Blood Qi

[Is this really Heaven and Earth Qi?]

For a moment the life-or-death battle with the Twin-headed Hazard wolf felt as distant as the stars. Ever since Lady Yin destroyed his meridians, Shao Ling had not been able to accumulate a single drop of Heaven and Earth Qi. It would be an easier feat to empty the ocean with a leaky bucket than to cultivate Qi with destroyed meridians.

"Here he comes!"

Shao Ling was roused from his reverie by the guard's shout. The Twin-Headed Hazard Wolf was hobbling towards Shao Ling at a remarkable speed considering the dark red blood flowing from its severed tendons. It had clearly succumbed to mindless fury, and was determined to rip Shao Ling apart or die trying.

[Whatever the reason I was able to cultivate some Heaven and Earth Qi, I'll be sure to make good use of it.]

Shao Ling stepped into an aggressive sabre stance as he faced the charging Hazard Beast. He drew in a deep breath through his nostrils, and felt searing Qi flowing through his body as he exhaled through his mouth. His blood was on the cusp of literally boiling, causing a river of sweat to flow from his pores. A wet cloth would probably be instantly dried if it was pressed against Shao Ling's forehead.

"Get out of the way!" Chen Gu shouted at the young master, who looked as if he intended to face the Hazard Beast's frontal assault directly.

While Shao Ling had displayed impressive martial prowess in wounding the Twin-Headed Hazard wolf, it was common knowledge that facing a two-headed Hazard Beast directly was a suicidal move unless you were one of the Qi-cultivating martial masters who had transcended humanity. Although Shao Ling appeared calm as he boldly leveled his sabre at the beast, Chen Gu knew from personal experience sparring with the young master that while Shao Ling possessed considerable martial arts prowess, it was still firmly in the realm of mortals. The veteran guardsman gritted his teeth and prepared to leap in between Shao Ling and the Hazard Beast; however, as soon as he took a few steps towards the space between the young master and the beast, the Twin-Headed Hazard Wolf revealed its trump card.

"RROOOOAAAAR!"

An unearthly howl echoed from the Hazard Beast's twin maws, and Chen Gu felt his muscles instantly tense up. He tried to move to protect the young master, but found that he was completely paralyzed. The guardsman was alarmed to find his heart trying to burst out of his chest, and he panicked as he discovered that he was unable to even command his lungs to draw breath.

Behind the combatants, both the oxen and the carriage driver slumped over, either dead or unconscious from fear.

Chen Gu watched in horror as the Twin-Headed Hazard Wolf drew nearer to the young master, who was frozen in his offensive fighting stance. Viscous saliva dripped from the beast's maws, and its blazing eyes displayed a triumphant light mixed with hatred and madness.

"..."

Try as he might, Chen Gu was powerless to cry out a warning to the young master, much less move to aid him.

The Hazard Beast's thoughts were filled with satisfaction at the prospect of killing its despicable enemy. Although it was young, it had the inborn ability of Dread Howl, which could paralyze or even kill targets with fear. Usually the Hazard Wolf prefered to toy with fleeing prey, but the audacity and viciousness of this sickly-looking human prompted the beast to unleash its bloodline's power.

[Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!]

With victory in its jaws, the Hazard Wolf allowed itself to be completely consumed by bloodlust as it reached the immobile human. It brought its twin head around to opposite sides of Shao Ling, intending to tear off his arms before tormenting him for as long as he managed to cling to life in agony.

Chen Gu lamented that he was unable to avert his eyes as the Hazard Wolf bore its terrible mouths down on the young master. For the vast majority of the time Chen Gu had known him, Shao Ling had been an aloof and ominous figure. Sickly since birth, he had only spent any considerable time with his cousin, Shao Yun, and the savage-looking martial artist, Yao Hu. But ever since his sixteenth birthday and Yao Hu's departure from the Shao residence, Shao Ling had socialized more with the other reisidents of the manor, and he even requested Chen Gu's service as a sparring partner on many occasions. Gradually, Shao Ling's image shifted from "The Ghostly Young Master" to a respectable young gentleman who Chen Gu would be proud to serve. Shao Ling's bravery in facing the Twin-Headed Hazard Wolf cemented his new, positive impression in the guardsman's mind. It was a tragedy that fate had placed an insurmountable obstacle in the young master's path.

[At least I won't have to break the news of the young master's death to the old master, since I'll likely be torn apart by the beast shortly after, if my heart doesn't fail first.] Not that the thought was particularly comforting.

In the instant that the Hazard beast struck, Shao Ling sprung into motion like an archer releasing a taut bowstring. His sabre arced through the air like a tiger leaping gracefully across a steam. The cruel edge of the blade connected with the middle of the Hazard Beast's twin heads, and to the amazement of Chen Gu and the Hazard Beast, it continued its way through iron-like bones and tough muscle and flesh. The Hazard Beast howled, this time it was an exclamation of pain and disbelief as it felt itself being cut in half. Dark crimson blood splattered the dirt road as the blade traveled midway through the Hazard Beast before being stopped in the middle of the beast's spine.

Time seemed to stop as Chen Gu stared at the unbelievable scene before him. Hot blood gushed out like a small scarlet waterfall, and the dirt road rapidly turned to ruddy mud beneath the feet of the young master and the terrible beast, which slumped to the ground as the savage light faded from its widened eyes.

As the corpse before him sank to the ground, Shao Ling released a burning hot breath, and the adrenaline and Qi drained out of his body along with it. Although his pores were forced open by the heat, no sweat was able to withstand the scorching temperature of his skin, which was now dry and cracked. Every muscle in his body screamed as if he had been running nonstop for three days and nights, and his complexion made a corpse look lively. Shao Ling held on to the sabre which remained lodged in the Twin-Headed Hazard Wolf's spine because although he lacked the strength to properly move his body, much less attempt to extract his blade, the martial pride that Shao Ling had cultivated in both of his lives prevented him from releasing his grip on it.

Shao Ling's head felt lighter than the clouds, and his heart was still racing despite the weariness overtaking his body. His throat felt as dry as the Gobi desert, and his tongue was a piece of sandpaper in his mouth.

[I'd kill for a drink of water] Shao Ling thought as his consciousness faded and the ground rushed up to meet him.