บท 9: Facing a second-stage demonic beast
"Take a step back, I will handle this." Lao Xie said.
The demonic wolf startled, "Roaarrr-" its crimson eyes locked onto him now, sensing a new threat, it immediately rushing towards him.
"Host, be careful, that's a second-stage demonic beast. It's prowess combat equivalent to those on the ninth stage of Qi refinement." the system voice's chimed in, reminding him.
"A second-stage demonic beast when i was supposed to hunt a first-stage demonic beast?" Lao Xie said inwardly.
With a snarl, the beast lunged, its maw open wide, aiming to tear into him.
"Mirage Walk – Fleeting Steps."
The wolf's jaws snapped down on empty air. Lao Xie had already moved, his body leaving an afterimage where he once stood. He appeared behind the beast, his sword cutting through the air.
"With its speed, the demonic wolf barely managed to evade Lao Xie's attack, but its flank was still slashed. The wolf howled in pain, "Roarrr-" its crimson eyes glowing brighter as it spun around, enraged."
It charged again, more recklessly this time, aiming to crush him with its massive body.
Lao Xie vanished once more, his form a blur as he darted around the clearing. He reappeared to the wolf's side, tried to deliver another slash leg but it failed.
"Damn, this beast.. it's fast."
The wolf then lashed out, its claws cutting through the air in wild swipes. One of its strikes grazed Lao Xie's shoulder, tearing through his robe and drawing blood.
He looked down at the wound, his expression unmoved. "Fuck, that's kind of hurt actually haha."
The wolf lunged again, its jaws snapping at his throat this time. Lao Xie sidestepped effortlessly, his sword flashing in a wide arc.
The blade connected with the wolf's shoulder, the force of the strike sending the beast skidding across the clearing.
Lao Xie's movements were precise, his steps calculated. He wasn't rushing to kill the beast. Instead, he was assesing his new technique, probing the wolf's defenses, all while the system's interface tracked his progress.
[TECHNIQUES]
Heavenly Echoing Sword Arts (0/7)
First Move - Sky's Whisperer : 3% mastery
Mirage Walk (0/5)
First Stage - Fleeting Steps : 5% mastery
He glanced at the progress bar. "It increased."
The demonic wolf, despite its injuries, staggered to its feet, its fury undiminished. With a final snarl, it charged, its crimson eyes burning with desperation.
Lao Xie amused, his sword raised. "Let's try this."
The wolf leaped into the air, its claws outstretched, ready to rip him apart. This time, Lao Xie didn't move. He stood his ground, waiting until the last possible moment.
"Be.. Be careful" a girl's voice shouted from behind.
"Heavenly Echoing Sword Arts, First Move .... Sky's Whisperer."
The blade moved like a breeze, soft, gentle, but deadly. It whispered through the air, cutting in a wide arc that seemed almost lazy in its execution. But the result was anything but.
The wolf's momentum was halted mid-air as the sword sliced through its chest. The beast's eyes widened in shock as blood sprayed from the wound, and its body collapsed to the ground.
Lao Xie sheathed his sword, turning to look at the young disciple. She was on her knees, her face pale, her breath coming in panicked gasps and blood still dripped from her wound.
He said nothing for a moment, simply watching her with an unreadable expression wore on his face.
Surprised by what she had just witnessed, the girl hurriedly began to thank him. "T-thank you, Senior Brother." Her wide-eyed gaze was filled with awe and disbelief, her expression a mixture of shock and admiration.
Lao Xie glanced at her, his voice calm and composed. "You're bleeding. Take this," he said, retrieving a pill from his storage ring. His face remained impassive, his true intentions unreadable.
As her eyes caught sight of the storage ring, she froze, nervous realization dawning on her. "That's an Earth-grade storage ring?" she thought to herself, her heart racing.
Noticing her reaction, Lao Xie's thoughts turned calculating. "She's sharp... recognizing the value of this ring so quickly. She might be useful."
Without missing a beat, he handed her a few more pills. "These are healing pills. Take them," he said, his tone still neutral, as if offering assistance was merely a passing thought.
The girl hesitated for a moment, her wide eyes locked on the pills in Lao Xie's hand. "T-thank you, Senior Brother," she stammered, her voice barely steady as she quickly accepted his help.
She reached out with trembling hands and took the pills, swallowing them instantly. A soothing warmth spread through her body, the pain fading away as the pills began to heal her wounds. The relief was almost immediate, and she could feel her strength returning.
"These… are second-grade pills," she thought, her astonishment growing with every passing moment. "Who is this Senior Brother? He defeated a second-stage demonic beast without breaking a sweat, has an Earth-grade storage ring, and now he hands out second-grade healing pills like they're nothing. Could he be an elite from the Inner Court? But I've never seen him before… or maybe a core disciple?"
Her mind flooded as she tried to make sense of it all. She couldn't even sense his cultivation level. "His base must be much higher than mine," she realized, the realization only deepening her curiosity.
"What the fuck, did she just ate all those pills in that instant? aren't you supposed to eat it one at a time? there you go my wasted healing pills. I was planning to use those as a mean to earn her trust.." Lao Xie said inwardly.
He watched her without a word, the faintest trace of amusement flickering in his eyes. He turned to leave, not bothering to acknowledge her gratitude any further. The girl, now standing on steadier feet, felt compelled to speak again.
"Senior Brother... why did you help me?" she asked, her voice still weak but filled with curiosity.
Lao Xie paused, his back still turned to her. He glanced over his shoulder, his expression unreadable, yet a slight smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
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