Gou Zai Wudao Shicheng Dao

Concealing the cold glint in her eyes, Fang Xia's face revealed an expression of lingering fear mixed with a hint of "regret."

"I see... That Bai Yujin is really too fierce."

However, the Black Tiger Gang... committed numerous evil deeds, and they deserved their fate.

Seeing Fang Xia's gloating, You Qian glanced at him with a sly look and teased, "Junior Brother Fang, you've really ingrained the word 'cautious' into your bones these days."

For more than half a month, he didn't go home, and he didn't even step out of the martial arts school.

Now that Bai Yujin, that plague god, has been scared away and gone into silence, you should be able to rest easy now.

Surely we don't dare to even go on the autumn hunt?

Upon hearing this, Fang Xia gave a wry smile and readily admitted, "Senior Brother You is joking."

Who wouldn't be afraid of such a ruthless individual who would readily wipe out an entire family? Furthermore…”

He lowered his voice, with a hint of helplessness, "Senior brother, you know I've offended the Black Tiger Gang to the death."

When Bai Yujin was around, they were too busy taking care of themselves to dare to act rashly.

But I'm more afraid that they'll resort to desperate measures, give up on themselves, and drag me down with them.

We martial artists should be brave and diligent, and not hesitate to kill, but the most important thing is not to stand under a dangerous wall.

After all, only by living can one have a future.

Zhou Cheng and You Qian both nodded slightly in agreement.

Zhou Cheng said in a deep voice, "Junior Brother Fang's words make sense."

The path of martial arts is long; only by living can endless possibilities be found.

You Qian also dropped his joking tone: "Well, better safe than sorry."

As the three were talking, Ning Tianyang appeared on the steps, and the noise stopped abruptly.

His gaze swept across the entire area like lightning, and his voice boomed, "Silence! With the approval of the Demon Suppression Division, and after joint discussions between the county government and the major powers of Black Mountain County, the postponed 'Autumn Hunt' will officially begin in three days!"

Ning Tianyang paused for a moment, then said in an unquestionable tone, "All disciples of my Sanyang Hall's inner court must participate!"

Anyone who does not wish to participate should immediately withdraw from the martial arts school. Sanyang Hall does not tolerate cowards or those who are afraid to fight!

Upon hearing this, all the disciples below tensed up, and no one dared to raise any objections.

Ning Tianyang continued, "For all participants, the martial arts school will first provide a subsidy of three taels of silver!"

After the autumn hunt, rewards will be distributed according to each person's contribution! The rewards include...

"Demon meat!" He emphasized his words.

"Demon meat!"

"It's demon flesh!"

These words immediately caused an uproar among the crowd.

Exclamations and gasps rose and fell.

Many of the older disciples, whose qi and blood were stuck at the bone joints and could not be further refined, had a burning light in their eyes and their breathing became heavier.

Demon flesh contains pure blood and energy, which has a miraculous effect on martial artists breaking through levels.

.....

"Going into the mountains with the martial arts school's group, with the school master and many senior disciples providing protection, the safety factor is much higher than venturing out alone!"

"There's still demon meat! We'll risk it all! This time, we have to fight!"

"This is a rare opportunity!"

Everyone was eager to get started, their faces beaming with excitement.

On stage, Ning Tianyang continued to explain the specific rules of the autumn hunt, as well as many things that needed to be noted.

Finally, he waved his hand dismissively: "Now, everyone go to the storeroom and choose a weapon that suits your needs! We'll depart tomorrow!"

The crowd surged toward the martial arts school's storeroom like a tidal wave.

Fang Xia followed Zhou Cheng and You Qian, and walked along with the crowd.

Inside the warehouse, a cold light gleamed, and various weapons were on display.

Zhou Cheng walked straight to the area where short weapons were displayed and picked up a short brass whip.

With a flick of his wrist, the whip tip emitted a low whistling sound, clearly indicating that he used it with great skill.

You Qian then walked to the other side and easily picked up two large, dark, shiny hammers.

This contrasts sharply with his plump and well-off appearance.

It was obvious at a glance that this fat man was no pushover.

Fang Xia's gaze swept over the swords, spears, and halberds.

Finally, he stopped in front of a long sword.

As Fang Xia's gaze swept across the spine of the sword, he sensed a chilling glint.

"Although Qingyang Palm is known for its powerful palm force, it also contains sword principles."

It emphasizes striking with the palm like a sword, swift, precise, and seamless.

A good longsword would help him leverage his palm techniques and make mid-range combat safer.

This perfectly aligns with my style of seeking victory through stability.

"The sword is good; it's fast and steady enough," Zhou Cheng commented after taking a look.

You Qian, holding the sledgehammer, also laughed and said, "Junior Brother Fang, are you planning to take the agile approach when choosing a sword?"

"Very well, the Black Mountain forest is dense, and a longsword is easier to wield than my big hammer."

Fang Xia gripped the hilt of his sword and calmly replied, "An inch longer, an inch stronger. A light and agile sword is also easier to deal with in case of emergencies."

The journey is fraught with unknown dangers; caution is paramount.

He secretly pondered to himself, "Although Bai Yujin has left, the Black Tiger Gang is not yet destroyed, and there are still real demons in the mountains and forests..."

[Avoiding misfortune and seeking good fortune] Supernatural powers may be good, but they are ultimately not as reliable as one's own strength.

This autumn hunt is a crisis, but also a golden opportunity to acquire resources, glimpse the Copper Skin Endlands, and perhaps even step into the Flesh Pass!

The three men said no more, each holding their weapons, and walked out of the storeroom.

Fang Xia felt the temperature of the longsword and turned his gaze toward the vast, dark mountains.

His fighting spirit remained hidden, his sharp edge concealed.

Fang Xia did not return home the following day because of the autumn hunt.

He planned to improve his strength after the autumn hunt before returning home.

........

The next day, dawn was breaking.

The Sanyang Hall martial arts training ground was bustling with activity.

The annual autumn hunt in Heishan County is finally about to begin.

Fang Xia, carrying a three-foot-long sword, made his way through the throng of people to Zhou Cheng and You Qian.

"Senior Brother Zhou, Brother You Guan," Fang Xia greeted them.

"They're here."

Zhou Cheng nodded, the bronze whip at his waist gleaming with a pale yellow luster.

You Qian grinned and gave Fang Xia a slight nod.

As the three were talking, Ning Tianyang arrived with several others.

Fang Xia's gaze was involuntarily drawn to the group of people.

Ning Tianyang stood with his hands behind his back, exuding an aura of profound and imposing presence.

Standing beside him was Ning Wei, a young woman dressed in a smart outfit that made her look even more heroic.

However, her beautiful eyes were shy and timid, and her gaze, like that of a startled fawn, would occasionally sweep over the young man to Ning Tianyang's left.

Lin You stood respectfully to the side, but there was a subtle, complex emotion hidden in his eyes.

After practicing the "Qi Sensing Technique", Fang Xia's senses became exceptionally sharp.

At this moment, with the Qi Sensing Technique operating at full power, one can naturally perceive things that others cannot see through.

Fang Xia's gaze swept over the two young men to Ning Tianyang's left, and a chill ran through her, a hint of seriousness flashing in her eyes.

Their blood and qi were thick and concentrated, and their spiritual power was almost tangible.

Like a dragon lurking in the abyss, he is far beyond the reach of ordinary martial artists.

He has definitely stepped onto the ladder of inner cultivation, and he is definitely not at the initial stage!

"Senior Brother Zhou, Senior Brother You," Fang Xia asked in a low voice, her eyes filled with curiosity, "who are those two distinguished senior brothers?"

Zhou Cheng whispered, "Those are Senior Brother Ji Baiyue and Fourth Brother Han Zhiqi."

He paused, his tone tinged with reminiscence, "Under my master, there were nine direct disciples."

"Nine?" Fang Xia's heart skipped a beat; this number far exceeded what he had ever heard of.

"Hmm." You Qian picked up the conversation, the smile fading from his chubby face. "Four of them were taken in by Master in his early years..."

Unfortunately, they all perished at the hands of demons.

His words were brief, yet carried a bloody undertone.

This instantly reminded Fang Xia of his elder brother Fang Qing's severed arm. The path of martial arts is fraught with thorns, and demons are like a sharp blade hanging over the heads of all humankind.

"The remaining five..." You continued, "There are Senior Brother Ji Baiyue, Second Senior Brother Li Dutian, Third Senior Sister Shen Qinghan, Fourth Senior Brother Han Zhiqi, and the newly joined Lin You."

Senior Brother Ji, Senior Brother Li, Senior Sister Shen, and Senior Brother Han are all outstanding individuals who passed the imperial martial arts examinations in the previous two sessions.

"Senior Brother Ji and Senior Brother Han were even selected for the 'Black Mountain Taoist Academy'."

You Qian added, his tone filled with longing: "That was a Taoist academy that brought together many geniuses from Heishan County and was established under the leadership of the Demon Suppression Division and the county government."

The goal is to select the most outstanding talents for the "Qingyun Gathering" two years later, hoping they can rise to the top and join the Yuanyang Sect, a martial arts sect!

When he mentioned the words "Yuanyang Sect", You Qian's eyes gleamed.

"Yuanyang Sect?" Fang Xia's eyes showed doubt.

You Qian perked up and whispered, "That's a real behemoth!"

The Yuan Yang Sect's territory spans two prefectures and governs fifty-one counties!

The number of disciples who attained mastery within the sect was as numerous as carp crossing a river, totaling three thousand.

Innate masters are emerging in endless succession, even…”

He lowered his voice even further, his tone filled with awe, "It is rumored that there is a martial arts giant in the sect who has surpassed the Innate Realm!"

"Our senior brothers entered the Black Mountain Dao Academy to cultivate diligently, all in order to stand out at the Azure Cloud Gathering and gain the qualification to join the Yuan Yang Sect!"

"I see."

Fang Xia understood that the Yuan Yang Sect was the true stage of this world.

He then asked, "What about my second senior brother and third senior sister?"

At this moment, Zhou Cheng said, "After passing the martial arts exam, my second senior brother directly joined the Demon Suppression Division."

Now he is the commander of the Demon Suppression Division, and with his duties on his shoulders, he is stationed year-round on the front lines of Black Mountain to defend against demons.

As Zhou Cheng spoke, a hint of respect flashed in his eyes.

"As for Third Senior Sister Shen Qinghan, rumors are circulating that she has gone missing..."