"The Pursuit of Power: Training and Intrigue in Silvermoon Forest"

Huang Xiaolong received the black bear's gall and took out the liquor from the Asura Ring. He broke open the bear's gall and mixed it in the liquor, which he obtained after killing a person from Evil Spirit Mercenaries a couple of days ago.

He swallowed the gall of the Rank 6 black bear, and warm currents started to flow through his body. At first, the warmth was subtle, but after several breaths, it gradually expanded. As Huang Xiaolong practiced the Asura Arts and absorbed the Battle Qi, the warm current transformed continuously into Nine Nether Battle Qi, surging through his meridians.

During this month in Silvermoon Forest, Huang Xiaolong hunted and killed Monster Beasts while practicing. His cultivation level in Battle Qi progressed rapidly compared to before at Huang Family Manor. Hunting these Monster Beasts occasionally led him to valuable items like the Rank 6 black bear's gall, which greatly aided Battle Qi cultivation. However, breaking through the Rank 6 barrier was extremely difficult and usually took more than a year for someone with a top-tier Martial Spirit at Level 10 to advance from Rank 5 Late Stage Peak to Rank 6.

Although Huang Xiaolong possessed a Super level Martial Spirit, and even twin Super level Martial Spirits, breaking through to Rank 6 would still take around 4 to 5 months. Huang Xiaolong practiced by swallowing the Rank 6 black bear's gall, while the Spirit Devouring Purple Monkey chewed on a purple fruit it had picked somewhere and swallowed Monster Cores without needing to refine them through meditation.

Fei Hou stood guard beyond ten meters, attentively listening for any sounds in the surroundings. Several hours passed, and Huang Xiaolong completely refined the efficacy of the Rank 6 black bear's gall. He stood up from the ground, and after a month of practice, his muscles became denser and stronger, and his overall strength increased. Summoning the Asura Blade, he flew into the air. While airborne, Huang Xiaolong swung the Asura Blade downward, causing dozens of Asura Blades to rain down, covering the surrounding ten meters.

Everything within that range turned into fragments and powder. Within the blade rain, there faintly emanated a terrifying sound, as if the cries of tormented souls from the depths of Hell. Huang Xiaolong descended from midair.

After a month of practice, Huang Xiaolong finally achieved a minor level of proficiency in the second move of the Asura Sword Arts, Tears of Asura. With a swing of his blade, Asura cried out. However, although Huang Xiaolong had achieved a minor level of proficiency in this move, he was still far from mastering it completely. To achieve the effect of full mastery, where the blade rain could be gentle like flowing water or fierce like a raging river, and even become invisible, would require reaching the state of complete mastery.

Currently, when Huang Xiaolong swung his blade, the blade rain fluttered, but he was unable to control its size. After completing the practice of Tears of Asura, Huang Xiaolong retracted the Asura Blade and suddenly extended his hands like claws, drawing in the dark energy from the corpse of the black bear. Black energy elegantly flowed from the black bear's body into Huang Xiaolong's hands.

As the black energy flowed, black light flickered on Huang Xiaolong's body, and then he extended his claws toward a large tree around ten meters away. Two dark claw images appeared, breaking through the air and causing the surrounding area to darken. With a "ping" sound, the claw images struck the tree trunk, making a loud noise. The area around the claw images turned pitch black, emanating an aura of death.

During this month, while practicing the second move of the Asura Sword Arts, Tears of Asura, Huang Xiaolong also began practicing another battle skill, the Asura Ghost Claw. The Asura Ghost Claw consisted of only five moves, and when fully mastered, each move possessed destructive power capable of annihilating the heavens and earth. Huang Xiaolong had just practiced the first move, Ten Thousand Ghost Howling, to the level of full mastery. When this move was executed, ten thousand ghosts would appear, blotting out the sky and sweeping away all obstacles.

However, at present, even a single ghost did not appear when Huang Xiaolong attacked. It seemed that he needed to further refine his practice of the Asura Ghost Claw. However, there was a condition for practicing the Asura Ghost Claw, which was to absorb Blood Soul Qi. This Blood Soul Qi could only be found in the bodies of recently deceased humans or Monster Beasts. The black energy Huang Xiaolong absorbed from the black bear's corpse was a form of Blood Soul Qi.

While Huang Xiaolong contemplated his practice, he suddenly heard footsteps and voices in the distance. Fei Hou quickly moved to stand behind Huang Xiaolong, and the Spirit Devouring Purple Monkey jumped down from a tree and returned to Huang Xiaolong's shoulder. Huang Xiaolong decided they should hide.

Just as they hid, a group of people came into view from the distance. To Huang Xiaolong's surprise, he recognized them as disciples from the Purple Clothes Sword Sect. He remained silent and observed.

"Elder Chen, it has been a month, and Senior Brother Cheng and the others have not caught up to meet us. Could something have happened?" one of the Purple Clothes Sword Sect disciples asked.

Chen Feng, with his thick gray eyebrows, frowned. They still hadn't encountered Cheng Liang and the other Purple Clothes Sword Sect disciples, which meant something might have gone wrong. Chen Feng's eyes flashed with coldness.

"Hmph, whoever dares to kill our Purple Clothes Sword Sect disciples is seeking death!" another Purple Clothes Sword Sect disciple coldly snorted. "If we find out who did it, we'll wipe out their entire family for nine generations!"

Chen Feng turned to a nearby disciple and inquired, "Have you found any trace of the two Starry Sky Academy disciples we were chasing down?"

A month ago, Cheng Liang and the others were in pursuit of two Starry Sky Academy disciples who had gone missing. As long as they could discover the whereabouts of those two Starry Sky Academy disciples, they would also learn about Cheng Liang and the others' situation.

"In response, Elder Chen, according to our disciple's report, those two Starry Sky Academy disciples are currently near Poison Mist Valley," the disciple respectfully replied.

"Poison Mist Valley!" Chen Feng's brow furrowed, and he coldly said, "Now, all of you follow me to Poison Mist Valley!"

"Yes, Elder Chen!"

After a while, the group of Purple Clothes Sword Sect disciples disappeared from sight. Huang Xiaolong and Fei Hou then descended from the tree.

"Master, should we also go to Poison Mist Valley?" Fei Hou asked. "But Poison Mist Valley is one of the Three Great Danger Zones in Silvermoon Forest."

"The Three Great Danger Zones?" Huang Xiaolong pondered for a moment. "Let's go and take a look."

And so, Huang Xiaolong, accompanied by Fei Hou, followed behind the group of Purple Clothes Sword Sect disciples toward Poison Mist Valley. The place where Poison Mist Valley began was not far from Huang Xiaolong and the others. After a day's journey, they arrived at Poison Mist Valley.

Standing at the mouth of Poison Mist Valley, Huang Xiaolong and the others observed the incessant and eerie gray-green poisonous mist. Chen Feng waved his hand and said, "Spread out and search for any signs of a battle."

The disciples of the Purple Clothes Sword Sect respectfully complied and dispersed. After a while, one of them returned to Chen Feng and respectfully reported, "Elder Chen, we've found signs of a battle up ahead."

"Good, let's go and take a look!"