vncnus Chapter 9 Soul Hunter in Peril
Chapter 9 Soul Hunter in Peril
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Yan Hu and Su Qing got ready and set off for the depths of the nearby mountains and forests.
Yan Zu stood at the courtyard gate, watching his parents' figures gradually disappear into the morning mist. Although he was worried, he also understood that his parents had taken a risk for him. He only hoped that his parents would return safely.
For the next three days, Yan Zu maintained his regular routine. During the day, he practiced the basic lightness skills and sword techniques of the Nine Yin Manual, and occasionally went to the back mountain to pick herbs, using the vitality of the Qilin phantom to nourish them in preparation for his parents' return. At night, he entered the spiritual world to communicate with the Qilin and Xuanyuan Sword phantoms, familiarizing himself with the characteristics of the two martial souls.
Meanwhile, deep in the nearby mountains and forests, a fierce battle was underway.
The Yan couple were currently trapped under an ancient tree by a massive wind wolf. This wind wolf was entirely gray-black, with fluffy fur, a pair of eerie green eyes that gleamed with bloodlust, drool dripping from its mouth, and the soul power emanating from its body had reached the level of four hundred years!
"Damn it, how could it be a four-hundred-year-old wind wolf!" Yan Hu held an iron axe, his face solemn. He and Su Qing originally came to hunt a soul beast of about three hundred years, but they did not expect to encounter this wind wolf on the way. What surprised them even more was that this wind wolf was chasing a little girl.
The little girl was about six years old. Her clothes were tattered and she was covered in injuries. Her pink skirt was torn to shreds and covered in mud and blood. There were also several deep scratches on her body. She looked particularly pitiful.
She huddled under the ancient tree, her eyes filled with fear, yet she stubbornly pursed her lips and did not cry.
"Master, save her first!" Su Qing made a decisive decision. She could tell that this little girl was no ordinary child; she faintly exuded a surge of soul power, indicating that she was also a Soul Master. As fellow Soul Masters, they had no reason to stand by and watch her die.
Yan Hu already had this intention, and upon hearing Su Qing's words, he immediately nodded: "Okay!" He swung his iron axe, and three soul rings—white, yellow, and yellow—instantly rose from beneath his feet. He activated his third soul skill, "Immovable Vajra," without hesitation!
A yellowish-brown light enveloped his entire body, Yan Hu's muscles instantly bulged, his skin gleamed with a metallic sheen, and he resembled a Vajra Arhat, his aura suddenly surging. He roared, and his iron axe, accompanied by a whistling sound, cleaved down towards the wind wolf's head!
The wind wolf reacted extremely quickly, dodging the attack with a flash. Its sharp claws, gleaming with cold light, reached for Yan Hu's chest. With a crisp "clang," the claws landed on Yan Hu's chest, sending sparks flying, but leaving only a shallow white mark.
"Such tough hide!" A hint of surprise flashed in the Wind Wolf's human-like eyes, before it became even more ferocious.
Knowing that the human in front of it was not easy to deal with, it turned and pounced on Su Qing, who was standing to the side, wanting to take care of this support soul master first.
"Don't even think about it!" Su Qing was prepared. She instantly released her Qinghe Martial Soul, and a pale green light enveloped Yan Hu and herself. She activated her first Soul Skill, "Qinghe Resurrection," and Yan Hu's minor injuries healed quickly, while his Soul Power was also replenished.
At the same time, her second soul skill, "Azure Entanglement," was activated, and several emerald green vines sprouted from the ground and wrapped around the wind wolf's limbs.
The wind wolf roared and struggled violently, snapping the vines instantly, but also buying Yan Hu time. Yan Hu seized the opportunity to close in, swinging his iron axe with tremendous force, the axe blades constantly slashing at the wind wolf, forcing it to retreat repeatedly.
The man and the wolf were locked in a fierce battle, and for a time it was difficult to determine a winner.
Yan Hu's iron axe was incredibly powerful, and with the added defense of the Immovable Vajra, it was difficult for the Wind Wolf to hurt him. However, the Wind Wolf was extremely fast and far more agile than Yan Hu, so it was not easy to seriously injure it.
Su Qing continuously unleashed her support soul skills to assist Yan Hu, while also keeping an eye on the little girl beside her to prevent the wind wolf from launching a sudden sneak attack.
The battle lasted for half an hour. Fine beads of sweat appeared on Yan Hu's forehead, indicating a significant depletion of his soul power. The Wind Wolf was also in bad shape, having been struck several times by the iron axe, with deep wounds exposing bone and blood staining its fur. Yet, it still refused to back down, its eyes blazing with even greater ferocity.
"Wife, I'll hold it off. You take the opportunity to escape with the little girl!" Yan Hu said breathlessly. He knew that continuing like this would be disadvantageous for them. The four-hundred-year-old wind wolf had extremely strong endurance, while his soul power was almost depleted.
"No, if I leave, what will you do?" Su Qing shook her head. "Let's go together!"
Just then, the Wind Wolf seized an opening and pounced on Yan Hu, its sharp fangs aimed for his neck. Caught off guard, Yan Hu could only barely turn to the side, and the Wind Wolf bit him hard on the shoulder, causing blood to gush out instantly!
"Master!" Su Qing exclaimed, her eyes filled with anxiety.
Yan Hu groaned, enduring the excruciating pain, and swung his axe back to strike the wind wolf on the back, sending it flying. But he himself staggered back a few steps, his face pale, the wound on his shoulder deep enough to expose the bone, and his soul power fluctuations became chaotic.
The wind wolf got up from the ground, shook its head, a hint of smugness flashing in its eyes, and pounced on Yan Hu again.
"Not good!" Su Qing's heart tightened. She wanted to use her soul skill to stop it, but found that she had very little soul power left.
At this critical moment, Yan Hu suddenly remembered the healing pills his son had given him.
Without hesitation, he pulled out a porcelain bottle from his robes, poured out a red pill, and popped it into his mouth. The pill melted instantly upon entering his mouth, and a surge of pure energy flowed into his limbs and bones. The excruciating pain in his shoulder lessened by more than half, and his chaotic soul power quickly stabilized, becoming even more abundant than before!
"This elixir is amazing!" Yan Hu was both surprised and delighted. He could feel his injuries healing rapidly, and his soul power had recovered to 70%. He activated the Unyielding Vajra once more, and the light on the iron axe grew even brighter as he swung it down at the charging wind wolf!
Wind Wolf hadn't expected Yan Hu's injuries to heal so quickly. Caught off guard, he was struck squarely on the head by the iron axe. With a scream of agony, a deep wound was cleaved open in Wind Wolf's head, and blood and brain matter flowed out. His massive body crashed heavily to the ground, twitched a few times, and then lay still.
Yan Hu, panting heavily, looked at the fallen Feng Lang and finally breathed a sigh of relief. Su Qing quickly ran to his side, took his arm, her eyes filled with lingering fear: "Master, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, thanks to the healing pills from Azu." Yan Hu shook his head, then turned his gaze to the little girl beside him, "Little girl, are you alright?"
The little girl emerged from behind the tree, looking at them timidly, her eyes still wary, but mostly filled with relief at surviving the ordeal. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but due to her weakness, she couldn't make a sound. Her body swayed, and she fell to the side.
"Watch out!" Su Qing rushed forward and supported the little girl, finding her unconscious. She checked the girl's breathing and examined her injuries, her expression grave: "She's badly injured, and her soul power is completely depleted. If she doesn't receive treatment soon, she probably won't last much longer."
Yan Hu nodded: "Give her one of the healing pills that Azu gave us. Let's take her back to the village first, and then we'll make further plans."
Su Qing had no objection. She first gave the little girl a healing pill, and the little girl's breathing immediately stabilized. Then she picked up the little girl, while Yan Hu carried the corpse of the wind wolf. The two of them walked quickly towards the direction of Five Souls Village.
The corpse of the wind wolf is a considerable fortune. The pelt, fangs, and bones of a four-hundred-year-old wind wolf are all precious materials for soul masters, enough for them to raise enough awakening stones and cover the cost of Yan Zu's schooling.
As the sun set, golden rays streamed through the mountains and forests, casting long shadows of the two figures. Su Qing carefully cradled the little girl, continuously nourishing her with the life force of her Qinghe Martial Soul. Yan Hu led the way, vigilantly observing their surroundings to prevent any other spirit beasts from appearing.