The People's Suffering

The people far away in the Endless Forest still had no idea Jiang Yun had been talking about them. Now they were finally learning just how painful this trial could be.

...In a lush, verdant forest, Bu Fan lay sprawled across a rock, his face full of despair.

That's right, he was Bu Chen's younger brother, Bu Fan. In the three years since what had happened back then, his admiration had gradually turned into outright fervor. He believed Jiang Yun was the hope of martial arts, and that as long as he followed Jiang Yun, he would witness the glory of martial arts.

Now, though, he stared at the forest that had brought him so much misery, his heart filled with despair. He remembered how carefree they'd been when they first arrived, thinking it would be no big deal.

And with Bu Fan's current combat strength of sixty points, he really was an expert among ordinary people. But what gave him a headache were the mosquitoes and bugs that filled every corner of the forest. When they'd first arrived, they hadn't known any better and had rested wherever they pleased. The next morning, they'd woken up itching all over. He'd even seen colorful bugs the size of fists, which had sent him running for his life.

Bu Fan had to deal with swarms of all kinds of insects, keep an eye out for the forest's jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards, and even fend off attacks from eagles in the sky. After all that, Bu Fan felt he'd become a true wilderness expert. By now, he could just about handle anything the forest threw at him.

Meanwhile, another group of disciples had quietly fallen into danger.

"You damn jackals! Next time, I'm roasting you!"

The speaker was a disciple of the Martial Alliance. A dozen or so wild wolves stood not far away, their eyes fierce and glinting coldly, their presence enough to send a chill through anyone.

Several wolf carcasses lay on the ground. Clearly, the Martial Alliance disciple had killed them.

Blood was scattered across the ground. It was impossible to tell whether it belonged to the disciple or the wolves, and the situation was perilous. The two sides glared at one another. The wolves kept shifting around him, maintaining their circle, but neither side made a move. They'd clearly suffered enough at each other's hands. Now they were waiting for an opening: the moment either side showed a weakness, the other would unleash a storm of attacks.

After a long standoff, hunger finally overcame the wolves' fear. One or two of them lunged at the Martial Alliance disciple.

As the wolves rushed toward him, the disciple turned slightly and drove an elbow into one wolf's temple, killing it in a single clean blow.

Another attacked him from behind, its claws seeming to glint in the light. After finishing off the first wolf, he suddenly braced one hand against the ground and kicked backward, sending the second wolf flying into the sky.

"Die, you damn beast!"

In the next instant, he appeared above the wolf, clenched both hands into fists, and hammered it back down.

Boom!

The impact smashed a small crater into the ground. The wolf lay inside, twitching and spitting up blood.

"Awwooo!"

The wolf howled twice before dying.

The death of their companion didn't frighten the others. Instead, it made them even more ferocious.

The wolves exchanged glances, then rushed him all at once.

"Damn it, looks like I'll have to use my finishing move!"

Awooo!

"All of you, die! Half-Step Crushing Fist: First Layer!"

The disciple had actually used Jiang Yun's Half-Step Crushing Fist. After Jiang Yun's improvements, the technique could now be taught to others, though for the moment it was limited to core disciples.

With the Half-Step Crushing Fist strengthening him, he seemed unstoppable, as if he could kill gods and Buddhas alike. In no time, he had wiped out every wolf around him.

But then he could no longer hold on and collapsed to the ground. He knew, however, that he couldn't stay there. The stench of blood would attract the beasts nearby, and if that happened, he would surely die.

So he dragged his heavy body toward a place he knew—a temporary shelter that was relatively safe.

The setting sun's last rays fell on him, stretching his shadow long behind him, until he disappeared from sight.

Meanwhile, Bu Fan was in the midst of a painful chase.

A rubber ring was cinched around his body, binding him, while a huge, humanoid creature pursued him from behind.

No!

As the figure came into clearer view, it turned out to be a dinosaur. That's right, a dinosaur.

Thinking back to what had happened earlier, Bu Fan couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. It had all started like this.

Bu Fan had been going about his daily training when a tiger suddenly appeared. He couldn't help feeling delighted.

Looks like dinner's taken care of!

He killed the tiger, and just as he was about to deal with its carcass, a voice rang out.

"Damn little bug, you killed my prey!"

Bu Fan looked up and nearly jumped. It was a dinosaur. But remembering how strong he was, he quickly calmed down.

Bu Fan's fighting spirit stirred. "I killed it. What are you going to do about it? Want to have a go?"

He struck a starting pose, then beckoned with a finger in a taunting gesture.

"Damn little bug, I'm going to eat you!"

The dinosaur charged at Bu Fan, swinging its tail with a sharp whoosh that split the air.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Bu Fan tried to block it with his hand, but the tail wrapped around his arm. The dinosaur flung him away, and he crashed hard into a rock.

Dust billowed everywhere. Bu Fan wasn't hurt, and he stretched his limbs.

"Not bad!"

"Come on, keep entertaining me!"

Bu Fan couldn't help getting excited.

"Damn little bug! I, Jilang, will make you pay!" Jilang roared furiously and charged.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Bam! Bam! Bam!

In no time, they'd exchanged dozens of blows, and neither seemed to have the upper hand.

"Not bad. Warm-up's over!"

Bu Fan felt that Dinosaur Jilang was a little weaker than him, probably with a combat strength of around fifty points. That still put him far below Bu Fan, though Jilang's physical strength was greater, and he could take far more punishment.

But I still have a trump card! Bu Fan thought.

When Bu Fan began using his true strength, Jilang felt himself falling behind. He leaped backward.

"Take this, you puny thing!"

"Binding Rubber Ring!"

Jilang threw back his head and spat out something that looked like a rubber ring.

"What is that?" Bu Fan didn't dare let his guard down.

But the rubber ring caught up and snapped around him. Bu Fan tried to stretch it open, only to discover that it was incredibly tough.

Damn, I let my guard down!

He watched Jilang approach.

"Brother, let's talk this out. Peace is the way!"

Bu Fan spoke to Jilang. Jilang responded by spewing Dragon Flame at him. Bu Fan had no choice but to duck.

When he stood up, he said, "I let my guard down just now—I didn't dodge. Why don't we start over?" A huge blast of Dragon Flame answered him.

"You asked for it! I'm using my ultimate move!"

Another blast of Dragon Flame came straight at him, aiming for his lower body. Bu Fan's scalp tingled, and he jumped into the air. One wrong move and he'd be losing his future children!

Bu Fan struck a pose. Jilang thought he was about to attack, but then he was furious. In the blink of an eye, Bu Fan took off running.

Jilang realized he'd been fooled again and immediately chased after him.

They raced on, but Bu Fan was small and nimble, and the gap between them gradually widened. After chasing him for two hours, Jilang finally gave up.

"Damn little bug! Don't let me see you again!" Jilang roared, then turned and left.

Bu Fan couldn't help breathing a sigh of relief. With something like this strapped around him, it was hard to move properly. He began fiddling with the rubber ring, trying to get it off.

At last, after a great deal of effort, Bu Fan managed to remove the rubber ring.

"Guess I shouldn't underestimate the heroes of the world!"

Bu Fan remembered what Jiang Yun had once told them: there would always be someone better out there, and martial artists should remain humble.