Chapter Fifteen: Oh, Baidu Goddess! Oh, Baidu Goddess!

“Damn! The boy’s been overtaken by bloodlust!” the old man cursed under his breath. In a flash, he darted forward, unleashing a beam of sword energy two fingers wide, aimed straight at the charging giant bear.

The massive bear dared not meet the sword energy with its flesh. With a heavy step, it shifted its weight and, with surprising agility, leapt to the left, covering more than ten meters in an instant—the sword energy missed entirely! No wonder the beast had managed to creep up so silently! The old man’s expression grew graver. He glanced at Zhou Yu, who was still charging forward in a frenzy, noting that the young man had already left the bear’s reach. Turning back, his eyes fixed upon the bear.

Because of the bear’s sudden movement, Zhou Yu had dashed past it and was now charging toward the nine-headed demon wolves, which were just scrambling to their feet.

With a wild roar, Zhou Yu cleaved down with his greatsword, bisecting a wolf that failed to dodge in time. He was nearly lost to madness, his face spattered with wolf blood, making him appear a demon bathed in gore.

A whistling sound sliced through the air. Zhou Yu twisted at the waist, swinging his sword in a wide arc. Another wolf, attempting a sneak attack, was struck down, half its head severed. It thudded heavily into the snow, its limbs twitching a few times before falling still, leaving behind a crimson stain.

The remaining seven wolves no longer lunged to attack but instead circled Zhou Yu, enclosing him in a ring of bared fangs, growling menacingly.

“Ah!” Zhou Yu brandished his greatsword overhead and charged at one of the wolves, his bloodstained face twisted in a ferocious snarl.

But the wolf didn’t meet his charge; it turned and retreated. The wolf pack shifted with Zhou Yu’s movements, never breaking formation, always keeping him hemmed in.

Driven by bloodlust, Zhou Yu teetered on the edge of insanity. His mind was blank but for the urge to kill, all reason lost. In exchange, his power surged beyond his natural limit. Blood seeped from his hand, trickling from the sharp protrusions on the sword’s hilt into the blade.

Suddenly, Zhou Yu let out a frenzied roar as the greatsword greedily absorbed his blood. The blade swelled, growing larger by a third, glowing fiery red—impossible to look at directly.

He swung the sword, releasing a red arc of energy. Though not as formidable as the old man’s sword aura, it was still devastating. The beam sliced through the swirling snow and cut the fleeing wolf in two.

After this strike, the wild-eyed Zhou Yu felt a wave of dizziness and nearly collapsed, catching himself on the greatsword.

Two of the six remaining wolves seized the moment, lunging in unison like twin shadows, fangs gleaming.

Sensing its master’s peril, the reddened greatsword drew more blood from Zhou Yu, flaring with crimson light as it swung of its own accord. The two attacking wolves were cleaved apart, their bodies tumbling heavily into the snow around him.

After this, Zhou Yu could barely grip his sword. He fell to one knee, plunging the blade into the snow for support.

In mere moments, the sword had drained his blood twice. Zhou Yu was weak and faint, and of the nine wolves, four remained.

The four circled him warily, cowed by his ferocity and madness, unwilling to attack rashly.

The circle tightened, and Zhou Yu’s eyelids grew heavy. The wolves inched closer.

A mighty roar echoed nearby—the giant bear, struck by the old man’s sword energy, now bore a massive wound on its left shoulder, white bone glistening through. Driven mad by pain, the bear launched itself at the old man with reckless fury.

The bear’s bulk belied its speed. Time and again, it nearly battered the old man, who dodged by the narrowest of margins. The old man’s sword energy had wounded the beast, but now, wild with pain, the bear was more dangerous than ever, hurling itself at him in a frenzy. Not caring about depleting its demonic core, it even began spitting black demonic projectiles.

Already missing a shoulder and with his back strained, the old man’s movements were sluggish. Each time, he barely evaded the bear’s onslaught. Now, with demonic projectiles flying, danger pressed in from all sides. His clothes were torn by the explosions’ shockwaves, and fresh wounds etched his body.

“I never imagined this bear would be so relentless, attacking with demonic blasts again and again!” he thought grimly. “Seems I have no choice but to use my full strength.” Dodging another projectile, he glanced at Zhou Yu.

The demon wolves had Zhou Yu surrounded, creeping ever closer. Suddenly, Zhou Yu shuddered.

A current of green electricity crackled from his watch, jolting him awake.

He lifted his head, facing the approaching wolves. The crazed blood-red light in his eyes slowly faded.

One wolf paused, confused by Zhou Yu’s sudden clarity, then broke into a run, sprinting at him. It sensed Zhou Yu was no longer so formidable; the aura of danger was fading from him.

“Damn it! Even running, you look so cocky—you’re just begging to die!” Zhou Yu forced his trembling body upright, cursing as the wolf bore down on him.

“Die!” As the wolf lunged, Zhou Yu summoned the last reserves of energy, channeling what little remained of the world’s essence within him, and swung his greatsword in a blinding arc.

With a sharp crack, the wolf was split in two.

The sword’s momentum carried on, but Zhou Yu felt a chill at his back—a wolf’s specialty was coordinated attack.

He rolled forward, narrowly dodging death. For an instant, he’d tasted the scent of mortality. Behind him, a wolf’s claws raked his back, leaving three bloody furrows before it dove into the snow, vanishing.

Zhou Yu whirled, but saw no sign of the beast. In the distance, the old man and the giant bear were still locked in battle, sword energy and demonic blasts colliding in thunderous explosions.

He was caught off guard—a shadow flashed from beneath the snow, another wolf lunging at him.

The wolves had burrowed beneath the snow to ambush him. Zhou Yu swung his sword in desperation, but not in time; claws raked a long gash across his chest, blood flowing freely and dripping steadily onto the snow.

His strength was fading—drained by the sword, he felt his life ebbing away.

The blood dotted the snow, melting it at first, then vanishing, leaving only faint crimson traces.

The wolf that wounded Zhou Yu slipped beneath the snow again, preparing to strike once more.

If Zhou Yu had the old man’s power, he could have easily slain the wolves in their tunnels, but he was not the old man. Death loomed ever closer.

The wind itself seemed to still. Snowflakes hung frozen in the air, unmoving.

Zhou Yu’s vision blurred as the backlash of blood-fed swordsmanship crashed over him like a tidal wave, battering his spirit. Exhausted beyond measure, he longed to sleep—a sleep from which he would never wake.

In that instant, memories flashed through his mind: his aged parents, his brothers-in-arms, a cold and heartless figure...

I cannot die, Zhou Yu told himself. He bit hard on his tongue, forcing himself awake, and opened his eyes.

Three wolves erupted from the snow at once, attacking from three directions.

“If I’m going to die, I’ll take one of you with me!” Zhou Yu had no time to look behind him, no time to react.

No time to look, so he could not see.

Could not see, so he could not dodge.

Could not dodge, so he no longer tried.

A bitter smile touched his lips, but his eyes held unwavering resolve as he faced the wolf before him. Bad luck for you, he thought. You came at me from the front—so you’ll be the one I take with me.

At that moment, a voice sounded in his mind: “Slash forward quickly, then move with the sword’s momentum. Immediately follow with a backward slash at a forty-five degree angle.”

Zhou Yu’s body moved in perfect harmony with the voice. With a wet splatter, the wolf before him was slain, and he stepped forward, just avoiding the second wolf’s attack. Spinning, he brought the sword around in time to slay the third wolf in midair.

“Three meters to the right.”

Obeying the voice, Zhou Yu hurled his sword three meters to the right. Moments later, the snow where the blade had landed was stained dark red—the final wolf had been killed.

“Thank you, Baidu,” Zhou Yu murmured, dropping to one knee, bracing himself with both hands as he gasped for breath.

In the distance, the old man and the giant bear still battled on. Blood streamed from the bear’s wounds—three deep gashes now marked its form. The old man’s snowy beard was flecked with crimson.

Just then, a snow-white wolf appeared, padding slowly across the snowy field. The setting sun stretched its shadow long behind it. Its glossy fur seemed to emit a sacred glow. Unlike the ragged demon wolves, this white wolf was smaller, but its emerald eyes shone with a terrifying malice and cruelty.

It gazed at Zhou Yu, the corners of its mouth curling into a mocking, almost human sneer. An invisible aura of bloodlust radiated from its body.

Without warning, it began to accelerate—charging straight for Zhou Yu.