At the Huang Household estate.
Xia Wuji stayed in his room, the spiritual radiance of the pill swirling around him.
This first-tier peak-grade Earth Origin Spirit Pill had extremely potent medicinal effects. Any other Sea of Qi Realm martial artist would have been unable to withstand it, but Xia Wuji circulated the Eternal Sword Canon and easily refined the pure energy.
In less than fifteen minutes, the sea of qi in his dantian trembled and suddenly expanded. His cultivation realm broke through once more, rising to the sixth level of the Sea of Qi Realm.
Moreover, he had only refined around thirty percent of the Earth Origin Spirit Pill's energy.
Although the higher one's cultivation, the more energy was needed for a breakthrough, Xia Wuji was completely confident that he could fully refine the remaining seventy percent tonight and then break through another minor level.
He sank into a state of cultivation.
However, at that moment, a black shadow suddenly swept over the Huang Household estate.
The black shadow landed.
"Boom!"
The entire estate shook.
The Huang Household guards inside the estate immediately rushed over.
"Damn it, how could there be a Fierce Beast here!"
"Everyone, be careful. It's a peak-grade Fierce Beast, the Great Earth Black Bear!"
The peak-grade Fierce Beast, the Great Earth Black Bear, was comparable to a human martial artist in the Primal Energy Realm.
The Great Earth Black Bear suddenly pounded the ground with both arms. Then, its enormous body leaped into the air and ferociously attacked the Huang Household guards.
"Ahhh!"
The Huang Household guards were sent flying one after another by the black bear, their bones broken and tendons snapped. Some even lost their lives on the spot.
At this moment, Huang Hu and Xu Lan had also rushed out.
Beside Huang Hu was a Huang Household guard captain at the first level of the Primal Energy Realm.
"Young Master, be careful! This black bear has gone berserk..." the Huang Household guard captain hurriedly said.
But the moment his voice fell, the Great Earth Black Bear had already pounced ferociously.
The Huang Household guard captain let out a low growl and engaged it in fierce combat.
"Quick... Let's go tell Brother Xia and leave the estate first!" Huang Hu hurriedly pulled Xu Lan and rushed toward the guest room where Xia Wuji was staying.
However, the Huang Household guard captain lasted only a few exchanges before the frenzied Great Earth Black Bear struck him in the chest with one claw.
His chest caved in, and his body shot backward, smashing through a decorative rockery. Buried beneath the rubble, he vomited great mouthfuls of blood and could no longer stand.
The Great Earth Black Bear let out a savage roar. It leaped into the air like a mountain peak crashing down and pounced toward Huang Hu and Xu Lan.
"Get out of the way!"
In his desperation, Huang Hu shoved Xu Lan away, but he was already too late to dodge. He had no chance of withstanding the Great Earth Black Bear's killing pounce.
"Brother Huang!" Xu Lan cried out nervously.
Just as the Great Earth Black Bear was about to crush Huang Hu beneath it—
"Swish!"
A razor-sharp sword qi shot out from the room behind Huang Hu in an instant.
The sword qi was swift, bursting with dazzling radiance. In a flash, it sent the Great Earth Black Bear pouncing toward Huang Hu flying!
"Boom!"
The Great Earth Black Bear slammed into the ground, a bloody wound stretching across its body.
Xia Wuji rushed out of the room and came to Huang Hu's side.
Huang Hu's face was pale. "Brother Xia..."
Before he could continue, Xia Wuji said, "I'll handle it."
The Great Earth Black Bear had been injured, but instead of becoming fearful, it appeared even more savage.
"Beast!"
Xia Wuji gave a cold shout. In an instant, spiritual power swept out with the sound waves.
That force surged straight into the Great Earth Black Bear's head!
Just moments ago, the Great Earth Black Bear had been incomparably savage, but the ferocity in its eyes instantly scattered. Then it obediently lay on the ground, motionless.
Huang Hu, Xu Lan, and the miserable group of Huang Household guards all stared in stunned silence...
Just then—
A loud shout rang out from outside the estate.
Immediately afterward—
A group of people charged into the front courtyard of the estate.
The Huang Household guards moved to stop them.
The person leading them was none other than Su Guang.
Su Guang shouted angrily, "Get out of my way! The Great Earth Black Bear has entered a berserk state. I'm here to save people. If the Great Earth Black Bear kills anyone, don't blame us!"
As he spoke, Su Guang led his people into the rear courtyard of the estate.
But the moment he entered the rear courtyard, Su Guang was dumbfounded.
He had originally thought that even if Xia Wuji did not die, he would at least be half-dead. Appearing at this moment and subduing the frenzied Great Earth Black Bear would count as saving him, and no one could say anything about it.
Yet... Xia Wuji was perfectly fine.
Instead, the Great Earth Black Bear had somehow ended up lying on the ground, obedient as a dog.
Many people had followed Su Guang into the Huang Household estate.
Most of them had been drawn over by the commotion just now.
"This... whose Fierce Beast was it? How did it suddenly go berserk in the middle of the night?"
"The Huang Household is really unlucky. Several guards died, and a whole group of guards suffered serious injuries."
"Tsk, isn't that Xia Wuji, who took first place in the first mental fortitude assessment?"
"Was he lucky or unlucky?"
"If you call him lucky, he was almost flattened by that berserk Great Earth Black Bear."
"If you call him unlucky, he's fine now..."
Xia Wuji fixed his gaze on Su Guang.
Su Guang's brow furrowed. Coming back to himself, he said, "Since nothing happened, that's good. Someone, take the Great Earth Black Bear back."
"Wait!" Xia Wuji's voice rang out. He said, "Is this Fierce Beast raised by the Su Household?"
Anger also rose in Huang Hu's heart. He said, "If this Fierce Beast was raised by your Su Household and ran into my Huang Household estate to go berserk, shouldn't your Su Household give us an explanation?"
"An explanation?" Su Guang shouted coldly. "This Great Earth Black Bear wasn't raised by our Su Household. As for who its master is, you're not qualified to know."
"A few insignificant dog guards died, and you still want an explanation?"
"What the hell do you think you are!"
Su Guang was in a foul mood. This had originally been a case of borrowing a knife to kill someone, but it had failed. He only wanted to take the Great Earth Black Bear away as quickly as possible.
Thus, the moment he finished speaking, he waved his hand. The guards he had brought stepped forward to take away the quietly prostrate Great Earth Black Bear.
"You're going too far! Our Huang Household isn't some soft persimmon for you to squeeze!" Huang Hu shouted angrily, blocking the group of Su Household guards.
"Get out of my way!" Su Guang's eyes were icy cold, and his attitude was vile.
Huang Hu could not swallow this anger.
But just then, Xia Wuji spoke.
"Brother Huang, let them deal with this beast."
Huang Hu turned his head and looked at Xia Wuji.
Su Guang sneered. "Xia Wuji, Xia Wuji, you're surprisingly sensible at a time like this?"
"But I haven't forgotten that you injured my younger brother and forcibly took his spirit sword. Just wait and see!"
At this point, how could the people who had come to watch the excitement still fail to understand?
This Fierce Beast had most likely been deliberately sent over by the Su Household!
It had been done to take revenge on Xia Wuji!
Only, for some unknown reason, it had failed.
Under the circumstances, and with Xia Wuji's urging, Huang Hu could only suppress his anger and move aside.
The Su Household guards quickly came to the Great Earth Black Bear's side and lifted the enormous creature.
Su Guang continued staring at Xia Wuji. "Kneel down right now, hand over my younger brother's spirit sword, and offer that Earth Origin Spirit Pill as an apology. I can spare you. Otherwise, I'll definitely make you regret this for the rest of your life. I always keep my word!"
Xia Wuji sneered.
In the next moment, a wisp of his spiritual power was silently released. It was like a sword, stabbing viciously into the Great Earth Black Bear's soul!
The Great Earth Black Bear, which was being carried by the Su Household guards, suddenly let out an enormous roar. Its huge body struggled violently, sending all the Su Household guards tumbling away.
Immediately afterward, it frenziedly pounced toward Su Guang!
Before you continue