Chapter 5

(There's another chapter later)

Standing at the entrance of the classroom, Chen Zong took a deep breath and firmly held the letter containing secrets given to him by his mother.

Leaning, practicing boxing, practicing swordsmanship, entering the forest, and observing the map—these were the things Chen Zong repeated every day.

The more he observed the "Tiger Descending the Mountain" map, the more he felt a sense of accumulation, growing stronger, but it seemed to lack a catalyst, like scattered sand, unable to coalesce, making Chen Zong quite anxious.

"Clearly, I'm almost grasping that feeling. What is it that I still don't understand?" By the small lake, Chen Zong walked back and forth, his head lowered.

The more anxious he became, the harder it was to find a clue, forming a vicious cycle.

Suddenly, the tip of the sword in his mind space trembled slightly, and a silver dragon moved about, spreading a cool, refreshing aura that calmed his mind and settled his emotions.

"I can't be too anxious. Since I've come this far, achieving perfection is just a matter of time." Chen Zong exhaled a long breath and said to himself.

Leaning forward, he assumed the starting stance of the True Sword Eight Forms—the Crouching Sword Stance.

Remaining still, he entered a unique state.

The sword was drawn, and with a rough scraping sound, the blade slashed forward in a half-circle. His body moved like a wave, pulling back his right arm, gathering strength, and then suddenly lunging forward.

The Sword Drawing Stance, the Charging Sword Stance, the Circular Sword Stance, the Chopping Sword Stance, the Chaotic Sword Stance, the Swift Sword Stance, the Explosive Sword Stance!

The last form was the most powerful, a single sword strike breaking through the air as if shattering everything.

The True Sword Eight Forms began with the Crouching Sword Stance and ended with the Explosive Sword Stance. Each form followed the previous one, with the remaining strength of one form adding to the next, increasing in power as it progressed. The Explosive Sword Stance, in particular, fully mobilized all his strength, channeling it into the sword, making it a form that emphasized explosive power, with unmatched might.

Apart from the Crouching Sword Stance, the other seven forms could be used independently, each with considerable power.

After practicing the True Sword Eight Forms, Chen Zong entered the Wind Roaring Forest again. However, each time he wouldn't go too deep, stopping when appropriate to avoid encountering dangers he couldn't handle.

Repeatedly entering the Wind Roaring Forest, from initial unfamiliarity to now, he could say that the outer area of the forest was like home. Unfortunately, apart from hunting a few rabbits, Chen Zong hadn't found any herbs.

Stepping into the forest again, the light dimmed, and it was quiet.

"Perhaps this time, I can go a bit deeper." Chen Zong thought to himself.

When he went deep enough, Chen Zong hunted another large, fat rabbit. As for wolves, tigers, and leopards, he didn't encounter any.

Perhaps there were many in the past, but after being hunted by martial artists from the Small Lake Town, their numbers had gradually decreased and moved deeper into the forest, making them less likely to be encountered.

"That's enough for today." Holding a rabbit weighing over ten pounds, Chen Zong turned to leave the forest: "This rabbit will be enough for my father and me to eat for two days. Add some dried green mustard and red goji berries, and stew it for three hours. It will be delicious and nourishing."

After walking a few dozen meters, a tall figure approached.

"Truly worthy of someone who dared to challenge Young Master Gang. You've come so deep into the Wind Roaring Forest." The newcomer grinned, his tone unfriendly.

"Chen Dazhong..." Chen Zong's heart skipped a beat, sensing something was wrong, and quickly retreated.

Chen Dazhong was Chen Dali's older brother, twenty years old, and had reached the Fourth Level of the Blood Qi Realm. Chen Zong couldn't say whether his talent was good or bad, as his perspective was limited, but he knew that the difference between the Fourth Level and the Third Level of the Blood Qi Realm was vast. In terms of physical strength, a Fourth Level practitioner could have a thousand pounds of strength in one arm and could also channel Blood Qi to exert even greater power.

This was what a martial artist was.

For martial artists in the Blood Qi Realm, Blood Qi was crucial, significantly different from the Blood Qi of martial disciples.

Even with a sword in hand, the gap between them was too great, and he might not even have the chance to draw his sword.

"Your reaction is quite quick." Chen Dazhong stared at Chen Zong like prey, closing in. Compared to Chen Zong, he not only had higher cultivation and strength but also had experience fighting beasts in the forest.

Without hesitation, Chen Zong threw the rabbit at Chen Dazhong with all his might, turned around, and sprinted deeper into the Wind Roaring Forest.

Chen Dazhong casually swatted the rabbit away, sending it flying dozens of meters, and then burst into speed, the wind howling.

"Chen Zong, I won't kill you. Stop and let me teach you a lesson, or if you go deeper into the Wind Roaring Forest, you'll only find death." Chen Dazhong shouted as he chased.

Chen Zong ran with all his might, not daring to speak, as it would affect his speed.

Run, run, run, constantly moving forward, his Blood Qi surging, his heart pounding as if it would burst out of his chest. With strong willpower, Chen Zong squeezed every bit of strength from his body, turning it into speed.

Faster!

Even faster!

Faster still!

However, Chen Dazhong was closing in, his speed surpassing Chen Zong's.

Feeling the pressure from behind, Chen Zong's teeth almost ground to pieces. If caught, he would definitely be injured, which he did not want.

In his mind space, as if sensing Chen Zong's crisis, the tip of the sword trembled slightly, emitting a brilliant light, enhancing his five senses to the extreme.

A terrifying howl came from behind. Without hesitation, Chen Zong lunged forward, rolled on the ground, and quickly got up to continue running, narrowly avoiding Chen Dazhong's punch.

Chen Dazhong was surprised that a mere Second Level Blood Qi practitioner could dodge his attack, but his speed did not slow, and he closed in even further.

"Chen Zong, I warn you again, stop immediately, or the next time I attack, it won't be just an injury." Chen Dazhong was angry.

Another punch, like a roaring tiger, the terrifying momentum made Chen Zong's scalp tingle. He instinctively rolled to the side, the wind brushing past his face, causing pain and affecting his balance, preventing him from getting up immediately. Chen Dazhong stepped forward, blocking Chen Zong's path, his face twisted in a sinister smile.

"Chen Dazhong, the clan has rules that martial artists cannot attack martial disciples. Are you going to violate the clan rules?" Chen Zong quickly got up, staring vigilantly at Chen Dazhong, sternly questioning.

"Who will know?" Chen Dazhong said with a murderous look: "Besides, you've already angered me. Do you think you can leave here alive?"

Chen Zong's heart sank, his body turning cold. Chen Dazhong intended to kill him.

"Don't try to delay. Accept your fate."

As he spoke, Chen Dazhong lunged forward, like a charging tiger, his punch shattering the air, the terrifying momentum making Chen Zong's hair stand on end. If hit, he would surely die.

"Roar..." A powerful, deep, and domineering roar echoed, and a tall, strong figure leaped out from the tall grass.

Black and golden stripes, a black mark on the forehead resembling a "Wang" character, its eyes like lightning, illuminating the forest's darkness, cold and domineering. One glance made Chen Zong shiver uncontrollably, a chill running down his spine, his body numb.

Chen Dazhong's face changed, and he instantly turned around. The punch originally aimed at Chen Zong became even more ferocious, accompanied by a deep roar, striking the leaping tiger.

The punch and the tiger's claw collided, creating a terrifying shockwave. The tiger retreated after landing, and Chen Dazhong also took a few steps back, his arm trembling slightly.

Chen Zong regained his senses and ran to the side without hesitation. This was his only chance to escape. This direction was not toward the forest's edge, as Chen Zong knew that although the tiger was powerful, it was not a demonic beast and might not be able to defeat Chen Dazhong. If it failed, Chen Dazhong would continue to pursue him. The distance to the forest's edge was considerable, and with his speed, it would take at least half an hour to escape. If caught, he would surely die.

"Good, good, good, a mere beast dares to interfere with my plans." Chen Dazhong was furious, his eyes flashing with ferocity, his face twisted in a sinister grin. He assumed the Tiger Stance: "I'll beat you to death, boil your bones into gelatin, stew your meat, and make clothes from your skin to enhance Young Master Gang and my brother's cultivation."

The tiger crouched, its eyes flashing with ferocity, locking onto Chen Dazhong. The two-legged creature was full of Blood Qi, a delicious and nutritious meal. Instinct told it that eating it would bring great benefits.

Both sides lunged at each other, engaging in a fierce battle.

After running several hundred meters, Chen Zong hid behind a large tree and peeked out. He could vaguely see the intense battle between the man and the tiger, the momentum astonishing. Chen Dazhong gradually gained the upper hand, making the tiger roar in anger.

"Fourth Level Blood Qi Realm martial artists are indeed terrifying. It seems there's no chance to counter Chen Dazhong." Chen Zong thought to himself. After observing for a while and confirming that the tiger was no match for Chen Dazhong, he ran forward again. The sounds of the battle grew fainter and eventually disappeared.

After some time, Chen Zong heard the sound of a stream. The view opened up, revealing a clear stream about a meter wide and half a meter deep, extending into the distance, seemingly dividing the forest. Fish could be seen swimming in the stream, and near the stream was a dilapidated, simple wooden hut.

"Is someone here?" Chen Zong approached cautiously. The wooden hut was empty, with an old wooden bed, a moss-covered iron pot, and mushrooms in the corner, indicating that no one had lived there for a long time.

"Perhaps I can stay here for a while." Chen Zong's eyes lit up.

After this incident, he knew that Chen Zhigang had a narrow mind. If he appeared again, Chen Dazhong or others might come to cause trouble, which would be detrimental to his cultivation.

If he were injured, he wouldn't be able to cultivate and would also burden his father. It would be better to leave temporarily and focus on cultivation, returning to the clan when the martial disciple competition began to secure a top-three position.

"That's decided." Chen Zong thought for a moment: "I should go back first, or my father will worry. Yes, I'll use the fabricated elder as an excuse."

"I'll say that the elder wants to guide my cultivation. That way, my father won't worry."

Thus, Chen Zong made his decision. He toured the area for a while, carefully observing various footprints and traces, confirming that no large beasts were around, and felt more at ease. When the time was right, he headed back to see how the battle between Chen Dazhong and the tiger was going. If Chen Dazhong was seriously injured or exhausted, it would be his chance to counterattack.

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