As expected, the mont Han Yu stepped within ten ters of the lodge, a door swung open with a creak.
A man in thick fur robes looked out, tense at first.
But upon seeing a human and not a beast, he relaxed slightly. His gaze drifted over Han Yu's appearance and widened a bit. Han Yu's robes were torn in several places, patched roughly with mismatched fur strips. His boots were scuffed. He looked like he had walked through hell.
"You look like you've been fighting mountains, friend," the man said with a half laugh. "Who are you? I almost thought you were an Evil Mountain Spirit."
'Evil Mountain Spirit?' Han Yu was a bit surprised but still gave him a casual smile and responded with a na he had used twice already during his travels.
"Chen Xiu. A traveler passing through," he said. "And you should know that a pack of Frost Hill Wolves is already headed this way."
The man's casual expression froze. He blinked twice as if he had misheard.
"No shit?"
Han Yu pointed his chin toward the distance.
The man stuck his head out and his pupils shrank as he spotted the white cloud of snow in the distance.
"Ah, for fuck's sake," he cursed loudly. "Wolves. They're already this close."
He turned around and shouted inside the lodge.
"Oi! Who was in charge of the scent dispelling talisman? You fools forgot to hang it again!"
From inside ca the sound of scrambling feet and panicked voices.
"I thought Jia set it."
"Jia said Wei set it."
"Wei thought Ren set it!"
The leader stepped out, a man in simple but sturdy cloth armor reinforced with dark hide. His expression was sharp, annoyed, and practical. Clearly the Core Condensation realm cultivator Han Yu had sensed.
"You bunch of idiots," the man barked. "Do you want to get eaten alive? I swear I will shave every one of your heads if we survive this."
Han Yu stood calmly, watching the frantic ss unfold. The leader then turned to him and stared for a few monts, sensing his cultivation base.
His expression tightened slightly. Respect mixed with caution.
"You are stronger than ," the man said. "If you lend a hand, you can take a share of the wolf at. Or the pelts."
Han Yu gave an exaggerated sigh and asked the only question that mattered to him after weeks of freezing nights and grilled als.
"You have alcohol?"
The man blinked, baffled.
"Yes," he answered. "Enough for everyone."
Han Yu nodded. "Then I shall assist."
The leader looked relieved and imdiately shouted orders.
"Everyone get in formation!"
The n rushed around with varying degrees of competence. A few grabbed spears. So grabbed old hatchets. Two held long knives.
Han Yu ignored all of them and calmly walked forward to et the wolves who had now co within a hundred ters.
The first wolves erged from the snowy trees with glowing blue eyes and frosted fur. Their legs kicked up powder as they charged in unison.
Han Yu cracked his neck and let out a breath, allowing a faint ripple of fire spirit Qi to dance around his arms. He had spent more than a month slaughtering beasts nonstop. He knew exactly how to make this dramatic.
'Ti for Eight Emotions Energy harvesting!' Han Yu thought with excitent.
The wolves leapt forward in a wave.
Han Yu spread his feet and raised his halberd with exaggerated slowness, letting the n behind him stare wide eyed.
He shouted loudly, "Witness my Gale Splitting Slash!"
He swung the halberd in a wide arc.
A blazing crescent of fire erupted from the blade and plowed through the front line of wolves. Three wolves were split cleanly, two more were sent flying, and the rest froze mid leap, shocked by the sudden barrier of heat.
Behind him several cultivators gasped.
Grey surprise energy drifted into Han Yu's perception.
'Good.'
Han Yu twirled his halberd with unnecessary flourish, letting sparks fly dramatically. He stabbed forward, shouting a random na, "Mountain Piercing Thrust!"
He killed another wolf, but he did it with such style that the n behind him audibly sucked in breath.
More surprise energy drifted toward him.
'Perfect.'
The wolves regrouped, snarling and circling. One lunged from the side. Han Yu leapt into the air, spun once, and brought the halberd down in a theatrical overhead chop.
SLICE
The wolf was cleaved in two.
The n behind him muttered loudly.
"What the hell is that technique?"
"Did you see that jump?"
"Is he so Clan elder in disguise?"
More Eight Emotions energy drifted to him. Joy. Surprise. Shock. Even a hint of fear.
Han Yu's smile widened.
The wolves charged in desperation, forming a circle around him. But he moved like a blazing storm. Every swing was accompanied by a shouted technique na.
"Sky Severing Split!""Burning Fang Sweep!""Crimson Death Rotate!"
None of these were real techniques. He made them up on the spot. But the spectacle made the n behind him stare like children watching fireworks.
The Core Condensation realm leader joined the battle, stabbing wolves efficiently. His attacks were practical, efficient, and entirely overshadowed by Han Yu's grand theatrics.
Within five minutes, the entire pack of fifty wolves lay dead in the snow. Steam rose from their corpses. Blood pooled between the scorched patches where Han Yu's fire attacks had struck.
The n cheered loudly.
"Ha! This is worth the whole damn trip."
"We can sell these corpses for a fortune!"
"We have at for weeks now!"
Green joy energy floated toward Han Yu. He inhaled it quietly, pleased.
The leader approached Han Yu with wide eyes.
"Friend… where did you learn to fight like that?"
Han Yu rested the butt of his halberd on the snow, wiped imaginary dust from his sleeve, and answered with a perfectly straight face.
"I am self taught."
The n behind the leader collectively choked.
The leader stared at him for a solid five seconds, then burst into laughter.
"Self taught, he says. Hilarious. Co inside, hero Chen Xiu. You have earned more than just a drink."
Han Yu nodded calmly.
"Yes. I will accept a drink."
Inside, he was already planning how to extract information from them next.
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