The surrounding people had already formed a tight defensive circle around the carriage.
Not far ahead stood hundreds of Ice Rock Battle Wolves, their crimson eyes burning, each one issuing a low growl that sounded ravenous.
Seeing Chen Feng emerge, Austin rushed forward. "At a time like this, I sincerely hope we can put aside any past grievances!"
Chen Feng nodded, his estimation of Austin shifting slightly. For a prince to approach an adversary who had previously threatened him with such a request—the man possessed considerable breadth of mind.
Agreeing was advantageous for Chen Feng as well. He and Xiao Hu alone could hardly escape such a multitude of Ice Rock Battle Beasts. Being together might not guarantee survival, but it was certainly better than facing the onslaught solo.
Tier three battle beasts were equivalent to human seventh or eighth-level Fighters. No wonder people warned against advancing carelessly into the Dragon’s Map Mountain. A group of beasts at this level... the sheer power was terrifying!
"Austin!" Austin offered his name.
"Kusanagi!" Chen Feng replied.
Austin extended his right hand, and Chen Feng grasped it! The two had officially formed an alliance!
Neither of them knew then what colossal changes this single handshake would bring to the entire continental structure in the future.
Faced with such an overwhelming number of Ice Rock Battle Wolves, Chen Feng dared not be complacent. Although his current overall strength was enough to contend with an eighth-level Fighter, one was manageable; a pack was another matter entirely...
Xiao Hu was also astonished by the sheer number of beasts. Normally, while Ice Rock Battle Wolves enjoyed grouping, they rarely gathered in such vast numbers. Had something catastrophic happened within Dragon’s Map Mountain?
Xiao Hu relayed this thought to Chen Feng, but Chen Feng had no time for deep consideration. His eyes were locked on the surrounding wolves, his heart tightening in his chest!
"Lord Kusanagi, we will form a defensive perimeter to repel the wolves' attacks. Given your and your magical pet's swift agility, how about you act as a free agent? If you see anyone on the perimeter about to buckle, you jump in immediately and pull the wounded back inside for treatment! What do you think?" Austin proposed.
Chen Feng nodded and acknowledged the plan.
Austin then began arranging the defensive formation. He was, after all, a prince, learned and experienced. In just a few clipped sentences, he positioned everyone optimally. The remaining three ninth-level Fighters were strategically placed among the group for maximum impact. Alfred, the first-level Magus, was positioned centrally. Water magic, like Light magic, possessed healing capabilities, ensuring Alfred could treat any injuries immediately.
Despite facing hundreds of Ice Rock Battle Wolves, the group placed complete faith in Austin’s arrangements. The formation was quickly established without any disorder.
Chen Feng's opinion of Austin improved once more, yet his vigilance increased proportionally. To possess such meticulous thinking in this critical situation proved the man was certainly no ordinary figure!
Ice Rock Battle Wolves possessed an innate wariness toward the unfamiliar. Since humans hadn't ventured into Dragon’s Map Mountain for a long time, these native beasts were somewhat unsettled by the human presence. However, they could discern that a few individuals in this group posed a significant threat, yet they were entirely unafraid, relying on their sheer numbers.
"Roar..."
Suddenly, a white Battle Wolf standing at the rear of the pack let out a sharp cry. The piercing howl pierced the dense canopy above and shot toward the heavens.
The pack responded in unison, led by the white wolf. The combined howls of hundreds of wolves crashed down like massive sound waves, causing a wave of dizziness to wash over the group.
"Pseudo Fourth-Tier Magic—Water Cloud Shield!"
Alfred immediately unleashed his most potent defensive spell, the Water Cloud Shield!
Around the perimeter the group had formed, a magical shield resembling mist and clouds instantly rose. This shield could expand or contract, perfectly enveloping the human contingent.
The formation of the Water Cloud Shield eased the pressure from the wolves' collective howling, and the group’s senses gradually stabilized, though every face was ashen.
The white wolf was clearly the pack leader; its recent roar was undoubtedly the signal to attack. Everyone knew that the moment the howling ceased, the wolves would swarm them!
Sweat beaded in everyone's palms; eyes were fixed on the wolves ahead, blinking sparingly.
Grace remained calm amidst the crowd, showing no panic despite the terrifying sight of the wolf pack.
Xiao Hu, seemingly enraged by the wolves' cacophony, opened its massive jaws and let out a long roar toward the sky!
The dignity of a high-tier Illusory Beast could not be violated! Not even by this many Ice Rock Battle Wolves!
Xiao Hu's roar was measured and deep, yet imbued with an imposing authority. Its resounding cry echoed through the forest, causing the surrounding trees to rustle violently.
The fierce howls of hundreds of Ice Rock Battle Wolves were entirely suppressed by Xiao Hu's single cry, leaving them utterly unable to resist!
The inherent difference between a high-tier Illusory Beast and low-tier battle beasts was now starkly revealed!
"Rumble!"
The ferocious assault of the Ice Rock Battle Wolves finally commenced!
Chen Feng stood in the center of the group, observing the wolves' attack patterns, his expression grim.
With every strike of an Ice Rock Battle Wolf's paw, a burst of ice-elemental fighting aura erupted from beneath its feet. Driven by this aura, their speed was extraordinary. Furthermore, they possessed their innate fighting skill—Ice Rock Technique!
Innate skills, much like a magical beast’s innate magic, required the use of the beast's core or magic core for rapid deployment and achieved maximum power. As the innate skill of a tier three Ice Rock Battle Wolf, the Ice Rock Technique had its unique feature: the ability to instantly freeze its target!
"Thwack! Thwack..."
The sounds of blades sinking into flesh were incessant. Although the Ice Rock Battle Wolves were not low in rank, they were still low-intelligence beasts. Outside of their innate skill, their methods of attack amounted only to claws and fangs. The group stood in a circle, and in the initial phase of combat, every warrior, regardless of specialization, was equipped with a weapon—a longsword.
To face the pack without proper weapons, relying only on bare-handed techniques, was tantamount to suicide.
Grace had maintained a composed expression initially, but when she saw the wolves tearing flesh apart, and blood flowing like a river everywhere, she could no longer endure it and loudly retched!
Chen Feng shook his head. A woman was still a woman, no matter how strongly she feigned fortitude; deep down, she remained fragile!
The first three minutes of the battle marked the wolves' most concentrated offensive wave. If they could weather those brief three minutes, the wolf pack would pause briefly to redeploy. If they could endure another three minutes, the pack would pause again. This cycle repeated three times. Regardless of whether the besieged party could physically continue, the wolf pack would automatically retreat.
This was a custom of the Ice Rock Battle Wolves. A Druid knowledgeable about magical beasts explained that this represented the wolves' respect for tenacity.
The pack attack was inherently unfair. In their minds, surrounding an opponent for three minutes was a limit. If the target endured those three minutes, they earned the pack's respect, and the wolves would send a more formidable second wave. This pattern repeated three times. If the besieged individual could last the full nine minutes, the Ice Rock Wolf King would personally approach to salute the strong warrior!
The exact nature of this "salute" remained unknown.
"Ah!" A scream erupted from the crowd; someone had already been injured!
ps:
Update Notice: Old Ya heard from another author yesterday that new books drop off the New Release charts once they hit 200,000 words. My book hit 100,000 words after only eleven days of updates. At this rate, it might fall off the charts before getting main site recommendations. I cannot ignore this reality, so after careful consideration, I am reducing the updates from three chapters daily to two (one chapter at 8:00 AM, and one between 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM). I will make up the difference once the new book period concludes! I truly do not wish to do this, and I apologize sincerely. If you wish to curse me, Old Ya has a pinned apology post in the comments section—feel free to vent there! I admit my mistake and hope for your understanding! Once again, I apologize!
Regarding Protagonist Abuse: I am also relatively new, and I might mishandle some plot points, but I assure you, I am a man of my word; the protagonist will absolutely not embarrass himself. Rest assured while reading! Since updates are slower now, some moments that might lead to the protagonist's explosive power might conclude too soon. You can criticize me, but please don't drop the book yet, because it might become incredibly exciting in a few more chapters...
Regarding Old Ya's Integrity: I frankly admit that I previously abandoned (tj) two books, partly due to work and partly for personal reasons. The current success of this novel is entirely thanks to your support; it's ranked 8th on the chart but still unsigned, relying solely on reader engagement without main site recommendations! My first abandonment happened after 400,000 words without a contract. The second saw fewer than 1,500 collections in a week after receiving main site recommendation! To avoid repeating that mistake, I spent a full three months conceptualizing Dan Sheng Jie after ending it. I revised the first 100,000 words no less than ten times, deleting nearly 60,000 words from the first draft to the uploaded version! Furthermore, yesterday I submitted my resignation letter to my unit; my manager said I can leave once the engineering project wraps up in mid-August! I have no fallback plan; I am dedicating myself entirely to writing! If the book gets listed (goes premium), I will update at least 8,000 characters daily to repay my readers!
The chart changes at midnight tonight. I will release one more chapter after 12:00 AM. I hope all esteemed readers will vote for support! I hope this book, Fist Emperor (Kuo Huang), can go far and keep accompanying my readers for a longer time!
Those who support Old Ya are my brothers! Even those who curse me, I thank you; in your criticisms, I recognize the flaws in my story, so I thank you all equally! Thank you all again for your support!
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