Chapter 54: You Either Die or Get Hurt

Suddenly, the wild boars felt a surge of pure, potent Qi radiating from Ethan's body. This Qi of Pure Spirit was irresistible to animals. Instantly, the boars relaxed, shedding their aggression. Instead, they wagged their tails and swayed their heads, trying to curry favor with Ethan.

Unbeknownst to them, Blackie and Whiskers had just arrived. Though they had consumed spiritual water before, they lacked the ability to transform it into Genuine Qi, as they hadn't mastered the Ease Immortal Spell. The wild boars couldn't sense any spiritual energy from them.

However, Blackie and Whiskers misread the situation. Believing the boars were attacking Ethan, they immediately leaped into action. A fierce battle erupted.

Ethan stood on the side, machete in hand, watching closely. He was curious to see how strong the two had become since being enhanced by spiritual water.

With a thunderous bark, Blackie struck first. A creature of immense strength, he chose a direct, forceful approach. With a single swipe of his massive paw, he sent a 200-kilogram wild boar flying nearly eight meters. The impact left the boar either dead or gravely injured.

Whiskers, on the other hand, employed an agile strategy. Darting like lightning, she pounced onto a wild boar's head and slashed at its eyes. Though her attacks didn't kill, every targeted boar ended up one-eyed.

"Hey, you two, don't kill them. Just drive them away," Ethan called out, now satisfied with their prowess.

Blackie and Whiskers immediately softened their attacks. Blackie still knocked the boars aside, but this time without causing fatal injuries. Whiskers, rather than blinding them, swiped at their noses instead.

What happened next was both amusing and unexpected—the wild boars turned tail and fled, squealing in distress. Ethan couldn't tell whether they were crying from pain or shame at being overpowered by a mere dog and cat.

Once the battlefield was clear, Ethan took stock of the situation. Three boars lay dead from Blackie's powerful strikes, while two were severely injured. He stored the dead ones in his spatial zone, then took the time to heal the injured ones with spiritual water, giving them a stern warning not to pick fights with tigers in the future.

As for the three deceased boars? Well, they would make for a hearty meal.

Ethan then made his way to the riverbank, where two more wild boars lay—one dead, one critically wounded. It took him twenty minutes to heal the injured one before sending it on its way. He then hoisted the carcass of the dead boar onto his shoulder and started back.

"Who's there?" a voice called out. "Ethan, is that you?"

Recognizing Ryan's voice, Ethan responded, "Yeah, it's me. Come on out. The tiger and the boars have fled, and Blackie took down a big one. Looks like we're eating well tonight."

A chorus of cheers erupted from behind the boulder as Ryan and his men emerged. They stared in shock as Ethan casually carried a 200-kilogram wild boar with one hand.

"You… your strength is insane!" one of them exclaimed.

Realizing his mistake, Ethan quickly dropped the boar. "Ah! I guess I got too excited and tapped into my potential. Now that you mention it, my arm is killing me! So sore!"

Ryan's mouth twitched. Can you at least try to act normal? His acting skills were almost too convincing.

Shaking his head, Ryan refocused. "There's a river about 300 meters ahead. Since we're all exhausted, how about we set up camp there and cook?"

"Sounds good to me," Ethan agreed.

Soon, the group reached the river. After securing their horses and unloading their supplies, they eagerly gathered around the wild boar. However, none of them knew the first thing about butchering it.

Although they were trained soldiers, they were still city boys at heart. Skinning a pig wasn't exactly part of their drills.

Ethan sighed. "Alright, everyone take a break. I'll handle this. Just remember—don't wander off alone. If you need to go somewhere, take Blackie or Whiskers with you. Understood?"

"Yes, Brother Ethan!" they shouted excitedly. To them, Ethan was a hero. Strength commanded respect, and in this world, power mattered more than age.

As Ethan expertly sliced into the wild boar with a fruit knife, Ryan's eyes widened. "Hold on, is that knife… cutting through bone like butter?"

Ethan chuckled. "Yeah, so?"

Ryan swallowed hard. "How many treasures do you have stashed away?"

"Hmm… maybe ten? Twenty? I lost count."

Ryan's eyes gleamed. "Brother, let's talk. We're close, right? Practically family!"

Ethan smirked. "Didn't seem that way earlier."

Ryan pouted. "Come on! If you like my sister, that means we're family, right?"

"Wait, wait, wait—when did I say I like your sister? , "We are just friends!" Ethan retorted.

Ryan grinned. "Exactly! So that means our relationship is special too!"

Ethan sighed. "Look, Ryan, if you want this knife, I can give it to you, but you have to trade something for it."

He swiftly gutted the wild boar, discarding the organs for scavengers.