9: Slay lesser demons and gain evolution points.

The first rays of dawn dispelled the heaviest darkness over Black Stone City, but could not disperse the oppressive Death Qi permeating the streets and alleys.

The dilapidated wooden door of the "Youcai Inn" was pushed open, and Lin Jingyu’s burly figure stepped out.

He had changed into a relatively clean set of coarse cloth short-sleeved attire, but his bulging muscles were still clearly visible. The faint dark-gold luster flowing beneath his skin seemed to make the cool morning air a few shades heavier.

Last night’s stench in the room and the charred marks on the floor had been simply cleaned up under the innkeeper Zhao Youcai’s terrified yet respectful gaze.

He didn't even glance at Innkeeper Zhao, who was bowing and hesitating, but walked straight towards the city gate.

His goal was clear — the wilderness outside the city!

At the city gate, it was still the same few sallow, numb-eyed guards.

Seeing Lin Jingyu approach, especially sensing the cold, metallic aura mixed with blood that hadn't completely dissipated from last night's battle, the scar-faced squad leader at the front opened his mouth, but ultimately just stepped aside, even skipping the routine questioning.

Anyone who could come out of the city alive and dared to venture out alone again was not someone they could provoke.

Stepping out of the city gate, a wilderness scent, a mixture of decaying leaves, earthy dampness, and a faint smell of blood, assailed him.

Unlike the oppressive despair within the city, here permeated primal wildness and naked danger.

Lin Jingyu identified the direction; it was the outskirts of the west city area where the Demonic Wolf heart-gouging tragedy occurred last night.

His steps were steady, each one landing with a rock-like heaviness, making the ground beneath his feet seem to tremble slightly.

He didn't venture deep into the dense forest, but walked along the edge of a relatively open, well-trodden path.

His gaze, sharp as an eagle's, scanned the surrounding grass, bushes, and the shadows of distant trees.

The Minor Achievement of Vajra Shield not only brought a qualitative change in defense but also made his five senses much sharper.

The rustling of wind through grass, the chirping of insects and birds, all clearly entered his ears.

Soon, a target appeared.

Dozens of meters ahead, behind a low dirt mound, several pairs of eyes, gleaming with eerie green greed, were fixed on him.

Accompanied by suppressed growls, three Demonic Wolves, each the size of a calf, with gray-black fur and exposed fangs, slowly ambled out from behind the mound, subtly fanning out to encircle him.

Saliva dripped from their sharp fangs, leaving a foul-smelling mark on the dry grass.

"Beasts, your noses are quite keen," Lin Jingyu stopped, his eyes cold and unperturbed.

These three Demonic Wolves were much stronger than those on the outskirts of the abandoned village, but they were only at the fifth or sixth level of Body Refining, with Miscellaneous Demonic Qi, far inferior to the Wolf King from last night.

"Awoo—!"

As if Lin Jingyu's calmness enraged them, one slightly larger Demonic Wolf let out a short howl and launched the first attack!

It powerfully pushed off the ground with its hind legs, sending dry grass flying, its entire body like a gray-black arrow unleashed from a bowstring, charging directly at Lin Jingyu's throat with a foul wind!

The other two also pounced simultaneously from the left and right, their sharp claws aiming for his waist and thigh bends respectively!

Their coordination was seamless, their attacks ruthless and deadly... If it were an ordinary Martial Artist at Body Refining eighth level, facing the encirclement of three ferocious Demonic Wolves, they would need to respond carefully, dodge, parry, and look for openings to counterattack.

But Lin Jingyu, he didn't dodge! He didn't evade!

"Courting death!"

He uttered two cold words, facing the Demonic Wolf pouncing from the front, he advanced instead of retreating!

His right arm muscles instantly bulged like a coiling Dragon, dark-gold light flashing beneath his skin... "Whoosh—!"

A straight punch, simple to the extreme, slammed out directly into the Demonic Wolf’s open, bloody maw!

No technique, only pure, suffocating power and speed!

The air in front of his fist was instantly compressed, emitting a dull explosion!

"Bang—Crack!!!"

Fist and wolf maw collided violently!

A bone-chilling crunch of bones suddenly erupted... The Demonic Wolf that had pounced head-on didn't even have time to let out a miserable howl before its entire ferocious wolf head exploded like a watermelon struck by a ten-thousand-pound hammer!

Red, white, viscous, and bone-shattered filth splattered backward in a radial pattern... The headless wolf corpse was sent tumbling backward by the violent punch, crashing heavily to the ground, twitching twice before becoming still!

[Ding! Killed a Low-tier Demonic Wolf! evolution points +5!]

[Current evolution points: 80!]

As the cold system prompt sounded in his mind, Lin Jingyu's movements did not falter in the slightest!

The sharp claws from the left and right had already reached him!

"Clang! Clang!"

Two deafening metallic clangs, like heavy hammers striking a bronze bell, exploded! Sparks flew!

The left and right claws struck firmly against Lin Jingyu's waist and thigh bend!

The dark-gold aura covering him fluctuated violently, like incredibly tough leather armor, firmly resisting the sharp wolf claws!

Not even his skin was broken... A huge counter-shock force transferred back through the wolf claws!

"Woof woof!" The two Demonic Wolves simultaneously let out pained whimpers; their claws and toes were excruciatingly painful, as if they had grabbed onto a red-hot branding iron!

Just as their movements paused slightly due to the recoil!

Lin Jingyu suddenly spread his arms, like a giant eagle spreading its wings... His hands, covered in a dark-gold aura, moved like lightning, grabbing the scruffs of the two Demonic Wolves' necks with incredible precision!

"Open up—for me!"

A furious roar erupted like a clap of thunder from a clear sky!

His arm muscles bulged, sinews like Dragons, containing terrifying immense strength, he violently tore them apart!

"Screech—!!!"

A terrifying, teeth-grinding sound of cloth mixed with tough leather being forcibly ripped apart!

The two ferocious Demonic Wolves were actually torn in half by Lin Jingyu!

Scalding wolf blood and shattered internal organs splattered like a downpour, staining the surrounding dry grass red... The strong smell of blood rose to the sky!

[Ding! Killed a Low-tier Demonic Wolf! evolution points +5!]

[Ding! Killed a Low-tier Demonic Wolf! evolution points +5!]

[Current evolution points: 90!]

The three Demonic Wolves, from launching their attack to becoming a pile of remains, took mere moments!

Lin Jingyu shook his arm, the dark-gold aura flowing, instantly shaking off and evaporating the stained wolf blood and filth... He didn't even glance at the wolf corpses on the ground, his gaze fixed on the area behind the dirt mound, from which more suppressed growls and rustling movements emanated.

"A den, indeed," A cold smirk played on his lips as he strode directly towards the back of the dirt mound.

Behind the dirt mound was a small, shallow depression.

Currently, five other Demonic Wolves were gathered in the depression... They were clearly driven into a frenzy by the instant brutal deaths of their companions and the intensely strong smell of blood, their green eyes filled with bloodlust and madness, low growls rumbling in their throats, fangs bared, saliva drooling.

"Awoo—!" One particularly robust Demonic Wolf with a patch of white fur on its forehead, seemingly the leader, let out a long, violent howl!

As if receiving a command, the five Demonic Wolves stopped probing and simultaneously burst out of the depression, transforming into five streaks of gray-black foul wind, pouncing at Lin Jingyu from different angles with an unyielding madness!

Claws tore through the air, fangs gnashed, sealing off all his dodging space... Facing this encirclement that would make even an ordinary Martial Artist at Body Refining ninth level feel their scalp tingle, Lin Jingyu's eyes held only cold killing intent.

"Good!"

He let out a low growl, neither dodging nor evading. The dark-gold aura around him instantly became incredibly bright and solid, as if he had donned a true Vajra battle armor!

Like a tiger entering a flock of sheep, he charged directly into the densest point of attack!

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Clang! Clang!"

Dull thuds, metallic clashes, bone-cracking sounds, and shrill howls instantly mixed together, performing a crushing display of pure power and brutal defense in this depression!

Lin Jingyu's fists were like two heavy battering rams; every swing was inevitably accompanied by the sound of shattering bones and the flung corpse of a Demonic Wolf... either a head exploding or a chest collapsing!

The Demonic Wolves' sharp claws and fangs tore and bit at him, only managing to send up dazzling sparks and emit grating scratching sounds, unable to even make him sway...

The counter-shock force of the Vajra Shield caused the claws and toes of the attacking Demonic Wolves to crack and their mouths and noses to bleed.

He was like a tireless, indestructible humanoid weapon, charging headlong through the pack of wolves.

His movements were simple, violent, and extremely efficient!

Every strike was a direct kill... [Ding! Killed a Low-tier Demonic Wolf! evolution points +5!]

[Ding! Killed a Low-tier Demonic Wolf! evolution points +5!]

...The cold system prompts sounded like a death knell, furiously ringing in Lin Jingyu's mind!

The depression had become a purgatory! Limbs flew, scalding wolf blood dyed the ground dark red, and the strong stench of blood was nauseating.

When the white-furred Wolf King leader had its tough abdomen pierced by Lin Jingyu's punch, its internal organs churned into a paste by the violent force, and it collapsed, howling and twitching, the last system prompt sounded.

[Ding! Killed a Low-tier Demonic Wolf Leader! evolution points +10!]

[Current evolution points: 125!]

The depression returned to deadly silence, with only Lin Jingyu's burly figure standing amidst the carnage.

The dark-gold aura covering him slowly receded; his bronze skin was completely unharmed, save for a few specks of bloodstains.

The strong smell of blood lingered, making him appear like a demon god born from a bloodbath.

125 points! Enough to deduce the Beginner of Savage Bull Strength, with some to spare!

He scanned the slaughterhouse-like depression, frowning slightly.

The smell of blood was too strong; it would soon attract more troublesome things.

This place was not suitable for lingering... "Retreat!"

Without further delay, he turned and strode back along the way he came, towards Black Stone City.

As his tall figure passed through the city gate again, the scar-faced squad leader and several guards, smelling the thick, unyielding scent of blood on him and seeing his calm yet faintly Evil Qi-laden face, instinctively took a step back, their eyes filled with fear.

This guy, he'd been out for less than an hour, how many things did he kill?!

Lin Jingyu ignored their gazes and walked straight into the city.

He needed to find a place to deal with the blood Qi on him, and then... it was time to go to the small training ground in the south of the city.

Just as he turned into a relatively lively street, the clanging of blacksmithing and boisterous discussions emanated from a shop at the street corner, bearing a sign that read "Wang's Blacksmith Shop."

"Hey, have you heard? Old Liu's family in the west city was attacked by Demonic Wolves last night. Out of five family members, only his grandson, who hid in the rice jar, survived! How tragic!" A booming voice, filled with anger and helplessness.

"Ah, this world... I heard that Fierce Tiger Martial Arts Hall is starting its disciple selection at noon today. I wonder if they can pick out a few good prospects this time to kill more of those beasts outside the city!" Another voice chimed in.

"Difficult! Instructor Wang's Eagle Claw Technique has a high threshold! Without some family background and natural talent, you can't even get in! I think, we still have to rely on the City Guard..." The previous voice was full of pessimism.

"Rely on them? Bah! They run faster than anyone when collecting taxes! Killing demons? It's good enough if they're not colluding with demons!" The sound of blacksmithing abruptly stopped, and an even louder, fiery voice rang out, clearly belonging to Wang Tiechui, the owner of the blacksmith shop.

Lin Jingyu's steps paused slightly, he glanced at the smoky, furnace-red blacksmith shop, then retracted his gaze and continued walking.

Natural talent? Threshold? The cold smirk reappeared at the corner of his mouth.

Small training ground in the south of the city, noon.

He wondered how much of the "high-level" martial arts that some people were so proud of would remain a "threshold" in the face of his pure strength and defense?