Sect Brothers

Deep within the dense forests of the Demon Beast Mountain Range, several figures darted swiftly through the trees. A closer look revealed four people—three men and one woman—all dressed in matching black embroidered robes and square headscarves. They appeared to be from the same faction.

One man led the way while two brought up the rear, protecting the young girl in the middle. The four leaped over streams of rocks and deadwood as they ran forward, seemingly searching for something. "Senior Brother Wan, do you think we can find the Six Poison Centipede?" the girl in the middle asked the young man ahead of her. There was a trace of uncertainty in her voice, as though failing to find it would lead to something terrifying.

Before the leading youth could answer, the two men at the back spoke up. "Junior Sister, don't worry. That beast took several heavy blows from Master and was seriously wounded. It can't have gone far." "That's right. In its current state, let alone us, even an ordinary Dou Shi could kill it. Put your mind completely at ease."

"Mm, but we still need to be careful. The Six Poison Centipede's venom is potent. Getting hit by it won't feel good." The man surnamed Wan nodded, agreeing with the two men behind him.

"What do I have to worry about? I'm not scared at all. My senior brothers will protect me." The girl sped up, hugged the man's arm, and coquettishly pressed herself against him. Whether intentionally or not, her still undeveloped chest pressed against his arm.

"Hehe, don't worry. As long as I'm here, I'll keep you safe." Pinching the girl's chin, the youth surnamed Wan continued running as he spoke. Then, leaning close to her ear, he gave a lecherous smile. "But once we get back, you'll have to help Senior Brother take care of certain needs."

"Senior Brother..." the girl said shyly.

"Hahaha!" The man surnamed Wan threw back his head and laughed.

The two men behind them exchanged a glance. Both could see the jealousy and resentment in the other's eyes. Why? Just because he was their senior brother and a Great Dou Shi, all the junior sisters threw themselves at him?! Damn it!

In the central region of the Demon Beast Mountain Range, dense forests stretched in every direction. Ye Qiu was currently fighting a Third Order Magical Beast, a Demon Shadow Wolf. It was enormous, even larger than the biggest elephant he had seen in his previous life. Its fur stood on end, its gaze was vicious, and its fangs and claws were exceptionally sharp. Pegasus watched from high above. Ye Qiu had not allowed it to help, nor had he allowed it to release its pressure to interfere with the Demon Shadow Wolf's fighting strength.

"Roar!" The Demon Shadow Wolf charged at the youth as a black energy sphere condensed in its mouth. "Mm, black? A mutated shadow element!"

"Boom!" The energy shot flew out, aimed straight at Ye Qiu. At the same time, the Demon Shadow Wolf did not stop after attacking. Instead, it leaped into the air with both claws raised, clearly intending to strike Ye Qiu again if he survived the energy blast.

"Fire Release - Great Fireball Technique!" Ye Qiu spewed out a massive torrent of flames, intending to incinerate the energy sphere. "What?" Ye Qiu was shocked to discover that the basketball-sized black energy sphere actually pierced through his flames, which were several times larger than a house.

"Gravity Fist - Mountain Split!" There was no time. Ye Qiu raised his hand and struck. Because he had not had enough time to gather power, he merely knocked the energy sphere away without causing any great destruction.

"Clang!" After throwing the punch, Ye Qiu had no time to see whether he had blocked the energy sphere. He immediately drew the Aluminum Alloy Sword from his waist, held it across his body, and directly clashed with the Demon Shadow Wolf's claws.

Crack, crack, crack. Ye Qiu was driven back again and again by the Demon Shadow Wolf's strength, his feet scraping across the ground. "Damn, what tremendous strength." Ye Qiu cursed under his breath. The hand gripping his sword trembled nonstop, and the veins beneath his skin stood out visibly. Feeling his blood churn Within The Body, Ye Qiu immediately realized that his close-range attacks were truly terrible, while his stamina and physical constitution were even worse.

"Crystal Release: Divine Crossing Technique." He pressed one palm against the ground, and a row of crystals instantly formed in a straight line beneath the Demon Shadow Wolf, stabbing upward at it from below.

"Roar!" Its body pierced by the suddenly emerging crystals, blood gushed continuously from the Demon Shadow Wolf. Enraged, it opened its huge jaws and condensed another energy sphere, much larger than the previous one.

"Hey, hey, hey, this move isn't a joke. Gravity Fist - Mountain Split!" Since his right hand had gone numb from blocking the Demon Shadow Wolf's claw with his sword, Ye Qiu gathered gravity in his left hand. Purple energy surged densely around it. He suddenly launched it forward, colliding with the Demon Shadow Wolf's black sphere. "Boom! Bang, bang, bang!" A massive explosion erupted between man and beast.

"Pfft!" Ye Qiu spat out a mouthful of blood and flew backward. "Neigh!" A horse's cry rang out. Pegasus beat its wings, and a fierce gust flashed past, instantly catching the youth on its back and flying into the sky.

"Urgh, Pegasus." Ye Qiu lay sprawled across Pegasus's back, looking down at the winged horse beneath him. A wave of reassurance washed over him. "How is that Demon Shadow Wolf?" Ye Qiu asked, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.

"It's as good as dead."

"Is that so?" Ye Qiu closed his eyes and murmured, "Let's go back."

"Hmm? We're not killing it?" Pegasus asked.

"No need. I already know my own strength, and I've discovered my shortcomings. The purpose has been achieved, so there's no need." Ye Qiu spoke with his eyes closed. His injuries were not severe, but neither were they light.

"Yes, got it." Whoosh. As soon as it spoke, it turned into a streak of white light and vanished from where it had been...

"What do you think of that explosion just now?" Five or six li away from where Ye Qiu and the Demon Shadow Wolf had fought, the youth surnamed Wan asked the other three.

"It was probably Magical Beasts fighting each other, or perhaps a mercenary group hunting Magical Beasts," one of the men answered.

"Nonsense. I'm asking about that attack. What kind of expert do you think the other party is? A Great Dou Shi, or..." the man surnamed Wan snapped. What nonsense. In the Demon Beast Mountain Range, if an explosion was not caused by someone fighting, could it have appeared naturally? Was a volcano erupting?

"I..." The man who had been scolded wanted to retort, but he seemed somewhat fearful and ultimately said nothing.

"Hmph, you two really are useless. Senior Brother Wan is the impressive one. Senior Brother Wan, who do you think is fighting?" The girl first mocked the two men behind her, then asked the leading youth in a flattering tone.

"I, Wan Guanghu, am a Three Star Great Dou Shi, yet the power of that explosion just now..." Though arrogant, Wan Guanghu was still rational. "It was probably an attack launched by a Dou Spirit expert, or a battle between two experts above the Five-Star Great Dou Shi level. We should keep our distance."

"Five-Star Great Dou Shi?!" Upon hearing Wan Guanghu's words, all three were utterly shocked. There was actually such a powerful expert fighting nearby.

"Mm, right, Senior Brother Wan. We should look elsewhere. We shouldn't interfere with their battle." The words Five-Star Great Dou Shi made the girl's breathing grow heavier. She grasped Wan Guanghu's hand as she spoke.

"Mm." Wan Guanghu nodded and headed to the right. The girl and the two men followed behind him. Watching Wan Guanghu's leader-like bearing, then looking at the girl's alluring figure, greed flashed through the two men's eyes. They exchanged sinister smiles and slowly followed the man and woman ahead.