Song Zi Ning raised his gaze directly at the hanging mana lamp overhead, its piercing brightness seemingly without effect upon his eyes. In the radiant golden aura, he beheld an image emerging — the little rebellious figure of Qian Ya.
Since leaving Huang Quan Training Camp, Song Zi Ning hadn’t set eyes on Qian Ya again. Who could imagine that the next time word arrived regarding him, it would take the shape of a battlefield death report regarding Lin Qian Ya amid Vermilion Scorpion ranks?
At the time, Song was newly returned to his family’s domain and embroiled in the perilous maelstrom of struggle over heir designation—an affair sufficiently consuming that not until nearly half a year previously did he manage the wherewithal to retrace the past, only to discover that a formidable wall blocked his path like a ceaseless eternal night.
But now Song Zi Ning gazed upon the person at Keke’s side. Though stature and build were no longer alike and visage and bearing bore but a tenuous resemblance of one another, it suddenly seemed like Qian Ya himself was once again facing him.
Yet, something still seemed awry.
The secret cultivation techniques mastered by Song could reveal the very origins of entities. He had sketched pictures unraveling the hidden truth behind the person near Keke’s side—discernaing their faces without disguises, also deducing Qian Ya’s matured self—reaching an ambiguous, equivocal conclusion. Half of the absolute undeniable proof insisted they were unmistakably singular individuals, yet an equal amount of evidence irrefutable showed otherwise.
Last evening his retainer delivered their background dossier: one Qian Xiao Ya —or also called Qian Ye, he is born within the Hundred Cities Province in the Southern Frontier of the Empire. His parents, itinerant merchants of common birth, met their deaths twelve years ago during an assault upon a human outpost settlement on the continent. Orphaned, he was first fostered eventually by an officer then followed by the adoption by a hunter prior into the Hunter’s Union — recruited into House Yin’s ranks from within a mission assignment group.
Seemingly every facet is entirely plausible, nothing to raise suspicion. However viewed in Song’s discerning sightlines, the plausibility itself felt unnaturally over-rehearsed.
The time had drawn near dawn; at the upper continents, the seasons shifted perpetually and day and night were clear apart. A tint of rosy radiance crept upon a distance mountaintop. Still wide awakened, a full night through, Song Zi Ning sauntered from his tent and gave an idle languid stretch. Nearby lay the tent where could be seen an exhausted Ye Mu Lan, clothes fully clothed while dozing off, her hair in mild disarray— evidence of an utterly tiring preceding evening.
Upon viewing this, Song’s lips curled into a faint unknowable smile, yet there were no warmth mirrored within his eyes.
Elseward into the wooded ranges, fierce creature howls rang alongside thunderous, louder male roars piercing the nocturnes.
Wei patian let loose thundering wails, like springtime’s roll from above, locked mid-fight alongside a heavy-armored ursine, a hulking beast tipping near a full ton of muscled mass; such was a swat from its single hand that not one mere fifth-ranking warrior was strong enough to stand direct confrontation. At this precise instant Wei Patian’s form radiating yellow aura bearing ‘Heavy Mountain Technique’ — withstanding weight unimaginable, entangle in direct melee range, pummeling fiercely against the seventh-rank grizzler in hand-on-claw contest.
With every fist thrown, luminant glimmers erupted amidst crackling force, heavy strikes like mountains falling anew. Such pounding left the thick hide bearing animal howling angrily and thrashing about in resistance. At last giving himself over to raw ferocity unshaved, he let loose an unearthly yell, launching himself fully forward and clasped in arms wrought like tempered steel wrapped around the ursine crown—clutch tightening by fractions inexorably.
Wildly lashing about in final desperate retaliation—beastly claws raking down upon his body mercilessly—Wei Patian’s golden protective field wavered from flashing to fading moments erratically while elite battle attire, painstaking crafted for his lineage was shorn away bit-by-bit, scoring deep fresh lines blood carving over torso and flesh alike!
Despite possessing seventh-tier guards of their own rank from house Wei, all were powerless; watching helplessly from outside while heart racing and sweat pouring without dare step nearer — any early interference resulted solely in their former reprimanding tirades already suffered. At this moment watching the beast and man duel towards the knife edge of destruction… no one dared disturb the battle further. This was the battle that marked Wei Clan’s Young Lord in epic grandeur.
Roar reverberated through mountain valleys; with a swift wrenching twist, bone cracking audibly — the carnivorean’s struggles faded away; finally yielding to a defeated slump.
Releasing its bulk he felt victorious pride surging through, grinning with childlike delight — readying posture of a mid-ranked Empire battle-lord to show his might when suddenly a jolting pain wracked through! From his many grievous wounds, a cry of utter agony wrenched from throat involuntarily.
Guards erupted forward, tending and laying him down while attending healers poured medicines applying salves. Water rushed to relieve parched throat. When finally, heavy mountains aura ceased, moaning wail of a man in butchery emerged—his wounds themselves insignificant, yet agony unimaginable! Despite skin as hardened as beasts’, pain coursed unceasing like near-death throes.
After this battle Wei could surely rest one or two long days ahead; with House Wei surging near battle-top-tier rankings — it would surely drop soon. Yet all such thoughts stood distant.
Meanwhile, Keke ventured into sixth Tier Region. Though far from dedicated competitor like the rest; yet she surpassed Song Zi Ning in forward progression. Her scouting group composition remained optimal strategy for mid to end game momentum. Among watchers lingering on rearlines of combat, many favored young Miss Keke’s rise.
Thus ended another complete, cyclical sun.
Odd perhaps — the youth with least joy across the hunting encampments, ironically being that one far ahead: Zhao Jun Hong.
River lay motionlessly unconscious within canvas tent. Having barely dragging oneself back at death’s doorstep, as though his breath exhaled finally in ease; collapse had been instant.
Though Zhao maintained attendants knowledgeable enough in battlefield healing—none stood able confronting Qian Ya’s potent complex concoctioned venom cocktail. General antidoters preserved life temporarily; however complete detoxification remained out of question for mere couple days given lack proper medical resources upon battlefield.
Zhao listened gravely; furrow brow queried,
“So… He is thus excluded in further hunts?”
“Aye indeed; immediate evacuation required, survival endangered if not handled thoroughly within three full dawns.”
Grimacing with comprehension, “Order he taken to outpost base quickly; from there — arrange personnel from base take him directly to Vengu Duke’s Private Villa. Recovery would proceed successfully thereafter.”
Order delivered, retainers exited to arrange transport.
Zhao released an elongated weary exhalation. But the mood weighed heavily. Notably, one more hand missing permanently. Furthermore the retainer assigned to accompany away and back required further forty-eight hours minimum, diminishing efficiency during these intervening two crucial days.
Zhao Jun Hong held no worries concerning many noble rival factions but paid heed exclusively to just Song Zi Ning —and殷祁祁殷(Qi Qi). Regarding figures as Southern Aristocracy, such as Nangong Wanna alongside Confucius Ya Nian — none stirred any wariness in him.
Truth held Zhao couldn’t fathom Song — yet, Song’s personal escort’s martial prowess seemed unusually beyond expectation relative rank within Song clan. Meanwhile, the rapid growth recently by Miss YIN Qiqi’s battle power caught his contemplative gaze. Currently undertaking family-inherits selection test, Miss’ hunting group consisted solely her loyal retainers — not akin against Zhao or similarly Song; their entourage primarily familial, albeit containing allies, yet not completely loyal solely to them personally.
In the approaching final phase skirmishes, even minor difference like this may prove critical.
Yet even so — while tension built between fronts, a massive score deviation remained elusive for now. Anyone capable of overtaking Zhao’s family lead seemed highly premature in possibility.
Though late midnight pervaded, echoing occasionally across sky peaks rang gunfire and rumbling thunder from explosions in distance—many hunters still scrambling gain advantage against nightfall. Particularly those scions patrolled periphery hunting lines. Focusing fiercely against beasts below fifth ranking, since once hunted in numbers—preemptively exhausted in scant days — leaving remaining hunters no choice except entering higher tier dangerous zones with unpredictable peril. Henceforward the importance of earliest days’ accumulated tallies held vital significance during contest stages at start phase contests.
Now above canopy beneath colossal lunar orb filling small half the sky laid Ye Qian, lounging atop huge branch between ancient bough — grasped stem of wild grass between his teeth — starlight gazing above night’s embrace from endless heavens. Legends claim an other-worldly kingdom existed upon this pearl of moon. Yet whether souls had tread thither… unknown.
Flame within Qian Ya continued burning — not yet dying from his chest. Without dousing that fire, peaceful sleep evaded reach. Contemplating Zhao Junhong’s demise— methodically analyzing approach after approach, line upon line, one stratagem after another eventually got struck out, leaving only silence.
Zhao, now at reduced company merely by two hands worth—still remained a formidable enemy of top calibre. None so easy taken with solo challenge.
Closing his eyes, his heart attempted to feel the spring breezes of Qin Continent’s distinct difference to the night winds over Eternal Night Lands; this warmer whisper filled sweet-scented breath of grass and shrub life. Sometimes, laces of predatorial blood hung in scent — a warning to humankind’s complacent perception: even amidst vibrant nature lies lurking dangers.
Qiyin retraced his long observed notes compiled through patient stalking during an entire half-day’s surveillance upon Zhao Junhong, then—Suddenly—a subtle almost-invisible clue surfaced before mind’s eye as though thunderstorm crackled breaking silent dark!
Qian Ya arose swiftly, turning attention towards surrounding terrains. Movements silent as shadow, in a mere leap covering over ten meters of forest path — ghost within wilderness drifting through unseen. With that night alone he crossed and scouted regions requiring another’s three to four laborious days.
Early dawn breaking, sunlight’s edge pierced horizon. Within camp Zhao stirred from slumber, completing routine morning toilet preparations — commencing hunts of today as normal.
Yet Qian Ya found perch in rock-strewn crags, high vantage watching valleys unfold below him.
Down several thousand li, Zhao Junhong’s hunting detachment approached slowly. Several guardsmen had already scattered widely, spaced every ten meters apart along narrow gorge. Within such cragged valleys, lair of a cluster Earth Dragons — a score well rewarded worth of challenge.
Yet Qian Ya masked breathes completely, draped in camouflaged garbs rendering invisibility; to watchers below upon field, not different at all in appearance than the scattered stony heaps around him.
Sudden the valley shook with a thunder-like scream. Ground shook as if struck by a cataclysm. Then bursting from dens and burrows, one massive seventh rank earth dragon led several smaller sixth/fifth rank kin charging straight Zhao’s team. The scaled beast bore likened unto colossal sized lizards stretched a hundred fold times, its tail and snout measured more than ten lengths. Its speed rivaled storm wind. Its body’s strength ungodly. The hide armored like scale mail beyond even strongest tempered steel plating.
Calm as a still lake’s heart, Junhong raised long gun, lowered into half squat. Awaiting as the dragon neared hundred-meter mark—only there did he open fire releasing sudden brilliant flash of silver light!
The beast let out shrill anguished wail as it’s upper jaw was nearly entirely vaporized away by the single silver blast. Agony only drove it mad further. Wild and furious, the wounded dragon accelerated charge towards the hunter, however the silver cannon fired twice more in quick succession, punching twin gaping wounds across brow and back armor segments where scales once intact shattered and bloodied.
Qiantian studied calculating trajectories for firing, speed calculation and energy readings — the terrifyingly formidable silvery handgun was undoubtedly a multi-shooting mana firearm.
At that very second, other guards launched attack as well. Smaller dragons fell swiftly pierced from gun volleys. At that moment, two fifth-ranked were downed straight—while the six/seven rankers clung tenaciously on by instincts, darting rear-escaping motions — no sign slackening on their retreat’s urgency.
After three successive fire shots, Zhao’s facial tones paled faintly; but having momentarily replenished Qi, Zhao pursued the grievously wounded giant seventh tier Earth Dragon had now distanced two full hectometers from camp, at which point the chase became Zhao’s maximal limit of gunfire engagement radius.
But barely did Zhao set his foot in chase; when another thunderous explosion sounded from the distance, like spring’s might thunder cracking through horizon sky. The infamous cry of a ‘Falcon Strike’ had echoed across.
Through Zhao Jun Hong’s line of sight blazed a beam of deep crimson moving impossibly swiftly from nearly several KMs distance — a perfectly placed hit against the fleeing dragon mid-stride; impact striking precisely upon that creature’s exposed side left half where residual skull still attached… exploded in final decisive silence.
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