Let the Power of Youth Explode!
Qin Wentian glanced back and marveled at Fan Le, who was maneuvering gracefully on the tree as if he were strolling on solid ground.
"Remarkable," Qin Wentian commented with a smile, his admiration evident.
Fan Le stood steady, bending his bow until it resembled a full moon, arrows nocked and ready to fire.
"This chubby genius right here," Fan Le grinned. Qin Wentian couldn't argue; this rather unconventional fellow was undeniably a genius.
Orfon cast a ruthless glare at Fan Le up in the tree, his killing intent palpable. "Don't meddle in things that don't concern you, or I'll ensure you meet a gruesome end."
Fan Le, undeterred, maintained his grin and offered advice, "Let's deal with the one on the side first." He acted as if Orfon's threat hadn't even registered. Qin Wentian agreed with a nod, his eyes cold as he lunged toward the youth standing beside Orfon.
As Fan Le's words faded, the three arrows he had launched transformed into three sets of incredibly sharp swords, all aimed at Orfon. Without missing a beat, Fan Le had another set of three arrows ready to go, moving fluidly like an extension of himself. This time, an Astral Soul flickered behind him, radiating with brilliance.
In the vast realm of the 9 Heavenly Layers, countless constellations existed, allowing for diverse Stellar Martial Cultivators. Fan Le's Astral Soul took the form of a crescent moon-shaped bow.
The arrows glowed with Astral Light as they soared into the sky.
Meanwhile, Qin Wentian was locked in combat with Orfon's lackey. Both unleashed their Astral Souls, with the Heavenly Hammer radiating intense light, while Qin Wentian's opponent wielded an Icy Mountain Astral Soul, infusing each of his strikes with a chilling frost.
Their palms collided with a resounding "peng!" Qin Wentian felt a surge of icy energy trying to infiltrate his body, threatening to freeze his Stellar Meridians. However, his opponent's palms trembled, and he was forced back, almost to the point of numbness. Despite being at the 8th level of the Body Refinement Realm, Qin Wentian's strength far exceeded his level.
Suddenly, worry etched itself onto Qin Wentian's face as if a massive surge of Demonic Qi was hurtling their way.
"What's happening?" he asked urgently.
"A herd of demonic beasts is headed straight for us. Qin Wentian, finish him off quickly," Fan Le warned, his expression turning serious. This time, he let go of his control over the directional-changing arrows. With the full force of his Astral Soul, Fan Le swiftly shot out a straight arrow, blocking Qin Wentian's opponent's path of escape.
With a deafening "rumble," the Astral Energy within Qin Wentian surged frenetically, flowing through his Stellar Meridians like a turbulent ocean tide. He transformed into a raging dragon, launching his attack with a thunderous roar.
His opponent's face paled, and another arrow descended at terrifying speed from above. The surrounding temperature plummeted as his hands turned into ice pikes, simultaneously attempting to block the incoming arrow and strike at Qin Wentian.
"DIE!" Qin Wentian bellowed. His immense strength shattered the ice pike into fragments and delivered a devastating blow that rattled his opponent's body. Despite the attempt to retreat, the arrow, infused with Astral Energy, pierced through his brain, pinning him to the ground.
Orfon could do nothing but watch his comrade meet a grim fate. Rapid arrows fired by Fan Le prevented him from intervening. Fan Le's arrows might not have possessed exceptional power, but his extraordinary control allowed them to change direction mid-flight, catching opponents off guard.
As the demonic Qi intensified, Qin Wentian turned his gaze toward a pack of demonic wolves charging in their direction.
"Run!" Fan Le shot three more arrows, leaped down from the massive tree, and sprinted in the opposite direction. Qin Wentian snapped out of his stupor and followed Fan Le in escape.
"KILL THEM ALL!" Orfon's curses echoed behind them. He had thrown away all pretenses and assembled a group of four to pursue Qin Wentian. Yet, all his comrades had perished, infuriating him further. Despite his significantly greater strength, he couldn't utilize it fully due to the relentless arrow barrages unleashed by Fan Le.
Qin Wentian was baffled. He tried to make sense of Orfon's words before turning to Fan Le.
"From up in the tree, I could see a group of people chasing behind the demonic wolves. They might be controlling the wolf pack's leader. There must be individuals among them with beast-taming Astral Souls," Fan Le explained with a worried expression. He continued, "Luckily, your Astral Soul is incredibly formidable. You managed to produce such strength at only the 8th level of the Body Refinement Realm."
Qin Wentian couldn't decide if Fan Le was a genius or just plain foolish. In such a dire situation, he still found time to analyze Astral Souls. He stared at Fan Le and said, "Let's focus on staying alive first. These demonic wolves are faster than us and can easily tear through tree trunks. Climbing a tree won't save us."
"I don't think there's any way out of this," the rotund man lamented, his voice heavy with gloom.
Shortly after, shadowy figures of demonic wolves materialized one by one, darting in from the sides and steadily advancing in front of them. This pack of demonic wolves was clearly herding them, treating them as prey.
As Qin Wentian and Fan Le found themselves encircled, the wolves in front halted and turned, displaying their menacing fangs. Their cruel eyes gleamed with madness.
"Thud, thud..." Both Qin Wentian and Fan Le came to a stop. Qin Wentian noticed that Fan Le had discarded his previous bow and conjured an Astral Bow, which radiated a luminous corona.
"Let the power of youth explode!" Fan Le exclaimed, and his entire body blazed like a bonfire. Waves of formidable Astral pressure emanated from him, while the Astral Light shone as brilliantly as the sun. The surrounding wolves hesitated and even took a slight step back. Fear seemed to flicker in their eyes as Fan Le's pressure continued to rise, intensifying rapidly.
"Brother, cover me. We need to take down the Wolf King," Fan Le said sharply, his gaze fixed on the massive Wolf King.
"Buzz!" A brilliant ray of Astral Light shot forth like a shooting star toward the towering Wolf King. The Wolf King roared and swiped its claw, gleaming with a frigid light, but it lacked the strength to deflect the Astral Arrow. The arrow followed the Wolf King's movements, heading straight for its head.
"Howl..." The giant wolf leaped backward in an attempt to evade the arrow. The Astral Arrow tracked it as if it had eyes, spinning through the air and following the Wolf King's every move.
Terror gripped the Wolf King's expression. Realizing it couldn't dodge the arrow, the wolf raised its paws defensively, hoping to at least lessen the impact. However, the Astral Arrow abruptly altered its flight path, impaling one of the Wolf King's hind legs and pinning the massive creature to the ground with its tremendous Astral Energy.
Qin Wentian and Fan Le wasted no time, rushing toward the Wolf King. Several other wolves appeared, blocking their path.
"Get lost!" Qin Wentian released his Astral Soul, materializing a Heavenly Hammer in his hands. Leaping into the air, he swung the hammer gracefully, bathed in Astral Light, obliterating a wolf and scattering flesh and blood.
Qin Wentian's movements flowed without pause as he executed the Tempered Thousand Hammer Refinement technique in a fluid dance, striking left and right to carve a path through the sea of demonic wolves.
Fan Le's gaze remained locked on the Wolf King. Sprinting forward, he drew his Astral bow and fired three explosive arrows in quick succession. The Wolf King attempted to use its paws to mitigate the impact, but at such close range, it was futile. The explosive arrows packed a violent and domineering force. Two of them detonated the Wolf King's paws, while the final arrow blew off its head.
"Brilliant," Qin Wentian grinned widely. The Wolf King was at least a 4th-level demonic beast. Yet, Fan Le dispatched it so effortlessly, despite its strength being on par with a 2nd-level Arterial Circulation Realm cultivator. At that moment, Fan Le seemed taller in Qin Wentian's eyes, exuding a dependable aura.
"Awooo..." In that moment, the frigid howl of a wolf echoed through the Dark Forest. Emerging from the ranks of the demonic wolves, two figures appeared. One was a youth garbed in beast skins, seated atop an enormous wolf, his visage cold and unyielding.
Beside him stood Orfon, his cold smile directed toward Qin Wentian and Fan Le. In his eyes, their fate was already sealed.
"Who would've thought that among the Emperor Star Academy's applicants, there'd be one with a Bloodline Limit," Orfon mused in astonishment, his gaze fixed on Fan Le.
Fan Le, it turned out, possessed a Bloodline Limit that augmented his combat prowess.
"Bloodline Limit," Qin Wentian mentally marveled, his knowledge informed by Uncle Black's teachings. He understood that cultivators condensed their Astral Souls through an innate connection with specific constellations, guided by their affinity, senses, talent, and determination. Some individuals carried potent energies in their bloodlines, which could be inherited by their descendants. However, not every descendant could awaken the latent power within their bloodline. Occasionally, one with a special connection could tap into their ancestral energy, gaining the abilities of their forebears.
Furthermore, these Bloodline Limits came in various types, each offering distinct enhancements and powers. Fan Le's bloodline enabled him to unlock his latent potential, significantly boosting his combat capabilities.
"What rotten luck. We targeted the wrong person," Fan Le muttered under his breath before shifting his attention to Qin Wentian. "My Bloodline is known as the Empyrean Flames Bloodline. It can substantially amplify my combat capabilities. I can transfer this bloodline's energy to you, temporarily infusing your blood with the effects of my Empyrean Flames Bloodline, greatly enhancing your fighting prowess."
"Sounds good," Qin Wentian agreed. Fan Le wasted no time, his energy fluctuating before coalescing into a blood palm that imprinted its mark on Qin Wentian's back.
The energy of the Empyrean Flames Bloodline surged into Qin Wentian's body via the blood imprint. He felt his blood roiling as his power surged.
"Rumble!" In an instant, Qin Wentian shuddered. The pressure exuding from his body could intimidate even the most resolute cultivators.
"Huh?" Fan Le was taken aback, looking at Qin Wentian. Qin Wentian's complexion turned crimson, and his body radiated a fearsome strength akin to that of an ancient beast. Tremors wracked his form, as if the energy sought to consume him.
"What's going on?" Fan Le queried.
"I don't know. There's some strange energy within my blood that's absorbing the Empyrean Flames Bloodline energy you transferred to me. I can't control it," Qin Wentian confessed, his body trembling more intensely.
"Damn! Bloodline rejection? Is that even possible?" The flesh on Fan Le's face jiggled as he swore. Qin Wentian also harbored a Bloodline Limit, and it seemed his bloodline exceeded the grade of Fan Le's Empyrean Flame Bloodline.
Fan Le understood that most Bloodline Limits remained dormant until awakened by specific circumstances. Qin Wentian's bloodline was still dormant, but it was rousing due to its interaction with the Empyrean Flames Bloodline.
"Could we fully awaken Qin Wentian's bloodline? If successful, he'd gain the power of his bloodline to aid him in combat. If not, his unique bloodline might be forever lost."