With the immediate threat from behind eliminated and one wolf dead, Bai Yu seized the momentary opening. The remaining two Blood-Rust Wolves paused, momentarily confused by the sudden loss of their packmate. That hesitation was all Bai Yu needed.
He surged forward, saber held high, and unleashed the second core technique of his saber art. He performed the Cascading Rapids Slash. His arm became a blur as he slashed downwards quickly, many times in succession. Each slash built upon the momentum of the previous one, Qi flaring along the blade. The first few blows were parried or only scraped the wolves' tough hides, but Bai Yu pressed the attack relentlessly, the slashes growing faster, heavier, each slash stronger than the last. With the fifth consecutive slash, delivered with a surge of power, his saber finally bit deep. A long, bleeding wound appeared simultaneously on the bodies of both wolves as they tried to defend, crying out in pain and anger.
Enraged by the injuries, their pack mentality overridden by pain and fury, both remaining wolves rushed recklessly at Bai Yu without a thought for coordinated tactics, jaws snapping, claws extended.
Seeing their predictable, rage-fueled charge, Bai Yu only smiled faintly. This was exactly the kind of opening his saber art was designed to exploit. Instead of retreating, he met their charge head-on. He performed the Flood Surge Advance. Combining his Azure Cloud Steps with the saber technique, the distance closed quickly as he surged forward like a breaking wave. Bai Yu slashed out many times in rapid succession, his saber becoming a whirlwind of flashing steel. The wounded wolves, caught off guard by his aggressive advance and hampered by their injuries, couldn't react fast enough. One of Bai Yu's strikes, aimed with precision, penetrated cleanly through the eye socket and into the head of one wolf, killing it instantly.
The last wolf stumbled to a halt, its charge broken, its companion dead at Bai Yu's feet. It was now riddled with wounds from both the Cascading Rapids Slash and the Flood Surge Advance. Blood dripped steadily from multiple gashes, pooling on the forest floor. It whimpered, its earlier ferocity replaced by fear and weakness.
Bai Yu stood ready, saber poised, breathing steadily. He looked critically at his saber, then at the grievously wounded wolf. "My execution is still clumsy," he thought. "If I had truly mastered these techniques I just used, especially the Flood Surge Advance, he would already be dead, not just bleeding out."
Bai Yu prepared to charge and deliver the final blow to the last wolf, but before he could take a step, the wolf's legs buckled. It let out a final, weak whine and collapsed onto the ground, dying from losing too much blood before Bai Yu could even reach it.
Silence descended upon the small clearing, broken only by Bai Yu's breathing and the distant sounds of the forest.
"Clap... Clap... Clap..."
Slow, deliberate applause came from above. Elder Jian jumped lightly down from the tree, landing silently beside Bai Yu, clapping his hands together with an impressed expression.
"Magnificent, Young Master Bai. Truly magnificent," Elder Jian praised sincerely. "Although they were only early Grade 2 beasts, facing three at once on your first real outing, and dispatching them with such decisiveness using newly learned techniques... well done indeed."
Bai Yu sheathed his saber, feeling a surge of satisfaction despite his self-critique. "You are overpraising me, Elder Jian," he replied modestly, clasping his hands in a respectful gesture. "There is still much room for improvement."
Elder Jian looked down at the corpses of the three beasts, his experienced eyes scanning them quickly. He prodded one with the toe of his boot. "Unlucky," he remarked with a slight shake of his head. "No sign of a Monster Core in any of them."
He elaborated for Bai Yu's benefit, "A Monster Core is a condensation of a magical beast's essence and Qi. It's highly valued, used extensively in forging powerful weapons and armor, or as a key ingredient in high-level alchemy, making it a rare and sought-after ingredient. As a general rule, a beast at Grade 3 (Martial Master equivalent) is almost guaranteed – 100% chance – to possess a core. However, Grade 2 beasts like these wolves also have a small chance, perhaps one in twenty or thirty, of forming a nascent core. It seems our luck wasn't in today regarding cores, but the combat experience was invaluable nonetheless."