Chapter 284: An Eye-Opener

The group did not linger long in the Tier One Demon Beast area.

Most of the creatures in these mountain forests were ordinary beasts and fierce birds, all of whom scrambled to get out of the way of a group of Martial Artists radiating such vigorous Blood Qi.

They encountered almost no obstacles or dangers along the way.

By dusk, they had entered the Tier Two Demon Beast area.

Upon entering this area, Yang Feng, who had been relaxed and at ease, became noticeably more cautious.

This area was occupied by Tier Two Demon Beasts, which were much trickier to deal with.

Tier Two Demon Beasts were the equivalent of Innate Realm Martial Artists.

If they encountered Demon Beasts like Tier Two Bear Demons or Tiger Demons—creatures that were immensely powerful, ferocious, and cruel—it would be a great trial for them.

If they ran into flying Demon Beasts, their options for fighting back were even more limited. Besides using arrows to repel them, their only choice was to temporarily hide.

After all, Innate Martial Artists could not fly, leaving them helpless against such aerial foes.

The Demon-slaying Bureau not only taught Demon-slaying Techniques, but also the skills to identify the tracks of Demon Beasts.

Under Yang Feng’s leadership, the group quickly found a Wolf Demon’s den.

Even after cultivating to the level of a Tier Two Demon Beast, this Wolf Demon had not abandoned its pack-living habits.

In addition to this Tier Two Wolf Demon, the den housed several hundred wild wolves, including a few Tier One Wolf Demons.

“Everyone, prepare for battle! Follow my command, and don’t break formation!”

Yang Feng bellowed, his expression tense.

The ten squads each took up their designated roles.

Some stood on the perimeter, holding back the onslaught of wild wolves. Some charged headfirst into the pack. Some drew the Tier Two Wolf Demon’s attention, while others lay in wait for an opening. Some held up massive shields, bracing for the Wolf Demon’s frontal assault…

Though the wolf pack was large, only the Tier Two Wolf Demon posed a real threat to the Jingwu Academy disciples.

The remaining wild wolves, and even the Tier One Wolf Demons among them, posed little threat to these Innate Martial Artists.

Luo Qing, who was only at the Innate Four Meridians realm, had already slain a Tier One Wolf Demon and a dozen wild wolves with their Cyan Cloud Sword.

The slaughter didn’t last long; as night began to fall, the battle was already nearing its end.

The Tier Two Wolf Demon was formidable, but it couldn’t withstand the relentless assault from a group of energetic Jingwu Academy youths brimming with Blood Qi. Taking turns, they eventually wore it down and killed it on the spot.

Seeing their Wolf King fall, the remaining wild wolves scattered in a panic.

“We won! We won! HAHAHAHA!”

“That was a rush! So much more thrilling than the sparring matches at the academy!”

For some of the Martial Artists, it was their first real kill. Their eyes were bloodshot with the thrill of battle, their faces alight with excitement.

Only a few disciples had sustained minor injuries; it was considered a resounding victory.

Yang Feng also let out a long sigh. He clasped his hands behind his back, deliberately leaving the blood spatter on his face. Surveying the area, he said with a smile, “Now that was a truly exhilarating, bloody battle!”

As he spoke, Yang Feng’s gaze drifted to Lu Bai, who stood not far away.

From start to finish, Lu Bai hadn’t moved an inch.

He had remained completely aloof, showing no intention of joining the fray.

“Were you frightened just now, Brother Lu?”

Riding high after slaying the Wolf Demon, Yang Feng strode toward Lu Bai and asked provocatively, “At the Evil Extermination Bureau, you must only deal with Ghost Souls and other such apparitions all day. I doubt you’ve ever witnessed a scene of this scale, have you, Brother Lu?”

“It’s been a real eye-opener.”

Lu Bai said with a small smile.

“Haha!”

Yang Feng was delighted to hear this.

Ever since Lu Bai had appeared, Yang Feng had felt an unconscious urge to compete with him.

After that last battle, it was clear that he had won this round.

Jiang Tao observed coolly from the sidelines.

Of everyone present, he was the only one besides Lu Bai who hadn’t taken action.

He was a True Master of the Martial Dao, his Blood Qi like a blazing fire. Had he revealed even a sliver of it, those beasts wouldn’t have dared to come near.

What was strange, however, was that Lu Bai had been standing right in the middle of the wolf pack, yet it was as if the wolves couldn’t see him. Not a single one had bothered him.

‘Now this is interesting,’

Jiang Tao thought to himself, his expression unchanging.

Meanwhile, Lu Bai was also wondering, ‘What is Dean Jiang still waiting for?’

Feeling like a triumphant general after his victory, Yang Feng didn’t press the matter further. He waved his hand grandly and announced, “We’ll set up campfires here. We’re having wolf meat for dinner! The meat from this freshly killed Wolf Demon is a great restorative.”

“As you say, Senior Brother Yang!”

the disciples replied in unison.

The group quickly cleared an open space in the forest and lit ten bonfires, pushing back the darkness.

Someone asked, “Senior Brother Yang, the Cyan Mountain Hunting Ground is more dangerous at night. By lighting these fires and with this thick scent of blood in the air, won’t we attract attacks from other Demon Beasts?”

“Heh, your concerns are not unfounded, Junior Brother Lu.”

Yang Feng chuckled, but his tone quickly shifted. “However, as for the Tier Two Demon Beasts in the Cyan Mountain Hunting Ground, it’s one thing if we don’t go looking for them. But after seeing our strength, what beast would be reckless enough to throw its life away by attacking us?”

After the last battle, Yang Feng’s confidence had swelled.

“That’s right!”

“If any beast dares to come looking for death, we’ll kill it and eat it together!”

“Haha!”

The disciples roared with laughter.

Just then, a rustling sound came from the nearby bushes.

“Hmm?”

All eyes turned toward the sound.

But the night was dark, and the bushes obscured their view. They could only vaguely make out a shadowy figure exuding a faint trace of Demon Qi.

The academy Martial Artist closest to the sound shot to his feet, drew his Long Saber, and stared in that direction. “So there really is a beast that doesn’t value its life,” he said coldly. “I’ll go and meet it!”

With that, he raised his saber and charged toward the bushes.

Before he could get close, a massive, sturdy black shadow burst from the bushes. Like a moving hill, it crashed heavily into the academy disciple.

Fortunately, the disciple reacted quickly enough to raise his Long Saber to block.

Even so, the moment they collided, the Long Saber in the disciple’s hand snapped in two.

The Treasure Artifact in his hand was only a Lower Grade one.

But even so, the force required to shatter a Lower Grade Treasure Artifact was terrifying!

CRACK!

The next moment, a sickening crack of bone echoed.

With a horrific scream, the disciple spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying several yards. He landed in a heap, motionless, who knows how many bones broken. His fate was unknown.

Everyone was stunned. They all jumped to their feet and stared intently.

What emerged from the bushes was a wild boar taller than a man and four to five zhang long. Its body was caked in mud, but its bristles stood on end like iron needles, gleaming with an oily sheen.

Two tusks, each about a foot long, jutted upward from its lower jaw, their tips honed to a razor-sharp, reflective sheen.

The Pig Demon’s eyes were tiny. The whites were a murky yellow, and in the very center of each was a single, scarlet-red pupil.

When it stared at them, its head remained perfectly still; only those red dots swiveled slowly in their sockets. It radiated an exceptional ferocity, its gaze brimming with hostility and killing intent toward the people from Jingwu Academy.

This was a Tier Two Pig Demon.