Chapter 2: Advancing to Dou Shi

With a sharp command from their leader, the surrounding mercenaries charged at Chen Mo.

"Just me alone… As expected, it's hard to intimidate them."

Chen Mo's expression darkened slightly as he scanned the group of mercenaries rushing toward him. There were more than ten of them, with strength ranging from three-star to five-star Dou Zhe.

Having never experienced real combat, Chen Mo knew that in xuanhuan novels, even a single level of difference could be as vast as a chasm. However, since he was still a beginner in the Dou Zhe realm, he wasn't sure whether he could defeat these people.

So, to be on the safe side—he ran.

The decision was made in an instant.

"Run!" Chen Mo grabbed Die's hand and took off.

"Trying to escape?" The leader was momentarily stunned. Just a moment ago, this brat had been so arrogant, and now he wanted to run?

He ordered a few mercenaries to stay behind and guard the remaining Snake-People, while the rest of them gave chase.

They hadn't gotten far when—

"Ah!" Die Ba let out a cry. She wasn't fast enough to keep up with Chen Mo's pace and soon tripped and fell to the ground.

Chen Mo's expression changed, and he immediately stopped. "Are you okay?"

"D-Don't worry about me. Just go!"

Die Ba couldn't understand why this human was helping her. But seeing the mercenaries closing in, she didn't want to drag him down.

"I told you, I'm taking you with me."

Now that he had finally established a bond with her, there was no way Chen Mo was going to let this opportunity slip away.

However, Die's snake tail was too long, making it difficult for him to carry her.

"Looks like I'll have to fight."

Chen Mo retrieved the Power Accumulation Pill from the system and swallowed it.

Immediately, he felt a surge of strength coursing through his body.

The Power Accumulation Pill could temporarily enhance one's physical strength.

[Ding! Favorability +2. Obtained a Tier-2 Healing Pill.]

Die Ba was deeply moved by his words.

She realized that this human was different from the ones who had captured her.

He was a good person.

[Ding! Favorability +1. Obtained 1 Favorability Point.]

"Hm?" Chen Mo was momentarily surprised. Another point in favorability? Was it because of my handsome face?

But what exactly is a Favorability Point?

Before he had time to think, the mercenaries had already surrounded them.

"Kill the brat! But be careful with the snake woman—she's worth more than all your lives put together!"

The leader raised his massive blade and gave the order in a cold tone.

"Yes, sir!"

With his command, over ten mercenaries split up, with five of them charging at Chen Mo and Die Ba. Their faces were filled with bloodlust.

Chen Mo took a deep breath.

Before transmigrating, he had been a college sophomore and had learned a few moves in the school's Taekwondo club. Though mostly just for show, he did know a couple of techniques.

Boom!

His eyes swept over the five mercenaries rushing toward him. Dodging a slashing weapon, he countered with a sweeping kick.

The sluggish Dou Qi within his body suddenly surged like a tidal wave, flooding his leg meridians.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

With the full force of a nine-star Dou Zhe, he sent the five mercenaries flying.

"A nine-star Dou Zhe?!"

The leader's expression darkened. He hadn't expected this seemingly young brat to be so strong.

"Don't hold back! Everyone, attack at once!"

The leader waved his hand, commanding all his men to charge.

"Be careful!" Die Ba warned anxiously.

As the mercenaries closed in from all directions, Chen Mo exhaled lightly, his expression growing serious.

Then, he made his move.

Bending down, he grabbed a handful of sand and flung it into the air before throwing a punch at the nearest mercenaries.

Crack!

One of them took a direct hit to the face. His facial bones shattered as he collapsed to the ground, screaming in agony.

In no time, several mercenaries lay groaning on the ground.

"Yellow Rank Beginner Dou Technique—Blood-Drinking Blade!"

Seizing the opportunity, the leader launched a sneak attack. His blade erupted with a shocking red glow as it slashed toward Chen Mo.

"Watch out behind you!" Die Ba screamed.

Hearing this, Chen Mo quickly turned to dodge. His pupils contracted as the blood-colored blade light grazed past his face, sending a chill down his spine.

Had he not dodged in time, he would've been dead.

For the first time in his life, Chen Mo felt how close death could be.

"Look out!"

Die Ba screamed again.

As Chen Mo evaded the leader's attack, another mercenary swung his blade down onto his back.

His clothes tore open, and a sharp pain shot through his body, nearly causing him to collapse.

"Damn it…" Chen Mo's back burned with pain.

Seeing him injured, Die Ba panicked.

He got hurt because he was saving me… It's my fault.

Tears welled up in her eyes. "Run! Don't worry about me!"

"Haha! Run? Too late! Kill him!"

The leader laughed coldly and ordered all the mercenaries—including himself—to strike.

But at that moment—

[Ding! Favorability +10. Obtained a breakthrough—Advanced to One-Star Dou Shi.]

Suddenly, a vast and powerful energy poured into Chen Mo's body like a warm current, seamlessly fusing with him.

In an instant, his nine-star Dou Zhe strength broke through to the Dou Shi realm.

It happened so fast that the leader and the others failed to notice anything unusual.

"A bunch of trash… My turn!"

As the mercenaries charged toward him, the Dou Qi within Chen Mo's body surged wildly, driven by his newfound killing intent.

A thin layer of black and white Dou Qi slowly emerged on his skin, forming an ethereal protective film.

Manifesting Dou Qi as a protective energy shroud was the defining trait of a Dou Shi expert. This energy shroud not only enhanced defense, speed, and attack power but also improved one's ability to absorb energy from the surrounding environment.

By the time the leader noticed the change, it was already too late.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

In a flash, all the mercenaries—including the leader—were knocked to the ground.

"You… You were hiding your strength?!"

The leader spat out a mouthful of blood. He couldn't believe that this brat had suddenly broken through to Dou Shi. In his eyes, Chen Mo must have been concealing his power all along.

Chen Mo didn't respond.

Instead, he picked up a large blade from the ground and slowly walked toward the leader.

The leader's face turned pale. "Y-You… What are you doing?"

"What do you think?"

"You're… You're going to kill me?"

"Weren't you trying to kill me just now?"

"I-I was wrong! Please, spare me!" The leader pleaded desperately.

"You really think that's possible?"

Chen Mo raised the blade and stepped closer.

But just then, Die Ba stepped in front of him and hesitantly said, "Can… Can you not kill him?"

Chen Mo was taken aback.

Then, he remembered that in the anime, Die Ba had always been kind-hearted. It was her unwillingness to take lives that led her to use space-forbidding techniques to escape during the tribe's ritual.

"Alright," Chen Mo said.

[Ding! Favorability +1. Obtained 1 Favorability Point.]

A smile appeared on Die's face.

****

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