C23 Entering the Forest

Treading carefully, Aotian moved deeper into the forest with a watchful eye.

He extended his spiritual energy, meticulously scanning the environment. Despite a lengthy trek, nothing seemed out of place, which struck him as odd. The Devil Beast Forest was known for its sparse human presence, yet it was typically teeming with demonic beasts. The silence in this border area was unsettling.

With heightened alertness, Aotian proceeded with caution.

Barely 40 meters in, a rustling noise surrounded him. Clutching his gun tightly, he honed in on his surroundings, inching forward toward the source of the sound. Soon, he encountered a massive black snake slithering across the ground. Sensing Aotian's presence, the serpent abruptly turned its gaze toward him.

The sight of the snake triggered thoughts of deadly venom. Its color reminded Aotian of a creature from "Demonic Beast Forest Interpretation," a book he had studied in the academy library. The snake resembled the "King Cobra" described in the text—infamously venomous. The book mentioned that such snakes in the Devil Beast Forest often lived in groups due to mutations. They were incredibly strong, with rough, impenetrable skin, impervious to ordinary weapons. A bite required immediate treatment, or death would follow within half an hour. This snake possessed the prowess of an advanced swordsman.

A chill ran through Aotian at the thought. He had just entered and already faced a formidable demonic beast—what luck! And there was no telling if more lurked nearby, putting him in even greater peril.

As he pondered, the snake, unflinching at the sight of a human, lunged at Aotian with its robust body. Its blood-red maw gaped open, releasing a vile, fishy stench as it snapped at him.

As the snake lunged to attack, Aotian had no time to think. With a deft roll, he narrowly evaded the strike, then quickly sprang to his feet, leveraging Lei Ming's foot for a powerful push off the ground. He dashed toward the snake, closing the distance in a few swift strides. Using the momentum, Aotian raised his spear and thrust it forward with all his might!

"Ding!" To his astonishment, his full-force strike failed to penetrate the snake's body, merely sending it flying back over three meters!

"Aooo!" The snake, reeling from the powerful human blow and wracked with pain, let out a howl and lunged at Aotian once more!

As the snake pounced, Aotian leaped, spear poised and powered by the speed of his descent, he stabbed downward with all his strength!

The snake, unfazed by Aotian's aerial assault, executed a swift turn, using the centrifugal force to whip its tail upwards!

Caught off-guard, Aotian had no time to adjust. He could only brace his spear across his chest, narrowly deflecting the blow. Despite averting a lethal hit, the sheer force sent him hurtling through the air!

"Bang!" Aotian slammed into a large tree before tumbling to the ground.

"Cough, cough!" He felt a surge of blood in his chest. Aotian inwardly sighed with relief; if not for the resilience his martial arts training had built in his body, his ribs and sternum might well have been shattered!

"Ha, you beast, face my wrath!"

Enraged, Aotian forcefully stomped the ground and charged at the swiftly advancing snake. Reaching it, he parried with his spear, halting its momentum. Then, using his spear to vault, he rebounded into the air and dove straight down for another strike!

"Ding!" Despite the tremendous force, he could not breach the snake's defenses, managing only to inflict a shallow cut on its hide, from which black blood seeped out.

With a thunderous hiss, the snake, reeling from the massive blow and sensing its own blood, went into a frenzy! It spun around and charged at Aotian with reckless abandon, its gaping maw wide open! Just a meter away from Aotian, it hurled a stream of venomous liquid his way!

Aotian, recognizing the peril of the incoming attack, swiftly sidestepped. The liquid missed him and splashed onto a tree behind, which immediately began to smolder and dissolve into a watery stain on the earth.

Aotian wiped the sweat from his brow and inhaled sharply, the close call leaving him shaken. Had he not evaded in time, he might have been the one reduced to a mere stain.

"Kid, snap out of it!" Matt urged, his voice laced with urgency. "Attack now! It's gone berserk. If you're not careful and don't finish this quickly, who knows if it has allies lurking nearby? You're struggling with this one; another would be the end of you! Use the Ground-Splitting Spear, take it down in one hit. Remember, you've got just one shot. If you miss, you're in deep trouble!"

Matt had been monitoring Aotian's battle with the snake from the start, fully aware of the creature's lethality. Normally, anyone less than a swordsman would be doomed against such a beast. But Aotian, with his unique training and nearing the swordsman rank, coupled with his mastery of the Ground-Splitting Spear, had a fighting chance.

Jolted by his master's words, Aotian snapped back to reality. The intensity of the moment had made him forget the most devastating technique of the Ground-Splitting Spear: the Earth-Splitter! Now, with the move in mind, Aotian charged in, seeking the right moment to land a deadly strike on the vile serpent.

The battle raged on, with neither side yielding. As minutes turned into a quarter of an hour, Aotian grew desperate. His body bore the marks of the snake's assault, flesh torn and blood flowing freely. Fearing the scent of blood might draw more demonic beasts, Aotian pressed closer to the snake, determined to end the fight without delay.

A quarter of an hour had slipped by, and Aotian had managed to slice over ten gashes into the beast's hide, but at a great cost—his own body was nearly covered in wounds. As the snake's movements slowed from its injuries, Aotian seized the moment. He leapt into the air and descended like a bolt from the blue, spearheading his attack with a thunderous "Earth-Splitting Spear!" With a resounding clang, his weapon broke through the scales and plunged deep into the snake's vital spot.

With a pained howl, the snake crashed to the ground, its life fading away. "Phew, you're finally taken care of," Aotian exhaled, withdrawing his spear, Lei Ming, and gasping for air.

"Kid, pack up and get out of here fast. The stench of blood is thick, and it won't be long before other devil beasts arrive. If you value your life, leave now!" Matt's voice cut through Aotian's exhaustion.

Taking his master's advice to heart, Aotian, despite the searing pain racking his body, stowed Lei Ming and hastened back the way he came. Once clear of the forest, he collapsed, taking deep breaths of fresh air.

"Alright, kid, tend to your wounds now," Matt urged, watching Aotian emerge from the woods.

Following his master's instruction, Aotian applied the healing salve he'd prepared to his cuts, wincing at the sharp sting. After bandaging himself up and swapping his shredded clothes for a fresh set, he settled down to focus on his breathing and recovery.

An hour later, Aotian's eyes snapped open, and he rose to his feet, replaying the recent skirmish in his mind.

"Do you realize how close that was?" Matt asked, noting Aotian's post-meditation clarity.

"Yes, Master."

"Do you see what you're lacking?"

"I need more real combat experience."

"Exactly. With experience, you could've taken down that snake in a fraction of the time and with fewer injuries. You know your techniques well in practice, but applying them in a real fight is another story. You were incredibly fortunate today. Remember, this forest is teeming with beasts that hunt in packs. Had another snake appeared, would you have made it out alive?"

"I'm sorry, Master, I realize my mistake now!"

As Aotian reflected on the recent encounter, a shiver of fear still ran through him. Had a demonic beast actually appeared, he might not have survived the day!

"Look, there's no use dwelling on it now. Remember, when you're up against an enemy in the future, don't drag it out. Fight swiftly and decisively, using your most reliable techniques to find an opening and deliver a fatal blow in one strike!"

"Yes, Master, I appreciate your advice!"

"Good. Now, take some time to reflect on the fight you just had. Think about what you've learned and the experience you've gained."

"Understood!"

Aotian replayed the battle in his mind. If only he had taken the chance to use his Earth-Splitting Spear from the start, might the outcome have been more favorable?