https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-21-The-Jade-Bone-Bottleneck-The-Diary-and-the-Fierce-Beast/12532647/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-23-Breaking-Through-the-Barrier-Finally-Achieving-the-Jade-Bones/12532649/
Chapter 22: Battling the Fire-Maned Wolf
Chapter 22: Battling the Fire-Maned Wolf (To Be Continued)
Xu Yan realized he had hit a bottleneck in his training. If he couldn't break through this obstacle, he wouldn't be able to temper his bones into jade!
He was just one step away, yet he found himself at a standstill.
It was as if an invisible barrier stood in his way, and unless he shattered it, achieving jade bones would be impossible.
However, Xu Yan had no idea how to break through this barrier. No matter how he directed his qi and blood or how relentlessly he tempered his bones, it was all to no avail.
"Is it that I'm unable to grasp the essence? Do I need to relax my mind and seek enlightenment to break through this barrier?"
"But I have a feeling that I need a certain kind of pressure, a harmony between the internal and external, to make a breakthrough. I just don't know what kind of pressure I need..."
Xu Yan fell into deep thought.
He decided to seek guidance from his master.
Just then, Li Xuan emerged from the house.
"Disciple, come here!"
Xu Yan's spirits lifted. Has Master realized that I've encountered a bottleneck and is here to guide me?
"Master!" Xu Yan greeted him respectfully.
Li Xuan's expression turned solemn. "Disciple, after you hunted the tiger in the Evil Forest, did you search the entire forest?"
Xu Yan was taken aback and shook his head.
"In the Evil Forest, besides the tiger, there's another ferocious beast. Be careful and make sure you take care of it," Li Xuan instructed gravely.
Based on Da Niu's journal, that beast was rather unusual, and if it ever made its way to their small village, the consequences could be dire.
It posed a significant threat.
Upon hearing this, Xu Yan's eyes lit up, and he thought to himself, "There's another beast in the Evil Forest? Stronger than the Red-Eyed Tiger? I understand now. Master is telling me that the key to my breakthrough lies in the Evil Forest!"
"Battling the ferocious beast, unleashing my potential, shattering the barrier... Jade Bones, here I come!"
In that moment, a flash of insight illuminated Xu Yan's mind, and he suddenly understood the kind of pressure he needed to break through the barrier and achieve Jade Bones.
The beast in the Evil Forest was his opportunity!
Excitedly, he nodded and said, "Master, I understand. I'll take care of it right away!"
Xu Yan eagerly mounted his horse and rode straight toward the Evil Forest.
"Why are you in such a hurry? I haven't finished speaking yet," Li Xuan said, a bit exasperated.
Why was his foolish disciple so thrilled about hearing there was another beast in the Evil Forest? Had he become addicted to hunting?
"With our numbers, the beast shouldn't be able to escape," Li Xuan thought, feeling somewhat relieved.
Although, from what Xu Yan had told him, the martial artists outside seemed to be of low cultivation levels, they still posed a formidable force when gathered in large numbers. Dealing with a single ferocious beast shouldn't be a problem.
Since they were of low cultivation levels, the beast probably wouldn't be too powerful either, right?
...
Xu Yan rode his horse into the Evil Forest and began his search.
As he ventured deeper, the trees grew increasingly thick and sturdy. Soon, his horse started trembling and slowed down, even showing signs of wanting to turn back.
Xu Yan's spirits rose, and he circulated his qi and blood, staying alert to his surroundings.
Suddenly, a deep growl echoed through the forest, and a fiery figure leaped out from behind a large tree, its fangs bared and glinting with a chilling light.
It charged straight at Xu Yan, who was seated atop his horse.
Xu Yan's eyes lit up. Confident in his robust physical body, he threw a powerful punch.
A claw swiped at him in response.
Boom! Xu Yan felt a tremendous force hit him, knocking him off his horse.
The horse, terrified, collapsed to the ground, trembling uncontrollably.
"How is this possible!" Xu Yan exclaimed in shock.
He was almost at the stage of tempering his bones into jade, and his strength was beyond imagination.
If the Red-Eyed Tiger faced him now, he could kill it with a casual punch.
Boom! Xu Yan rolled to his feet and faced the fiery figure that pounced at him once more.
Xu Yan staggered backward, his chest aching from the impact.
The beast, too, had been knocked back by his punch, also taking two steps back.
Xu Yan's eyes narrowed as he focused on the beast. Its body was a fiery red, especially the mane around its neck, which blazed like burning flames.
It had the head of a wolf, with emerald eyes and two fangs that were nearly a foot long, glinting with a chilling light. Strangely, its hindquarters were smaller than its front, but its back legs were exceptionally thick and powerful.
Its forelimbs resembled tiger paws, with sharp claws resembling small daggers.
Its physique was half again larger than the Red-Eyed Tiger's, and it exuded a fierce aura just by standing there. Its emerald green eyes gave off a sinister and violent vibe.
Being stared at by those eyes sent shivers down one's spine.
At that moment, those emerald eyes were locked onto Xu Yan.
The beast had sensed the abundant qi and blood within Xu Yan, arousing its bloodlust.
"A Fire-Maned Wolf?!"
Xu Yan's heart skipped a beat as he recognized the beast from an ancient storybook he had once read. It described a ferocious creature known as the Fire-Maned Wolf.
Legend had it that the Fire-Maned Wolf was incredibly powerful. It was said to have once rampaged through a city, causing countless casualties, and then retreated unscathed despite being surrounded by an elite army! Who would have thought that such a beast lurked within the Evil Forest?
"So the stories aren't just made up? Even a Fire-Maned Wolf has appeared!"
Xu Yan was thrilled, his qi and blood coursing through his veins, filling him with excitement.
The Fire-Maned Wolf—a creature of legend.
Many had read the tales about the Fire-Maned Wolf, but most didn't take them seriously. How could a single beast wreak havoc in a city and then escape unscathed from an army's siege? It was too far-fetched!
But Xu Yan believed it now. From their brief exchange, he could tell that the Fire-Maned Wolf was indeed capable of escaping an army's pursuit.
Its robust physique, agile speed, and immense strength were undeniable.
Even he felt a sense of pressure from the beast, a testament to its power.
"This is my chance to break through!"
Xu Yan was convinced that the Fire-Maned Wolf was the key to his breakthrough to Jade Bones. By fighting this beast and enduring its intense pressure, he would shatter his shackles.
"Come! Today, I, Xu Yan, shall temper my Jade Bones with your life, Fire-Maned Wolf!"
Xu Yan roared, his qi and blood boiling, and a faint jade glow even seemed to emanate from his body as he charged forward.
Roar! The Fire-Maned Wolf let out a piercing howl and lunged at Xu Yan, its claws swiping and its massive jaws opening wide. Its fangs dripped with saliva as it bit down on Xu Yan.
Xu Yan grabbed the beast's claws with both hands, and before it could bite him, he kicked it forcefully, sending the Fire-Maned Wolf flying and crashing to the ground.
Without hesitation, Xu Yan rushed forward and threw a punch.
The Fire-Maned Wolf roared, its eyes turning bloodshot and its aura becoming even more savage. Its fiery mane billowed, resembling burning flames.
It pounced on Xu Yan once more.
Boom! Xu Yan was knocked flying backward, his heart filled with shock. How had the Fire-Maned Wolf's body become so hot? The beast lunged at him again.
Man and beast clashed in a fierce battle.
Xu Yan bellowed and knocked the Fire-Maned Wolf back, only to pounce on it again, grabbing its claws and pinning it to the ground.
But the Fire-Maned Wolf struggled fiercely, its hind legs kicking wildly and connecting with Xu Yan's body. Each kick was incredibly powerful, shaking Xu Yan's qi and blood and causing excruciating pain.
"Die!"
Boom! Xu Yan hurled the Fire-Maned Wolf away with all his might, his entire body seething with qi and blood. Steam rose from Xu Yan's body, and his skin gradually turned red.
(End of Chapter)
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