Chapter 62: The Great Hunt

The Wolf King was enraged as Qian Ye only retreated to the range of Nanqing City’s defensive cannons before landing on the city wall, looking at the Wolf King with a cold gaze.

Although the Wolf King had been unexpectedly thwarted, he was still a powerful sub-duke. Qian Ye’s ancient vampire body, no matter how robust, was only at the level of a marquis. Even with the bonuses of being an ancient vampire, it was barely equivalent to a marquess-level werewolf in terms of strength, and was two levels below the Wolf King in power.

In terms of origin power, the gap between them was even more significant. If not for the top-tier attributes of Dawnlight, it would have been difficult for Qian Ye to injure the Wolf King.

Given such a vast disparity in power, the Wolf King considered it a great humiliation that Qian Ye had managed to escape last time. The only thing to be wary of was Qian Ye’s immensely powerful attack, but the Original Gun was not something that could be used casually. It required a massive expenditure and a long preparation period. The Wolf King was correct in his assessment; at this moment, Qian Ye had only one shot left with the Original Gun, and he had not yet replenished its consumption.

Furthermore, the last encounter had shown that a single shot from the Original Gun was not enough to incapacitate the Wolf King. After being hit, the Wolf King still had the confidence to annihilate all opponents within Nanqing City, and perhaps even repel Ji Rui.

So, the Wolf King was especially infuriated. Qian Ye’s action was as if he believed that relying on the city’s defensive weapons, he could match the Wolf King.

The Wolf King’s mane-like hair suddenly billowed, and dark red lightning surrounded him as he slowly descended, approaching Qian Ye. Soon, he entered the range of the crossbows, but did not accelerate or change direction, clearly making himself a target for the crossbows.

Qian Ye’s face was grim as he waved his right hand, causing the crossbows on either side to vibrate. Two massive tracking bolts were launched, striking at the Wolf King.

With a snarl, the Wolf King conjured a shadow of red claws with his hands, grabbing and tearing apart the incoming bolts!

A wave of gasps echoed through the city. The previously orderly defense formation became chaotic. Whether they were mercenaries or city defenders, the crossbows were their primary weapon, not meant for use against individuals. Now, the Wolf King had torn them apart head-on, making the other defensive weapons seem like mere decorations in the face of such a powerful opponent.

In an instant, many people thought of fleeing. The city defenders, restrained by the rules of the neutral territory, could be ordered to maintain order even if the Wolf King captured Nanqing City. However, the Darkflame mercenaries had no such luck. Dozens of them quietly slipped out of the defenses, preparing to retreat.

The Wolf King, with his keen eyes, observed these movements from his high vantage point, feeling quite satisfied with his own intimidating presence.

But just as pride began to swell in his heart, the city wall beneath Qian Ye’s feet suddenly crumbled, and he shot up like a cannonball, hurtling towards the Wolf King!

Qian Ye appeared before the Wolf King in an instant, holding his sword, Dongyue, with both hands. With the momentum to cleave mountains and split seas, he struck at the Wolf King!

The Wolf King, having just destroyed the two bolts, was still reeling from the shock, and his reaction was delayed. In that fleeting moment, Qian Ye seized the opportunity, leaving the Wolf King uncertain whether it was due to luck or truly extraordinary combat skills.

Qian Ye’s sword came too fast for the Wolf King to dodge. Unwilling to back down, he roared and punched out with his right fist, using the edge of his fist to clash with Dongyue.

As the fist and sword met, the Wolf King realized he had underestimated Qian Ye. The dark origin power on his fist was pierced by Dongyue, and the sword blade reached his flesh.

At that moment, sensing that the Wolf King’s defense was not as strong as expected, Qian Ye activated the Tai Xuan Bing Fa Jue. The move that had defeated Ji Tianqing reappeared, layering his full strength, pressing down on the Wolf King like a tidal wave!

With supreme force, wielding an unbreakable heavy sword, the strike was unstoppable!

In an instant, Dongyue’s blade sliced through the Wolf King’s skin and flesh, cutting into his bones. The Wolf King skillfully deflected most of the force, causing Dongyue’s blade to veer off. Though it seemed like a draw, the Wolf King had actually lost half a step.

Gaining the upper hand, Qian Ye pressed on, wildly slashing and hacking, with his strength increasing layer by layer. Each strike was like moving mountains and oceans, and eventually, the Wolf King dared not block directly.

The overbearing nature of the Tai Xuan Bing Fa Jue was thus revealed to the world!

Not only the Wolf King, but also Song Zining and Ji Tianqing, recognized that Qian Ye could not sustain this level of combat for long. Yet, this moment of unparalleled prowess was already enough.

“This technique, this technique…” Ji Tianqing’s eyes shone with excitement, almost unable to contain her emotions.

During their previous encounter, the brief clash had not given her a deep understanding of the Tai Xuan Bing Fa Jue. For someone accustomed to seeing top-secret techniques, witnessing such an unprecedentedly overbearing method was akin to a feast for the senses.

Song Zining, however, was hopping mad. At this level of battle, he couldn’t intervene. Even if he did, he wouldn’t be able to influence the outcome.

The most infuriated was, of course, the Wolf King. He was being relentlessly attacked by Qian Ye, unable to counterattack, only able to evade and block. Although he knew that Qian Ye’s storm of attacks couldn’t last, this technique allowed Qian Ye to unleash several times his normal strength, completely suppressing the Wolf King. Before Qian Ye’s strength waned, the Wolf King could only take hits passively.

In a moment, the Wolf King’s body bore several new wounds, blood gushing out, a horrifying sight.

Suddenly, Qian Ye’s offensive slowed, and his strength ebbed away, reaching the limit of the Tai Xuan Bing Fa Jue.

The Wolf King let out a roar, exploding with power and furiously attacking Qian Ye. However, Qian Ye shifted his sword stance, defending with a seamless, impenetrable shield. Using Dongyue like a shield, and with the ebb of strength not yet fully dissipated, though the Wolf King’s power was superior, he couldn’t overpower Qian Ye. Furthermore, Qian Ye’s swordsmanship was nearing perfection, surpassing the Wolf King’s. Thus, for the time being, the Wolf King could do nothing to Qian Ye.

The roles of attacker and defender switched. The Wolf King felt the crossbows lock onto him again and had to divide his attention and energy to deal with the threat. But the sense of danger now came from three sources, which puzzled him. Was there a third crossbow hidden in the city? A quick glance revealed no place to hide additional weaponry besides the two towers.

The intense exchange paused, and Qian Ye and the Wolf King separated.

At this moment, Qian Ye’s face was pale, with thin lines of blood seeping from his eyes, lips, nose, and ears. Even his resilient body could not withstand the brutal, head-on exchanges with the Wolf King. After all, werewolves were known for their robust bodies, surpassing even vampires.

The Wolf King glared at Qian Ye, his eyes turning increasingly red, filled with murderous intent. Qian Ye, however, remained expressionless, his eyes seeming somewhat vacant, actually entering a state of neither joy nor sorrow.

Amid the distant confrontation, cheers and encouragement erupted from the city below, with a few daring voices shouting, “Kill the Wolf King!”

Though Qian Ye’s injuries were far more severe and his exhaustion greater than the Wolf King’s, his injuries were internal. The Wolf King, with four or five long, bloody gashes, looked terrifying but wasn’t seriously injured. Qian Ye’s force had waned after cutting through the skin, leaving little damage to the bones and internal organs.

However, the coarse mercenaries below couldn’t distinguish between external and internal injuries. To them, the Wolf King, drenched in blood, appeared to be the one who had suffered more.

The Wolf King quickly realized this, turning livid. No one had dared to shout “Kill the Wolf King” to his face since his defeat against Zhang Bu Zhou. For someone of his status, personally killing the lowly mercenaries would be demeaning, so he channeled all his fury onto Qian Ye.

“Today, I will offer you as a living sacrifice to my ancestors, or I will never return to our tribal homeland!” the Wolf King declared, word by word.

Qian Ye’s expression remained cold, having already placed life and death, joy and sorrow, out of his mind. He raised his sword, stood still, and slowly retreated, but his aura rapidly rose.

Below, Ji Tianqing praised, “Well done! Looks like the Wolf King is going all out.”

Song Zining’s face was grave. “Prepare to act.”

Ji Tianqing was taken aback. “So soon?”

Song Zining gritted his teeth. “It must be soon. I wanted Qian Ye to provoke, not to go one-on-one!”

Ji Tianqing shrugged. “One-on-one is the best provocation. Qian Ye did well.”

“I don’t think he can last another round. This risk is too great!”

“If we act now, I’m not sure I can hold the Wolf King. He still has a lot of ancestral power to use.”

Song Zining gritted his teeth. “Let’s take the chance!”

The Wolf King’s long hair fluttered as he slowly advanced, his aura climbing higher, his body surrounded by dense, dark red light, ready to unleash almost all of his ancestral power in one strike.

Just as he took another step, the scenery around him changed, transforming into a gentle, spring-like southern landscape. Song Zining leaped up, his fingers flicking, sending countless floating leaves shooting out, forming chains that locked the Wolf King in place.

The Wolf King was initially stunned, then enraged. With a fierce shake, he shattered the floating leaves, with only a few remaining stuck to his body.

Song Zining spat a mouthful of blood, falling from the sky. As long as one leaf remained, the Wolf King was immobilized.

Ji Tianqing silently appeared behind the Wolf King, pointing at the dark red light surrounding him. As her finger touched, the dark red light boiled, nearly exploding. The sudden surge of ancestral power made the Wolf King flounder, trying to suppress it while attacking Ji Tianqing to drive her away.

Every move of the Wolf King was now augmented by ancestral power, making him incredibly strong. Ji Tianqing dared not engage directly, instead flying around him, evading and blocking when necessary. For a while, the Wolf King could do nothing to her, but she also faced perilous moments, dodging some attacks with great difficulty.

Qian Ye stood a hundred meters away, already aiming Zangxin at the Wolf King. His heart was as calm as still water, and a pair of luminous wings slowly unfolded behind him.

The Wolf King’s forehead suddenly throbbed with a warning. He roared, unleashing all his ancestral power, enveloping himself in a dark red storm. The last few leaves began to break one by one, each shattered piece causing Song Zining to spit out more blood.

Ji Tianqing’s hands ignited with bright golden light, launching a fierce assault on the Wolf King, rapidly depleting his ancestral power. However, the Wolf King’s ancestral power was too immense, and at this rate, he would clear the leaves, freeing himself. Once the Wolf King was free, it would be difficult to ensure Qian Ye’s shot would hit.

As they were on the brink of failure, a streak of blue light cut through the sky, curving and twisting, and in an instant, reached the Wolf King, slicing through the ancestral power with a single strike!