The next morning, as the first light of dawn tinted the sky, Silas, in his guise as Finn Cole, arrived punctually at the academy's main gate. Barton, Aileen, and Karn were already waiting.
"Right on time, Junior Brother Finn!" Barton greeted him warmly. He wore a lightweight but sturdy chain shirt today, with his signature heavy shield and short-handled axe strapped to his back. His smile was hearty, though a trace of shrewdness flickered deep in his eyes.
"My apologies for keeping you all waiting," Silas said with a slight bow, his gaze calmly sweeping over the other two. Aileen was dressed in form-fitting, dark green soft leather armor suitable for stealth and movement, a small leather pouch and a pair of daggers tipped with a faint green glow at her waist. Her aura was as agile as a forest deer. Karn remained silent as ever, carrying a well-crafted longbow on his back, his quiver full of arrows. He was like a tightly drawn bowstring, his sharp eyes constantly scanning the surroundings as if he could detect potential danger at any moment.
"Everyone's here. Let's move out. We can talk more on the way." Barton, full of vigor, took the lead, guiding the trio away from the academy onto the dirt road leading to the vast Beastbone Forest. As they walked, he initiated the introductions with the familiarity of a senior student: "I'll start. Barton. I mainly practice the academy's standard Basic Qi Guidance Art, but my family has some methods for tempering the body, so I guess you could say I cultivate both body and spirit. I specialize in defense and frontal engagement. This 'Iron Oak Shield' and 'Armor-Piercing Axe' are my partners." He patted his equipment, producing a dull thud that displayed confidence in his own strength.
The girl in green, Aileen, spoke next, her voice clear and pleasant: "I'm Aileen. I practice the Flowing Wind Art, which leans towards speed and concealment. My origin force has some affinity with the wood element. These 'Jade Venom Daggers' are my weapons, coated with a paralytic toxin—quite effective against thick-skinned foes." As she spoke, her wrists turned deftly, the daggers spinning lifelike around her fingertips with a faint whistling sound, demonstrating exquisite control.
When it was Karn's turn, he was terse, his voice low: "Karn. Basic Qi Guidance Art. Wind affinity. Archery." He patted the longbow on his back and said no more, but his focused aura commanded respect.
Silas, having prepared his story, said according to his disguised identity: "Finn Cole. I also practice the Basic Qi Guidance Art. My origin force attribute is unremarkable. Currently, I rely mainly on this spear for defense. I've recently started trying to learn alchemy, hoping I can help everyone with minor injuries." He gestured with the fine iron spear in his hand, maintaining the humility of a newcomer while appropriately emphasizing his identity as an alchemy apprentice.
Barton laughed heartily, giving Silas a firm but well-measured pat on the shoulder: "An alchemist! Fantastic! Junior Brother Finn, our team really hit the jackpot this time! Don't think collecting Moonglow Grass is just a routine task; anything can happen in the forest. With you here, we all feel more secure! The reward for this mission is decent. If we complete it smoothly, drinks are on me back at the academy!" His enthusiasm was infectious, easily bridging the distance.
Entering the outskirts of the Beastbone Forest, towering ancient trees gradually replaced the open view, and the light became dappled and dim. The air was thick with the smell of damp earth, the faint intoxication of decaying leaves, and a subtle, wild rank animal smell. Distant roars and insect chirps echoed occasionally. The quartet immediately went on alert. Barton led with his shield, Karn took a slightly elevated position on the flank, scanning like a hawk, while Aileen and Silas stayed in the center. Aileen watched the rear and flanks, while Silas appeared somewhat nervous, gripping his spear tightly.
After advancing for about half an hour, a low growl came from the front side. Three coarse-haired boars with fierce tusks burst through the bushes. These were mid-Rank 1 magical beasts, impressive in charge force but somewhat lacking in agility.
"Steady! Bristleback Boars! Barton, hold them! Karn, pin them down! Aileen, flank! Finn, support!" Barton quickly issued commands while taking a deep breath. Origin force surged around him. Though not as dazzling as the noble empowerment arts, it was steady and solid. He sank his center of gravity, slammed his shield into the ground with a dull "thud" as if rooting himself to the earth, and faced the charging boars head-on. A typical academy defender, relying on solid fundamentals and tactical coordination.
"Whoosh! Whoosh!" Karn's arrows were loosed almost as Barton spoke. The two arrows weren't aimed at the boars' toughest skulls but precisely at their relatively vulnerable eyes and joints! The wind-attributed origin force attached to the arrows granted excellent penetration and speed. One boar, too slow to dodge, took an arrow to the eye socket, letting out a piercing shriek as its charge veered off course; another was grazed on the front leg joint, its movement faltering. Calm, precise, efficient long-range support, maximizing enemy debilitation.
The instant the boars were distracted by Barton and Karn, Aileen moved. Her figure blended into the forest breeze, silently circling to the side of the boar with the injured eye. Her daggers, glowing with a faint green light, struck like venomous snakes, swiftly piercing the boar's neck vitals. After the strike, she didn't pause, immediately pulling back to find the next target. Her attacks were vicious and decisive, fully utilizing the opportunities created by her teammates. Excellent assassin instincts, adept at seizing opportunities.
Silas (as Finn) also acted according to instructions. He faced the boar whose speed was hampered by Karn's arrow. He didn't use any flashy spear techniques, merely channeling the origin force cultivated through the Basic Qi Guidance Art (his disguise) into his spear. Seizing the moment, he thrust steadily, aiming inside the boar's roaring mouth! The timing was good, showing some combat acumen, but the origin force intensity and speed were controlled at an ordinary "mid-Rank 1" level, fitting his disguise. The spear thrust in, causing the boar pain and frenzy, but it wasn't killed instantly. Silas "retreated in a fluster," allowing Barton to step forward and finish it with his axe.
After the fight, Barton gave Silas an encouraging look: "Not bad, Junior Brother Finn! Good timing! Showing this kind of composure on your first trip to the forest shows great potential!" Aileen also smiled, while Karn silently retrieved his arrows. Silas perfectly displayed a mix of relief and slight excitement.
As they continued, they encountered several more waves of low-rank beasts, like swift wind foxes and acid-spitting corrosive snails, all dealt with easily through the team's coordinated efforts. Silas gradually "adapted" to the forest environment, his performance remaining steady but unremarkable. He occasionally used the basic hemostatic powder he concocted on teammates who got nicked, further cementing his identity as an alchemy apprentice and earning some goodwill.
In the afternoon, they found several herbs emitting a soft, moon-white glow in a shady, damp valley shrouded in faint mist—the Moonglow Grass.
"Great luck! And quite a few of them!" Barton's face showed genuine joy as he carefully collected the grass into a special jade box. "Mission accomplished. We can..." He hadn't finished speaking when sudden chaos erupted!
"Boom!"
A violent explosion of origin force sounded from the other end of the valley,accompanied by angry roars and the sharp clang of weapons! Then, a figure flew out of the dense woods like a broken kite, landing heavily on the open ground not far from them.
It was a young man dressed in coarse linen robes, with red and white paint on his face. He was pale, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, a deep burn mark visible on his chest, his aura weak. His attire clearly identified him—a tribesman!
Close behind, five young men and women in elegant brocade robes, though now slightly disheveled and fierce-looking, chased out of the woods. The origin force fluctuations emanating from them were pure and intense, carrying a unique sense of "order," distinctly different from the academy's plain style and the tribesmen's natural wildness—the hallmark of practitioners of the noble empowerment arts! The leader, a youth holding a longsword wreathed in blazing red flames, had an origin force that reached the peak of Rank 1! His eyes were arrogant and cold, fixed intently on the tribesman on the ground.
"It's Edgar Greenwood, a collateral descendant of the Greenwood Family!" Barton's face changed, whispering to his teammates, "Why are they hunting a tribesman here?"
Edgar Greenwood obviously noticed Silas's group of four. He frowned slightly, seemingly displeased by the interruption, but his immediate priority was dealing with the target. He shouted sharply, "Tribesman scum! Hand over the 'Ancestral Spirit Mark,' and I'll make your death quick!" (The Ancestral Spirit Mark is a power core condensed by powerful tribesmen, a crucial resource for noble cultivators to enhance their strength or exchange for higher empowerment.)
The young tribesman struggled to his feet, his eyes filled with hatred and despair. He roared hoarsely, "Greedy plunderers! Don't even think about it!" Suddenly, he used a nail to slash his palm, blood dripping freely, and began reciting a rapid, cryptic chant with an ancient rhythm.
"Stop him!" Edgar, though unsure what art the tribesman was invoking, sensed danger intuitively and immediately charged forward with his sword.
However, the chant concluded swiftly. The tribesman spat a mouthful of blood mist, which condensed into a strange beast totem in the air. The next moment, his speed increased dramatically, narrowly dodging Edgar's sword blade. He staggered towards the depths of the valley—towards Silas and his group—clearly trying to lead the trouble their way.
"Block him!" Edgar roared, also shouting at Silas's group, "Uninvolved parties, scatter! Or you'll be considered accomplices of the tribesmen!"
Barton's face turned grim. He muttered quickly, "Trouble! We can't afford to offend the Greenwood Family, but getting involved in their hunt..."
Just then, a shocking scene unfolded. The young tribesman didn't continue fleeing but stopped in the center of the valley, a look of madness and resolve on his face. He raised his hands high, and a more powerful, ancient chant poured out like a tide, the sound piercing, striking directly at the soul! As he incanted, the mist in the valley thickened abruptly, the ground began to tremble slightly, and the surrounding ancient trees seemed to come alive, their leaves rustling without wind as if responding to his call.
"What is he doing?!" Aileen cried out, shocked and uncertain.
Edgar and the other nobles also halted, their faces showing doubt and confusion for the first time. "What kind of evil sorcery is this?!"
The answer was soon revealed.
"Awooo—!"
"Hiss—!"
"Screech—!"
A cacophony of terrifying beast roars erupted from the forests around the valley like a tidal wave! Countless pairs of eyes lit up in the dim woods, crimson and frenzied! Dozens of various low-rank magical beasts—venom-fang pythons, shadow leopards, swarms of bloodthirsty rats, iron-beaked crows—surged out like a flood! Their target wasn't any single individual but everyone present! Whether nobles or Silas's team, all became targets of their frenzied attack! Alongside the beasts, a large number of tribesmen warriors emerged, including some at the second rank!
"We've been tricked! It's a trap!" Karn exclaimed, his voice, usually calm, trembling slightly. He never expected this seemingly cornered tribesman to summon such a horde.
The situation instantly spiraled out of control! The number of beasts far exceeded expectations, and they were completely crazed, attacking without regard for their own lives. The Greenwood disciples bore the initial brunt. Though individually stronger, they clearly lacked experience dealing with such chaos, their formation breaking down instantly. A mid-Rank 1 noble girl screamed as she was entangled by several venom-fang pythons, quickly falling silent.
Silas's team was also in dire straits. Barton roared, raising his shield, a yellow light flickering as he barely held the front, but beasts continuously attacked from the sides and rear. Aileen's movement techniques were severely hampered in the dense pack; she was in constant danger. Though her daggers could kill any beast that got close, there were simply too many. Karn's arrows flew in rapid succession, each one felling a beast, but facing the tidal wave of attacks, his quiver was soon empty, forcing him to draw a short sword for close combat.
Silas also "fought desperately," waving his spear to ward off the swarming bloodthirsty rats and crows, appearing "strained," even "accidentally" getting a cut on his arm from a shadow leopard. Blood flowed as he "hurriedly" retreated, looking utterly disheveled. He secretly observed the entire battlefield. The tribesman who had cast the spell collapsed after the horde appeared, his aura faint, as if he had paid a great price. Edgar and the other nobles were struggling hard, but their defeat seemed only a matter of time.
"We can't stay here and wait to die! Split up and break out! Rendezvous at the usual spot!" Barton, seeing the critical situation, shouted hoarsely, his shield erupting with a bright light that momentarily repelled the surrounding beasts.
The instinct to survive overrode everything else. The four immediately fled for their lives in directions they deemed safe. Silas deliberately chose a path with relatively fewer beasts but far from the valley exit, controlling his speed to that of a "mid-Rank 1" escape, fighting a retreat. Following him were a few early-Rank 1 shadow leopards and bloodthirsty rats, plus a Greenwood youth, also separated from his group in the chaos, who had only late-Rank 1 strength and had chosen the same direction.
After putting some distance between them and confirming they were completely out of sight of the main battlefield and no other powerful auras were within his perception range, the cold killing intent Silas had been suppressing finally erupted completely.
He stopped abruptly, executing the Falling Leaf Step at full power. His figure flickered ghostlike, easily shaking off the low-rank beasts. The Greenwood youth was stunned. Before he could process what was happening, he saw the previously fleeing in disarray "Finn" turn around, his eyes as cold as eternal ice. The origin force emanating from him was like a waking primordial beast, unmistakably at the peak of Rank 1! Moreover, the vitality contained within that aura far surpassed that of an ordinary peak Rank 1!
"You... you were hiding..." the youth stammered in terror, but before he could finish, Silas's spear shot forward like lightning! No fancy moves, just the ultimate expression of speed and power—the Viper's Strike! The youth frantically raised his sword to block, but the spear tip bypassed the blade at an impossible angle, accurately striking his throat!
"Pfft!" The youth clutched his spurting neck, his eyes filled with incredulous fear, and slowly collapsed.
Silas's expression remained impassive as he quickly searched the body for valuables (some spirit stones, a noble identity token, and a few decent elixirs). He had to eliminate all witnesses, or there would be endless trouble.
Just as he prepared to leave this place of danger immediately, the sound of more urgent, heavy footsteps, labored breathing, and angry roars came from another direction.
Silas immediately concealed his aura and stealthily moved to investigate. He saw Barton fleeing in his direction, utterly. His chain shirt was torn in multiple places, blood stained his mouth, and a deep gash was visible on his left arm. He had clearly been through a brutal fight. Chasing closely behind him were two tribesmen warriors with more intricate, high-status paint on their faces, and a savage early-Rank 2 magical beast—a Clawed Land Wyrm, the size of a small elephant! The origin force of one tribesman warrior also reached the early second rank!
Barton also spotted Silas, who had just finished his fight and hadn't fully concealed the traces. His eyes first showed extreme shock, clearly unable to comprehend why "Finn" was here and seemingly having just been in a battle. But this shock was instantly replaced by an extremely selfish and ruthless determination. Instead of moving towards Silas for help, he gritted his teeth, recklessly burned his origin force for a sudden burst of speed, and dashed past the spot where Silas was hiding. Simultaneously, mustering his strength, he shouted loudly in Silas's direction:
"Junior Brother Finn! Run! I'll lead them away! Go get help!" This shout was exceptionally clear in the quiet forest, instantly drawing the pursuers' attention to Silas's location!
The early-Rank 2 tribesman warrior's icy gaze swept over Silas like a physical force. Although he perceived Silas as only peak Rank 1 (Silas wasn't fully concealing it now), killing intent flashed in his eyes. He barked a guttural command in his tribal tongue to the late-Rank 1 tribesman warrior and the Clawed Land Wyrm beside him, roughly meaning: "You, deal with that kid! No survivors!" He himself continued without slowing, closely pursuing Barton, who was trying to pass the threat on.
Silas's heart turned completely cold, fury surging in his chest like magma! Barton's action was undoubtedly using his life to buy himself a slim chance of survival! His heart was despicable!
Since that was the case, then none of them would be allowed to live!
Facing the roaring charge of the Clawed Land Wyrm and the grinning late-Rank 1 tribesman warrior, Silas held nothing back. He took a deep breath, and the vital energy of his Nine-Beasts-Perfected body erupted violently, merging with the origin force of his Thousand Streams Converging into the Sea Art at the Comprehension and Integration stage, forming an aura far surpassing that of an ordinary peak Rank 1! The fine iron spear in his hand seemed to sense its master's killing intent, emitting a faint hum.
The Clawed Land Wyrm reached him first, its massive claw swiping down with a foul wind that tore through the air. Silas advanced instead of retreating, executing the Falling Leaf Step to its peak. His body brushed past the claw strike like a willow catkin, while his spear shot out like a venomous snake. A Viper's Strike, infused with the ram's kicking force and the python's penetrating power, thrust precisely into the gap between the scales on the wyrm's relatively softer underbelly!
"Pfft!" Immense power erupted instantly; the spear pierced straight through! The wyrm roared in agony, its massive body lurching forward uncontrollably due to the pain, plowing a deep furrow in the ground.
The grin on the late-Rank 1 tribesman warrior's face froze solid, turning to horror: "How is this possible?!" He brandished his white bone staff, attempting to cast some tribal magic. But Silas was too fast! After killing the wyrm, he didn't pause, his body moving like lightning straight towards the warrior. The tribesman hastily conjured a bone shield in front of him.
"Break!" Silas shouted low, changing his spear thrust into a sweep. The fierce tiger's strength erupted, smashing heavily onto the bone shield!
"Crack!"The bone shield shattered instantly! The tribesman warrior was sent flying, vomiting blood from the impact.
Silas followed like a shadow,another Viper's Strike! The spear tip traced a deadly arc through the air, instantly piercing the opponent's brow!
Instant kill!
Without a glance at the fallen body, Silas fixed his gaze ahead. Barton, despite fleeing desperately, was no match for the speed of the early-Rank 2 tribesman warrior, who closed in behind him. A bone spear in the warrior's hand whistled through the air, aimed at Barton's back!
Barton, scared out of his wits, desperately swung his shield behind him to block.
"Boom!"A tremendous force sent him and his shield flying together. He crashed heavily into a large tree, vomiting blood profusely. Cracks appeared on the shield; he had clearly lost most of his fighting capacity.
A cruel light flashed in the early-Rank 2 tribesman warrior's eyes as he moved to finish off Barton. Suddenly, he sensed danger and whirled around!
He saw Silas had already closed in silently, his eyes cold as frost. On the spear, origin force and vital energy intertwined, emitting a heart-palpitating.
"You... who are you, really?" the tribesman warrior asked warily, sensing the threat. Barton also struggled to look up, staring at the transformed Silas with disbelief and fear.
"Your executioner," Silas's voice held not a trace of emotion.
The battle erupted instantly! The early-Rank 2 tribesman warrior was indeed powerful. His bone spear whirled, carrying a strange corrosive black energy and formidable force, cracking the ground around them with the residual waves. Silas utilized the Falling Leaf Step and his own spear technique to their utmost. His body was elusive, his spear strikes like a dragon, the Viper's Strike frequently aiming for vital points. His fighting style, fused with the abilities of the nine beasts, was unpredictably strange—sometimes sticky and constricting like a python, sometimes as swift as an alpha wolf's pounce, sometimes as powerful as a fierce tiger's assault.
Although there was a gap in rank, Silas's origin force quality was extremely high, his physical body formidable, and his combat awareness far surpassed his opponent's. Seizing a tiny opening, he took a grazing blow from the spear, his Law of Life rapidly healing the wound, while his own spear seemed to break through spatial limits, thrusting into the tribesman warrior's shoulder blade!
"Argh!" The warrior cried out in pain, his movements faltering.
Silas pressed his advantage relentlessly,his attacks like a storm. Finally, with a thrust that fused all his strength, he broke through the opponent's defense, and the spear pierced the warrior's heart!
The early-Rank 2 tribesman warrior's eyes widened in shock as he slowly fell, seeming unable to comprehend even in death why he had fallen to a first-rank cultivator.
Silas gasped for breath and walked towards the severely wounded, despairing Barton.
"Finn... no... you..." Barton tried to plead, but Silas gave him no chance. The spear flashed, and a bloody hole appeared in Barton's throat. The light in his eyes rapidly faded. For someone who had tried to kill him, Silas would never show mercy.
He quickly looted all the bodies (the two tribesmen warriors, the Clawed Land Wyrm, Barton, and the earlier Greenwood youth, acquiring a fair number of spirit stones, materials, weapons, and the tribesmen's mysterious bone artifacts and powders. He did his best to erase the traces of battle, especially using corpse-dissolving powder on Barton and the Greenwood youth's bodies.
By the time he finished, the sky was growing dark. The forest was filled with the thick smell of blood, which would soon attract more predators. Silas didn't dare linger. Choosing a direction completely different from the one back to the academy, he vanished into the vast sea of trees.
This forest journey had not only netted him the mission objective and unexpected spoils but had also subjected him to a baptism of blood, making him fully recognize the fragility of trust and the cruelty of survival in a world where power reigns supreme.