11: Chapter 11 Night Battle in All Directions

The pack of Shadow Leopards began to tighten their circle. Pairs of scarlet eyes reflected the firelight like ghost fires, radiating a cold and bloodthirsty glow. The bonfire in the center of the camp was stoked to its Peak, its tongues of flame licking the night sky and illuminating the area for dozens of yards as bright as day. But everyone knew that once the bonfire went out, the Shadow Leopards would pounce in an instant, tearing the entire camp to shreds.

"Everyone, take up your weapons!" Tie Yue's voice boomed like a thunderclap. "Those at the Zhenwu Realm and above, stand on the perimeter; those at the Ningyuan Realm, stand in the middle; logistics personnel, all of you hide behind the tents!"

Thirty Martial Artists quickly formed a formation, their long sabers unsheathed and their Yuan Qi surging. But every face was etched with fear—thirty Shadow Leopards, at least three of which were Rank Two; this force was enough to slaughter a medium-sized Family. Chen Yuanlang's hand holding his longsword trembled slightly. It was true he was at the third layer of the Zhenwu Realm, but he had never truly experienced a life-and-death struggle. The sparring in the Marquis's Manor and the matches at the Qingzhou Martial Meet were all conducted with restraint, a far cry from this life-or-death Yao Beast siege before him.

"Senior Brother Chen, can we... can we make it back alive?" a young Disciple asked with a trembling voice.

"Shut up!" Chen Yuanlang gritted his teeth. "Enshrined Master Tie is a Guiyuan Realm expert; killing a few Rank Two Yao Beasts is no problem for him!" Despite his words, his hand shook even more violently.

Chen Yuanji stood behind a tent, watching coldly. Thirty Shadow Leopards, three Rank Two, and the rest Rank One. Tie Yue was at the Guiyuan Realm Middle Stage; at full power, he could handle two Rank Two beasts. The remaining Rank Two beast and the thirty Rank One beasts were enough to slaughter everyone else unless he intervened. Chen Yuanji glanced down at the short blade at his waist and then at the ancient jade in his robes. The ancient jade was slightly warm, as if urging him to make a decision.

"Young Revered Master Yuanji, are we going to die here?" Qian Duo shrank behind Chen Yuanji, his face pale and his voice shaking.

"No," Chen Yuanji said indifferently. "No matter what happens later, you stay hidden here and don't go anywhere."

Qian Duo nodded frantically, though it was unclear if he had actually processed the words.

"Awoooo—" A long wolf-like howl came from the darkness; it was the signal to attack from the leader of the Shadow Leopard pack. Three Rank Two Shadow Leopards launched themselves simultaneously, pouncing toward the camp like three bolts of black lightning. Their speed was astonishingly fast; Martial Artists of the Zhenwu Realm couldn't even see their trajectories clearly.

"Good timing!" Tie Yue shouted. His Guiyuan Realm Middle Stage Yuan Qi erupted fully, and a layer of pale green blade light condensed on his long saber as he met the largest Shadow Leopard in the lead.

Boom! Saber and claws clashed, air currents surged, and a three-foot-deep pit was blasted into the ground. Tie Yue retreated three steps, and the Shadow Leopard was also knocked flying, but it flipped in the mid-air and landed steadily, completely unharmed. Another Rank Two Shadow Leopard bypassed Tie Yue and pounced toward the old Enshrined Master. The old Enshrined Master was at the Peak of the Zhenwu Realm, much stronger than Chen Yuanlang, but he could only barely resist and was forced back step by step. The third Rank Two Shadow Leopard charged straight for the center of the camp, its targets being those young Disciples of the Ningyuan Realm!

"Stop it!" Chen Yuanlang shouted, but he didn't charge forward; instead, he took two steps back.

Several Disciples of the Ningyuan Realm steeled themselves and rushed forward, their sabers and swords striking out as Yuan Qi fist winds blasted toward the Shadow Leopard. The Shadow Leopard's form flickered, easily dodging all the attacks. With a swipe of its claw, it tore the Disciple at the very front—along with his saber—into two pieces. Blood splattered, and internal organs spilled everywhere.

"Ah—" The remaining Disciples suffered Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, turning to run. The Shadow Leopard gave chase, and with another swipe, a second Disciple fell to the ground, dead. The camp fell into chaos.

"Form ranks! Do not run!" Tie Yue roared, but he was entangled by the first Shadow Leopard and was unable to pull away. Chen Yuanji watched this scene with calm eyes. The timing was about right. He pulled out the short blade from his waist and stepped out from behind the tent.

"Young Revered Master Yuanji! What are you doing!" Qian Duo cried out in alarm.

Chen Yuanji did not answer. His pace was neither fast nor slow as he walked toward the Rank Two Shadow Leopard that was slaughtering the Disciples. His steps seemed slow, but each one landed on the boundary between chaos and calm. People were running, shouting, and crying around him, but none of it had anything to do with him. The Shadow Leopard seemed to sense something and suddenly turned its head, its scarlet eyes locking onto Chen Yuanji. It smelled a faint scent of danger. But this scent was very faint, so faint that it felt confused. This human before it had no Yuan Qi fluctuations; he looked like an ordinary person. The Shadow Leopard gave a low growl, abandoned its pursuit of the fleeing Disciples, and turned to pounce on Chen Yuanji.

"Watch out!" Tie Yue saw this from afar, his pupils shrinking.

Chen Yuanlang saw it too, a complex look flashing in his eyes—was it schadenfreude? Or something else? He couldn't say for sure. The Shadow Leopard's speed was like lightning, covering the thirty-foot distance in an instant. Its bloody maw opened, a foul stench wafted over, and its mouth full of sharp teeth glinted coldly in the firelight.

Chen Yuanji moved. He didn't retreat but instead met it head-on. Stepping forward with his right foot, he crouched slightly, and at the moment the Shadow Leopard pounced in front of him, he suddenly dodged to the left. Bagua Zhang · Footwork · Turning Palm. This dodge seemed simple, but it was executed to perfection. The Shadow Leopard's sharp claws brushed past his clothes, missing by less than an inch. Simultaneously, Chen Yuanji's right hand struck out, his short blade accurately piercing the Shadow Leopard's right eye.

Puchi! Blood sprayed. The Shadow Leopard let out a shrill, miserable howl, wildly shaking its head. Chen Yuanji used the momentum to leap up, the five fingers of his left hand pressed together, piercing into the Shadow Leopard's throat like a snake. Hidden Force · Snake Form. The moment his fingers touched the throat, the Hidden Force erupted. A vibrating force passed through the fur and muscle, reaching the cartilage and blood vessels inside the throat.

Crack! The sound of the throat shattering was clearly audible. The Shadow Leopard's body suddenly stiffened, then like a puppet with its strings cut, it crashed to the ground.

From the pounce to its death, it took no more than two breaths. The camp suddenly went silent. Everyone stopped moving, staring at Chen Yuanji in stunned silence. A waste with a withered yuan pulse had killed a Rank Two Yao Beast with one blade and one strike? Tie Yue's eyes widened, the old Enshrined Master's mouth hung open, and the expression on Chen Yuanlang's face changed from schadenfreude to utter disbelief. Even the remaining two Shadow Leopards were stunned, seemingly unable to believe their companion had died just like that.

"What are you still standing there for?" Chen Yuanji flicked the blood off his hand, his voice as calm as if he were commenting on the weather. "Kill." This single word "Kill" was like a thunderclap, pulling everyone back from their shock to reality.

Tie Yue was the first to react. The blade light on his long saber surged as he slashed at the Shadow Leopard before him. The old Enshrined Master also erupted with all his strength, tangling with his opponent. The remaining Disciples came to their senses, their morale boosted, and they charged toward the Rank One Shadow Leopards with a roar. Chen Yuanji didn't stop. Holding his short blade, he walked toward the second Rank Two Shadow Leopard that was in a fierce battle with the old Enshrined Master. Seeing him, fear flashed in the Shadow Leopard's eyes. It had witnessed its companion's death and knew how terrifying this human who appeared to have no Yuan Qi was.

Awoo! The Shadow Leopard turned to flee. How could Chen Yuanji give it the chance? He quickened his pace, his form pursuing like a specter. The Bagua Footwork was utilized to its limit at this moment, each step landing on the Shadow Leopard's escape path. In three steps he caught up, and his short blade pierced in from the back, straight into the heart. The Hidden Force erupted again. The moment the blade tip entered, the vibrating force shattered the heart, and the second Rank Two Shadow Leopard fell. The scene went silent once more. This time, even Tie Yue stopped his movements, staring blankly at Chen Yuanji. Two strikes, two Rank Two Yao Beasts killed. What kind of strength was this? The Guiyuan Realm? No, there were no Yuan Qi fluctuations from him. Was that... pure physical strength? Tie Yue remembered the scene of Chen Yuanji sending Zhao Hu flying with one punch in the Marquis's Martial Hall; at the time, he thought it was a fluke. Now it seemed that it wasn't a fluke, but true strength.

"The third one." Chen Yuanji turned and looked at the last Rank Two Shadow Leopard. That Shadow Leopard was in a fierce battle with Tie Yue. Seeing the corpses of its two companions, it let out a terrified howl and turned to run. The Shadow Leopard pack lost its leader and also scattered, disappearing into the darkness in an instant. The camp was safe, but no one cheered. Everyone was looking at Chen Yuanji with complex expressions.

Chen Yuanji sheathed the short blade back at his waist and turned to walk behind the tent. Qian Duo was huddled there, trembling all over, looking at Chen Yuanji as if he were looking at a god or ghost.

"It's fine now," Chen Yuanji said indifferently. "Continue resting."

He spoke nonchalantly, as if he had just done something insignificant. But everyone knew that starting tonight, the sky over Qingzhou City was going to change. Tie Yue walked up to Chen Yuanji and remained silent for a long time.

"How long have you been hiding this?" he asked. "It has always been this way," Chen Yuanji did not deny it.

Tie Yue looked at him, seemingly re-evaluating this youth. Eighteen years old, a withered yuan pulse, called a waste by everyone in the Marquis's Manor. But it was this "waste" who had killed two Rank Two Yao Beasts in just a few breaths.

"Your strength... just what level has it reached?" Tie Yue asked.

Chen Yuanji thought for a moment: "If I go all out, below the Guiyuan Realm Middle Stage, I should have no opponent."

He wasn't lying. With Hidden Force and Bagua Footwork, dealing with the Yuan Qi protection of the Guiyuan Realm Middle Stage was indeed enough. But if the opponent was at the Guiyuan Realm Late Stage, with Yuan Qi so thick it could forcibly suppress the penetration of Hidden Force, then it would be hard to say.

Tie Yue sucked in a breath of cold air. Invincible below the Guiyuan Realm Middle Stage? Wouldn't that make him even stronger than Tie Yue himself? He was at the Guiyuan Realm Middle Stage, but he knew he couldn't kill two Rank Two Yao Beasts in two strikes.

"Why didn't you say so earlier?" Tie Yue asked.

"If I had, would anyone have believed me?" Chen Yuanji asked back.

Tie Yue fell silent. It was true. If a waste with a withered yuan pulse suddenly said he had the strength of the Guiyuan Realm, who would believe him? He would only be treated as a madman. "I will report this matter truthfully to the Marquis," Tie Yue said. "As for the others..." He glanced at the surrounding Disciples. Their eyes held shock, fear, admiration, and also jealousy. "They will talk," Tie Yue sighed. "Tonight's events cannot be kept secret."

"It doesn't matter," Chen Yuanji said indifferently. "I didn't plan on keeping it hidden forever anyway."

Tie Yue gave him a deep look and turned to handle the aftermath. In this battle, three Disciples of the Ningyuan Realm from the Marquis's Manor had died, and many more were injured. Tie Yue had people count the casualties, bandage the wounds, and rearrange the defenses.

Chen Yuanlang stood in place, his face ashen. Everyone had seen his performance just now. Faced with the Yao Beasts, he had retreated, he had been afraid, and he had not acted. While the waste he had always looked down upon had stepped forward and killed two Rank Two Yao Beasts in succession. The contrast between the two made the difference in their character clear.

"Senior Brother Chen, Young Revered Master Yuanji, he..." a Disciple spoke up cautiously.

"Shut up!" Chen Yuanlang gave a low roar and turned to walk into his tent. He sat inside, his hands clenched into fists, his nails digging deep into his palms. Chen Yuanji, just who are you?

Late at night, on a large tree three miles outside the camp. A figure wearing a black cloak stood on a branch, watching the fading firelight in the camp. "Interesting," the figure whispered to themselves, their voice raspy and neither clearly male nor female. "A withered yuan pulse, yet possessing such combat power... it's not Yuan Qi, it's physical strength. Could it be a Legacy from the ancient Martial Dao Divine Court?"

The figure pulled out a communication Jade Slip from their robes and infused it with Yuan Qi. "Revered Master, I've discovered an interesting kid in Qingzhou City. His yuan pulse is withered, but his combat power is astonishing. He is suspected of possessing a Legacy from the ancient Martial Dao Divine Court. Please decide, Revered Master." The Jade Slip flickered, and the information was sent out. A moment later, the Jade Slip vibrated, and a message was sent back. "Keep a close eye on him. Do not alert him. This seat will come personally."

The figure put away the Jade Slip, glanced toward the camp, and a cold smile curled at the corners of their mouth. "Chen Yuanji, is it? I hope you're worth this seat's personal intervention." The figure's form flickered and vanished into the darkness.

Chen Yuanji sat in the tent, resting with his eyes closed. The ancient jade in his robes was slightly warm, as if warning him of something. "I know," Chen Yuanji whispered. "Someone is watching us from the shadows." Although his God Realm perception was limited by this body, its sensitivity was still far beyond that of ordinary people. From the start of the Shadow Leopard pack's siege, he had sensed a pair of eyes watching everything from the darkness. That person hadn't acted, only observed. "Are they trying to test my strength?" Chen Yuanji thought. "Or was the Shadow Leopard pack's attack orchestrated by that person just to force me to act?" If it was the former, it was manageable. If it was the latter, then it was trouble. Someone who could control Rank Two Yao Beasts had a cultivation of at least the Shentong Realm or above. With his current strength, facing the Shentong Realm, even escaping would be difficult.

"My strength is still not enough." Chen Yuanji clenched his fist. Although Hidden Force was strong, it wasn't enough against an expert at the level of the Shentong Realm. Shentong Realm experts had already awakened their Natal Divine Ability, and their Yuan Qi could be projected into various forms, with attack range and power far exceeding the Guiyuan Realm. He needed to break through to Huajin as soon as possible. Huajin, the third Realm of Internal Family Boxing. At this Realm, one could "Listening Force"—through subtle perception of the skin, one could predict the direction and intensity of an opponent's attack. In this different world, this meant being able to predict the attack trajectory of a Shentong Realm expert and dodge in advance. More importantly, Huajin allowed one to "Neutralize Force"—dissolving an opponent's attack power into nothingness. Deflecting a thousand pounds with four ounces was not a myth.

"According to the Legacy in the martial gods remains, the cultivation of Huajin requires a large amount of actual combat." Chen Yuanji calculated in his mind. "This trip to the Monster Beast Mountain Range is a good opportunity." He took a deep breath and sank into cultivation. The ancient jade grew slightly warm, and the light from the martial gods remains intertwined with the ancient jade, enveloping him in a faint white halo. Outside the camp, the night wind howled, and the roars of beasts came from the distance.

A new day was about to arrive.