C2 Escape

Chapter Two: Escape

In the realm of Taoism, the teachings were categorized into Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow, each with three tiers: high, medium, and low.

The following morning, Ding Yue rose punctually. He began with the peculiar sequences of the 'Blast Sky Fist,' proceeded to strengthen his body with a medicinal soak, and immersed himself in a water tank to practice the "Yin Yang Qi Hugging Art." By the time he completed his training, the eastern horizon was just beginning to brighten.

Having finished his breakfast, Ding Yue intended to visit Qin City for some leisure time. The local bun shop was closed for the day because Uncle Zhang and his wife had been hired to prepare a vegetarian feast for Zhu Sixth Master's birthday celebration. With time on his hands, Ding Yue naturally sought out the company of his closest friend.

As he stepped into the front courtyard, he saw a procession approaching rapidly. A young man, dressed in luxurious brocade, dismounted gracefully from his unicorn horse and came to a halt three yards from Ding Yue.

The young man's eyes swept over Ding Yue with a look of scorn. After a brief pause, his lips curled into a sneer, and he spoke with a chill in his voice, "Are you Daoist Mu's disciple, Ding Yue?"

Ding Yue, perceiving the other's condescending and dismissive demeanor, snorted softly, showing no interest in engaging with him. He simply regarded the newcomer with a nonchalant gaze, thinking to himself, "Who is this pampered scion? I've never seen him around Sunset City."

The young man, noticing Ding Yue's indifferent and uncommunicative manner, grew slightly irritated, his eyes narrowing. He took a moment to suppress the surge of anger within him.

Then, pointing at Ding Yue, he declared, "I don't care about whatever pact your master, Daoist Mu, has with the Ximen family patriarch. I'm warning you, stay away from Ximen Caiyi."

"Ximen Caiyi? Who is she?" Ding Yue feigned confusion, his gaze vacant and his speech slurred.

Upon witnessing Ding Yue's bewildered state, the young man burst into laughter. "I was told you had improved. It seems that was merely hearsay. There's no point in taking issue with a fool like you."

With that, he leapt onto his horse, wheeled around, and galloped away.

"What an idiot," Ding Yue muttered under his breath. He turned on his heel, went back to his room, armed himself with a bow and blade, and then dashed off towards the southern horizon bathed in the glow of the setting sun.

As he watched the young man disappear into the distance, Ding Yue spoke to himself, "If it weren't for my master's strict instructions to keep my training secret... Hmph, I'd smash that pretty boy's face with one punch."

Frustrated, Ding Yue decided against seeking out Qin Cheng and instead set out for the Black Water Forest to hunt fellbeasts.

The Black Water River snaked from west to east, its origins and destination unknown to the inhabitants of Setting Sun City. Only the outer sect deacon from the Heavenly Faction, stationed in the city, knew of the black snake lurking in the river—a Demon King reigning over a thousand-mile radius. Yet, no one had ever laid eyes on its true form.

Previously, Ding Yue had only hunted weaker creatures. Qin Li had sternly cautioned him that while he could take down tigers and black bears, even a low-level fellbeast could cost him his life.

Thus, the city's hunters stayed on the outskirts of the Black Water Forest, not daring to cross the rocky sands that marked the fellbeasts' domain.

Today, however, anger burned in Ding Yue's chest, and with his body and soul now fused, he was eager to test the might of his 'Blast Sky Fist' against a fellbeast. He sprinted through the underbrush, making a beeline for the chaotic stone sands.

After an hour, Ding Yue reached the rocky sands. He paused to catch his breath, which had grown ragged from his swift pace, and settled in the shadow of a sand dune.

Sitting down, he pulled a water skin from his belt and took a hearty swig. As he wiped the droplets from his chin, Ding Yue tilted his head back for another gulp, but suddenly, a shadow loomed over him.

He froze, his hand halting mid-motion as he turned his eyes slightly. A shiver ran down his spine, and he tensed up. Swallowing hard, he slowly lifted his hand to dab away the cold sweat trickling down from his nose.

He reattached the water bag to his waist, using the subtle motion to soothe his racing heart.

Atop the sand dune loomed a massive bull-shaped fellbeast, several meters in length, covered in blue fur. It gazed with its large, bowl-sized eyes, filled with a look of surprise, as it turned its head to observe.

Though Ding Yue had set out to hunt a fellbeast, facing one for the first time was unnerving, and he couldn't help feeling a mix of nervousness and fear.

"Stay calm, you must stay calm," he reminded himself silently. His fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, the pain sharp and grounding.

A single drop of blood fell from his palm, the sting of it steadying his suddenly tense nerves.

The Iron-tailed Green Light Bull, the ruler of the outskirts of the Black Water Forest, had once stealthily left its domain to devour a hunter. After returning, it absorbed the hunter's lifeblood, hoping to reach a new level of power. Today, after emerging from seclusion, it was patrolling its territory when it unexpectedly encountered a human youth.

Joy filled its heart. Years ago, when it first became sentient, it had visited the Demon King deep within the Black Water Forest. The sight of the Demon King, with the power to summon clouds and overturn seas, had left it in awe. Since then, it had devoted itself to cultivation.

Wagging its blue tail, its thick tongue licked at the drool on its lips. It was thrilled; the lifeblood of humans was incredibly beneficial to fellbeasts. If it could consume the human boy before it, perhaps it could ascend to a higher level.

Ding Yue noticed the Ox Demon hadn't launched an attack but was merely watching him with a playful gaze. This realization steadied his heart. He shifted his stance and twisted his body to avoid the harsh glare of the sun.

Moments later, with eyes closed, he executed the bizarre series of movements he had practiced for years.

In an instant, he snapped his eyes open and bellowed, "Blast Sky Fist!"

The Ox Demon's playful look turned to one of scorn, mocking the audacity of the human youth to strike. It was only when the powerful storm of energy approached that it felt a ripping pain tear through its skin. Realizing the imminent danger, the Ox Demon quickly channeled its Qi, creating a protective green light shield around itself.

The bull twisted its massive head, its eyes as large as bowls glaring intensely. As it witnessed its body burst apart like fireworks, transforming into a shower of blood, it was filled with disbelief, shock, and a hint of fear. Then, in an instant, the world before its eyes darkened, void of life.

Ding Yue threw a punch, watching the third-level Iron Hoof Green Light Bull explode before him, its flesh scattering in every direction. He relaxed, sitting back on the grass with a sense of triumph, though he was gasping for breath.

After a moment, he sprang to his feet and approached the fallen bull demon. To his delight, he found the bull demon's horns, gall, and treasures intact. These materials would fetch a handsome sum of Primal Stones.

Having collected the valuable materials from the bull demon, Ding Yue was about to leave when a strong gust hit him. Looking up, he saw a ten-meter-long tiger with wings along its ribs glaring down at him. His heart plummeted.

The Winged Tiger folded its wings and landed gracefully. "Human child, you think you can leave after slaying one of my Demon Clan?"

A Demon Clan member capable of human speech was at the fifth level, comparable to a human cultivator in the Foundation Building stage. Ding Yue's heart sank even deeper.

Struggling to maintain his composure, Ding Yue forced a smile and swallowed hard before speaking, "Wing Tiger King, I only sought to defend myself. I had no choice but to kill the bull demon."

"Humph, you are in the Rocky Sand Grounds, part of the Black Water Forest, our Demon Clan's domain," the Wing Tiger King said with a cold smirk.

Upon hearing this, Ding Yue blinked and responded, "I was lost and wandered here by mistake. Please, Evil Lord..."

"Enough," the Wing Tiger King cut him off, "I have lived among your kind for nearly a century. I am well aware of human deceit. You shall not escape today."

"Then it seems I am at the mercy of the Tiger King," Ding Yue said, stepping forward. His bold move caught the Wing Tiger King off guard.

Caught off guard, Ding Yue threw another punch.

The fierce wind rushed at his face, and the Wing Tiger King's mouth twitched slightly. He scoffed inwardly, "Kid, you do realize this King is a fifth level Evil Lord."

The Wing Tiger King had let his guard down, and the punch made his head spin. But as an Evil Lord, he quickly recovered his senses. However, by then, the human youth was no longer in sight.

A voice reached his ears, "Tiger King, it's getting late. The kid's headed home for dinner."

He looked up to find the youth's figure already a hundred meters away.

Ding Yue weaved through the dense forest with ease. The Wing Tiger King, with his slender body and outstretched wings, was noticeably slower.

With no other choice, he shrank down to the size of a normal tiger and quickly caught up to Ding Yue. He extended his paw and swiped, causing Ding Yue to spit out a mouthful of blood and tumble to the ground.

Fighting the pain in his back, Ding Yue crawled a few meters, turned to face the Wing Tiger King who was now close at hand, and leaned against a broken tree stump, unable to hold back another mouthful of blood.

"Hehe, if I let a brat like you escape from my claws, wouldn't the Demon Clan mock me for eternity?" The Wing Tiger King's eyes gleamed with mockery as he advanced.

Drawing closer, he opened his jaws wide to bite down on Ding Yue's head. Ding Yue, feeling the foul breath of the tiger king, gritted his teeth, preparing to resist with all his might, despite his overwhelming weakness.

In a moment of life or death, a sword arced through the sky.

The Wing Tiger King had to abandon his attempt to devour the youth, beating his wings to retreat several yards back. In astonishment, he looked up.

Ding Yue, equally curious, also looked skyward.

Above them, a young cultivator in flowing white robes stood on a sword, suspended in midair. His piercing eyes looked down upon the Wing Tiger King, and with a slight smile, he said, "Wing Tiger King, you've overstepped your bounds."

"Where do you think you're from, boy, meddling in this king's affairs?" The Wing Tiger King stood up, its body towering as it bellowed.

He casually flicked at his pristine white clothes, as if to rid them of nonexistent dust. The Sword Disciple spoke again, "I am Robin, the outer sect deacon of the Heavenly Cloth Sect."

At the mention of the sect, the Wing Tiger King instinctively stepped back. Among the three sects and four factions of West Peace County, the Heavenly Cloth Sect was the oldest and most powerful.

Realizing that today's confrontation was ill-advised, the Wing Tiger King, having lived in the human world for nearly a century, was far more cunning than the average Fellbeast.

Though it wanted to withdraw for the moment, it couldn't afford to show weakness. With a sneer, it said, "Don't flatter yourself into thinking this king fears you. The Demon King instructed us not to antagonize the Heavenly Cloth Sect before his seclusion. Otherwise, well..."

With those final words, it spun around and took to the skies, its wings carrying it swiftly away.

Ding Yue, suppressing his pain, stood and bowed to Lorbin. "Thank you, Deacon Lorbin, for your aid."

"There's no need for thanks; I'm simply fulfilling my duty," Lorbin replied, lowering his gaze to Ding Yue. He added, "Escaping the clutches of the Evil Lord is no mean feat. The Heavenly Cloth Sect will be recruiting disciples in Sunset City in a few days. I hope to see you there."

With that, Lorbin's Flying Sword spun and he vanished into the sky in the blink of an eye.

"When will I be able to fly with such ease?" Ding Yue wondered aloud, his gaze lingering where Lorbin had disappeared. Shaking off his reverie, he trudged on, his weary and wounded body moving slowly.

He left behind a solitary silhouette against the twilight sky.

As his figure receded into the distance, a pair of greedy tiger eyes emerged from the dense forest, watching intently. Only after a considerable time did they retreat into the shadows.

Once the Wing Tiger was truly gone, a figure flashed in the high sky—it was Lorbin, who had seemingly departed. Under the clear sky, his brows furrowed slightly, lost in thought.

"Should I report today's events to the Sect Master? Yes, better to inform him. I seek no credit, but I must avoid fault." He murmured to himself before his figure faded, leaving no trace behind.