Damn it! Don't you die yet!
Seeing this, Zhou Changqing could no longer stay hidden. He kicked off the ground with explosive force, transforming into a blur as he sprinted toward the two beasts!
Worried the creature would perish before he could reach it, he even unleashed the Rushing Thunder Steps, a Low-level Xuan-rank Dou Skill he had only just begun to master after acquiring it from the Mittel Auction House!
A series of muffled thunderclaps echoed in his wake. In less than three breaths, Zhou Changqing appeared before the Flame Wolf.
Fuck!
Looking at the beast on the ground, its fur soaked by the rain and a scorched black hole marking its head, its breathing shallow and weak, Zhou Changqing cursed under his breath. He quickly retrieved a First-Grade Healing Pill from his Storage Ring and forced it into the wolf's mouth.
Fortunately, the Silver Lightning Panther's blast had been small. Though it had pierced the Flame Wolf's brain, the area of damaged tissue was minimal, and it hadn't died instantly.
While a First-Grade Healing Pill was a miraculous medicine for an ordinary person, for a peak Third-Rank Magical Beast this grievously injured, it was barely enough to keep it hanging on by a thread.
But that thread was all Zhou Changqing needed.
"If you just kick the bucket like this, how am I supposed to get my revenge? Your life is mine to take!" Zhou Changqing whispered, his voice low and laced with a demented killing intent as he saw a flicker of life return to the Flame Wolf's eyes.
Seizing the few seconds the pill had bought him, Zhou Changqing's right hand flashed, and a greatsword materialized in his grip.
Hoisting the heavy Monster Core Sword with one hand, he frantically poured his Thunder-attribute Dou Qi into it. The energy surged through the weapon, drawing upon and fusing with the power of the thunder-attribute Monster Core embedded within, racing through the runic inscriptions!
In an instant, the Monster Core Heavy Sword erupted with a blinding lightning, radiating terrifying waves of destructive energy. The very air around it crackled and sizzled, emitting puffs of scorched black smoke!
"Die for me!"
With a vicious glint in his eyes, Zhou Changqing brought the sword down with all his might!
The heavy sword descended, carrying immense momentum, its extreme sharpness and the terrifying energy within it crashing down upon the Flame Wolf's massive body!
Swish!
Bang!
In a flash, the Flame Wolf's head was severed. At the same moment, the violent energy within the sword exploded outward, and serpents of lightning writhed and devoured its entire body!
With no energy left for defense, even the Flame Wolf's formidable physique couldn't withstand the full power of Zhou Changqing's strike.
Its flesh was rapidly disintegrated by the dancing arcs of lightning, turning from scorched black to ash in just over ten seconds!
Watching the Flame Wolf turn to dust before his very eyes, Zhou Changqing felt an incredible sense of release!
He had finally avenged his parents with his own hands!
Though he hadn't been the one to wound the beast, he had been the one to kill it.
That was enough.
After all, if he had arrived half an hour later, he might not have even had the chance to slay his enemy.
"Hah..."
He let out a long, heavy breath. The shadow that had weighed on his heart for seven long years finally lifted by half.
Zhou Changqing then bent down and sifted through the pile of ashes at his feet, pulling out a palm-sized, fiery-red, transparent crystal.
Clutching the crystal, his gaze turned sharp, but a cold smile touched his lips. "Don't worry, I'll make good use of this Monster Core of yours. Father and Mother should appreciate such an offering."
Putting the Monster Core away, Zhou Changqing turned and walked toward the scorched patch of earth nearby.
Half of his burden was gone, but the other half remained.
Treading across the wet ground, ignoring the ash and soot clinging to his boots, Zhou Changqing approached the Silver Lightning Panther.
Although this beast was also grievously wounded and on the verge of death, it was in slightly better condition than the Flame Wolf had been. At least it was still breathing steadily.
"Roar..."
The Silver Lightning Panther had noticed Zhou Changqing's approach, but it was too weak to do anything about it.
Even on the brink of death, however, the viciousness in its eyes had not diminished in the slightest.
Sensing the undisguised ferocity and bloodlust in the panther's gaze, Zhou Changqing grinned. He drove his heavy sword into the ground with a thud, then crouched down to meet its eyes.
"You beast. You may have never seen me before, but for all these years, I have longed to meet you day and night, hating that I couldn't find you sooner."
"I don't know if you can understand my words, but it doesn't matter. This must be near your territory, right? I wonder if you have any offspring, any descendants."
"Whether you do or not, I'll search every inch. I will hunt down every last Silver Lightning Panther in the area and send them all down to join you."
"Rest in peace!"
"Grrr..."
The fierce glare in the Silver Lightning Panther's eyes slowly gave way to terror and a hint of pleading as Zhou Changqing's cold words sank in.
A beast of its rank, while not possessing human-level intelligence, had developed a degree of spiritual awareness. Coupled with its encounters with human mercenaries over the years, it had somehow managed to grasp the meaning behind his threat.
Noticing the beast's reaction, Zhou Changqing's eyes lit up. "So you do have some?"
"Heh, if you hadn't reacted, I might have been too lazy to hunt for them. But now, I have to. I'll make sure every Silver Lightning Panther that shares your bloodline will join you in atoning to my parents!"
Killing the beast and breaking its spirit.
With that said, Zhou Changqing wasted no more time. He stood, pulled his sword from the earth, and swung it at the Silver Lightning Panther's head!
"ROAR!"
Amidst the panther's defiant and unwilling roar, the heavy sword erupted with terrifying lightning, completely engulfing it!
When the light faded and vision returned, the Silver Lightning Panther was gone. All that remained was a pile of ash and the corner of a Monster Core peeking through.
Picking up the Monster Core, Zhou Changqing chuckled at the ashes. "I was lying. Even if you hadn't reacted, I would have killed every Flame Wolf and Silver Lightning Panther around here anyway."
At that moment, a sense of lightness washed over Zhou Changqing. The knots of hatred in his heart were finally undone, and his soul felt cleansed, as if he had been reborn.
Even the Dou Qi within his body began to flow with renewed vigor!
A wide, brilliant smile stretched across his face.
The wish he had held for so many years was finally fulfilled today. It was a feeling that only those who had experienced it could ever understand.
However, just as Zhou Changqing was about to turn and leave, a crack suddenly appeared on the silver Monster Core in his hand.
In an instant, a thick stream of thunder-attribute energy escaped from the crack and shot toward the sky!
"Hm? Did I crack the Monster Core with my sword?"
Zhou Changqing's smile faded slightly, his brow furrowing as he watched the silver, ribbon-like energy surge upward.
Before he could even attempt to seal the Monster Core with his Dou Qi, a bone-chilling dread suddenly washed over him!
BOOM!
A deafening roar of thunder exploded across the heavens!
The next second, a terrifying bolt of lightning, as thick as a python, tore through the dim sky with blinding light and descended!
The brilliant flash seemed to rip space itself as it fell, carrying an indescribable, heavenly might!
And its target was the exact spot where Zhou Changqing stood!
Fast! Too fast!
The lightning bolt was upon him in an instant, striking just a few meters above his head!
Judging by its trajectory, it had been drawn by the very energy escaping from the Monster Core in his hand!
Zhou Changqing's pupils contracted, his eyes reflecting the descending light.
In that split second, driven purely by a powerful instinct to survive, he threw himself to the side!
But even as he pushed his Dou Qi to its absolute limit, his speed was no match for the lightning!
All he could do in the instant before it struck was barely activate the runic inscriptions on his inner armor!
BOOM!
CRACK!
The lightning bolt grazed the fabric on Zhou Changqing's chest and slammed into the ground!
The massive energy detonated, and the terrifying shockwave sent him flying backward