Chapter 16: The Forest Heist: A New Adversary
After the skirmish with Kai Long and his bodyguards in the city, a tense silence lingered in the alley. The Xiao family soldiers held their ground, and Kai Long had fled with his injured bodyguards. Duan Liyang was panting, his internal energy surging rapidly, while Xiang Rui too was breathing slightly heavily.
"Are you alright, Big Sister?" Duan Liyang asked, genuine concern in his voice.
Xiang Rui smiled, weariness in her smile. "Yes, little brother. Just a little heated." She looked in the direction Kai Long had left, a deep glint in her eyes. "That Kai Long. We will meet him again."
Duan Liyang nodded. He had faced another powerful adversary today, and he knew his journey was still fraught with dangers. But he now had 'Ocean Blast,' and he knew he was ready to face every challenge.
The Xiao family soldiers approached them. They respectfully saluted Xiang Rui, then looked at Duan Liyang with disbelief. "Disciple Xiang Rui, are you alright?" a soldier asked. "And this boy...?"
"We are fine," Xiang Rui said. "And this is Duan Liyang, who helped you drive away those dogs from the Kai family." A clear pride was evident in her voice.
The soldiers looked at Duan Liyang with increased awe. They knew the rumors of his victory over Li Xiao, but today he had so easily defeated Kai Long's bodyguards, even as Xiang Rui herself struggled against a Level 9 cultivator.
Duan Liyang's reputation, previously confined to the outer disciples, now began to spread among the Xiao family soldiers and even into the city.
Duan Liyang and Xiang Rui began to walk back towards the Xiao family compound. The path was quiet, but an unspoken tension hung in the air.
Duan Liyang was still thinking about the Level 9 bodyguard and the Level 8 Kai Long. His 'Ocean Blast' technique had helped him defeat Level 4s, but Level 9... that was an entirely different challenge.
"Your punches..." Xiang Rui broke the silence, a faint whisper in her voice. "That was 'Ocean Blast,' wasn't it? I overheard the hall custodian talking about you. He called it 'special.' How did you learn it so quickly?"
Duan Liyang looked at Xiang Rui. "Yes, Big Sister. I learned it." He did not mention how easily he had learned it, or how the power within him seemed to draw it in.
Xiang Rui smiled faintly, a light smile gracing her lips. "I thought so. There's something truly special about you, little brother. Your abilities are not normal." She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, as if still feeling the lingering tension from the fight with Kai Long's bodyguard.
'You alone could learn it so quickly... in just a day or two,' she thought to herself. 'There's something truly extraordinary within you, Duan Liyang. Something I've never seen before.' She knew Duan Liyang was hiding something, but she didn't press him further.
"Kai Long is a dangerous enemy. He is not foolish like Li Xiao. And his bodyguard, he was a Level 9 cultivator. Even I had difficulty stopping him."
Duan Liyang looked at Xiang Rui, his worry intensifying. If Xiang Rui, despite being at Level 7 Peak Stage, had difficulty, then he was facing a threat even greater than Li Xiao and Wang Xiao.
They returned to the Xiao family compound. The outer disciples looked at them with new gazes, especially seeing Duan Liyang with Xiang Rui. His prestige was now greater than ever before.
For the next few days, Duan Liyang intensified his training even further. The threat from the Kai family was now even more palpable. He had approximately twelve days left until his challenge against Wang Xiao. He knew he had to fully master 'Ocean Blast,' and perhaps even further enhance his speed and evasive abilities.
He continued his practice in his secluded spot in the forest. He tried to unleash even more powerful blasts with his 'Ocean Blast' fist, compressing the air in his fist so densely that it would almost become invisible. His body ached, and his head continued to throb, but he refused to stop. The blue particles in his eyes glowed with greater intensity, as if absorbing more information with every passing moment.
One time, while he was engrossed in his practice in the forest, he felt a rustle in the nearby bushes. His heightened senses immediately warned him of danger. A large, robust beast emerged – it was a Level 5 Stone-Skinned Rhino, whose hide was so thick that it could easily withstand even Level 6 attacks. The rhino was calm, but its aura was exceptionally stable and powerful.
Just then, Duan Liyang saw more figures approaching the rhino. There were three individuals: a young girl and two boys. The girl was about Duan Liyang's age, but Duan Liyang's eyes clearly perceived her energy – she was at Level 5! Both boys were at Level 6, their auras powerful. Duan Liyang didn't know their names, but their intentions were clear: they had come to attack the rhino.
Duan Liyang suspected that the rhino might be guarding some treasure, as such beasts often protected rare items. He saw that the rhino was guarding the entrance to a small, hidden cave.
As the three cultivators pounced on the rhino, a fierce battle erupted. They were using their cultivation techniques, but the rhino's thick hide and its defensive power were incredible. Duan Liyang decided to take advantage of this chaos. He used his speed, controlling his internal energy, and quietly slipped past the rhino and the fight, entering the cave.
The cave was dark and damp. Duan Liyang's heightened vision helped him see even inside the cave. At the end of the cave, in a small pool, a few drops shimmered. It wasn't water; it was a liquid that glowed with a strange, ethereal energy. The blue particles in Duan Liyang's eyes spun rapidly, and he felt as if this liquid was extremely special, a treasure he had never seen before.
He carefully opened his palm and collected a few drops, feeling their coldness on his skin. He tried to gather them into his bottle, then quietly tried to sneak out of the cave, so as not to be noticed by anyone.
As Duan Liyang reached the mouth of the cave, he heard a voice. "Little thief! Stop!"
It was one of the Level 6 boys, named Li Gen. He had spotted Duan Liyang. His eyes burned with rage. He rushed towards Duan Liyang. "What are you doing here, worm, after we fought that beast? Are you trying to steal our treasure? Give it back! Or I'll kill you!"
Duan Liyang was a little scared. He was a Level 6 cultivator, far more powerful than even Wang Xiao (Level 4). But he overcame his fear. "If you have the capability, take it yourself!" he retorted.
Li Gen furiously lunged at Duan Liyang.
At that very moment, a ferocious roar echoed through the forest. The rhino, which the three cultivators were fighting, now had a partner (another Level 5 rhino!) that had suddenly emerged, enraged by the attack on its mate. Now there were two rhinos, and the three cultivators were in serious trouble.
"Quick, Li Gen!" the girl shouted, panic in her voice. "Quickly catch that little thief! We need to get out of here!"
Duan Liyang took advantage of this chaos. Li Gen had lunged at him, but now he also had to deal with the pair of rhinos. Duan Liyang used his fast speed and subtle control over the wind. He slipped through Li Gen's attacks, like a ghost between the crowd and the beasts. He fled deeper into the forest, his steps so swift that no one could pursue him.
Li Gen and his companions roared in frustration. "That little thief! We'll find you!" They didn't even realize what real treasure Duan Liyang had taken from the cave, and now they had to fight two enraged rhinos. Duan Liyang, at a safe distance, was smiling. He had acquired another treasure, and without a fight.
Meanwhile, a rumor began to spread within the Li family. When Li Gen returned to the family, he was furious. In his anger, he accidentally let slip that someone, who was like an ant before him, had stolen their treasure right in front of them. This rumor spread among the inner disciples and officials of the family.
As the rumor spread, Li Gen's anger intensified even further. An invisible 'little thief,' whose origin and name he didn't even know, had shamed him like this. The Li family, being a great clan, would not easily forget this insult, even though they didn't know what treasure had been stolen or by whom.
End of Chapter 16