In an open forest field, Su Yang was crouching as he scrutinised the grassy ground for any marks left by a beast.
He found a footprint about the size of his palm. He followed it carefully. It led him to an area with towering trees and a canopy above. He narrowed his eyes as he noticed a group of monkeys playing around.
They were the size of average human children, with white fur. A few had small baby monkeys clinging to them.
"Screech!" They shrieked at Su Yang all together as they noticed him. They bared their teeth, ready to lunge at him at once.
’They aren’t suitable.’ Su Yang shook his head and left.
Then, on his way back to his cave, he found a one-and-a-half-metre-tall wolf with blue fur. Its black eyes emitted killing intent as it locked onto him.
"Wouldn’t be enough." Su Yang clicked his tongue and glared at the wolf, with Phoenix Flames wrapping around him.
The wolf’s face paled. It tucked its tail between its legs and pivoted to run.
"Where are the Minor Perfection monsters hiding?" Su Yang scowled. Every beast he came across was only at the Entry stage of the Demonic Qi realm.
He let them go, as even First Realm Minor Perfection monsters gave only ten Blood Qi Wisps. He believed beasts at First Realm Entry wouldn’t even give him one Blood Qi Wisp.
While he was looking for powerful monsters to hunt, an old man clad in black robes and a hood was spying on him from a distance, peeking his head out from the side of a huge tree trunk.
"It should be him." The old man nodded to himself. "Elder Go will be happy."
He smiled widely behind his scarf. "Invincible in the same realm, huh?" He moved behind the tree trunk as Su Yang turned his head in his direction.
’Useless... His Blood Qi fluctuations...’ He folded his hands. ’Just Minor Perfection of the Blood Qi realm.’
A few minutes later, he dashed off when Su Yang followed the tracks of a fox.
Beneath a huge tree, Elder Go and his followers were eating the dried food they had packed.
"Master, wouldn’t it be risky to fight him?" Han sat down beside Elder Go while munching on a dumpling.
"We should first learn about our enemy," the Ninth Elder replied plainly. "Only then can we decide whether we should fight or not."
"Good." Han understood and relaxed his brows. ’He must be weak... Elder can get the Superb-grade sword.’ He hoped.
Whoosh!
The old man who had spied on Su Yang hurried towards Elder Go as everyone stood up.
"Did you find the boy?"
"How strong is he?"
"Should we run?"
The old man cupped his hands. "Elder Go, I didn’t fail your expectations." His voice was filled with excitement.
"Li Er, he’s weak?" The Ninth Elder figured it out from the old man’s actions.
Li Er nodded. "He’s just at Minor Perfection of Blood Qi."
"Did he sense you?" Han questioned, filling his mouth with the last bit of his dumpling.
"Han, Li Er has reached the Transcendent level in his stealth technique!" the Ninth Elder yelled. "Don’t disrespect Li Er. Even the sect master cannot sense him."
"Forgive me." Han bowed as sweat formed on his forehead. Internally, he thought, ’Hmm, not bad for an old man.’
Su Yang frowned as the Blood Fiend Sect members didn’t answer him. They found him through the marks and steps he left behind.
"If you don’t respond, I’ll treat you as my enemies." He hissed, his Blood Qi rushing to his arms.
"Attack! Force him to use the sword!" Elder Go barked.
"I hope Elder can take care of my sibling."
"Elder Go, my family is in the sect’s care."
"I believe in your character, Elder."
"..."
"..."
They all requested the Ninth Elder to take care of their family members, as they knew they would die.
The Ninth Elder raised his palm. "Don’t worry. You’re all at Minor Perfection. If you gang up on him..." He laughed. "Hahaha! He’s doomed to die!" He paused for a moment. "Most importantly, he cannot use the sword’s full power. At most, he can use it once or twice, so..." He shouted, "Go all out! Only a few of you will die, and I’ll take care of your families in the sect if you die."
"Yes!"
Elder Go’s followers leaped forward and surrounded Su Yang. Only the Ninth Elder, Han, and Li Er remained in the tree.
’Huh?’ Su Yang tilted his head slightly in confusion. ’What sword? Do they know me?’
"I think you’ve got the wrong person?" he probed. ’They seem shady, but going for the kill directly is...’
"You’re a Myriad Dao Sect disciple, right?" Elder Go asked calmly, folding his hands behind his back.
"How do you know?" Su Yang inquired. He clicked his tongue. ’They came for me. The sect’s enemies?’
He mused, ’They must be afraid of Master and my seniors, so they came after me.’ He sneered, ’Weaklings.’
He scrutinised Elder Go. ’His Blood Qi is indeed powerful.’
"Jin!" everyone shouted, urging the middle-aged man standing right in front of Su Yang to attack. Even the men in the back signalled him to attack first.
Jin gritted his teeth. ’I might die, but let’s go out with a bang!’
Jin lunged at Su Yang with his hands glowing with light crimson Blood Qi.
Su Yang’s nose twitched. He raised his brows in fury. "Blood Demonic Arts."
"No use knowing that now," Jin mocked. "Blood Burning Art, Blood Fist!"
His entire body was wrapped in Blood Qi. His hood flew away as his black hair began to turn grey, visible to the naked eye.
He punched, aiming at Su Yang’s face. Su Yang ducked, bending down.
The man landed two steps behind Su Yang and took a few more steps to regain his balance.
’Fighting will improve my martial techniques.’ His lips curved as he recalled how much his Phoenix Fist’s proficiency had increased after fighting the tiger monster.
"Let’s use Phoenix Wing Step." His eyes glowed with joy as he found enemies on all sides.
"Idiots, one by one?" he snarled. "At this rate, you’ll die."
He pivoted and punched Jin in the back. Jin turned into an old man as his Blood Qi vanished, a side effect of the Blood Burning Art.
"Phoenix Fist!"
A white phoenix shadow materialised behind Su Yang, wrapping a claw around his right fist.
KRAAAAH!
A phoenix’s cry sounded throughout an area of several hundred metres as Su Yang’s fist connected with Jin’s back.
Bang!
White-golden Blood Qi wrapped around Jin’s body in a flash, and he was turned into blood dust.
Boom!
Blood splashed, along with bits of meat, onto everyone’s bodies except Su Yang’s.
[Undying Phoenix Fist
Introduction 18/100]
Su Yang’s lips curved up. ’Indeed, battle is the best training.’
"A phoenix!" Elder Go screamed in shock. "What was that?"
He commanded, "Everyone, attack at once!"
The Blood Fiend Sect members hissed, "Blood Burning Art, Blood Fist! Blood Kick! Blood Claw!"
Whoosh!
All of them paled as they realised they had underestimated Su Yang. However, they had burned their lifespans to gain even a little more power to fight. They all jumped at Su Yang.
More than fifty of them. From the sky, it looked as if a small area was filled with a mass of black and crimson, with a small dot remaining still in the centre.