Temple Master Xuan Xuan Zhenren's astonishing sword strike, like a divine pillar stabilizing the seas, instantly reversed the battle situation in Jade Micro Valley. The three most threatening third-tier beasts lay heavily wounded on the ground. The remaining low-level beasts, having lost their leaders, though still ferocious, were now nothing but trapped animals fighting desperately before the newly organized "Clear Void Demon-Subduing Formation." One precise, lethal spiritual power attack after another swiftly wiped them out.
Xiao Qi slumped on the ground, his arm trembling slightly from overexertion. The wounds torn by beast claws earlier sent waves of stinging pain. He gazed at the chaotic battlefield at the valley entrance—severed limbs and beast corpses mixed together, the thick smell of blood in the air nearly making him retch. This was his first time coming so close to death and slaughter; the shock in his heart far outweighed his physical fatigue.
However, the crisis was not entirely over. The Demon-Subduing Grand Formation mainly targeted groups of threatening beasts. Many scattered low-level beasts, or those that slipped through the edges of the formation, were still scurrying around the periphery like headless flies, trying to find gaps and causing considerable trouble for the disciples responsible for cleanup and patrol.
Xiao Qi's team, under the command of Steward Han Gang, was tasked with clearing residual beasts in a rocky area on the left side. The terrain here was complex—jagged boulders, dense shrubs—perfect for beasts to hide.
"Three people per group, cover each other, search carefully! Don't overlook any corners!" Steward Han Gang's voice carried exhaustion but remained steady.
Xiao Qi, Liu Yun, and another disciple skilled in earth-attribute spells formed a team. Liu Yun took the lead, her sword flashing as she sliced a jade-scaled python darting from behind a rock into two pieces. The earth-attribute disciple continuously cast "Ground Sink" or "Stone Skin" spells to hinder beast movement or bolster defense.
Xiao Qi stayed close to Liu Yun's side. His main duty was to fill gaps, dealing with small or fast beasts attacking from tricky angles. He gripped that pitch-black wok tightly; its edge was now stained with dark red blood and a few strands of gray wolf fur.
"Whoosh!" A gray shadow shot out like lightning from a thick shrub, lunging straight for Xiao Qi's face! It was a small but extremely swift "Shadow Mouse," its claws and teeth carrying mild paralyzing venom.
Xiao Qi reacted quickly. Thanks to Liu Yun's prolonged "special training," his body reacted almost instinctively. He didn't retreat. Instead, he twisted his waist and abdomen, spinning his body at a peculiar angle while swinging the wok sideways like a door plank!
"Smack!" A crisp sound rang out. The Shadow Mouse, as if hitting an invisible wall, was squarely struck by the wok. It let out a short, sharp squeak, tumbled to the ground, its limbs twitching as it fell unconscious.
"Nicely done!" the earth-attribute disciple beside him couldn't help but praise. "Junior Brother Xiao Qi, that wok of yours... is really tough!"
Xiao Qi had no time to respond. Another "Razor-Toothed Badger," driven mad by the Demon-Subduing Formation, charged from the side with bloodshot eyes. Hearing the wind, Xiao Qi didn't even look, swinging the wok backward with a backhand motion!
"Clang!" The wok's bottom collided hard with the badger's head, emitting a metallic clang. The badger's momentum halted. It shook its head, seemingly dazed, with even a faint crack appearing on its fangs. Shaking its head, it tried to pounce again but was finished off by Liu Yun's returning sword.
"This badger's head is the hardest; you actually managed to daze it?" Liu Yun also looked surprised, glancing at the wok in Xiao Qi's hand.
The battle continued. Xiao Qi moved nimbly, weaving through the rocks, brandishing the wok with fierce momentum. He had no fancy moves—only the simplest, most direct slaps, blocks, smashes, and sweeps. Relying on his mastery of "Swimming Fish Steps" and reaction speed far beyond his peers, he always appeared where most needed, using that seemingly clumsy wok to defuse crisis after crisis.
A juvenile "Ironback Mountain Boar" charged headlong toward the earth-attribute disciple, who was busy casting spells to restrain another beast and couldn't defend in time. Xiao Qi dashed forward, using the wok as a shield, firmly blocking the boar's path.
"Thud!" A dull impact echoed. Xiao Qi was knocked back several steps, blood and energy surging within him, but the juvenile boar was also stopped, shaking its head and grunting discontentedly.
More astonishingly, several beasts directly struck on the head by the wok, such as the Shadow Mouse and Wind Wolves, not only were stunned by the great force but also seemed to experience a momentary loss of consciousness and movement freeze, as if their minds had been shaken by some intangible force. Though the effect was extremely brief, it created perfect opportunities for Liu Yun or other disciples to deliver finishing blows.
"Hey, Junior Brother Xiao Qi, that wok of yours..." An inner sect senior brother, after jointly dispatching a Wind Wolf dazed by Xiao Qi's smack, couldn't help but curiously eye the wok a few more times. "Seems a bit special, huh? Not just tough, but when you hit with it, there's almost a... stunning effect?"
Xiao Qi's heart stirred. He himself had vaguely sensed this. The wok's sturdiness was a given, but that effect of briefly stunning beasts didn't occur every time. It seemed related to the faint spiritual power he subconsciously channeled in moments of desperation, as well as the location and force of the strike.
Could this be another manifestation of the wok's "melting" characteristic? Could it vibrate energy and affect the mind? He wasn't sure, and certainly dared not publicize it. He vaguely explained, "Maybe... this black iron is special. Plus, I was just flailing about; it was a coincidence."
The inner sect senior brother was half-convinced, but with the urgent battle situation, there was no time to investigate further. He simply took it as Xiao Qi's good luck, or perhaps that this heirloom wok truly had extraordinary material. After all, the cultivation world had many strange metals and rare alloys. An exceptionally tough wok, while uncommon, wasn't entirely incomprehensible. As for the faint stunning effect, in the chaos of the battlefield, it wasn't very noticeable and could easily be attributed to the impact's concussive force.
Liu Yun also noticed this, but she merely gave Xiao Qi and the wok in his hand a deep look without further questions. This junior brother of hers seemed to be hiding more and more secrets.
With everyone's coordinated efforts, the beasts in this rocky area were quickly eliminated. Xiao Qi roughly estimated that at least five or six low-level beasts had died under his wok, and another seven or eight had been knocked out or dazed, creating opportunities. For a Qi Refining third-layer disciple, this achievement was nothing short of stunning—though most credit went to Liu Yun's cover and his exceptionally tough wok.
After the battle ended, many fellow disciples' gazes toward Xiao Qi changed. The previous underestimation diminished, replaced by surprise and even a trace of recognition. After all, in life-and-death struggles, what works is effective, no matter how unconventional it may appear.
"Wok Shield Hero... truly lives up to the name!" a disciple exclaimed half-jokingly, though this time the tone held less mockery and more admiration.
*An observing disciple (astonished):* "This... this wok of Tang Xiao Qi's... could it be a hidden magic treasure? It's so incredibly sturdy!"
*Tang Xiao Qi (scratching his head):* "Maybe... my mom had great control over the cooking fire, tempered it really well?"
Xiao Qi wiped the blood off the wok's edge, slung it back on his shoulder, and said nothing more. He knew the wok's extraordinary nature went far beyond this. Today's performance on the battlefield was merely the tip of the iceberg. The secrets hidden within this wok left by his parents were likely deeper than he imagined.
Looking at the gradually calming battlefield, he felt little joy. The mystery behind the beast rampage, and the potential hidden threats lurking in the shadows, hung over his mind like a dark cloud. He had to improve his strength quickly, to better protect himself and those he cared about in this perilous world. And this seemingly ordinary wok would undoubtedly become one of his most important assets on the road ahead.