“Awooooo!”
The gray wolf landed, its fur glossy, claws and fangs razor-sharp, its body significantly larger than both the Ironclaw Wolf and the Wind Wolf. Its savage gaze and overwhelming presence were startling. Compared to the Winged Wolf, which appeared like a tiny creature beside it, this gray wolf radiated sheer intimidation.
(Note: “雁翅狼” was translated as “Winged Wolf” based on context, as it suggests a wolf with wing-like features. If it’s a proper name, it could be rendered as “Yanchi Wolf” per pinyin.)
Despite being one rank lower in species classification, this gray wolf fearlessly faced off against the other three wolves, showing eagerness to fight and a highly aggressive stance.
“Oh?”
Dongfang Ao was the first to express astonishment, “Your gray wolf is well-bred. It must have already advanced to mid-stage, right?”
“That’s correct!”
Wu Ming inwardly smiled, knowing that the gray wolf’s displayed form was merely superficial. Its true nature was something no one else could perceive.
Thinking about this, a glint flashed in his eyes as he activated his Observation Eye ability:
[Gray Wolf (unnamed)]
[Racial Rank: Common Species (Red)]
[Racial Bonus: None]
[Attribute: Melee]
[Stage: Juvenile Mid-Stage (Approaching Evolution)]
[Techniques: None]
[Enhancements: Intermediate Claws, Intermediate Hide Defense, Basic Regeneration]
[Status: Healthy]
…
“The Intermediate Claws and Hide Defense indicate its attack and defense capabilities have nearly doubled compared to before… and it’s approaching evolution…”
A slight smile curved Wu Ming’s lips. Evolution wasn’t simply leveling up; it meant a transformation in form, such as evolving from a [Gray Wolf] to a [Large Gray Wolf]!
“Unfortunately, I can only use the most basic methods like herbal baths and dietary enhancement for beast taming… Otherwise, if I could utilize Daoist techniques to reform its essence, I might have already added attributes or techniques to this gray wolf, achieving racial evolution in one go… though that would attract too much attention…”
“So it’s already mid-stage!”
Beside him, Dongfang Song’s eyes lit up, “It’s just that he happened to find a gray wolf with slightly better potential. Once my Ironclaw Wolf also advances to mid-stage, hmph…”
“Good… Now, release your wolf beasts! Wolves travel a thousand miles to hunt meat! Phantom beasts are the kings of all beasts! Even newly born phantom beast cubs can now track prey and hunt wild animals on their own!”
Dongfang Yue shouted.
“Go!”
“Don’t let Dongfang Suoming get ahead!”
Dongfang Song and Dongfang Yunhe’s eyes gleamed with excitement. With Dongfang Ao and Dongfang Yue backing them up, they naturally had no fear and whistled to urge their wolf beasts into the jungle.
“Phantom beast trainers’ commands are categorized as sound commands at the lowest level, eye commands at the intermediate level, and mental commands at the highest level!”
Dongfang Yue shook her head, “Using vocal commands is the lowest form of control, easily countered! Dongfang Song, Dongfang Yunhe! Your families are wealthy, so you can purchase the ‘Unity of Mind’ combat techniques specifically for phantom beast trainers to enhance your telepathy…”
“Yes! Yes!”
Dongfang Song and Dongfang Yunhe felt bitter inside. They had certainly tried this method before, but the combat techniques were extremely difficult to learn. If they failed to grasp them once, the jade talisman would become useless, requiring them to purchase a new one.
Although their families were wealthy, they couldn’t afford such extravagance!
“Oh?”
Dongfang Yue saw Wu Ming give a glance, and immediately the gray wolf darted into the jungle. Not long after, it returned carrying a soft pink rabbit, her eyes lighting up, “Look! Dongfang Suoming has already mastered the eye command technique. With just a glance, his phantom beast immediately acts, much faster than issuing verbal commands…”
Wu Ming modestly smiled, but inwardly he was secretly complaining.
With his mental strength, he had always controlled his summoned beasts through telepathy. However, in front of others, he had to deliberately use eye signals, otherwise it would seem too extraordinary.
“Hmph! Picking on the weak and avoiding the strong! Bullying the kind and fearing the fierce!”
Seeing his Ironclaw Wolf returning empty-handed while the gray wolf obediently presented the soft pink rabbit at Wu Ming’s feet, Dongfang Song gritted his teeth in frustration.
“You’re mistaken! This is simply choosing advantage over disadvantage… Phantom beasts are difficult to raise. Why must they challenge stronger opponents and suffer needlessly?”
Wu Ming remained calm and composed.
“Even so, you still can’t deny your cowardly nature of picking on the weak and avoiding the strong!”
Dongfang Song proudly declared. Beside him, Dongfang Yue looked at Wu Ming with some surprise:
“Only phantom beasts are the foundation of one’s cultivation… Therefore, unnecessary conflicts and injuries must be avoided… I only realized this after my first contracted beast was seriously injured… Unexpectedly, this young man…”
“Bad! My Ironclaw Wolf!”
Suddenly, Dongfang Song, who had been gloating with self-satisfaction, turned deathly pale as he spotted a venomous snake—two to three meters long, as thick as a fist, with a head shaped like a branding iron—slithering out of the jungle. It coiled around the Ironclaw Wolf and sank its sharp fangs directly into the beast.
“Triangle Branding Snake?”
Wu Ming’s heart stirred, feeling a sense of familiarity: “Could this be the same one I saw that night? Dongfang Song is really unlucky. It must be that the Ironclaw Wolf was too arrogant and provoked it…”
The Ironclaw Wolf, being an elite species, naturally had an advantage over common species phantom beasts.
Unfortunately, it was only at the early juvenile stage, with a racial bonus of one, equivalent at most to a mid-stage juvenile common species phantom beast, while this Triangle Branding Snake had already reached high-stage!
If the Ironclaw Wolf hadn’t provoked it, they might have coexisted peacefully.
However, Dongfang Song was determined to outdo Wu Ming, ordering the Ironclaw Wolf to seek out the largest and strongest prey possible… thus leading to this tragedy!
The Triangle Branding Snake’s sharp fangs bit into the Ironclaw Wolf’s front leg.
“Woof!”
The Ironclaw Wolf struggled to break free, emitting a mournful cry.
Pshhh!
As the air currents surged, Wu Ming caught a glimpse of Dongfang Ao’s figure.
At this very moment, Dongfang Ao suddenly moved!
Buzzzz!
A layer of dark black light emerged from his scabbard. He rushed forward rapidly, his hand somehow holding a pitch-black war blade that slashed through the air.
A flash of blade light!
Pshhh!
The Triangle Branding Snake’s enormous head flew into the sky, spilling a spray of blood.
Dongfang Ao’s expression was cold and stern. With several more slashes, the snake corpse that had been tightly coiled around the Ironclaw Wolf was severed into pieces, yet not harming the wolf cub below in the slightest, showcasing his precise control.
“A Tie (Iron)!”
Seeing the injured Ironclaw Wolf, Dongfang Song rushed forward, almost in tears.
“Excellent… This is the power of a soldier-ranked phantom beast trainer? Even among level one Reincarnators, it’s top-tier…”
Wu Ming’s eyes were fixed on Dongfang Ao’s pitch-black war blade.
Clearly, what he had used just now wasn’t any martial technique or kung fu, but a pure summoning art!
“You noticed?”
Dongfang Ao sheathed his blade slightly, nodding, “This is my second contracted beast, the Steel Spirit! I’ve raised it to the soldier rank, allowing it to transform into any weapon and increase weapon mastery by one level!”
“No wonder Senior Dongfang’s swordsmanship was so natural before!”
Wu Ming nodded, his eyes flashing with insight:
[Steel Spirit (Elemental Realm)]
[Racial Rank: Elite Species (Orange)]
[Racial Bonus: One]
[Attribute: Steel]
[Stage: Mid-Soldier Rank]
[Abilities: Steel Body, Weapon Transformation]
[Characteristics: Phantom Beast Weapon Mastery (+1), Additional Steel Skin]
[Status: Healthy]
This Elemental Realm phantom beast was clearly superior to those from the Living Realm. With Dongfang Ao’s proficiency-level sword skills, his previous strike had clearly been enhanced to mastery level, which was the advantage brought by the +1 weapon mastery.
Such enhancement directly acted upon the phantom beast trainer himself, which could be described as terrifying.
Moreover, with the Steel Skin ability, it was practically a trump card for phantom beast trainers, whose physical bodies were relatively weak.
Wu Ming could imagine how terrifying Dongfang Ao’s close combat capabilities would be when covered in Steel Skin and wielding a war blade!
“This Dongfang Ao was hiding his strength. However, it’s normal. Anyone who reveals all their secrets upon first meeting would truly be a fool!”
Wu Ming mused inwardly. Just as he was about to ask a few more questions, cries of distress reached his ears.
“Ahh! Ah Tie (Iron)… Please don’t die!”
Beside them, Dongfang Song, still young at heart, seeing the Ironclaw Wolf’s critical condition, burst into loud sobs.
“What are you howling about? It isn’t dead yet!”
Dongfang Yue was visibly annoyed, “If you don’t move aside soon, delaying its rescue, it really will die…”
“Please, Senior Sister Yue, help!”
Dongfang Yunhe quickly pulled Dongfang Song away and bowed respectfully.
“Summon! Drunken Wind Willow!”
Dongfang Yue gently touched a wooden hairpin in her bun. With a flash of green light, a peculiar spiritual plant appeared.
It stood over five meters tall, resembling a willow tree with drooping branches and emerald-green leaves that shimmered like jade, exuding a rich, wine-like fragrance.
[Drunk Wind Willow]
[Racial Rank: Elite Species (Orange)]
[Racial Bonus: One]
[Attribute: Plant]
[Stage: Early Soldier Rank]
[Abilities: Photosynthesis Regeneration, Budding]
[Combat Techniques, Techniques: Wine Cloud Drunkenness, Healing Light]
[Characteristics: Phantom Beast Life Vitality (+1)]
[Status: Healthy]
…
“A phantom beast with healing abilities…”
Wu Ming observed carefully. These so-called combat techniques and techniques could all be categorized under abilities, while characteristics were strength bonuses that phantom beasts could bestow upon their trainers as they grew.
Clearly, his gray wolf still had a long way to go before it could benefit its trainer.
“Technique – Wine Cloud Drunkenness!”
Dongfang Yue pointed at the Ironclaw Wolf. A surge of wine clouds quickly entered its body, causing the wolf’s eyes to become dazed, as if it had turned into a drunkard.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
At this moment, numerous willow branches inserted themselves from the wound, forming pus-filled swellings as if they were sucking out the poisoned blood.
“Although this Triangle Branding Snake is a common species phantom beast, its poison has penetrated deep into the bone, making it extremely difficult to cure completely. You all need to be cautious in the wild…”
After extracting the poisoned blood, the Ironclaw Wolf’s previously swollen front paw quickly reduced swelling, delighting Dongfang Song.
But then, he screamed.
Because in his terrified gaze, the Drunk Wind Willow actually pulled out one of the Ironclaw Wolf’s bones!
“What are you screaming for? The bone is already ruined from the snake bite!”
Dongfang Yue looked at the gray-black bone with two fang marks on it and shook her head, explaining, “The bone is damaged, so we just need to replace it… Ancient physicians were able to use willow branches to mend bones. My Drunk Wind Willow is the best material for replacing various bones!”
The willow peeled away its bark and leaves, revealing a white trunk inside that indeed resembled bones. Extending roots, it entered the wound, serving as a skeleton.
“Healing Light!”
Then, a circle of green light descended. Within this light, the Ironclaw Wolf’s wounds quickly healed, and finally, it even unsteadily stood up.
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