Archive - 008

Chapter 008 – Crossroad

Thinking about the risks and benefits of interfering, Fang knew that both beasts couldn't threaten his life as he still had the teleportation rune. But to gain something from this fight, his chances were indeed better if he could gang up on the snake-type beasts with the fox.

Taking out a thumb-sized piece of beast skin with an intricate pattern on it, Fang immediately placed the teleportation rune in his mouth, before silently drawing his Midnight Shade Wings from his back and quickly approaching the battle.

No hesitation lingered in his gaze any longer, as determination burned in his eyes.

As Fang arrived only about three dozen meters away from the clearing, where the battle took place, he stopped and calmed his breathing, making sure that his Heaven Deceveing Technique still concealed his presence.

He knew that it would be impossible to approach any further without drawing attention to himself, so the only option was to approach fast enough that it didn't matter anymore if he was discovered. And to fulfill this objective, he could only use the Compression Step.

Although he wasn't as proficient in this technique as with the Flowing Step from the Eight Directions Step movement technique, it was the best choice to cross short distances the fastest way possible.

Three executions of the technique should be enough to reach the Two-Clawed Black Python.

Positioning himself correctly, Fang waited for the right moment to enter the fight, as he watched and chose carefully where to attack the beast.

His gaze was inadvertently drawn to the point where one of the claws of the Black Python connected to the main body. Fang knew that it was highly unlikely that his first attack could directly result in a lethal blow, but crippling his opponent's combat abilities and then taking it down in a drawn-out battle wasn't a bad idea either.

Even more so in this case, where his opponent was a snake-type beast easily twenty meters long, with a body twice as wide as his waist. He couldn't even reach its neck and the tough-looking scales probably wouldn't be that easy to get through. The joints connecting the claws with its body on the other hand weren't covered with those tough scales to ensure enough mobility, making it a natural weak point of this beast.

Fang's stamina in terms of spirit essence was basically unmatched amongst those of the Basic Stage cultivators, while his physical prowess exceeded even those of most high-class unranked beasts, so a drawn-out battle was doable for him. These were the benefits gained from cultivating peak techniques, like the Blackhole Revolving Art and the Titan Star Law.

Just as the Two-Clawed Black Python and the Three-Tailed Spirit Fox clashed again and both left bone-deep injuries on each other with blood splashing in a wide arc, Fang acted.

Eight Directions Step, Third Step - Compression Step!

Spirit essence exploded from the soles of his feet. Once, twice, and a third time, as Fang controlled his body to translate the resulting propulsion into forward momentum.

Feeling the strain and ripping sensations from his muscles and sinews, as he was executing a technique above his limits, Fang could only grit his teeth and focus. He appeared right next to the Two-Clawed Black Python the moment it tried to distance itself from the Spirit Fox and prepare a new offense.

Even though the snake-type beast sensed someone approach, Fang's movements were like a specter – too fast for the beast to react. It could only tense its muscles as it saw the blades in Fang's hand descend towards the joint, where one of its claws was connected to his serpentine body.

To ensure the success of his attack, Fang hadn't just poured a great amount of his spirit essence into the Midnight Shade Wings, but also some Titan Essence!

Basic Dual-Wielding Technique – Swallow's Descent!

The overbearing nature of this type of energy gave his attack an unstoppable momentum, as his blades cleaved through the joint, even though Fang felt some resistance when meeting the bone. After all, a Mortal-Rank weapon had its limits in the hands of a Basic Stage cultivator.

“ROAR!!!”

As the Two-Clawed Black Python erupted with a deafening roar, Fang was already on the retreat, trying to distance himself from the raging beast.

Eight Directions Step, Second Step - Flowing Step!

Unfortunately, his earlier execution of the Compression Step had left his legs in a less-than-optimal condition, which caused his speed to drop significantly, and he was unable to use the Third Step again for the moment.

SWISH!

As the tail of the Black Python struck at his retreating figure, Fang hardly had the time to rise his arms and blades in front of his chest in a protective posture.

BANG!

Crack!

The impact forced his arms back into his chest, and the strike catapulted him into the trunk of a tree more than a dozen meters behind him. A painful cracking sound made him aware that he had more than likely several broken bones. Fang's whole body throbbed in pain, as the edge of his vision slowly turned dark.

As he looked at the ground before him, Fang saw the bloody teleportation rune and his blades lying right next to it. His mind was hazy while the pain in his body paralyzed him momentarily.

He had miscalculated the consequences of executing the Compression Step while unable to fully control its power, not to mention that the python's strength was simply goliath. It felt as if his ribcage had been shattered while his organs screamed in pain.

Looking at these objects and hearing the sounds of a savage battle coming from the front, made Fang feel as if he stood at a crossroads.

Run or fight? Fleeing towards certain safety or continue fighting for uncertain benefits?

Didn't he come here with the intention of not taking any unnecessary risks? So, why the hell did he approach the battle so recklessly? For benefits? For resources?

No ... The answer was much simpler. He had interfered because he wanted to. He had wanted to ensure the safety of the fox cub.

It had been a wholly illogical and reckless decision. He had let the whole Red Wolf Tribe suffer annihilation without a second thought, but now he was risking his life for an unborn beast cub?

But wasn't that exactly what he was cultivating for? To follow his heart – free and unburdened? So what if he died on this path? He didn't want to live a caged eternal life anyway. He had died once already, by his own hands no less. Death didn't scare him, what scared him was the thought of being unable to follow his heart.

As these thoughts coursed through his mind, Fang's eyes began to shine with a terrifying light.

Stretching out his hands, he gripped his blades. Ignoring not only the pain coursing through his body but also the teleportation rune.

His aura was no longer concealed. The burning determination from before had made room for an unprecedented sharpness and ferocity, the only thought on his mind was to kill his foe.

The little fox spirit in his Sea of Consciousness emitted a bright light, as Fang's pupils changed their circular shape into slitted ones, like that of a beast.

His senses sharpened to an incredible degree, nearly overwhelming his mind with stimuli, but at this moment Fang's vision had already begun to tunnel around his target – the Two-Clawed Black Python.

He directly executed his movement technique to approach the beast.

Eight Directions Step, Second Step - Flowing Step.

Fueled with rage, the Black Python struck the Three-Tailed Spirit Fox with his tail and pushed it back, while turning towards Fang. Its eyes shone with a sinister red light, while its one remaining claw remained ready to strike at him.

And as soon as he was in range, the python pounced forward and tried to swallow him whole with its huge maw. Its pearly white fangs glistened in the sunlight, as the huge beast moved like a lightning bolt, a bloody stench coming from its maw.

Eight Directions Step, Third Step - Compression Step!

Fang, as if he foresaw the bite attack, evaded the jaws of the Black Python by a hair's width using the Compression Step, uncaring of his previous injuries and the state of his legs.

He didn't stop there though, as he could already hear the remaining sharp claw of the beast tearing through the air in an attempt to rip him to shreds, its tail aiming at him as well.

Eight Directions Step, Third Step - Compression Step!

Again he used the Compression Step, aggravating the injuries on his legs even further, as tearing pain spread through his limbs. Fang's expression though didn't change one bit, as the only thing on his mind was to cut down his opponent.

This time he didn't use the Compression Step to step to the side but to jump over the attacking claw while turning the force of his upward movement into a torsional force.

The Midnight Shade Wings gave off a dim black glow, as Fang poured nearly all his remaining spirit essence into the blades. It was an attack that would either bring him victory or death!

Additionally, an unfamiliar aura of sharpness seemed to cover both blades as they tore through the air, as if it was a manifestation of his Fang's will and determination!

Basic Dual-Wielding Technique – Swallow's Dance!

Spinning around himself midair, Fang's blades left a multitude of devastating cuts on the Two-Clawed Black Python, nearly cleaving the beast in half as it passed by Fang.

“RROOOOAAAAARRR!!”

Its roar of pain and anguish was several times louder than before. This time though, the Black Python couldn't even use its tail to retaliate, as the Three-Tailed Spirit Fox had pinned it down with its own claws and maw, refusing to let go at all costs.

Clearly, the Spirit Fox knew that Fang was its only chance at surviving this fight, so it didn't hesitate to cooperate. As a ranked beast, its intelligence was nearly human-like, so such a thing wasn't that surprising.

The Two-Clawed Black Python tried to turn around and attack, but the last attack had injured its spine severely, as its incredibly tough scales couldn't even slow down Fang's last strike. The enormous blood loss, not only from this new wound but also from the stump where Fang had severed its other claw, weakened it with every passing moment.

Fang had already retreated more than two dozen meters after his successful attack. Kneeling on one knee, while supporting his upper body by leaning on his blades, he panted heavily.

This last attack had not only cost him almost all his spirit essence but had also worsened his injuries by a lot. Still, Fang's focus didn't diminish at all.

His pupils were still slitted, as he watched the Two-Clawed Black Python struggling to muster even a sliver of strength. Unfortunately for the giant snake-beast, the Three-Tailed Spirit Fox wasn't going to let that happen, as if directly pounced on its opponent's head.

Boom!

Ramming the Black Python's head into the ground, two of the Spirit Fox's tail tips began to glow with a silver light.

'Beast Essence of a Ranked-Beast!', Fang thought vigilantly, as he looked on.

A moment later those two tails pierced through the weakened Black Python's eye sockets and into its brain, killing it instantly.

Fang didn't dare to relax, as he looked at the severely weakened ranked beast, his slitted eyes still shining with an incredible sharpness.

The Three-Tailed Spirit Fox retracted its tails and took a few staggering steps back, turning towards Fang. Its eyes shone no less intense than his own, even as it sunk to the floor in exhaustion.

Several long minutes passed in a tense silence, as one beast and one human stared at each other, both clearly too exhausted and injured to move, much less fight. Still, their eyes were lit with a power that would others cause to subconsciously retreat in fear and submission.

Finally after who knew how long, the Spirit Fox suddenly lowered its head and a silver glow filled its eyes for a moment, as a voice sounded out next to Fang's ear.

“Thank you.”