Carelessness

He felt a surge of energy, and his footsteps quickened. Before long, he spotted the two Demonic Creatures still near their original spot, not having moved. They weren't gnawing on scraps anymore, though. Each had found a smooth stone to lie on, eyes closed, as if dozing and resting. Yet, the two reddish demonic energies on their bodies were still pulsing, clearly indicating they weren't truly asleep.

Wang Quan took a breath, his face instantly contorting back into that terrified, cowering expression. He scrambled forward, his voice cracking with a sob, "My lords! Bad news! Something's happened!"

The two young jackals' eyes snapped open, four green flames staring intently. The impatient one immediately leaped up, asking urgently, "What is it? Where's the teacher? Where's that big spider? Didn't you take the teacher there?"

The other, the one who had seemed more composed earlier and was called "Big Brother," didn't rush to speak. He merely narrowed his green eyes, scrutinizing Wang Quan from head to toe, suspicion in his gaze.

Wang Quan stumbled closer, collapsing onto the ground and clutching his chest, looking utterly shaken. "My lords! It, it's terrible! I just brought that lord to the cave entrance when the spider inside suddenly lunged out! It wasn't seriously injured at all, it was faking! They immediately started fighting, the sky went dark!"

He pointed back the way he came, his finger trembling. "That lord, that lord told me to hurry back and report, to tell you two to leave quickly! He said the spider is powerful, and he'll come find you after he kills it, telling you not to wait and to retreat first!"

"What?!" The impatient young jackal exploded upon hearing this, its green eyes darting around. "The teacher told us to run first? No way! Big Brother, we have to go help! The teacher might need a hand! If he really kills that spider, its demonic core..." As it spoke, it couldn't help but lick the dried blood on its lips, its eyes shining. "Maybe it can help us establish ourselves immediately, and even advance further!"

The Big Brother slowly stood up, still staring at Wang Quan, its voice deep. "Wait. You said the teacher sent you back to report, telling us to leave first?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Wang Quan nodded frantically, his expression incredibly sincere. "My lords, that lord said it himself, that spider is cunning and sly, wouldn't you be walking right into its mouth if you went? He told you to leave first for your own good! Hurry, don't dawdle!"

"Big Brother!" The impatient young jackal nudged its sibling with its paw, its eyes gleaming. "Stop thinking! Let's go! It's a chance for the teacher to see that we brothers can handle things too! From now on, when we go out hunting ourselves, the meat of those Martial Practitioners is so nourishing, so full of essence! Just the smell makes me unbearable!"

It got more excited as it spoke, its tail even wagging. "Maybe, in the future, we can be like Old Man, reach Core Condensation, or even... surpass him! Let's go, Big Brother, I can't wait! I have to tear that spider's belly open myself!"

The Big Brother's emerald eyes flickered, seemingly weighing the options. After a few breaths, it said in a low voice, "The teacher is powerful. If he told us to leave, perhaps there's a reason... However, we still need to send word to the clan. This place, ultimately..." As it spoke, it raised a forepaw, a faint red light glowing at its fingertip, as if preparing to transmit a message.

Wang Quan's heart skipped a beat! He absolutely couldn't let this message get out!

Just as the Big Brother hadn't finished speaking, and the red light at its fingertip was about to ignite, Wang Quan's drooping eyelids snapped open, a cold glint flashing! The strength from his Minor Accomplishment Turtle Snake Coiling Dragon Strength erupted instantly. His slumped body sprang up as if sprung by a coil, the Blood Drinking Saber he'd been clutching drawing a dim yet vicious arc, slashing directly at the Big Brother's neck!

This sudden attack was swift and cunning, catching the opponent off guard while it was distracted by casting a spell. The timing was perfect!

But the Big Brother didn't seem entirely unprepared. The moment Wang Quan moved, it let out a shocked, enraged growl, its neck tilting back strangely as it swung its paw to block!

"Squelch!"

The saber sank in, but not into the neck. Instead, it was deeply embedded at the root of the Big Brother's raised foreleg, almost dislocating the limb! Dark red demonic blood spurted high into the air.

"Roar! You good-for-nothing dog! You've turned on us!" The Big Brother roared in pain, green flames erupting in its eyes, its killing intent flaring. "It seems you're that spider's lackey! Today, you'll learn the price of offending us Candlejackal Monsters!"

The impatient young jackal beside it also reacted, howling as it lunged at Wang Quan from the side, its claws aiming straight for his heart!

Wang Quan hadn't killed it with one blow. He didn't linger, withdrawing and narrowly dodging the claw swipe from the side, though his chest was grazed by the claw's wind, opening a bloody gash. He grunted, a fierce light in his eyes. Instead of retreating, he twisted and lunged back at the injured Big Brother, seemingly prepared to take the other's attack head-on!

"What's the price of offending you?" Wang Quan bared his teeth, his smile chilling. "I'm not here to offend you, I'm here to rip open your chest and take out your demonic core!"

Before his words fell, the impatient young jackal's claws were already at his back! Wang Quan didn't dodge, merely angling his body slightly, taking the blow squarely on the thickest part of his back!

"Riiip!" His back clothes were torn, his flesh ripped open, and blood poured down. But Wang Quan used the force of the impact to accelerate even further. The Blood Drinking Saber, imbued with his full strength and the fierce power of Minor Accomplishment Turtle Snake Coiling Dragon Strength, struck like a venomous snake emerging from its hole, plunging directly into the opening in the Big Brother's chest, exposed in its surprise at being injured!

"Die!"

The Big Brother truly hadn't expected Wang Quan to be so ruthless, taking a blow from its sibling with his body just to stab it! Injured, its movements were a beat slower, and it watched helplessly as the dull, gray saber tip rapidly enlarged before its eyes!

"Thwack!"

The blade pierced through, emerging from the back! The green flames in the Big Brother's eyes froze, filled with disbelief. It looked down at the hilt of the saber stuck in its chest, a gurgling sound coming from its throat.

At this moment, the impatient young jackal, which had struck Wang Quan from behind, found its claws only opened a deep gash on his back because Wang Quan had charged forward, failing to stop him. Seeing its Big Brother impaled by a single saber, it roared in shock and anger, lunging again, its claws aiming for the back of Wang Quan's head!

Wang Quan didn't look back, yanking the saber out forcefully! A large stream of hot demonic blood followed, and at the same time, he used the momentum of drawing the saber to dive forward and to the side, rolling.

"Crack!" The impatient young jackal's claws missed, smashing heavily into the stone where its Big Brother had stood, sending shards of rock flying.

Wang Quan rolled to his feet, kneeling on one knee, the Blood Drinking Saber held horizontally before him, its tip still dripping blood. The wound on his back burned like fire, but his gaze was as cold as ice, fixed on the single remaining young Candlejackal Monster, its eyes red with rage after its Big Brother's death.

The young jackal stared at its convulsing brother's corpse, then at Wang Quan. The green flames in its eyes flickered intensely, but it didn't immediately pounce. Instead, it took half a step back, letting out a threatening growl from its throat. Yet, if one listened closely, besides anger, there seemed to be something else in that growl?