Compared to a ferocious wolf, a leopard's speed was more than a notch superior.
Moreover, these two leopards displayed remarkable coordination—one on the left, one on the right, constantly switching positions, making it impossible to predict their attack paths.
Whoosh!
Li Yan only saw a blur before his eyes.
Two gusts of foul wind surged toward him, one from the front, one from behind.
What a beast!
Li Yan's body jolted, his pores prickling with alarm.
The leopards moved so swiftly that he couldn't even discern the weak points at their necks or bellies.
If he struck blindly with his blade, even a hit might not save him. Once the beast closed in, a single swipe of its claws could gut him.
Yet he couldn't retreat either—not with Wang Daoxuan right behind him.
Sensing the direction of the foul wind, Li Yan bent backward, his spine arching like a great dragon before snapping taut. With a burst of force from his right leg, he executed a Kuixing Reverse Kick in midair.
Kuixing, the deity governing literary fortune, was often depicted standing on one leg atop a giant turtle's head, symbolizing preeminence. Among the ten forms of Red Fist, there was a move imitating this divine stance: the Kuixing Kick.
Li Yan's Kuixing Reverse Kick, however, saw his entire body flip, resembling a bicycle kick in soccer, but with force directed upward from below.
At the same time, his hidden strength erupted.
Boom!
A loud crash resounded. Li Yan felt a tremor in his right leg, as if he'd kicked a rubber tire. The leopard, struck squarely in the chest, was sent flying seven or eight meters, crashing into the rocky hillside with a clatter.
The force threw Li Yan off balance, and he tumbled to the ground.
At that moment, the second leopard lunged.
"Go to hell!"
Before Li Yan could roll aside, a furious roar erupted nearby.
It was Sha Lifei, unleashing his fury.
Due to the Three Talents Demon-Suppressing Coin, the two highly intelligent leopards had fixated on Li Yan as their primary threat, attacking him simultaneously while overlooking Sha Lifei nearby.
This was the limitation of wild beasts.
Even with their heightened instincts, their subconscious still followed the ways of the wilderness. When faced with multiple prey, their terrifying presence would typically scatter their targets, allowing them to pick them off one by one.
But humans were different.
The second leopard, intent on pouncing Li Yan, left itself open to Sha Lifei.
Sha Lifei charged forward, slamming into the beast with a shoulder strike, his knife pressed against his elbow. The impact sent the leopard flying sideways.
At the same time, a bloody gash opened in the leopard's belly.
"Roar!"
Despite its ferocity, the wounded leopard rolled on the ground, sprang back up, and bared its fangs in a menacing snarl, heedless of the blood pouring from its wound.
Meanwhile, the other leopard, which had crashed into the hillside, tumbled down amid dirt and shattered rocks. It struggled to its feet, blood streaming from its mouth, swaying unsteadily, barely able to stand.
Li Yan's kick, infused with hidden force, had caused no external wounds but shattered the leopard's chest bones, triggering internal bleeding.
Realizing the danger, the two leopards, though gravely injured, relied on their tenacious vitality to endure the pain and fled into the forest, vanishing in an instant.
"No need to chase—our mission comes first!"
Li Yan paid them no mind and immediately turned his attention to the heart of the forest.
For wild beasts, such severe injuries in the wilderness were tantamount to death. If he recalled correctly, he'd also heard a tiger's roar earlier.
His concern was that the commotion might have alerted their target.
At that moment, the spiritual glow in the forest abruptly vanished.
"We've secured the treasure!"
Zhao Lüzi's joyful voice rang out.
The three men, elated, rushed into the forest.
Soon, they found Zhao Lüzi.
Though the young man wore a smile, his face was pale, and he sat on the ground surrounded by wooden stakes and red ropes, clearly indicating that securing the treasure was no simple task.
Their attention, however, was drawn to the lightning-struck jujube tree.
The tree, about one story tall, was unremarkable in size, but its upper half was charred black, evidently scorched by lightning, with much of it burned away.
The entire canopy was gone, leaving a barren, cracked trunk. Yet its vitality persisted, as new branches sprouted around it, brimming with green.
A rope made of iron filings was tied around it.
"Don't come closer yet."
Seeing Sha Lifei about to step over the stakes and ropes, Zhao Lüzi quickly stopped him. He then took a long saw and, after much effort, cut the tree down.
Boom!
With a thunderous crash, the jujube tree collapsed.
Wiping sweat from his brow, Zhao Lüzi gave a simple smile. "This way, the heavenly lightning energy within is preserved. It'll fetch a good price even in Chang'an. Pity it only withstood one bolt of lightning."
Wang Daoxuan, curious, asked, "What's the significance of that?"
Zhao Lüzi was taken aback. "The Daoist doesn't know?"
Wang Daoxuan chuckled wryly. "This poor Daoist is penniless. My ritual tools are merely ordinary peachwood. How could I have seen such high-grade treasures?"
"You're too modest, Daoist."
Zhao Lüzi, a bit embarrassed, explained, "In crafting ritual tools, maple is considered heaven, and jujube the earth. Maple is the essence of all trees, jujube the envoy of the multitude. Together, they're called the two woods of heaven and earth."
"Peachwood is superior for warding off evil, but its texture is soft, rarely able to withstand heavenly lightning and survive. Thus, the finest materials for ritual tools are often lightning-struck jujube wood."
"Ordinary lightning-struck jujube wood isn't rare, but only those that endure the lightning and fully retain its potent energy have the potential to become treasures of heaven and earth."
"It's somewhat like the cultivation of spirits. After becoming a treasure of heaven and earth, a second bolt of lightning will descend after a certain time. If it withstands that and absorbs the lightning's energy, the resulting ritual tool becomes even more powerful."
"I heard from my father that the Taixuan Orthodox Sect's All-Heaven Divine Thunder Seal and Taixuan Demon-Subduing Sword were made from jujube wood that endured six bolts of lightning, but such materials are exceedingly rare, attainable only by those with great fortune."
He glanced at the lightning-struck jujube wood on the ground and shook his head. "My father discovered this tree years ago and, seeing its potential, hoped to wait a few more years to see if it could withstand a second bolt of lightning."
"Unfortunately, after all these years, that chance never came, and Shopkeeper Wan had a big order requiring this very item, so we harvested it early."
"Let's get to work. The roots are valuable too. Though they lack the lightning's energy, they can be carved into household talismans, and the profits will be split among us."
"Brother Zhao, you're generous!"
At the mention of money, Sha Lifei's spirits lifted.
The group wielded hoes, laboring for hours to dig out the entire root system. They then chopped logs to roll and drag it along.
Upon exiting Leopard Gully, they tossed it into a small river with a splash.
This made the task easier, pulling it along with ropes.
By the time they left Yatai Mountain, a faint glimmer of dawn appeared on the horizon.
Sha Lifei ran back to Chunhua County, summoning laborers who'd been arranged in advance. They arrived with ox carts, loaded the lightning-struck wood, and Zhao Lüzi covered it with red cloth and bound it with red rope. Only then was the job complete.
By the time they returned to Xianyang City, it was evening.
Shopkeeper Wan, having received word, personally arrived with several disciples.
They didn't enter the city but headed to a nearby village.
As for Zhao Lüzi, he bade farewell with a respectful clasp of hands.
Following his family's tradition, he wouldn't enter others' homes. His own was at a nearby mountain god temple, where he tended the incense and spent most of his time in the wilds.
Li Yan noted the address, promising to visit for drinks another day, then followed Shopkeeper Wan and his group.
Their destination was Shangyi Village, Shopkeeper Wan's hometown, originally a village of artisan households. Even now, every family made a living through carpentry.
"What a treasure!"
As the lightning-struck wood entered the village, it drew a crowd of onlookers.
Shopkeeper Wan, grinning ear to ear, clasped his hands to the crowd. "Everyone, time is tight this time, so we'll need the village's best hands to help. If we finish before the winter solstice, I'll ensure everyone enjoys a prosperous year!"
"Agreed!"
Shopkeeper Wan clearly held high status in the village, as the villagers responded in unison.
Given the carpentry work, the village courtyards were spacious, especially Wan's, where many craftsmen were busy, sawdust flying and chisels ringing.
In one corner, several large drum frames were already arranged.
Sha Lifei, quick to speak, asked, "Senior Wan, this is quite a setup. What big job did you take on?"
"No need to hide it."
Shopkeeper Wan invited the three into a room, smiling. "The Doumu Academy's Taibai Prefecture is holding a grand ritual at the winter solstice, requiring a full set of ceremonial music drums. If I handle this well, my disciples' livelihoods will be secure."
"Congratulations!"
The three clasped their hands in celebration.
No wonder Shopkeeper Wan was so invested—this was a job for the Taixuan Orthodox Sect.
Though the Taixuan Orthodox Sect was the state religion, its vast structure wasn't monolithic, divided into various factions worshipping different deities.
These factions were organized by "academies."
For instance, the Doumu Academy primarily revered the star gods of the heavens.
Below that were "prefectures." Taibai Prefecture, under the Doumu Academy, was located on Taibai Mountain, connected to Zhongnan Mountain, one of the thirty-six lesser celestial abodes, holding significant status.
"Just luck," Wan said modestly, his expression turning serious. "Gentlemen, Xianyang City is in complete chaos. Settle here for now, and absolutely avoid entering the city."
Li Yan frowned. "What happened?"
Shopkeeper Wan sighed, shaking his head. "Zheng Xianhuai, one of the Eight Great Vajras, is dead—his entire family, wife, children, and elders, all gone."
"Both sides have drawn blades now, with no regard for rules…"
*(End of Chapter)*