The gorge shuddered with the next howl—deep, resonant, far heavier than the Shadowfangs that had prowled before. The disciples froze as the sound rolled through the stone, rattling loose pebbles from the cliffs.
Wu Ming clutched his sack of stones like a shield. "Senior Brother… that didn't sound like a wolf. That sounded like a wolf that eats other wolves for breakfast!"
From the shadows ahead, glowing eyes appeared—two, then four, then six. A hulking shape emerged, fur black as night streaked with scars. Its fangs gleamed like ivory daggers.
The Greater Shadowfang Alpha.
Its breath steamed, the smell of blood and venom curling in the air. With one step, its paw sank into stone, claws gouging grooves as if it were soft clay.
Zhao Kun's bravado vanished. "This… this is impossible! An Alpha doesn't leave the inner gorge!"
Lin Xuan's spear lowered slightly, his gaze calm. The seal beneath the gorge… it stirs. The beasts grow restless.
The Alpha roared, the sound crashing against the disciples' ears. Fear cracked their formation instantly—timid steps back, blades trembling.
"Steady!" Lin Xuan barked. His voice was quiet but sharp as a blade.
For once, even Zhao Kun hesitated before obeying.
The beast lunged. Lin Xuan's spear met its fangs, the shock rattling up his arms. Zhao Kun slashed at its flank, his sword cutting shallow. The timid girl darted forward with desperate courage, her chipped blade scraping against fur. Wu Ming hurled stones wildly, shouting, "Begone, canine calamity!"
The Alpha swatted, and two disciples flew back, smashing against stone with pained cries. Blood splattered the rocks.
Panic surged. The formation frayed.
[System Notice: Beast Anatomy Scanned. Weak points: throat, right hind leg (old fracture), left eye. Efficiency of strikes: calculated.]
Lin Xuan's eyes narrowed. He flowed into the beast's shadow, spear thrusting not where it was, but where it would be. The tip pierced its shoulder joint, forcing a roar that shook the gorge.
"Press the left side!" he ordered. "Its leg is weaker!"
Disciples, stunned, obeyed instinctively. Their attacks found openings they hadn't seen before. The Alpha staggered under the sudden coordination.
For a heartbeat, hope flickered.
High above on a ledge, Qiu Ran crouched, arms folded. His lips curled in amusement as he watched Lin Xuan direct the battle.
"He even commands in chaos," Qiu Ran muttered. "All the more reason he cannot leave this gorge alive."
He fingered a small talisman at his belt, its runes pulsing faintly with killing intent.
"Bleed, Lin Xuan. Bleed until you are too weak to resist. Then I will strike, and your brilliance will end in silence."
The Alpha roared again, shaking off strikes. It leapt, jaws wide, aiming straight for the timid girl.
She froze, eyes wide—death rushing toward her.
Lin Xuan's spear blurred, striking upward. The shaft braced against stone, catching the Alpha's throat mid-lunge. The beast gagged, twisting violently.
"Now!" Lin Xuan snapped.
Zhao Kun slashed its exposed flank. The lanky boy, stumbling more than striking, managed to drive his blade into its hind leg. Even Wu Ming's stone struck true this time, bouncing off its bleeding snout.
The Alpha crashed down, howling, blood streaking the gorge floor.
Breathless, disciples staggered back, forming a ragged circle. Their blades dripped, their eyes wide with terror and awe.
Lin Xuan stood calm, spear steady, blood spattering his robe. His chest rose and fell evenly, as though the fight were no more than training.
But high above, Qiu Ran's eyes gleamed cold. His fingers tightened on the talisman.
"Good," he whispered. "Exhaust yourself further. The moment you falter, the gorge will bury you."
The Alpha's growl deepened, muscles bunching as it prepared to lunge again. The true fight had only just begun.