C3 Grayback Wild Boar

Yang Ying had barely covered a mile when he spotted a Gray-back Wild Boar foraging on the ground ahead. This beast was significantly larger than the two demonic creatures he had previously encountered, its formidable fangs glinting in the sunlight.

With a gulp, Yang Ying cautiously drew his long sword and edged closer. The wild boar, sensing his presence, scraped its hind hooves against the earth before charging at him with surprising speed.

Yang Ying braced himself, crouching low as the boar's massive form loomed larger in his vision. At the last second, he sidestepped deftly to the left and unleashed the Splitting Spell, his sword slicing downward in a swift arc.

The boar wheeled around, blood now oozing from its flank, its eyes locked on Yang Ying with renewed ferocity. It lunged again, but Yang Ying was ready. He sidestepped once more, his sword arcing upward, and blood spurted from the wound.

As he suspected, the boar's underbelly was its weak point.

Undeterred, the boar charged yet again. Yang Ying dodged to the right, his sword hand delivering a powerful blow to the creature's exposed abdomen. A gash opened, blood pouring forth, the pain enraging the boar further. It spun around, barreling towards Yang Ying with relentless force.

Yang Ying narrowly avoided another collision. The boar reared its head, its fangs gleaming dangerously as they thrust at him. It was too late to dodge; in a split second, Yang Ying pivoted, channeling all his True Qi into his blade, and thrust at the boar's skull.

The blade found its mark, eliciting two agonized screams from the beast before it attempted another attack with its deadly tusks. Yang Ying, focusing his True Qi, constricted the muscles around the wound on his left hand to slow the bleeding. Sword in hand, he continued his assault on the Gray-back Wild Boar's head.

"Ding! Congratulations on slaying a Level 1 demonic beast, the Gray-back Wild Boar. You have earned 10 points of Origin Strength."

"At last, it's dead!" Yang Ying exclaimed, ripping open his left sleeve to reveal a wound oozing blood.

He quickly retrieved some healing medicine from his backpack and sprinkled it over the injury. Gritting his teeth, he tore a strip of cloth from his garment and tightly bandaged the wound.

With his injury tended to, he removed the two fangs from the Gray-back Wild Boar. Sword in hand, he proceeded to walk several hundred meters.

Upon discovering a tree nearby, he meticulously inspected the vicinity, finding no trace of demonic beast presence. Leaning against the tree, he sat down to regulate his breathing.

After a considerable time, feeling sufficiently recuperated, Yang Ying pulled out some dry food from his pack and began to eat.

"The flavor's not great, but it'll do," he muttered, washing down the food with water while mentally revisiting the morning's skirmish.

His fighting technique needed refinement. He resolved to consult the demonic beast illustrated handbook again. By reflecting on the combat intricacies post-battle, he could pinpoint each demonic beast's vulnerabilities.

He also recognized the need to master new footwork techniques; without them, dodging demonic beasts, especially the swift ones, could spell doom.

Having finished his meal, Yang Ying resumed his journey, sticking close to the road's edge.

Suddenly, he spotted a Gray-back Wild Boar ahead, accompanied by a smaller one—perhaps its kin. "Looks like it's time for a family reunion," he mused.

With that thought, Yang Ying advanced toward the boars. The larger one had already taken notice of him.

After a few warning snorts to the smaller boar, which then retreated into the underbrush, the larger Gray-back Wild Boar charged at Yang Ying. He stood his ground, and in an instant, the boar was upon him.

Yang Ying's figure flickered as he channeled his True Qi into his sword, thrusting it straight toward the eyes of the Gray-back Wild Boar.

A pained squeal filled the air as the boar's left eye was grievously wounded. Writhing in agony, the creature spun and charged at Yang Ying once more.

With sword in hand, Yang Ying sidestepped to the left, his blade striking at the boar again.

Blinded in one eye, the Gray-back Wild Boar couldn't make out Yang Ying's position.

Seizing the moment, Yang Ying drove his sword into the boar's skull. A twist of the blade, and the Gray-back Wild Boar fell, life extinguished in an instant.

"Ding! Congratulations to the host for slaying a first-level demonic beast, the Gray-back Wild Boar, and earning 10 points of Origin Strength."

Yang Ying sliced off two tusks and headed toward the area where the young Gray-back Wild Boar was last seen.

Behind a cluster of trees, he spotted the juvenile hiding in its den. True to form, he dispatched it and claimed its smaller tusks.

"Ding! Congratulations to the Host for slaying a first-level demonic beast, the Gray-back Wild Boar, and earning ten points of Origin Strength."

"Ding! Congratulations to the Host for fulfilling the upgrade requirements. Would you like to level up?"

"Upgrade!"

Yang Ying summoned the system interface from the void.

Name: Yang Ying

Identity: Outer Sect Disciple of the Green Cloud Sect

Qualification: Red Level

Level: Third level of Qi Refining

Cultivation Techniques: Profound Essence Spell (Initial success), Basic Sword Arts (Initial success)

Origin Strength: 0

Origin Strength needed for next level-up: 0/100.

Finally reaching the Third level of Qi Refining, he couldn't help but feel a sense of hard-won achievement.

Noticing the day was still young, Yang Ying resumed his hunt for demonic beasts on the outskirts of the Back Mountain. Near the Gray-back Wild Boar's lair, he stumbled upon a Heaven Herb.

He approached cautiously, retrieving a box from his backpack to secure the Heaven Herb inside.

"I've heard that top-tier spiritual medicines require special jade boxes to maintain their potency. When will I come across such high-grade spiritual medicine, I wonder?"

Yang Ying chuckled at himself, rising to his feet and moving forward.

He wondered if his earlier luck had run dry, as he had spent a full hour searching without any sign of a demonic beast. Internally, he assessed his capabilities, confident that his Third level of Qi Refining should suffice to handle a demonic beast at the Second level of Qi Refining.

Venturing deeper, Yang Ying then circled back towards the periphery, continuing his search for an exit. An hour later, he spotted a Bull Demon. It loomed over three meters in length, its entire form shrouded in black, with horns that gleamed like polished metal.

This was a Second level Bull Demon. Yang Ying quietly reviewed what he remembered from the Demonic Beast Graphic Book about the creature. Known for its immense strength, the Bull Demon's black body and long, razor-sharp horns made it a formidable opponent.

Yang Ying advanced a few steps, and the Bull Demon, alerted by the noise, lifted its head. Its bovine eyes locked onto Yang Ying, who drew his sword in response.

With a sudden burst of speed, the Bull Demon charged. Yang Ying channeled his True Qi and delivered a powerful slash to the creature's legs.

The battle was fierce but brief; the Bull Demon's forelimbs couldn't endure the sword's relentless assault and it collapsed onto the ground.

Seizing the moment, Yang Ying pressed his attack. The Bull Demon, in a desperate attempt, thrashed its head, aiming to gore Yang Ying with its horns. But with its legs wounded, it couldn't stand, and Yang Ying nimbly dodged the attack.

Yang Ying then swiftly followed through, delivering the final blow to the Bull Demon.

"Ding! Congratulations to the host for slaying the level 2 demonic beast, the Bull Demon. You have been awarded 20 points of Origin Strength."