Tiger's Roar, Ghost's Cry

"Who else?"

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried a killing aura forged in mountains of corpses and seas of blood, mixed with the stench of gore, pressing down heavily on the surroundings.

The Northern Barbarian soldiers, who had been ferocious moments before, were forced back half a step by his gaze. The Centurion's body on the ground, torn almost in two, still bled profusely, silently testifying to the ferocity of the blood-soaked youth.

Flames leaped, illuminating half of Chen Qing's blood-stained face. The wound on his shoulder was a bloody mess, bone showing, yet he stood as straight as a spear, his eyes fiercer than a wolf's.

A brief, deathly silence.

"Kill him! Avenge the Centurion!" a Northern Barbarian Decurion reacted, shouting hoarsely, trying to dispel his comrades' fear.

Several brave Northern Barbarian soldiers howled and charged again.

Chen Qing moved.

The fully integrated Black Tiger Fist intent flowed through his limbs. He no longer adhered to fixed saber stances. The curved saber in his hand now seemed an extension of his arm, like the sharp claws and fangs of a fierce tiger.

His footwork shifted, his body phasing into the enemy ranks like a ghost. The saber light flashed, no longer just simple slashes or sneaky thrusts, but a fusion of the Black Tiger Fist's powerful pounce, the army's concise and ruthless saber techniques, and even the unshakeable stability of his Iron Body Skill in motion!

Swoosh!

The saber light sliced across a Northern Barbarian soldier's neck, drawing a spray of blood. The movement was clean and swift, like a tiger's tail flick.

With a backhand slash, he precisely stabbed another soldier, who had attempted a sneak attack, in the eye. Ruthless and cunning, like a viper striking from its den.

Simultaneously, he tilted his body, using his injured left shoulder to take a blow from the side!

Clang!

The sound of metal striking metal rang out! The blade couldn't completely break his skin, merely leaving a deeper white mark and numbing the Northern Barbarian soldier's arm!

The 'Slight Accomplishment' level Iron Body Skill, combined with the blood and qi control from his fully integrated Black Tiger Fist intent, gave him astonishing defensive power.

[Killed Northern Barbarian Infantry, gained Qi and Blood, Black Tiger Saber Technique proficiency +15]

[Attacked, Iron Body Skill proficiency +5]

Chen Qing didn't even flinch. The saber in his right hand swept back, disemboweling the stunned Northern Barbarian soldier!

Like a tiger entering a flock of sheep!

He, alone, with a damaged saber, forced seven or eight Northern Barbarian soldiers to retreat, leaving the ground littered with corpses!

"Shi Tou! Hei Wa! Form up and break through!" Chen Qing shouted fiercely as he fought, without looking back.

Shi Tou and the other four, who had been staring in a daze, snapped back to reality. Looking at Chen Qing's god-like back, a surge of heat rushed to their heads.

"Let's fight our way out with the Squad Leader!" Shi Tou roared, his voice hoarse. The four men closed ranks, brandishing their weapons, desperately blocking scattered arrows and approaching enemies, trying to follow the gap Chen Qing had torn open.

Chen Qing was the sharpest arrowhead! Where he passed, Northern Barbarian soldiers were either killed or wounded. He carved a bloody path through the chaotic enemy tide!

More and more Northern Barbarian soldiers noticed this harbinger of death and began to converge on him intentionally. The arrows also became denser, whistling past his body and embedding themselves in the ground behind him or in unfortunate Northern Barbarian soldiers.

The pressure intensified!

Chen Qing's eyes were cold. He pushed the perception of the Black Tiger Fist to its limit, his body twisting and flashing through the arrow rain. Every movement was perilously close. His saber swung like a windmill, blocking, slashing, and thrusting, cutting down the charging enemies one by one.

His movements became increasingly fluid. The Black Tiger Fist, the Black Tiger Saber Technique, the Iron Body Skill, and even the fragmented military combat skills he had observed began to truly merge in this high-intensity, life-or-death struggle. The system notifications for proficiency popped up madly, especially for the Iron Body Skill, which was rapidly increasing under the continuous attacks.

[Black Tiger Saber Technique proficiency +12]

[Iron Body Skill proficiency +8]

[Black Tiger Fist proficiency +10]

"Stop him! Fire arrows! Fire arrows!" a Northern Barbarian Officer commanded hoarsely from the rear.

More arrows rained down on Chen Qing and the four behind him.

Chen Qing suddenly kicked up a broken shield from the ground, grabbing it with his left hand to protect his head and chest. His right hand continued to swing the saber.

Thump, thump, thump! Arrows densely embedded themselves in the shield, causing his left arm's wound to split open and bleed profusely.

"Squad Leader!" Shi Tou cried out.

"Shut up! Stay close!" Chen Qing growled. He thrust the shield forward, knocking over an approaching Northern Barbarian soldier, while simultaneously thrusting his saber out from under the shield, piercing another enemy's abdomen.

He was like a hard reef, standing firm in the black tide, creating a small space for the four behind him to breathe.

But individual bravery, on a battlefield of thousands, ultimately had its limits.

The surrounding Northern Barbarian soldiers grew in number, and among them appeared some clearly stronger individuals wearing more refined armor. Chen Qing's wounds continued to increase. Though none were fatal, his Qi and blood were constantly being depleted.

If this continued, he would eventually be worn down and killed!

Chen Qing's gaze swept across the chaotic battlefield. In the distance, the main camp was engulfed in flames, and the sounds of fighting were earth-shattering, clearly indicating a fierce battle. Relying on reinforcements was impossible.

He had to break through! Charge towards the edge of the camp!

He took a deep breath. The fully integrated Black Tiger Fist intent and the 'Slight Accomplishment' level Iron Body Skill within him resonated and compressed in an unprecedented way. An aura of ferocity, desperation, and a desire to tear everything apart surged again, even more potent than when he had killed the Centurion!

He held nothing back!

"Roar--!"

A true roar, like that of a primordial fierce tiger, exploded from his chest! The sound wasn't loud, but it carried a soul-shattering ferocity, causing the attacking Northern Barbarian soldiers to freeze in their tracks!

Black Tiger Fist Intent - Tiger Roaring in the Forest!

Seizing the opportunity, Chen Qing fiercely threw the broken saber in his hand. It shot out like lightning, piercing the throat of a Northern Barbarian Officer! At the same time, he stomped hard on the ground with both feet, lunging his entire body towards the most densely packed area of the enemy!

No longer was it agile hit-and-run tactics, but the most savage, most direct charge!

His fists were like hammers, his elbows and knees struck, his shoulders and head rammed! Every part of his body transformed into a deadly weapon! The fully integrated Black Tiger Fist Intent allowed him to fight without a weapon, each movement imbued with immense power!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The sounds of bone-cracking and screams were endless! He was like a humanoid ferocious beast, forcefully smashing open a gap in the human wall formed by the Northern Barbarian Soldiers!

"Go!"

He roared at the four behind him without looking back, while he himself held the gap shut, repelling the Northern Barbarian Soldiers who tried to close it, time and again.

Shi Tou and the other three watched Chen Qing's back, a bloody figure yet with his spine still straight, and their eyes instantly reddened.

"Go!" Shi Tou gritted his teeth, pulling the still hesitant Hei Wa and Gou Sheng, supporting Tie Dan who had an arrow in his leg, and desperately rushed out of the gap torn open by flesh and blood, disappearing into the darkness and chaos further out without looking back.

Seeing the four leave, Chen Qing felt a slight ease in his heart. Facing the surging enemy alone, the pressure doubled.

Arrows rained down again. He wielded a long spear he had snatched, blocking and dodging, but ultimately could not avoid them all.

Puff! A barbed arrow pierced his thigh, drawing a trail of blood.

Chen Qing stumbled, his movements slowing for a fraction of a second.

It was that instant!

A heavy iron mace, carrying a fierce wind, smashed heavily into his back!

"Pfft—!"

Chen Qing's vision went black, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, feeling as if his spine was about to break! The qi and blood defense of the Iron Body Skill was instantly shattered by more than half!

[Suffered heavy blow, Iron Body Skill proficiency +25! Qi and blood greatly depleted!]

He fell forward, rolling into the ruins of a burning tent, and flames instantly engulfed his figure.

"Is he dead?"

"He's burned to death!"

"What a shame, he was a tough one..."

The Northern Barbarian Soldiers surrounded the area, looking at the raging flames. They felt a lingering fear and dared not approach easily.

Within the flames, Chen Qing's consciousness was muddled, intense pain and burning sensations sweeping his entire body. He could feel his flesh charring, his life ebbing away.

Am I going to die?

No!

A strong will to survive ignited his remaining qi and blood like the last ember. The fully integrated Black Tiger Fist Intent began to circulate spontaneously, madly absorbing and refining the large amount of qi and blood accumulated from killing numerous enemies, which had not yet been fully digested, and... the dense, almost unresolvable malevolent energy and death energy pervading the battlefield!

These mixed and violent energies were forcibly unified by the Black Tiger Fist Intent, flowing like magma through his nearly dried meridians. Wherever they passed, they brought destruction, but also a strange vitality!

Beneath his charred skin, a faint dark red light flowed.

The circulation path of the Iron Body Skill began to mutate under this extreme stimulation, no longer pursuing uniform toughness, but transforming towards a more extreme direction, better adapted to this malevolent energy and destruction!

[In a near-death state, absorbing battlefield malevolent energy, Black Tiger Fist Intent undergoes mutation...]
[Iron Body Skill is eroded by malevolent energy and Black Tiger Fist Intent, begins to mutate and fuse...]
[Learned partial technique: Fierce Tiger Iron Body (Mortal Rank Top-grade?)]

The system's prompts became intermittent, filled with static.

Chen Qing suddenly opened his eyes.

In those eyes, the previous coldness and ferocity were gone, replaced by a pure, inhuman, abyssal-like stillness and desire for slaughter, like that of a deep-sea demon.

Slowly, he stood up from the burning ashes.

Large patches of charred skin cracked and peeled away from his body, revealing new flesh beneath, which had a dark metallic sheen and was entwined with wisps of dark red malevolent energy. The wounds on his shoulders and thighs stopped bleeding under the entanglement of the dark red malevolent energy and began to slowly writhe and heal.

He casually pulled a half-scorched, sharpened tent pole from the ashes and gripped it in his hand.

Then, he raised his head and looked at the Northern Barbarian soldiers outside, who were petrified with horror.

There were no roars, no shouts of rage.

He simply took a step and walked out of the flames.

One step, two steps, his speed increasing until he transformed into a ghostly shadow entwined with dark red malevolent energy, charging into the crowd.

The charred wooden pole in his hand became the most terrifying weapon. There was no technique, only the simplest, most direct stabbing and striking! Each swing carried a piercing sound through the air and a dense aura of death and malevolence!

Puff! The wooden pole pierced the iron armor of a Northern Barbarian Soldier, exiting through his back!

Splat! The skull of another Northern Barbarian Soldier was smashed like a watermelon!

He was like a demon crawling back from hell, feeling no pain, knowing no fatigue, only the purest killing instinct.

The ferocity of the Black Tiger Fist, amplified by the dark red malevolent energy, turned into a destructive rampage.

The cunning of the Black Tiger Saber Technique transformed into ruthless cruelty, sparing no effort.

The mutated Fierce Tiger Iron Body felt like an invisible armor of malevolent energy cloaking him. Ordinary swords and sabers only left shallow white marks on it, and instead, the malevolent energy would seep in, numbing his arms.

"Ghost! He's a ghost!"

"Run!"

The Northern Barbarian soldiers' courage was finally shattered by this inhuman sight. With a yell, they broke and fled in all directions.

Chen Qing (or rather, he who was dominated by the instinct to kill) did not pursue. He simply stood in place, leaning on the scorched, dripping wooden stick, his chest heaving violently, the black and red malevolent energy around him writhing slowly like a living thing.

He scanned his surroundings. Illuminated by the firelight, the ground was littered with corpses, a scene like a Shura field.

In the distance, the faint sound of the Great Yan army's counterattack horns and shouts could be heard. The Northern Mang's offensive seemed to have faltered.

The deathly stillness and bloodlust in Chen Qing's eyes slowly receded, replaced by an extreme weariness and confusion.

He lowered his head, looking at his newborn hands, which were now covered in patterns of malevolent energy, and felt the completely different, destructive power within him.

He had survived.

But something, it seemed, had changed.