abnabooks Chapter 4: A Battle in the Suburbs, All for Saving Father
Chapter 4: A Battle in the Suburbs, All for Saving Father
The Qingmang Forest Area is located on the outskirts of Qingyang City.
The dense forest stretched as far as the eye could see, and a faint fragrance of grass and trees mingled with the stench of ferocious beasts in the air. The wind rustled through the branches, and occasionally, the low growls of ferocious beasts could be heard, creating an unnatural sense of tension unique to the lower-level trial grounds.
At the entrance to the forest, there stands a stone tablet, half-hidden among the vines, bearing the inscription "Forbidden Land for Ferocious Beasts, Do Not Enter." Next to the tablet is a wooden hut, which is the office of the Mercenary Guild. In front of the small wooden hut, martial artists dressed in tight-fitting clothes come and go from time to time. Most of them are low-level martial artists like Lin Chen. They either come to break through their cultivation levels to earn cultivation resources, or simply for a living, and have stepped into this dense forest where danger and opportunity coexist.
Lin Chen stood at the entrance to the forest, his feet seemingly nailed to the spot, unable to move forward or backward. His palms clenched slightly, his mind filled with images of his seriously injured father in the hospital and his mother's desperate cries. The urgency in his heart instantly transformed into a tenacious spirit, supporting him to make up his mind and step into the dense forest.
At this moment, Lin Chen's cultivation level was at the seventh level of the Body Tempering Realm. Coupled with the ancient "Star Martial Body Tempering Technique", his strength far exceeded that of ordinary martial artists of the same level. He was more than capable of dealing with the first-level ferocious beasts on the edge of the forest. However, he dared not be careless in the slightest. After all, this was his first time stepping into the ferocious beast forest, and he had to be cautious with every step.
As he practiced the Star Martial Body Forging Technique, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth flowed into his body along the path of the technique, and his limbs and bones were filled with a sense of abundant power. At the same time, the moves of techniques such as the Star Chasing Step and the Myriad Manifestations Fist flowed through his mind, and his senses became incredibly clear and sharp. He could clearly hear the chirping of insects and birds in the forest, as well as the rustling of grass in the wind.
Not far into the dense forest, a series of rapid flapping sounds suddenly came from the bushes beside them. Three bluish-gray striped wolves suddenly sprang out, their pairs of eerie green eyes fixed on Lin Chen. They grinned, revealing sharp fangs, and let out a low growl, exuding the powerful aura of a low-grade first-tier ferocious beast.
This is one of the most common ferocious beasts in the forest. It moves quite fast and has sharp claws and teeth, posing a great threat to ordinary martial artists below the fifth level of Body Tempering Realm. However, for Lin Chen, this ferocity is nothing.
Lin Chen's eyes were calm, and he felt no fear. Desperate to save his father, he did not want to waste any more time here.
Before the blue-striped wolf could pounce, he shifted his feet and instantly used the Star Chasing Step. His body was like a ghost, and his steps were like the wind. In the blink of an eye, he dodged the first blue-striped wolf's attack. His speed was so fast that he left an afterimage in place. Compared with the speed of the blue-striped wolf, he was even faster.
At the same time, he raised his hand and clenched his fist, unleashing the Myriad Manifestations Fist. It had no fancy moves, but contained an incomparably powerful and fierce force. The fist whistled and landed steadily on the head of the Blue-Striped Wolf.
Bang!
With a muffled thud, the blue-striped wolf didn't even have time to let out a scream before it fell limply to the ground, lifeless.
Seeing this, the remaining two blue-striped wolves not only did not retreat, but became even more ferocious, pouncing on Lin Chen from the front and back.
Seeing this, Lin Chen shifted his feet back and forth, his body constantly dodging and weaving nimbly. Each time, he was able to precisely avoid the sharp wolf claws and fangs. At the same time, he continuously swung his fists. In just a few breaths, the two blue-striped wolves were completely lifeless.
The entire battle took no more than ten breaths; he executed it cleanly and efficiently, without any hesitation.
Lin Chen stopped and felt the still abundant power within his body. He realized that the power of this ancient technique far exceeded his imagination. Dealing with this level of ferocious beast was a piece of cake.
Lin Chen didn't linger. He quickly took out the short blade he carried with him and separated and sorted the animal skin and bones of the blue-striped wolf on the ground. These were all supplies that could be exchanged for money. Even if they weren't very valuable, they added up and were still a hope for saving his father.
After collecting his supplies, Lin Chen continued deeper into the forest. Along the way, he encountered several Iron-Toothed Rabbits and Scaled Lizards, which he killed as quickly as possible, dissecting and collecting their hides and scales. Occasionally, he would also find a first-tier inner core.
Iron-toothed rabbits are adept at burrowing and move nimbly, but they have nowhere to escape from the Star Chasing Steps. Scaled lizards have thick, sturdy skin and strong defense, but they cannot withstand the powerful force of the Myriad Manifestations Fist. Every kill is done with ease and effortlessness.
In less than half an hour, Lin Chen's backpack was already full of the divided ferocious beast supplies. A rough estimate suggested that it could be exchanged for more than 1,000 Chinese yuan, but that was still far from the 5000 yuan required to exchange for Qi and Blood Pills.
Lin Chen stared into the depths of the dense forest, his brows furrowed, and the urgency in his heart erupted more and more fiercely. Every moment his injured father spent in the hospital increased the danger. He had to hunt down a second-tier ferocious beast as soon as possible to raise the remaining funds!
After a brief adjustment, Lin Chen stopped and walked straight into the center of the forest. The aura of the ferocious beasts was noticeably stronger here, the stench was heavier, the vegetation was denser, and the light was much dimmer.
They hadn't gone far when a series of rumbling sounds came from the side, and the ground beneath their feet trembled slightly. A huge black-maned wild boar was charging towards them, its glossy black mane standing on end, its two sharp tusks protruding, and its whole body exuding a ferocious aura. It was a second-tier low-grade ferocious beast—the black-maned wild boar!
This black-maned wild boar is equivalent to a peak Body Tempering Realm martial artist. It has thick skin and high defense, and great strength. When it charges, it is like an out-of-control chariot. Even an ordinary martial artist at the seventh level of the Body Tempering Realm would not dare to confront it head-on.
Lin Chen's eyes narrowed, and he stood firmly on his feet without retreating. This was the key to him raising the money to exchange for the Qi and Blood Pill, and he had to get it!
The black-bristled boar also spotted Lin Chen, letting out a low, roaring growl. With its four hooves stomping the ground, its massive body charged towards Lin Chen with unparalleled force, snapping the vegetation in its wake, its momentum terrifying.
"Well done!"
Lin Chen let out a low shout, choosing not to confront the boar head-on. He used the Star Chasing Step, his figure as swift as a willow catkin in the wind, skillfully avoiding the boar's frontal charge. At the same time, he used the momentum to leap up and land on the boar's back.
Clenching his fists, he gathered all the energy and blood in his body into his fists and unleashed the full power of the Myriad Manifestations Fist, punching one after another, slamming hard into the weakest points on the black-maned boar's body: its abdomen and neck.
Bang!Bang!Bang!
Each punch contained the pure power of an ancient technique. The black-maned boar cried out in pain, shaking its body frantically, trying to throw Lin Chen off. But Lin Chen's legs were firmly rooted to the ground, and no matter how the boar struggled, it remained motionless.
After dozens of punches, the black-maned boar's roars grew weaker and weaker. Its massive body gradually lost its strength and finally collapsed to the ground with a thud. Its limbs twitched a few times before it completely lost its life. A second-grade low-level inner core, completely black and containing a faint trace of blood energy, could be clearly seen slowly seeping out from its neck.
Lin Chen jumped off the wild boar's body, took a slight breath, and showed no signs of fatigue on his face, but rather a sense of relief.
He quickly moved forward and collected the wild boar's hide, tusks, and the most precious second-tier inner core. These supplies, along with the first-tier supplies he had collected earlier, were enough to buy a Qi and Blood Pill when exchanged for currency!
Looking at the backpack full of ferocious beast supplies, Lin Chen's tense nerves finally relaxed a little. A hint of excitement and urgency flashed between his brows. Without daring to delay for a moment, he turned around and ran wildly towards the forest exit.
He unleashed the full power of the Star Chasing Step, reaching extreme speed. The trees in the dense forest rushed past him, and in no time, he returned to the Mercenary Guild office at the forest exit.
Pushing open the door of the wooden house, the interior was somewhat noisy. Several martial artists were exchanging supplies. When they saw Lin Chen, who was covered in dust and slightly out of breath, they only glanced at him casually and did not pay him any attention. In their eyes, such a young boy had only hunted a few low-level ferocious beasts and exchanged them for a little money.
Lin Chen walked straight to the counter, took out the ferocious beast supplies from his backpack one by one, placed them on the counter, and said in a deep voice to the staff behind the counter: "Please help me exchange them. Also, I would like to exchange for a Qi and Blood Pill."
The staff looked down at the supplies piled on the table. When they saw the complete black-bristled wild boar skin and the second-tier inner core, their eyes changed instantly. They looked at Lin Chen with surprise. You know, the black-bristled wild boar is a second-tier ferocious beast. How could this boy who looks no more than sixteen or seventeen years old be able to hunt it alone?
The surrounding martial artists also turned their heads, their eyes filled with surprise, and their previous contempt was gone.
The staff member didn't dare to delay and quickly counted and calculated the amount. After a moment, he said, "A total of 5,200 Chinese Yuan. After deducting the 5,000 Yuan exchanged for the Qi and Blood Pill, there are 200 Chinese Yuan left. This is the Qi and Blood Pill you requested."
As he spoke, the staff member handed Lin Chen a jade bottle containing milky-white pills, along with two hundred yuan in change.
As Lin Chen took the jade bottle, his fingertips touched its cool surface. His hands trembled slightly, and his eyes instantly reddened. All the anxiety, worry, and restraint that had been building up in his heart erupted at that moment.
This small Qi and Blood Pill was the hope he brought to his father through his own efforts!
Previously, he could only watch helplessly as his family was in danger, but now, he finally has the ability to protect his family!
Clutching the jade bottle tightly, Lin Chen didn't stop and ran wildly outside. Sunlight shone on him, and the young man's figure was firm and hurried. Every step was towards the hospital, towards the hope of his father's recovery.
At that moment, only one thought remained in his mind: Faster, faster, I must catch up, I must save my father!
The wind blew past his ears, dispelling the stench of the beasts in the forest and carrying away all the boy's previous timidity, leaving behind only unwavering courage and a steadfast belief in protecting his family.
He knew that from the moment he hunted his first ferocious beast, his path in martial arts and his life had been completely rewritten. And this Qi and Blood Pill in his hand would not only save his father's life, but also usher in a new chapter of his extraordinary rise to power.