Tian Lei’s grip tightened on his sword as the group continued their ascent. His heart beat faster with each step, not from fear but from the growing determination to prove himself in this merciless world.
’Yes, she’s right, he thought, clenching his jaw. This is no longer Earth. If I don’t kill, I’ll be the one who dies.’ He thought as he continued after them.
Ahead of him, Yuyan moved with deadly efficiency. Each time they encountered bandits along the way, she dispatched them swiftly, her blade cutting through flesh as if it were nothing. The others barely had time to react before she claimed each victory, her skills shining like a beacon of dominance.
Soon, they reached the peak of the mountain, where the main bandit camp was located. Before them stood a chaotic sight—over a hundred bandits, each armed and ready for bloodshed. At the center of the camp were three older men sitting on roughly made thrones of wood and crude metals, their auras radiating the power of the Peak Body Forging Realm.
One of them, a scarred man with a cruel smirk, leaned forward and sneered. "We warned you brats to leave this mountain. But since you’re here, I guess you’ve chosen to fertilize our land with your corpses."
Another elder, a wiry man with a long spear resting across his lap, laughed. "Your dead bodies will make good offerings to our mountain god."
The third, a broad-shouldered brute with a massive axe, rose to his feet and bellowed, "Just a handful of kids? Kill them all!"
At his command, the bandits roared as they charged, weapons raised high, their bloodlust filling the air.
Yuyan stepped forward, her eyes cold and focused. She raised her sword, its edge gleaming with the energy of her Spirit Qi.
"Form up!" she commanded. "Zhang Wei, Chen Hao—hold the front! Lin Yue and Mei Ling, cover the flanks! Tian Lei, stay close to me!"
The group quickly fell into formation, their weapons drawn and ready.
Tian Lei’s heart pounded as he glanced at the sheer number of enemies. ’This is it!’, he thought. ’No more hesitation! No more holding back!’
As the bandits closed in, Yuyan’s voice cut through the chaos.
"Let’s show them why no one dares to defy the Heavenly Sword Sect!"
With a resounding battle cry, the clash began.
The mountain echoed with the sounds of steel meeting steel, cries of pain, and the roar of cultivators unleashing their techniques.
Zhang Wei and Chen Hao held the front line, their swords moving in a blur. Zhang’s blade seemed to dance, deflecting incoming strikes and countering with swift, precise slashes. Chen Hao’s heavy strikes sent bandits flying with each blow, his strength like that of a rampaging beast.
Lin Yue and Mei Ling, stationed on the flanks, wielded their weapons with grace and precision. Lin Yue’s spear twirled in her hands like a hurricane, keeping enemies at bay while striking with pinpoint accuracy. Mei Ling’s daggers flashed, cutting down anyone who dared approach her.
In the center of it all, Yuyan stood like a goddess of war. Her Spirit Sword Qi Art manifested in shimmering waves of red energy, each strike cleaving through multiple bandits. She was untouchable, her presence commanding respect and fear alike.
Tian Lei stayed close to her, his heart racing as bandits closed in from every side.
"Focus, Tian Lei!" Yuyan’s voice was sharp. "Channel your Qi and trust your instincts. Use the Nine Dragon Sword Art like I taught you!"
Taking a deep breath, Tian Lei steadied his trembling hands. He activated the Nine Dragon Sword Art, feeling the surge of Qi course through him. His sword moved instinctively, a faint dragon-like aura trailing behind it.
A bandit lunged at him, axe swinging down in a deadly arc. Tian Lei sidestepped, his sword flashing upward in a counterstrike that severed the man’s arm. The bandit screamed and fell, but Tian Lei didn’t stop to celebrate. Another enemy was already closing in.
This time, Tian Lei struck first, his blade slashing across the attacker’s chest. Blood sprayed, and the bandit crumpled to the ground.
’I can do this,’ Tian Lei thought, his confidence growing with each strike.
But the battle was far from over.
At the rear of the bandit ranks, the three peak Body Forging Realm leaders finally rose from their thrones.
"Enough playing around," the scarred elder growled. "Let’s show these kids what real power is!"
The wiry man with the spear barked orders to the remaining bandits. "Form up! Don’t let them advance any further!"
The broad-shouldered brute with the axe roared as he charged straight toward Zhang Wei and Chen Hao, his weapon glowing with a blood-red aura.
"Watch out!" Yuyan shouted.
Zhang Wei braced himself, his sword meeting the brute’s axe with a deafening clang. Sparks flew, and the ground beneath their feet cracked from the impact.
Meanwhile, the scarred elder and the wiry man moved to engage the rest of the group. Yuyan stepped forward to meet them, her blade gleaming with deadly intent.
"Tian Lei, stay back!" she ordered. "These are not opponents you can handle yet!"
Tian Lei gritted his teeth, frustration boiling inside him. He hated feeling helpless, but he knew she was right. For now, all he could do was defend himself and support the others.
He left the three elders in Yuyan’s care as he went after the smaller bandits, intending to reduce the burden on others.
Tian Lei clenched his jaw, forcing himself to focus. He wasn’t going to stand idly by while his companions risked their lives. With a deep breath, he invoked the second form of the Nine Dragon Sword Art.
"Nine Dragon Sword Art: Second Sword—Relentless Dragon!"
A surge of crimson gold Qi enveloped his body, forming the faint outline of a dragon coiled around him. Its energy pulsed with a relentless ferocity, and Tian Lei felt his movements become sharper, faster, and more decisive.
He launched himself into the fray like a blazing comet, his sword moving in arcs that left trails of fiery red light. The first bandit he targeted barely had time to react before Tian Lei’s blade slashed through his neck.
The dragon’s aura roared around him, and with every strike, another enemy fell. He no longer hesitated. His blade aimed for the most lethal points—throats, hearts, and vital arteries. Blood sprayed across the battlefield as Tian Lei cut down one opponent after another.
"Argh!" one bandit cried as Tian Lei’s blade pierced his chest, but soon died as the blade moved from shoulder to his neck, sending his head off.
Another lunged at him from behind, but Tian Lei’s heightened reflexes allowed him to spin and decapitate the attacker in one seamless motion.
The relentless nature of his technique left no room for mercy. His speed and precision overwhelmed the bandits, who now began to hesitate and scatter in fear.
"Tian Lei’s clearing them out fast!" Zhang Wei shouted as he clashed with the brute elder.
"Good!" Lin Yue responded, spinning her spear to fend off three attackers at once. "Let him handle the small fries while we focus on the big threats!"