Chapter Thirteen — The Great Battle!

He was not willing to give up such a worthy opponent.

“Bang…”

Inside the Black Wolf’s den, man and beast clashed fiercely once more.

This time, the Black Wolf was truly enraged at this human who had dared to provoke it twice. Like a mad creature, it lashed out wildly with claws and fangs toward Ye Chen.

But Ye Chen had grown wiser. No longer relying on brute strength against the gray wolf, he now fought with skill and strategy.

Instead of facing the Black Wolf head-on, he engaged in guerrilla tactics. Whenever an opportunity arose, he struck with the stone in his hand, drawing fresh blood from the wolf’s body.

The Black Wolf’s size was both a strength and a weakness. Its large frame hindered agility and made it a live target for Ye Chen’s strikes. Nearly every swing found its mark.

Yet Ye Chen was not unscathed. Each time the wolf collided with him, his body felt as though it might shatter. Were it not for the constant repair from the green spiritual energy coursing through him, he might have already fallen.

The battle between man and wolf lasted about an hour. Ye Chen bore over a dozen claw marks, while the Black Wolf was also covered in wounds. But with its massive body and tough hide, those were mere surface scratches that did not threaten its core.

“Bang!”

Ye Chen was suddenly thrown against the cave wall by the Black Wolf’s headbutt. But in the next moment, he sprang free from the stone-cracked wall and charged again.

The wolf’s expression turned wary at the sight of the human’s relentless assault.

Clearly, Ye Chen’s reckless fighting style unnerved it. Yet despite this caution, the Black Wolf did not retreat. This was its home—its territory—and it would not surrender.

After another hour, the battle ended with Ye Chen’s retreat.

He had no choice. His spiritual energy was depleted. Each stone strike required this energy to break through the wolf’s defenses. Without it, he was powerless. Moreover, the energy was needed to heal his body, so he could not afford to waste it.

Thus, he had to withdraw for the time being.

Seeing Ye Chen flee, the Black Wolf did not pursue. Instead, it collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. Hours of fighting and Ye Chen’s unyielding tactics had exhausted it. All it wished now was for the human to never return and steal its home again.

But it was disappointed…

Within half an hour, the human reappeared inside the den, and the battle resumed anew.

——

Thus, Ye Chen and the Black Wolf fought for one or two hours, then Ye Chen fled. After recovering his spiritual energy, he would return to challenge the wolf again. This cycle repeated for two days. The Black Wolf grew increasingly frustrated.

Meanwhile, Ye Chen became more exhilarated with each fight. His combat skills sharpened after every escape and return, much to the wolf’s chagrin.

At times when Ye Chen fled, the Black Wolf pursued. But it was disheartened. This human fought even while running. Unable to catch him, the wolf resorted to ramming trees since it could not fly.

Tree after tree crashed to the ground, yet the human remained elusive. Finally, the wolf gave up.

On the fifth day…

Ye Chen no longer fled during their fights. He had become adept at combat with the Black Wolf. Three days later, the battle between man and beast had shifted decidedly in Ye Chen’s favor. He controlled the entire rhythm of the fight.

“Howl…”

Ye Chen rode upon the Black Wolf’s back, legs gripping tightly on either side. His fist, glowing faintly green, hammered mercilessly against the wolf’s head. Each blow landed solidly, echoing the wolf’s agonized howls throughout the cave.

The wolf tried to shake him off by smashing into the cave walls, creating countless deep dents. Yet Ye Chen held firm, striking the wolf’s head whenever he could.

The wolf rolled and thrashed, but all efforts were in vain.

Now the contest was simply who would give out first.

After about an hour, the cave fell silent. Both lay exhausted on the ground, a yard apart. Ye Chen still breathed, the Black Wolf too. They stared at one another, neither having the strength to charge again.

Ye Chen slowly rose. “Heh heh, do you yield?”

The wolf’s eyes burned with determination, signaling refusal.

Seeing this, Ye Chen stepped forward, ready to strike.

Suddenly, an ancient and wild presence filled the air, halting his movement.

A long, piercing wolf howl echoed through the deep cave, vibrating every inch of space. As the sound approached, a figure emerged from the shadows: wolf-headed and human-bodied, its silver-white fur shimmering coldly in the faint moonlight filtering through the cave’s mouth.

Its eyes, like twin icy stars from the abyss, fixed on Ye Chen with undeniable power and authority.

A Jade-Rank Spirit Beast!

The arrival of this Jade-Rank Spirit Beast instantly froze the atmosphere inside the cave, making even breathing feel heavy.

The spirit beast spoke, “Young friend, this is my junior. Would you spare its life?”

Ye Chen bowed respectfully, “Since you have spoken, I shall not harm it.”

The wolf-headed elder’s gaze swept over Ye Chen with approval, nodding slightly.

Raising its right hand gently, the cave’s corners seemed to shimmer as clusters of spirit herbs appeared, suspended midair, each glowing with a myriad of colors.

These herbs released a faint fragrance—some leaves were like jade, translucent and pure; some roots twisted like dancing dragons and snakes; others bore plump, enticing fruits. Every single plant pulsed with astonishing spiritual energy.

Ye Chen’s eyes gleamed with surprise. He had never seen such a collection of premium spirit herbs. For a moment, the entire cave was bathed in a soft halo, and the air thickened with the rich aroma of the herbs.

“These are a gift to you, young friend. Please accept them as compensation.”

Ye Chen smiled warmly, “Elder, I’m honored, but this is too generous~ Heh heh.”

With a light snap of his fingers, the floating herbs turned into streams of light, flowing precisely into the spirit ring on his finger with seamless grace.

After gathering them all, he patted the ring gently as if confirming that his precious treasures had settled safely inside.

The elder watched this series of actions, a faint twitch at the corner of his mouth betraying a mix of helplessness and amusement, though he said nothing.

“Young friend, how did you come to be here?”

Ye Chen replied with some confusion, “It’s a trial. Today is the sixth day. Is something wrong, elder?”

“Then stay here as you like; I won’t detain you any longer.” With that, the elder vanished from the scene. The Black Wolf disappeared alongside him.

Ye Chen gazed at the spot where they had vanished, a strange feeling welling up in his heart.