Chapter 179: Mutant Grey Wolves
Three days later at sunset, Su Tianhao stood atop a jagged cliff, surveying the Verdant Mist Forest from above like a sovereign gazing down on the world.
During this time, he had relentlessly tested the limits of Dragon Burst, discovering countless ways to weave it into combat. His integration of the technique had elevated his battle prowess dramatically. Where before he would struggle against 2nd level grade four beasts without relying on Formless Sovereign, now he could crush them without breaking a sweat. As his combat strength increased, so did the rank of his fallen opponents—and so did the essence he devoured. His cultivation base rose naturally in accordance, advancing from the 7th level Martial Adept Realm to half-step 8th level.
Yet standing at the cliff's edge now, he had run out of ways to push Dragon Burst further.
"I have already reached the peak of what Initial Mastery in Dragon Burst can achieve," he murmured, voice calm yet resolute. "It is high time I deepen my mastery."
With those words, Su Tianhao turned toward the sunset.
The sky blazed like a furnace of molten gold and crimson. The sun hung low on the horizon—a blood-red disc half-swallowed by distant mountains—casting long shadows across the Verdant Mist Forest below.
For a heartbeat, everything was peaceful. The cliff, the forest, the fading light—all of it existed in perfect, undisturbed harmony. Su Tianhao's expression softened slightly, his guard lowering just a fraction as he prepared to turn away.
Just as he was about to retreat to his cave—
Awoooo!!!
A loud howl pierced through the forest canopy—a symphony of voices converging into a single, powerful sound.
"A wolf pack?"
His gaze dropped to the Shadowfang sword strapped to his waist, reluctance evident in his golden eyes. Over the past few days, the wear from constant use had worsened dramatically. Visible cracks now spread across the dark blade like a spider's web.
"I've been trying to protect this sword—but it's what's holding me back."
Su Tianhao's jaw tightened.
"I've long since reached Perfection in Sword Sense. Combined with my achievement in the Realm of Perfect Edge and my mother's sword dao insights, I should have broken through to Sword Will by now."
Deep down, he knew the truth. Even if he kept acting cautiously, Shadowfang would shatter sooner or later regardless—and he might never reach Sword Will before leaving this forest. Departing early had crossed his mind more than once, but he had only been here a week. Three weeks still remained until the Qingyun Sect examination, and what waited for him outside was nothing but enemies—Mo Tianye's men, the Blood Shadow. Leaving prematurely would be no different from walking into a trap.
He exhaled slowly, letting his gaze return to the sunset. The crimson-gold glow reflected in his golden eyes. A chill wind rushed past, rustling leaves and fluttering his hair and robe. In that moment, he carried the quiet solemnity of a warrior who had finally made his choice.
"The sword dao is not found in preservation, but in destruction."
His voice rang out from the cliff, carried by the evening wind like a sacred decree.
"A sword that fears breaking will never cut through the heavens. Tonight, I shall shatter my limits—or be shattered trying. Only through this trial by blood can I grasp the true essence of Sword Will."
Boom!
The moment his words fell, something within his chest broke loose—invisible shackles shattering into dust. A rush of clarity flooded his mind. His confidence surged like a tidal wave.
His golden eyes turned toward the direction of the howl.
"Do not disappoint me."
With those words hanging in the air, he activated Dragon Burst and shot forward across the forest like a raging cannonball.
---
Deep within the mid-layer of the inner region, the canopy grew so dense that only slivers of dying sunset light managed to pierce through, painting the undergrowth in bloody streaks of crimson and gold.
A massive clearing had formed naturally here—trees pushed back by sheer presence, ground scarred with claw marks and littered with cracked bones. At its centre prowled the source of the howl: a pack of towering grey wolves numbering in the dozens, ranging from 7th level grade three to 2nd level grade four.
At their head loomed the alpha—a colossal 3rd level grade four Wolf King, its body nearly nine metres from snout to tail. One eye was scarred white from some old battle; the other burned with cold, cunning crimson light.
The pack had been hunting since dusk, exacting dominance over every creature in the area. Now, as the last sliver of sun vanished behind the horizon, the wolves raised their heads in unison and let out another long, resonant howl that shook leaves from the branches above—announcing their reign.
Awoooooooo!
The sound carried spiritual pressure—a sonic wave laced with killing intent and arrogance. Weaker creatures scattered. Even stronger ones could only growl in frustration without daring to act.
Around this area, the Mighty Grey Wolf Pack were untouchable.
But today, that was about to change.
High above, Su Tianhao streaked through the treetops like a golden comet, Dragon Burst propelling him in explosive leaps that devoured distance in heartbeats. Each step cracked the air, leaving faint golden shockwaves that flattened grass and snapped small branches in his wake.
His expression was calm—almost serene—but his golden eyes burned with an intensity that hadn't been there before.
'The sword dao is not found in preservation, but in destruction.'
The words repeated in his mind like a mantra, each syllable sharpening his will.
Shadowfang trembled faintly at his waist. The spiderweb cracks along its blade glowed with dim, reluctant light—as though the sword itself sensed what was coming and was both afraid and eager.
Su Tianhao's grip tightened on the hilt.
'If I fear breaking you, I will never break through to Sword Will.'
He exhaled slowly.
'Tonight, we either ascend—or shatter together.'
The wolf howls grew louder.
Su Tianhao's lips curved into a faint, dangerous smile.
"Good."
He landed lightly on a thick branch overlooking the clearing—silent as a ghost despite the explosive speed that had brought him here.
Below, the Mighty Grey Wolf Pack howled proudly into the moonlit sky. Dozens of voices resonating in unison, the sound carrying enough spiritual pressure to break the will of weaker cultivators.
Su Tianhao's eyes narrowed as he studied the pack from above.
"Grey Wolves?"
A frown creased his brow. Grey Wolves were spirit beasts with ordinary bloodlines—capable of reaching Peak grade three at most. Yet that doesn't seem to be the case in this pack.
From his analysis, they were thirty-seven wolves in total. Twenty-five betas with strength ranging from 7th level grade three to Peak grade three. Eleven omegas, seven 1st level grade four and four 2nd level grade four—likely the alpha's closest subordinates.
Then there's the alpha.
Nine metres long. 3rd level grade four. Even the smaller wolves stood far larger than the three-metre standard. Their fur stood on end like sharpened daggers, and the aura they emitted was entirely unlike ordinary Grey Wolves.
Recognition clicked.
"Mutants! It's actually a pack of Mutant Grey Wolves!"
Mutants were beasts born of rare mutations caused by various factors—fortuitous encounters, environmental saturation, or the chance consumption of a rare bloodline beast's corpse. Whatever had triggered this pack's transformation had completely rewritten their potential.
Su Tianhao's eyes gleamed. "The Verdant Mist Forest really is rich—not only Demon Beasts but Mutant Beasts too..."
He chuckled softly. Battle intent rose steadily.
"A satisfying opponent."
Just then, the Wolf King paused. Its elongated ears twitched violently. Its one crimson eye locked onto the branch where Su Tianhao sat—sensing something.
A low, guttural growl vibrated through the earth. The pack shifted in unison, dozens of eyes turning upward toward the intruder.
"Hmph."
Su Tianhao's snort cut across the clearing, cold and deliberate.
"What are you waiting for? Come at me."
Shing!
Shadowfang rang from its scabbard like the first crack of lightning on a stormy night, catching the last dying ray of sunset. Its scarred blade gleamed coldly.
The wolves answered.
Awoooooo!!!
The Wolf King's howl split the air—the primal cry of war.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
The pack sprang forward, footsteps striking the earth like war drums, sending dust and stones flying.
Su Tianhao's eyes sharpened.
Whoosh!
He launched from the branch like a soaring eagle, golden aura blazing around him.
"Raging Dragon Fist—Dragon Roar Descent!"
Roooaar!!!
A phantom dragon's roar thundered forth from within him, tearing through the sky. The very air trembled as if a devastating tempest had been unleashed upon the mortal realm.
His azure robes whipped wildly, their edges blazing with surging golden energy. In that moment, Su Tianhao looked less like a cultivator and more like a true dragon descending from the heavens.
Boom!
His fist slammed into the earth like a golden meteor, carving a deep crater into the ground. Shockwaves rippled outward in all directions, slamming into the grey wolves and throwing them back.
The pack fell into disarray—but no real damage was done.
Su Tianhao smiled faintly. That hadn't been the objective. With the wolves thrown into disarray, their once-unified formation was now riddled with exploitable gaps.
"Dragon Burst!"
He exploded forward in a burst of golden energy, appearing before a 1st level grade four mutant grey wolf before it could register his movement.
The wolf retreated instinctively, every instinct screaming danger.
"Shadow-Splitting Flash—Flicker Edge!"
Shadowfang erupted from the side like an electric whip—flickering sharply, carrying phantom trails.
One slash. Two afterimages.
Slash!
The sword cut through its head like a blade through air, leaving it decapitated. Crimson blood pooled across the earth.
Roooooaarrr!!!
The pack erupted in fury. The sight of a fallen kin drove the wolves into frenzy.
Su Tianhao's eyes gleamed coldly. With an effortless wave of his hand, he devoured surrounding spiritual energy to fuel his movement.
Boom!
Another explosion. Another wolf. Another kill.
One strike. One kill.
One. Two. Three. Four.
As the number climbed, so did his momentum. Su Tianhao's aura surged, radiating killing intent so potent that most of the betas and even a few omegas lost the will to resist entirely—their instincts overridden by primal terror.
At that moment, Su Tianhao moved like a grim reaper sent to harvest souls. His once-vibrant golden aura now gleamed with an intimidating crimson-gold light, awakening something ancient and fearful in the eyes of the beasts.
Yet despite the mounting casualties, the wolves kept pouring forward. Enraged. Maddened. Berserk.
Their collective killing intent was enough to overwhelm most 4th level Martial Core Realm experts. But Su Tianhao was no ordinary cultivator. His soul power had undergone tremendous tempering, and his resistance to killing intent had been forged through far worse—including the baptism of his mother's brutal massacre in the desolate wasteland.
"Hmph!"
He charged in and out of the pack with explosive speed, each burst of movement devouring spiritual energy from the surroundings to sustain itself.
Despite appearances, he wasn't winning cleanly. He was being pressed. The pack was converging, its formation tightening around him, leaving less and less space to manoeuvre and strike.
More disturbing—from the beginning until now, the Wolf King hadn't moved. It stood atop a rocky outcrop, watching with unsettling calm, its single crimson eye calculating everything with startling intelligence.
Then—
Roar! Roar! Roar!
Three wolves charged forward in unison. Two 1st level omegas, with a 2nd level omega leading the charge.
"Dragon Defence!"
Without hesitation, Su Tianhao activated Dragon Defence. His skin turned luminous, ancient draconic patterns etching themselves across its surface.
"Raging Dragon Fist—Dragon God Enchantment!"
His hands pulsed with strange runic patterns. The spiritual pressure he emitted doubled—no, tripled.
"Shadow-Splitting Flash..."
His aura exploded outward like a raging tide. Time seemed to slow.
Shadowfang trembled.
"Ninefold Deathflash!"
Boom!
He moved, Dragon Burst activating simultaneously.
Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash! Slash!
One move. Nine slashes.
The three omegas were cut to pieces, their bodies collapsing to the earth in a gruesome cascade.
Su Tianhao panted heavily, heart threatening to break through his ribs.
In that moment when Dragon God Enchantment and Dragon Burst activated together, his speed and strength had reached the equivalent of a 2nd level Martial Core Realm expert.
The initial boost from the Dragon Burst granted 200,000, combined with the one hundred percent boost from Dragon God Enchantment, that was 400,000 pounds of force. The combination was devastating. But the cost was real.
His long hair fell in disarray down his back. His breathing heavy and jagged. Every nerve in his body screamed.
His mind roared back in defiance.
Gritting his teeth, he charged on.
Every slash sharpened.
Every strike refined.
Instinct—deadly.