When Embryonic Breath First Took Shape

Having attained embryonic breath, Jiang Che already felt that heaven and earth had become utterly different.

With every breath, he could now faintly sense spiritual energy.

But he did not publicize it. He told no one.

Not long after he finished circulating his cultivation technique, Jiang Weichuan gathered everyone, and they set off again.

Halfway along the route, Jiang Weichuan came over to Jiang Che, looked him up and down, and appeared astonished.

"I wasn't sure earlier, but now... Little Che, have you entered embryonic breath?"

It was perfectly normal for him to notice. Jiang Che replied openly, "Yes. Thanks to Lord Du's gift of the technique, I gained some insight from reading it last night and was fortunate enough to cross the threshold this morning."

"You..." Jiang Weichuan let out a deep sigh. "When I first began, I studied the book for three months, pondering it over and over, then spent another three months attempting to circulate the technique before I finally crossed the threshold. Yet you managed it in a single morning! I used to hear stories of geniuses from great houses entering the Dao overnight, tales people praised and retold. They always seemed so distant. Who would have thought my own nephew would be such a Unicorn Prodigy!"

After expressing his amazement, he immediately cautioned him, "The world is not a fair place. You must never spread word that you entered the Dao overnight. Fourteen years ago, our Jiang clan of Willow Source also had a clansman who entered the Dao in a single night. The clan elders held him in the palms of their hands and spared no effort supplying resources, hoping to nurture a Qi Refining Cultivator as quickly as possible. But just after he reached mid embryonic breath and developed transforming force, someone murdered him."

"Remember, guard against arrogance and impatience. The Great Dao is hard to find. Talents like yours are rare, but there are still many of them, and only a scant few ever knock upon the gates of immortality. The road ahead is the hardest part. Above all, beware of petty villains and hidden attacks. Do you understand?"

Jiang Che grew solemn. "I will remember your teachings, Uncle Chuan."

"Once this matter is settled, I will report it to the clan. Your branch will have a chance to return to the family genealogy. Cultivate diligently when the time comes, and the clan will provide what you need."

Jiang Che gave no definite response to that.

They followed the markers Du Yongchang had left along the way. Along the route, they encountered groups led by other outer disciples and even met the other two Qi Refining Cultivators from the Willow Source outer branch, Steward Fang and Steward Ye.

After meeting, they split up again, though they generally headed in the direction indicated by Steward Du's markers.

Shortly before noon, they saw a plume of blue smoke rising straight into the sky from the distant mountain forest, refusing to disperse in the wind. It was a signaling firework from the Azure Mystic Sect.

Jiang Weichuan turned and barked, "Steward Du has found the target up ahead. Get there at full speed! No stopping along the way!"

At his urging, the group reached the location two incense sticks later.

It was a stockade concealed deep in the ancient mountain forest, so well hidden that from any distance, there was no sign anyone lived there.

Now, however, its gate had been blasted open. Shattered wood lay strewn everywhere, and two corpses lay across the entrance.

Several figures trailing streaks of light burst out of the stockade and plunged into the forest, some fleeing, others pursuing. They could just make out that the pursuers were apparently Steward Du and the two stewards, while the fugitive was presumably the Qi Refining Cultivator among the Heaven Pillar remnants.

Even as he gave chase, Steward Du left them an order: "Surround the stockade! Don't let a single Demon Sect remnant escape! Capture them if you can; kill anyone who resists! Search everything inside thoroughly!"

Jiang Weichuan's heart tightened with apprehension.

Who knew whether more experts were hiding inside? If a Demon Sect cultivator in the qi refining period was lurking there, his little squad of twenty-odd people would probably be slaughtered in moments.

But what room did they have to negotiate now?

Their group had arrived first, and they alone stood blocking the stockade entrance. Shouts were already drawing closer from inside. The Demon Sect members were about to break out.

With no choice, Jiang Weichuan led his men to block the gate.

The twenty-odd men behind him formed two ranks, each gripping a saber, faces taut.

The cries of battle inside drew closer and closer. In the blink of an eye, the first figure darted through the gate.

Jiang Weichuan surged forward and cut him down with a single stroke.

But a second figure followed, then a third, then a flood of people.

The Azure Mystic Probationary Disciples also rushed forward, and the clash of weapons rang out all around.

The enemy naturally had greater numbers, and they fought desperately to stay alive. But the first wave consisted entirely of ordinary people.

The Azure Mystic Probationary Disciples had not entered the Dao either, but at least they were martial fighters who trained regularly, far stronger than ordinary people.

Soon, however, the real challenge arrived.

A burly, one-eyed man hidden in the crowd raised a thick-backed cleaver and chopped straight at Jiang Weichuan's face.

Jiang Weichuan raised his saber to block, and the web between his thumb and forefinger trembled.

This was an embryonic breath cultivator!

Before he could catch his breath, another figure slipped out from behind the one-eyed man. Wielding two sabers, he joined the burly man in attacking Jiang Weichuan.

Another embryonic breath cultivator.

Neither was his match alone, but together, they were more than he could swiftly overcome.

What chilled Jiang Weichuan's heart even further was the appearance of a third embryonic breath enemy.

With a red-tasseled spear in hand, the man flicked its tip through a flourish, and two Azure Mystic Probationary Disciples fell in an instant.

Sweat appeared on Jiang Weichuan's forehead.

Holding off two was already his limit. But letting even one slip past was enough to get all the remaining Azure Mystic disciples killed.

It was not only because of the vast gulf between those in the embryonic breath period and ordinary martial fighters, but also because the enemy already outnumbered them!

Were they doomed to lose?

At that moment, he suddenly remembered something: there was another embryonic breath cultivator in his own squad.

Jiang Che.

But that thought did nothing to reassure him.

Jiang Che was a genius who had entered the Dao in a single morning. Yet no matter how gifted he was, he had only just stepped into the Embryonic Breath Period, barely half a day ago. Now he would have to fight another Embryonic Breath Period cultivator to the death. That was far too much to ask.

The Jiang Household had finally produced a Unicorn Prodigy, only to lose him here?

The more he thought, the more his mind tangled, until even his swordplay fell into disarray. The more urgently he fought, the further he strayed from his goal, and instead he was forced onto the defensive.

Jiang Che drove his sword into a man's lower abdomen, then turned sideways to evade a saber chopping at him from beside him. Drawing his sword free, he slashed backhanded across that man's neck and left him to collapse, clutching his spurting throat, his screams swallowed by the chaotic battle.

He had killed two men in succession, yet his mind remained steady. He had expected his first kill to provoke some great reaction, but when the moment actually came, he thought of nothing, calmly responding to the flashes of blades coming from every direction.

He killed with great efficiency, too. By this point in the battle, several people had already died at his hands.

After entering the Dao, his eyesight, reactions, and strength had risen a level above those of ordinary martial fighters. Killing quickly came naturally.

He had also noticed Jiang Weichuan's situation, as well as the Embryonic Breath Period opponent wielding the Red Tassel Spear.

Which way should he go?

A moment later, the choice was taken from him.

A sharp rush of air came. He abruptly halted and saw the Red Tassel Spear plunge diagonally into the ground just before his toes.

Had he taken one more step, that thrown spear would have pierced Jiang Che's chest.

In the blink of an eye, the man charged over, pulled up his spear, and stared at him with a sneer. "I wondered how formidable this other embryonic breath cultivator might be. Turns out you're just Azure Mystic trash who's barely entered the Dao!"

The moment the words left his mouth, the spear struck!