Chapter 39: Consumed by Blood and Flame

At the summit of Ram’s Horn Mountain, the wind howled fiercely.

Just as Jiang Chen was about to reach the peak, a blade of pale green light shot straight toward him.

“So it’s the Minor Wind Blade Technique?”

His eyes swept the surroundings, searching for the hidden enemy. Prepared for such an ambush, Jiang Chen moved with the wind, easily evading the attack.

But at that very moment, a vicious gust rushed toward him. From behind a massive boulder, a shadowy figure suddenly leapt out, charging at Jiang Chen with frightening speed.

A low growl, predatory and intimidating, echoed through the air. The Wolf King revealed its towering form, casting a vast shadow that swallowed Jiang Chen’s silhouette whole. That earlier wind blade had merely been a test; the real assault had been carefully anticipated, predicting Jiang Chen’s movements with chilling accuracy.

A flash of cold light locked onto Jiang Chen. The Wolf King swung its claw, its eyes filled with derision, already picturing Jiang Chen being torn to shreds.

This beast, active on the periphery of the Five Immortals Mountain, had crossed paths with human cultivators more than once. Their spellcraft was decent, but their bodies couldn’t compare to those of monsters like itself. Yet in the next instant, the derision froze in its eyes.

Facing the descending claw, Jiang Chen showed neither fear nor panic. Clenching his fist, he struck out directly.

A resonant hum sounded as fist met claw—two mighty forces colliding. Jiang Chen stood firm as a pine, rooted and unmoved, while the Wolf King’s nearly upright frame was abruptly halted. It could not believe a mere human possessed such formidable physical strength.

In the next moment, an even greater surge of force erupted. The Wolf King was flung bodily away, crashing heavily to the ground.

“Minor Wind Blade Technique, Gale Step, coupled with a monster’s resilient body—this combination, though simple, is indeed formidable. Against opponents lacking strong defenses, victory is almost assured.”

“But in terms of raw strength, I am not inferior to you.”

Jiang Chen’s blood surged, radiating such intense heat that the air around him visibly warped.

Sensing this surge, the Wolf King, now steadying itself, grew wary. In its eyes, Jiang Chen had become a beast cloaked in human skin.

And indeed, over the past days, Jiang Chen had absorbed the blood essence of dozens of savage wolves to strengthen himself. By now, his vitality had long surpassed human limits.

“Let’s see if you can help me test my recent theories.”

A thought arose and Jiang Chen activated the Bloodflame Technique.

But he did not cast it upon the highly alert Wolf King—instead, he cast it on himself. The Wolf King had already used Gale Step, shrouded in demonic wind that boosted its speed and offered some protection, making the Bloodflame Technique largely ineffective against it directly.

With a thunderous boom, the Bloodflame Technique ignited. Like dry tinder catching fire, Jiang Chen’s blood surged, blazing upward like a signal fire.

“Though it’s not my first attempt, this power is still intoxicating.”

Strength flooded his limbs and bones; bathed in blood and flame, Jiang Chen’s expression turned faintly feral.

“Kill!”

With a surge of murderous intent, he stamped the ground, leaving a deep impression, and shot toward the Wolf King like a cannonball.

Seeing this, the Wolf King’s own bloodlust was fully provoked. Its tail swept sideways as it summoned demonic wind, kicking up a dense cloud of dust toward Jiang Chen. It had learned this from a human; though not especially powerful, used well, it could disrupt an opponent’s attack rhythm.

Most importantly, the Wolf King possessed Tracking Technique and sharp senses—giving it the advantage in the swirling dust.

As he vanished into the dust, Jiang Chen instinctively closed his eyes. In that instant, the Wolf King moved, circling the edges and shifting positions, releasing three wind blades from different angles toward Jiang Chen.

Watching as the blades closed in for the kill, the Wolf King’s lips curled into a savage grin.

But then, Jiang Chen pointed a finger and shattered the first wind blade. This was the Profound Killing Finger. Though not yet a master, the power of this martial art had grown considerably.

At the same moment, Jiang Chen’s eyes snapped open, a crimson light flashing within, piercing the swirling dust and locking onto the Wolf King.

Their eyes met through the veil of sand, and the Wolf King felt a chill deep within.

“He can see me.”

A tremor of fear rippled through the Wolf King’s mind.

In that instant, Jiang Chen’s figure vanished like a specter, leaving the remaining wind blades without a target. When he reappeared, he stood before the Wolf King—who, caught in a moment of confusion, was half a beat too slow.

With a resonant hum, Jiang Chen pointed two fingers at the Wolf King, who stood frozen with terror.

In that moment, murderous intent exploded forth, the demonic wind swirling around the Wolf King melted away like snow, and its eyes burst with a wet pop.

Howling in agony from the grievous wound, the Wolf King unleashed a blast of demonic wind, sweeping the area. Jiang Chen, light as drifting willow catkins, retreated with ease.

Whistling wildly, the Wolf King, heedless of its own exhaustion, tried to track any sign of movement, unleashing Minor Wind Blade after blade in a frenzy. With its eyes destroyed and its mind overtaken by killing intent, madness crept in.

Watching this final struggle, Jiang Chen knew the end was near. With reason gone and only bloodlust remaining, even with formidable spells and a powerful body, the Wolf King could no longer muster half its true strength.

As Jiang Chen and the Wolf King fought their final battle, three figures quietly approached Ram’s Horn Mountain. Two men and a woman, they wore matching attire, with only subtle differences.

“A battle among monsters?” the leading young man muttered, frowning as he surveyed the corpses strewn about. He wore azure robes embroidered with a crane, a black cloak over his shoulders. Though not handsome, his face was always touched by a gentle smile, putting others at ease.

Hearing this, the woman in identical garb glanced at the carnage, hesitation flickering across her face.

“Captain, with the situation unclear, should we still proceed?” she asked, looking to the young leader.

Before he could respond, the other man—a brawny figure, likewise clad in azure robes and black cloak but with a tiger embroidered on his chest—spoke up.

“When the snipe and clam fight, the fisherman profits. This is a golden opportunity—how can we retreat? Judging by the scene, the rat monster and the wolf monster have clearly clashed. For us, this is heaven-sent. We came to investigate the wolf monster. If we can slay it while we’re here, all the better!”

He spoke with forceful conviction.

“Brute. Do you really think a wolf monster at the peak of Spirit Sense is so easily slain?” the woman retorted with a trace of disdain.

At that moment, the young leader raised his hand, and both the strong man and the woman fell silent.

They were members of the Demon-Slaying Division of the Southern View Kingdom. The young man was not only their superior officer, but also a direct scion of the Lu family—worthy of their utmost respect.