Encounter with a Black-Haired Sharp-Tusk Boar! Five Join Forces in a Bloody Battle Against a Demon Beast

The first batch of disciples stepped forward to collect signal flares from the enforcement team, carefully putting them away. These were what would save their lives.

The Martial Academy had long since explained the rules of the trial and how points were calculated for different demon beasts.

Batch after batch of disciples entered Azure Radiance Mountain, like streams flowing into the sea without stirring the slightest ripple.

The next batch of disciples stepped forward. Suddenly, Liu Yunche spotted a familiar figure: Han Xu from the Flying Bear Martial Arts Hall.

Several others nearby wore the same attire, presumably all from the Flying Bear Martial Arts Hall.

Han Xu seemed to sense something. The moment he turned around, their gazes collided in midair.

He was briefly stunned, then broke into a brilliant smile. His white teeth gleamed beneath the sunlight, yet traces of provocation and battle intent lurked in his eyes.

Liu Yunche remained calm, without the slightest ripple in his eyes. He merely glanced at him before withdrawing his gaze, standing amid the crowd with his aura restrained as he waited quietly.

Han Xu's expression darkened at the sight. He snorted and turned away, his right hand touching the hilt of the blade at his waist. His heart immediately settled, and he resolved to win back his pride.

Besides the Flying Bear Fist, the Flying Bear Martial Arts Hall's Flying Bear Blade Technique was also exceptional. This was the treasured blade Xue Changli had handed him before his departure.

Something he had never even dared dream of—a low-grade Martial Treasure!

With this item, he no longer regarded Liu Yunche as worthy of notice, convinced that Liu Yunche was nothing more than a trial on his path of martial cultivation.

At that moment, the area ahead gradually grew noisier.

Following the sound, he saw a group of richly dressed, proud young men and women preparing to enter Azure Radiance Mountain.

"Those are people from the three great Lineages. The three leading them are Liu Tianlin of the Liu Household, Tao Xiaoyun of the Tao Household, and He Chaoyang of the He Household."

He Wu folded his arms and raised his brows slightly as he spoke in an even tone.

"The three of them are quite talented and have already reached the Iron Muscle level. Though they are not among the best within their respective Lineages, their cultivation is considered high among the martial artists participating in the hunt."

"Iron Muscle... an entire major realm above me."

Liu Yunche's gaze sharpened as he pondered inwardly, quietly raising his guard.

Iron Muscle was the second level of Flesh Tempering. Iron Muscle martial artists possessed tough, powerful bodies that could withstand low-grade Martial Treasures.

Flesh Tempering began with Copper Muscle, which was Shi Qingyue's current realm.

After that came Iron Muscle, Silver Muscle, and Golden Muscle. Golden Muscle corresponded to Jade Skin; both belonged to the domain of geniuses. Ordinary martial artists would generally choose to break through into Tendon Forging after reaching Silver Muscle.

Elder Lu had told Liu Yunche all this that day at his residence.

Liu Tianlin wore an embroidered robe and had an icy expression. After taking his signal flare, he stared straight ahead, his entire bearing radiating an aloof arrogance that kept strangers at bay as he strode directly into the forest.

Tao Xiaoyun wore a jade-green dress, her brows and eyes cool and distant. Her gaze swept across everyone present as though none of them existed, and without slowing her steps, she followed after him.

He Chaoyang wore red, his expression wild and flamboyant. After taking the signal flare, he casually stuffed it into his sleeve, cast a disdainful glance at the surrounding Martial Academy disciples, then started forward.

Just as he was about to enter, he seemed to recall something. He abruptly turned around and looked down at the crowd with contempt, the scorn in his eyes utterly undisguised. The corner of his mouth curled as he prepared to provoke them.

Suddenly, a cold, sword-sharp gaze stabbed straight at him.

He looked up and saw Elder He Wei of his own Household. He immediately fell silent in embarrassment, shrinking his neck and leaving behind only an inscrutable snort.

He Wei shook his head helplessly and forced a faint smile toward those around him, though his eyes held indulgent favoritism without the slightest trace of apology.

"The boy is arrogant. Please forgive the amusement."

"Young Master He is simply showing his true nature. Only youthful arrogance reveals a martial artist's true character!"

A burly middle-aged man hurriedly bowed and praised him, his face full of flattery.

The surrounding people gave him cold glances before looking away, their contempt self-evident.

This man had always been an affiliate of the He Household, so naturally he tried every possible way to curry favor with He Wei.

Elder Lu said nothing. He stood quietly where he was, watching batch after batch of disciples enter Azure Radiance Mountain, his aura as steady as a mountain.

At last, it was Liu Yunche's group's turn. He accepted the signal flare handed over by the enforcement officer and carefully tucked it close against his chest.

Liu Yunche gave Elder Lu a slight nod, then followed the others as his figure disappeared into the lush mountain forest of Azure Radiance Mountain.

"Elder Lu, was that young man just now your newly accepted disciple?"

Liu Yunche's actions had fallen into Liu Sheng's eyes. Something about the youth's bearing between his brows stirred an unshakable sense of familiarity within him, so he asked.

Elder Lu glanced at Liu Sheng, clasped his hands behind his back, and slowly replied in a calm tone, "He is the son of an old friend."

"I see." Liu Sheng nodded in understanding, but that inexplicable sense of familiarity continued to linger in his heart.

Several miles into Azure Radiance Mountain, the surroundings had already taken on an entirely different appearance.

Ancient trees towered overhead, blotting out the sky. Sunlight filtered sparsely through the dense branches and leaves, while vines tangled around the trunks and rotting leaves carpeted the ground.

A faint grassy, earthy stench mixed with dampness washed over them. The occasional crisp chirp of birds only made the mountain forest seem more secluded and profound.

The five of Liu Yunche's group walked side by side, slowing their pace.

At first, they could still catch glimpses of disciples from other martial arts halls and the Martial Academy, and hear scattered footsteps and conversations.

But the farther inward they went, the more the voices faded until the surroundings became utterly silent.

Only the faint crunch of dead leaves beneath their feet and the rustling of branches stirred by the forest breeze remained.

A huge number of disciples had flooded into the forest, yet it was as if they had been swallowed by the endless woodland, leaving no trace of movement. An invisible tension quietly settled over the group.

"Why haven't we seen a single demon beast here? There are only ordinary wild animals. It's so quiet that it makes one uneasy."

Li Xuantong frowned and lowered her voice, unconsciously tightening her grip around the sword hilt in her arms.

After sneaking several more miles deeper, the forest's dampness grew heavier. A breeze swept past, carrying a faintly fishy, gamey scent.

Shi Qingyue, walking at the front, abruptly raised a hand to signal everyone to halt and remain silent. The others immediately held their breath and concealed themselves behind thick tree trunks.

In the clearing ahead stood a pitch-black demon beast with its back to them. Its body was as robust as an ox, and every strand of its coarse, thick black hair stood upright like steel needles.

Two curved tusks gleaming with cold light protruded from its mouth as it lowered its head to gnaw on prey lying on the ground.

Heavy snorts mingled with the sound of cracking bone and tearing flesh, unnaturally clear in the silent forest. A fierce, violent demonic aura radiated from its body.

With his back against a tree trunk, He Wu wore a grave expression as he warned them in a voice only the few of them could hear, his tone full of vigilance:

"That's a Black-Haired Sharp-Tusk Boar. Its hide is thick and its defense is astonishing. Though it is only a Skin Tempering Realm demon beast, those tusks are incomparably sharp and powerful. Anyone below Flesh Tempering cannot withstand them!"

"Furthermore, when it encounters danger, its black hair can shoot out as projectiles."

"I'll restrain it from the front. Look for an opening and support me from the sides. Be careful!"

Shi Qingyue lowered his body and stepped forward lightly, his voice low but carrying a trace of excitement.

His aura tightened as he put on a pair of specially made iron gauntlets. Fine iron plates covered the palms in neat layers, and cold light flashed at the knuckles.

Shi Qingyue held his breath and slowly crept closer to the Black-Haired Sharp-Tusk Boar.

His steps were light, his five fingers clenched into a fist. With a thought, inner breath from his dantian surged fiercely toward his right hand.

In an instant, Shi Qingyue threw a punch. His fist cut through the forest, kicking up a fierce gust.

The Black-Haired Sharp-Tusk Boar seemed to sense danger. Its hind legs bent slightly as it prepared to flee. Unfortunately, it was still too slow.

The next moment, Shi Qingyue's iron-plated fist, charged with inner breath from his dantian and sharpened by the edges of his gauntlet, smashed viciously into the Black-Haired Sharp-Tusk Boar's rear!

A miserable howl rang through the forest, hoarse and heavy, mournful and piercing. Its legs went limp, and with a thud, it collapsed onto the ground.

He Wu and Li Xuansheng felt chills run down their backs. Their eyes turned toward Shi Qingyue with a strange, indescribable unfamiliarity, as though they were wary of him—or as though they were seeing him for the first time.

"Quick, this is the perfect chance." Shi Qingyue did not notice his companions' strange reactions and urged them anxiously.

Upon hearing this, Li Xuantong could not help taking a step back. Her lips parted as though she wanted to say something, yet in the end, she remained silent.

A black shadow flashed past her. It was Liu Yunche, rushing forward.

Holding Concealed Edge, he drove it without hesitation into the Black-Haired Sharp-Tusk Boar's waist and abdomen. The entire blade sank in, leaving only the hilt outside.

After suffering repeated injuries, the Black-Haired Sharp-Tusk Boar's beastly nature was instead aroused. Its hair stood straight, its eyes reddened slightly, and a faint gleam emerged around the tusks at the sides of its mouth.

"Not good! Find somewhere to hide, and watch out for its sharp hair!" Seeing this, He Wu ignored the strange feeling in his heart and shouted.

Before his words had faded, the steel-needle-like black hair across the Black-Haired Sharp-Tusk Boar's body suddenly tightened and stood on end.

With an enraged roar, countless sharp hairs gleaming with cold light shot wildly in all directions like arrows in a torrential downpour!

The sharp hairs tore through the silent forest with piercing shrieks, each carrying savage force as they fired out indiscriminately.

Shi Qingyue reacted the fastest. He had followed his father, Shi Xiuyan, escorting goods for years and was highly experienced.

He had sensed something amiss even before He Wu spoke. Now, he calmly ducked behind an ancient tree.

Liu Yunche was next. Cautious by nature, he understood well the principle of retreating far after a failed strike. His body moved, turning into an afterimage as he evaded the incoming sharp hairs.

Li Xuantong had no time to draw her sword. She could only use the scabbard to deflect the incoming sharp hairs while rapidly retreating.

He Wu and Li Xuansheng also did not dare delay for even a moment, each darting away.

One rolled swiftly along the ground, while the other leaped behind a thick vine at the side, barely avoiding the brunt of the sharp-hair barrage.

Even with their quick reactions, the corners of their clothes at the shoulders were grazed by scattered sharp hairs, though no blood appeared at the cuts.

Other than Liu Yunche, all five were at least Silver Skin martial artists. Though the sharp hairs were dangerous, they could not injure them.

The demon beast's enraged assault did not harm them. Instead, with that thick layer of sharp hair gone, it became easier for them to strike.

The Black-Haired Sharp-Tusk Boar's eyes were now blood-red, as though stained with blood, fixed tightly on Shi Qingyue, the one who had gravely wounded it.

The waves of pain coming from behind drove it even further into frenzy. Its thick hind hooves kicked violently, and its entire body turned into a streak of black light as it charged toward Shi Qingyue.

"Haha... good!"

Shi Qingyue locked his gaze onto those tusks. The skin across his body tightened, then took on a sheen. The muscles beneath his skin seemed forged from copper, giving him an impregnable presence.

His face remained as calm as still water. His bloodstained hands shot out, and like antelope horns hanging without trace, they firmly seized the pair of coldly gleaming tusks.

The massive impact struck him. Veins bulged across Shi Qingyue's body, his blood and qi churned relentlessly, and countless small leaves shattered beneath his feet.

His body was forced backward without pause. Gritting his teeth, he slowly spat out two words:

"Strong... enough."

His arms grew even more solid, like a pair of copper limbs. He suddenly exerted force and shouted:

"Get... up!"

The others watched as the Black-Haired Sharp-Tusk Boar was violently hurled away. Seizing the opportunity, Liu Yunche and the other four immediately closed in from all sides.

Liu Yunche twisted his wrist, driving Concealed Edge viciously into the demon beast's old wound along its waist and abdomen, sinking it to the hilt.

Li Xuantong drew her sword. A flash of cold light cut through the air, precisely severing the demon beast's hind-leg tendons.

He Wu and Li Xuansheng coordinated seamlessly as well, their fists and kicks carrying fierce wind as they struck the demon beast's chest.

In an instant, they completely extinguished the Black-Haired Sharp-Tusk Boar's life.

The demon beast crashed to the ground and lay still. Its remaining warmth slowly dissipated through the forest.