of the more formidable Exotic Beasts.
Yang Fann understood the stakes: a single step backward would unleash the Panther's tempestuous fury upon him. Was he to be bested by a mere beast? The path of martial arts was strewn with hardship; retreat was not an option.
He chose to stand and fight.
A torrent of fierce battle spirit erupted from within Yang Fann, a hurricane unleashed. Sand and stones whirled in the tempest as his aura soared, his stature seeming to grow inches taller, an embodiment of a Warlord descending upon the earth, his gaze as profound as the ocean depths.
Provoked by Yang Fann's defiance, the Bloodthirsty Panther's observation turned to outrage. It roared in fury, its powerful limbs propelling its robust frame forward with lightning speed, lunging at Yang Fann.
With a glint in his eye and a swift pivot of his waist, Yang Fann deftly sidestepped, evading the impending strike.
At that very moment, the Bloodthirsty Panther's agile tail whipped around, and its previously missed body eerily spun mid-air, launching another ferocious attack at Yang Fann!
"Not good!"
Yang Fann's face paled as he realized it was too late to dodge. His only option was to summon the Spiritual Energy within him to withstand the Bloodthirsty Panther's fearsome claw!
Their fist and claw met with a thunderous impact, sending Yang Fann stumbling back over ten steps before he could steady himself. The Bloodthirsty Panther, in contrast, only retreated slightly. Clearly, Yang Fann was at a disadvantage.
"I've underestimated you!" Yang Fann shook his right arm, his face etched with a gravity he'd never felt before. He had indeed misjudged the Bloodthirsty Panther. Despite its Fourth Layer cultivation, its bloodline had ascended to rank 8. Its strength was so formidable it surpassed many Sixth Empyrean martial artists.
The Bloodthirsty Panther let out a roar that split the air like a stone shattering the heavens, leaving a resounding echo in one's ears.
With its eyes blazing with renewed ferocity after the roar, the Bloodthirsty Panther sprang toward Yang Fann once more, now aware of his approximate strength from their brief skirmish.
"Do you really think you've got me cornered?!" A flash of indignation crossed Yang Fann's face as he bellowed, channeling all his Spiritual Energy into his right fist. He charged forward, not back, hurtling toward the Bloodthirsty Panther with crushing force!
The previous exchange may have left him at a disadvantage, but it didn't mean he was weaker than the beast. Besides, he had yet to deploy his martial skills!
Yang Fann unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks, his raw power stirring up a maelstrom of sand and stones. The air roared as pebbles were flung in all directions, and the mighty ancient trees around them had their branches snapped by the sheer force, scattering wood chips and leaves far and wide.
"Take another punch from me!"
His arms vibrated numbly, blood occasionally dripping from his clenched fists. Though powerful, Yang Fann's strength still fell short of the Bloodthirsty Panther's. Yet, he seemed oblivious to the pain, his eyes alight with a wild excitement. In this moment, his fervor for martial arts burned brighter than ever; he would brave any peril to grow stronger.
A sudden jolt of clarity struck Yang Fann, propelling him into an extraordinary state. The Wild Bull Pulse Opening Fist flowed instinctively from his mind, morphing with each movement.
Wild Bull Stomping on the Ground!
Demon Bull Emerges!
Demon Bull Against the Tree!
Now I see. Your end has come, Bloodthirsty Panther!
The punch that followed filled the beast's savage eyes with terror. It tried to evade, but it was as if it had been frozen in place, forced to watch helplessly as the fatal blow descended upon its skull.
The Bloodthirsty Panther's head burst open like a watermelon, splattering blood and brains in a gruesome display.
In a moment of profound enlightenment, Yang Fann fully grasped the essence of the Wild Bull Pulse Opening Fist. His technique, already at the Great Perfection Stage, ascended even further, reaching the pinnacle of Great Perfection.
Yang Fann gasped for air, his face betraying an unmistakable weariness. This fight had been his most perilous since his transformation, draining nearly all his inner force, particularly the last punch, which consumed nearly half of it in one go!
It was precisely this effort that allowed him to pulverize the skull of the Bloodthirsty Panther. The hide of a fifth-level Exotic Beast was as tough as iron armor, with its skull being the hardest part. Without Yang Fann's might, such a feat would be impossible for anyone else.
The next moment brought a hint of a satisfied smile to Yang Fann's lips. In the face of danger, he found opportunity. The battle was fraught with risk, yet the rewards were immense. He not only reinforced his martial spirit but also achieved enlightenment in the Wild Bull Pulse Opening Fist, perfecting the technique to the Great Perfection Stage. This breakthrough more than doubled his combat strength. Moreover, the Bloodthirsty Panther was no ordinary creature; as a fifth-level Upper Rank Exotic Beast, its Blood Essence was extraordinarily potent, far surpassing that of lower-level beasts.
Yang Fann placed his hands on the Panther, invoking the Heaven and Earth Devouring Method. The Devouring Qi swiftly enveloped the beast. Twenty days later, his mastery of the technique had markedly improved.
In an instant, a surge of supremely pure bloodline energy flowed from his hands into his body. Within a single breath, his once depleted Heavenly Meridian was rejuvenated, his vital energy roaring and surging like a tidal wave against the blockages in his forty-nine Heavenly Meridians.
From the first level to the ninth.
Yang Fann's inner force roiled within him, causing the Bloodthirsty Panther to wither rapidly, its body desiccated in mere moments.
Yang Fann let out a triumphant roar!
