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Lin Jin's eyes were locked on the wolf.
He knew he had to make a quick decision. Ding Sanshi and the other teacher from Blackstone Junior Spirit Master Academy wouldn't last long under the siege.
If the dark wolf returned, things would get much worse for him.
Fortunately, the wolf was currently unguarded — this was his chance to strike directly.
"Split"
His second spirit ring flared to life, and a bright white arc slashed through the darkness, heading straight for the wolf.
The blinding light lit up the shadowy forest, revealing the wolf's cold, merciless eyes.
They were void of emotion — ice, through and through.
But the wolf reacted immediately. With a swift motion, it sprang up and twisted mid-air, dodging with astonishing speed.
Lin Jin barely caught a blur as it vanished from sight.
"Bang!"
The spirit skill missed and smashed into a thick tree, instantly tearing a deep crater into its trunk. Wood splinters exploded into the air, scattering like shrapnel.
The wolf landed lightly, then lunged toward Lin Jin like an arrow shot from a bow.
Its speed and flexibility were unreal—wild, but precise.
In an instant, the wolf's snarling face was right in front of him. Its gaping maw was full of jagged, white fangs, so that Lin Jin could count them from close up.
"Ugh, it stinks!"
His face twisted in disgust. Honestly, the teeth were terrifying — but the breath might have been worse.
Channeling energy into his ruler, now glowing with righteous, vibrant energy, he swept it forward.
The wolf's eyes flickered with fear, but it didn't stop. It kept charging.
"Pa!"
The ruler smacked the wolf across the face, halting its bite just inches from his neck.
Lin Jin gritted his teeth as he held the ruler with both hands, bracing against the wolf's force, locking its jaws open.
"This guy's way too strong!"
He could feel his heartbeat pounding in his chest.
The wolf's body was over two meters long — the sheer force of its lunge was overwhelming.
Even with his level-47 physique, Lin Jin was being pushed back.
His heels dragged through the mud, carving deep tracks behind him.
Maybe the energy of the ruler burned the wolf's mouth, because it recoiled slightly, abandoning its attempt to bite.
It took a half-step back, then prepared to strike again.
But Lin Jin's eyes lit up — this was the opening he needed.
"Fourth Spirit Skill: Prison"
He traced an arc in the air with his ruler—a glowing aperture formed around the wolf, locking it in place.
The beast tried to step out, only to bump into an invisible barrier; it was trapped.
As soon as the head wolf was restrained, the other nether wolves began to move, returning to assist their leader.
Lin Jin knew time was short. If the pack surrounded him, escape would be harrowing, let alone victory.
Taking a deep breath, he fixed his eyes on the struggling wolf.
His second spirit ring lit up once more.
"Shua!"
Another blinding white arc burst forth. The head wolf — smart enough to recognize the threat after being hit once — had no intention of taking the attack head-on.
In the narrow space, the wolf twisted desperately, trying to evade Lin Jin's spirit skill.
But no matter how much he struggled, the room to maneuver was limited—there was nowhere to run.
"Poof!"
Lin Jin's second spirit skill struck the wolf's waist dead-on.
Its thick fur split open, exposing scarlet flesh and white tendons beneath.
Blood gushed out, steaming hot in the night air.
It's said a wolf's waist is its greatest weakness. Sure, the skull might be harder—but who's dumb enough to block a spirit skill with their face?
"Wooo!"
A howl of pain escaped the wolf's throat, low and guttural. But instead of retreating, its eyes only grew more vicious.
Just then, the glowing ring from Lin Jin's fourth spirit skill faded.
The moment the barrier vanished, a surge of dark mist exploded from the wolf's body as it disappeared into the shadows, its form melting back into the night.
"Awooo!"
Another spirit wolf lunged from the darkness—but Lin Jin didn't flinch.
He was smiling.
The dark wolf's attribute allowed it to blend into shadows, making it a deadly nighttime predator.
But—
Cheat Skill.
Lin Jin grinned, eyes locked on a glowing red dot on his system map. His third spirit ring flared to life, and he hurled his ruler in one smooth, practiced motion.
[Third Spirit Skill — Throw]
This skill, once locked onto a target, had a 100% hit rate.
It delivered real damage, ignoring defenses—and even the level gap.
With the system's map for targeting, it was as precise as a satellite or a heat seeker missile.
Hidden in a nearby tree, the lurking wolf's eyes widened in shock.
Panic flickered across its face for the first time.
The ruler, shining like a streak of light, flew straight toward it.
The wolf tried to escape, but it forgot its injury.
As it twisted to flee, pain flared up its spine—its wounded waist froze mid-motion.
In that instant, the ruler struck again—straight through the same spot.
"Bang!"
The wolf's body dropped from the branch like a rag doll, blood pouring freely onto the forest floor.
Meanwhile, Lin Jin turned toward the remaining wolves that had been attacking him.
They froze, and for a second, their gazes met his.
He smiled.
But to them, that smile was monstrous.
The wolves immediately turned and bolted into the forest, yelping in retreat.
They didn't even bother to warn their kin.
"Awooo!"
The entire pack began to scatter. The first wolf had been their core, their leader, their spiritual anchor.
With it gone, they were just a disorganized mob—lost, panicked, without purpose.
Ding Sanshi and Lao Gao, bloodied and gasping for breath, finally allowed themselves to exhale.
Their clothes were torn, their faces smeared with blood. Around them, the bodies of several nether wolves lay in grotesque poses.
"Director Ding, are you alright?"
Lao Gao's voice trembled slightly. Only now did he notice—Ding Sanshi's left arm was gone.
Ding Sanshi's face had turned deathly pale. Gritting his teeth, he managed to speak through the pain.
"It's nothing."
His gaze remained locked on Lin Jin, who was calmly watching the forest where the wolves had vanished.
There was a strange, unreadable expression in his eyes—something between awe and fear.