Chapter 22: Fight Against Fire-Maned Wolf

Xu Yan confirmed that he’d hit a bottleneck; if he couldn’t break through this barrier, then refining his bones into jade would be impossible! The last step was all that was needed, but he was stuck. It was like there was an invisible wall in his way. If it wasn’t shattered, there would be no hope of achieving jade bones. However, the way to break this barrier was unknown to Xu Yan. No matter how he circulated his qi and blood or how he refined his bones, everything seemed futile. "Am I failing to comprehend? Do I have to relax my spirit to feel the Spirit Mechanism so I can break the barrier?” "But, I have a feeling I need pressure, a clash of the inner and outer world, to break through. But, I don’t know what kind of pressure …” Xu Yan fell into deep thought. He decided to consult his master. Just then, Li Xuan came out of the house. "Apprentice, come here! Xu Yan’s spirit lifted— Had his master noticed that he’d hit a bottleneck? Was his master here to guide him? "Master!” He respectfully saluted. Li Xuan’s face was stern. “Apprentice, after you hunted the tiger in the Forest of Evil, did you search the entire forest?” Xu Yan was taken aback and shook his head. "Aside from the tiger, there’s a vicious beast in the Forest of Evil. Be careful, you’ll need to deal with it! ” Li Xuan stated solemnly. According to Da Niu’s journal, this beast was unusual; it would be trouble if it ever came to our small village. It was a massive threat. Upon hearing this, Xu Yan’s eyes seemed to gleam, and he thought to himself, “There’s another beast in the Forest of Evil? More formidable than the Red-eyed Tiger“? Get it now, the master is hinting that the breakthrough lies within the Forest of Evil! ” "Hunt the beast and stimulate my potential. Break the barrier, and I shall attain the jade bones!” At that moment, insight sparked in Xu Yan’s mind. He finally understood the kind of pressure he needed to break the barrier and attain jade bones. The beast in the Forest of Evil was his opportunity! He excitedly nodded. “Master, I understand. I’ll take care of it right away!” Xu Yan, thrilled, hopped on his horse and headed straight for the Forest of Evil. "Why’s he so hasty? I haven’t finished speaking.” Li Xuan was left speechless. Why was his silly disciple so excited when he mentioned a beast in the Forest of Evil? Hooked on hunting? "With many people and greater force, the beast should be unable to escape.” Li Xuan let out a sigh of relief. Although the martial artists from the outside world weren’t very strong, they were low-level warriors. However, with teamwork, hunting a beast should not be a problem. No matter how strong the beast was, it couldn’t be that formidable, right? Xu Yan rode on horseback to the Forest of Evil and began the search. As he searched deeper into the forest, the trees became larger. The horse began to tremble slightly, its pace slowing, even attempting to retreat. Xu Yan’s spirit was ignited, and he revved up his qi and blood, staying alert to his surroundings. All of a sudden! A deep roar rang out. From behind a large tree, a fiery figure lunged out with its terrifying fangs glowing in the dark. It lunged directly at Xu Yan on the horse. Xu Yan’s eyes brightened; he swung his fist, relying on his strong physique. The beast swung a claw at him, too. Bang! Xu Yan felt a great force hitting him, knocking him off the horse. The horse, frightened, collapsed onto the ground, shaking uncontrollably. "How is this possible!” Xu Yan was taken aback. He was a martial artist with almost jade bones; his strength was beyond imagination. If he encountered the Red-eyed Tiger at this moment, he could kill it with a single punch. Bang! Xu Yan rolled over, stood up from the ground, and a fiery red figure lunged at him again. "Ah!” Xu Yan roared, his blood and energy boiling, and he lunged forward to meet it head-on. Bang! A paw brutally slammed into his chest, while Xu Yan punched the beast squarely on its body. Xu Yan staggered backwards, feeling a sharp pain in his chest. The beast, too, was punched back a couple of steps. At this moment, Xu Yan squinted, seeing the beast’s fiery red body, especially the ring of mane around its neck, flaming red like burning fire. Its head was like a wolf’s, the eyes emerald green, two fangs almost a foot long, glowing with a cold light. Its lower body was small compared to the rest, but its hind legs were extraordinarily robust. The front legs were like tiger paws, sharp claws revealed, comparable to small daggers. Its body was half again as large as the Red-eyed Tiger; standing there, it exuded a dangerous aura. The green eyes gave a chilling and violent impression. Being stared at by those eyes would give anyone the chills. At this moment, those green eyes were locked onto Xu Yan. It sensed a strong vitality from him, sparking a bloodlust within it. "A flame-haired wolf?! Xu Yan’s heart was terror-stricken. Wasn’t this beast the Flame-haired Wolf that he had read about in an ancient book? Legend had it that the Flame-haired Wolf was incredibly powerful. It had rampaged through the city, causing countless injuries and deaths, and had even managed to escape from a group of elite soldiers! He had never expected to find a Flame-haired Wolf here in the Evil Forest! "Who said that these ancient tales were false? Even a flame-haired wolf has appeared!” Xu Yan was filled with excitement, his blood surging; he was entirely invigorated. The Flame-haired Wolf, a legendary beast from the tales. Many had read the tales about the Flame-haired Wolf, but none believed they were true—a beast that could rampage through a city and escape from a group of elite soldiers? That’s absurd! Xu Yan believed it. Judging from their encounter just now, the strength of the Flame-haired Wolf was definitely enough to escape from a group of elite soldiers. It's formidable body, agile speed, and tremendous strength. Even he felt some pressure, which just goes to show the power of the Flame-haired Wolf. "This is my chance to break through! ” Xu Yan believed that the Flame-haired Wolf was the key to his breakthrough, to tempered jade bones, to fighting the Flame-haired Wolf while under great pressure, and to breaking free from shackles. "Come on, today I, Xu Yan, will temper my jade bones with your life." Flame-haired Wolf!” Xu Yan roared, his energy boiling, his body even emanating a faint jade-like glow as he charged forward. Roar! The Flame-haired Wolf roared and lunged at him. Its claws came slashing down, its jaws wide open, its saliva-dripping fangs aimed straight at Xu Yan. Xu Yan grabbed hold of the Flame-haired Wolf’s claws before it could take a bite; he kicked it hard, sending it flying and slamming onto the ground. He then rushed forward, pounding it with his fist. The Flame-haired Wolf let out a roar; its eyes turned blood-red, and a violent aura filled the air. Its fiery red mane fluttered like it was alight. It lunged at Xu Yan again. Bang! Xu Yan was sent flying, aghast. How did the Flame-haired Wolf’s body become so hot? The Flame-haired Wolf lunged at him again. Man and beast squared off in a fierce battle. With a roar, Xu Yan forced the Flame-haired Wolf back and lunged at it again, grabbing hold of its claws and pinning it to the ground. But the Flame-haired Wolf’s hind legs kept kicking at Xu Yan. Each kick was incredibly powerful, causing Xu Yan’s blood to surge and his nerves to scream out in pain. "Die!” Bang! Xu Yan fiercely tossed the Flame-haired Wolf aside; his blood churned. At that moment, Xu Yan was enveloped in a foggy mist, his skin gradually turning red.