Chapter 29: Battling the Phantasms, Slaying the Azure Wolf

Cangxi Town, the Town Lord’s Residence.

Hong Yun climbed over the thick wall as if no one were watching, his eyes coldly surveying the patrolling demon soldiers in the distance before raising his gaze to the central high platform of the Town Lord’s Residence.

That platform, at least thirty yards tall by the eye’s measure, was the symbol of Cangxi Town, and also of the Howling Moon Wolf Clan.

As a clan that lived with the long night and the bright moon, the Howling Moon Wolves, when in their demon form, would often stand atop the peaks of the highest mountains, howling at the moon. After transforming into demon cultivators, whenever they took up residence in an area, they would build such a high platform. Even in the territory of humankind, the Howling Moon Wolves could not abandon this habit, and after human cultivators discovered it, they suffered many vicious attacks. Even the Butterfly King of the Howling Moon Wolves had fallen because of this.

His gaze lingered on the high platform because a sudden thrill surged within him, filling him with a rare delight. He had already found the Howling Moon Wolf. Even without prior knowledge, he could sense the city lord’s presence—which meant the city lord had likewise sensed him.

…

Atop the platform, the Cangxi Town Lord had been quietly inhaling the moonlight, refining his own baleful aura. Suddenly, his expression sharpened; he ceased his breathing exercise and looked downward, his wolf-like eyes tinged with the color of blood.

“A human cultivator has arrived? Perfect—this city lord has just reached the peak of the early stage. I’ll use the baleful pill of a human cultivator to break through to the middle stage of the treasured body realm.”

He murmured excitedly, bloodlust flickering in his gaze as he lightly licked his lips.

Just as he was about to rise, his eyes narrowed. Accompanied by subtle footsteps, Hong Yun’s figure appeared before him.

“Howling Moon Wolf Clan?”

Hong Yun stood with his hands behind his back, gazing with interest at the wolf demon before him—a creature with a wolf’s head and a human’s body.

“Tonight, I will use your wolf blood to prove what I’ve learned.”

“Arrogant human! How dare you challenge the Howling Moon Cang Wolf of the king demon lineage? You will pay for your foolishness.”

As soon as he finished speaking, his ears stood erect, demonic light flashed in his eyes, and his claws grew long and sharp. The wolf demon, named You Mo, hesitated not—behind him, a shadowy image of his treasured body emerged, and he lunged at Hong Yun.

Interesting. He’s indeed much stronger than ordinary human cultivators of the same realm.

Hong Yun felt the pressure from the opponent’s treasured body; he sidestepped the attack, leaping backward.

Seeing the wolf demon pursue relentlessly, Hong Yun gave a playful smile:

Too bad you’re not facing an ordinary cultivator, but a renegade from the Surging Moon Sect who hunts Howling Moon Cang Wolves at equal realms—and I’m a realm above you.

As the wolf demon closed in, Hong Yun suddenly advanced to meet him. With a single step, his crescent moon blade flashed from its sheath.

Clang—

With a crisp ring, Hong Yun retreated after the strike, surprised to see the wolf demon unharmed.

I didn't expect this Howling Moon Cang Wolf to possess a defensive baleful treasure.

That was close...

You Mo’s heart jolted; he felt a blow to his chest that was almost impossible to withstand. Looking down, he saw a slender gash across his chest.

Anger flared. He tore his robe open, revealing a dense bright silver chainmail beneath.

He bowed to the full moon in the sky. At his brow, a round moon slowly appeared, and instantly, a dense moonlight enveloped him. Treasured body merged with flesh, his form swelling to three times its original size.

“Awooo…”

He howled, summoning disks of moonlight the size of millstones, hurling them at Hong Yun.

“Tricks like these, hardly worth showing off.”

Hong Yun watched the attack, not bothering to dodge. He raised his hand in a seal; behind him, a clear, luminous full moon manifested.

Moonlight cascaded down, enveloping him completely. The wolf demon’s attacks caused only gentle ripples in the moonlight.

“Surging Moon Sect cultivator!”

You Mo saw the rising moon and trembled, his eyes instantly blood-red.

His form doubled again; blood aura surfaced, and he lunged at Hong Yun. His single paw was now as large as Hong Yun himself.

Hong Yun remained unmoved—his cultivation was higher than the wolf’s, and his techniques countered the wolf’s. He had nothing to fear.

He raised his hand in a seal, his fingers dancing. When he tapped his brow, baleful aura gathered, and a mirrored full moon appeared before him.

He pointed, and moonlight shot forth toward the wolf.

The wolf charged forward, his body shuddering and briefly hindered but his assault undiminished; his claws crossed, blood splattering as claws broke, flying toward Hong Yun.

Hong Yun hopped aside like a magpie, his fingers flickering, and the sound of rushing water echoed.

…

Boom, boom, boom!

As the wolf lunged, half the platform shattered, countless debris raining below.

Failing to land a blow, his claws regrew. Sensing danger, he crouched low, turning his head as he transformed into a snow-white wolf over fifteen yards long.

The sound of flowing water grew sharper; a hint of clarity flickered in his mind, but it vanished, replaced by frenzy.

Facing the moon, his baleful aura surged, and he howled:

“Awooo…”

With his howl, it seemed to move the moon itself. In the sky, a giant spectral wolf appeared, mirroring the wolf below, howling at the moon.

Treasured body vision: Cang Wolf Howling at the Moon!

Sensing his vision slipping from his control, he simply injected half his baleful aura, fully activating his vision.

The sound of water suddenly rose several pitches—a rootless river descended from the sky, washing over the wolf’s spectral form.

At the same time, the spectral wolf’s moon was drawn downward, and in the river, a bright moon slowly ascended. The two moons overlapped.

Surging Moon Sect’s famed vision: Moon Rises, River Flows!

At this, Hong Yun unleashed his full cultivation, flicking two drops of essence blood into the vision. The mighty river surged, washing over the wolf.

The wolf defended with his vision, but it was gradually washed away, fragments dissipating. His form shrank back to its original size, a glimmer of clarity returning to his eyes.

“No!”

The wolf growled, the light in his eyes fading, leaving only a warm corpse.

If all were this weak, I could take on ten at once.

Hong Yun laughed softly, pressing his fingers to the wolf’s brow and poking a small hole, extracting a clear baleful pill.

He used the leg bone to absorb its flesh and blood, stripped the hide, and set it ablaze. Without a care for anyone, he strode toward the city gates.

Night. Third watch.