Republic of China Era: Entering the Dao through Divine Strike

Chapter 283 The Sharpshooter Encounters the Enemy

The Blackwater True Qi was cold and refined, far superior to the pure brute force and blood energy of the tribesmen.

The ability to freely attach to fists, feet, weapons, and arrows, causing armor to be pierced and bones to be split, and resulting in a surge in lethality, is proof that one has truly stepped into the threshold of cultivation.

At this moment, Li Xin's physical strength and blood energy have surpassed those of the tribe's older hunting captains.

Although his physique hasn't changed much, the strength of his bones and the firmness of his muscles are quite different from before.

After trying to familiarize himself with his body, Li Xin had a general understanding of it.

The efficiency of body tempering in this world is more than a hundred times that of the world in the Dharma-ending Age.

Any random tribal youth could easily overwhelm a martial artist of the same level in the end of the Dharma era with their brute strength.

However, everyone's fighting techniques are all brute-force and crude. Most of them only know how to fight with brute force and do nothing about subtle internal energy or using the opponent's force against them.

They've always been fighting wild beasts, so they don't need to use that skill in everyday life.

Instead of delving into these subtle techniques, it's better to lift stones more often and eat more meals to increase your strength.

Therefore, these people, despite possessing terrifying physiques, could not unleash even 30% of their combat power.

After understanding all this, Li Xin felt that his strength was somewhat overestimated; he felt that a body of the same level...

I can take on at least ten, or even a hundred.

Soon, the sounds of children making noise could be heard outside the courtyard.

It was Shi Zhuang, who usually practiced martial arts and went hunting with his friends. Now sixteen years old, he was the strongest in the team, with a tall and strong body, thick skin and immense strength.

This person is honest, straightforward, and reliable; he is the team's main tank and meat shield.

The only downside is that he's a bit simple-minded and doesn't think things through very well.

Ah Feng, the fastest in terms of movement, is light and agile, and is good at running through mountains and forests and tracking and exploring.

He is fifteen years old now, and although he is lively, quick-witted, and has a thin build, he is also rather weak.

He was only responsible for reconnaissance and early warning for the entire team.

It's a case of making the best use of someone's strengths; this guy is fast.

Mo Shi, the most meticulous of them all, is sixteen years old. He is calm, collected, observant, skilled in setting traps, and knowledgeable about the habits of ferocious beasts.

In the past, when their strength was not yet fully developed, they could not hunt much prey and mostly relied on traps to catch small prey.

The last person was Xiao Shi, Shi Zhuang's cousin.

At only fourteen years old, he was already quite robust and skilled at throwing spears with great accuracy.

In Li Xin's view, if Little Stone grows up, he could become the main attacker of this five-person hunting team.

Of course, that was in the past.

The original form of Sangmu had already dissipated, its soul scattered by a single claw of the ferocious tiger before Li Xin arrived.

"Sangmu, you've finally recovered!"

"After lying down for three days, hurry up and practice to see if you've regressed?" Shi Zhuang grinned, clenching his fist the size of a sandbag.

"Why don't you give it a try and see?"

Li Xin chuckled softly.

Shi Zhuang's fighting style was fierce and powerful. He used the strength of thousands of pounds in his arms to strike directly at the front, launching a strong and relentless attack.

Ah Feng's movements are cunning; he specializes in taking advantage of openings and is fast and ruthless.

Mo Shi proceeded steadily, searching for weaknesses.

Xiao Shi is ruthless with his knife, and occasionally he has clever ideas, but he also strikes quickly.

Several people took turns going forward, but they couldn't even touch a corner of Li Xin's clothes.

Li Xin had no strength to resist; he simply stood still, relying on skillful force to deflect and redirect the opponent's force.

He easily took down the four men in just a few moves.

He casually pointed out the shortcomings of the group's brute force approach and the flaws in their ability to exert force.

The four of them suddenly understood, and their gazes toward Li Xin became even more awe-inspiring.

Li Xin's gaze fell on the black vine longbow in the corner.

This was the original Sangmu's cherished hunting bow, a gift from this body's father when he was thirteen.

It is tough and can withstand a force of 8,000 jin.

All I can say is that the species in this world still challenge his understanding.

This applies to animals, and it also applies to plants.

However, this is a good thing.

This also shows that the potential is extremely high, and he is able to draw enough nourishment from it to grow rapidly.

Of course, with his current strength, he is still somewhat in danger in this wild and desolate place.

Therefore, using a bow and arrow would be a good choice.

Although he could not activate his exclusive archery technique, his archery instincts, etched deep in his soul, remained intact.

Piercing arrows, multiple arrows, guided arrows, predictive arrows—with just a little familiarity with the characteristics of the longbow, one can use them with unparalleled skill.

"Let's go hunting in the mountains." Li Xin slung his longbow over his shoulder.

If we don't hunt, we won't be able to make a living.

He didn't know if his friends were very hungry, but he himself was certainly very hungry.

The youngest sister in the family, Sang Lan, has been drinking water seven or eight times today, and her face is deathly pale. She is now picking wild herbs and fruits with the women of the tribe.

Mo Shi immediately stepped forward to dissuade him: "Recently, the ferocious beasts in the mountains have gone berserk, and there seem to be traces of outsiders in the mountains—"

Both hunting teams from the village suffered heavy losses, and the elders repeatedly ordered that we be strictly forbidden from entering the mountains.

"The tribe has run out of food. If we just hold out and don't come out, everyone will go hungry." Li Xin looked at everyone and said confidently, "It's alright. We'll just wander around the outer perimeter. There shouldn't be much risk."

The four had always trusted Sang Mu, and seeing that he was even stronger, they gained some confidence.

Without further hesitation, he quickly packed his hunting gear and followed Li Xin into the deep, dense forest.

As soon as they entered the dense forest, the group stopped.

Mo Shi gave a wry smile and said dejectedly, "My luck is really bad this time. We can't go to the trap place anymore."

A gust of wind blew by, and a strong, fishy stench hit us.

Although the group was young, they were very familiar with the mountains and forests, and they knew perfectly well that there were ferocious beasts lurking nearby.

Sure enough, after only a short while, three giant black-maned wolves, each as tall as a person, suddenly leaped out of the bushes.

The giant wolf had bloodshot eyes and bared fangs, seemingly in a state of frenzied bloodlust.

The leader was exceptionally robust, standing over nine feet tall at the shoulder. With a single swipe of its claw amidst the fierce wind, it snapped an ancient tree, half a person's thickness, in half, sending branches, leaves, and pebbles flying everywhere – a truly terrifying display of power.

If it were the old Sangmu leading the team, they would have no choice but to stick together and fight to the death when they encountered these three mad wolves.

At best, they would be seriously injured; at worst, they would die. Anyone who managed to escape was considered lucky.

"Protect the wings—" Shi Zhuang took a step forward, raised his stone axe, and tensed all his muscles, preparing to withstand the giant wolf's charge.

"Need not!"

Li Xin chuckled softly.

The group heard the clear, ringing sound of bows.

call out!call out!call out!

Three sharp, whistling sounds erupted in succession, and several dark figures whistled out.

The three giant wolves had just leaped up when an arrow flashed past and struck their heads.

puff----

The true energy penetrated through the bones and shattered the skull, causing blood to splatter.

The three-headed giant wolf pounced, but suddenly froze. Its massive body crashed heavily to the ground, twitched a few times, and then died.

Ah Feng was utterly shocked, clicking his tongue in amazement: "These mad wolves used to chase us all over the mountains, but today, they're like stationary targets in front of you, one arrow after another!"

Before the group had finished cleaning up the wolf carcass, the dense forest ahead suddenly shook, and two muffled bear roars made their eardrums tingle.

Two giant black bears, each three zhang tall, slowly stepped out. Their black fur stood on end, and their murderous aura was overwhelming. With a casual slap, they caused the ground to collapse into a shallow pit, with cracks spreading for several meters. The surrounding weeds and rubble were all sent flying.

These black bears are far more powerful than ordinary black bears; they can shatter iron and stone with a single swipe. Even the strongest warriors in the tribe can only go around them when they encounter them head-on, and dare not confront them directly.

Mo Shi's expression changed drastically, and he hissed, "Is it a Black Gang Bear, or two of them—"

These ferocious beasts have all gone mad! Retreat!

"What bad luck."

Xiao Shi also dragged his knife and ran quickly.

Humph.

Li Xin remained standing, his eyes flashing with a sharp light. He looked at the two bears' fierce and savage nature and gently shook his head.

too slow.

He drew two sharp arrows and nocked them on the bowstring.

From his dantian, a wisp of black water true energy, like a stream of light, adhered to the arrow.

puff----

The moment the arrow pierced the air, the black water energy exploded, tearing apart the black bear's skull and shattering its brains.

The two ferocious giant bears trembled violently, their immense brute strength instantly dissipating. They crashed to the ground, raising clouds of dust, and were completely lifeless.

The group stopped in their tracks, looked at the two large bears, and then at Li Xin.

His eyes showed no shock whatsoever.

Immediately afterwards, suppressed cheers erupted.

Previously, a three-headed wolf could feed everyone in the tribe well for several days.

These two bears are enormous; when they stand up, they're like small mountains, each weighing at least 8,000 to 10,000 pounds of meat. Not only can they fill your stomach, but they can also greatly increase your vital energy and make everyone's body stronger.

Xiao Shi couldn't help but beam with joy and quickly stepped forward to investigate, then suddenly exclaimed, "Brother Sangmu! Come quick—there's a sparkling crystal in this bear's brain!"

Everyone crowded closer for a closer look, and inside the head of the strongest black bear was a milky-white, warm-toned spirit crystal, its spiritual energy pure and restrained.

This is a beast essence crystal condensed from the spiritual energy of heaven and earth devoured by wild beasts. It can greatly accelerate the Black Water Breathing Technique and temper the body and blood. It is a rare treasure in the mountains and forests.

Upon seeing the glittering Yuan Crystal, Mo Shi swallowed hard and immediately said, "This Yuan Crystal is an excellent item. Captain Sang Mu has just broken through and needs it most to solidify his foundation and improve his cultivation. It is only right that it belongs to you."

Shi Zhuang, A Feng, and Xiao Shi all nodded, and no one competed for it.

Everyone knew perfectly well that their safe hunt of the giant beast and their bountiful harvest today were all thanks to Li Xin's intervention.

Only by making him stronger can he protect the squad and defend the tribe.

"Alright, next, once we get the Yuan Crystal, everyone gets a share."

Li Xin did not refuse. He raised his hand and took the Yuan Crystal. It was warm to the touch. He probed out of the Laogong acupoint with true qi and felt a powerful spiritual energy rush into his meridians and slowly circulate throughout his body.

Qi and blood are strengthened, just like taking a tonic.

With each breath, a wisp of true energy condensed once more.

As the Yuanjing energy was poured in, his true qi grew rapidly, from a thread to a strand, and then to a trickle.

No wonder, even with the most crude techniques and combat skills, there are still powerful masters like those I remember who could tear the sky apart. The resources of this world are truly too abundant.

One breath is equivalent to several years of cultivation in the Dharma-ending Age.

Refining the Yuan Crystal yields medicinal power comparable to that of a Golden Core cultivator in the Tongming Great World.

"We have enough prey for now. Let's not be greedy and find someone to transport it back first."

Li Xin had barely finished speaking.

Then they heard another rustling sound from the bushes beside them.

It was clearly the ferocious beast attracted by the smell of blood.

"Have they forgotten the concept of territory? No wonder they say the ferocious beasts in the forest are causing chaos and making it extremely dangerous—"

Li Xinzhi felt it was utterly outrageous.

Before they even entered the deep mountains, wave after wave of ferocious beasts swept over them.

Is he starving, or has he lost his mind?

He looked up and saw a mottled black shadow suddenly swooping down from the towering ancient tree, moving so fast that only a blur remained.

It was a fully grown, striped tiger, far larger than ordinary tigers and leopards, with an extremely fierce aura.

Where the tiger's claws swept, wood and stone shattered, and a fierce wind swept across the entire area, carrying with it fragments of stone and fallen leaves.

Ah Feng's pupils shrank sharply. He considered himself to be the best among his peers in terms of agility, but he was still outmatched by the tiger's rapid attack.

When the original Sang Mu was seriously injured and on the verge of death, he fought desperately against a fierce tiger and ultimately won a pyrrhic victory.

But now that Li Xin is in control of the body, the tiger's brute strength and speed appear clumsy and laughable in his eyes.

Li Xin's gaze was calm, and he raised his hand without any pretense.

The arrow shot through the air, leaving a slight arc in its wake, ignoring the tiger's dodge and precisely piercing its brain.

The raging tiger's body stiffened instantly, crashing heavily to the ground, and it died instantly.

Mo Shi parted the tiger's head to examine it closely, and his eyes lit up instantly: "There's actually a Yuan Crystal! Although this one is a bit small, its Yuan Qi carries a bit of the wind attribute."

"Captain, this one is for you too."

"Give it to Ah Feng. He's fast and has a good affinity with the wind element."

"Really, really for me?"

Ah Feng was overjoyed and grinned from ear to ear.

The others looked at him with envy, their eyes clear, clearly having no objection to Li Xin's words.

"Of course it's true. However, after getting the Yuan Crystal, let's not rush to cultivate. With so much prey, let's go back and call for help first. Judging from the current situation, if we leave it in the forest, it will soon be eaten by wild animals."

"Yes, then I'll go back first."

Before Ah Feng could finish speaking, he flashed and disappeared into the depths of the dense forest.

The forest fell silent instantly, with only the soft rustling of leaves in the wind.

Li Xin sat cross-legged beside the pile of ferocious beast corpses, his palm tightly gripping the earth-yellow Yuan Crystal he had mentioned when he killed the raging bear.

The Black Water Breathing Technique operates autonomously, with a massive amount of pure spiritual energy surging into the body through the meridians, cleansing the limbs and bones.

The thin black water true energy within his body rapidly grew stronger and condensed, transforming into a thick and continuous torrent of true energy, which became increasingly powerful.

The cold, water-attribute true energy repeatedly tempers the muscles, bones, and flesh, washing away impurities from the mortal body.

A strong physique.

Before long, Li Xin regained his composure and looked at the Yuan Crystal in his hand. He saw that about one-tenth of it had been used up.

The shimmering crystal was noticeably smaller in size.

"Have some."

Mo Shi handed over a wolf leg.

Roasted to a golden brown, the aroma of meat is irresistible.

"it is good."

Li Xin could sense that this body had a huge appetite. It hadn't eaten much in the morning, but now, smelling the aroma, it was drooling profusely.

Seeing the others eating so happily, I also had a big appetite.

After a few bites, my stomach started working like crazy.

After eating for a while, Li Xin suddenly stopped.

Looking up, I saw that Shi Zhuang, Xiao Shi, and the others had all stopped what they were doing.

They obviously heard something too.

At that moment, Li Xin's heart suddenly tightened, and a chilling sense of crisis instantly enveloped his entire body.

He immediately suppressed all his breathing, stopped inhaling and exhaling, and focused his attention on catching the subtle sounds in the forest.

His keen senses allowed him to detect a series of footsteps amidst the rustling of wind and leaves.

There were at least five people, and one of them had particularly heavy footsteps, suggesting he was carrying a heavy load.

Suddenly, an unfamiliar roar rang out.

"Search carefully, don't let a single one escape."

The roar carried on the wind was sharp and forceful, and Li Xin found that he could actually understand it.

Not only could he understand it, but his friends could too.

This is the official language of the Shang Dynasty, not the local language of the Dongyi tribes.

"Be careful."

Li Xin raised his hand to make a shushing gesture.

Shi Zhuang and the other two immediately stopped their practice and held their breath, not daring to breathe loudly.

The tribe had been at odds with the Shang army for generations, and they knew that the appearance of Shang scouts in this mountain forest was the ultimate threat.

Right now, I'm not eating anything.

The group hid behind the trees, peering intently through the broad leaves of the jungle, staring intently in the direction from which the sound came.