The dust, a thick, choking cloud of pulverized earth and shattered stone, slowly swirled and settled. It revealed a monster torn from a nightmare.

  The Three-Horned Boar was a mountain of bristled hide and furious muscle, its sheer scale making a mockery of Ying Xia’s earlier description.

  It wasn't five times bigger than a normal boar; it was a living siege engine. Its tusks were like twin scythes, and the horn on its forehead was a massive, spiraling spearhead of bone that glinted with a malevolent light under the dying sun.

  The two men, who had leaped clear just in time, were frozen, their faces masks of pure, mesmerized terror.

  "So that's the boar," Bi Kan said, his voice a low, analytical murmur.

  "It's bigger than I thought it'd be." Far bigger, his mind corrected, a cold knot of excitement tightening in his gut.

  This is quite the enemy we're facing here.

  Ying Xia, sent tumbling by Bi Kan’s powerful shove, caught herself on the soil.

  She pushed herself up, her heart a frantic drum against her ribs.

  The world, for a brief, wondrous moment, had transformed.

  The air was no longer empty but alive, filled with shimmering motes of light that scattered and swirled around the colossal beast.

  Could this be… she thought, a wave of dawning comprehension washing over her.

  Is this the Qi that Bi Kan was talking about? Then is this forest perfect for cultivating?!

  She grit her teeth, shaking her head to clear it, the raw thrill of her discovery warring with the immediate, overwhelming danger.

  I mustn't be distracted. The boar must come first. But… sensing Qi is pretty awesome!

  Bi Kan grinned, a slow, predatory expression.

  He spun his dagger, the blade a blur of motion.

  The boar stood its ground, its massive chest heaving, clouds of steam billowing from its nostrils.

  Bi Kan reached for his chin, gently rubbing it, his eyes never leaving the beast.

  At first, I was a bit suspicious. Why would it take Ying's grandpa and twenty other villagers to take one measly boar down?

  He grit his teeth, his eyes widening with a manic glee.

  But it all makes sense now. That kind of destructive power from one powerful thrust… I find myself now questioning how they were even able to take it down with only twenty people!

  As if on cue, Ying Xia became a blur of motion, leaping into the high branches of the surrounding trees and vanishing into the foliage, a ghost preparing her ambush.

  The dagger landed back in Bi Kan’s hand with a soft thud.

  He gripped it firmly, planting his foot deep into the soil. He raised his chin, his eyes glowing with a faint red tint in the twilight.

  Then, I'll assume it has a weakness! He propelled himself forward, a dark streak against the dying light, his speed utterly inhuman.

  He was on the boar in an instant, his blade a whirlwind of slashes—up, down, left, and right.

  A fine red mist began to form as he flayed the beast with immense strength, his dagger carving through thick hide and into the flesh beneath.

  The boar let out a pained, furious squeal, swinging its massive head, its tusks scything through the air. Bi Kan dodged with an effortless grace, striking again and again.

  It's quite slow, he analyzed, his mind a calm engine of destruction in the heart of the chaos.

  Perhaps its weakness is that once it has used its trump card, it can't move that easily. That blitzing charge must be a tiring skill, eh?

  His eyes widened. A faint, powerful light began to erupt from the boar's body, its meridians burning with a visible energy.

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  I see! It's using Qi to propel itself forward, concentrating it all into one powerful streak! Quite the smart move for a beast!

  Suddenly, a powerful figure dropped from the canopy above, landing on the boar’s back with a shockwave that made the ground tremble.

  Two gaping holes appeared in the beast's tough hide as Ying Xia, her pink pigtails flowing from the impact, drove her twin daggers deep. "HYAAHHH!"

  she screamed, a sound of pure, triumphant ferocity.

  My grandpa faced this beast with twenty men and succeeded! He was a grown man then! And here I am, handling it with just three other people!

  She grinned, twisting the blades, piercing deeper.

  I have surpassed you, grandpa!

  The boar bucked and spun, its head raised high.

  It opened its cavernous mouth.

  Bi Kan's eyes widened.

  A powerful shriek, a concussive wave of pure sound, erupted from the beast, echoing across the entire forest and shattering nearby rocks.

  Ying Xia was thrown from its back, sent flying through the air. She landed in the soft, grassy soil, tumbling and rolling until she came to a stop.

  "Hahh… hah…" she panted, her ears ringing.

  A simple scream?! And it sent me this far away! My breath is almost gone!

  She turned, her eyes searching the battlefield. That Bi Kan… how did he fare against that echo?!

  He had been blown back as well, but he spun in the air, landing lightly on the trunk of a tree before using his dagger to anchor himself.

  He propelled himself forward again.

  Not bad, that was quite deadly! But now, it's time to take you down— His face dropped.

  The boar was planting its feet, lowering its head, the Qi gathering around its body once more.

  "S-SHIT!"

  Bi Kan was mid-air, with no way to dodge.

  He spun, bringing his dagger up front and pressing his forearm against the blade, bracing for the inevitable.

  Let's see how powerful it tastes, your famous thrusting charge!

  The boar became a streak of raw power, a living battering ram that crashed into Bi Kan.

  "W-Will he even survive that?!" Ying Xia screamed, slamming a fist into the grass as she tried to push herself up.

  The two villagers watched, their legs still shaky, their eyes wide with horror.

  That kind of impact would undoubtedly turn a man to paste.

  Bi Kan was sent flying. He crashed through the first tree as if it were a sandcastle. The second splintered around him. The third, the fourth… He finally came to a stop against the fifth, the impact breaking his back with a sickening crack.

  He coughed, a spray of blood erupting from his lips, but a wide, manic grin stretched his face.

  "HAHA! That was painful, you bastard!" His eyes glinted. He spun, pressing his feet against the trunk of the broken tree.

  If I were still the way I was a month ago, I would have died instantly! I'll go all out now! He tried to mimic the boar’s technique, channeling his own Qi.

  "Tch! I can't do it perfectly. It's an incomplete form, and my Qi will burn out quickly…"

  He propelled himself forward, shattering the trunk behind him as he became his own projectile, his dagger leading the way.

  The technique was a crude imitation, not as fast, but it carried a terrifying impact.

  I'll definitely delve deeper upon this when I'm finally an Inner Disciple!

  "No! No! We must help them!"

  The stubbled man’s fear was finally burned away by a surge of desperate courage.

  I'm feeling like a coward! This boy saved us! The very least I can do is keep going forward! I'll give my life for you, boy!

  "HAHHHHHH!" He punched his own legs, forcing them to move, and charged forward.

  "Die, you vicious pig!" The other man was right behind him.

  "I can't let you guys leave me behind! Wait for me!" They sank their own daggers into the boar's thick hide, adding their meager strength to the fight.

  The boar, having just sent Bi Kan flying, squealed in annoyance, preparing to unleash another devastating shriek.

  But Bi Kan was already there. He was a streak of light.

  Ying Xia, her arms shaking as she pushed herself forward, saw it and her eyes widened.

  "B-Bi Kan..!" She forced herself to her feet, her gaze locked on the incredible display.

  He's too incredible! And that's because he's a cultivator! I'll definitely become as great as him soon!

  Bi Kan’s incomplete technique struck the boar.

  A powerful shockwave impacted the two villagers, sending them tumbling away.

  The boar itself was pushed back several inches, its tusks shattering completely, but the main horn on its forehead was only chipped.

  To think it'd only shatter his tusks! Bi Kan thought, landing hard.

  I thought that would finally end this fat thing! Or at the very least, shatter all its horns! Guess I underestimated it!

  He immediately began chipping away at the flesh of its legs while it was still dazed.

  Ying Xia finally made it back to the battlefield, out of breath. She prepared her daggers, her eyes darting to the high trees.

  "Sister Ying!" She felt herself being grabbed. Bi Kan had leaped, catching her mid-stride.

  She was shocked, her mind a daze. "W-Wha!" He spun, yeeting her high into the air.

  "Don't worry, I'll handle this!" he shouted as she flew upwards.

  "You do what you can! Sense the Qi and gather it!"

  Ying Xia landed on a high branch, catching herself.

  "Sense… Qi..?" she whispered.

  As Bi Kan fell, he grinned.

  She's a natural. She clearly sensed the danger from this boar! Her spiritual sense is quite high! I have no doubts she'll be able to gather Qi while we're fighting. She might even enter the Qi Sensing Realm Stage 1 by the time it's over!

  He landed and charged, only for the boar to let out another shriek, sending him tumbling into the mud. He spun and pulled himself back up.

  "Haha! You still have that much energy!"

  The stubbled man stood up, his body bleeding, half his bones shattered. He grit his teeth.

  The pain… it's far too much! This damned boar is quite frightening!

  Bi Kan felt his heart pulsate, a cold, primal fear creeping into his mind.

  This beast… it evolved to propel itself with Qi, and to use its voice as a weapon. I wonder… if it can do… that?

  He shook his head, propelling himself upwards to clash with the boar again. He could feel it preparing another charge.

  "HAHAHA! Come on!" he roared, planting his feet. "Let's do this!"

  I have to end this now. I can't afford to find out