Misty Rain of the Old Times

Beneath the giants' enormous bodies, their physical strength was also incredibly astonishing. Directly enduring the cuckoo's unreserved attacks, they were not merely tickled; at most, they felt pain, and even superficial wounds were a struggle.

The first giant to have a tooth knocked out by a cuckoo was simply unlucky.

So far, the giants have only been passively attacked, unable to even catch a glimpse of the cuckoo, let alone retaliate.

Dujuan's attacks seemed ineffective, but they were not actually powerless against them. She simply didn't go all out and even put away her knife. Otherwise, if she had directly attacked the giants' vital points, or used the magical properties of her true energy to perform martial arts techniques like "hitting a cow through a mountain" to directly attack their internal organs and brains, it would have been extremely dangerous and fatal for the giants.

In fact, with Du Juan's cultivation level, killing one of the giants present would not be too difficult. However, there was no need to do so. The two sides had no enmity. They came to try to communicate with the giants to learn some information, rather than to become enemies to the death.

Of course, there are many giants, and they are intelligent beings with civilization. They wouldn't just stand there and let her kill them. They would attack them in groups, so it wouldn't be so easy for Dujuan to actually kill a giant.

Having a large size has its advantages: terrifying strength, amazing physique, and endurance beyond what ordinary people can imagine. However, its shortcomings are also obvious: it is not agile enough, cannot go fast, and cannot keep up with the cuckoo's pace at all.

Conversely, without resorting to drastic measures, Du Juan's speed and concentrated attacks made it difficult for the giants to touch her. For the time being, she seemed to be able to barely break through their defenses, but it was almost impossible for her to truly subdue this group of giants. At the same time, such a high-intensity battle was also a great drain on her true energy, which was only a year after she had reached the Innate Realm. If this continued for too long, it would be truly dangerous. Moreover, her small body was not known for its external martial arts, so she could not withstand the giants' frontal attacks.

Both sides are characterized by one side having high defense and high health, while the other side relies on speed and average attack power to rely on skill.

Chen Xuan, who witnessed the whole process, thought it was normal and within his expectations. However, he was a little surprised that Du Juan's innate true energy was pink. It was indeed beautiful once it was circulated, but it was also dangerous and definitely had special properties. What kind of fundamental technique did she, who came from the Shadow Killing Sect, cultivate? Chen Xuan had never really looked into that. But who cares? She's one of his own, and he'll get to know her naturally over time.

After witnessing her battle with the giants and based on his previous understanding of Du Juan, Chen Xuan realized that Du Juan's combat strength in direct combat was not strong. Having only reached the Innate Realm less than a year ago, she was at the bottom of the level. However, if it were not a direct fight, with her many years of assassination experience and various assassination techniques, she could probably kill even those at the mid-level or top level of the Innate Realm!
Individuals have different strengths, and their combat effectiveness varies greatly depending on the situation.

As Du Juan's figure flashed and moved among the giants, the giants who were attacked were in pain and stunned. They gradually stopped and calmed down, their eyes following Du Juan's figure. In addition to their astonishment, their eyes also showed a rising fighting spirit.

In this atmosphere, Du Juan clearly felt the pressure. The giant's enormous size was already very intimidating, and with his menacing gaze, anyone would have to endure a lot of psychological pressure.

But she was also somewhat helpless. It wasn't that she was afraid of these giants, but her master had given her instructions not to actually kill them. She hadn't been able to use even 30% of her skills. Otherwise, with her assassination techniques, these giants probably wouldn't even see her shadow, and they would die one after another without even knowing how they died.

Boom~!

Under the attack of the cuckoo, a thunderous sound suddenly resounded throughout the surrounding area. The sudden sound caused a large area of ​​the sky and earth to tremble and hum. Even at the place where the sound originated, the sound waves spread and sand and stones flew. Some tall and lush vegetation around were shaken and their leaves flew, as if a gale had swept through.

As the sound appeared, the giants, who had been quiet, suddenly became warlike and spontaneously began to spread outwards, as if the sound was releasing some kind of signal.

At the same time, a sudden sound rang out not far from Dujuan, causing her to temporarily lose her hearing and even feel dizzy and her blood surging. Instinctively, she gave up and looked away, circulating her true energy and breathing to get rid of the sound's influence.

She instantly realized that these giants were not just large beasts; they were intelligent beings. They might not have mastered advanced martial arts, but they would use tools, weapons, and armor to enhance their combat capabilities.

The thunderous sound came from a large drum, hanging from the waist of a giant. It was more than two zhang in diameter and was considered a waist drum for the giant.

At a glance, the drum's waist was made of the skeleton of an unknown creature, rough and simple, while the drumhead was made of some kind of animal leather, with simple totems drawn on it with a blood-like dye.

Noticing the drum and recalling the thunderous drumbeat from a moment before, Chen Xuan and Du Juan quickly realized that the drumbeat had the effect of affecting blood circulation and causing dizziness in the brain.

Such an effect was not due to striking technique, since the giant simply struck it with a bone club. Chen Xuan guessed that it was due to the material used to make the drum itself, with a probability of over 80%.

The drumbeats had no effect on Chen Xuan; he had already instinctively protected the little girl, and she was unharmed.

The cuckoo, who was suddenly affected by the drumbeat, felt dizzy and her blood was churning, but she quickly got rid of the negative effects. This shows that the effect of the drumbeat is not strong, but it would be very dangerous if it came at a critical moment. If it continued, the cuckoo would be distracted from fighting the drumbeat and its fighting power would be greatly weakened.

Chen Xuan suddenly thought that perhaps this was a special survival technique of the giants: when hunting, they would use drums to disturb their prey, and then the other giants would swarm in.

Currently, the giants have not displayed any advanced martial arts skills. Apart from their weapons and armor, they all carry some strange items. After the drumbeat, Chen Xuan realized that those strange items might have special effects that could help enhance the giants' combat power in addition to their natural physique.

The cuckoo had stopped attacking the giants and stood on a tall wooden stake by the roadside, wary of its surroundings.

The giants, who had calmed down, quickly dispersed, leaving an open space in the middle about the size of seven or eight football fields. They were squeaking and babbling in a language that Chen Xuan and the others couldn't understand, clearly communicating with each other.

Chen Xuan and Su Roujia were also in this open space. Compared to the outer perimeter, the giants no longer targeted them as before, but instead surrounded and watched them from a distance, their playful gazes replaced by serious ones.

Giants kept pouring in from the direction of the giant city, more and more of them joining the crowd of onlookers. They spoke in languages ​​that Chen Xuan and the others couldn't understand, pointing and gesturing, their expressions showing a range of emotions including surprise, curiosity, and astonishment.

Under the watchful eyes of many giants, Chen Xuan remained calm and composed, a smile on his face but his gaze was somewhat vacant, as if his thoughts and attention had drifted off somewhere else.

In this situation, the little maid standing next to him asked anxiously, "Master, what's going on? What should we do?"

"Rough Armor, don't panic, everything will be alright. Giants possess intelligent civilization, they're not wild beasts. And we have the same physique as them, the only difference being size. How could they not realize that? It seems they've already taken us as their own kind. It's understandable that they're curious and surprised. Since we're the same kind, and all intelligent beings, even if we can't communicate, there are still many clues to follow. When Sister Juan made her move before, they suffered some losses. Judging from the current situation, they should be treating us as equals for a formal contest, rather than just curiously playing with us like they did with small animals. This is actually a special form of communication," Chen Xuan said calmly with a smile, still seemingly lost in thought.

The little girl subconsciously shook her head and said, "I don't quite understand what Master is saying."

"It's very simple. The most direct way for different civilizations to clash is through force. This is something that life's evolution and survival are ingrained in. Since we are of the same kind, putting aside the difference in size, when you demonstrate the corresponding force, you will gain respect. Only then will others truly sit down and communicate with you calmly. If you don't even have the capital to sit down and communicate, then you will only become the one who oppresses and plunders, and you are not worthy of standing on the same level," Chen Xuan explained. He was very patient with his own people.

The little girl nodded thoughtfully, still not quite understanding, but she didn't ask any more questions. In the noisy environment where the giants were watching, they briefly quieted down before a new situation arose.

Among the giants watching, one stepped out alone.

This giant was estimated to be thirteen zhang tall, with a very robust physique and gleaming muscles, resembling an ancient wild beast. His hair was tied back with a simple rope, and his face bore mysterious tattoo-like totems. He even wore a bone nose ring, and around his neck was a necklace made of animal bones and teeth—perhaps a symbol of hunting glory. He wore animal skin clothing and carried a huge spear with a wooden shaft and a dark black stone tip. As he entered the arena, he slammed the spear into the ground with his right hand and pounded his chest with his left fist, producing a series of loud thuds.

This giant was the first one to be attacked by the cuckoo and have a tooth knocked out. It seems he was not convinced and wanted to have another one-on-one fight to get back at her, which is commonly known as saving face.

He didn't see the growing number of giants around him, some of whom were pointing at him and making good-natured jokes, seemingly egging him on.

A hundred meters away from him, Du Juan was somewhat puzzled. She frowned slightly, feeling both confused and wary, and subconsciously looked in Chen Xuan's direction.

Chen Xuan's voice reached her ears, laughing, "He's probably issuing you a formal challenge, not the playful banter and fair one-on-one teaching you. Maybe it's a matter of his pride. After all, Sister Juan, you kicked out one of his teeth. Are you going to accept the challenge, Sister Juan?"

Upon hearing this, Dujuan suddenly realized, "I see, sir. Of course I won't back down, nor will I disgrace you. Although I was an assassin a few years ago, I was also a member of the martial arts world. I understand that it's a loss of face for a martial artist to suffer at the hands of others. It's a matter of face, and you have to get your revenge if you have the chance. Although they are giants, they understand many principles."

"Well, in that case, Sister Juan, then accept the challenge. Go all out, just don't actually kill anyone. There's no need to make it a life-or-death situation. Also, you need to be careful yourself," Chen Xuan nodded and said.

Without saying anything more, Du Juan looked in the direction of the giant, hesitated for a moment, and regardless of whether the other party understood or not, she held the short knife with the tip pointing downwards, clasped her hands together, and then extended her right hand in a gesture of invitation.

Seeing this, the giant opposite him was bewildered and subconsciously scratched his head and looked around, as if asking others what he should do.

The giants surrounding them, layer upon layer, gradually quieted down, creating an awkward atmosphere, as neither side understood what was going on.

A moment later, a giant in the crowd of giants shouted loudly.

The giant who spoke seemed to hold a rather prestigious position among them. He was nearly fifteen zhang tall, taller than many giants, but there were many taller than him. He was not particularly outstanding, but he looked older and was quite conspicuous with a huge, snow-white bone knife on his shoulder.

Upon hearing his words, the giant in the arena clearly made a decision. He looked at Du Juan, who was holding a spear and patting her chest, while saying, "Tiger!"

Just one syllable, nothing more.

As he finished uttering that syllable, the surrounding giants erupted in cheers, spontaneously pounding their chests and uttering the same syllable, "tiger."

Gradually, the voices became unified, and the roar of the mountains and the tsunami echoed across the fields.

"Tiger... Tiger... Tiger... Tiger..."

To be honest, the scene was quite exciting.

It just looked a bit comical and awkward no matter how you looked at it. Even many of the giants watching avoided eye contact, looking a little embarrassed and ashamed. After all, the size difference between the two sides was too great. Even if they won this fair contest, there was nothing to brag about. On the contrary, it would be embarrassing.

It's like fighting with an ant. If you win, are you proud? But if you lose, you're even more ashamed to face others.

The giant roared twice, then his gaze sharpened and he strode towards Dujuan. The ground trembled and hummed with each step. After a few steps, he swept his huge spear across Dujuan, the air emitting a muffled whistling sound wherever it passed.

There were no tricks involved, just straightforward, pure violence.

The size difference between the two was too great, completely disproportionate. Faced with his attack, Du Juan could have easily dodged it skillfully, but she did not choose to do so. Instead, she flipped her wrist, her true energy surging, and her whole body was radiating a pink light, like flames rising, distorting the air within meters around her.

She was actually wielding a short sword, the blade flashing with a sharp edge, and she directly slashed at the giant's sweeping spear!
Upon seeing this, Chen Xuan raised an eyebrow, secretly taken aback. Not only did Sister Juan not offer much, but she also chose to confront him head-on.
Meanwhile, the little girl who was also paying attention to the battlefield was on tenterhooks, very worried about Du Juan. Given the size difference, Du Juan was at a disadvantage no matter what, truly a case of a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

The next moment, the weapons in the hands of the two completely disproportionate individuals clashed, sparks flew, and the clanging sound was short, rapid, and piercing, creating a shockwave that sent sand and stones flying.

However, as expected, Du Juan's tiny body was swept away by the giant's spear. She felt as if she had been hit by a mountain, and her whole body felt like it was about to be crushed.

But she had anticipated this and had prepared a countermeasure in advance. The difference in strength between the two sides was too great, so she decisively gave up the head-on confrontation and used that enormous force to send her flying backward. Most of the power of the giant's spear was converted into the kinetic energy of her backward flight, and only a small part was applied to her body. This was just a simple application of the "Control" technique in martial arts.

Even so, her body, tempered by her innate cultivation and true qi, only felt half of her body go numb and she couldn't muster any strength. She flew backward for a hundred or two hundred meters, and when she landed, her short sword stuck in the ground and slashed dozens of meters before stopping.

After stopping, she stood up, her face slightly pale, and exhaled. Shaking her arms, she looked at the other person sincerely and said, "Such a physique is simply incredibly strong. Even with cultivation, one could never possess such power at the Innate Realm. Yet he was born with it; he had it from birth. Since we can't match his strength, we can only make up for the gap with martial arts."

On the other hand, the giant stopped after the attack and looked nervously toward the cuckoo, seemingly worried that his spear might not be enough to crush her into mincemeat.

Seeing that Du Juan was alright and could even stand up and speak, he grinned as if he had breathed a sigh of relief.

But his smile froze on his face, his pupils contracted as he looked at his spear in disbelief. The huge and sturdy stone spear had a section missing from the top, which had been cut off, leaving a perfectly smooth cut.

Out of the corner of his eye, the giant realized that the missing section of his spear had somehow fallen to the side.

He was somewhat incredulous; how could the other party's tiny knife be so sharp? If it were the same size, it would be incredible!
The giants watching also noticed this detail and exclaimed "Oh!" in unison, all quite surprised.

The next moment they erupted in a thunderous roar, appearing incredibly excited and surprised.

"Tiger... Tiger... Tiger..."

Despite the stark disproportion between their sizes, Du Juan surprisingly charged towards the giant... (End of Chapter)