Chapter 45: The Beast Tide Erupts!

With more than a dozen traps set, Lin Huang had already aimed his totem rifle and fired without hesitation.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Three shots thundered in succession, and the distant totem—thicker than a barrel—was instantly blasted through at its midpoint. Over five meters tall, it snapped in half, the upper portion crashing heavily to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

The minotaurs were stunned at first, but quickly recovered. More than twenty of them let out furious roars and charged towards the source of the gunfire.

Retrieving his rifle, Lin Huang drew the Black Iron War Blade, which until now had never seen real combat, and summoned White.

If his summoned beast killed monsters, Lin Huang could gain Life Light, but not the rewards for slaying above his rank. If he slew monsters himself, he missed out on Life Light. Each method had its advantages and drawbacks, so Lin Huang chose to use both.

A group of enraged minotaurs soon stepped into the traps Lin Huang and his companions had prepared. Over ten were clamped tightly by beast traps imbued with Life Energy, unable to break free for the moment.

The rest of the minotaurs continued their charge.

These young warriors were not novices; upon seeing the minotaurs attack, they quickly divided the work, each intercepting one.

Lin Huang selected a smaller minotaur—not because he thought it weak, but because he knew his own jumping ability paled compared to the other Black Iron Tier Three fighters. If his opponent was too tall, Lin Huang would struggle to reach vital spots with his blade.

Looking at the larger minotaurs, Lin Huang suddenly recalled a phrase once popular on Earth: "Believe it or not, I’ll jump up and shatter your kneecap with one punch!"

The saying fit many monsters in this world as well.

Lin Huang was only fifteen, of average height for his age—about 1.65 meters (he wasn’t worried, he’d still grow taller)—not even reaching the minotaur’s waist.

Yet he felt no fear, only excitement.

Gripping the Black Iron War Blade, its dark edge gleaming under the sunlight, Lin Huang stood his ground, eyes fixed on the minotaur barreling toward him.

The massive minotaur’s iron hooves thundered on the earth, making the ground tremble. Its eyes burned red, and in a flash, it was in front of Lin Huang. The giant stone hammer in its hand swept horizontally, the air howling from the force.

But in Lin Huang’s eyes, the minotaur’s movements seemed to slow. He stepped to the side, suddenly at the creature’s flank, and its attack missed.

His black blade sliced out sideways. Blood sprayed, staining the earth.

The minotaur let out a miserable howl, clutching its left waist, face twisted in hatred as it turned toward Lin Huang.

At its waist, Lin Huang’s blade had left a gash nearly a meter long, so deep it seemed to have injured the creature’s organs.

“The Great Wilderness Blade Scripture truly is terrifying. With my strength, and even with this ordinary blade, I managed to inflict a serious wound with a single strike…” Lin Huang silently marveled. He’d expected to barely breach the minotaur’s defenses—not such devastation in one blow.

His Great Wilderness Blade Scripture had, after his last enlightenment, reached blue epic level, expanding from eighteen blade techniques to thirty-six.

These thirty-six moves had no names; integrated as skills, they felt innate, branded in his mind. The once fixed forms could now be adjusted according to his thoughts.

Lin Huang savored this peculiar sensation; when training, he’d already sensed that mastering the skill had transformed his understanding of blade work. Now, applying it in combat, he was convinced: the skill had elevated his swordsmanship to a new realm.

The minotaur, grievously wounded, glared at Lin Huang with resentment, but caution flickered in its eyes. Hesitating between fleeing and attacking, it noticed Lin Huang momentarily distracted. Seizing the chance, it launched another assault.

The two-meter stone hammer swept out again, whistling through the air. If it struck, Lin Huang would not survive.

Hearing the attack’s roar, Lin Huang snapped back to attention. Seeing the hammer’s sweep, he ducked low and advanced instead of retreating, blade slicing upward.

The minotaur screamed in agony; its arm was severed at the shoulder, blood spurting wildly.

Capitalizing on his success, Lin Huang pressed the attack. He stepped onto the minotaur’s knee, leaping high, and struck horizontally with both hands gripping his blade.

The one-armed minotaur clutched its throat, unable to make a sound. Only the hiss of blood gushing from its carotid echoed.

Its blood-red eyes locked onto Lin Huang, full of unwillingness and regret. Moments later, it collapsed, lifeless.

[Congratulations, Host. Acquired monster card fragment: Minotaur x1.]

[Host has slain a higher-ranked monster. Awarded a Temporary Transformation Card.]

“What on earth is a Temporary Transformation Card?” The word “transformation” reminded Lin Huang of novels from the Qidian website, stories where men became women. He shuddered at the thought and quickly examined the new card.

The card’s front depicted a person and a monster, with an arrow pointing from the person to the monster.

On the reverse, Lin Huang found the card’s description.

[Transformation Card: Upon use, the host may transform into any summoned monster under their authority and gain all associated skills. Duration: 24 hours.]

[Note: This card is consumable and may only be used once.]

Reading the description, Lin Huang finally relaxed, and even felt a hint of anticipation. Transforming into a monster might be an interesting experience; he resolved to try it when he had time.

Lost in thought, Lin Huang was suddenly splattered with a warm liquid. He snapped back to reality—White had appeared before him, his blood-energy wing transformed into a blade that pierced a minotaur’s mouth and exited through the back of its skull.

The minotaur’s head hovered above Lin Huang, showering him with a mixture of brain matter and blood.

“Getting distracted on the battlefield is the last mistake one should make. If not for White, I might already be pulp under that minotaur’s hammer,” Lin Huang reflected deeply.

Before he could rejoin the fight, the remaining minotaurs had been slaughtered—White alone accounted for six.

Only then did Lin Huang notice that his Life Wheel now had seventeen more segments filled with Life Light.

After tidying up, the group pressed onward. The recent battle had everyone’s blood boiling—they wished for more monsters to slaughter.

But before they had gone far, Lin Huang’s Imperial Heart Ring vibrated, as did everyone else’s.

He opened the communications page to see a message from Yi Yeyu, just a single line: “The beast tide has broken out. Hurry to the valley entrance!”