Chapter 47

Deep into the night.

No moon, no stars.

The world was pitch black, so dark that one could hardly see their fingers in front of their face.

Many torches were lit around the camp, their flames flickering in the mountain breeze, making a rustling sound. The red glow illuminated the surroundings, casting overlapping shadows that seemed somewhat eerie.

"Everyone, be more alert tonight. We'll leave here and return to the clan hall as soon as it's light," the steward, Chen Shaojie, said to the group.

"Steward, is something wrong?" someone asked.

"I'm not sure," Chen Shaojie shook his head. "In any case, if anything happens, you must all work together and do your best to protect yourselves."

After giving his instructions, he had everyone stay in the camp while he went to patrol the surroundings. After all, his cultivation was at the ninth level of the Blood Qi Realm, making him very powerful.

Time slowly passed, and the wind continued to blow, making a rustling sound.

Auuu...

The sound was long and drawn out, the howl of a wolf-like beast. It was heard every night and was nothing out of the ordinary.

However, after that sound, more howls followed, one after another, like a pack of wolves on the move.

Roar...

A roar filled with savagery, like that of a tiger, came from another direction.

The sounds, one after another, made everyone's faces change dramatically.

Something was very wrong.

A sense of danger quietly spread.

The camp's torches, like lighthouses in the darkness, might also serve as a guide.

From all directions, figures moved rapidly, approaching with a strong, pungent smell mixed with a fierce cold.

"Be on guard, beasts are approaching."

"It's a pack of beasts."

As soon as the words were spoken, everyone's faces changed dramatically.

Beasts approaching was not unusual; it was normal to encounter them every night. However, a pack of beasts was different.

After all, the beasts around the mine had been cleared out by the Iron Guards many times, leaving only a few scattered ones. It was impossible to find a group of four or more, yet now, many beasts were approaching simultaneously.

"Trouble," the elder's face changed drastically as he pondered.

He suddenly remembered the black figure that had sneaked into the camp, circled around, but did not cause any destruction. It must have left something to attract the beasts, like the beast-attracting powder he had once heard about.

The smell of this beast-attracting powder could only be clearly detected by beasts. As for human warriors, unless they had exceptional talent, they wouldn't be able to smell it. The powder was gray and, when sprinkled on the ground at night, was invisible.

However, the elder was not sure if the beast-attracting powder was indeed used, as it was said to be difficult to make.

"All Iron Guards, return to the camp immediately," the elder ordered without hesitation.

Thirty Iron Guards immediately returned, guarding the camp from all sides.

The elder and Steward Chen Shaojie also stood around the camp, watching the surroundings with the help of the torchlight, able to vaguely see the approaching figures.

Chen Zong and ten others stood inside the camp.

"We'll go help," Chen Kaiyue said, lifting his sword and heading towards one direction.

"Step back, step back. You ten, don't come over," the Iron Guards immediately stopped them.

This was a pack of beasts, not just a few. The danger was completely different. Even the lowest-level beasts, when in a pack, were extremely terrifying.

After all, these ten clan hall disciples were only at the fifth level of the Blood Qi Realm. Although they might have killed some beasts during this time, to the Iron Guards, they were still inexperienced. Facing a pack of beasts would mean certain death.

The clan hall disciples were the future strength of the family. Appropriate trials could help them grow, but not to an excessive degree.

After being shouted back, the group did not advance further but stared at the front, where a pack of wolves appeared.

"Red-crested wolves."

In the exclamation, at least thirty red-crested wolves were rapidly approaching.

One-on-one, a fifth-level Blood Qi Realm warrior could easily kill a red-crested wolf, and even face two or three. However, thirty of them would be overwhelming, even for a sixth-level Blood Qi Realm warrior.

The savage killing aura emitted by the thirty red-crested wolves, though not directly aimed at them, made everyone shiver.

On the other side, a dozen iron-clawed wolves appeared, which were mid-grade first-level beasts.

Three iron-backed blue wolves also appeared, which were high-grade first-level beasts.

Suddenly, a startling roar, as if announcing the arrival of a king, made everyone's ears ring.

A huge figure leaped out of the grass, coming into view.

It was two meters tall, entirely blood red, with patterns that seemed to glow crimson under the torchlight, like fresh blood.

Its body was over four meters long, and its thick tail, when sweeping, seemed to create a gust of wind.

Roar...

Its massive mouth opened, and a roar like a mountain collapse made everyone's scalp tingle.

Its large, cold eyes were full of dominance, giving a sense of supreme authority. Those with insufficient cultivation would feel weak and their Blood Qi power would seem to freeze, making their bodies numb.

"Blood Fierce Tiger!"

"Even the Blood Fierce Tiger has appeared!"

"I will deal with the Blood Fierce Tiger," the elder immediately said.

The Blood Fierce Tiger, entirely red with crimson patterns, was a high-grade second-level beast and one of the most powerful second-level beasts. Most ninth-level Blood Qi Realm warriors were no match for it, and even elite warriors would likely be defeated.

Such a terrifying beast, any ninth-level Blood Qi Realm warrior present would not be a match for it in a one-on-one fight.

The elder's cultivation surpassed the Blood Qi Realm, so he was not afraid of the Blood Fierce Tiger. However, just as he was about to deal with it, another terrifying roar came from another direction, different from the tiger's dominant roar, filled with unparalleled savagery.

Thump, thump, thump, the ground trembled, and a huge black figure appeared, even larger than the Blood Fierce Tiger.

The huge black figure stood upright like a human, reaching an astonishing five meters in height.

"Black Scaled Bear!"

The elder's face also turned grim.

The Black Scaled Bear was also a high-grade second-level beast, but its strength was incredibly powerful. Its body was not covered in fur but in scales, providing astonishing defense.

In terms of danger, the Black Scaled Bear was even more formidable than the Blood Fierce Tiger. Even if the elder acted, he could not defeat it in a few moves.

Sss, sss, sss...

An eerie sound that made everyone's scalp tingle and their bodies cold came from another direction. A huge python, as thick as an adult's waist, rapidly slithered over. Under the torchlight, it could be seen that the huge python had black and red patterns, with a faint, eerie luster. As it moved, it made a rustling sound.

"Such a large python!"

"Shadow Scaled Python!"

After recognizing the huge python, everyone's faces turned even grimmer. Another terrifying beast, not inferior to the Blood Fierce Tiger.

In addition, other second-level low-grade, mid-grade, and high-grade beasts were also approaching.

"Dangerous."

Including the elder, everyone's face was very serious.

If it were a group of first-level beasts, with the elder and thirty-one elite warriors at least at the seventh level of the Blood Qi Realm, they could defeat and repel them without much cost. However, with the appearance of second-level beasts, and not just one, things became very complicated.

"Elder, please let us participate in the battle," Chen Zong pleaded. "Perhaps our strength is insufficient, but we are also warriors, children of the Chen family, and embody the spirit of the tiger."

"Elder, please let us participate in the battle," even Chen Waixiu, whom Chen Zong and Chen Zhong disliked, said earnestly.

At this moment, they forgot their differences, their hearts filled with the spirit of the tiger.

"Since that's the case, you ten will go there. Remember, protect yourselves; only by staying alive do you have hope," the elder looked deeply at the ten people, pointed to a side, and instructed.

That place was where the low-grade first-level beasts, the red-crested wolves, were approaching.

"Chen Zong, give me your sword; it will be more useful in my hands," Chen Kaiyue said to Chen Zong.

"Chen Kaiyue, your sword skills may not be better than Chen Zong's," Chen Zhong said.

"Is that so? Chen Zong, do you dare to compete with me to see who can kill more and stronger beasts? If you lose, hand over your sword to me," Chen Kaiyue coldly looked at Chen Zhong and directly challenged Chen Zong.

"If I lose, what can you give me?" Chen Zong countered.

"If I lose, I will owe you a favor," Chen Kaiyue always used his favors as a bargaining chip.

"Chen Kaiyue, you take your favors too seriously," Chen Zhong couldn't help but laugh, and the others also looked at Chen Kaiyue.

Favors were hard to measure, but no one thought that Chen Kaiyue's favor could match the value of the precious iron sword in Chen Zong's hand.

Chen Kaiyue was somewhat angry: "Chen Zong, do you dare to bet with me?"

"I don't want to," Chen Zong directly responded.

It wasn't that he was afraid, but that he didn't see the point in betting.

At that moment, the thirty red-crested wolves accelerated and pounced towards the group.

"Rushing Tiger Out of the Cage!"

"Splitting Water and Cutting Flow!"

"Dividing Light and Skimming Shadows!"

Everyone quickly used the low-grade human-level martial arts they had learned, most of which were at the minor accomplishment stage. Chen Kaiyue's "Dividing Light and Skimming Shadows" produced eight sword lights, not particularly clear, but it showed that his first level of the "Dividing Light Sword Technique" had reached the major accomplishment stage.

It was no wonder he was so confident; compared to ordinary warriors of the same level, he was indeed a bit more outstanding.

Chen Zong did not use the "Dividing Light Sword Technique" because the "True Sword Eight Styles" at the subtle level had power that was no less than "Dividing Light and Skimming Shadows" and did not require the time to activate Blood Qi, making it faster.

Everyone's eyes caught a flash of bright and dazzling sword light, like a meteor streaking across the night sky, instantly piercing the air, and saw droplets of blood flying in the torchlight, reflecting a strange, fresh red.

One sword after another, each swift and deadly, in the blink of an eye, three red-crested wolves were killed by Chen Zong's sword.

His figure moved swiftly, his steps like the wind, skillfully avoiding the red-crested wolves' claws and bites. The sword rose and fell, the sword light blinding, and another red-crested wolf was killed.

The "True Sword Eight Styles" combined sword techniques, steps, and body movements, reaching the subtle level, not only changing the sword techniques but also making the steps and body movements more refined.