’She... she really is calm!’
’That’s Sister Sha for you!’
Li Heng snapped back to his senses. Seeing the Blood Wolves and wild wolves that had him completely surrounded, he gave a wry smile and shook his head. He prepared to pull out his Teleportation Talisman and get out of there.
Just as Li Heng’s left hand began to move, a strong scent of blood suddenly hit him.
This scent was different from the simple, metallic smell of blood he was used to from killing wild wolves. It gave Li Heng a different sensation—one he couldn’t quite describe, but he didn’t find it unpleasant.
At the same time, Li Heng noticed that while the pack had him surrounded, not a single wolf showed any intention of attacking. None were even baring their teeth at him. So, he just kept the Teleportation Talisman clutched in his hand, not yet tearing it.
AWOOO—
Accompanied by a piercing howl, the wild wolves and Blood Wolves surrounding Li Heng suddenly bowed, prostrating themselves and lowering their heads.
Seeing the pack’s strange behavior but still no sign of an attack, Li Heng decided to play it safe and held off on tearing the Teleportation Talisman.
The scent of blood grew thicker. Li Heng looked toward its source.
A Blood Wolf, its body drenched in blood and its head and abdomen covered in claw and bite marks, appeared directly in front of Li Heng, slowly emerging from the ranks of the pack.
Blood Wolf King: Grievously Injured
Level: 18
Rank: Tier One High-Grade Soul Beast
Strength: 12 (-10)
Agility: 9 (-10)
Spirit: 7 (-10)
Soul Energy: 180
Soul Energy Skills: Blood Rip, Call of the Pack (Inactive), Bloodfang Shatter
’A grievously injured Wolf King!’
’Even grievously injured, its stats are almost on par with mine when I’m fully equipped!’
’And it has three Soul Energy Skills!’
The atmosphere grew strange with the Blood Wolf King’s appearance.
All the other wolves kept their heads low. Only the grievously injured Blood Wolf King, despite blood dripping from its wounds, held its head high and bared its teeth at Li Heng.
Blood Wolf King...
A grievously injured Blood Wolf King...
’Call of the Pack is still inactive.’
Seeing that the pack was only surrounding him and not attacking, and with the Teleportation Talisman in hand, Li Heng felt his tension ease. He even began to analyze the situation, trying to figure out what was happening.
Li Heng deduced that the Blood Wolf pack must have a new king. This grievously injured Blood Wolf King was the loser of a "battle for the throne."
’Grievously injured!’
A pack can’t have two kings, so this Blood Wolf King faced one of two fates: exile or death in battle.
AWOOO~~
Just as the grievously injured Blood Wolf King revealed its full form, a piercing howl echoed from deep within the valley.
The howl alone was almost too much for Li Heng to bear. He didn’t feel fear, but he was certain that if the one who made that sound appeared, he would flee in an instant—no questions asked.
’I couldn’t possibly fight that!’
’And if my guess is right, the one that just howled must be the new Blood Wolf King of Wolf King Mountain.’
However, the sudden change left Li Heng no time for further thought. The surrounding wolves backed away, clearing a large open space.
Soon, Li Heng understood his predicament—he was in a Beast Fighting Arena.
The grievously injured Blood Wolf King was likely about to be exiled by the pack. Li Heng’s intrusion had changed that fate from exile to death in battle.
The intention of the encircling pack was crystal clear.
No matter who was left standing in this "Beast Fighting Arena," the pack would swarm and kill the victor.
The grievously injured Blood Wolf King seemed to know its fate. It chose the most dignified end, preparing to display its mighty strength one last time before its former subjects.
Even grievously injured, it was still a powerful being!
This human before it would be the final victory of its life.
Li Heng brandished his Longsword!
The instant the grievously injured Wolf King bared its fangs, its expression growing more ferocious, Li Heng raised the exam Longsword before his chest.
Li Heng could see the Blood Wolf King’s fangs slowly turning from white to red. The blood from its wounds followed a bizarre trajectory, flowing toward its maw.
Blood streamed toward the wolf’s mouth, like a crimson flower coming into bloom.
Li Heng moved. The moment the Wolf King’s bared fangs began to turn red, he raised his sword and charged.
He didn’t know what was happening with the grievously injured Blood Wolf King’s strange fangs, but Li Heng knew one thing: you don’t just stand there and watch your enemy charge up a skill.
Li Heng moved quickly but didn’t sprint at full speed, keeping a wary eye on the blood-red fangs in the injured Wolf King’s mouth.
Twenty meters...
Ten meters...
Five meters...
When less than two meters remained between them, Li Heng’s eyes narrowed. He aimed for the injured Wolf King’s neck and thrust with all his might.
SHNK—
With his 14 points of Strength, the exam Longsword slid smoothly into the injured Wolf King’s neck. But how smoothly it went in surprised Li Heng.
Just as a sliver of unease crept into him and he prepared to pull out his sword and retreat, an intense sense of crisis erupted from deep within him.
The source of that crisis was the blood-red fangs of the grievously injured Wolf King, now just inches away.
By now, the fangs were glowing a brilliant red. The blood on them seemed alive as it swirled around them. The neck Li Heng had just stabbed gushed a torrent of blood, all of it flowing toward the fangs.
According to the system information, the Wolf King’s status had changed from Grievously Injured to Near Death.
Though it was near death, its two fangs struck ever more terror into Li Heng’s heart.
Li Heng finally understood the injured Wolf King’s plan. It never intended to dodge his attacks. It was charging up its Big Move from the very beginning.
And from the looks of it, the more blood it lost, the more powerful this Big Move would be.
The grievously injured Wolf King knew it wouldn’t survive, so it was betting its very life on one final, ultimate move.
’Fine, take your sweet time charging that Big Move.’
The conclusion flashed through Li Heng’s mind. Steeling his resolve, he attacked again. With an upward flick of his right wrist, he drove the Longsword straight into the wolf’s abdomen.
SHNK—SPLASH!
Wolf blood gushed out, but this time, instead of flowing toward the fangs, it sprayed directly onto the ground.
Li Heng didn’t spare the change a second glance. He pulled out the Teleportation Talisman and ripped it apart.
The instant Li Heng tore the Teleportation Talisman, the two blood-red fangs shattered into a crimson mist that drifted right toward him.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG...
After reaching Li Heng’s position, the blood mist began to detonate rapidly. Each explosion bloomed like a crimson flower, and the surrounding wolves raised their heads to howl.
When the last of the blood mist had detonated and completely dissipated, all that remained in that spot were the shredded remains of several waterskins and a few scraps of torn cloth.
Seeing its enemy gone, with only scraps of cloth left behind, the grievously injured Blood Wolf King raised its head in pride one last time before collapsing heavily to the ground.
And so, on Wolf King Mountain, the Blood Wolf King met its end...