Volume One – The Frontier of the Chen Kingdom, the Rebellious Marquis’s Immortal Path Chapter 50: Raiding the Enemy’s Lair

At first, Chen Yu and his two companions resisted the demonic beasts, but after several fierce battles, they found the pace of their cultivation frustratingly slow. With their current strength, slaying a single beast consumed far too much time.

“This won’t do at all,” Xue Han remarked. “The results are simply too meager.”

Jing Zhe nodded in agreement. “Indeed, if this continues, we may well exhaust ourselves before we ever grow stronger.”

“I actually have an idea,” Chen Yu mused after a moment’s contemplation. “I’m not sure if it’ll work, though.”

“Let’s hear it,” the other two urged.

“Do you think these beasts’ lairs might hold treasures?”

Xue Han instantly understood, his face lighting up with excitement. “You mean like that red-crowned python we encountered before?”

Chen Yu nodded seriously. “Exactly. The chances might be slim, but it’s surely more effective than hunting them one by one.”

“Absolutely! I think it’s worth a try. Right now, all these beasts are fighting over the Five Divine Lights, so their rear positions must be vulnerable. We can raid their nests,” Xue Han said, gripping his sword as if he’d already claimed great spoils.

“In that case, what are we waiting for? Let’s move!” Jing Zhe cried out.

The three had wandered the Heaven Severing Mountains for some time. Though they mostly avoided the strongest beasts, they knew the locations of their lairs with reasonable certainty.

As expected, the beasts’ nests were deserted, just as the trio had predicted—there was little danger to be found.

Also as expected, after raiding a few places, they managed to find only a handful of spirit herbs.

Delighted, they did not immediately begin refining them. Instead, they swept through the surrounding area, purposely keeping away from the beasts’ battlegrounds, before preparing to seclude themselves in cultivation.

Each of them wore a wicked grin, unconcerned about the type of herb, refining them one after another using the Nine Breaths Vitality Method.

All their actions were observed by the five great transformed demon immortals.

“As expected of the human race—cunning to the extreme. Taking advantage of the chaos to steal the spirit herbs from the lesser beasts,” remarked the fox immortal, his tone mocking but without any intention to intervene.

“Ha, I never thought I’d hear you, Hu San, call anyone else cunning,” the weasel immortal teased.

“What, Huang Er, are you looking for a fight?” Hu San the fox immortal replied with a cold laugh.

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“Forget it! I don’t want to fight; it’s tedious,” Huang Er the weasel said, spreading his hands.

“These three human brats aren’t stupid. If they rushed straight for the Nine Provinces now, plenty of lesser beasts are lying in wait. That would be certain death,” said Bai Zhenzhen, the white immortal among the five.

“No matter what means they use, as long as they survive, it proves their capability,” the snake immortal Liu Yi said, neither approving nor disapproving.

“That’s true! But whether they can escape, who can say?” The transformed rat demon, known as Hui Wu, grinned slyly.

The other four demon immortals turned to Hui Wu.

“You’ve made your move?” Bai Zhenzhen asked.

“I’m just making things a bit uncomfortable for them,” Hui Wu replied, as if it were only natural.

Just as the three finished refining all the spirit herbs, they felt a powerful surge within their bodies—they had all broken through, attaining the strength of four breaths in their dantian.

“Marvelous!” Jing Zhe exclaimed, exhilarated by the endless vitality flowing within him. “Let’s go… time for another sweep!”

But as he spoke, his brows furrowed.

“Demonic beasts are approaching,” Chen Yu and Xue Han sensed it too—and not just one.

“What do you think? Should we run first?” Jing Zhe asked.

“Heh… Now that we’ve grown stronger, I’d like to test this power,” Chen Yu replied.

“I feel the same,” said Xue Han.

“Well then, let’s go!” Jing Zhe declared, charging ahead toward one direction.

Chen Yu and Xue Han exchanged glances and followed, rushing toward another direction.

Two wolf demons had arrived. Startled by the sudden appearance of the trio, they quickly succumbed to their own savagery and lunged at the three.

Boom! Jing Zhe’s fist collided with one, sending the wolf demon reeling—it was no match for him.

“You beast, you’re nothing special! With such weak strength, you dare challenge us? Courting death!” Jing Zhe unleashed the Eight Wastelands Force, the powerful blows causing the wolf demon to howl in agony. In less than half a cup of tea’s time, its body was crushed to a pulp.

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Meanwhile, Chen Yu and Xue Han swiftly finished their battle, dispatching the second wolf demon with a few strokes of their swords.

But before they could rejoice, all three instinctively looked up to see a giant eagle diving toward them.

“Go!” Without hesitation, they plunged into the thicket, engaging the eagle in a fierce struggle.

Soon after, the three emerged covered in blood, constantly refining the power within the beast’s blood using the Nine Breaths Vitality Method.

Thus, through the slaughter, the cultivation of Chen Yu and his companions grew steadily.

At first, the beasts sent to encircle them were not particularly powerful, and the trio could manage them together.

But as time passed, the strength of the beasts attacking them increased exponentially.

Those participating in the contest fell one after another; those who survived were the strongest, and the pressure on the three grew ever greater.

Even so, none of them considered leaving immediately. The battles stirred their blood, and the joy of growing stronger left them intoxicated.

With a slash, Chen Yu and his companions severed the head of a tiger demon before them.

“Haha… What exhilaration!” Jing Zhe shouted excitedly. Though he was drenched in blood, he felt no discomfort at all. He instinctively began to absorb the power from the fresh blood using the Nine Breaths Vitality Method.

But Chen Yu was not as excited as Jing Zhe. He spoke seriously, “I think it’s time for us to leave.”

“Leave? In such a perfect place for cultivation, wouldn’t that be a waste?” Jing Zhe tried to persuade him.

“You’ve noticed it too, haven’t you, Third Brother?”

“Yes. I don’t think we three can handle the remaining beasts,” Chen Yu said. “Though we’re advancing rapidly here, we must know when to retreat in the face of danger.”

“I agree with Third Brother,” Xue Han chimed in.

Jing Zhe, though reluctant, did not argue further.