Outside the Waystation, a General Grade Demon Fights

Snow Peak Mountain.

Because it's located in the south, it's a stretch of rolling hills, with the highest peak barely over a thousand meters in elevation.

Deep within Snow Peak Mountain lies the Southern Mountain Range, a stronghold of the demon wolf clans, so the area is mostly populated by wolf-type demons.

Servant Grade One-eyed Demonic Wolves, and General Grade Three-eyed Demon Wolves, also known as Bone Spike Ferocious Wolves.

These two types of demon wolves are the most common in Snow Peak Mountain.

Of course, aside from wolf demons, there are also many rat demons that burrow into every crevice, the most typical being the Giant-eyed Starry Rat.

"Gugu gugu..."

On the damp ground, a Giant-eyed Starry Rat was foraging for food.

It bared its claws at the base of a tree that would take several people to wrap their arms around, digging through the soil and scraping out a pit. Only when it saw the roots did it excitedly pounce and gnaw.

The crunching sound of chewing roots echoed through the dark forest.

"Tap tap tap..."

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps rang out, growing closer from afar.

The Giant-eyed Starry Rat jerked its head up, its large, bloodshot eyes staring fixedly in a certain direction, its fanged maw letting out a shrill, eerie screech.

"Gugu gugu!"

"Extreme Cold—Ice Vine—Cover!"

The figure hadn't even appeared, but the magic had already arrived.

Ice-blue chill descended from the sky, instantly enveloping the Giant-eyed Starry Rat. Under the triple-amplified Level Three Ice Vine, it had no chance to resist.

The Giant-eyed Starry Rat was immediately frozen into an ice sculpture.

Under the piercing cold, the rat's life force plummeted, and one of its large, bloodshot eyes gradually dimmed.

A moment later.

Qin Yuan slowly walked out from the darkness, looked at the ice sculpture of the Giant-eyed Starry Rat before him, and stomped down.

"Crack!"

A snapping sound rang out—not just the ice, but also the spine of the Giant-eyed Starry Rat.

The White Tiger Vessel on Qin Yuan's wrist flickered faintly, drawing the Giant-eyed Starry Rat's Remnant Spirit into it.

"There are quite a lot of Giant-eyed Starry Rats, but I haven't seen many other rat types."

Qin Yuan muttered to himself and continued exploring forward.

Along the way, he had killed quite a few demons, including as many as five One-eyed Demonic Wolves—all of which had come looking for death on their own.

With his current strength, he could even take on a General Grade Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf, let alone Servant Grade One-eyed Demonic Wolves and Giant-eyed Starry Rats.

As long as Qin Yuan didn't provoke the deep-dwelling Commander Winged Azure Wolf, Snow Peak Mountain was his playground.

"One-eyed Demonic Wolves and Giant-eyed Starry Rats can't test my strength. I still need to find a Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf to clash with."

Qin Yuan moved through the darkness.

Relying purely on his Physical Body, his speed was already far greater than that of a One-eyed Demonic Wolf.

"Shua shua shua..."

After running for a while longer.

"Awooo~!!!"

A loud wolf howl came from the left front. Such volume was no longer something a Servant Grade One-eyed Demonic Wolf could produce.

"Found it." A hint of excitement flashed in Qin Yuan's eyes as he rushed over without pause.

Encountering a General Grade demon alone, he advanced instead of retreating.

If the hunters and Military mages at the Waystation knew of Qin Yuan's behavior, they would surely drop their jaws in shock.

Under the moonlight.

A small patch of forest was bare, because all the large trees had been snapped by external force, lying crisscrossed on the ground, their green leaves scattered everywhere.

On the messy ground, a two-story-tall Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf was locked in a life-or-death struggle with two massive, blocky-muscled Blood-patterned Giant Demonic Rats.

Although the Blood-patterned Giant Demonic Rat was also a General Grade demon, its actual combat power ranked at the bottom among Minor Generals.

The Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf, on the other hand, was unquestionably a Minor General demon, and a few exceptionally strong individuals could even rival a Great General.

One Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf versus two Blood-patterned Giant Demonic Rats.

"Three General Grade demons. They should be enough to test my combat strength."

Qin Yuan stood atop a large tree, observing.

He would watch a little longer, wait until he understood the fighting styles of both types of demons, then step in and kill all three at once.

"Gugu!"

A Blood-patterned Giant Demonic Rat had no martial virtue.

"Swish!"

While the Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf was locked in battle with another Blood-patterned Giant Demonic Rat, it sneakily released a Scarlet Beam.

But the Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf wasn't born yesterday.

The three eyes on its head could see a 270° field of vision, and since it was already on guard, it easily dodged the beam.

"Awoo!"

The Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf pounced again.

The stark white bone spikes on its body stabbed viciously toward the Blood-patterned Giant Demonic Rat.

"Puchi!"

The Blood-patterned Giant Demonic Rat yelped in pain and immediately retreated, pulling free of the bone spikes lodged in its blocky muscles.

Blood gushed from the gaping holes.

The Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf wasn't about to let this chance slip. It lunged forward, its razor-sharp wolf claws aiming for the rat's bloodshot eyes.

"Grk grk grk..."

The Blood-patterned Giant Demonic Rat scrambled backward in terror.

Seeing it couldn't escape the wolf's claws, it turned its back, bracing its muscular spine to take the blow head-on.

"Rip!"

"Grk grk grk!"

The Blood-patterned Giant Demonic Rat howled in agony again, drenched in blood.

The Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf wanted to press the attack, but the other Blood-patterned Giant Demonic Rat's ambush came—this time not a Scarlet Beam, but a long, hooked claw.

"Puchi!"

The rat claw slashed through, tearing open the flesh on the Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf's hind leg.

A sharp sting shot through the wolf. Before it could react, another rat claw came from the front—the blood-soaked demonic rat.

"Awoo!"

The Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf sensed danger. Ignoring the pain, it leaped into the air, breaking free of the encirclement by the two Blood-patterned Giant Demonic Rats.

It stared coldly at the two rats, its murderous intent undisguised.

If it were just one rat, it could slaughter it with ease. But there were two—and they knew how to coordinate.

To win this fight, it would have to earn a few more scars.

"Awoo!!!"

The Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf howled, as if rallying its own courage.

It crouched low, seeming to gather strength, ready to charge recklessly at one of the rats.

The two rats didn't dare take it lightly. They screeched, poised to dodge at any moment.

Just as the next round of combat was about to erupt, all three demonic beasts sensed something and turned toward a patch of darkness.

Dark clouds parted. Moonlight spilled down.

Qin Yuan walked over slowly, holding a crackling purple longblade. Tiny arcs of lightning danced along its edge and vanished into the air.

"Awoo?"

The Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf's three eyes flickered with confusion.

As far as it knew, any human who encountered it in these parts would avoid it at all costs, never provoke it.

Qin Yuan was the first to come looking for it.

Something was off.

Wolf-type demonic beasts were naturally intelligent, let alone a General Grade Bone Spike Ferocious Wolf.

But not all General Grade demons were smart—like the two Blood-patterned Giant Demonic Rats. One of them charged straight in.

Humans. Delicious.

"Heh."

Qin Yuan chuckled softly. The Thunderclap Blade in his hand flashed with electric light, crackling sharply.

Instead of retreating, he advanced, charging forward with the blade.

"Grk grk grk!"

A glint of mockery flashed in the Blood-patterned Giant Demonic Rat's eyes.

It raised its claw, baring rows of jagged fangs. Its mouth, dripping with saliva and unknown fluids, was utterly revolting.

The distance between them shrank. Before the Blood-patterned Giant Demonic Rat, Qin Yuan looked like a child charging at a full-grown man with a fruit knife.