The golden pillar of light hadn't even fully vanished before the forest responded. The air had become violent, surging like a tidal wave that split the clouds above. The heavens groaned, and a sharp metallic resonance echoed through the woods, the sound of the void itself vibrating against Wang Fang's new power.
Drawn by instinct, four massive figures emerged from the gloom. Among them, a Venom-Spine Snake, coiled its shimmering, dark-green body, its eyes fixed on the boy.
Wang Fang slowly lowered his hands. He could feel the Qi circulating through him, no longer a foreign force but a part of his very being. His blood had changed; it was no longer the thin, pale fluid of a mortal. Each drop now pulsed with refined, Qi.
Wang Fang looked at his hands, marveling at the strength humming in his marrow. Then, his stomach let out a thunderous growl.
"Hungry..." he muttered, his eyes drifting to the roasted Tier-Three beast Granny had left for him. He thought,"Can I really eat this thing?"
He didn't wait to find the answer. He grabbed a roasted leg and tore into it. His eyes widened, the meat was packed with essence,fueling his new Qi Gathering foundation instantly. He sat there, tearing into the meat with his teeth, glancing casually at the four Tier-Three beasts snarling at him.
"Just four Tier Three beasts?" he muttered, not stopping his meal. "I don't think I you guys what to eat with me."
The four beasts roars,but couldn't reach him. The barrier Old Lady Shen had placed was a shimmering wall of safety, until the world screamed.
BOOM.
A terrifying sound wave erupted from the distant horizon like mountains. It wasn't just a noise; it was a soul-crushing ripple that tore through the forest. The trees groaned, and the protective barrier Granny had set,the one that had felt unbreakable, shattered like cheap glass.
The four beasts collapsed on the spot, unconscious. Wang Fang gritted his teeth, his new Qi surging to anchor his soul as the wave passed through him.
"What was that...?" he whispered, his eyes narrowing toward the source. "I've never felt such power. "It felt like it wanted to rip my spirit right out of my chest.
He looked up and saw streaks of light cutting through the clouds. Cultivators were flying, hundreds of them, all heading toward the same direction of the wave.
"A treasure, he whisper," Wang Fang realized, "If it's powerful enough to cause that...maybe it can save Mother."
He didn't hesitate. He took a single step back and,BOOM!,the ground shattered as he shot forward like a cannonball, trailing the streaks of light in the sky, although he can't fly, nor does he have a technique,but after he broke through,his speed becomes terrifying.
The Mountain of Holes
Wang Fang slowed as he approached a strange mountain honeycombed with countless openings. Pure spiritual energy leaked from every hole, making the air vibrate with a hum that made his teeth ache.
At the front of the Nine Heaven Sword Sect's formation stood two titans: Elder Han Yueand General Li Tianjian. Their presence turned the surrounding air cold. Wang Fang crouched behind an ancient oak, holding his breath, trying to dampen his heartbeat.
"You rat hiding behind that tree," Han Yue's voice rang out, cold and sharp as a blade. "Come out."
Wang Fang froze. Shit. How did he sense me? "I said... come out!"
Suddenly, a pressure like a falling mountain slammed into Wang Fang's back, pinning him to the dirt. His bones creaked under the weight. In that moment, a flash of memory hit him, the day he met Yao and her master in the forest. Ahh,This Elder... he's just as strong as that monster.
"So, you choose the hard way," Han Yue said, his eyes turning toward Wang Fang's hiding spot. He flicked his wrist, and a sword made of pure, condensed Qi formed in the air. "If you won't walk out, you can bleed out."
With a flick of his hand, the Qi sword hissed through the air, aimed directly at the center of the tree.