Xu Yan was certain he had encountered a bottleneck. If he could not break through this bottleneck, he would be unable to temper his bones into Jade Bone!
He was only one step away, yet he had come to a complete standstill.
It was as if a barrier stood in his way. If he could not break through that barrier, Jade Bone would remain beyond his reach.
However, Xu Yan had no idea how to break through that barrier.
No matter how he circulated his Vital Energy or how continuously he tempered his bones, it was all completely useless.
"Is it because I haven't grasped the insight? Do I need to relax my mind and sense the workings of inspiration before I can break through the barrier?"
"Still, I have a feeling that I need pressure—pressure from both within and without—to break through. But I don't know what kind of pressure I need..."
Xu Yan sank into deep thought.
He decided to ask his master for guidance.
Just then, Li Xuan walked out of the house.
"Disciple, come here!"
Xu Yan's spirits lifted. Master has noticed that I've encountered a bottleneck. Is he here to guide me?
"Master!"
He bowed respectfully.
Li Xuan looked somewhat solemn. "Disciple, after you hunted the tiger in Evil Fiend Forest, did you search the entire forest?"
Xu Yan froze and shook his head.
"Besides the tiger, there is also a Fierce Beast in Evil Fiend Forest. Be careful and deal with it!"
Li Xuan solemnly warned him.
Judging from Da Niu's diary, that Fierce Beast was rather unusual. If it happened to come to the small village, things would go badly.
It was a tremendous threat.
Yet when Xu Yan heard this, his eyes lit up. There's another Fierce Beast in Evil Fiend Forest? Stronger than the Red-Eyed Tiger? I understand. Master is telling me that my chance to break through lies in Evil Fiend Forest!
"Fight the Fierce Beast, awaken my potential, break through the barrier, and Jade Bone will surely be mine!"
In that instant, inspiration flashed through Xu Yan's mind. He suddenly understood what kind of pressure he needed to break through the barrier and achieve Jade Bone.
The Fierce Beast in Evil Fiend Forest was his opportunity!
He immediately nodded excitedly. "Master, I understand. I'll deal with it now!"
Xu Yan excitedly mounted his horse and rode straight out of the village toward Evil Fiend Forest.
"Why are you in such a hurry? I haven't finished speaking yet."
Li Xuan was somewhat speechless.
Why had this foolish disciple become so excited after hearing that there was a Fierce Beast in Evil Fiend Forest?
Had hunting become an addiction?
"With strength in numbers, the Fierce Beast should not be able to escape."
Li Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.
Although he had learned from Xu Yan that the martial artists of the outside world were not particularly powerful and belonged to a low-martial level, dealing with a Fierce Beast should still be no problem with strength in numbers.
Since it was a low-martial world, no matter how strong the Fierce Beast was, it could not be all that strong, right?
Xu Yan rode his horse to Evil Fiend Forest and began searching.
As he searched deeper, the trees in the depths of Evil Fiend Forest grew thicker and thicker. Before long, the horse began to tremble, slowing down more and more, and even wanting to retreat.
Xu Yan's spirits lifted. He circulated the Vital Energy throughout his body and stayed alert to his surroundings.
Suddenly!
A low growl rang out. Behind a massive tree, a fiery figure abruptly pounced forth, its exposed fangs gleaming with cold light.
It lunged straight at Xu Yan on the horse's back.
Xu Yan's eyes lit up. Relying on his formidable physical body, he threw a punch.
A claw swept toward him as well.
Bang!
Xu Yan felt an enormous force strike him, knocking him straight off the horse's back.
The horse was so terrified that its four legs went limp. It collapsed onto the ground and trembled violently.
"How is this possible?"
Xu Yan was utterly shocked.
He was a martial artist who had nearly tempered his bones into Jade Bone. His strength was beyond imagination.
If the Red-Eyed Tiger encountered him now, he could kill it with a casual punch.
Bang!
Xu Yan rolled over and scrambled to his feet. A fiery-red figure pounced at him once more.
"Ah!"
Xu Yan let out a great roar. The Vital Energy throughout his body boiled as he charged straight toward it.
Bang!
A claw slammed into his chest, while Xu Yan's fist smashed into the Fierce Beast.
Xu Yan staggered back several steps, feeling a sharp pain in his chest.
The Fierce Beast was also knocked back two steps by his punch.
Only then did Xu Yan get a clear look. The Fierce Beast's body was fiery red, especially the ring of mane around its neck, which was as red as fire, like a blazing mass of flames.
It had a wolf's head and jade-green eyes. Two fangs, each more than a foot long, gleamed with cold light. Its hindquarters were actually smaller than its forequarters, but its hind legs were exceptionally thick and powerful.
Its forelegs resembled tiger paws, with sharp claws jutting out like small daggers.
Its body was more than half again as large as the Red-Eyed Tiger. Simply standing there, it radiated a savage aura. Its jade-green eyes gave off a gloomy, violent feeling.
Being fixed by those eyes made one shudder involuntarily.
At this moment, those jade-green eyes were locked tightly on Xu Yan.
It sensed a powerful Vital Energy emanating from this human, awakening a thirst for blood within it.
"Fire Mane Wolf?!"
Xu Yan's heart turned solemn. Didn't this Fierce Beast look exactly like the Fire Mane Wolf he had seen in an ancient storybook?
It was said that Fire Mane Wolves were unbelievably powerful. One had once rampaged through a city, causing countless deaths and injuries, yet had safely withdrawn under the encirclement of an elite army!
He had never expected there to be a Fire Mane Wolf in Evil Fiend Forest!
"Who said everything in storybooks was a lie? Even a Fire Mane Wolf has appeared!"
Xu Yan was incredibly excited. As his Vital Energy circulated, his entire body became feverish with exhilaration.
A Fire Mane Wolf—the Fierce Beast of legend.
Quite a few people had read the stories about Fire Mane Wolves, but none of them took them seriously. A Fierce Beast rampaging through a city and then safely escaping an army's encirclement?
It was simply too outrageous!
Xu Yan believed it now. Judging from their exchange just moments ago, the Fire Mane Wolf was strong enough to escape an army's encirclement.
That formidable body, agile speed, and tremendous strength—
Even he felt a certain pressure, which showed just how powerful the Fire Mane Wolf was.
"This is my chance to break through!"
Xu Yan believed that the Fire Mane Wolf was his chance to achieve Jade Bone. By fighting it to the death, he would break through his shackles under overwhelming pressure.
"Come on! Today, I, Xu Yan, will temper my Jade Bone with the life of a Fire Mane Wolf!"
Xu Yan roared. His Vital Energy boiled, and even a faint jade-like sheen rose over his body as he charged forward.
Roar!
The Fire Mane Wolf let out a howl and pounced forward. Its twin claws struck out as its massive jaws opened, saliva dripping from its fangs as it viciously bit toward Xu Yan.
Xu Yan abruptly seized both of the Fire Mane Wolf's claws. Before it could bite him, he kicked it hard in the body, sending it flying and crashing to the ground.
He immediately charged after it, raising his fist and striking.
The Fire Mane Wolf roared. Its eyes turned blood-red, and a violent aura spread through the air. Its fiery-red mane streamed about like burning flames.
It pounced at Xu Yan once more.
Bang!
Xu Yan was sent flying backward, his heart jolted with shock. How had the Fire Mane Wolf's body suddenly become scorching hot?
The Fire Mane Wolf pounced down.
A man and a beast began battling one another fiercely.
Xu Yan roared and blasted the Fire Mane Wolf back, then pounced forward again. He twisted both of its claws and pinned it to the ground.
But the Fire Mane Wolf's hind legs kept kicking. They struck Xu Yan directly, each blow carrying tremendous force. The kicks sent his Vital Energy trembling, while the pain stabbed at his nerves.
"Die!"
Boom!
Xu Yan exerted all his strength and flung the Fire Mane Wolf away. The Vital Energy throughout his body boiled violently. At this moment, steam rose from Xu Yan's entire body, and his skin gradually turned red.
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