flstandardbreds Chapter 143 Preemptive Strike
Chapter 143 Preemptive Strike
In this frigid, deathly silent, and chillingly still snow-capped mountain, the tense atmosphere was like an invisible bowstring, ever taut, ready to unleash a deadly strike at any moment. The ice wolves, confident in their flawless stealth plan, kept their bodies low, their white fur blending seamlessly with the snow, their footsteps so light as to be utterly silent, stealthily approaching the unsuspecting Zhang Yifan. Their deep blue eyes gleamed with predatory ferocity; they had already envisioned a successful ambush, tearing the man before them to shreds.
However, they never expected that Zhang Yifan was not a lamb to be slaughtered. Having gone through countless life-and-death battles and crawled through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, his spiritual sense was far more acute than ordinary people could imagine. Every move of the ice wolves, even the slightest fluctuation of their aura, was seen clearly before his eyes, like a shadow play with nothing but shadows.
When the ice wolves were still some distance from Zhang Yifan, the spiritual energy within his body surged wildly like a raging river bursting its banks. Zhang Yifan's eyes sharpened, and in the next instant, he suddenly flashed forward, his speed reaching its peak, like a bolt of lightning piercing the night sky, carrying an unstoppable momentum as he sped towards the direction of the ice wolves. His figure flashed across the snow, leaving only a blurry afterimage in an instant. Before the afterimage had even dissipated, he had already closed in on the ice wolves.
This sudden turn of events caught the ice wolves completely off guard. They had been confident they could approach their target silently and launch a fatal attack, but now their meticulously planned stealth attack had vanished in an instant, like a carefully constructed castle collapsing with a gentle push. A flicker of surprise crossed the ice wolves' faces, quickly replaced by intense ferocity and resentment.
"Awooo—" The lead ice wolf reacted first, raising its head and letting out a deep, menacing roar that shattered the silence of the snow-capped mountain. The other ice wolves followed suit, their howls echoing through the valley and shaking large swaths of snow from the branches. They knew that a sneak attack was hopeless, and their only option was to fight to the death. So they bared their sharp teeth and claws, unleashing the ferocity that had been dormant within them.
The ice wolves' teeth gleamed with a cold light, like countless razor-sharp daggers. Their chilling blades reflected a cold, eerie light in the sunlight, seemingly capable of easily slicing through anything hard in the world. Their claws extended from their furry paws, sharp and powerful, gripping the snow fiercely, instantly carving deep gashes, revealing the immense strength hidden within their bodies. The soft snow was like fragile paper under their claws, easily torn apart, sending up plumes of snow.
Zhang Yifan, however, remained completely fearless. At this moment, he was like a war god descended to earth, radiating a powerful aura of spiritual energy. He gripped the longsword that had accompanied him through countless battles. The sword hummed, as if sensing the fierce battle its master was about to engage in, eager to drink blood. Zhang Yifan narrowed his eyes slightly, locking onto the pack of menacing ice wolves before him, a confident smile playing on his lips. Although the ice wolves were numerous and each possessed considerable strength, he was equally confident in his own abilities.
"Hmph, since you've delivered yourselves to my doorstep, then don't blame me for being impolite!" Zhang Yifan roared, his voice booming like a bell, echoing through the vast snow-covered mountains. Before his words even finished, he flicked his longsword, its blade radiating a brilliant spiritual light that instantly transformed into a sharp sword aura, sweeping towards the lead ice wolf. This sword aura resembled a white dragon emerging from the sea, baring its fangs and claws, carrying the power to split mountains and shatter rocks. Wherever it passed, the air seemed to be sliced by a sharp blade, hissing and churning, carving a deep furrow into the snow, sending snow flying to both sides.
Seeing this, the lead ice wolf suddenly ducked low, attempting to dodge the fierce attack with its agility. Its movements were lightning fast, rolling repeatedly on the snow, creating waves of snow. But Zhang Yifan's sword energy was not so easily dodged. Although the ice wolf avoided the direct impact of the sword energy, the residual force of its edge still grazed it. With a "swoosh," a patch of fur was sheared off the ice wolf's back, instantly staining its snow-white fur crimson with blood. It whimpered in pain, but the ferocity in its eyes intensified.
"Trying to run? Not so easy!" Zhang Yifan sneered, his feet never stopping as he moved like a ghost towards the wounded ice wolf. His longsword spun smoothly, drawing a perfect arc from top to bottom, the sword strike sharp and precise, aimed directly at the ice wolf's neck. If this strike landed, the ice wolf would surely be decapitated. The ice wolf, a seasoned hunter, endured its pain in this life-or-death situation, raising one front paw. Icy power rapidly condensed between its claws, transforming into a sharp ice shard, which it used to block Zhang Yifan's sword.
With a crisp "clang," the longsword collided with the icicle, sending sparks flying. The icicle shattered, turning into countless ice shards scattered across the ground, but the longsword was also jolted upwards, deviating from its original trajectory. Zhang Yifan inwardly sighed; this ice wolf's ability to manipulate the power of ice was indeed remarkable. Even the hastily conjured icicle possessed such power. However, he had no intention of giving up. Taking advantage of the ice wolf's momentary lapse in defense, he suddenly launched a flying kick, aiming for the ice wolf's abdomen. The ice wolf couldn't dodge in time and was struck heavily. Its entire body flew backwards several meters like a kite with a broken string, crashing into the snow and creating a large crater, kicking up a cloud of snow dust.
Seeing their leader suffer a loss, the remaining ice wolves turned on Zhang Yifan with a vengeance, howling as they pounced. They spread out in a fan shape, attempting to surround Zhang Yifan from all sides, leaving him unable to defend himself. Some ice wolves spewed out icy breaths, instantly freezing the air wherever they went, turning it into ice spikes that shot towards Zhang Yifan; others leaped high into the air, using the momentum of their descent to wield their sharp claws, trying to tear Zhang Yifan to pieces.
Facing the relentless onslaught of the ice wolves, Zhang Yifan remained calm and composed. He moved with agility, dodging and weaving among the icy spikes and claws, his longsword flashing with impenetrable power, creating a dense, layered display of sword shadows that resembled a blooming silver lotus, tightly protecting him. Each clash between his sword and an ice wolf's attack produced a crisp, resounding clang that echoed through the snow-covered mountains. While parrying, Zhang Yifan searched for openings in the ice wolves' attacks. He knew that passive defense was not a long-term solution; he needed to find an opportunity to counterattack and completely repel the pack of ice wolves.
In the fierce exchange, Zhang Yifan keenly sensed that although the ice wolves attacked fiercely, their coordination was not without flaws. Eager to avenge their wounded leader, they were somewhat agitated, occasionally losing focus during their attacks. A thought struck Zhang Yifan, and he decided to exploit this weakness to deliver a fatal blow. He feigned weakness, deliberately revealing an opening, staggering back a few steps, his longsword drooping slightly, as if his spiritual energy was waning.
The ice wolves fell for the trap. Seeing Zhang Yifan's opening, they were overjoyed and their attack intensified. Two of the larger wolves took the lead, pouncing on Zhang Yifan's weakness. Just as they were about to reach him, a cunning glint flashed in Zhang Yifan's eyes. He suddenly straightened up, and his longsword instantly shone brightly. A more powerful sword aura erupted from the blade, like a white arc of light, sweeping towards the two ice wolves.
The two ice wolves had no time to dodge and were struck directly by the sword energy. "Awooo—" Two screams pierced the air as their bodies were severed at the waist by the sword energy, blood and entrails spraying onto the snow, staining large patches of white red. Seeing this, the remaining ice wolves stopped in their tracks, their eyes filled with terror, and their attacks instantly weakened. They never expected that the human before them would be so cunning and so powerful.
Zhang Yifan seized the opportunity, his longsword flashing incessantly, unleashing a crisscrossing barrage of sword energy that swept towards the remaining ice wolves. The ice wolves retreated steadily, their encirclement swiftly torn open by Zhang Yifan. At this moment, Zhang Yifan had seized the initiative, his momentum unstoppable, seemingly poised to annihilate all the ice wolves. But the ice wolves were, after all, native inhabitants of the snow-capped mountains, possessing an inherent ferocity. Even in their disadvantageous position, they did not easily retreat, continuing their final resistance, attempting to reverse their defeat. The fierce battle intensified, the outcome still uncertain.