Elderly Martial Saint: Sixty Times the Cultivation Speed ​​at the Start

The three giant beasts that broke in were strange creatures called Red Boars.

Judging from the aura emanating from them, the three strange beasts are at the second level of inner energy for two and the third level for one.

Upon seeing this, Yi Yang gripped the hilt of Hu Xiao's sword tightly, his fingertips pressed against the cold black fire iron blade.

Even her usually steady heartbeat quickened a few beats.

The leader of the pigs was simply enormous. The other two red pigs, both at the second level of Qi and Blood, were already 5 meters tall at the shoulder, but the leader was still almost a full size larger than its two companions.

Its shoulder height reaches 8 meters, and the red mane on its back stands upright, looking from a distance like it is covered with short spears.

The pig king's thick hooves pounded the ground, leaving charred marks with each step, the pungent smell of burnt soil.

A faint heat emanated from the surrounding air.

It wasn't the heat from the sun, but rather the intense heat emanating from the three strange beasts. Their bodies made everyone's skin feel tight, and even breathing felt painful.

Upon seeing this situation, Han Yan, who held the highest status, was the first to react.

She pointed her sword to the sky, her eyes filled with hostility as she turned to the three enormous creatures before her and shouted:

"Everyone, listen up!"

Han Yan's voice rose; the battle she had just experienced allowed her to make a judgment within two breaths and assign manpower: "Zhu Wei to block the right flank, Zhao Qin to provide guerrilla support, Yi Yang—"

Her gaze involuntarily swept over Yi Yang's aged face, her lips moved, and as if she had thought of something, she gave a command:

"You stay behind and look for an opportunity to finish them off."

Han Yan's tone was filled with undisguised disdain. In her eyes, what could she possibly expect from an old man with such a strong inner energy?

After learning of the arrangements, Yi Yang did not reply or offer any opinions, but simply nodded slightly, agreeing with a blank expression.

His senses had already given him a clear understanding of the strength of the three people in the arena.

On the surface, Han Yan is at the second level of internal energy, making her the strongest among those of the same level; Zhu Wei and Zhao Qin are both at the first level of internal energy, which would place them in the lower-middle range in the prefectural city.

It could be said that four people fought against three strange beasts, one of which was a pig king with the third level of internal energy.

On paper, it looks like a sure loss.

But Yi Yang was no ordinary person at the second level of internal energy cultivation. Even if he was no match for the Pig King, he could still break through. However, he had no intention of becoming a hero.

Yi Yang had already quietly activated the Hidden Breath Formless Technique, revealing his strength at the first level of Inner Qi.

It can be said that Han Yan's arrangement suited Yi Yang's wishes perfectly. He could run away if things went wrong without any psychological burden.

The pig king, who was not far away, did not give them any more time to prepare.

Its blood-red pupils swept over the red porpoise cub on the ground and its dissected abdomen, and the low growl in its throat suddenly stopped.

Everyone present fell silent for a moment, holding their breath as they watched the powerful pig king.

A roar suddenly erupted from the quiet Pig King.

That wasn't just a sound, it was a shockwave.

After the shockwave swept past, radial cracks appeared in the soil beneath Yi Yang's feet, his eardrums swelled, and his internal organs resonated.

The old locust trees in the forest, some as thick as deadwood, were all broken in the middle by the impact, and the crowns fell to the ground, stirring up large amounts of debris.

After its roar, the pig king's four hooves blazed with crimson flames, but it did not charge. Instead, it stood still, its blood-red eyes slowly moving, lingering on each of the four people opposite it.

Finally, their attention was focused on Han Yan, who was the strongest among them.

After identifying its target, the Pig King lowered its head, its tusks pointing forward as it began to gather strength.

At the same time, upon seeing this scene of their leader, the adult red pigs on both flanks also moved.

The left flank charged towards Han Yan, while the right flank rushed straight towards Zhu Wei.

The two beasts with dual internal energy levels cooperated with the Pig King to gather power, naturally forming a triangular strangulation formation.

"They're here!"

Seeing the strange beast charging towards him, Zhu Wei gritted his teeth, held his spear horizontally, and dug his feet into the mud, preparing to withstand the onslaught.

clang!

In an instant, the gun barrel and the pig's hoof collided, and the dull thud of metal clashing echoed through the valley.

Zhu Wei was thrown back three steps by the impact, his hand split open and blood trickling down the gun barrel.

But Han Yan wasn't having an easy time either.

She faced a combination of frontal assault from the left-wing Red Pig and flanking pressure from the Pig King.

The sword in his hand cleaved through the morning mist, carving out three sharp arcs, each strike infused with the full power of a second-level internal energy.

But the red porpoise's skin was much thicker than she had imagined.

Even when the three swords were struck with all their might, they only left three shallow white marks on the back of the left-wing red boar.

She didn't even see any blood under the skin, but the rebounding force made Han Yan's arm go numb, and she almost couldn't hold the hilt of the sword in her hand.

Zhao Qin, who hadn't made a move, circled around from the side and, taking advantage of the moment when the left-wing red porpoise's attention was on Han Yan, suddenly stabbed it in the ribs with her knife, attempting a sneak attack.

"I won!"

A look of joy flashed in Zhao Qin's eyes, and she couldn't help but whisper.

But in the next instant, the attacked red porpoise suddenly swung its tail sideways.

The seemingly short and thick tail contained far more power than imagined, lashing out at Zhao Qin's side with a sharp crack.

The immense force sent him flying four or five zhang away like a kite with a broken string, until he crashed into a stone wall and came to a stop.

Meanwhile, Yi Yang, who appeared to be the weakest, stood at the outer edge of the battle circle, observing the situation on the battlefield without moving.

Although I was prepared to run away if things went wrong, it wasn't the most dangerous time yet.

His gaze remained fixed on the red porpoise on the right wing.

Because this pig was the smallest of the three, its charge just now revealed that its center of gravity was naturally biased to the left.

Moreover, each turn it makes relies on the right hind leg to generate power, resulting in a brief exposure window at the junction of the right neck and spine.

This is a fatal weakness.

It then launched three more charges, each lasting less than half a breath, seemingly intending to kill Zhu Wei in one fell swoop.

But that's enough.

Just as Zhu Wei was knocked back by the fourth impact, he lost his balance, and cracks appeared on the gun barrel in his hand. His arms trembled, and he could no longer support himself.

Just as the right-wing red dolphin was gathering its strength for the fifth turn—

Yi Yang, who had been observing from the sidelines, finally made a move.

His move came without warning, without a shout, without any preparation.

His mastery of the "crossing the river by skimming the water" technique allowed him to disappear from his spot the moment he took his first step.

By the second step, he had already appeared three feet to the right of the red porpoise, who was preparing to charge.

A deep, muffled whistle suddenly echoed through the woods.

That was the sound of a tiger roaring as it was drawn from its sheath.

The heavy black fire iron sword, weighing seventy-two jin, emitted a deep hum as it was infused with internal energy. There was no luster flowing on the blade, only pure, compressed killing intent.

The fifth move of the Nine Peaks Saber – Strange Peak.

This technique relies on tricky angles to find a fatal cut from the most unlikely gaps.

As Yi Yang's blade slanted in, it precisely sliced ​​into the weak spot between the skin and flesh where the red pig's right neck and spine met.

There was no clanging of metal.

Only the dull "crack" sound of bones breaking.

The black iron blade pierced through the cervical vertebrae. Yi Yang gripped the hilt tightly and forcefully slashed a huge wound before pulling it out.

As blood gushed out, the red porpoise's movements suddenly froze.

Its four hooves remained in a charging stance, but the blood-red light in its eyes rapidly dissipated.

Then it collapsed with a thud.

From the moment Yi Yang took his first step to the moment the Red Pig collapsed, the entire process took no more than five breaths.

Apart from the sound of the red pig falling to the ground, the entire valley fell silent for a moment.

Everyone turned to look at Yi Yang, their eyes filled with disbelief.

Zhu Wei stood frozen in place, gripping the nearly broken spear, his mouth agape.

Zhao Qin leaned against the stone wall, clutching her waist, her eyes wide open, her expression filled with shock.

Even Han Yan, who was entangled with the left-wing red porpoise, was attracted by the scene. When she caught a glimpse of this scene, her sword move paused for a moment.

Is this the first level of internal energy?

Yi Yang instantly killed a mature Red Pig with a single strike, who was at the second level of internal energy.

But she didn't have time to think about it.

Although the situation is indeed improving, with one of the strange beasts falling, the pressure on the three has been greatly reduced.

Not far away, Zhao Qin stood up again to cooperate with her in attacking the left flank. Han Yan's sword strikes became even more fierce, and after seven consecutive slashes, she finally opened a bloody gash in the abdomen of the red pig.

At this moment, victory seemed within reach.

But the Pig King, who had been gathering strength but hadn't made a move, remained silent.

Upon seeing the corpse of one of its companions, the low growl emanating from its throat grew deeper and more suppressed, while its hooves slid continuously, kicking up a large patch of mud.

Suddenly, the hairs on Yi Yang's spine stood on end, and he exclaimed inwardly:

"not good."

The crimson flames on the four hooves of the Pig King, which had been gathering power, surged threefold in an instant.

Then it launched an attack.

Without any warning, its massive body accelerated from a standstill to its maximum speed, its scorched hooves carving two deep furrows into the ground.

Han Yan, who was in the middle of the fight, reacted the fastest, parrying with her sword.

She didn't understand why the Pig King was charging at her, but it was too late to think about it.

She used all her strength, channeling her full inner energy (at the second level) into this sword strike, and the moment it struck the boar king's tusks—

Splash!

The blade, of the finest quality, broke in the middle.

Han Yan was thrown more than two zhang away by the shockwave, and only came to a stop after her body plowed a long furrow upon landing.

,

Her hand split open, the broken hilt of the sword flew out of her hand, and her right arm, shoulder, and elbow trembled.

Zhu Wei, one of Zhu Wei's henchmen, wanted to help, but before he could even pass the gun, the Pig King turned to face him, and the shockwave emanating from his body knocked him to the ground.

Then, his left calf was stepped on by a charred hoof of a boar king, and the sound of bones shattering clearly reached everyone's ears.

"ah--!"

Zhu Wei let out a scream as he felt his calf being shattered.

Zhao Qin's right arm was also injured by the aftershocks, her internal energy circulation went awry, and her entire arm hung limply at her side, unable to exert any force.

Currently, all operations except Yiyang have suffered a complete defeat.

Seeing that the little creature at its feet couldn't escape, the Pig King didn't stop. It continued turning towards Han Yan, its tusks lowered, and its four fiery hooves stomped the ground once more.

Prepare to launch a second assault.

Han Yan, barely able to support herself, broke out in a cold sweat. She didn't know why the Pig King was staring at her instead of dealing with Yi Yang.

The broken longsword was only half left. She drew a short sword from her waist to use as a makeshift weapon, but that thing was no different from a toothpick in front of the Pig King.

Yi Yang stood at the edge of the dense forest on the flank, calmly observing the battlefield. He guessed that the Pig King might not be targeting him because he had suppressed his aura with the Hidden Breath Technique, making him inconspicuous and preventing the Pig King from recognizing his strength.

Seeing that he was temporarily out of danger, he weighed the situation in his mind.

Three levels of internal energy.

They are a whole level below me.

Although it's not that we can't win, there's no need to risk our lives here.

"It's time to go."

As these three words came to mind, Yi Yang was already planning his retreat route.

The collapse happened faster than expected.

Zhu Wei dragged his broken leg and struggled to crawl out of the forest, while the heavily injured Zhao Qin supported him with one arm as they retreated. Neither of them had any intention of rescuing their superior.

"Han Yan is doomed!" That was their unspoken thought.

But Han Yan, facing certain death, is still stubbornly holding on.

She dodged the pig king's second charge, but the aftershock sent her flying towards Yi Yang, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.

Han Yan roared, her face contorted in a ferocious expression, her tone filled with arrogant command:

"Yiyang!"

"Cover your rear! Cover the retreat! That's the patrol commander's order!"

Her words were crystal clear: she wanted Yi Yang to stay and hold off the Pig King, giving her a chance to live.

In her opinion, exchanging her life for an old man with profound internal energy was a very worthwhile deal.

But how could Yi Yang listen to her? He didn't even blink, and calmly looked at the seriously injured Han Yan and said:

"Director Han, the field operations of Youquan Division are not subject to the control of other divisions."

The moment his words fell, Yi Yang lightly touched the ground with his toes, pushed his "crossing the river on water" technique to its limit, and his figure silently disappeared into the dense forest on the flank.

Clean and efficient, without any unnecessary delays.

Han Yan, who was left standing, swung her sword at the spot where Yi Yang had been standing, but only managed to cut a few withered grasses.

"You bastard!"

Upon seeing this, Han Yan clenched her teeth so tightly that they cracked, and the veins on her temples throbbed.

But the heavy footsteps of the Pig King were only three zhang behind her, and she didn't have the energy to chase after someone who had run away.

The Pig King has his eye on her.

Those blood-red eyes were fixed on the target with the strongest aura in the arena, and fragments of Han Yan's broken sword still clung to its fangs. Crimson Flame pounded the ground, closing in step by step.

Han Yan gritted her teeth and fought while retreating, when suddenly she pulled a fist-sized cloth bag from her bosom with her left hand.

The cloth bag was soaked through with blood and animal fat, emitting a strange, pungent odor.

This was a secretion from a gland she had previously extracted from the abdominal cavity of a red porpoise cub; the red porpoise clan uses this substance to identify the scent of its kind.

Getting it on is like putting a label that says "enemy" on your body.

He had originally planned to use this thing to save Yiyang if things went wrong, but now he himself had been injured so badly by the Pig King.

A ruthless glint flashed in Han Yan's eyes.

She did not throw the cloth bag at the pig king.

Instead, he swung his arm forcefully, and the cloth bag flew out of his hand, tracing an arc as it accurately struck the direction Yi Yang had fled.

In the woods.

As Yi Yang was moving at top speed using his movement technique, he suddenly felt a weight on his back, as if he had been hit by something.

The wet sensation pressed against the back of my neck, followed by an intense, nauseating, fishy odor.

The stench seeped into the outer garment, seeping into the gaps in the scales of the black iron armor, like being doused with a bucket of rotten water.

Knowing something was wrong, Yi Yang stopped in her tracks.

He turned his head to look at his shoulders and back, and saw that a bright red, viscous liquid was dripping down his clothes, and he couldn't wipe it off no matter how hard he tried.

Then, the direction of the pig king's roar suddenly changed.

They no longer turned towards Han Yan, but towards him.

Having been tricked, Yi Yang slowly turned his head, his gaze passing through the gaps in the trees, and met Han Yan's blood-stained face with a cold smile in the distance.

Her lips moved, silently uttering four words:

"Die in my place."