Chapter 268: The Price of Growth
Chen Ran only felt a blur before his eyes. Famar’s image became clear and then blurry, until there was no normal scenery in his field of vision. His head felt heavy, and he couldn’t help but fall heavily to the ground, falling into a deep sleep, and soon emitting a slight snore.
“The potion works quite fast. It seems this potion is indeed top-quality, taking effect so quickly.”
Famar stroked his chin, looked at the fallen Chen Ran, and nodded in satisfaction.
“Sleep well. Maybe when you wake up, you will master the power you need. Good luck.”
Famar didn’t stay long. Looking at the empty Hall of Ten Thousand Beasts, he walked out on his own.
Chen Ran had a dream that seemed to last for a very, very long time…
He didn’t know where he came from or where he was born. From the moment he woke up, he discovered his beautiful, snow-white fur.
He came to a small lake and saw a tender little wolf in the mirror-like water.
“Is that me?”
He felt that it was him, but also not him, yet he couldn’t remember what he should be.
He found that he was a little hungry. Looking around, he saw a robust black panther pouncing on a lamb with agile movements, biting the artery in its neck, and then beginning to enjoy that sumptuous meal.
Flexing his sharp claws and feeling his agile and robust body, he thought he could easily do all this too. He saw a lone reindeer. Imitating the black panther’s movements, he pounced on the lone reindeer…
Reality was cruel. He didn’t pounce on the antelope. Instead, he was bucked back. The reindeer’s sturdy antlers cut his beautiful fur, leaving a bloody wound.
He didn’t give up and continued the hunt. But that reindeer was obviously much smarter than he imagined, leaving him no chance at all.
The reindeer’s clansmen came, a few stronger rams. Now he had even less chance.
Leaving dejectedly, feeling the disdainful gaze of the black panther on the other side, his eyes were a little lonely.
The dark long night carried a hint of coldness.
Hungry, he lay alone under the moon, licking his wounded cut. Because of the cold, he had to curl up into a ball for warmth. He comforted himself that he would definitely get food tomorrow.
The next day, he waited patiently for prey again.
But the result was still extremely frustrating. He failed again. Even a weak rabbit could play him around.
For several days, he didn’t succeed. He was starving to death.
A group of jackals discovered him. Looking at the dying him, their eyes were filled with fanaticism. He knew that this was the look of seeing prey.
At the last moment, he stood up again. Perhaps he could lose to a tiger, lose to a lion, but he couldn’t lose to these naturally scavenging scumbags. He couldn’t die so undignified!
The ferocity at the last moment allowed him to bite two jackals to death, but there were too many opponents, and his body was covered in blood. His life force was slowly draining away, and he was powerless to fight again.
Was it over?
He wasn’t afraid, only helplessness in his eyes.
Just then, a huge black shadow suddenly rushed out. In one encounter, it bit a jackal to death, then extended its sharp claws and smashed the brains of another jackal, splattering them all over the ground.
The jackals were stunned by this sudden attack. When they saw clearly that it was a fierce big black wolf, their courage was also shattered. They could only leave their dead companions and run for their lives.
He raised his head and looked at the robust big black wolf, feeling a trace of intimacy. He also longed to have such a strong physique. In that way, he could easily catch the prey he needed.
Looking at the two dead jackals on the ground, a few lines of saliva overflowed from the corner of his mouth. The big black wolf noticed this action, walked past him one step ahead, picked up a jackal, and threw it far away.
He was a little unhappy, turned in another direction, and wanted to eat the other one, but the big black wolf repeated this action.
The last food was gone. He was really angry. Just as he was roaring, the big black wolf said this.
“This meat stinks too much. Wait here.”
Leaving this sentence, the big black wolf left. Before long, a fat mountain deer fell in front of him.
Hungry, he began to gobble up the most delicious meal of his life.
“You’re still too thin and small. Learn from me.”
The big black wolf extended its paw and patted his head gently, saying so. And at that moment, he just nodded instinctively…
Day after day, he followed behind the big black wolf and began to learn hunting skills.
He had a high talent and learned quickly. As his body gradually became stronger, his success rate in capturing prey became higher and higher.
One day, when he stopped in front of the water again, looking at the fur that was still as white as snow, his posture was already incredibly straight. When running, he was like a white lightning bolt, even faster than the jungle black panther, making the beasts tremble.
At this time, the big black wolf who had taught him was already old. Most of the hunting matters had been handed over to him.
Suddenly, a loud lion roar came from the forest. Hearing the direction of the sound, he instinctively felt a wave of unease and turned into a lightning bolt, rushing away.
His mentor, the big black wolf, was baring its teeth and staring ahead in a fighting stance. The black wolf was covered in blood, with several shocking claw marks. It was trembling, but not out of fear. That was the posture of truly fighting for life.
And the big black wolf’s opponent was a huge male lion with bright fur, shaking its golden mane and approaching continuously.
The Lion King, the strongest lion, the strongest in this forest.
The old black wolf saw his arrival, and a trace of nervousness flashed in its eyes.
“Run!”
He understood the old black wolf’s meaning.
Because of the existence of their two giant wolves, they had become one of the nightmares of this forest, defeating countless competitors and becoming the best hunters here. But because of this, they were also hated by other creatures, and the lion clan was one of them.
The existence of the Lion King was too powerful. If the big black wolf was also in its peak state, he and the big black wolf might still have the strength to fight together. But the big black wolf was old. Even if it ran away, it couldn’t escape the Lion King who was at its peak…
Looking at the big black wolf who was limping but still stubbornly blocking the front, a trace of inexplicable complexity flashed through him. The care all along, the bits and pieces of the past gradually appeared before his eyes.
“Do you want me to watch the relative who raised me since I was a child die for me in front of my eyes?” He jumped high, leaped over the old black wolf, and blocked in front of him. “Sorry, I can’t do it.”
The old black wolf was stunned. A rare warmth appeared on its usually serious expression. “You might die.”
“Then let it try!”
Body lowered, front legs extended, fangs bared, in an offensive posture.
He recalled the education the big black wolf had given him since he was young, which was perfectly displayed at this moment.
“Even if I die, I will make you pay the price. This is my pride!”
That agile figure turned into a white light and actually took the initiative to attack the invincible Lion King.
Knocked back once, knocked back twice. Soon, his snow-white fur turned blood-stained, no longer as beautiful as before. But the powerful Lion King did not suffer substantial damage. However, his attacks also destroyed the Lion King’s golden fur, causing it quite a few injuries.
The Lion King’s angry eyes spoke a few words.
You will die miserably!
He began to retreat steadily…
His hind leg was accidentally scratched by the lion’s claws, cutting the artery in his foot, making him unable to move like the wind anymore. The Lion King seized an opportunity, leaped high, and slapped at his skull with a paw strong enough to shatter metal and stone. That feeling of death was closer to him than ever before…
Just then, a black shadow rushed out and knocked away the inevitable fatal blow. But that figure was slapped down heavily in mid-air by the agile Lion King, bounced a few times on the ground, and then never got up again.
“No!”
At that moment, he was angrier than ever before. At the last moment, the big black wolf saved him again.
His eyes were red, and there was an unprecedented pain in his heart, burning all over his body like fire. He felt himself standing up, and explosive power expanded in his body…
Go! To! Hell!
A tall white werewolf stood up, its body gradually becoming larger than the huge Lion King. Its eyes were red, and it rushed toward it again.
The situation turned unexpectedly. The large werewolf showed amazing power and actually overwhelmed the invincible Lion King head-on. He won steadily, leaving deep and fierce claw marks all over the Lion King’s body, turning it into a blood lion. And soon, that would be a dead lion.
The Lion King’s pride erupted again. In a seemingly non-existent opportunity, the Lion King desperately extended what could be said to be the sharpest claw of its life. And this move was about to hit the white wolf’s skull, but it was unexpectedly dodged by him, leaving only three heavy blood marks on his right eye, almost gouging out the white wolf’s right eye. And the Lion King finally paid the price of its life for this unwise attack…
A straight claw pinched the Lion King’s throat, and the sound of bone breaking was so crisp.
Looking at the fallen Lion King, he felt no joy. He ran to the fallen big black wolf.
The big black wolf still had a breath.
“You’ve grown up…”
There was a trace of relief in the big black wolf’s eyes.
“How can I save you?” There was a trace of unwillingness in his eyes.
“It doesn’t matter. To die like this, I’m already very proud,” the big black wolf’s tone was extremely weak, but extremely relieved. “You are just like me back then. At that time, I was also raised by another big wolf. Our encounter was very similar, and the result was not much different. But I am better than it, because I have taught the greatest war wolf!”
The old black wolf extended its paw. He habitually squatted down, letting it gently pat his head, just like before. “Go. Having defeated the Lion King, you are the master of this forest. Growth is not without a price, and this result is what I am most happy to see…”
The old black wolf died, ending like a hero.
Without sadness, he began to run, his figure turning into a lightning bolt speeding forward. He would always remember the old black wolf’s last words.
“Run forward. Remember your will. Your path is always ahead…”
