4: Kill the wolf demon and break through.

Heavy footsteps, like muffled thunder, crushed the dead silence of the Desolate Village.

Two points of eerie green ghost fire locked onto Lin Jingyu in the darkness, as a bloody wind carrying suffocating pressure rushed towards him!

The shadow finally stepped completely out of the darkness.

A Giant Wolf!

It was nearly two meters tall at the shoulder, over four meters long, and covered in pitch-black hair as stiff as steel needles, every strand bristling.

“Demonic Wolf!” Lin Jingyu's pupils contracted slightly, his muscles instantly tensing like steel wires.

The oppressive feeling this beast gave him far surpassed all previous demons! But following that, came a surging Battle Intent and a craving for evolution points!

“Awooo—!!” The Demonic Wolf was clearly stimulated by the rich vitality and the fresh scent of slaughter on Lin Jingyu, letting out a deafening roar! The sound waves rolled, making Lin Jingyu's eardrums buzz!

The next second, the black shadow shot out!

The Demonic Wolf's massive body displayed a terrifying speed inconsistent with its size! Its four claws kicked off the ground, causing the earth to crack! It charged straight at Lin Jingyu!

Too fast!

Lin Jingyu's eyes sharpened; he dared not be careless in the slightest! Facing this pounce, which far exceeded that of minor demons, he instinctively chose defense!

“Vajra Shield!” He roared internally!

Buzz—!

A faint yet incredibly tough golden halo instantly covered his entire body!

He crossed his arms, his muscles bulging like mounds, holding them firmly in front of him!

“Clang—!!!”

A harsh metallic clash exploded in the courtyard! Sparks flew everywhere!

What powerful strength! Lin Jingyu's arms shook violently, and his Qi and blood surged!

The Vajra Shield's halo fluctuated intensely, and a clear sensation of pain radiated from his arms!

The strength of this Demonic Wolf had definitely reached the high stages of the Body Refining Realm, possibly even approaching the Meridian Opening Realm!

A trace of human-like astonishment flashed in the Demonic Wolf's eyes; it seemed it hadn't expected this human's 'skin' to be so tough! But its ferocity intensified. Failing to land a hit, the moment it landed, its thick, pillar-like forepaw, accompanied by a sharp whistle tearing through the air, slammed viciously toward Lin Jingyu's chest! The claw wind was fierce, and the pitch-black tips gleamed ominously!

Lin Jingyu had just stabilized his stance, and facing this lightning-fast second strike, he had nowhere to dodge!

“Bang!”

A heavy, muffled thud!

The Vajra Shield's halo flickered violently again, like the surface of water struck by a boulder!

Lin Jingyu felt a massive blow to his chest, his Qi and blood churning, a sweetness rising in his throat, and his body stumbled backward once more!

The coarse cloth shirt on his chest was torn, revealing the dark golden sheen beneath, where only a few shallow white marks were left on his skin!

“You wicked beast!” Ferocious light burst forth in Lin Jingyu's eyes; he was thoroughly enraged!

This Demonic Wolf's sharp claws could actually shake his newly formed Vajra Shield!

But that was all it could do!

After two failed attacks, the Demonic Wolf's viciousness completely erupted! Carrying the weight of ten thousand jun, it smashed fiercely towards Lin Jingyu's crown, intending to flatten him into a pulp with one blow!

Now is the time!

A cold light flashed in Lin Jingyu's eyes! Instead of retreating, he advanced!

Just as the Demonic Wolf's claws were about to descend, in the split second where its old strength was spent and new strength hadn't yet been generated, he suddenly lowered his waist, like a powerful bow drawn taut with stored energy!

“Open up for me!” A thunderous roar burst forth!

His right palm, imbued with three hundred years of Iron Sand Palm cultivation, was like a searing hot brand, crimson and scalding, with magma seemingly flowing beneath the skin!

Carrying a terrifying Aura capable of melting metal and shattering mountains and monuments, it shot out from beneath his ribs, moving like lightning, slamming fiercely into the relatively soft vital point of the Demonic Wolf's chest and abdomen, exposed during its pounce!

A hundred years? No! This was a ferocious strike combining three hundred years of cultivation with innate Divine Power and the augmentation of the Vajra Shield!

Where the palm wind passed, the air let out an unbearable, explosive roar!

The Demonic Wolf's eerie green pupils instantly shrank to pinpricks!

A sense of fatal crisis made all the hair on its body stand on end! It wanted to retract its claws to block, but its massive body and the inertia of its pounce made it impossible to change its move!

“Pfft—!!!”

A dull, heart-stopping impact sounded!

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

Lin Jingyu's crimson, brand-like palm solidly imprinted itself upon the Demonic Wolf's chest and abdomen, which was covered in dark brown fur!

There was no earth-shattering crash, only a muffled thud, like a heavy hammer smashing into thick leather.

Crackle-crackle-crackle—!!!

Immediately following was a terrifying sound of bone fracture, dense as popping beans and scalp-numbingly loud! It spread wildly throughout the Demonic Wolf's body, centered on the point of contact with Lin Jingyu's palm!

“Awoooo—!!!”

The Demonic Wolf let out a mournful, distorted howl, filled with unbelievable pain and despair!

Its entire body was sent flying backward through the air by the terrifying power contained in that single palm strike!

Pffft—!

A huge mouthful of black blood mixed with fragments of internal organs sprayed out like a fountain from its gaping maw!

Boom!!!

Smoke and dust billowed... The Demonic Wolf lay in the ruins, its limbs twitching violently, thick black blood and shattered internal organs continuously spilling from its mouth and nose.

[Ding! Killed Low-tier Demonic Wolf (Body Refining Realm Seventh Layer)! Gained evolution points +30!]

The cold System prompt sounded like heavenly music... Lin Jingyu slowly withdrew his right palm; the crimson color on the palm faded gradually, but the hot and overbearing Aura still lingered.

He panted slightly. His chest still felt a dull ache, and his arms were tingling with numbness.

The Demonic Wolf's last two strikes were truly terrifying in strength.

But, he won! He successfully withstood a Body Refining Seventh Layer demon!

“30 points! Worth it!” Lin Jingyu looked at the System prompt, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes. Coupled with the previous 20 points, he now possessed a full 50 evolution points!

Without hesitation, his consciousness instantly communicated with the System: “Deduce Iron Sand Palm! Push it to its limit!”

[Consuming 50 evolution points! Deduction Target: Iron Sand Palm · Three Hundred Years Cultivation (Pinnacle) -> Iron Sand Palm · Five Hundred Years Cultivation (Perfection)!]

[Deduction successful! Skill acquired!]

Boom!

A torrent of heat, far more violent, condensed, and seemingly capable of boiling seas and burning mountains than any previous time, instantly exploded from deep within Lin Jingyu's body and surged wildly toward his right palm!

The muscles of his entire right arm swelled and twisted wildly like coiling Dragons!

The crimson beneath his skin instantly transformed into a deep, dark red, like cooled magma!

The skin on his palm became like dark red metal forged a thousand times, gleaming with a chilling, ominous light!

A wave of scorching air spread through the surroundings! The bonfire seemed to be invisibly suppressed, and its flames suddenly shrank!

Five Hundred Years Cultivation! The Perfection Realm of Iron Sand Palm!

The palm power was condensed into substance, containing the might to burn gold and melt iron!

Splitting stone and cracking monuments? That was basic!

With this palm strike, even refined steel would be smashed into a flat disc!

[Remaining evolution points: 0!]

[Realm: Body Refining Realm · Seventh Layer (Resounding of Tendons and Bones)]

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

The moment the Iron Sand Palm reached Perfection through deduction, it was as if countless powerful bows were drawn simultaneously deep within Lin Jingyu's body!

Resounding of Tendons and Bones!

All the bones, tendons, and even the skin membranes in his body emitted a low, dense buzzing vibration!

A feeling of even greater strength swept over his entire body like a tide!

Body Refining Seventh Layer!

Resounding of Tendons and Bones!

This was a clear sign that the skin, flesh, tendons, and bones had been tempered to a certain degree, bringing a leap in strength, defense, and endurance!

“Awesome!” Lin Jingyu violently clenched his right fist, the joints of his five fingers popping with crisp sounds like frying beans! His dark red palm seemed to contain volcanic power! He felt his entire body was filled with explosive strength; the dull ache and numbness from the Demonic Wolf's previous strikes vanished instantly! The boost brought by the Resounding of Tendons and Bones made him feel like he could kill three Demonic Wolves like the previous one with a single punch!

He strode over to the Demonic Wolf's corpse, ignoring the pungent smell of blood and burning.

His gaze swept across the ruins, finally settling on the massive wolf corpse.

The Demonic Wolf's fur was tough, its claws sharp, and its fangs were excellent Materials; they might fetch something in a small frontier town.

However, Lin Jingyu's gaze instinctively turned toward the relatively soft abdomen of the Demonic Wolf.

“According to my vast experience reading web novels... powerful demons might have a Demonic Core inside them?” His heart stirred, recalling the settings from novels in his previous life.

A Demonic Core contains the essence of the demon; it is a Material for Alchemy and Artifact Refining, and a great supplement for Martial Artists. The System might also recognize it as an energy source!

Without hesitation, he extended his dark red, brand-like right palm, gathering his five fingers together like a knife!

Puchi!

He easily sliced through the Demonic Wolf's tough fur and muscle! Ignoring the spilled foul blood and internal organs, his hand rummaged around in the hot, bloody abdominal cavity!

Suddenly, his fingertips touched something hard!

Lin Jingyu's eyes lit up, and he quickly pulled it out!

[Detected item containing pure demonic power: First-tier Demonic Core (Fire Attribute)! Can be absorbed and converted into evolution points (50 points), or kept as Material Reserves. Absorb?]

“A Demonic Core! It really has one!” Lin Jingyu was ecstatic! 50 evolution points! That was equivalent to killing another Demonic Wolf at the Body Refining Seventh Layer!

But he didn't immediately choose to absorb it.

The System had prompted “Material Reserves”; this item might have other uses.

He casually tucked the warm Demonic Core into his clothes.

Just at this moment—

“Awoooo—!!!”

“Roar—!!!”

In the distance, from deeper within the Desolate Village, as well as the wilderness outside the village, several more violent and ferocious wolf howls suddenly rang out!

Lin Jingyu suddenly looked up, his sharp gaze piercing the darkness.

The commotion from the battle just now was too great, and the scent of blood soared into the sky, attracting more Demonic Wolves! Judging by the intensity, there were quite a few, and several of their Auras seemed even stronger than the one at his feet!

“A wolf pack?” Lin Jingyu curled his lips into a cold, excited arc. There was no fear in his eyes, only boiling Battle Intent and the greed of seeing a massive amount of evolution points!

He squeezed the warm Demonic Core, feeling the surging Five Hundred Years Iron Sand Palm power and the immense strength brought by the Resounding of Tendons and Bones within him.

“You've come at the perfect time!” He roared softly, his sturdy body standing tall like a spear, and his dark red right palm slowly rose, pointing towards the direction from which the wolf howls came.

The bonfire illuminated his figure, which resembled a demon god, with the massive corpse of the Demonic Wolf at his feet.

Ahead, was the surging tide of deadly wolves.

The slaughter feast had just entered its climax!