Chapter 45: Finally Ascended

"Xiao Niu, to the left, go left and harass it! Yes, yes, behind, quickly run behind..."

The battle between Wu Tian, Niu Wuji, and the Giant-Armed Bear had been ongoing for half an hour. Despite the bear's health only being halved, their coordination had become more seamless, and their efficiency increased.

"Thick blood and high defense, truly exhausting to deal with! We need to find a way to penetrate its defense, or who knows how long this will continue," Wu Tian moved to the side, panting heavily.

"As the saying goes, when fighting a snake, strike at its seven inches. I believe this Giant-Armed Bear must have a weakness. If we can find it, the battle will be much easier," Niu Wuji suggested.

"I'm aware of that, but where is this bear's weakness?" Wu Tian frowned, pondering.

"Roar!" At this moment, the Giant-Armed Bear roared again, charging towards Wu Tian. It leaped into the air, massive arms swatting towards Wu Tian and Niu Wuji.

"A beast dares to be so arrogant; watch me burst you into pieces!" Enraged, Wu Tian brandished the Black Dragon Sword and charged forward. When he came into contact with the bear, he suddenly crouched down, sliding forward.

The Giant-Armed Bear leaped into the air, passing over the sliding Wu Tian. Seizing the moment, Wu Tian thrust the Black Dragon Sword forward.

Crash! A red critical hit number of 2000 appeared above the Giant-Armed Bear's head, depleting nearly a tenth of its health.

"Haha! Finally found the weakness of this Giant-Armed Bear – it's the... 'chrysanthemum'! Wu Tian steadied himself and burst into laughter, successfully uncovering the bear's vulnerability.

"Quick, you continue to distract it, and I'll aim for its 'chrysanthemum'!" Wu Tian excitedly instructed.

Thus, Niu Wuji continued to lure the Giant-Armed Bear, while Wu Tian took advantage of the opportunity to strike with the Black Dragon Sword.

Crash! The bear's health decreased by 1500.

Crash! The bear's health diminished by 2000.

...

Wu Tian consecutively targeted the bear's weak point five times, finally reducing its health to only one-tenth. The Giant-Armed Bear now had a mere 3000 health points.

"That big dumb bear is almost done for. Two more rounds, and we'll win," Wu Tian swallowed a healing pill and a qi-boosting pill, saying confidently.

Niu Wuji also consumed two pills, panting tiredly, "I swear, I never want to fight such a thick-blooded, high-defense monster again, even if it kills me!"

"Roar!"

Suddenly, the Giant-Armed Bear lifted its two massive arms, roaring angrily, its pitch-black eyes turning crimson.

Bang bang bang! Following this, the bear fiercely pounded its chest with both fists, emitting an invisible energy that made the surrounding trees sway.

"The system detected that the Giant-Armed Bear has gone into a berserk state, mutated into a Level 5 Demonic Beast Giant-Armed Bear Boss. All attributes have doubled. Please be cautious, Player Wu Tian."

"What the heck! It mutated and turned into a boss, with doubled attributes. Is it playing with me?" Wu Tian stared in disbelief at the bear. Dealing with this already tough creature became even more challenging with the sudden mutation.

"Boss, the Giant-Armed Bear is enraged. It's terrifying. What should we do now?" Niu Wuji, feeling the change in the bear, asked with a shiver.

"You can't escape, so we have to fight!" Fortunately, the bear's mutated health remained unchanged. Otherwise, Wu Tian might have given up. Now, with just over 3000 health, the bear could still be contested. Moreover, a Level 5 Demonic Beast boss would likely yield considerable experience and valuable drops. Wu Tian couldn't resist such temptation.

"Xiao Niu, continue frontal harassment, and I'll attack from behind!"

Saying this, Wu Tian directly circled around the Giant-Armed Bear from the side, preparing to sneak-attack from behind.

Niu Wuji rolled his eyes and could only continue harassing the bear from the front.

"Roar! Roar roar roar!" At this moment, the Giant-Armed Bear's roars became even more intense. It stared at Niu Wuji with its red eyes, then suddenly raised its massive arms and pounded the ground heavily.

Boom!

A tremendous sound, like mountains collapsing and the earth splitting, quickly spread from the bear's center. The surrounding ground flipped violently, producing a massive force that upheaved the earth.

"Xiao Niu, quickly, retreat, don't charge anymore!" Seeing this scene, Wu Tian's expression changed drastically. This Level 5 Demonic Beast boss could manipulate the natural spiritual energy, causing chaos. If Niu Wuji continued to approach, he would undoubtedly be killed.

"Boss, what should I do?" Niu Wuji also pulled back in time, asking immediately.

"Of course, I'll kill it!" Wu Tian didn't hold back, gripping the Black Dragon Sword and charging towards the Giant-Armed Bear.

Boom!

The rocks around the Giant-Armed Bear were lifted by a massive energy, all flying towards Wu Tian.

"Riding the Wind!" Wu Tian silently activated the inherent skill of the Gale Boots, his figure instantly disappearing from the original spot. Then, Wu Tian's figure could be seen constantly avoiding the flying rocks.

"Damn! Such incredible speed, I can't even see the boss's figure anymore!" Niu Wuji was shocked, rubbing his eyes as he lost track of Wu Tian.

The red eyes of the Giant-Armed Bear showed a hint of surprise. Unable to see Wu Tian, it crouched down and fiercely pounded the ground.

Boom! The rocks around the bear were forcefully shaken, creating a massive hurricane.

"Black Dragon Sword Art, Storm Rising! Break for me!" Suddenly, Wu Tian appeared behind the Giant-Armed Bear, enduring its raging energy, and unleashed the powerful Black Dragon Sword Art.

Boom!

Around the Giant-Armed Bear, the underground rocks were raised by an immense force, colliding with the storm generated by Wu Tian's attack.

Bang! At this moment, the Giant-Armed Bear's head finally displayed a red critical hit number of -3500.

Wu Tian's previous strike drained the last remnants of the bear's health, and the massive creature collapsed heavily.

Ding!

"Congratulations to Player Wu Tian for killing the Level 5 Demonic Beast Giant-Armed Bear Boss, gaining 40,000 experience points, 5000 silver coins, an Earth-grade superior defense equipment - Black Bear Armor, and the Level 5 Giant-Armed Bear Demonic Core..."

"Congratulations to Player Wu Tian for successfully leveling up! Current level: 21 (First-level Martial Spirit)."

Finally, after a prolonged wait, Wu Tian had ascended. From the Martial Artist realm, he had now advanced to the First-level Martial Spirit. One should not underestimate a single level; the disparity between a Martial

 Artist and a Martial Spirit was vast. With Wu Tian's current cultivation and the recent battle against the Giant-Armed Bear, the time needed for future encounters would likely be reduced by two-thirds.

"First-level Martial Spirit! Finally, a First-level Martial Spirit! He Jiang, you are no longer of value to me. After the clan competition, it will be your time to die!" Wu Tian exclaimed with excitement in his heart.