Chapter Four: Cloud Demon Forest
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Inside a particular Living Quarter, there was one youth saluting to a young man who sat on the glamorous chair.
"Are you speaking the truth?!" Wang Peng said angrily. He thought that sending a 2nd layer of Qi Refinement was enough to crush a wasted trash, but now his face had full of shock and anger. He never assumed that a crippled bastard could defeat a genuine martial artist. Furthermore, it was not an ordinary one, it was a remarkable 2nd layer of Qi Refinement. Simply thinking of this Wang Peng felt he was slapped on his face.
"Ye-yes Young Master Peng, Lu Chen is definitely a monster. In their collision, that Lu Chem was undoubtedly didn't use any spiritual energy, but more like a strange one, by standing near him, you could sense a pressure in your body that makes you unable to firmly stand in the ground." The disciple reported truthfully without hiding anything while his face expressed his feelings of fear and disbelief, more and more.
Bam!
Wang Peng smashed the table in front of him, releasing a spiritual energy on that simple smash.
[4th Layer, Pathfinder!]
The youth' heart skipped a bit, this Wang Peng in front of him was an honorable Pathfinder. He couldn't help but felt a little afraid when the gushes of spiritual energy swept into his direction stroking his skin.
In the world of Myriad Martial Continent, the Qi Refinement was divided into 9 layers, which every 3 layers are namely called. Seeker, Pathfinder, Martial Master.
Seeker are the people who started training walking their path towards the Martial Way if one was able to reach the first layer one could be officially called a seeker. They will have the power to gain superhuman power more than an ordinary mortal could achieve. However, their ambition didn't stop there. Because they wanted to step into a higher realm, which is called Pathfinder. At the time you stepped on this realm, one could sense the Heaven and Earth Qi and adapted them into their body and releasing them, and finally the Apex of Mortal Realm, the Martial Master. Whoever steps into this realm is respected across the Thirteen Cities that is ruled by the Moon Empire. Martial Master is able to control their Spiritual Energy much better and able to float in the sky for several breaths. Of course, this only applied to those Peak Martial Master that are half-step into Immortal Establishment (Foundation Establishment).
In short, the three great mortal realm are namely called.
Qi Refinement: 1-3 Layer - Seeker (Power Enhancing), 4-6 Layer - Pathfinder (True Qi, Release of Qi), 7-9 Layer - Martial Master (Better Control, Able to Fly for a short period of time.) And the legendary realm, Foundation Establishment, which is rare in the mortal world. Because only a few of the strong powerhouses of Sect and Ancient Clan have reached this realm and they're the strongest individual in the Thirteen Cities.
"Hmph! How could that trash thought he was able to soar in the sky with his puny talent? What did he say? Stepping Stone? Laughable, This trash was a really ambitious one, yet, mediocre. Hmph! I will let him feel pain and pay respect to Mount Tai." Wang Peng said indifferently. In his heart, Lu Chen was only a lowborn race that's destined to be a Mortal in his entire life so he didn't treat him as much threat to him, his focus on was the top disciple in the outer sect and compete for the Outer Disciple Competition.
"You May Go!" Wang Peng waves his hand, dispersing the youth as he ignored him and close his eyes.
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__Cloud Demon Forest__
After walking for several hours, Lu Chen had stepped inside the territory of Famous Cloud Demon Forest.
[As expected, this place truly a dangerous place.]
Lu Chen could entirely saw the geographical landscape of the Forest. Although, it was kinda hard due to its various trees that are standing there for how many years. Lu Chen had compared the two forests in his former life and came in conclusion. However, this forest was much wider and dangerous compared with the forest he seen in his previous life.
Lu Chen stepped inside the Forest and smelled the air of blood that was hovering the surrounding, which makes it a very risky and dangerous place to wander. Regardless of the danger, Lu Chen still stepped inside the forest.
He was here to forge his path and try his luck. Why would he get easily be scared of a fresh blood?
He knew that after activating a system and taking a heaven-defying path. He would walk into countless blood and step into thousand of geniuses, before, he could stand at the peak!
Without hesitation on his determined face. Lu Chen stepped inside the Cloud Demon Forest.
After stepping inside the Forest, Lu Chen leaped into a tall tree that several meters high that perfectly able to observe five or so kilometers away from him. He did this in order to look out for the deadly beasts in his surroundings, which might threaten his life. Because if he wasn't very careful for a moment, then any second he might lose his life, with his first layer of Body Refinement undoubtedly the lowest cultivation inside the Cloud Demon forest. However, Lu Chen didn't come here to hunt for deadly beasts, instead, he was here for Earthly and Heavenly Treasure, so avoiding powerful beasts would be easy for him. Although he could defend himself from those deadly beasts that could threaten the 3rd layer of Qi Refinement cultivator by simply using his martial skills, it's still safe being cautious rather than be aggressive.
Leaping in the tall tree, Lu Chen easily stood at its top, utilizing his Micro Step of the Entry Realm. It boosted his speed several times faster than the 3rd Layer of Qi Refinement could do.
After Lu Chen swept his gaze, he could see several beasts in his surroundings. If he counts them all, then it might total around 10-15 beasts that were close to him. But Lu Chen was calmly looking at them because the beasts couldn't threaten him at all. But, if it was an ordinary first or second layer of Qi Refinement cultivator then these beasts could threaten them and might die to it.
[I hope Lady's luck is on my side]
Lu Chen took a deep breath, and start hopping from tree to tree using his Micro Step. Lu Chen was lucky enough that Micro Step had the ability to minimize the sound of footwork when he leaps, or else these beasts will surely able to sense him a while ago.
After a few minutes, Lu Chen stopped, and hide in the tree's branches and peered out in the ground looking at the surface. In the ground, there was a deadly stripped-bear that can even threaten the second rankers of Seeker. Lu Chen didn't act rashly, although this bear was only able to threaten second ranker, its claws were very deadly with poison that could paralyze a cultivator for several minutes. So he only quietly watch it from the distance. As for the reason, Lu Chen stopped. It was because of the Grass near the bear was important for Lu Chen. Because this was his task to gather, the Green Essence Grass!
Although, this kind of grass could be located in some areas inside the Cloud Demon Forest. However, it was rare for it to be guarded with a slightly strong beast like Stripped-Bear. Because usually the Green Essence Grass was normally guarded with a Deadly Beast that could threaten Third Rankers. In Lu Chen's eyes, this encounter seems to be his fortune, so without wasting time he quickly thinks of a plan.
Looking left to right, He didn't find any nearby deadly beasts in his surroundings. Lu Chen thought for a while, then jump off the tree he was hiding in and strike with sneak-attack.
"Micro Step!"
With a slight push on his feet in the branches. Lu Chen's speed increased, punching the Bear on its back with all of his power. However, although Lu Chen successfully struck a sneak-attack. The bear discovered him, but it was too late for its claw to strikeout. Instead, the bear defended itself from the attack.
Boom!
The stripped-bear was blown out, crashing its body in the tree wailing with pain.
Fortunately, the Green Essence Grass, which Lu Chen's purpose of attacking was safe and sound, without getting any harm on its essence, or else its purity will be greatly reduced.
"Rawr!" (Author: Okay, I don't know what the bear sound like. Don't mind me.)
The bear made an air-pitching noise due to its pain. The stripped-bear stabilize its body and directly pounce on Lu Chen wanting to tear out his face.
[Hmph!]
Lu Chen sneered at the incoming stripped-bear and directly retreated using his micro-step, and making the close tree rise his speed of motion and punch the beast.
Boom! Bang!
Continuous collision was heard in the surrounding area, while the bear brandishes it claws towards Lu Chen. As for, Lu Chen it didn't take him two or three minutes before making the stripped-bear exhausted, and then he cunningly punch its whole body until it died unwillingly.
Although, the stripped-bear was about Lu Chen's strength, due to his sneak-attack earlier that reduces its strength. The bear was at a disadvantage and he easily killed it in a few minutes of confrontation.
"Mhm, this beast was really strong as the rumors say." Lu Chen murmured and continued. "Time to get my spoil of war, then." Lu Chen walk towards the location of Green Essence Grass. It didn't take a minute before Lu Chen plucked out all the grass, and put it inside his storage pouch.
[Let's continued our journey then, shall we?]
Lu Chen thought and quickly leaped in the tree-like an assassin whose prominent of their awareness, and he, shortly, employed his hearing and vision into his surroundings to locate Earthly and Heavenly Treasure.
When the times it takes an incense stick to burn, Lu Chen who was leaping like a blurry shadow, stopped once again when suddenly, he heard a scream on his right side.
Turning his feet towards the area where he heard the shout. Lu Chen immediately utilized his Micro Step into its fullest.
After he arrived in that area, Lu Chen jumped out in the tree and landed in the ground, hiding behind a bush. He peeks at the three young men and two young ladies who're currently fleeing from the beast behind their back.
[Golden Wild-Teeth Tiger!]
Lu Chen cried out in alarm.
This beast was a deadly beast that could even threaten a Fourth Ranker of Qi Refinement!... Its teeth was its sharpest weapon, one bite from the tiger could directly kill a 3rd Ranker and below in one strike. Thinking of this, Lu Chen gulped.
"Please somebody, Help us!"