Chapter 827
by fanqienovelChapter 827: Battle of Magic (Part 1)
Woo—
The powerful horn sound instantly spread throughout White Deer Academy, reaching all directions.
The academy’s courtyard gate swung open with a bang, and rows of fully armed young men marched out in an orderly fashion.
These teenagers, the first batch of disciples recruited by White Deer Academy, numbered three thousand.
All of them came from common families and understood how precious the opportunity to study and practice Martial Arts at the academy was, so they were all extremely diligent and hardworking.
Most importantly, these young men practiced the Dragon-Tiger Fist, personally taught by Wang Chen, and enjoyed two hearty meals daily, quickly replenishing their Qi and blood.
After a year and a half, those who had not been eliminated successfully advanced to become martial artists, with the majority reaching the second-level Flesh Refinement and an increasing number progressing to the third-level Bone Refinement.
As the saying goes, "A newborn calf fears no tiger," and everyone was full of ambition for today’s mission!
Each young man carried a longbow and battle sword, with a dagger and leather armor strapped around their waists for protection.
When the three thousand young martial artists lined up in formation in front of the academy gate, their spirited aura turned heads everywhere.
Even Wang Chen was inspired; he raised his hand and shouted, “Let’s go!”
“Fight! Fight! Fight!”
The academy disciples shouted in unison, creating a momentum that soared to the sky.
With over ten thousand fellow brothers and sisters cheering them on, and numerous neighbor farmers watching, the three thousand young men marched forward boldly.
Led by Wang Chen, three innate strong fighters and a hundred Marrow Refining martial masters accompanied them.
This was the first large-scale external action since the establishment of White Deer Academy, targeting the misty area dozens of miles away.
There, rolling hills, lush forests, and fierce beasts residing within awaited them.
Wang Chen’s purpose was to train the troops.
Flowers grown in a greenhouse are too delicate to withstand the wind; fledgling eagles must soar the skies and wrestle with thunder and wind to truly grow.
Wang Chen assigned the three thousand youths the tasks of exploring the mountains and clearing the mountains.
Exploring the mountains meant searching for medicinal materials and fierce beasts.
Clearing the mountains meant gathering and hunting!
The three-thousand-strong team, stretching half a mile from front to back, truly appeared mighty.
Although White Deer Academy was located on the outskirts of Taiwu City, such a grand display still attracted many people’s attention.
Curious onlookers rushed over to investigate.
Various rumors spread like wings, quickly returning to the city, leaving many forces astonished and confused.
Meanwhile, the team of three thousand young men quickened their pace and soon left White Deer Academy far behind.
After marching rapidly, the group reached the edge of the misty area.
Visibility suddenly dropped ahead, and it was impossible to see inside even from a few dozen steps away; thick fog created a massive wall, blocking everyone’s vision.
It also concealed countless dangers.
Although this place was not far from Taiwu City, it was relatively not too dangerous.
But no one could assert that powerful and terrifying fierce beasts would not emerge in the mist!
Some of the young men involuntarily gulped.
The fear of the mist and fierce beasts was ingrained in the blood of every native of the Misty Mountains Realm, a fear not easily erased.
“Are you scared?”
Wang Chen halted, turned around, and spoke in a deep voice, “If you’re scared, you can turn back now!”
His eyes swept across each youthful face.
Every young man caught by Wang Chen’s gaze instinctively straightened his posture.
“Not afraid!”
First one voice, then a second, a third…
The shouts of three thousand young men surged like a tidal wave!
Not a single one chose to retreat.
Anyone who gave up at this moment would not only forfeit the chance to return to the academy but would also never hold their head high again in their lifetime!
The weak are not despicable; it is the cowards who are most scorned!
“Forward!”
Led by Wang Chen, the three thousand young men marched resolutely into the mist.
At that moment, something wondrous occurred; as the group advanced, the dense fog parted on its own, as if deliberately clearing a path for them.
It seemed as though the collective spirit of the young men pushed the mist aside!
They traversed grassy fields, ascended hills, and ventured deep into the dense forest.
Guided by the martial masters, these young men began to search for and gather herbs growing in the wild, along with other useful materials!
As the saying goes, “A favor of a handful of rice returns hatred of a bushel.” Continuous, unconditional giving can easily strip people of their drive and gratitude; Wang Chen had no intention of nurturing a group of ingrates.
Although his primary aim in founding White Deer Academy and Ci Shi Pharmacy was to cultivate human spiritual light, Wang Chen did not plan to offer free lunches indefinitely!
Especially now, with White Deer Academy facing suppression and schemes from city forces, these carefully nurtured youths needed to demonstrate their worth.
Most academy disciples had little outdoor experience, but gathering was not a difficult task. Once they learned to identify herbs and materials, these young men swarmed over the mountains like locusts.
They collected every herb they saw, unless it was an unusable seedling.
No matter how hidden the herbs were in thickets or rock crevices, they could not escape the thorough search of three thousand.
Some rare herbs, aged over the years, were unearthed this way!
Meanwhile, the martial masters either taught on the spot among the youths or patrolled the area to ensure everyone’s safety.
As time passed, the academy disciples felt no more fear.
It felt just like a leisurely outing.
Laughter and chatter filled the air.
The group ventured deeper into the mountains, and the amount of herbs collected grew steadily.
Dinglingling—
Suddenly, a clear bell sound, carried by the mountain breeze, reached everyone’s ears.
Some youths instinctively looked towards the sound, their faces immediately changing: “Fierce beasts!”
In the woods ahead, wolf beasts, each the size of a small calf, appeared, advancing towards the academy disciples, with even more lurking in the mist.
The shadows of the beasts moved like phantoms, casting a heavy pressure upon them.
But the martial masters, tasked with patrolling, subtly retreated, leaving the disciples to confront the threat of the wolf beasts directly!
“Form up!”
Though the situation was sudden, some brave and quick-witted youths reacted promptly, shouting loudly, “Block the enemies!”
It wasn’t that he possessed natural leadership skills, but he had been trained to handle various dangerous situations.
As long as they remained calm, they wouldn’t lose their composure!
Other youths quickly caught on, swiftly retrieving their longbows.
One by one, arrows gleaming with a cold light were aimed at the approaching beast horde.
“Shoot!”
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, hundreds and thousands of arrows were unleashed, creating a dense rain of arrows in the sky.
They blanketed the wolf beasts!
Thud! Thud!
The leading wolf beasts were struck by dozens of arrows; despite their iron-like bones, they howled in agony.
Drenched in blood, one collapsed to the ground!