Goblin Dependency

The morning light is faintly dim, and the thin mist permeating the forest seems to float with a gentle azure hue.

The lush shrubs shook violently as a huge head slowly rose from the fern leaves.

This is a giant sheep-like creature with a bizarre appearance.

Distinct from its weaker counterparts raised by intelligent beings on farms, its appearance seems particularly wild and primitive.

With a shoulder height of nearly two meters and thick, tawny-gray wool, it looks from a distance like an enormous stone standing in the forest, its cold, round pupils able to gaze down from an almost overlooking height at those seemingly fierce predators.

The most distinctive feature of its body is the pair of massive, spiraling horns on its head, extending upwards from the sides of its jawbone and then curving inward as they grow.

The rough, furrowed surface of the horns is covered with thick vines of a peculiar gray-green hue.

As if forming a symbiotic relationship, the vines extend downward into the depths of the wool, interspersed with white, tender buds the size of fingernails, and the top splits into several fine tendrils that hang at the sides of the giant sheep’s ears.

——Vine Horned Sheep, a rare ovine creature commonly inhabiting forest and hillside environments.

The most recognizable feature on its body is the pair of massive curved horns entwined with vines.

After special processing, these horns can be added to several evolving potions for curse removal, significantly boosting their potency, thus maintaining a good market price year-round.

Except during mating and breeding seasons, Vine Horned Sheep usually move alone. Although they are somewhat docile by nature, their gigantic stature—shoulder height surpassing the head of an average person—and the pair of solid curved horns capable of launching a heavily armored adventurer flying with a charging strike make this herbivorous creature rarely targeted by ordinary predators.

At present, this adult male Vine Horned Sheep is leisurely strolling through the forest.

"Snort..."

It snorted, the white steam from its nostrils swirling and dissipating.

Occasionally lowering its head, the broad tongue rolled around the unknown tender leaves beside it and with a shake of its head, tore them off, bringing the juiciest tips of the plant’s leaves and stems into its mouth to chew.

Eating, resting, defecating... just like the thousands of mornings it has experienced in its life, nothing seems out of the ordinary now.

Rustle—

A moist morning breeze blew through the forest, the treetops swaying and making the sound of friction and collision.

Cold air surged into its nostrils with each breath, and the Vine Horned Sheep paused its chewing mouth.

It seemed to have caught the unique scent of blood and flesh that belongs to a predator.

But even before it could react cautiously, the predator that also sensed the prey’s alertness had already seized this perfect moment—when the Vine Horned Sheep just became aware but hadn’t yet turned its awareness into real actions—to launch its long-awaited attack.

"Awoo!"

A high-pitched wolf howl wrapped in the fierce wind brought by high-speed movement.

Yet it did not come from the bushes where predators in the forest often lurk.

Instead... from above!

The Vine Horned Sheep instinctively looked up in its survival instincts.

Reflected in its pupils was the ferocious image of a wolf beast formed from dark powerful qi, the silhouette ready to pounce enveloped in black air, and those emotionless golden wolf eyes.

"Bang!"

It was the dull sound of flesh colliding.

Falling rapidly from the treetop, the gust of wind pressed the grassland and underbrush to the ground.

Splash—

Blood splattered!

The sharp wolf claws under long legs pierced through the thick wool and resilient skin of the Vine Horned Sheep almost instantly with inertia, leaving a deep wound on its nape.

The body, not even half the size of its prey below, carried a powerful force in its fall, nearly forcing the giant sheep’s four legs to bend under pressure, making it kneel.

It instinctively shook its neck vigorously, trying to shake off the black-furred wolf beast on its back.

But just as it exerted force, it felt a peculiar and indescribable force spread from the wound on its back.

Making it lose its balance.

As if the ground underfoot was not solid soil, but a swaying boat on rolling waves.

With one stumble, the massive body uncontrollably collapsed, falling into a state of complete "Imbalance."

Such a valuable opportunity couldn’t possibly be wasted.

Amidst the fall of the Vine Horned Sheep, the small black wolf crouched on its back leapt up, smoothly stepping on a position near the shoulder of the prey.

The freely moving sharp wolf claws raised diagonally.

Gathering strength, descending.

"Slash! Slash! Slash!"

Constrained by the lupine body, the power moves appeared awkward.

Yet it did not affect the three successive arcs of claw light alternatingly slicing at the same point with incredible precision.

"Baaa..."

The Vine Horned Sheep’s four legs twitched and struggled, letting out a piercing cry.

In contrast, at the side of its nape, a deep wound gushed warm blood like a spring, even revealing the pale spinal vertebrae within.

Knowing the other was surely doomed, and to avoid unnecessary injury from its death throes, the Black Wolf did not remain.

Instead, with agility that ordinary wolves could not possess, it gracefully leapt toward a nearby oak tree, its sharp claws sinking into the bark, using all four limbs to easily climb onto the treetop.

It licked the leftover scraps of flesh and blood on its paws, not showing any of the impatience and recklessness typical of beasts after a successful hunt.

Only after the Vine Horned Sheep was completely lifeless in the grass below, did Xia Nan leap from the tree.

His long limbs and soft, padded soles served as natural shock absorbers, and with the consistent fall damage reduction of "Tidal Shaping," landing caused him no discomfort at all.