Chapter 17 – Days within the Mountain Range

Deep in the mountains, a clearing, the entire forest was silent, the trees were so dense that not even a patch of sunlight could reach the ground. It was damp and gloomy and much of the ground was still covered in snow.

A silver haired serpentman and a black clothed young man held their weapons, extremely cautious.

“Uncle Zong, it has been almost an hour since we entered, yet we haven’t even met a single magical beast!”

“Sigh you…” Zong Ling shook his head helplessly, his nephew might seem mature but he still had some temperament of a teen. He whispered, “We have just entered the mountain, we are only in the most outer part of the outer perimeter. Naturally, to encounter a magical beast here would be very rare. But the deeper we proceed, the easier it will be to encounter one! By that time the only way to survive will be by depending on your strength.”

“En.”

Dong Bo Xue Ying nodded lightly.

“Sha~~~”

Dong Bo Xue Ying’s ears moved as he heard a faint sound. He immediately stopped Zong Lin who was walking beside him by waving his hand. Zong Ling’s heart tightened, although he hadn’t heard the sound himself, he knew that Dong Bo Xue Ying’s hearing had become extremely sharp after awakening his primordial blood.

“It’s there!” Dong Bo Xue Ying stared at the front left.

Zong Ling also stared at that direction.

Rustling noises could be heard from a distant bramble as a figure with four thin black hoofs slowly appeared. It’s appearance was quite similar to a wolf’s but it was one fold smaller. It’s body was covered with thin black, densely packed scales. A pair of ice-cold dark pupils looked at the two humans calmly.

“Black-Scaled Jackal?” Both Dong Bo Xue Ying and Zong Ling’s hearts tightened. They had met a troublesome magical beast right after entering the Mountain Range of Desolation.

The Black-Scaled Jackal was a magical beast of the third rank.

Black Scaled Jackals were extremely calm but vicious creatures. They preferred to attack in groups and their claws and teeth were covered in acute poison.

Why is it rank 3? Each individual’s strength represented that of a Heaven Rank Knight’s! They existed in small groups, this large group of Black-Scaled Jackals in front which walked out of the brambles were no less than thirty five. Even a rank 4 magical beast by itself would be torn to shreds.

“This is troublesome.” Zong Ling was somewhat nervous, “Xue Ying, you must be careful.”

“En, Zong Ling uncle, protect yourself, leave them to me.”

Dong Bo Xue Ying took a deep breath, his breathing became stabler and stronger, he stared at this group of Black-Scaled Jackals before his eyes.

There were so many Black-Scaled Jackals. They naturally dispersed, forming into the shape of a fan and surrounded Dong Bo Xue Ying and Zong Ling. Being stared at the same time by so many pairs of dark red eyes…….. Dong Bo Xue Ying’s heart slightly tightened! His willpower was amazing, spear techniques were very high, but it was his first time facing such formidable opponents.

“Roar~~~” Gloomy and unpleasant voice came from the Black Scaled Jackals at the very back.

Shou shou shou!!!

All the Black Scaled Jackals instantly leaped towards and attacked from all directions, being attacked by so many Heaven Ranked Knights at all sides at the same time, even a Meteor knight wouldn’t be able to withstand it.

“Die!” Dong Bo Xue Ying’s spear moved.

Shiu!

His spear flashed like lightning.

The instant the spear thrust forward, a countless number of snowflakes appeared, creating an incomparably beautiful scene.

The Black Scaled Jackal that suffered the attack immediately brandished its sharp claws to block the spear, chi~~~ The split second the head of the spear was stopped, the entire spear abruptly spun, the torque split opened the sharp claw, pu chi! The tip of the spear stabbed into mandible of this Black-Scaled Jackal, and ran through it’s back of its head. This rank 3 magical beast, the Black Scaled Jackal’s body twitched a little and there was no response again.

The instant it was killed, Xue Ying rapidly withdrew his spear, and like lightning, stabbed again!

Withdrawing and stabbing, it was like a viper spitting it’s tongue.

Pu!

Another Black Scaled Jackal was killed on the spot.

These Black-Scaled Jackals were all experts of close quarters fight, but Dong Bo Xue Ying’s spear technique that was tempered under ten years of hardship and madness was truly too formidable.

“Roar roar roar~~~” A cacophony of muffled roars resounded from the Black Scaled Jackals as they continued besieging them without slowing down at all.

Within that short period of time, Xue Ying had only been able to kill three Black Scaled Jackals. Suddenly, eight Black Scaled Jackals simultaneously threw themselves at him!

“Get lost!”

His spear was like shadow, rapidly whipping and striking.

Just like the the long days in the past when Xue Ying thrashed the refiner dummy, now he beat out four jackals with only one wave of his spear. And another four jackals were repulsed by his reverse sweep! Xue Ying had the absolute advantage in strength, but one man could hardly win against a group. The true threat of a Black Scaled Jackal pack was in their endless and fearless attacks.

“Xue Ying, hurry, hurry. Just run if you cannot block them.” Zong Ling entwined his tail high around a nearby tree. His speed and flexibility protected his life when he entered the Mountain Range of Desolation before.

“I know.”

Xue Ying’s attention was highly focused.

Even though he was an expert at spear techniques, he was still affected by the pressure of being in a life or death situation. Besides, the bones and scales of the jackals were very hard. It took time to pierce and pull out, thus slowing his spear down..

“I have to move in order to avoid their siege.” Xue Ying started using the experience from his usual training. In the castle, he often let a big group of soldiers besiege him. Xue Ying fought them with his spear techniques by moving nimbly about, dodging and weaving. Of course, they were all unarmed in matches.

Hu, hu…….

Xue Ying gradually mastered it. He would occasionally make some small movements which would reduce the number of jackals he had to face. So the jackal pack lost their target! Allowing him face only three jackals at a time!

“Pu, pu, pu.” The snow was flying, the blood was splashing. One after another, the jackals were falling down.

“Peng, peng.”

Xue Ying’s actions were becoming more and more natural and fluent. He primed the spear with strong power and whipped the Black Scaled Jackal with it. The jackal was twitching, its body was weirdly twisted, and its bones were broken into many pieces.

Standing high in a tree, Zong Ling looked down at the ground. His face was beaming.

“He adapts to this faster than I thought. He can bring out all of his strength in this battle of life and death.” Zong Ling nodded, “He might be fully adjusted after two or three days.”

“Hou!” A short panicked roar ran out from the pack of Black Scaled Jackals. The remaining jackals immediately fled in different directions.

Xue Ying stopped after he killed two more beasts.

“Hu, hu.”

Xue Ying relaxed now. His breathing became heavy, and his blood circulated faster.

“How was it?” Zong Ling jumped down from high up.

“It was really different.” Xue Ying nodded and said, “Three years ago, when I fought with the territory’s prisoner, I felt this tension as well. But that was a one on one battle! I have gained some inspiration into my spear techniques from this group battle.”

Expert of spear technique, merely signified a high level of achievement in spear techniques.

However, in a real combat, would they know how to link together attacking, defending and their foot technique? These were all combat experiences!

“In a battle of life and death, blood boils within the body and strength rushes forth. The control needed over the whole body is even more fine!” Xue Ying said.

“This is the creature’s instinct under the threat of death!”

“The breakthrough in my spear technique might come earlier than I thought.” From the deepest abyss of Xue Ying’s heart, his blood had been ignited. Ten years of hard practice had gaven him amazing skill… Isn’t it the best place to display his skill in the Ruined Mountain?

“Let’s go. There is a heavy smell of blood here. More beasts will come here.” Zong Ling urged them.

“Hmm.” Xue Ying noded.

They didn’t care about the rank 3 beasts’ body. Although they carried some value, how much could they possibly carry with them? They weren’t worth the effort! As for the Xue Ying’s storage talisman, he feared that it could only store one Black Scale Jackal!

　　……

Within the Mountain Range of Desolation, Xue Ying was like a dragon that had entered the sea. He was unceasingly accumulating combat experience as well as improving his spear technique.

Every single night, they would immediately return to their camp!

One of them was noble of the serpent clan and the other had awakened his primordial bloodline. They ran so fast that they could maintain a speed of 30 miles per hour when they were returning, even if it was in the Mountain Range of Desolation! Although it took a long time when they were searching, it wouldn’t take long for them to return.

They had to stay in the camp during the nights, after all they needed to have a proper rest. It would be too exhausting for them to spend the night in the mountains.

　　……

Time passed by day by day..

Xue Ying’s progress surprised Zong Ling. He could see Xue Ying becoming more and more experienced. From each battle, Xue Ying was slowly perfecting himself.

“Since childhood, he has understood how to reflect and conclude and from each battle he has made a conclusion!. It’s not surprising that his spear technique is so powerful!” Zong Ling murmured. He always felt Xue Ying was very intelligent.

He thought himself clever as well.

Including him, many people understood the importance of learning from the past. But Xue Ying had an unique way of thinking. So his efficiency was even higher! For example, an ordinary child could only remember the wonderful stories of Transcendent Knights in biographical novels. But Xue Ying was able to discover the nature of growth of rising Transcendent knights.

For example, 90 percent of people had not attended to academy.

Xue Ying was inspired by few words in the biographical novels that Transcendent Knights paid attention to their foundations. Thus he emphasized on training the foundations of his spear technique to an exaggerating extent.