Imperial Scepter

The lingering warmth of the setting sun, along with the fishy smell of the forest, permeated the clearing.

Gao Chun and his three companions were hiding in a dense forest, which was not particularly secluded; one could easily see what was going on inside with a little attention.

Wang Hu lay leaning against a black pine tree, blood still seeping from the wound on his chest, his face as white as if covered with frost.

Gao Chunzheng knelt down to change his ointment, his fingertips moving gently, as if afraid of aggravating his injuries.

Li Daoqiu stood guard to the side, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily like a hawk, not missing a single movement.

Gao Chengzhi stood beside Gao Chun, clutching the hem of his clothes. His small frame was ramrod straight, a far cry from his usual laziness.

Suddenly, footsteps sounded from the outside of the dense forest.

It wasn't heavy, but it was exceptionally neat, with a well-trained rhythm.

Five boys dressed in short-sleeved outfits were carefully crouching as they walked through the woods.

The boy in the lead was two or three years older than Gao Chun. He was sturdy and tall, with a youthful arrogance and sharpness in his eyes.

He suddenly sniffed, as if he had caught something, and his gaze precisely locked onto the dense forest where Gao Chun and the other three were hiding.

A hint of curiosity flickered in his eyes, and he led four companions in, forming an encirclement, but did not make a move rashly.

"Where are you from? What are you doing in this forest?" the leader of the group asked, his voice clear and assertive, carrying an undeniable air of authority.

Gao Chun immediately stood up and shielded Gao Chengzhi and Wang Hu behind him.

Li Daoqiu instantly moved to his side, the two forming a pincer movement, both extremely wary.

As the team leader, Gao Chun remained calm and composed, neither humble nor arrogant: "We are from Gaojia Village. Our teammate is injured, so we are taking a break here."

"May I ask who you all are?"

A pale yellow aura quietly rose around him, covering his shoulders and back, serving both as a defense and a display of his confidence.

The four of them were teenagers, while the other side was two or three years older and looked more experienced.

Gao Chun knew perfectly well that those who dared to form a team to hunt mystical beasts in the Southern Wilderness Forest must be people from the villages around Jiuyang Town.

After all, only Jiuyang Town, which is closest to the forest, would allow the young people to train together.

Gaojia Village is renowned among the thirty-six villages in Jiuyang Town, and the names of the four Silver Realm experts in the village are known to all.

He revealed his identity in the hopes of using his reputation to dissuade the other party and settle the matter peacefully.

The young man in the lead raised an eyebrow, looked Gao Chun up and down, and then looked at Gao Chengzhi beside him.

His eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had spotted a suitable prey, and the curiosity in his tone was instantly replaced by a strong fighting spirit.

"From Gaojia Village? You're Gao Chun? That kid with the red, yellow, and purple Dao Seeds?"

He then looked at Gao Chengzhi and said with certainty, "This is your little nephew Gao Chengzhi, isn't it? He is also a genius of the Three-Colored Dao Seed, truly living up to his reputation."

Upon hearing this, Gao Chun secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The fact that the other party recognized him and Gao Chengzhi meant that they were indeed from Jiuyang Town, and not some unknown villains.

With the reputation of Gaojia Village and the prestige of his father, the other party should have some reservations and not be tempted to kill and rob him.

He became more composed, and his tone became more confident: "It's just an empty reputation in the countryside, not worthy of the title of genius."

He then deliberately raised his voice, "Let me reintroduce myself. My name is Gao Chun. My father is a Silver Realm cultivator, and my sister and brother-in-law are also Silver Realm cultivators."

"My teammate is seriously injured today and has no intention of fighting. I would be grateful if you could help me. May I ask your surname?"

But the leading youth only smiled wryly, his eyes burning with even more fighting spirit.

He took a step forward, releasing a pale red aura of profound energy. The pressure of a four-star bronze realm cultivator spread out, carrying a powerful aura that pressed down on him.

"So what if they're descendants of Silver-ranked cultivators? Ultimately, their Dao Seed talent is judged by their actual strength!"

"I've long wanted to find an opportunity to spar with these two geniuses from your Gao Family Village who possess the three-colored Dao Seeds!"

The boy didn't even give his name, but instead pressed on relentlessly, which made Gao Chun feel somewhat displeased.

This person is so rude! Which village is he from?

Gao Chun quickly thought: the children of the five great clans would definitely have guards accompanying them on their training, it's impossible that there were only five teenagers; judging from the fact that this teenager was the leader of the five, he was most likely from one of the thirty-six villages of Jiuyang Town.

Being from the same town and village, he felt more confident.

His brow furrowed slightly, and his tone turned colder: "My teammate is injured, and I have no intention of competing. Please do not force me."

"Making things difficult for someone?" The leading youth sneered, his eyes instantly turning cold.

A pale red aura suddenly condensed, and the four people behind him also activated their various auras. Although they did not make a move, they had already made their intimidating attitude clear.

"In this forest, you don't have a choice."

"If you fight me today, I will let you go; if you don't," he said, his gaze sweeping over the weakened Wang Hu on the ground before returning to Gao Chun, his expression blatantly threatening.

"The five of us won't just stand by and watch. Do you think the three of you can protect a seriously injured person and get him out of my clutches?"

The oppressive atmosphere intensified, and the air thick with tension, as if a conflict was about to erupt.

Li Daoqiu quietly shifted his body slightly, took out several talismans from his storage bag, and condensed a pale purple aura at his fingertips, ready to make his move at any moment.

Gao Chengzhi also took out a talisman from his storage bag and held it in his palm. His face was tense, and although he was a little nervous, he did not back down at all.

Gao Chun quickly weighed the options in his mind.

The opposing team consists of five people, the leader of whom is a four-star bronze realm cultivator, while the other four are three-star bronze realm cultivators. If they were to fight head-on, they would not be able to protect Wang Hu and would instead all be in danger.

The other party only requested a contest, which already left room for maneuver.

Moreover, the other party looked only two or three years older than me. Even if their cultivation had reached the four-star bronze realm, at that age, they probably hadn't mastered any spells yet.

Without the aid of magic, relying solely on their profound energy in close combat, the three of them, with their excellent teamwork, might not be without a chance of victory.

"I agree," Gao Chun said in a deep voice, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "It will end when we've made our point. You must not harm any of my teammates, and the competition will be based solely on Xuan power. You are not allowed to use any weapons or talismans."

"Great!" The leading youth grinned, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. "My name is Liu Neng, and my word is my bond! We'll do as you say, a close-quarters contest of profound energy."

"If you can defeat me, I'll let you go; if you lose, leave all four of your storage bags behind!"

His gaze swept over the storage bags of Gao Chun and the other three, his eyes revealing undisguised greed.

After saying that, he turned around and walked out of the dense forest, indicating that he wanted to go to a more open place to fight.

Gao Chun turned to Li Daoqiu and Gao Chengzhi and whispered instructions, his voice extremely soft, yet each word was clear.

"The three of us will work together. Daoqiu, you will continue to use the pressure point technique, playing the role of a dedicated assassin—just roam around, harass and ambush him, and constantly wear him down. Remember not to fight him head-on."

"Chengzhi, you're in charge of the frontal attack; I'll take the lead in defense and also serve as the second attacker. I'll block his main offensive."

"Remember, go all out and aim for a quick victory!"

He always remembered his father's instructions and dared not be careless in the slightest.

The most dangerous thing in the Southern Wilderness Forest is people. The longer it drags on, the more likely it is to attract other cultivators or beasts. There are too many variables.

"Understood!" The two responded simultaneously, their eyes blazing with fighting spirit, already prepared for battle.

Gao Chun bent down and carried the injured Wang Hu on his back. The four of them had come together, and they couldn't abandon any of them.

Wang Hu was injured while saving him, and he remembered this kindness. He would never leave Wang Hu alone in the dangerous forest.