Wolf Soul Descends

Iron Wall City, General's Mansion.

Li Xuan sat cross-legged on the couch, his chest wrapped in thick bandages, but blood still seeped through, staining a large area red.

The Golden Wound Powder could only stop the bleeding. The meridian damage and lifespan loss caused by the Life Burning Art were beyond what medicine could heal.

He looked at his status panel:

[Li Xuan]

[Age: Seventeen]

[Strength: 5.8]

[Stamina: 11.8]

[Agility: 2.2]

[Spirit: 1.6]

[Potential: 15.3]

[Cultivation Method: Blood Fiend Bone Forging Technique, Second Layer (Minor Accomplishment)]

Ten years of lifespan were gone.

But Li Xuan didn't feel much.

What was ten years? If he had died on the battlefield today, a hundred years of lifespan would have been meaningless.

The 15.3 potential points on his status panel were the spoils of the recent bloody battle.

He thought for a moment, then added 10 points to Stamina and 5 points to Strength.

[Stamina: 11.8 → 21.8]

[Strength: 5.8 → 10.8]

A warm current surged through him.

The gunshot wound on his chest began to heal rapidly, and his damaged meridians were nourished and repaired.

Although the side effects of the Life Burning Art remained, at least... he could move now.

His Strength had broken through 10.0, officially entering the threshold of the sixth layer of Body Forging.

And with a Stamina of 21.8, he was already comparable to the peak of the eighth layer of Body Forging!

Under the tempering of the Blood Fiend Bone Forging Technique, his bones had reached an astonishing 200% hardness.

Now, even if he took a direct hit from Wanyan Lie's axe, his bones would at most fracture, not break.

"Li Xuan."

Senior Sister Yun pushed the door open, holding a bowl of medicinal soup.

"This is 'Nourishing Origin Soup' from the sect. It can alleviate the side effects of the Life Burning Art," she said, handing him the bowl. "But the loss of lifespan... cannot be recovered."

Li Xuan took it and drank it down in one gulp.

The soup was bitter, but after it entered his throat, it transformed into a warm, gentle current, nourishing his damaged foundation.

"Thank you."

"I should be thanking you," Senior Sister Yun said, sitting down by the couch, her expression complex. "If it weren't for you, we would all have died in that dense forest today."

She paused. "General Wang's poison has been completely neutralized, but he is weak and will need at least a month to recover. I will be temporarily in charge of Iron Wall City's defenses."

"What about the Barbarians?"

"Wanyan Xiong was severely wounded and fled back to the Blood Eagle Tribe's camp. Our vanguard cavalry of three thousand suffered over fifty percent casualties," Senior Sister Yun said. "But the Blood Eagle Tribe's main force of forty-seven thousand has already reached the north bank of the Black Water River and will cross at the latest tomorrow. Combined with the remnants of the Blood Wolf Tribe, the Barbarians' total strength... exceeds fifty thousand."

Fifty thousand.

Iron Wall City's defenders, including the Crimson Firmament Sect disciples, numbered less than eight thousand.

The disparity in forces was significant, more than six to one.

"What is the sect's stance?" Li Xuan asked.

Senior Sister Yun was silent for a moment, then took out a jade slip from her embrace.

The jade slip was crimson, engraved with a burning cloud pattern.

"This is an urgent transmission from the sect," she said, her voice low. "With the Blood Eagle Tribe's army pressing down, Iron Wall City no longer holds strategic value. The sect orders: all Crimson Firmament Sect disciples are to evacuate immediately and retreat to Crimson Firmament Mountain."

Evacuate.

Abandon Iron Wall City, abandon the thousands of soldiers and tens of thousands of civilians within the city.

Li Xuan stared at the jade slip, saying nothing.

"I know what you're thinking," Senior Sister Yun said. "But this is the decision of the sect's Elder Council. Iron Wall City cannot be held. Staying here any longer would only result in needless sacrifice."

"Does General Wang agree?"

"He does not agree," Senior Sister Yun shook her head. "But he has no authority to interfere with the sect's decision. The Crimson Firmament Sect disciples must withdraw."

She looked at Li Xuan. "You have been promoted to an inner disciple and are also on the evacuation list. Pack your things. We will leave from the south gate in one hour."

"I'm not leaving," Li Xuan said.

"What?"

"I said, I'm not leaving." Li Xuan stood up. "Iron Wall City can't be held, I know that. But if we just leave like this, what about the garrison in the city? What about the civilians? Should we just let them wait for death?"

"This is war!" Senior Sister Yun also stood up, her voice rising. "War means sacrifice! You staying behind alone, what can you change? Can you stop fifty thousand barbarian soldiers?"

"I can't stop them," Li Xuan said. "But I can kill a few more."

"You..." Senior Sister Yun's chest heaved with anger. "Li Xuan, you are a genius! The future of the sect! Dying here is not worth it!"

"Whether it's worth it or not, I decide."

The two stared at each other.

The air solidified.

After a long while, Senior Sister Yun sighed.

"Steward Liu was right, you are... stubborn as a mule."

She took out another jade slip from her embrace and threw it to Li Xuan.

"What is this?"

"A fragment of the third layer of the Blood Fiend Bone Forging Technique," Senior Sister Yun said. "Steward Liu found it in the sect's scripture repository. It only contains the general principles and the first move. He said... if you really want to stay, this might help you break through."

Li Xuan took the jade slip and pressed it to his forehead.

Information flooded in:

Blood Fiend Bone Forging Technique, Third Layer—Condense blood into fiends, transform fiends into qi, absorb the most yin and evil energies to refine 'Blood Fiend Qi'.

Upon mastery, the qi protects the body, making it impervious to blades and spears. Punches unleash qi like a gale, capable of shattering mountains and splitting rocks.

However, the cultivation conditions are harsh: it requires being on a battlefield with tens of thousands of people, absorbing the resentment and fiendish energy of the fallen, and breaking through on the brink of death.

Failure results in the fiendish energy backlashing, causing the body to explode and die.

"Thank Steward Liu for me."

"You... you're really going to practice it?" Senior Sister Yun's eyes were filled with worry.

"Is there a better option?" Li Xuan retorted.

Senior Sister Yun fell silent.

"In one hour, I will lead the disciples to evacuate." She turned towards the door and paused. "Li Xuan, come back alive. The Crimson Firmament Sect's inner sect... needs a disciple like you."

The door closed.

Li Xuan gripped the jade slip, his gaze firm.

"Chen Feng," Li Xuan called out towards the door.

Chen Feng pushed the door open and entered. He was also wrapped in bandages, but his eyes were bright. "I'm here."

"Senior Sister Yun is taking the Crimson Firmament Sect disciples to evacuate," Li Xuan said. "You go with them."

"And you?"

"I'm staying."

Chen Feng stared at him for three seconds, then shook his head. "Then I'm staying too."

"It's useless for you to stay," Li Xuan said. "You're at Body Tempering fifth layer. Facing fifty thousand troops, you won't last three breaths."

"And you? Can you last?"

"I can," Li Xuan said. "I have the Blood Fiend Bone Forging Technique; I get stronger the more I fight. You don't. Staying here is just suicide."

Chen Feng gritted his teeth. "At least... I can block a few blows for you."

"No need." Li Xuan took out a cloth bag from his embrace and stuffed it into Chen Feng's hand. "There are fifty Body Tempering Pills in here, and also evidence of Elder Zhao colluding with the enemy. Take it back to the martial arts school and give it to the headmaster."

"Li Xuan..."

"This is an order." Li Xuan's eyes turned cold. "I am an inner disciple, and you are an outer disciple. According to sect rules, you must obey me."

Chen Feng's eyes turned red.

Finally, he took the cloth bag and clasped his fists heavily.

"Come back alive."

One hour later, at the South Gate.

Three hundred Crimson Firmament Sect disciples were lined up. Every face showed unwillingness, but no one dared to disobey the sect's orders.

Senior Sister Yun rode her horse, casting one last glance at Iron Wall City.

The city walls were damaged, and smoke still rose from the fires.

This city could not be held.

"Move out."

The procession slowly exited the city.

On the city walls, Wang Meng stood there, supported by his personal guards, watching them leave. The General Zhenbei's face was pale, but his back was straight.

"General," the deputy general whispered, "can we... hold the city?"

"We have to hold it even if we can't!" Wang Meng's voice was hoarse. "Hold until the last soldier."

"But..."

"No 'buts'." Wang Meng turned and looked into the city. "Pass the order: all defenders, to the city walls. The common people... those who wish to leave, evacuate through the south gate. Those who do not wish to leave, distribute weapons, and perish with the city."

"Yes!"

The order was passed down.

Chaos erupted within the city.

Some civilians ran towards the south gate, dragging their families, while some old soldiers headed towards the city walls with their sabers. Injured soldiers struggled out of the medical tents, wanting to kill a few more Barbarians in their final moments.

These chaotic times were like a furnace, and human lives were like grass.

Li Xuan stood on a watchtower on the north side of the city, overlooking the entire city.

In his hand, he held a newly acquired longbow, with thirty armor-piercing arrows in his quiver. Beside him were three spare combat knives, and... ten Blood Burst Pills.

This was all he could prepare.

"They're here."

On the distant horizon, the dense Barbarian army surged forward like a tide.

Fifty thousand men.

Banners obscured the sun, and blades gleamed like a forest.

At the forefront were the elites of the Blood Eagle Tribe—three thousand heavily armored cavalry, their horses and riders clad in iron armor, only their eyes visible. Behind them were ten thousand archers, twenty thousand infantry, and siege engines.

And in the center of the army, beneath the massive Blood Eagle banner, Li Xuan saw a familiar figure.

Wanyan Lie.

He had actually appeared again.

Although his face was pale and he sat in a war chariot, he was indeed alive.

And beside him stood an old man in a black robe, his face smeared with paint—a Barbarian Shaman.

The Shaman held a skull in his hands, and eerie green flames burned in its eye sockets.

"What are they doing?" a defender on the city wall exclaimed in shock.

The Shaman raised the skull high and let out a long howl to the sky.

Obscure incantations echoed in the wind.

The sky suddenly darkened.

Dark clouds gathered from all directions, obscuring the sun. A fierce wind rose, kicking up sand and stones, which clattered against the city walls.

"It's sorcery!" Wang Meng's face changed drastically. "Quick! Shoot! Kill that Shaman!"

The archers hurriedly loosed their arrows.

But the arrows, halfway to their target, were blown off course by the strong wind and fell powerlessly.

The Shaman's incantations grew more urgent.

The green flames in the skull's eyes blazed, transforming into a pillar of light that shot towards the sky!

BOOM!

A thunderclap sounded in the sky.

Then, Li Xuan witnessed a sight he would never forget.

Within the pillar of light, the phantom of a giant wolf slowly materialized.

The wolf was thirty feet tall, entirely emerald green, with soul fire burning in its eye sockets. It howled at the sky, its cry as desolate as ten thousand ghosts wailing, making the city walls tremble.

"Ancient Wolf Soul..." Wang Meng's voice trembled. "The Barbarian Shaman can actually summon something like this..."

The Wolf Soul lowered its head, its emerald eyes sweeping over Iron Wall City.

Wherever its gaze fell, the defenders' hearts trembled, and their limbs went weak.

It was a fear that originated from the soul.

"It's over," a soldier collapsed to the ground. "We're finished..."

Li Xuan also felt a chill crawl up his spine.

[Detected high concentration of soul energy... can be absorbed and converted into potential points or used to strengthen spirit... Absorb?]

Soul energy?

Li Xuan's eyes lit up.

"Absorb!"

An invisible suction force erupted from him.

In the air, the Wolf Soul suddenly faltered, its eerie green body shaking.

The Shaman's face changed drastically. "Someone is absorbing the Wolf Soul's power! Who is it?!"

His gaze swept across the city wall, finally landing on Li Xuan.

"It's you!" the Shaman hissed. "Southern brat, how dare you desecrate the Wolf God!"

Li Xuan grinned.

He continued to absorb.

[Potential Points +1]

[Potential Points +1]

[Potential Points +1]

The numbers on the status panel were jumping wildly!

The Wolf Soul let out an enraged roar, but it found its power draining away.

Though slow, it was indeed draining.

"Kill him!" The Shaman pointed at Li Xuan.

Wanyan Lie also saw Li Xuan, a venomous glint flashing in his eyes. "Attack the city! After we break through, I will personally skin him alive!"

The Barbarian war horns sounded.

Fifty thousand troops, like a black tsunami, rushed towards Iron Wall City!

The real final battle had begun.

Li Xuan put away his longbow and drew the Black Scale Saber.

He glanced at his status panel.

In just that short while, his potential points had increased by 30.

He put all of them into Stamina!

[Stamina: 21.8 → 51.8]

Stamina broke through 50.0!

The threshold of the ninth layer of Body Forging was broken!

Now his physical strength was comparable to the peak of the ninth layer of Body Forging!

Coupled with the second layer of the Blood Fiend Bone Forging Technique reaching minor completion, his bone hardness was at 200%...

Li Xuan gripped the saber hilt, his eyes igniting with fighting spirit.

"Bring it on."

He leaped from the watchtower, landing on the city wall.

Ahead, the Barbarian army had reached the city.

Scaling ladders were being brought up.

The battering ram began to strike the city gate.

A rain of arrows fell like locusts.

Li Xuan took a deep breath.

He circulated the core principles of the third layer of the Blood Fiend Bone Forging Technique.

Absorbing the battlefield's malevolent energy, the Wolf Soul's soul power, and the aura of death.

He would break through to the third layer in this desperate situation!

Condense blood into malevolence, transform malevolence into a protective aura.

Condense the Blood Fiend Aura!

"Kill—!"

He charged towards the nearest scaling ladder.

The Black Scale Saber slashed down.

Blood light surged into the sky!