Batian Martial Soul

The wild beast did not attack rashly, but slowly paced around Lingxiao, its turbid red eyes fixed on his every subtle movement, its nostrils flaring as it sniffed out the scent of its prey.

It observes, searching for Lingxiao's weaknesses with the most primal and pure hunter's instinct.

A silent stalemate spread through the night. The night wind swirled up dry dust, brushing against Lingxiao's green robe and the carapace of the wild beast, making a soft, rustling sound.

Time passed slowly, but Ling Xiao's arm remained as steady as a rock, his breath as deep and long as a deep pool. As his demonic soul circulated, his sea of ​​consciousness was clear and free of any anxiety.

He knew that this confrontation was not a test of strength, but of patience; whoever lost their composure first would reveal a fatal flaw.

About fifteen minutes later, the wild beast finally couldn't hold back any longer!

There was no earth-shattering roar, only the crisp sound of shattered stones flying as the limbs suddenly exerted force. The huge body, with an agility that defied common sense, transformed into a blurry black shadow and shot straight towards the central gate of Lingxiao like an arrow released from a bow!

It moved at an astonishing speed, carrying a stench and ferocity, and arrived in an instant!

Instead of retreating, Ling Xiao advanced, stomping his left foot hard on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. He spun to the side, clenching his right fist, but instead of directly confronting the beast, he used the momentum of the rotation to draw a short, sharp arc, the tip of the withered branch precisely aiming at the joint gap of the beast's right forelimb that would inevitably be exposed when it pounced—a weak point covered by its carapace!
The wild beast was fearless and did not dodge or evade. Its forelimb, which was hit, simply sank down and withstood the blow!
The rough shell rubbed against the dry twig, producing a teeth-grinding "crunch" sound, and the tip of the dry twig instantly crumbled into powder!

Its gaping maw, carrying a foul stench, lunged at Ling Xiao's neck, its fangs gleaming white, a truly horrifying sight!
Ling Xiao seemed to have anticipated this. Before his right hand had finished exerting its strength, his left hand had already formed a knife with his fingers and stabbed at the relatively vulnerable tip of the beast's nose with lightning speed. That was the most sensitive spot on the beast's body!

boom!
Point the knife right in the middle!

The beast cried out in pain, its head snapping back violently. Ling Xiao used the force of the impact to drift backward several steps like a willow catkin, barely avoiding the beast's fangs.

However, his left arm was still scraped by the force of the beast's head swinging, and a tingling and numb sensation spread instantly, making it almost impossible to lift it.

The beast shook its head, dark, viscous fluid seeping from its nose, its enraged ferocity erupting completely!
It roared to the sky, its voice shaking the mountains and forests, and then pounced again, like a mad tiger, its claws and teeth bared, each move deadly, without the slightest hesitation!
Ling Xiao's eyes were as cold as iron, and he suddenly unleashed his movement technique, no longer engaging in a direct confrontation with it.

Like a rootless leaf, he nimbly weaved through the frenzied attacks, grabs, tears, and bites of wild beasts, using stones for leverage, gliding along the ground, and flanking from behind. His hands would strike at incredible angles, targeting vulnerable spots such as the eyes, nose, ears, joints, and even the anus.

Although the withered branches were brittle, he used them with precision and ruthlessness. Each touch caused the wild beast to roar in pain and halt its attack.

He knew that his physical strength was far inferior to that of the beast, and that the only way to defeat it was through strategy, attrition, and patiently waiting for the opportunity to strike a fatal blow.

The wild beasts, having repeatedly failed to strike, were instead repeatedly harassed in their most sensitive and vulnerable areas, becoming increasingly irritable and enraged.

Although his movements remained ferocious, they gradually lost their rhythm, his breathing became heavy and rumbling, drool dripped from the corners of his mouth, and his speed slowed down.

Ling Xiao was also breathing heavily, sweat soaking through his green robe, sliding down his cheeks and dripping into the dust.

However, his mind became more focused, and his demonic soul operated slowly and steadily under the pressure of life and death, giving him increasingly precise control over the rhythm of the battle.

He keenly sensed that whenever he attacked a certain point where the beast's hindquarters and tailbone connected, its reaction was the most intense, and its body would even stiffen for a moment. That must be its vital point!

That's it!

Ling Xiao's eyes narrowed, and he patiently maneuvered, repeatedly using broken branches to feign attacks on the beast's front, forcing it to expose its hindquarters.

Finally, in the instant when the beast stood upright and pounced with all its might, Ling Xiao seized the fleeting opportunity. His figure slid down to its belly like a ghost. He discarded the useless withered branch with his right hand and transformed it into a palm blade. His veins bulged, and he gathered all the remaining strength in his body. Following that subtle feeling, he fiercely stabbed into a hidden depression below the beast's tailbone where its carapace was almost gone!

"Aww!!!"

A piercing, distorted scream tore through the night sky, causing the surrounding withered trees to rustle!
As if struck by lightning, the beast's massive body sprang several feet into the air before crashing heavily to the ground. Its limbs twitched, its long tail clamped tightly around its wounds, and it twisted and rolled wildly on the ground, kicking up clouds of dust and gravel.

Ling Xiao had already retreated, leaning against a withered tree and panting heavily, his eyes fixed on the struggling wild beast.

Although the stab hit a vital spot, an ordinary person's hand is fragile and the stab did not penetrate deeply into the flesh, so it may not have been completely fatal.

Sure enough, after rolling several times, the beast struggled to its feet, its rear end gushing blood, staining a large area of ​​the ground red.

The look in its eyes as it gazed at Ling Xiao was no longer just ferocious, but also filled with deep fear and profound hatred.

It growled, but stopped attacking and instead began to slowly retreat, clearly trying to escape.

Want to run?

Ling Xiao frowned, about to muster his strength to give chase, when suddenly the ground beneath his feet trembled violently, rumbling closer and closer!
In the distant mountains and forests, trees crashed and broke, and dust billowed into the sky, obscuring the sun!
A dark mass of beastly figures surged out of the mountain valley like an inky tide, numbering well over a hundred!
The leader was the wild beast that had just escaped. Looking back, its eyes were filled with resentment and bloodlust. It let out a long and mournful roar, a signal to gather its kind!

"Awooo!!!"

Hundreds of wild beasts responded with a roar, their scarlet eyes all locking onto Ling Xiao, and then, a thunderous charge began!
The earth trembled violently, beastly roars surged like a tide, and killing intent permeated the air, instantly enveloping the area and sending chills down one's spine, making it feel suffocating!

Ling Xiao's expression changed drastically. Without hesitation, he turned around and accelerated to the limit, fleeing desperately back the way he came!
Behind them, a torrent of wild beasts surged forward, their hooves pounding the ground like the thunder of war drums. Dead trees were broken and rocks were crushed along the way, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake!
Ling Xiao pushed his speed to the limit, the wind whistling in his ears, his lungs burning, and his throat so dry it felt like it was on fire.

They hadn't run far when they saw Su Miao standing on the rocky slope ahead.

Looking at the terrifying scene of billowing smoke and shadowy beasts behind Ling Xiao, Su Miao couldn't help but feel a hint of astonishment on her usually cold face, which quickly turned into disbelief and shock.

"You...you've disturbed the lair of the wild beasts?!"

Ling Xiao didn't have time to explain. He grabbed her wrist, feeling the burning heat in his palm, and gave a low shout.

"run!"

Su Miao reacted quickly, instantly regaining her senses. Letting Ling Xiao pull her along, she turned and fled.

The two were agile, leaping and bounding among the rugged rocks, temporarily creating some distance between them.

However, the savage beasts possessed immense strength, and their pursuit showed no signs of slowing down. The lead beast, in particular, severely injured by Ling Xiao, had bloodshot eyes and roared hysterically as it chased, its hatred for Ling Xiao practically off the charts. (End of Chapter)