This gray shadow was a mutant wild wolf, which had been absorbing the essence of the vermilion fruit day after day. It was itself extremely strange and spiritual, and its beastly instincts made it aware of the danger posed by the person before it. Although it had guarded this place for many years and had dealt with many fierce beasts that tried to snatch the vermilion fruit, none had ever escaped its sudden attacks.

When the beast saw its first strike fail, it did not lose heart. It turned and charged at David Harris again. The spark that had just flashed when it clashed with David Harris's blade was caused by its sharp claws, which David Harris now saw clearly—each claw was more than half a foot long. This beast had some cultivation as well; with its flesh and blood, it actually managed to block David Harris's blade. Although the claws were not severed, it still suffered quite a bit.

David Harris parried the wolf's second attack with his blade, then reversed his grip and struck the back of the blade against the wolf's neck. The wild wolf let out a mournful cry and was sent flying far away, but it turned around and attacked David Harris again.

David Harris guarded his position tightly, each time forcing the wolf to retreat in defeat. At the same time, he admired the wolf's fighting spirit and felt a sense of kinship.

The wild wolf also recognized David Harris's strength, but was unwilling to let the vermilion fruit it had guarded for so many years fall into another's hands. It kept circling just outside David Harris's reach.

Finding this amusing, David Harris met its gaze. Man and beast stood locked in a standoff.

After a while, David Harris said, "Heavenly treasures are always guarded by spirit beasts. You must be the spirit beast guarding this ten-thousand-year-old vermilion fruit."

After thinking for a moment, he gathered his killing intent and pressed it toward the spirit beast. The spirit beast gradually became uneasy, its body—over eight feet long—retreating step by step.

David Harris spoke to the strange wolf: "Heavenly treasures should belong only to the virtuous. You must have been guarding this place for many years."

Facing his immense pressure, the spirit beast whimpered a few times and, to his surprise, slowly nodded.

Seeing this, David Harris realized the spirit beast could understand human speech and liked it even more. He continued, "I know you've guarded this place for years and are unwilling to let it be taken. So I won't fight you for it. The vermilion fruit is yours; I only want the root."

Seeing the wolf still reluctant, David Harris increased the pressure: "Although I promised someone not to kill people indiscriminately, I never promised not to kill beasts. If you dare refuse, I will tear you to pieces."

The killing intent in his eyes grew fiercer and fiercer. The wild wolf couldn't help but shiver and had no choice but to nod.

With a light flick toward the vermilion fruit, it shot straight into the wolf's mouth as if it had eyes. David Harris himself stuffed the remaining root into his own mouth. Man and wolf both began to breathe and absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

The ten-thousand-year-old vermilion fruit was incomparably precious, able to bring flesh back to life and, for martial artists, worth twenty years of hard cultivation. Yet it was nothing in David Harris's eyes. The root, however, was a rare tonic of vitality. Though not as potent as the fruit itself, it was the source of the fruit's essence and energy, and for David Harris, it was even more valuable.

As David Harris refined the root, his meridian capacity and true energy concentration would be greatly increased. Each breath and absorption would be more effective than usual, all because his body had absorbed the source of the vermilion fruit's vitality.

The wild wolf, affected by the vermilion fruit, changed greatly. Its originally gray fur slowly turned pure white. Its half-foot-long claws and fangs could now retract, and its body shrank to just three feet long, looking just like a cute big dog.

After finishing its breathing exercise, the wild wolf immediately turned to face David Harris. Its claws and fangs bared, the retracted claws extended again as it lunged fiercely at David Harris, perhaps seeking revenge for being suppressed earlier.

David Harris, holding his machete, stood unmoving like a mountain. As the wolf approached, the ghostly blade was already at its neck. Fortunately, David Harris used the back of the blade, so the wolf was not killed, but it was still sent flying.

After eating the vermilion fruit, the wolf was indeed different from before. Without pausing, it turned and lunged again.

This time, David Harris did not use the back of the blade but the edge. With a slash and a splatter, he struck the wolf away. Yet there was not a trace of blood on the wolf; David Harris's machete could not harm it.

The wolf grew even more arrogant, baring its teeth and claws, and lunged at David Harris's left hand.

David Harris grew furious, channeled his energy into the blade, spun like a ghost, and the blade swept across the wolf again. With his inner strength, a spray of blood burst forth.

The wild wolf howled and collapsed to the side. David Harris's killing intent surged like a storm, and the wolf dared not rise, dragging its wounded body and trembling as it retreated. It finally understood the terror of the killer before it.

David Harris intended to subdue the wolf, and this time left no room for resistance. His overwhelming aura crushed the wolf's will to fight. After eating the vermilion fruit, the wolf's flesh was as tough as steel, but it could not withstand a single blow from David Harris's energy. The wolf was completely convinced, its snow-white head knocking repeatedly on the ground, begging David Harris to spare it.

David Harris withdrew his killing intent, and only then did the wolf dare to get up and slowly walk to David Harris's side. Facing someone who could easily kill it, it truly dared not harbor any more rebellious thoughts.

David Harris reached out and stroked the wolf's head, gently moving his hand to the wound and channeling a stream of true energy. The wound gradually scabbed over and healed in an instant.

The wild wolf stuck out its tongue and licked David Harris's hand. David Harris patted it and said, "From now on, you will follow me. There are some people I cannot kill, but you can kill them for me." Looking at the wolf lying at his feet, he added, "From now on, I'll call you Grace. What do you think?" Grace immediately whimpered in agreement, nodding repeatedly.