Chapter Thirty-Five: One Slash, One Kill (First Update)

On the seventh day that Ke Bei arrived at the Hanjiang Forest, the weather was gloomy and a gentle breeze rustled through the trees.

In a clearing deep within the dense woods, dozens of enormous three-tailed hounds, each as large as a young calf, howled as they besieged a lone youth at the center.

The cries of the three-tailed hounds echoed through the forest as they launched their frenzied assault.

Yet the youth’s expression remained calm, his steps leisurely, as if he were strolling through a garden. With a casual movement, he slipped between the dozens of hounds, his figure flickering like a butterfly among flowers, each motion leaving behind a blurred afterimage.

The maddened hounds could not even brush the hem of his clothes, let alone strike him.

“Thunder Slash!” Ke Bei wove through the beasts, his muscles tensing in an instant as he swung his broadsword with sudden ferocity.

The blade, though blunt and untainted by blood, moved with such speed that it seemed to cleave the air, carrying with it a faint sound of wind and thunder.

Each flicker of his body conjured an afterimage, and every slash of his blade struck precisely at the necks of the hounds. The coordination between his footwork and swordplay was flawless, a perfection honed through relentless practice.

Blood sprayed as Ke Bei moved, his blade flashing with the sound of wind and thunder. In the span of three breaths, the dozens of three-tailed hounds lay slain at his feet.

“Seven days of tempering, and at last I can wield Thunder Slash while performing the Lightning Step,” Ke Bei muttered. He had spent these seven days not to hunt the low-tier three-tailed hounds, but to refine his sword technique.

Though he had long mastered Thunder Slash, it required a moment to gather strength and marshal his power. When his speed lagged, it had seemed unremarkable, but after mastering Lightning Step, the incongruity became clear.

Lightning Step was swift as a bolt, allowing him to close in on his foe instantly, yet even then, he could not immediately unleash his full power. The frustration was palpable.

Seven days of singular focus had yielded results: now, as he initiated Lightning Step, he began gathering strength, so that upon reaching his enemy, he could strike without delay.

“It’s about time. Commander-class beasts, here I come!”

Satisfied with his progress, Ke Bei nodded and, shouldering his broadsword, strode toward the heart of the Hanjiang Forest.

He was oblivious to the fact that his relentless training had made his name known among the guardian squads. Now, in Lingfeng City, not a single member of the guardian teams was unaware of him; even those who had not witnessed his prowess had heard countless tales whispered in their ears.

A sudden commotion stirred the entire Hanjiang Forest as a human intruded upon its domain. Ancient trees quaked, the ground trembled, and a cascade of withered leaves fell.

Thousands upon thousands of beasts, drawn by Ke Bei’s scent, surged forward in madness.

“Well, this is quite the spectacle,” Ke Bei said, hearing the deafening howls all around him. He gazed calmly at the tide of three-tailed hounds flooding from every direction, a relaxed smile on his face.

“No wonder slaying a commander-class beast is so difficult. Each has its own territory, guarded by legions of lesser beasts—low, mid, and high-tier alike. For ordinary human warriors, it’s nearly impossible to reach them!”

Even if a human were stronger than the commander-class beast, the beast would simply remain hidden and, with a single roar, unleash tens of thousands of minions in a frenzied assault. How could one hope to break through? Would one have to slaughter every last beast to reach the commander?

But Ke Bei was different. With Lightning Step, he could move freely even amidst the beast horde, without needing to cut down the endless tide.

He drew a small cut across his palm, facing the countless beasts and the unseen commander-class foe. Caution gripped him.

“Out of my way!”

With a sudden step, Ke Bei’s body blurred, dozens of afterimages appearing in an instant. The hundreds of three-tailed hounds nearest him—of every tier—were all cleaved in two.

“I have no time to waste on mindless livestock,” he spat.

With a forceful step, Lightning Step propelled him forward, his form dissolving into indistinct shadows as he traversed the swarm of beasts with ease.

The beasts howled in fury, yet could not touch him, their blood-red eyes fixed resentfully on the human who slipped past them, ever closer to their leader’s domain.

In less than ten minutes, Ke Bei had crossed through tens of thousands of beasts.

“Human, you should not have trespassed in my territory.”

A monstrous beast, thrice the size of an ordinary three-tailed hound, its fur shimmering silver and its three tails gleaming, towered over Ke Bei, its maw open wide, speaking in the tongue of men.

“Ridiculous. Don’t count on your minions—their swarm tactics are useless against me. They can't stop me!”

Ke Bei sneered, lifting his gaze to the commander-class three-tailed hound with contempt.

The beast let out a guttural roar, its silver fur bristling like needles, and its tails whipped toward Ke Bei.

Ke Bei moved in a flash, Lightning Step carrying him ten meters sideways. The beast’s massive tail struck the rock beneath with a thunderous crack, shattering a chunk of stone.

“With that speed, you think you can kill me?”

Ke Bei dodged effortlessly, mocking the beast.

“What is it you seek?” The commander-class hound’s lantern-red eyes glared warily at Ke Bei. The youth’s sudden burst of speed had left it utterly shaken.

“Hahaha! I’m here for your life!”

“Thunder Slash!”

Ke Bei laughed wildly, his feet moving as Lightning Step sent his body flickering in a series of blurred afterimages. In a blink, he was at the beast’s side, a wind-and-thunder sound accompanying his broadsword as it slashed with a silver gleam.

Blood gushed forth like a released flood, and the colossal head of the commander-class three-tailed hound flew into the air.

“Damn, which part of this beast is actually valuable? I have no idea.”

Ke Bei frowned at the massive corpse.

“Oh well, I’ll take it all.”

He scratched his head, sheathed his broadsword, and bent down to heft the enormous body—large as an elephant.

“Back to the city. Next time, I really need to read up on the details.”

Muttering in frustration, Ke Bei shook his head, set his feet, and activated Lightning Step. His body flickered with afterimages as he carried the three-tailed hound’s corpse, weaving effortlessly through the beast horde and swiftly heading out of the Hanjiang Forest.