Early the next morning, before dawn had fully broken, Shen Hao strapped the Flying Sword to his back, made ample preparations, and headed deep into the Dense Forest of Qingyun Peak's Back Mountain. Morning light spilled over him, outlining his upright figure. His steps were firm, his gaze sharp.
Compared to the Dense Forest behind the outer sect, the Dense Forest behind the inner sect was far more perilous. The Demon Beasts within were not only stronger, but also more cunning and savage. Most of the Demon Beasts in the outer sect were low-tier Demon Beasts from the First Layer of Qi Condensation to the third layer, while deep within the Dense Forest behind the inner sect lived quite a few mid-tier Demon Beasts at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer or above, and even high-tier Demon Beasts at the Qi Refining Fifth Layer. Ordinary Inner Sect Disciples did not dare venture too deeply. Shen Hao's goal for this trip was to find a Demon Beast at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer for a real combat trial and test the results of his cultivation during this period.
He moved cautiously through the Dense Forest, treading Flowing Cloud Steps. His body was light, making not the slightest sound. His eyes vigilantly swept the surroundings as he sensed the fluctuations of spiritual energy nearby, afraid of alerting any powerful Demon Beasts.
After venturing several miles into the Dense Forest, Shen Hao finally found his target in an open valley—a pitch-black Ironback Bear. The Ironback Bear stood three zhang tall, towering in the center of the valley like a small mountain. It wore a suit of hard iron armor that gleamed with a cold sheen. Its bear paws were as large as millstones, covered in sharp claws and fangs. Its cultivation was precisely at the Early Qi Refining Fourth Layer, equal to Shen Hao's, making it an excellent real-combat opponent.
The Ironback Bear also sensed Shen Hao's presence. It suddenly raised its head, its bell-sized eyes locking onto him as it let out a deafening roar. The roar exploded like thunder, shaking leaves from the surrounding trees. A ferocious aura rushed straight at him, making even the air around them seem to congeal.
Shen Hao's expression did not change. He gripped the Flying Sword in his hand and calmly watched the Ironback Bear. Rather than attacking first, he stepped through Flowing Cloud Steps, moving about the valley as he observed the Ironback Bear's weaknesses. Its iron armor was incomparably hard, and ordinary attacks could hardly break its defense. But its eyes and abdomen were weak points; the skin there was relatively soft and easily injured.
Seeing Shen Hao circle around without daring to confront it head-on, the Ironback Bear flew into a towering rage. It pounced at Shen Hao, its enormous paw carrying a fierce gale as it slammed toward his chest with enough force to shatter a small mountain.
Shen Hao shifted his footing, his body gliding several feet away like a flowing cloud. By the narrowest of margins, he evaded the Ironback Bear's pounce. With a muffled bang, the bear's paw struck the ground heavily, instantly splitting it with several deep ravines as shattered stones sprayed into the air. At the same time, Shen Hao flicked his wrist, and the Flying Sword in his hand shot out like a venomous snake leaving its hole, aimed directly at the Ironback Bear's left eye with lightning speed.
The Ironback Bear reacted swiftly, jerking its head aside. The Flying Sword grazed its cheek, leaving behind a shallow bloody wound. The scent of blood only drove the Ironback Bear into a greater frenzy.
"Roar!" The Ironback Bear howled in pain and fury, and its attacks grew even more savage. It swung its bear paws, striking madly at Shen Hao. For a time, fierce winds howled through the valley and shattered stones flew everywhere, as though doomsday had descended.
Shen Hao dealt with it calmly, using the third level of Flowing Cloud Steps, Flowing Cloud Shadow Transformation. His figure became elusive and unpredictable, afterimages trailing behind him in succession, making it impossible to distinguish his true position. Though the Ironback Bear's attacks were fierce, they were exceedingly clumsy. Again and again, they struck empty air, leaving only deep craters in the ground. Shen Hao continuously harassed the Ironback Bear with his Flying Sword, attacking its weak points as he searched for the chance to deliver a fatal blow.
After dozens of exchanges, the Ironback Bear's movements gradually slowed, and its aura became increasingly disordered. Beads of sweat covered its forehead; it was clearly beginning to run out of strength. Shen Hao, however, still breathed steadily. His movement technique remained nimble, and he showed not the slightest sign of fatigue.
A glint flashed through Shen Hao's eyes. Seizing the opening when the Ironback Bear's old force had been exhausted and its new force had yet to arise, he suddenly accelerated, turning into an afterimage as he circled behind it. He poured all the spiritual energy in his body into the Flying Sword. A deep-blue spiritual glow erupted from its tip, flashing with a cold gleam. Then he thrust fiercely into the Ironback Bear's abdomen, its softest spot.
"Pshk!"
With a soft sound, the Flying Sword precisely pierced the Ironback Bear's abdomen. Blood instantly gushed out, staining Shen Hao's clothes red. The Ironback Bear let out a shrill cry, its body swayed, and it crashed to the ground. After twitching a few times, it lost all signs of life.
Shen Hao sheathed his sword and stood still, taking a breath. A tired yet satisfied smile appeared on his face. Although the battle with the Ironback Bear had taken some time, his gains were immense. Not only had he become familiar with using the third level of Flowing Cloud Steps in actual combat, but he had also gained a deeper understanding of how Demon Beasts at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer fought, accumulating valuable practical combat experience.
He walked to the Ironback Bear's corpse, took out a dagger, cut open its abdomen, and removed a pitch-black inner core. The inner core was the size of a fist, entirely black, with faint Earth Spiritual Energy swirling around its surface and emitting dense spiritual energy fluctuations. This inner core could be used to cultivate the second level of the Spirit Devouring Art, devouring the Earth Spiritual Energy within.
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