Early the next morning, as the sky was just beginning to brighten, Yan Hu and Su Qing packed their things and set off on the road leading deep into the mountains near the outskirts.
Yan Zu stood at the courtyard gate, watching his parents’ figures gradually disappear into the morning mist.
Though worry lingered in his heart, he understood that this was a risk his parents were taking for him.
He could only hope they would both return safely.
For the next three days, Yan Zu continued his regular routine.
During the day, he practiced the lightness skills and basic sword techniques from the Nine Yin Manual, occasionally going to the back mountain to gather herbs.
He used the vitality nourished by the Qilin Phantom, preparing them for when his parents returned.
At night, he entered the spiritual world to communicate with the Qilin and the Xuanyuan Sword Phantom, familiarizing himself with the characteristics of these two great spirits.
Meanwhile, deep in the mountains near the outskirts, a fierce battle was underway.
Yan Hu and his wife were currently trapped under an ancient tree by a massive Wind Wolf.
The Wind Wolf’s body was a grayish-black, its fur thick and fluffy.
A pair of green eyes gleamed with a bloodthirsty light, drool dripping from its mouth.
The soul power emanating from it had actually reached the four-hundred-year level!
“Damn it, how did we run into a four-hundred-year Wind Wolf!” Yan Hu gripped his iron axe, his expression grave.
He and Su Qing had originally come to hunt a spirit beast around three hundred years old, but they hadn’t expected to encounter this Wind Wolf mid-journey.
What surprised them even more was that the Wind Wolf was chasing a little girl.
The little girl was about six years old, dressed in tattered clothes and covered in wounds.
Her originally pink skirt was torn to shreds, stained with mud and blood.
There were several deep claw marks on her body, making her look especially pitiful.
She huddled under the ancient tree, her eyes filled with fear, yet she stubbornly pressed her lips together, refusing to cry.
“Husband, save her first!” Su Qing made a quick decision.
She could tell this little girl was no ordinary child; there was a faint pulse of soul power about her—she was actually a Soul Master too.
As fellow Soul Masters, they couldn’t just stand by and watch her die.
Yan Hu had already been thinking the same.
Hearing Su Qing’s words, he immediately nodded.
“Alright!” He swung his iron axe, and three spirit rings—white, yellow, yellow—instantly rose from his feet.
Without hesitation, he activated his third soul skill, “Immovable Vajra”!
An earthy yellow light enveloped his entire body.
Yan Hu’s muscles instantly bulged, his skin taking on a metallic sheen.
He looked like a Vajra Arhat, his aura soaring abruptly.
With a furious roar, he brought his iron axe down with a whistling sound, aiming for the Wind Wolf’s head!
The Wind Wolf reacted swiftly, dodging the attack with a flash of its body.
Its sharp claws, gleaming coldly, shot toward Yan Hu’s chest.
A crisp clang rang out as the claws struck Yan Hu’s chest, sending sparks flying but leaving only a shallow white scratch.
“Such tough skin!” The Wind Wolf’s eyes flashed with a human-like surprise before turning even more ferocious.
It knew this human wasn’t easy to deal with, so it turned and lunged toward Su Qing instead, aiming to take out this support Soul Master first. New chapters come out on g.com first.
“Don’t even think about it!” Su Qing was prepared.
She instantly released her Green Sprout Martial Soul, a pale green light enveloping both Yan Hu and herself.
Her first soul skill, “Green Sprout Revival,” activated, rapidly healing Yan Hu’s minor injuries and replenishing his soul power.
At the same time, her second soul skill, “Green Sprout Entanglement,” activated.
Several emerald-green vines emerged from the ground, winding toward the Wind Wolf’s limbs.
The Wind Wolf roared, its body struggling violently.
The vines snapped instantly, but they bought Yan Hu precious time.
Seizing the opportunity, Yan Hu closed in, swinging his iron axe with fierce momentum.
Axe gleams continuously slashed toward the Wind Wolf, forcing it to retreat repeatedly.
Man and wolf tangled in fierce combat, locked in a stalemate for the moment.
Yan Hu’s iron axe was immensely powerful, and coupled with the defense of the Immovable Vajra, the Wind Wolf found it difficult to injure him.
However, the Wind Wolf was extremely fast and far more agile than Yan Hu, making it no easy task to deal it a serious blow.
Su Qing continuously released supportive soul skills from the side, providing assistance to Yan Hu while also keeping an eye on the little girl nearby, guarding against any sudden ambush from the Wind Wolf.
The battle lasted for half an hour.
Fine beads of sweat had formed on Yan Hu’s temples, and his soul power had been significantly depleted.
The Wind Wolf wasn’t faring well either; it had been struck several times by the iron axe, with wounds deep enough to reveal bone.
Its fur was stained red with blood, yet it refused to retreat, its eyes growing even more ferocious.
“Wife, I’ll hold it off. You take the chance to escape with the little girl!” Yan Hu panted.
He knew that dragging this out further would be disadvantageous for them.
A four-hundred-year Wind Wolf possessed immense endurance, while his own soul power was nearly exhausted.
“No, if I leave, what about you?” Su Qing shook her head.
“Let’s go together!”
Just then, the Wind Wolf seized an opening and lunged at Yan Hu’s exposed flank, its sharp fangs aiming for his neck.
Caught off guard, Yan Hu could only barely twist aside.
The Wind Wolf’s teeth sank deeply into his shoulder, and blood instantly gushed forth.
“Husband!” Su Qing cried out in alarm, her eyes filled with anxiety.
Yan Hu grunted, enduring the intense pain.
He swung his axe backhanded, striking the Wind Wolf on its back and sending it flying.
However, he himself staggered back several steps, his face pale.
The wound on his shoulder was bone-deep, and the fluctuations of his soul power became chaotic.
The Wind Wolf climbed back to its feet, shook its head, a flicker of triumph flashing in its eyes, and lunged at Yan Hu once more.
“Oh no!” Su Qing’s heart tightened.
She wanted to release a soul skill to block it but found her own soul power was also nearly depleted.
At this critical moment, Yan Hu suddenly remembered the Healing Pill his son had given him. New chapters come out on g.com first.
Without hesitation, he pulled a porcelain bottle from his robe, poured out a red pill, and shoved it into his mouth.
The pill dissolved instantly upon contact, a surge of pure energy flooding through his limbs and bones.
The intense pain in his shoulder lessened significantly, his chaotic soul power quickly stabilized, and it even felt more abundant than before!
“This pill is truly miraculous!” Yan Hu was both shocked and overjoyed.
He could feel his injuries healing rapidly, and his soul power had recovered by seventy percent.
He once again activated the Immovable Vajra.
The glow on his iron axe grew denser as he swung it toward the charging Wind Wolf once more!
The Wind Wolf hadn’t expected Yan Hu’s injuries to recover so quickly.
Caught unprepared, it took a solid blow from the iron axe to its head.
With a mournful “Awoo!”, a deep gash split the Wind Wolf’s skull.
Blood and brain matter mixed as they flowed out.
Its massive body crashed heavily to the ground, twitched a few times, and then lay still.
Panting heavily, Yan Hu looked at the fallen Wind Wolf and finally let out a sigh of relief.
Su Qing quickly ran to his side, supporting his arm, her eyes full of lingering fear.
“Husband, are you alright?”
“It’s fine, thanks to the Healing Pill A’zu gave me.” Yan Hu shook his head, turning his gaze to the little girl nearby.
“Little girl, are you alright?”
The little girl stepped out from behind the tree, timidly looking at them.
Wariness still lingered in her eyes, but it was overshadowed by the relief of having survived a near-death experience.
Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but due to her weakness, no sound came out.
Her body swayed, and she began to collapse to the side.
“Careful!” Su Qing quickly stepped forward, catching the little girl and realizing she had already fainted.
She checked the girl’s breathing and examined her injuries, her expression turning grave.
“She’s badly injured, and her soul power is completely depleted. If she doesn’t receive treatment soon, she might not last much longer.”
Yan Hu nodded.
“Give her one of the Healing Pills A’zu gave us. Let’s take her back to the village first and figure things out from there.”
Su Qing had no objections.
She first gave the little girl a Healing Pill, and the girl’s breathing immediately stabilized.
Then, she picked the girl up, while Yan Hu shouldered the Wind Wolf’s corpse.
The two of them hurried toward the direction of Five Soul Village.
The Wind Wolf’s corpse was a considerable fortune.
The fur, fangs, and bones of a four-hundred-year Wind Wolf were all valuable materials for Soul Masters, enough to cover the cost of the Awakening Stone and Yan Zu’s school fees.
The sun set in the west, casting golden twilight across the mountains and forests, stretching their shadows long.
Su Qing carefully held the little girl, continuously nourishing her with the vitality of her Green Sprout Martial Soul.
Yan Hu walked ahead, clearing the path and vigilantly observing their surroundings to prevent any other spirit beasts from appearing.