C4 Wind Wolf

Lee Yi was taken aback and swiftly directed his mana to his ears, listening intently. He could discern the rustling of the wind and the chirping of insects, yet none of the sounds suggested imminent danger.

"Let's tread lightly; there are other demonic beasts active nearby. If I'm not mistaken, there's a Nether Tiger and a Whistling Snake," Zhang Cheng whispered, "located to the southeast and northwest, respectively."

Lee Yi marveled inwardly at the man's profound strength, able to discern not only the type of demonic beasts but also their precise locations. It was almost beyond belief.

He considered himself no less capable than this man, relying chiefly on his formidable physical strength. However, when it came to mana, he had to admit he was somewhat outmatched.

The group moved stealthily, parting the underbrush as they made their way northeast.

After a wide detour, they reached the edge of a cliff.

The abyss was bottomless, the wind howling fiercely enough to sting their skin, carrying with it a faint stench of decay.

"The Wind Wolf's den is just below us. Though it's a youngling, it's no easy prey. We should draw it out first, then the rest of us can launch a surprise attack," Zhang Cheng suggested, scanning the area before fixing his gaze on Lee Yi. "You seem fearless. Are you up for the challenge?"

"I'll handle it," Wu Yue interjected before Lee Yi could respond, stepping forward with a shove. "This kid's all show and no substance. We can't afford to have him spook the beast and spoil everything."

Lee Yi silently scoffed at the comment, choosing to remain mute.

"Don't get cocky," Zhang Cheng cautioned. "The Wind Wolf is a far cry from the common demonic beasts we've faced. This is fraught with peril."

"Don't worry, I won't die," Wu Yue assured him, reaching into his garment to retrieve a talisman.

Lee Yi expected a Wind Talisman, but to his surprise, Wu Yue produced a complex, earthy-yellow talisman that seemed incredibly sturdy, unaffected by the raging winds.

"What is this? Some kind of unusual talisman?" Lee Yi wondered to himself.

Zhang Cheng's expression turned to one of astonishment as he blurted out, "An Earth Escape Talisman?! Where did you get that?"

"Earth Escape Talisman?" Lee Yi was momentarily startled. He didn't recognize the talisman, but he was well aware of its reputation. Rumored to be exceedingly fast, surpassing even the Wind Talisman, it was a coveted rarity, so challenging to craft that most had only heard of it but never actually seen it.

A hint of jealousy flickered in Bai Mujue's eyes.

Wu Yue boasted, "It was merely a stroke of luck, a long story I'll share with you later."

"Isn't it a waste to use such a precious talisman?" Zhang Cheng interjected.

"No treasure is worth more than the Wind Wolf. If not now, when?" Wu Yue replied with a smile, slapping the Earth Escape Talisman. The earth beneath his feet began to flow like a river, quickly cascading like a waterfall and whisking Wu Yue away to the bottom of the cliff.

"With the Earth Escape Talisman, he should be alright," Zhang Cheng said, his expression easing.

The trio concealed themselves in the nearby bushes, forming a triangular position, and waited for Wu Yue to draw the Wind Wolf out.

After a tense wait, just as they were growing impatient, a figure soared up from the cliff—it was Wu Yue. Zhang Cheng moved to assist him, but was met with a thunderous crash. Wu Yue hit the ground hard, motionless, his body a mangled, bloody mess.

Then, a fierce gale whipped up a blinding cloud of dust and sand. When it finally settled, they saw a monstrous creature beside Wu Yue's corpse.

The beast stood nine feet tall, with a body several yards long. Its mane danced in the wind, and its feet seemed to be wrapped in swirling vortexes, exuding a fearsome majesty. Its sharp eyes glinted with a savage brutality.

This beast was the Wind Wolf.

Zhang Cheng was stunned, unable to believe that Wu Yue, even with the Earth Escape Talisman, had been so easily slain by the Wind Wolf. For a moment, he was too shocked to react.

"Brother Wu..." Anger flared in Zhang Cheng's eyes. He and Wu Yue had been as close as brothers, and Wu Yue's death deeply shook him.

"This Wind Wolf is incredibly powerful. We've been too overconfident. We should retreat," Bai Mujue suggested, her strength superior to Wu Yue's, yet she doubted her ability to kill the beast so swiftly and began to consider withdrawing.

"No need," Zhang Cheng retorted icily. "You cover me. I'll confront this creature!"

Bai Mujue hesitated, her words unspoken.

One was gripped by fear, the other driven by rage, and neither noticed Lee Yi standing calmly to the side. Had they seen him, they would have found it odd that this young man, merely at the first level of Arcane Awakening, could remain so composed in the face of such peril.

Zhang Cheng leapt forward, landing just thirty feet from the Wind Wolf, and unleashed a Wind Talisman. A gust of wind enveloped him, causing his clothes to billow and rustle loudly.

"Even the Earth Escape Talisman is no match, what good is the Wind Talisman?" Bai Muxue stamped her foot in frustration.

Lee Yi was also puzzled. Zhang Cheng had reached the peak of the second level of Arcane Awakening. His mana was potent, yet if he was significantly slower than the Wind Wolf, he wouldn't stand a chance of even making contact, let alone defeating it.

Suddenly, Zhang Cheng's right sleeve puffed up, and a white light burst forth, hovering midair and spinning while emitting a humming sound. It was a pearl as white as snow and the size of a goose egg. The surrounding spiritual energy was drawn to it, swirling into a massive vortex that lifted the nearby grass and stones into the sky.

"This..." Bai Muxue was astounded, her face a picture of disbelief. "Is that the Chaos Pearl?!"

A realization dawned on Lee Yi. "No wonder he was so confident. He had this ace up his sleeve!"

Magic tools were categorized into four grades: Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow. To most, they were unattainable treasures. Even a Yellow-grade magic tool was prohibitively expensive, costing dozens or even hundreds of times more than talismans, and far more powerful.

The Chaos Pearl was a distinguished Yellow-grade magic tool, renowned for its power.

In an instant, a stone sphere several yards in diameter formed around the Chaos Pearl.

Zhang Cheng's complexion reddened, and sweat beaded on his forehead, clearly straining to wield the Chaos Pearl. With a loud cry, he sent the pearl hurtling towards the Wind Wolf.

Before the Wind Wolf could react, the stone sphere erupted in a flash of white light and shattered. The fragments enveloped the Wind Wolf like a barrage of blades, leaving it nowhere to hide. Almost simultaneously, the Chaos Pearl crashed down onto the Wind Wolf's head.

Just then, a towering column of wind surged from the top of the Wind Wolf's head, whipping up a storm of sand and stones, and uprooting the trees in its vicinity.

The Wind Wolf let out a roar and, in a flash, hurtled toward the Chaos Elemental Bead like a shooting star.

A thunderous explosion echoed as a fierce shockwave rippled through the air, knocking Zhang Cheng back several steps. He coughed up blood, and a cloud of dust obscured his vision.

Bai Mu Xue, her heart pounding with fear, breathed a sigh of relief and approached him, saying, "Senior Brother, you've finally avenged Junior Brother Wu. How could that wolf think its flesh and blood could stand against the Chaos Elemental Bead? It's utterly foolhardy!"

Zhang Cheng, seated on the ground, took a healing pill, and his complexion improved slightly. He too exhaled in relief and said, "That creature is formidable. I nearly fell for its ploy. Thankfully, it's not yet fully grown, and its power isn't fully developed, otherwise..."

He stopped mid-sentence, his face turning pale, "This is bad!"

"What happened?" Bai Mu Xue asked anxiously.

"Quick, we need to get out of here! I've lost my connection with the Chaos Elemental Bead..." Zhang Cheng called out in panic, "That beast isn't dead yet!"

Before he could finish, the dust in the sky parted as if by magic, revealing the young Wind Wolf. Despite the fresh wound on its head, it stood with an air of indomitable might, its eyes blazing with untamed ferocity.

Zhang Cheng and Bai Mu Xue were terrified to their core. They turned and fled, leaving Wu Yue's body behind without a second thought.

After they had covered some distance, they looked back and realized that Lee Yi had not followed. He remained where he was.

"What's that kid doing? Has he been paralyzed by fear?" Zhang Cheng wondered aloud.

Bai Mu Xue stamped her foot in frustration, "Forget about him! If he can buy us some time before his end, we might just make it!"

As the Wind Wolf soared through the air, lunging at Lee Yi, Zhang Cheng knew that Lee Yi's fate was sealed, and they had precious little time to spare.

"Let's go," Zhang Cheng said, and they turned to leave, hoping to escape while the Wind Wolf was preoccupied with Lee Yi.

But just then, they heard a pained howl.

"What?" Both spun around, startled.

To their amazement, Lee Yi was unharmed, while the Wind Wolf had retreated several yards, its gaze on Lee Yi now tinged with an inexplicable wariness.

"How could this be?" The two onlookers were speechless, their eyes wide with shock as if they were about to pop out of their heads.

The Wind Wolf had been a fearsome and unstoppable force when it attacked them moments ago. Yet, now it seemed to cower before Lee Yi as if a mouse had encountered a cat. It was baffling, considering that among their group of four, Lee Yi was the only one who hadn't advanced to the Second Level of the Arcane Awakening. He lacked any formidable talismans or magical artifacts, which made it inconceivable that he could stand a chance against the Wind Wolf.

Little did they know, Lee Yi's realm might have been low, but his mana was incredibly potent, and his physical strength rivaled that of a Half-Demon. In his recent exchange with the Wind Wolf, an unexpected punch had inflicted significant pain on the creature.

With a low growl, the Wind Wolf unleashed a powerful gust, vanishing from sight.

Hiss!

Suddenly, three gashes appeared on Lee Yi's chest, blood spraying outwards. The Wind Wolf, recognizing that Lee Yi was more formidable than anticipated, had decided to fight in earnest.

Hiss!

Three more slashes materialized on his back, staining his clothes with fresh blood.

Lee Yi furrowed his brow. The Wind Wolf's speed was too great; he couldn't even catch a glimpse of its shadow. Had his body not been so resilient, these wounds would have been more than superficial.

"I knew it. How could that kid possibly stand a chance against the Wind Wolf?" From a distance, Zhang Cheng breathed a sigh of relief. It would have been a disgrace if Lee Yi had managed to defeat the Wind Wolf, especially after his own hasty retreat.

Bai Mujue nodded in agreement. "It looks like he's aware he can't escape, so he's resolved to fight to the death. But that's just delusional. The Wind Wolf seems to be toying with him, without any immediate intention of delivering a killing blow."

However, just then, Lee Yi activated the Demon Refining Art, and the aura emanating from his body subtly shifted. This change was inconsequential to humans, but to the Demon Race, it was the scent of death.

It's important to remember that during the golden age of the Demon Race in ancient times, the Demon Refining Art was conceived specifically to counter them. Even after tens of thousands of years, the bloodline of the Demon Race still carried an innate fear of this terrifying power.

As the aura radiated outwards, enveloping Lee Yi, he simply extended his palm in a slow, deliberate motion. In stark contrast to the Wind Wolf's elusive speed, his attack was slower than that of a snail.

Yet with a single palm strike, a blurry figure flickered rapidly before finally solidifying, pinned down by Lee Yi's forceful grip, rendered immobile.

It was the young Wind Wolf!

"How... How can this be?" Zhang Cheng and his companion stood there, their eyes wide and jaws dropped in sheer disbelief. Their faces were the very picture of astonishment, a sight less likely than witnessing the sun rise from the west.

How could the Wind Wolf, known for its incredible speed, be immobilized by a mere palm strike from Lee Yi?