Chapter 69: Battle Against the Demon Bear

The Thunderstorm Demon Bear—a soul beast known for its terrifying power.

Beyond the raw strength and defense that all bear-type magical beasts possessed, the Thunderstorm Demon Bear wielded the might of lightning, capable of launching thunderous attacks. In the soul beast hierarchy, it held a spot at the very top.

At that moment, the bear in front of Lin Ye was busy raiding the honeycombs of a soul beast species known as the Jade Bees. Having its hive attacked, the Jade Bees weren't willing to let their invader off easily. They swarmed furiously, buzzing through the dense forest in their thousands, their wings creating a near-deafening hum that Lin Ye had heard moments before.

However, despite their efforts, the thumb-sized Jade Bees could do nothing against the bear's thick, resilient fur. Sting after sting bounced harmlessly off the Thunderstorm Demon Bear's body as it gorged itself on honey, utterly unbothered.

Occasionally annoyed by the swarming bees, the bear would let loose bursts of electricity, frying the bees that clung too tightly to its body. At its feet, a growing pile of bee corpses was proof of the bees' futile defense.

Eventually, after what seemed like an endless feast, the Thunderstorm Demon Bear plucked a final chunk of honeycomb and stuffed it into its mouth. Seemingly sated, the bear stopped its feast, lazily scratching its chest with one paw before lumbering off, still covered in a cloud of persistent bees.

The Jade Bees relentlessly chased after the bear, stinging in vain. Only when the bear had left the immediate vicinity of their hive did the bees give up the pursuit and retreat.

"Time to follow."

Seeing the bear leave, Lin Ye's eyes flashed with determination as he moved silently behind it.

Trailing the Thunderstorm Demon Bear through the forest, Lin Ye soon found what he had been hoping for: the bear's lair.

Its home was nestled under the roots of a massive tree, the trunk so wide it would take several people to encircle it. The bear settled down at the base, leaning lazily against the tree, seemingly uninterested in the honey it had just gathered. Likely, it was waiting until the honey in its belly had been digested before eating any more.

Hidden behind the trees, Lin Ye observed the bear. Judging by its size and aura, it had cultivated for roughly eight hundred years. Although it hadn't reached the thousand-year mark, its inherent strength and lightning affinity made it just as formidable as a thousand-year soul beast.

In fact, because of its lightning abilities, the Thunderstorm Demon Bear was even more dangerous than an ordinary thousand-year beast. It was the perfect opponent for Lin Ye.

"Crunch."

As Lin Ye moved toward the bear, his feet pressed down on the fallen leaves and twigs on the forest floor, producing a soft sound.

The bear's ears twitched at the noise. Its violet-silver eyes snapped open, and it turned to face Lin Ye, letting out a low, warning growl from deep within its throat.

Slowly, the bear rose to its full height, towering over Lin Ye as it bared its sharp fangs, exhaling a hot breath. The bear's immense body cast a long shadow, making it look even more intimidating.

But Lin Ye wasn't fazed. On the contrary, excitement filled his chest. This was exactly what he was searching for—an opponent worthy of a battle.

His hands clenched into fists, his heartbeat quickening with anticipation. Despite the bear's intimidating presence, Lin Ye's battle intent surged higher. Instead of retreating, his pace quickened as he moved even closer to the beast.

When Lin Ye was only ten meters away, he stopped. He didn't reach for the sword strapped to his back; instead, he assumed an offensive stance, fists clenched and ready.

The bear, noticing that the small human wasn't backing down despite its earlier warning, grew irritated. With a snarl, it stomped heavily forward, the ground trembling beneath its massive feet. Then, with a thunderous roar, the bear charged.

Its enormous paw, the size of a giant fan, swung toward Lin Ye. The paw tore through the air with such force that it created a terrifying whistle, its speed and power threatening to crush anything in its path.

"Haah!"

Instead of dodging, Lin Ye let out a fierce cry, his right fist shooting forward to meet the bear's paw head-on.

Boom!

Fist collided with paw, generating a shockwave that rippled outward, scattering leaves and dirt in all directions.

Despite putting all his strength into the punch, Lin Ye was still at a disadvantage. As soon as his fist connected with the bear's paw, he felt an overwhelming force surge through his arm, numbing it instantly. Unable to resist the sheer power of the blow, Lin Ye was forced backward several steps, his feet sliding across the forest floor.

"What incredible strength! That strike must have weighed at least seven thousand pounds!"

Shaking off the numbness in his arm, Lin Ye gasped in awe. Without hesitation, he activated his Nine Spirits Divine Lotus martial soul, quickly healing the damage to his arm. Then, with his injuries mended, he launched himself back into the fight.

The bear, on the other hand, was growing increasingly annoyed. It didn't like fighting with this little human, especially one whose strength nearly rivaled that of its usual adversaries.

And for what? The human was far too small to be worth the effort. Even if the bear killed him, the meat wouldn't be enough to fill its belly. It simply wasn't worth the energy.

But no matter how irritated the bear became, Lin Ye wasn't going to back down. As he rushed toward the bear again, Lin Ye summoned the power of his Nine Yang True Qi, which enveloped his entire body in a faint golden glow.

"Take this!"

With a furious shout, Lin Ye leaped into the air, his glowing right fist raised high before crashing down toward the bear's head with all his might.

Though the Thunderstorm Demon Bear's raw strength still surpassed Lin Ye's, the boost from his Nine Yang True Qi brought his power up to over six thousand pounds, enough to go toe-to-toe with the bear.

Additionally, the Nine Yang True Qi provided Lin Ye with a defensive barrier that could reflect a portion of the damage he received, making him even more formidable. Against Lin Ye now, even the Thunderstorm Demon Bear couldn't afford to be careless.

"Roar!"

With another deafening roar, the bear lifted its massive right paw and swung it at Lin Ye in retaliation.

But this time, Lin Ye had the upper hand. With the momentum of his leap and the full force of his attack behind him, Lin Ye's punch landed squarely on the bear's head, sending shockwaves through its body. The bear staggered backward, forced to retreat several steps from the impact.

For the first time, the bear seemed to reevaluate its opponent. It had not expected the small human to pack such a punch.

"Roar..."

Letting out a low growl, the bear's eyes narrowed. This human was different.

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