Chapter 771
by fanqienovelChapter 771: Hunting in North Mountain (Part 1)
The mountains that Chibi City leaned against were known as "North Mountain."
North Mountain was vast and boundless; no one could measure this majestic range, which stretched for tens of thousands of miles, while shrouded in thick fog.
This included practitioners of the extraordinary state and those who had entered the path.
For centuries, the martial artists of Chibi City had never ceased their exploration of North Mountain, but their efforts were confined to a very small area.
Even the most skilled hunters dared not venture too deep into the mountains, fearing they might lose their way and fall prey to fierce beasts.
A lone individual like Wang Chen, entering North Mountain to hunt without any knowledge of the terrain, was indeed a rare sight!
The mist in the mountains ebbed and flowed; at times, a strong gust of wind would sweep through, revealing the towering peaks in the distance. Yet, more often than not, visibility was limited to just a few dozen steps.
Once he entered the mountains, Wang Chen quickened his pace, his figure becoming elusive as he vanished into the dense woodlands in the blink of an eye.
After a moment, a team of fully armed hunters arrived in haste.
They halted at the edge of the forest, scanning the surroundings for any trace.
“Damn it!”
One hunter cursed, “That kid is way too fast!”
“Don’t worry.”
His companion replied dismissively, “With the old man here, he won’t get far!”
Beside them, an experienced hunter with graying hair chuckled, revealing a mouthful of blackened teeth.
He crouched down and rustled through the weeds for a moment, then confidently pointed to the right and said, “That little guy went this way…”
“Watch out!”
Before the experienced hunter could finish, a middle-aged martial artist with a grim expression suddenly turned pale.
Whoosh!
In the next instant, a feathered arrow shot through the air, covering a hundred steps in a flash, striking the experienced hunter in the throat.
Thud!
The sharp arrowhead pierced his neck instantly, sending a spray of blood mist out from the back of his neck.
The experienced hunter stared in shock, his crimson eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets.
His throat gurgled with intense regret and unwillingness as he collapsed backward onto the ground!
For a hunter in Chibi City to survive to such an age without retiring to a quiet life was a rare feat indeed.
Having lived long, the experienced hunter’s combat experience was vast, honing instincts as sharp as those of a wild beast, allowing him to sense danger before it struck.
Without such skills, he would never have lived to see this day!
In truth, when the arrow flew, the experienced hunter had already sensed the threat.
But before he could react, the arrow had sealed his fate.
The middle-aged martial artist beside him, though more powerful, was also too late to intervene.
For the speed of that arrow was simply unmatched!
“Enemy attack!”
With the sudden fall of the experienced hunter, the nine-member team fell into chaos.
They were hunters, but now they had become prey!
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two more feathered arrows shot through the air, their speed astonishingly fast.
“Ah!”
One hunter was struck in the chest; the tough leather armor offered no protection, only prolonging his agony before death.
“Scatter!”
The Middle-aged Martial Artist bellowed, suddenly darting into the woods ahead.
He had never anticipated that today’s mission target would be a master archer. The oversight in intelligence had led to a fatal error; the only way to rectify it was through close combat.
Otherwise, if the distance were maintained, everyone, including himself, would be doomed.
The opponent’s archery was terrifying!
Whoosh!
An arrow whizzed past the Middle-aged Martial Artist’s side.
Knowing the opponent was a master archer, the Middle-aged Martial Artist adopted a serpentine movement to close in on the target. Though it slowed him down, it allowed him to evade the arrows aimed at him.
At that moment, he caught sight of a figure in the woods, bow drawn and arrow ready.
“Ah!”
Before he could feel any relief, a scream echoed from behind.
That arrow had not been meant for him!
Suddenly realizing this, the Middle-aged Martial Artist felt his eyes about to burst with rage, overwhelmed by an unprecedented sense of humiliation.
He silently vowed to flay the opponent’s skin, pull out their tendons, and tear their body to pieces!
“Ah!” “Ah!”
In just a few breaths, two more hunters fell dead from arrows.
The others, gripped by terror, scattered in panic to escape!
“Die!”
Finally closing in on the target, the Middle-aged Martial Artist roared, drawing a long black whip from his waist and lashing it toward the archer.
That archer was none other than Wang Chen!
In truth, Wang Chen had noticed the “tails” following him even before he left the city.
To avoid unnecessary complications, he had deliberately waited until now to strike.
The nine individuals pursuing him were undoubtedly harboring ill intentions, and they would not mistake their target.
[Qi and blood +100], [Qi and blood +100], [Qi and blood +100]…
The prompts in his vision indicated that those Wang Chen had shot down were all third-grade Bone Refinement martial artists.
His previously depleted Qi and blood value surged dramatically.
Just as Wang Chen was reveling in the increase of his Qi and blood value, the Middle-aged Martial Artist’s black whip lashed toward his neck’s vital spot.
The slender whip tip sliced through the air with an eerie whistle, exuding an almost soul-shaking force.
Hmm?
Wang Chen lowered his bow, neither dodging nor evading, and reached out to seize the whip tip, instantly gripping it in his hand.
Though it appeared simple, even the slightest misjudgment in timing or technique would have resulted in a devastating blow.
The whip tip felt slick in his grasp, its sharpness akin to a blade.
It was covered in thin, black scales as delicate as a cicada’s wings!
Seeing his weapon captured by Wang Chen, the Middle-aged Martial Artist was first struck with shock, then instinctively tried to yank it back.
Yet, no matter how hard he struggled, Wang Chen remained unmoved!
An overwhelming fear surged within the Middle-aged Martial Artist, engulfing him entirely.
As a martial artist at the Peak of Marrow Refinement, he had relied on his Black Scaled Whip, a weapon nearing the level of profound weapons, to defeat numerous formidable foes.
He had never imagined that someone could seize his whip mid-strike without suffering any harm.
An Innate Martial Artist!
The term flashed through his mind, sending a shiver down his spine.
“It’s a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!”
In his panic, the Middle-aged Martial Artist released the whip handle, forcing a flattering smile despite his inner despair. “You’ve mistaken me; please show mercy and spare my life!”
As soon as he finished speaking, he leapt backward, desperate to put distance between himself and Wang Chen.
The Middle-aged Martial Artist could scarcely believe that a mere teenager, who had only been in Chibi City for a month or two, had broken through to the Post-natal Great Realm.
If this news spread, it would undoubtedly cause a sensation throughout Chibi City!
What right did he have to provoke such a figure?
The Middle-aged Martial Artist had lost all battle intent, his sole desire now to flee as far as possible!