After bidding farewell to Zhou Min and the others, Lin Feng did not linger for a moment. He pushed the Thunder Flash movement technique to its limit, becoming a streak of lightning skimming close to the ground as he slipped toward the depths of the wilderness, the dangerous region known as the Wolf's Den.
The deeper he went, the sparser the surrounding vegetation became, replaced by more jagged, grotesque black rocks. The rank, bloody stench in the air also grew heavier, and from time to time, wolf howls that made one's heart quail drifted over from afar.
"The spiritual energy here... seems denser than at the outskirts, and far more violent." Lin Feng circulated the Basic Body Forging Technique - Quenching Chapter and keenly sensed the difference. This environment seemed even more favorable for the growth of demon beasts like the Wind Shadow Wolf.
He became even more cautious, spreading his mental power like an invisible spiderweb to sense every rustle of wind and grass around him.
After traveling for roughly a quarter of an hour and climbing over a stone mountain riddled with holes like a honeycomb, the view before him suddenly opened up—and made Lin Feng suck in a cold breath.
Below lay an enormous basin. At its center stood a massive nest piled from countless white bones and withered branches! No fewer than twenty Wind Shadow Wolves prowled around it. Several were especially powerful, their auras no weaker than that previous wolf king's.
At the very center of the nest stood a dark-purple plant about half a man's height, its leaves as savage as wolf fangs, giving off faint waves of spiritual energy. At its tip hung three purple berries the size of longans, tiny arcs of electricity flickering across their surfaces!
"Thunder Wolf Fruit!" Lin Feng's pupils contracted as he recognized it. He had seen it in the school's spirit plant guide. It was a spirit fruit containing pure thunder energy, tremendously beneficial to martial artists cultivating Thunder Element Cultivation Methods. It could temper the body, purify spiritual energy, and even aid in comprehending the True Meaning of Thunder! It was worth a king's ransom!
"No wonder this place is called the Wolf's Den. With this Thunder Wolf Fruit growing here, it is enough to produce a large number of powerful Wind Shadow Wolves." Understanding dawned on Lin Feng, followed by a surge of burning excitement. This Thunder Wolf Fruit was precisely the cultivation resource he needed most right now! If he could consume it, his Nine Heavens Thunder Blade would surely rise to another level!
But as he looked at the more than twenty Wind Shadow Wolves glaring like tigers watching their prey—especially the three wolf king guards lying beside the nest, their auras comparable to early-stage human Martial Masters—Lin Feng frowned deeply.
Charging in head-on was undoubtedly a road to death.
"I have to find a way to lure them away, or... create chaos." Lin Feng's mind raced as his gaze swept over the terrain around the basin.
Just then, at the edge of his mental perception, he suddenly caught several rapidly approaching auras! Not demon beasts—humans!
"Someone's coming? And... they mean trouble!" Lin Feng's gaze sharpened. He immediately concealed every trace of his aura and silently slipped, like a lizard, into a crack in the stone mountain to hide.
Very soon, five figures appeared at the edge of the basin, furtively peering down below.
When he saw the leader, a cold glint flashed through Lin Feng's eyes—it was none other than Zhang Kuang, his arm still hanging limp! Four students with considerable auras followed behind him. Two were astonishingly dressed in the uniforms of Jiangnan City's top-ranked Tianyao Private Martial High School, while the other two were Third Middle School lackeys who usually trailed after Zhang Kuang.
"Young Master Kuang, this is the place! The Wolf's Den! My cousin and his group found it during their last mock exam. They said there might be treasure inside!" one of the Third Middle School lackeys whispered excitedly.
Zhang Kuang greedily stared at the Thunder Wolf Fruit in the center of the basin and licked his lips. "It really is Thunder Wolf Fruit! Damn it, Heaven is helping me! As long as I get it, I can quickly break through to Martial Artist. Then..." A venomous gleam flashed through his eyes. "That bastard Lin Feng—I will make him wish he were dead!"
"Young Master Kuang, there are a lot of wolves. This won't be easy," said one Tianyao Martial High School student with a frown. His aura was steady; he was clearly also a Quasi-Martial Artist.
"What are you afraid of?" Zhang Kuang sneered and pulled out two fist-sized black spheres that gave off a pungent odor. "These are Demon Luring Pills my father got hold of, specially made to attract low-level demon beasts! We'll throw them to the other side of the wolf pack, lure most of the wolves away, then rush in, snatch the Thunder Wolf Fruit, and run!"
"Good idea!" The others' eyes lit up.
Hidden in the shadows, Lin Feng's heart sank. Zhang Kuang was truly willing to spend a fortune just to take revenge on him. He knew of these Demon Luring Pills—they were expensive, and their effects were fierce.
"Move!" Zhang Kuang barked. Together with another Tianyao Martial High School student, he hurled the two Demon Luring Pills with all his strength toward the far end of the basin, away from the Thunder Wolf Fruit!
The black spheres traced arcs through the air and exploded the instant they hit the ground, releasing an extraordinarily rich, strange bloody fragrance irresistible to demon beasts!
"Awooo?!"
The pack of Wind Shadow Wolves in the basin instantly stirred. That heavy fragrance stimulated their nerves. Most of the ordinary Wind Shadow Wolves, including two wolf king guards, growled low and surged toward the source of the scent like a tide!
In the blink of an eye, only five ordinary Wind Shadow Wolves and one wolf king guard remained around the nest!
"Now! Charge!" Ecstasy spread across Zhang Kuang's face. Taking the lead, he rushed out from hiding with the other four, shooting toward the Thunder Wolf Fruit at the center like arrows!
"Roar!" The wolf king guard left behind let out an enraged bellow and led its five subordinates in a fierce pounce at these brazen human invaders!
The battle erupted in an instant!
Though Zhang Kuang had one broken arm, his family background was rich. He held a coldly gleaming short blade in his left hand, and wielded it with considerable power, barely managing to tie down the wolf king guard. The other four split into pairs to fight the five ordinary Wind Shadow Wolves.
The two Tianyao Martial High School students were indeed formidable. Their coordination was seamless and their martial techniques sharp; before long, they had slain one Wind Shadow Wolf. But the other two Third Middle School lackeys were stretched thin, able only to barely hold on.
For a time, the situation fell into a stalemate.
Hidden within the rock crevice, Lin Feng calmly observed the battle. His gaze passed over the fighting figures and locked firmly onto the Thunder Wolf Fruit within arm's reach.
When the snipe and clam fight, the fisherman profits...
Without the slightest hesitation, he moved, seizing this perfect moment when Zhang Kuang and the others were locked in fierce battle with the wolves and everyone's attention was drawn away!
"Thunder Flash!"
He pushed his movement technique to the limit. His entire body turned into a faint shadow that nearly blended into the environment, shooting silently along the shadows by the rock wall toward the wolf's nest at the basin's center as fast as lightning!
He was unbelievably fast, drawing almost no one's attention!
In just a few leaps, he slipped around the battle like a ghost and appeared beside the Thunder Wolf Fruit!
Without the slightest delay, he swiftly and precisely plucked the three purple berries crackling with electric arcs and placed them into a jade box he had prepared beforehand—the box Li Zhenhai had given him, originally meant to hold Gene Repair Fluid—then tucked it into his clothes.
The entire process took no more than two or three breaths!
And at the instant he plucked the final Thunder Wolf Fruit—
"ROAR!!!"
From the other end of the basin came a deafening, terrifying roar filled with endless fury and kingly pressure! The power contained within that roar made the entire basin seem to tremble!
Immediately afterward, an incomparably massive azure figure swept over from the other end of the basin like a hurricane! Wherever it passed, the Wind Shadow Wolves lured by the Demon Luring Pills dropped to the ground in terror, trembling all over!
It was a gigantic wolf more than three times the size of an ordinary Wind Shadow Wolf, its fur a deep azure, a golden lightning pattern etched across its forehead, and fangs like short swords!
The Wind Shadow Wolf Emperor! A true overlord-level existence! Its strength had absolutely reached the level of a second-rank demon beast, equivalent to a human Great Martial Master!
It had clearly been disturbed by the scent of the Demon Luring Pills. More importantly, the instant the Thunder Wolf Fruit was picked, it sensed the disappearance of the treasure it guarded and flew into a complete rage!
"Not good! It's the Wolf Emperor! Run!" Zhang Kuang, who had been grappling with the guard, was scared out of his wits, his face turning pale as paper in an instant!
The two Tianyao Martial High School students also blanched in horror. No longer caring about anything else, they turned and fled!
However, the enraged Wolf Emperor was far too fast! Like a streak of azure lightning, it crossed hundreds of meters in an instant. Its huge wolf claw, carrying the force to tear apart everything, slammed brutally toward the Third Middle School lackey running at the rear!
"No! Young Master Kuang, save me!!" The lackey let out a desperate scream.
"Splat!"
Blood burst forth! Man and bone alike were slapped into a pulp by that claw! Even his scream came to an abrupt end!
The cruel, bloody scene terrified Zhang Kuang and the others out of their wits. They ran for their lives toward the edge of the basin.
Meanwhile, Lin Feng, having successfully obtained the fruit and preparing to retreat silently, was exposed at that very moment to the Wolf Emperor's scarlet gaze, overflowing with endless killing intent!
It had smelled it! The scent of the Thunder Wolf Fruit was on this human!
"ROAR!!!"
The Wolf Emperor abandoned the fleeing Zhang Kuang and the others, focusing all its fury on Lin Feng, who had just picked the fruit and had not yet managed to flee far away!
Terrifying pressure descended with a crash, like a tangible mountain!
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