Chapter Seventeen: Shattered Jade

That’s right. While Xiao Yue was scheming against Lu Xingchen, Lu Xingchen had also developed murderous intent toward Xiao Yue.

“Xiao Yue? I know her!”

“She’s a princess of the Great Yan Kingdom. She joined the sect less than a year ago and has already cultivated to the rank of a three-star Martial Artist. Quite a notable figure.”

“But what impressed me the most was her relentless pursuit of Hu Junfeng—every day she’d be outside Hu Junfeng’s cave dwelling, fussing over him.”

Lu Xingchen then asked, “Which peak is Xiao Yue on?”

“Tongtian Peak. She’s considered a core disciple there.”

Lu Xingchen nodded slightly. “Got it. Thanks, Senior Sister Dongxuan.”

Returning to his room, Lu Xingchen rested briefly before heading to the task hall to accept a mission.

As a third-grade sect, Lingxiao Sect governed a vast territory with many tasks for disciples to undertake.

Completing these tasks earned points, which could be exchanged for various treasures from the sect’s treasury.

Lu Xingchen lacked offensive techniques; apart from the advanced Yellow Rank “Shattered Stone Palm,” he had no other attack-type martial skills.

Though he could purchase more from the system shop, saving points whenever possible was preferable.

He chose tasks that required killing enemies, so he could simultaneously earn sect points and experience—a twofold gain.

At the task hall, Lu Xingchen found a suitable mission: hunting the One-Eyed Demon Wolves.

Mission Brief: A pack of about fifty One-Eyed Demon Wolves has appeared near the sect’s entrance, with varying levels of strength. Among them, the wolf king is a second-rank demon beast.

Demon beasts’ ranks range from one to nine, corresponding to human cultivation levels. A first-rank demon beast is equivalent to a martial artist, a second-rank corresponds to a martial master.

This pack of One-Eyed Demon Wolves has already injured many disciples who ventured outside; urgent extermination is advised. Recommended for groups of five or more, led by a martial master!

Lu Xingchen found the elder issuing the task and accepted it.

He then left the sect alone, scouting the outskirts of Sunset Forest for signs of the One-Eyed Demon Wolf pack.

He spent 500 exchange points at the system shop to buy a low-level Profound Rank longbow, named the Azure Mist Bow.

After all, facing a pack alone, preparation was crucial.

Half an hour later, he finally found traces of the wolves.

Hiding in the shadows, Lu Xingchen nocked an arrow and released it toward a One-Eyed Demon Wolf.

[Congratulations, host has slain a first-rank demon beast, gaining five experience points!]

The sudden attack threw the wolves into chaos, but they quickly focused on Lu Xingchen, roaring as they charged.

Activating his Wind Spirit Boots, Lu Xingchen retreated swiftly, continuously firing feathered arrows.

With his three-star Martial Artist cultivation, he could kill a first-rank demon beast with a single strike.

One by one, the One-Eyed Demon Wolves fell. The wolf king roared furiously and charged at Lu Xingchen at full speed.

Lu Xingchen remained unfazed, shooting arrow after arrow to wear down the pack’s combat strength.

By the time the wolf king reached him, more than a dozen wolves had been killed.

As the wolf king closed in, Lu Xingchen sheathed the Azure Mist Bow and drew his Shadow Sword for close combat.

After only a dozen moves, he left three deep blood marks on the wolf king’s body.

He himself was unscathed.

Just as Lu Xingchen was about to finish off the wolf king, the other wolves caught up, claws slashing from all sides.

Lu Xingchen threw his sword sheath out and continued to duel the wolf king.

Just as the claws neared him, he activated the “Shadow Sword Technique,” instantly teleporting to where the sheath lay, naturally breaking out of the wolves’ encirclement.

Immediately, his sword flashed, slaying two more One-Eyed Demon Wolves.

The wolf king let out an enraged howl.

Damn it!

How infuriating!

It couldn’t understand how this human escaped its encirclement.

The wolf king lunged at Lu Xingchen again.

Lu Xingchen continued to dance around it.

Whenever the wolves nearly surrounded him, Lu Xingchen would use the Shadow Sword to escape.

After three rounds, he had slain all the first-rank One-Eyed Demon Wolves.

The wolf king was left utterly alone.

Fear gripped the wolf king—it was powerless to stop this human from slaughtering its pack.

This was terrifying.

But the wolf king knew it couldn’t outrun the human; its speed was inferior.

It had no choice but to fight to the death.

So it gathered all its strength and charged at Lu Xingchen.

Lu Xingchen naturally did not back down and met the attack with raised sword.

At that moment, the wolf king’s teal eyes turned blood red, and its aura intensified several times over.

Lu Xingchen was taken aback.

But it was too late to change tactics; he braced himself to endure this assault.

He felt a tremendous force on his blade; the Shadow Sword flew from his hand as the wolf king struck him fiercely in the chest.

Lu Xingchen was slammed backward, coughing up blood, his breath weakening instantly.

Yet the wolf king did not press its advantage, instead turning and fleeing.

Lu Xingchen quickly realized the wolf king had used a talent skill to amplify its strength, which came at a cost.

Now both he and the wolf king were weakened.

He struggled to his feet, drew the Azure Mist Bow, and fired an arrow.

[Congratulations, host has slain a second-rank demon beast, gaining 50 experience points and 50 exchange points!]

[Congratulations, host has acquired the talent: Jade Shatter. Effect: Immediately consumes half of the user’s Dou Qi to double the damage of the next attack.]

Lu Xingchen was delighted.

The “Jade Shatter” talent was extremely powerful—a vital trump card for fighting beyond one’s rank.

As Lu Xingchen was about to check the system panel, a slender man suddenly appeared, slashing his sword down toward Lu Xingchen.

Lu Xingchen hurriedly raised his sword to block.

Still recovering from the battle with the wolf king, his strength was not fully restored, and the slender man’s strike forced him to retreat several steps.

“Will you give your name, intruder?” Lu Xingchen asked sternly.

“Tongtian Peak, Wang Li!”

“Tongtian Peak? Could it be that Xiao Yue sent you?”

“Hahaha, you’re quite perceptive! Though I don’t know what grudges you have, Sister Xiao Yue has offered herself to me—I simply cannot refuse.”

Hearing this, Lu Xingchen felt a wave of disgust.

That arrogant woman Xiao Yue would never surrender herself so easily.

It seemed Wang Li was merely her pawn.

But since he had murderous intent, Lu Xingchen would not let him off lightly.

A five-star Martial Master—he had killed such before!

Wang Li looked puzzled. “Kid, you just fought the One-Eyed Demon Wolves fiercely and still have strength left. How did you manage that?”

Lu Xingchen quickly took a Rejuvenation Pill he had exchanged from the system shop and swallowed it, smiling, “A man on the brink of death has no right to ask questions.”

Hearing this, Wang Li’s anger flared.

Who among martial masters was not a favored child of heaven?

This kid was clearly looking down on him!