Lin Feng's words stunned Jing Yun and the other two, who looked at him in surprise. Then they saw Lin Feng take a bold step forward, walking confidently.
"Lin Feng, now is not the time to show off," Jing Yun exclaimed anxiously. Although she hadn't seen Lin Feng fight before, his reputation as a useless person was well known. Even if Lin Feng had been diligently training, he was no match for the Level 8 demon beast, the Violent Ape, which was far beyond their capabilities.
However, it seemed it was too late to stop him. The Violent Ape, seeing that a human dared to provoke it, stomped its thick legs on the ground, causing the earth to shake, and its massive body charged at Lin Feng like a moving mountain, shaking the ground as it approached.
What shocked Jing Yun even more was that Lin Feng didn't seem to care about the Violent Ape's strength. He charged forward without hesitation and threw a punch.
Jing Yun instinctively closed her eyes, imagining Lin Feng being trampled into a bloody mess.
"Boom." The powerful wave of force swept through the air, and Jing Yun, with her eyes closed, clearly felt the space tremble. Then she heard the Violent Ape's painful roar.
She opened her eyes to see the Violent Ape lying three meters away on its back, while Lin Feng stood unharmed beside it, his eyes full of life, as if nothing had happened.
"How is this possible?" Jing Yun couldn't believe her eyes. Lin Feng had actually knocked the Violent Ape back without a scratch? She glanced at Qing Yi and Han Man, who also looked shocked. They had just seen Lin Feng land a punch that sent the Violent Ape flying. This was a huge shock to their minds.
This was a Level 8 demon beast. Without a strength of at least 8,000 pounds, it was impossible to even shake a Violent Ape.
Behind them, Jing Feng was also stunned. How had this waste of a person driven back the Violent Ape?
"Level 8 demon beasts are indeed tough," Lin Feng muttered to himself. His cultivation had now stabilized at the 7th level of the Qi Martial Realm. Coupled with the force of the Nine-fold Wave technique, his punch's power exceeded 8,500 pounds. Additionally, the core technique of the Nine-fold Wave was its stacking waves, each more powerful than the last. The force of the Nine-fold Wave landing on the Violent Ape should have been close to 9,000 pounds. Yet, the Violent Ape had managed to get up again, roaring wildly.
Lin Feng took another step forward, arriving in front of the howling Violent Ape. The Nine-fold Wave surged forward again. The Violent Ape was naturally violent by nature, and with its massive size, it couldn't dodge. It could only brace its body to absorb the blow.
"I'll use you as a punching bag," Lin Feng said calmly as his left fist also swung out, sending a wave of destructive force.
Jing Yun and the others stood in stunned silence. At this moment, Lin Feng was even more violent than the Violent Ape. His fists moved incessantly, and the Nine-fold Waves followed him like shadows. The surrounding area, for hundreds of meters, was filled with waves of white, overwhelming power.
"To master the Nine-fold Wave so skillfully, to the point where even inner disciples might not be able to do the same..." Qing Yi's mind was still struggling to process what was happening.
Lin Feng, a useless person?
"The strength of his fists is unyielding, and his waves never stop. I’ve heard that the highest level of the Nine-fold Wave only reaches this point. Lin Feng’s talent in martial techniques is astonishing," Jing Yun said thoughtfully.
"Monster," Han Man muttered in frustration, wiping his face. "This is too ridiculous."
The trembling space soon calmed down. Lin Feng turned to the three of them and said, "Come take the beast core. I'm tired now."
"Okay." Han Man finally realized that the Violent Ape had stopped moving. He clicked his tongue and went forward, exerting great effort to extract anything of value from the beast's body. The Violent Ape had thick skin, making it incredibly difficult to cut open, even when it was dead. Han Man couldn't fathom how Lin Feng had killed it.
"Ha ha, Lin Feng, with a monster like you around, as long as we don’t encounter a Level 9 demon beast, we can walk through this forest without a care," Han Man laughed as he packed up the loot and slung it over his shoulder.
Lin Feng smiled and said, "Let’s continue forward. Maybe we'll run into more Level 8 demon beasts."
"That’s just luck. We just happened to meet a beast that only knows how to take a beating," came a sharp voice from behind. Jing Feng walked past the group, heading ahead with an air of superiority.
"Jing Feng, you..." Jing Yun and the others glared at him, angry at his dismissive attitude.
The group continued walking forward, but Jing Feng, who was trying to show off, still hadn't encountered any demon beasts, making him a little frustrated.
"Something feels off," Lin Feng whispered. Compared to other areas, the forest here was strangely quiet.
"It’s indeed a bit strange," Qing Yi agreed, her footsteps slowing. Soon, they saw Jing Feng in front of them start to retreat.
Their eyes widened as they saw a terrifying, ghostly wolf with a sinister face appear in front of Jing Feng.
"Ghostly Phantom Wolf, a Level 9 demon beast. It’s one of the most cruel demon beasts, enjoying eating humans piece by piece rather than killing them outright," Qing Yi said, her voice trembling. For outer disciples like them, the Ghostly Phantom Wolf was the last thing they wanted to encounter. Not only was it cruel, but it was also incredibly fast, making it nearly impossible to escape.
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"Trash, let’s work together. You use your Nine-fold Wave to attack, and I’ll wait for the right moment to strike," Jing Feng said, retreating further. His eyes showed seriousness as he spoke to Lin Feng.
Trash? You want me to defend and let you strike from the sidelines?
Lin Feng sneered. "You think I’ll believe you after watching you let your comrades be in danger?"
"You have no choice. If you don’t, we’ll all die," Jing Feng continued retreating, his tone turning sharp.
"I don’t think so. You haven’t even done anything yet. Do you think you can get away with doing nothing and still survive?" Lin Feng mocked as he returned Jing Feng’s words.
With that, Lin Feng signaled to the other three with a look and started moving toward the side to retreat.
Jing Yun and the others also began to retreat. Facing the Ghostly Phantom Wolf, they knew charging forward would only lead to their deaths. Moreover, Jing Feng’s actions earlier had left them with a deep sense of unease, so they weren't about to risk helping him.
"Very well," Jing Feng said ominously, his eyes filled with malice. A sharp aura suddenly burst forth, and a gleaming sword shadow appeared behind him, shooting into the sky.
"Sword Martial Soul," Lin Feng muttered in surprise. No wonder this guy was so arrogant. Among all martial souls, the Sword Martial Soul was considered one of the strongest. Those who possessed it were known as sword cultivators. A sword cultivator could easily break through the spells of those at the same level with a single strike.
Many non-Sword Martial Soul cultivators, like Qing Yi, trained in sword techniques, hoping to become sword cultivators themselves. Qing Yi, for example, had a Wind Martial Soul and was good at speed and agility, but her swordsmanship was light and swift.
Jing Feng drew his sword, and a cold gleam reflected off it, blinding the eyes.
The Ghostly Phantom Wolf growled lowly and suddenly pounced forward, its sharp claws flashing with a cold, deadly light.
Jing Feng's sword danced in the air, forming layers of defense like a web of steel, but the next moment he realized that the Ghostly Phantom Wolf had disappeared from in front of him.
Above!
Jing Feng felt a chill run down his spine. Without hesitation, he tossed his sword into the air while his body quickly retreated.
"Dammit," Jing Yun cursed under her breath. Jing Feng was no match for the Ghostly Phantom Wolf. He even threw away his sword and was now retreating in the direction where they had just been.
"Die, and you won’t get away!" Jing Feng snarled, his face twisted with rage as he charged toward them.
"Get lost!" Lin Feng roared, and the Nine-fold Wave burst forward, pushing Jing Feng back.
"You..." Jing Feng's body was pushed back by the violent wave, and then, with a scream of agony, the Ghostly Phantom Wolf's sharp claws struck his back. Blood splattered, and Jing Feng's body crashed to the ground.
"Looking for death," Lin Feng's expression was cold. He followed the principle: if others don't offend me, I won't offend them; but if they do, I'll make them pay.
"Howl!" The Ghostly Phantom Wolf let out a mournful cry, like the wail of a ghost. Its claws pressed down on the fallen Jing Feng’s body, but it didn’t rush to kill him. Instead, its cold, menacing gaze fixed on Lin Feng and the others, sending a shiver down their spines.
"What should we do? The Ghostly Phantom Wolf is injuring him but not killing him. It wants to torture us in a cruel way," Qing Yi said, her voice trembling with fear as she saw that even Jing Feng was no match for the wolf.
"What's the weakness of the Ghostly Phantom Wolf?" Lin Feng suddenly asked.
Qing Yi looked at Lin Feng, surprised by the question.
"The Ghostly Phantom Wolf is incredibly fast, and its attacks are powerful, but its defense is slightly weaker. Its throat is especially vulnerable. However, it usually defends its neck with its claws, so unless you can deal with its claws, it’s almost impossible to strike at its throat," Qing Yi replied, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Lin Feng's Nine-fold Wave was powerful and overwhelming, but it was not as light and agile as needed to dodge the Ghostly Phantom Wolf’s claws and target its weak point.
Lin Feng’s eyes narrowed slightly as he listened to Qing Yi’s words. The Ghostly Phantom Wolf was a terrifying opponent, not just because of its immense strength but also because of its speed and cunning. He could already sense the wolf's focus on them, clearly planning to drag this out and torture them mentally and physically.
"We’ll need a plan," Lin Feng said quietly. He glanced at the others, who were tense, each of them aware of the immense danger they were in.
"Let’s not waste any time. I’ll draw its attention," Lin Feng said, his voice cold and decisive.
Qing Yi and the others were startled. "What do you mean?" Han Man asked, concern creeping into his voice.
Lin Feng didn’t respond directly but instead stepped forward, his eyes fixed on the Ghostly Phantom Wolf. The wolf’s gaze shifted toward him as well, its eerie, bloodthirsty eyes gleaming in the dim light. It let out another chilling howl, clearly annoyed by the delay.
"I’m going to attack it with my Nine-fold Wave again," Lin Feng continued. "But this time, I’m going to use a variation of the technique, one that focuses on speed and precision. If we can force it into a defensive posture, I’ll create an opening for you to strike."
"But the wolf’s claws are too fast," Qing Yi warned. "Even with your Nine-fold Wave, it’ll still have time to counter."
Lin Feng smiled grimly. "I know. But I’m not attacking head-on. I’m going to force it into the air, then strike from a higher angle, targeting its weak spots."
Qing Yi hesitated, but seeing the determination in Lin Feng's eyes, she nodded. "Understood. We’ll follow your lead."
The group steeled themselves as Lin Feng took a deep breath. His fists clenched, and his body surged with energy, the Nine-fold Wave beginning to build up around him.
The Ghostly Phantom Wolf growled menacingly as it saw Lin Feng preparing for an attack. It moved closer to Jing Feng's fallen body, its claws scraping the earth, clearly intending to finish off the injured disciple slowly.
In that moment, Lin Feng lunged forward, his movement almost too fast for the eye to track. The Nine-fold Wave erupted from his fists, surging with even more force than before, sweeping through the air with a roar.
The Ghostly Phantom Wolf reacted instinctively, raising its claws to defend against the incoming waves. However, just as Qing Yi had predicted, the wolf focused too much on the attack from the front, its claws raised high to block.
Lin Feng took advantage of the opening and darted to the side, shifting his attack to strike at the wolf’s exposed throat. His strike was quick, aiming to land precisely at the wolf's most vulnerable point.
"Now!" Lin Feng shouted.
Qing Yi and Han Man reacted instantly. They rushed forward, with Han Man wielding his heavy weapon, and Qing Yi following with a swift, precise strike aimed at the wolf’s flank. They knew that Lin Feng had created an opening; they couldn’t let it go to waste.
The Ghostly Phantom Wolf, realizing too late that it had been tricked, tried to twist its body and defend, but it was already too late. Lin Feng’s attack hit the mark, a powerful force landing just below the wolf's throat, where the defenses were weakest. At the same time, Qing Yi’s blade cut through the air, landing a deep gash in the wolf's side.
"Howl!" The Ghostly Phantom Wolf screeched in agony, its body flailing in pain as it tried to retaliate. But it was too slow now.
Lin Feng pressed the attack, unleashing another wave of Nine-fold Waves, keeping the pressure on. The wolf's defenses were breaking down, its movements slowing.