Chapter 46

"Reduce the patrol area as much as possible."

At the center of the mine, the ten clan members were gathered, and the steward Chen Shaojie said solemnly.

"Also, when patrolling, it's best to go in pairs to support each other."

Recently, the situation has become somewhat unexpected, with the number of beastmen appearing in the vicinity increasing several times over, significantly raising the danger level.

Originally, the Chen family's Iron Guards patrolled in teams, but now each team has been split into two smaller teams, totaling six small teams. Three small teams are responsible for patrolling in three directions, taking turns.

Each small team of Chen family Iron Guards is led by a Ninth Layer Blood Qi Realm expert, with strong capabilities and a wider coverage area. In case of a rescue request, they can respond more effectively.

After the meeting, Chen Zong and Chen Zhong returned, rested briefly, and then fully armed, they left the courtyard to patrol the surroundings.

If they encounter one or two low-grade and mid-grade beastmen, they can directly deal with them. If they encounter multiple beastmen and can't handle them, they will use a distress signal flare. They only need to hold out for a while, and the Chen family Iron Guards will come to the rescue.

After patrolling for a while, they didn't encounter any beastmen, but they did find many traces of beastmen activity.

In this period, the two of them have hunted a total of nearly thirty beastmen. They ate the flesh and boiled the bones into bone glue, which they slowly consumed, significantly enhancing their cultivation and making their muscles and bones stronger.

A standard arm strength of one thousand pounds is the upper limit of a martial artist's physical strength. Unless there is a special opportunity, it cannot be broken. However, this does not mean that physical strength cannot continue to be strengthened.

For example, like wood, stone, and steel.

With the same strength and speed, regularly consuming beastmen flesh, especially bone glue made from beastmen bones, can further strengthen the muscles and bones, making them go from wood to stone, and then from stone to steel.

The stronger the muscles and bones, the more solid they become, and the defense and endurance capabilities are also stronger.

Compared to when they first arrived at the mine, Chen Zong felt that his muscles and bones had strengthened by at least thirty percent. However, the effect of bone glue made from low-grade and mid-grade beastmen bones gradually weakened.

After all, this method of boiling bone glue is the simplest and most primitive, with the lowest utilization rate.

As for other grade herbs, they found some, but only a few second-grade herbs.

"Clan brother, there are beastmen." Chen Zong's senses were more acute.

Chen Zhong quickly followed Chen Zong's gaze. After a dozen breaths, three figures emerged from the grass. They were three strong, gray-bodied red-capped wolves, low-grade beastmen.

The three red-capped wolves locked their cold eyes on Chen Zong and Chen Zhong, charging in a straight line, emitting a fierce killing aura.

"Looking for death!" Chen Zhong roared, punching towards the red-capped wolves.

It was as if a tiger's roar echoed, and Chen Zhong's fist formed a shadow of a tiger's head, striking fiercely, like a tiger descending from the mountain, clearly at the first level of the Tiger Gang Fist.

His fist instantly collided with the sharp claws of a red-capped wolf. The terrifying force crushed the wolf's claws and struck its chest. With a bang, the red-capped wolf was sent flying, spewing blood from its mouth.

The other two red-capped wolves charged at Chen Zhong without fear, but a dazzling sword light flashed in the air. Before they could even cry out, the two red-capped wolves fell, their necks nearly severed, leaving only a layer of skin connecting. This was Chen Zong's deliberate action.

This way, the red-capped wolves could be instantly killed without blood splattering everywhere.

"Clan brother, your sword seems faster." Chen Zhong was very surprised.

Chen Zong just smiled.

Indeed, his sword was faster, and he wielded it more skillfully. This was the result of spending five days replacing the Fierce Tiger Technique with the True Sword Heaven Absolute Technique.

The True Sword Heaven Absolute Technique is a cultivation method suitable for those who practice swordsmanship. From the beginning of cultivation, it subtly increases Chen Zong's mastery of the sword, and as the cultivation level deepens, this mastery gradually improves.

"Let's take these three red-capped wolves back first." Chen Zhong said, grabbing the hind leg of one red-capped wolf and walking towards the camp. Chen Zong held his sword in one hand and the third red-capped wolf in the other.

With three red-capped wolves, they couldn't eat them all, so they brought two to the center of the mine and handed them over to the clan, earning forty contribution points as a reward, twenty points each, which was better than nothing.

As night fell, dark clouds gathered, obscuring the moon.

Long Mountain was plunged into darkness, with the only light coming from the lamps in the mine houses.

The night was deep and the mountain wind was icy cold, the howling sound like ghostly cries, chilling the heart.

With severely impaired vision, the Chen family Iron Guards did not abandon their patrols, but they reduced the patrol area, with three small teams patrolling in a crisscross pattern.

Silently, a black shadow emerged from the dense grass, landing like the wind, moving swiftly and silently like a mountain cat, approaching the mine houses.

The black shadow seemed to have observed for a long time, understanding the timing and rhythm of the Iron Guards' patrols. After avoiding them, it quickly arrived at the mine houses without alarming anyone, circled around, and then retreated.

"Who is there?" A loud shout like a thunderclap startled everyone.

The sound of breaking wind followed, and the Chen family Iron Guards appeared.

Under the light, the black shadow, which had not yet fully retreated, was exposed.

"Who are you?"

"Why are you here in the Chen family mine?"

"What is your purpose?"

While shouting, the Iron Guards formed an orderly encirclement.

"Hehehe..." The laugh was like a night owl, very eerie. The black shadow's form flickered, its speed increasing, causing a breaking wind sound as it rushed to one side.

"Stay here." An Iron Guard roared, drawing his long saber, which emitted a cold blade light, tearing through the night, mercilessly slashing.

Anyone who sneaks in here, regardless of who they are, is an enemy and must be killed.

However, the black shadow's form twisted strangely, like a snake, almost gliding past the long saber. The long saber paused and turned, slicing horizontally to cut the black shadow. Other Iron Guards attacked, either with their sabers, fists, or kicks, all striking with full force.

The black shadow twisted its body strangely, not only avoiding the long saber but also swinging its hands, producing a hissing sound like a venomous snake, colliding and using the force to rush through the gaps.

"Once you come, don't leave." An elder had been watching closely. Seeing the black shadow slip through the Iron Guards' encirclement and attempt to escape, he coldly snorted, instantly leaping up like an eagle circling in the sky, then diving down.

Each elder of the Chen family is a powerful martial artist surpassing the Blood Qi Realm, with extremely fast speed. Despite the black shadow's full effort, it could not escape.

A palm was lightly slapped out, creating a sensation like a surging wave, sealing everything around, leaving no room for evasion.

That palm struck the black shadow directly. The black shadow twisted its body with all its might, its muscles and bones trembling to resist the elder's palm and dissipate the force.

With a bang, the black shadow was thrown forward like a rag bag, the absolute difference in strength leaving it powerless to resist.

It flew over ten meters, and the elder took a step forward, closing in.

Suddenly, the black shadow's body sprang up upon landing, not only surviving but also attempting to escape. As it fled, it swung its right hand backward, scattering green powder that glowed eerily in the night.

"Poison powder!" The elder's expression changed, and he quickly waved his hand, the palm wind sweeping away the poison powder. However, a trace still drifted over, and the elder's face changed again. He felt the poison powder was extremely toxic, even he could hardly withstand it. Slightly pausing, the black shadow took the opportunity to quickly move away.

After bypassing the poison powder area and pursuing, the black shadow eventually escaped, seemingly vanishing into the grass.

"Check the surroundings." The elder ordered.

The black shadow's identity was unknown, sneaking in and out without a clear purpose. If not for the elder's deep cultivation and alertness, the situation might not have been detected.

The Iron Guards quickly checked the area but found nothing, leaving them unsure of the black shadow's purpose.

"This person is only at the Blood Qi Realm level, yet they could withstand my palm..." The elder frowned, finding it strange and feeling a sense of unease, as if something bad was about to happen.

But what exactly would happen was unclear.

After all, the black shadow's purpose was still unknown.

A thorough check of the surroundings revealed no damage.

"Strengthen the defenses." The elder instructed.

"Yes." The Iron Guards responded in unison.

"Go and check on the ten clan members, and bring them here." The elder ordered again.

The Iron Guards immediately acted, heading in five directions to notify the clan members.

The black shadow's appearance tonight was strange, and whether something bad would happen was uncertain, but bringing the ten clan members here would be safer.

"Shaojie, as soon as it's light, take the ten clan members and leave here, returning to the city." The elder said to Steward Chen Shaojie.

"Alright." Chen Shaojie also realized the situation was not good.

The clan members are the future strength of the family, and it's best not to lose any of them.

It was now deep night, not a good time to leave. After all, the mine, though not deep in Long Mountain, was not outside it either. Recently, beastmen have been frequently appearing, making it easy to encounter attacks.

At night, the mobility of beastmen often surpasses that of martial artists, making the situation even more disadvantageous for the martial artists.

"I hope nothing bad happens tonight." Chen Shaojie thought, feeling somewhat anxious.

Soon, the ten clan members were all awakened, fully armed, and left the camp with the Iron Guards, gathering at the central camp. They were still confused.

(With the end of the year approaching, things at home are getting busier, and writing time has decreased. I also need to prepare some drafts for the Spring Festival, so I'm reducing to two updates per day.)

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