Red Leaf Mountain.
The mountains rise and fall like galloping elephants, with the fog and demonic energy spilling into the skies.
Screams of agony, the clash of weapons, the howling sounds swirling with the vast white fog rolling in from afar, as if a vortex was rising in the sea of fog, or clouds and waves were turning in the heavens.
Even standing still, Li Xuan could feel the thick mist, as cold as frost, rushing like waves, almost tangibly sweeping over his boots, creating a sensation of stickiness.
His little cunning thoughts had indeed come to fruition.
County Captain Ma was truly tricked by him into being targeted by the "demon."
He guessed right; the "demon" would attack those who were alone.
So...the next step he had to take was to charge forward.
He needed to lead the charge heroically, stepping forward to save the day, showing himself as a responsible and capable young master. Then, given he had no martial arts skills and was a bit slow, he could quietly protect everyone from behind, stopping with labored breaths, quite reasonably.
This way, those he wanted dead were dead, and both face and benefits were gained.
But his mind was his mind, and his limbs were his limbs. When the time came, he discovered he simply couldn't charge forward.
Corpses strewn across, human heads and skins, fiery poisonous soil, midnight nightmares, hunters in the mist...one scene after another flashed through his mind.
His heart was completely out of control, pounding frantically, his eardrums buzzing incessantly as if filled with seven or eight bees, his mouth dry, his limbs devoid of any strength.
8 points of agility?
What good is 8 points of agility!
In a real fight, with poor mental fortitude and terrified to the core, 8 points of agility and 5 points of agility made no difference!
He had been a young master for seventeen years, and the greatest danger he ever encountered was risking his life to bring justice upon the heroine Yaohua because he once dreamt of forming a divine partnership with a wandering knight, which was a dream fulfilled... Yet in such a dangerous situation of potential death, he had never experienced this!
"Huff..."
"Huff, huff, huff, huff, huff..."
Li Xuan breathed heavily like a drowning man, puffs of hot air swiftly jetting from his nostrils.
Liu family's expert team leader Uncle Wang glanced at Li Xuan without showing disappointment, rather feeling that the young master had done well enough, recalling how their first blood-licking-on-knife-edge moment had been similar to him.
At least the young master held himself together, neither wetting his pants nor turning and running, which was commendable.
Hence, Uncle Wang glanced at Wei Yao.
Wei Yao's pretty face was stern, holding her spear horizontally in front of Li Xuan.
Uncle Wang nodded, selecting six Liu family experts to protect the young master here before following the county soldiers to encircle the source of the sound.
The Li family is a reputable figure in Xiongshan County, and when there are benefits, everyone shares, and when danger arises, they can't back down. Besides, the Li family patriarch has family rules that those family-reared Martial Artists who gained fortunate opportunities and wealth outside didn't have to hand them over, stimulating the Martial Artists' enthusiasm.
But Li Xuan's mind still buzzed, eyes wide open, the scene before him unfolding like a painting, as if his soul had left his body watching, only returning to his body after a while.
By then, his back was soaked in cold sweat.
Slap!
He raised his hand to slap his forehead, muttering to himself: 'Shameful! Truly shameful!'
His eyes only just returned from their previous "stiffness," moving again, noticing the experts around him and Wei Yao's concerned gaze, not helping but blush before coughing and asking, "How is it up front?"
A Martial Artist from the Li family holding a sword said, "I'll go and have a look. There are a thousand county soldiers and the Li family experts here, so what can possibly withstand such an assault in Red Leaf Mountain?"
Li Xuan nodded, "Be careful."
The Li family Martial Artist gave a fist salute and ran off.
Li Xuan took a step and stumbled.
His legs had gone soft.
Wei Yao swiftly caught him, avoiding eye contact to spare him embarrassment.
Another perceptive Li family Martial Artist brought over a large green stone.
Li Xuan sat down firmly, gazing distantly.
Another Martial Artist brought a leather flask, asking, "Young Master, would you like a sip of wine...to warm yourself."
This Martial Artist was considerate, suppressing the words "to bolster courage."
Li Xuan grabbed the leather flask, pulled the cork, and took a hearty swig.
The wine was strong, burning through his insides upon entering.
He felt much better, and his mind settled.
At this moment, cries of battle and wails continued from afar, but he still didn't know what the 'demon' looked like at all.
'What is the demon?'
'Is it one or many?'
'Why had it never appeared before?'
'Or is it that he was just ignorant?'
Not only him, but the County Captain, county soldiers, and the Li family experts were also clueless.
'Is the demon a new emergence?'
One question after another raced in his mind.
As time ticked by, the sounds of fighting in the distance gradually subsided, as if reaching a final stage.
After a while, the Li family Martial Artist who had gone to gather information ran back, his face full of shock, gesturing wildly, shouting, "Young Master, Young Master! It's a big leopard! Over ten feet long, emitting smoke from its body, with smoke patterns, extremely fierce!
Lord Shan said this leopard might have turned demon. It's a demonic beast, a spirit refined demonic beast!"
"Get to the point, what about the leopard?" Li Xuan said.
That Martial Artist, still afraid, said, "Killed dozens of county soldiers, Chiyue County's County Captain Ma also...also fell in battle...
Now, that demon leopard has been slain, its left eye pierced by an arrow, body slashed dozens of times, still having spears and being bitten by our hunting dogs.
Lord Shan's spear completely skewered the demon leopard's rear, embedding halfway, now still pinned to the ground."
Li Xuan estimated in his mind that this achievement was about equivalent to that of a Grandmaster.
A Grandmaster could fight ten armored soldiers, and even if besieged, could kill dozens of county soldiers. But a Grandmaster, without three heads and six arms, could be outlasted and killed if ambushed and outnumbered.
Seems like this "demon" was formidable, but ultimately couldn't withstand "unbeatable by blades and bullets."
In large numbers, it could be besieged and killed.
Beside Li Xuan, upon hearing "County Captain Ma is dead," Wei Yao's beautiful eyes widened in surprise, casting a shocked glance at the young man next to her, revealing doubt, which she quickly concealed.
"How are my brothers from the Li family, in terms of casualties?" Li Xuan asked again.
The Martial Artist replied solemnly, "One dead, three injured."
Li Xuan stated, "Collect the body and give a proper burial."
As he spoke, he stood up; it was time to harness the magic blood.
He waved his hand and said, "Let's go and see that demonic leopard!"
...
...
After resting for a while, Li Xuan had mostly recovered; now he stood up and led the Li family experts back along the original path.
As they walked, suddenly a commotion arose in the distance.
Li Xuan frowned.
One Martial Artist from the Li family muttered, "What's all the shouting about?"
Another person said, "Go and see for yourself."
The group didn't pay much attention since the dust had settled; what waves could it cause?
Soon, the noise from afar grew louder, accompanied by exclamations.
Li Xuan's pupils suddenly contracted, and a sense of danger approached from afar.
The magic blood within him suddenly heated up, burning his veins like fiery iron, making vision blurry in all directions.
In the woods, there were no footsteps to be heard, but the sound of whistling and the continuous breaking of twigs.
Before he could react, a bloodied monster with knives and spears sticking from it appeared at the edge of his vision.
That monster resembled a heavily loaded ox-cart rushing forward, raising dust.
Li Xuan's body bounced, and he turned to run.
The Martial Artist of the Li family turned pale but still set the formation, drawing swords and pulling swords.
As they ran, Li Xuan suddenly glanced over his shoulder and discovered that silly woman from his family had also set up with her spear, sharply eyeing the oncoming terrifying monster.
The spear tip of the white wax-wood shaft circled like a mother, first nodding like a pear blossom, finally settling like a phoenix head, facing the danger sharply.
The situation arose suddenly, and the monster ran swiftly.
Turning to flee would soon attract attention and pursuit—better to fight head-on.
Moreover, since Li Xuan was running, she opted not to run.
Time seemed to slow down in Li Xuan's eyes.
The blood-drenched massive beast rolled amidst red blood and white mist, raising a paw to smash through the blade of a Martial Artist from the Li family, clawing fiercely at his protective soft armor, producing a piercing sound.
That Martial Artist was knocked over with a muffled groan, flying backward, while nearby Martial Artists rushed forwards, slashing and thrusting.
Wei Yao's long spear in her hand wove like a white snake dancing with the wind, piercing through in an instant, targeting the giant beast.
The beast's left eye was bloodied, with a spear still stuck, swaying left and right, entering a frenzy.
Wei Yao's spear effortlessly touched its outer skin, penetrating with strength, entering its body.
The beast went mad, its claws stepping on the protective soft armor of the previous Martial Artist, then injuring another rushing Martial Artist, followed by leveraging a high leap, jumping two or three zhang high.
The Martial Artist looked up, watching the beast pass overhead.
Whoosh!
Wei Yao was also pulled up by flying, tightly gripping the white wax-wood shaft with both hands, as she landed, her whole delicate body slammed down hard like grain being tossed, making a dull thud on the hard mountain ground.
She gritted her teeth, enduring the pain, letting the beast drag her, then her boots finally found balance on the ground, and using some unknown skill, she stood up, swiftly stepping, barely keeping pace.
Following the shaft, flipping over, she mounted the beast's back, violently pulling a dagger lodged in the beast, fiercely hacking at its neck.
As she chopped, Wei Yao suddenly raised her head to see... Li Xuan fleeing.
And the beast had already reached behind Li Xuan, clawing towards his back.
Wei Yao's heart almost stopped with fright.
Her vision turned blood red.
Her brother's face overlapped with this young man's face in front of her.
Back then, she couldn't save her brother, and now... can she not save Li Xuan either?
Her chest heaved rapidly, her eyes almost splitting with rage, her tiger mouth bloody, yet she frenziedly continued chopping at the beast's neck, completely unaware.
But still, the beast's claw "sizzled" as it tore Li Xuan's back.
Wei Yao's mind went blank, releasing a hysterical shriek, a burst of wild slashing.
Blood splattered everywhere, the scorching poison splattering onto her thighs, waist.
She ignored it completely!
"Ah!"
"Die!"
"Die, die, die!!"
The beast, sensing the annoying little thing behind, started shaking violently, trying to throw her off.
But Wei Yao had already gone mad, chopping furiously.
Soon, the remaining Martial Artists from the Li family arrived, followed shortly by the pursuing county soldiers.
A mass of people encircled for the kill, and the beast eventually fell once more.
Wei Yao felt overwhelming pain throughout her body and passed out.
Li Xuan awakened slowly; his spine seemed almost broken, but the wound was absent.
As the eldest son of the Li family, how could he not wear a fine inner armor?
Upon waking, he saw Wei Yao covered in blood red on her legs, waist, abdomen, hurriedly running over.
A Martial Artist warned, "Young Master, that blood is poisonous!"
Li Xuan didn't heed, rushing to Wei Yao's side, seeing the blood-covered beauty, wanting to embrace her, but gritted his teeth, removed his torn outer garment, frantically wiping away the blood.
As he wiped, his fingertips naturally touched the magic blood.
Streams of heat surged along his fingertips, flooding through his entire body.