Chương 12: Azure Boar (Part II)

The azure boar charged at Wang Chen, enraged by the intrusion into its territory. Facing him, Wang Chen bit his dry lips, his eyes trembling as his mind raced. Inwardly, he was planning how to deal with the beast without missing an arm or two! Meanwhile, Bai Xiaomeng stifled a scream, covering her mouth with one hand, her gaze fixed on him. Uncaring about their reactions, Lucian watched the scene and thought calmly, We shall find a larger boar after this. Soon, the charging beast collided with Wang Chen.

Acting on instinct, the plump young man grabbed its tusks, but the boar's snout still slammed into his belly with a heavy thud.

"Young—" Bai Xiaomeng began to cry out, only to freeze at what she saw next. Wang Chen roared and lifted the boar by its tusks, hoisting the massive creature off the ground before slamming it down violently. The boar squealed, a sound that emboldened Wang Chen, and w ith renewed fury, he lifted it again and smashed the creature sideways against the earth. Sweat soaked his body, and his muscles trembled under the strain. But he did not stop.

With a wild grin and continuous roaring, he slammed the azure boar against the ground two more times, shaking leaves from the trees and crushing the surrounding bushes. His arms began to ache, fatigue creeping in. Deciding to finish it, he hurled the boar toward a nearby tree. The impact resounded like thunder. The beast crashed through the trunk, snapping it, and both the tree and the boar fell to the ground together.

Bai Xiaomeng stared in stunned disbelief, her expression a mix of astonishment and lingering fear. Wang Chen, breathing heavily, turned toward her and gave a triumphant thumbs-up. A large bruise marked his belly, and his hands were smeared with his blood, yet he felt almost no pain and stood proudly. Clicking his tongue, Lucian shook his head and called out loudly enough for Wang Chen to hear.

"Focus on the fight."

"What fight?" Bai Xiaomeng protested.

"He won." A smile formed on her lips as the realization dawned that her Young Master had just defeated the most dangerous beast of the Azure Magpie Forest. The joy did not last.

"You should ask the boar about that," Lucian replied, his robed figure turning to the azure creature. Both Wang Chen and Bai Xiaomeng also turned to look. The azure boar was rising again, staggering slightly as it shook its head and body. Its fur was dirty, but no visible wounds marred its thick hide. Bai Xiaomeng's lips trembled as she turned toward Lucian in panic.

"Please, help him—""Silence," Lucian commanded.

"Do not cause him to lose focus because of your lack of faith in him." She forced her mouth shut, fists clenched tightly, and looked back at Wang Chen. The young man had been listening to their exchange, glancing over briefly. When he saw her eyes on him, he nodded and turned back toward the beast, a bit concerned about the lack of wounds. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"Do not be deceived by appearances," Lucian said calmly, as though reading his thoughts.

"Its fur protects the skin, but your repeated slams caused internal injuries." Wang Chen nodded, about to turn and thank him, but Lucian continued sharply,"Keep your eyes on the boar. Do not speak, only listen. Repeating your previous attack would waste energy, so aim for the eyes and the mouth." From within his robes, Lucian drew a scorched sword and tossed it toward Wang Chen. It landed in the dirt in front of the plump man, and he recognized it as one of the Bai Clan's common swords.

"Remember," Lucian added, "you are not a beast. Use a weapon together with your brain." Wang Chen quickly picked up the sword. Following Lucian's command, he kept his eyes on the boar. Inwardly, he was a bit worried because it was the first time he was wielding a sword. He gripped the hilt tightly with one hand, lacking skill and using too much strength. The boar had already recovered and prepared another charge. The beast seemed accustomed to pain, concerned only with defending its territory.

After two seconds, it lunged forward. Wang Chen almost swung the sword as soon as the creature came within range, but remembering Lucian's instructions, he forced himself to wait. When the boar was about to slam into him again, he thrust his free arm forward, lowering his stance and bracing against the impact. His feet skidded across the ground for two steps as he absorbed the force, stopping the charge with only one arm. This was the position he had planned to be in.

As the azure boar pressed forward, his arm screamed in pain, but he used the sword in his other hand to thrust toward its eye. Once. Twice. Three times. He tried repeatedly to pierce the azure boar's eye until he thought he had finally succeeded. The beast shrieked and staggered to the side, yet it remained largely unharmed. At the last instant, the boar had closed its eye on instinct, partially shielding itself.

Though the eyelid was reddened and swollen, and its grunts revealed significant pain, it was far from blind or heavily hurt. Wang Chen gritted his teeth and glanced briefly at his left arm, seeing the forearm turning purple. Next, the boar groaned, enraged by the throbbing pain in its eye, while Wang Chen prepared to swing his sword again. Suddenly, without a sound, a black blur passed beside him, and the weapon was torn from his hand.

When the boar squealed once more, its mouth opened wide, a blade pierced upward through its throat, driving into its brain. After a pained whimper, the beast stiffened instantly. Lucian withdrew the sword just before the boar's legs gave way and its body collapsed heavily onto the forest floor. Wiping the blade clean with a brown cloth, Lucian sheathed it and walked toward Wang Chen.

"Very good. At least you are brave," Lucian said, surprising Wang Chen with the praise.

"Offering flesh to break bone can be an effective strategy in a fight to the death, but this was not such a battle. You failed to achieve anything and nearly had your own bones broken instead. Before sacrificing part of yourself, ensure you can take a larger bite from your enemy." Wang Chen nodded, taking the advice to heart.

"Thank you for teaching me, Benefactor."

"Reckless! Foolish! Stupid," Bai Xiaomeng scolded as she approached with hurried steps.

"What use is bravery if you end up dead?" Cutting through Wang Chen's incoming response, Lucian walked past them and spoke coldly.

"Bai Xiaomeng, if you voice your doubts during a fight again, I will cut out your tongue," he said, glancing at her.

"The path ahead isn't easy. If you cannot support your Young Master in a battle against a mere animal, then you can't support him in his revenge either." Both Wang Chen and Bai Xiaomeng stiffened.

"She was only worried about me, right, Little Meng?" Wang Chen said, gently holding her hand. She saw how Bai Xiaomeng had lowered her head under Lucian's reprimand and felt a pang in his heart.

"After tending to your wounds," Lucian went on, ignoring Wang Chen's attempt to soften the matter, "bring the boar's corpse to the silver box. Also, find a heavier weapon that does not rely on precision. Preferably something short, like a hammer. You were terrible with the sword." Next, Lucian walked ahead alone, organizing his thoughts. Qi enhanced the beast's fur to the point that it resisted a metal blade. From this, the azure boar's hide appears stronger than the skin of those two cultivators I killed. But why?

As Lucian analyzed his findings, Wang Chen and Bai Xiaomeng stood in silence, each lost in thought. In the end, Bai Xiaomeng spoke first.

"I am sorry," she said, lifting her head to meet Wang Chen's gaze.

"It will not happen again." She took a deep breath and forced a small smile.

"Wait here. I will gather herbal leaves to treat your arm." Wang Chen watched her as she moved to follow Lucian back toward their belongings, waiting quietly and reflecting upon the battle. He still had much to learn.