Battle

It was only natural that Yu Chen would consider leaving this daoist sanctuary.

Three months had passed since Yu Chen's conflict with the three major tribes. During that time, both Yu Chen and the three tribes had maintained relative restraint, as if the earlier events had never happened.

But in truth, Yu Chen knew very well that the three tribes' totems could not tolerate his existence.

Whether it was the Crow Totem, Snake Totem, or Wolf Totem, their essence was a fusion of ancestral spirits and earth deities. This meant that if the totems wished to advance further, they needed more faith and greater authority over the land.

In the surrounding region, the land best suited for survival had already been almost entirely divided among the three major tribes. What remained was either sheer mountains and cliffs, difficult to integrate, or hunting grounds marked by other tribes, thick with the aura of other totems.

Thus, the simplest way for the three great totems to advance further was to devour the other two tribes' totems. The next best option was to expand the territory under their control.

Now, the daoist sanctuary Yu Chen had established lay right on the border between the hunting grounds of the Wolf Tribe and Crow Tribe, and the Snake Tribe also had routes leading here. From a certain perspective, this place had the feel of a lawless no-man's-land.

But in this world, a place beyond anyone's jurisdiction was either tasteless as chicken ribs, where the gains did not match the costs, or it concealed profound mysteries that all three sides desired, making none of them dare act rashly.

And Yu Chen's daoist sanctuary happened to belong to the latter.

This was a node in the earth veins.

Moreover, as Yu Chen's aura seeped into the sanctuary and enhanced the spiritual activity of this place, the primordial qi carried by the circulation of the surrounding earth veins was drawn here of its own accord. Some animals had even chosen to relocate here and make their homes.

It could be said that Yu Chen's existence had already affected the lives of the Wolf Tribe's and Crow Tribe's people.

Therefore, if Yu Chen continued living here, a great battle between him and the totems would be unavoidable.

Thinking of this, Yu Chen silently thought, If I had a more complete qi cultivation technique at hand, or could activate Earthly Fiend arts such as guidance, fasting, and ingestion, or if I were given a few more years, I could wipe out the three tribes' totems directly and become the living totem worshipped in this land. Alas, time waits for no one!

After sighing over it for a moment, Yu Chen suddenly frowned. He rose and looked into the void. With a thought, the bamboo scroll unfurled, and patterns emerged one after another, sketching out the layout of the daoist sanctuary. This was an ability Yu Chen had discovered only a few days ago, similar to a minimap in games. Based on how deeply the surrounding area had been suffused with Yu Chen's aura, he could vaguely sense changes within the sanctuary.

At that moment, Yu Chen clearly saw four foreign auras faintly mingling within the earth qi circulating through his sanctuary.

Of these four auras, three exuded decay and darkness, while one carried wildness and violence. The former were characteristics of the Crow Totem, while the latter was the nature of the Wolf Totem.

I may want to leave, but that is my choice! It cannot be because the two of you forced me out! Yu Chen watched the changes on the sanctuary's "minimap," his gaze cold, though the corners of his lips curled faintly upward. Having packed his belongings, he took one step out of his sanctuary.

After only a few steps, snake-shaped smoke rose beneath Yu Chen's feet, carrying him swiftly into the forest.

Along the way, Yu Chen had no intention of concealing himself in the slightest.

Several crows lurking at the edge of his sanctuary spotted him early on. They flapped their wings, intending to take flight, only to be devoured by several snake shadows that shot out from the side, reverting into a few slender crow feathers.

With a beckoning gesture, Yu Chen drew the crow feathers into his hand. After sensing them briefly, he headed toward the source of the aura lingering upon them.

Tracking it all the way, Yu Chen left the sanctuary he had built and entered the territory covered by the Crow Totem.

Sensing the aura flowing through the earth ahead, Yu Chen smiled and continued after it.

After pursuing it for about the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Yu Chen saw four or five shamans dancing around a bonfire, with twenty or thirty powerful totem warriors standing nearby.

The corners of Yu Chen's lips rose slightly as he swiftly retreated. Crow-like markings rapidly appeared across the bodies of those totem warriors, and illusory crow feathers emerged around them, raising their already swift speed by another level.

Several warriors holding crude stone javelins and axes charged at the very front. The surfaces of their weapons carried faint traces of sorcery and a bloody stench; they were clearly no ordinary stone weapons.

Yu Chen glanced back, then casually waved a hand. Several dead branches and shattered stones flew out from the side and slammed into the foremost totem warriors. He then raised his hand, palm flat, and small ranged weapons such as darts and blow needles halted in midair.

Then the Fire Snake Dart flew from his hand, its serpent-shaped flames swiftly engulfing a totem warrior.

An amulet made from bones of unknown origin hung around that warrior's neck, immediately blossoming with strands of light. But the moment that light rose, the totem warrior was already effortlessly burned to death by Yu Chen.

Under Yu Chen's control, the remaining flames fell into the surrounding grass and trees, showing every sign of becoming a wildfire.

The totem warriors' faces changed drastically. Their movements slowed by two beats, and several warriors even instinctively moved to put out the flames. Yu Chen seized that opportunity. The Little White Snake darted out from the vegetation and easily pierced through the brows of those warriors.

While the warriors remained on guard against the Yin Snake Chain, the Fire Snake Dart flew out from the side again by the light of the flames, taking another totem warrior's life and leaving behind a burning blaze.

In only a few rises and falls, nearly one-third of the warriors had died. Even though the remaining totem warriors were battle-hardened, their composure collapsed. Some of the younger ones suffered complete mental breakdowns.

Yu Chen showed no mercy to these people. Sorcery, talisman arts, the Yin Snake Chain, and the Fire Snake Dart struck in succession, every attack taking a life. And with every warrior's death, the earth beneath his feet grew more enraged.

Caw! Just as Yu Chen killed the last totem warrior, a piercing cry rang out from the direction he had just left.

A Three-Eyed Blood-Patterned Black Crow appeared not far away. As it beat its wings, a frigid aura descended and suppressed the spreading flames. At the same time, streams of black smoke rose from beneath the ground, transforming into crows covered in glossy black feathers, their eyes blood-red, flying through the air. Some plunged into the flames to extinguish them, while others circled Yu Chen, blocking his escape.

"Could you stop bringing out this kind of sorcery to embarrass yourself?" Yu Chen sneered at the crows circling him. The Snake Shadow Banner appeared in his hand. With a light shake, mist rose and swiftly swallowed the crows. Then he pointed at the Three-Eyed Blood-Patterned Black Crow, and snake shadows emerged within the mist, rushing at it wave after wave.

Caw! Another cry rang out. Before the black crow opened its beak, a dark gray black hole, like a swirling vortex condensed from countless wisps of black qi, swallowed every snake shadow. Then streams of almost tangible black smoke flew out from beneath the crow's wings, turning into a thin fog that spread toward Yu Chen.