7: Chapter 7 Black Cloud Mountains

The pain of Body Refining was endless.

Every time he opened a narrow branch meridian, it felt like being tortured.

The heat flow from the stone bead was a good thing, but it was also domineering; Ye Tian could only endure the sensation as it forcibly washed through him.

His body was always covered in bruises, with old injuries layered over new ones.

Resources were being consumed rapidly.

The small monthly stipend was like trying to put out a fire with a cup of water.

Today, carrying his last two Low-Grade Spirit Stones, he intended to go to the market to exchange them for the cheapest Body Tempering medicinal herbs.

Not far from the Ye Family settlement, after turning a corner past a small grove, three figures blocked his path.

It was Ye Hao, along with two unfamiliar young men whose attire and demeanor didn't seem like ordinary Ye Family disciples; they carried the fierce aura of those who frequently traveled abroad.

Ye Hao stood behind the two men, a gloating sneer on his face.

"Cousin, it's him!" Ye Hao pointed at Ye Tian and spoke to the arrogant-looking young man beside him.

The young man looked Ye Tian up and down, his eyes filled with contempt. "This trash? He beat you up like that?"

Ye Hao's face flushed red. "He used dirty tricks! Cousin, you have to help me vent this grievance!"

This young man was the son of Ye Hao's second uncle, Ye Ming. He spent most of the year managing the Family business with his father and rarely returned to the clan lands; his cultivation had already reached Qi Gathering Level 3.

The other person beside them was also a disciple from their lineage.

Ye Ming took a step forward, blocking Ye Tian's path, his chin slightly raised. "Break one of your own arms and kowtow to my brother to apologize, and we'll call it even."

Ye Tian gripped the Spirit Stones in his pocket tightly and said nothing.

"Are you deaf?" Ye Ming's brow furrowed as he lost patience. He reached out to grab Ye Tian's collar, his hand moving so fast it whistled through the air.

Ye Tian stepped back, narrowly avoiding it.

"You dare to dodge?" A fierce light flashed in Ye Ming's eyes. He changed his grab into a palm strike, unleashing the full power of Qi Gathering Level 3 as he chopped toward Ye Tian's shoulder.

If this blow landed, his bones would surely shatter.

Ye Tian's gaze darkened, and he stopped retreating.

The muscles in his right arm tightened instantly. The branch meridians that had been forcibly opened by the stone bead's heat flow suddenly grew hot, and a surge of strength derived purely from his Physical Body erupted.

Instead of parrying or blocking, he threw a direct punch at Ye Ming's chest!

Trading injury for injury!

He was willing to take a palm strike just to land a hit on his opponent!

Ye Ming hadn't expected him to be so fierce; in his haste, he slightly pulled back his palm strike and dodged to the side.

Bang!

The edge of Ye Ming's palm grazed Ye Tian's shoulder blade, leaving a searing pain.

But Ye Tian's punch also grazed Ye Ming's ribs with heavy force.

Ye Ming let out a muffled groan. The impact caused his blood and Qi to surge, and he had to retreat two steps to dissipate the force.

Shock and anger flashed across his face. He clearly hadn't expected Ye Tian to have such great strength, which didn't seem like Qi Gathering Level 2 at all!

"Attack together! Cripple him!" Ye Hao screamed from behind.

The other young man immediately lunged forward with vicious strikes.

Ye Tian was instantly at a disadvantage, fighting one against two.

Ye Ming led the attack while the other supported him. Both were at Qi Gathering Level 3, and their assault was fierce.

Relying entirely on the strength and ferocity gained from Body Refining, he held his ground, but in an instant, he was hit several times, and blood leaked from the corner of his mouth.

But he gritted his teeth, a fierce look in his eyes. He focused his attacks solely on Ye Ming, dodging the other person's strikes when possible and tanking them when he couldn't.

His fighting style was completely desperate, risking his life for every blow.

In the chaos, Ye Ming swung a heavy kick.

Ye Tian didn't dodge. He took a punch to the back from the other person and lunged forward, grabbing Ye Ming's kicking leg and twisting it with all his might!

Ye Ming cried out in surprise as his balance was broken.

Ye Tian took the opportunity to headbutt him in the face!

Ye Ming hurriedly leaned back, narrowly avoiding it.

Ye Tian seized the chance to release his leg, turning the headbutt into an elbow strike that slammed into his lower abdomen!

Ye Ming doubled over in pain.

The other person's fist slammed into Ye Tian's back again.

A sweet taste rose in Ye Tian's throat. He used the momentum to charge forward, breaking away from the fight. He stumbled a few steps before steadying himself, breathing heavily as he glared at the two.

Ye Ming caught his breath, his face ashen and his eyes terrifyingly dark.

He had actually been pushed into such a pathetic state by a Level 2 piece of trash!

"You're looking for death!" he growled. The Qi within him surged wildly as he prepared to use a Martial Skill.

"Enough!"

A cold shout rang out.

The Second Elder had appeared nearby at some point, looking at them with a displeased expression.

Ye Ming froze. He forcibly suppressed his Qi and lowered his head. "Second Elder."

The other young man also quickly stopped.

Ye Hao shrank back, not daring to make a sound.

The Second Elder's gaze swept over the battered Ye Tian and the sour-faced Ye Ming. "Disciples of the same clan fighting each other in public—where is your sense of decorum?"

Ye Ming gritted his teeth and said, "Second Elder, it was Ye Tian who first..."

"Shut up!" The Second Elder interrupted him. "Do you think I'm blind? All of you, get lost!"

Ye Ming didn't dare say more. He gave Ye Tian a fierce glare before leading Ye Hao and the other person away quickly.

The Second Elder walked up to Ye Tian, looking at his split lip and the dust on his clothes. "So, you can fight now?"

Ye Tian wiped away the blood and said nothing.

The Second Elder's gaze lingered for a moment on his exceptionally solid build. Suddenly, he said, "The outskirts of the Black Cloud Mountains haven't been peaceful lately. A few stalks of red sun grass are about to ripen, and the guarding Vicious Beasts are restless. The Family needs someone to check it out. Do you dare to go?"

Ye Tian looked up.

red sun grass? That was a supplementary material for refining many Medicinal Pills and also had some benefits for Body Tempering.

"There are Contribution Points," the Second Elder added.

"I'll go," Ye Tian replied.

"Mhm." The Second Elder nodded and, without another word, turned and left.

Three days later, early morning.

Ye Tian packed a simple bag: a few pieces of dry rations, a flask of fresh water, and a sharpened short sword.

His mother watched him silently, her eyes filled with worry, yet she only repeatedly urged him, "Be careful in everything. If you can't do it, just come back."

"I know, Mother." Ye Tian nodded and pushed the door open.

The Black Cloud Mountains lay to the west of the Ye Family settlement. The forests were deep and lush, filled with mist and miasma, and ordinary people dared not venture deep inside.

The outskirts were also home to many Vicious Beasts and served as a regular training ground for Ye Family disciples.

Following the general direction given by the Second Elder, Ye Tian headed west.

The closer he got to the mountains, the fewer signs of people there were. The trees became taller and denser, and the light grew dim.

A faint, rank smell and a sense of oppression began to permeate the air.

He slowed his pace and gripped his short sword, his nerves taut.

A faint rustling and low growls came from ahead.

Ye Tian lowered his body and pushed aside the bushes.

In a small clearing, three or four Vicious Beasts—grayish-black, shaped like leopards but with single horns—were circling a small patch of short grass that emitted a faint red glow.

The tips of the short grass bore ear-shaped red fruits that emitted a faint heat; it was indeed red sun grass.

They were One-Horned Leopards, Rank 1 Intermediate Vicious Beasts, known for their extreme speed and sharp claws and teeth.

They seemed restless, occasionally growling at the red sun grass while warily scanning their surroundings.

The grass leaves swayed without any wind, and the color of the fruits was gradually deepening, nearing maturity.

Ye Tian held his breath and observed carefully.

There were four in total.

A direct confrontation would be suicide.

He waited patiently.

Time passed bit by bit.

The red of the red sun grass fruits grew deeper and deeper, and the heat they emitted became more noticeable.

The One-Horned Leopards became increasingly restless. The strongest one even started pawing the ground, letting out threatening whimpers.

Now!

Ye Tian suddenly lunged from his hiding spot, but instead of charging at the Vicious Beasts, he bolted toward a large tree on the flank, quickly climbing onto a thick branch.

The movement immediately alerted the pack.

All four One-Horned Leopards turned their heads at once. Their crimson eyes instantly locked onto Ye Tian in the tree, and they let out furious roars.

The strongest one pushed off with its hind legs and lunged upward, its claws whistling through the air as they tore into the trunk, leaving several deep gashes.

Standing on the branch, Ye Tian took out several sharp-edged stones he had prepared. He took a deep breath, channeled his meager Qi into his arm, and threw them with great force!

The stones struck the pack below accurately. Though not fatal, they successfully enraged them.

The One-Horned Leopards roared one after another, leaping and pouncing around the tree, causing the branches to shake violently.

Taking advantage of their diverted attention, Ye Tian spotted a relatively slender tree closest to the red sun grass and leaped from his branch!

His body stretched out in mid-air. He narrowly caught the target branch and, using the momentum to swing, dropped toward the patch of red sun grass!

He landed, rolled, and the moment he stood up, he swiftly swung his short sword, precisely cutting the three ripened stalks of red sun grass and stuffing them into his robe without a second look!

The entire process was clean and efficient.

"Roar!"

The pack realized they had been played. The strongest One-Horned Leopard, in particular, was completely enraged. It abandoned the tree and lunged straight for Ye Tian's back!

Without a second thought, Ye Tian lunged forward.

A sharp pain shot through his back as his clothes were torn, leaving several bloody gashes deep enough to see bone.

But he used the momentum of the lunge to roll into a dense thicket of bushes.

The Vicious Beast roared as it crashed into the bushes, sending leaves and branches flying.

Ignoring the pain, Ye Tian scrambled through the bushes on all fours, specifically choosing narrow gaps that were difficult to navigate.

The roars of the beast behind him continued as it pursued him relentlessly.

He suddenly burst out of the bushes, finding a narrow rock crevice ahead.

Without thinking, he squeezed inside.

The crevice was only wide enough for one person to pass through.

The strongest One-Horned Leopard angrily clawed at the rock, sending fragments flying, but it couldn't force its way in for the time being.

Ye Tian leaned against the back of the crevice, panting heavily. His back burned with pain, and blood soaked through his clothes.

The roars of the beast continued outside.

Once he caught his breath, he pulled out the three stalks of red sun grass.

The crimson fruits emitted a gentle warmth, and their medicinal fragrance filled the air.

He carefully put them away.

He tore off some strips of cloth and crudely bandaged the wounds on his back.

The stone bead grew slightly warm, and a trace of warm air slowly seeped out, merging into his injuries and easing the pain.

He hid in the crevice until the roars outside gradually faded before cautiously crawling out.

The sun was already leaning toward the west.

He had to leave this area before nightfall.

Instead of returning the way he came, he chose another direction, heading deeper into the outskirts of the mountains.

There were several temporary resting spots commonly used by the Ye Family on the way.

After finding a hidden cave and confirming it was safe, he finally collapsed onto the ground.

Fatigue and pain washed over him like a tide.

He took out his dry rations and water and began to chew slowly.

Outside the cave, the night grew darker, and the roars of beasts echoed one after another.

He gripped the red sun grass in his robe and touched the warm stone bead.

He closed his eyes and rested.