Soon, Zhao Chen noticed that something was off. "No… This isn't pure physical strength. It's… a battle technique!"
He had seen plenty of experts who knew battle techniques thanks to his status as a major family's descendant, but he had never seen one who could unleash the power without any redundancy!
"Weren't you… incapable of using battle techniques?"
"When did you learn it?"
"Why does it seem as if you had practiced it for decades?"
Zhao Chen felt that he was going crazy.
He had a clear understanding about Shen Zhe's performance after having been friends with him for almost ten years. However, the drug easily made him improve to the peak of stage six; he was running faster than a horse…
Why was their gap so huge?
"When… did you learn a battle technique?"
Zhao Chen couldn't hold it back anymore.
"A while ago. It's Wang Xiaofeng's Falling Leaves Palm!" said Shen Zhe while running crazily.
Most cultivators had to refrain from talking while running at full speed if they didn't want to slow down or be hurt. However, Shen Zhe was not affected in the slightest.
"A while ago?"
Zhao Chen almost fell off the horse. He said in disbelief, "How is it possible…?"
The practice of battle techniques required arduous work before they could be used fluently in actual battle…
"It's only been two hours since you got a hold of the Falling Leaves Palm, and you've learned it already?"
"Bro, are you sure you're in last place?"
"In fact, battle techniques are not so complicated. You can perform them naturally as long as you become familiar with them…" Shen Zhe didn't intend to keep it a secret from Zhao Chen.
Since he would be his teammate, he had to help Zhao Chen improve.
"Familiar?" Zhao Chen was puzzled. "I want to be familiar with them, but the calculations are too complicated. How can I become familiarized with them?"
"Well… this is where my unique training method comes in handy. I'll explain it to you when your body is stronger…" said Shen Zhe.
Being boiled in a pot required the eighth stage of body polishing; Zhao Chen was only in stage six and would be unable to handle it.
They reached the mountain an hour later.
The horse was so exhausted that it crouched. Shen Zhe, however, was as normal as if he had only done some shopping.
"The crack should be somewhere around here, according to Ms. Bai…"
Shen Zhe raised his head.
Ms. Bai didn't specify the location of the crack, but it should draw a straight line between the school and the habitat of the iron-toothed wolves when checked on the map.
"Here…"
Zhao Chen soon pointed at a corner and Shen Zhe found a narrow cave behind the green vines.
It was blocked from view; it couldn't be found at all without searching purposefully for it.
After leaving the horses behind, Shen Zhe took a deep breath and walked in.
The cave was narrow at first, but it became more and more spacious as they walked on.
They took out the torch they prepared and then quickly ascended the channel.
They reached the mountaintop an hour later.
It was already dark. However, the environment was clearly visible thanks to the snow and the starlight.
Taking out the map, Zhao Chen smiled, "Dreary Wood is that way. We can reach it in an hour if we're fast…"
The shortcut had saved them almost an entire day.
Nodding his head, Shen Zhe turned around and walked down.
"Not so fast…" Zhao Chen shook his head. "A lot of beasts prowl Mount Thorn. It's even more dangerous at night. There's no way we can escape if we go there like this!"
Shen Zhe frowned and nodded as he recalled the iron-toothed wolf king that Ms. Bai had encountered. "Do you have any suggestions?"
"Our family is in contact with a lot of herb collectors. They've marked the distribution of beasts on this map. There shouldn't be a problem if we pay attention!"
Zhao Chen took out a map and smiled.
They walked down following the marks for half an hour and met no danger.
"We'll be in Dreary Wood after we pass this area…" concluded Zhao Chen after confirming the location.
Using the starlight, Shen Zhe saw a thick forest on the dark horizon; it was just as creepy as the shadow of the mountain.
He was relieved after finding their destination. He continued forward, but then he suddenly frowned. "Wait…"
Zhao Chen looked at him in confusion.
Then, something swooshed at them from the cold darkness.
Zhao Chen was alarmed. He lowered his head, but Shen Zhe pulled his elbow and dragged him down.
Hu!
A cold wind brushed past him.
Cold sweat flowed from his back.
Zhao Chen finally realized that his head would've been torn off if Shen Zhe hadn't dragged him back.
He turned around, only to see a lion-shaped beast whose bright crimson eyes were glimmering.
The beast had a silver color, as if showered by moonlight, which made it eye catching in the dark night.
"A Silver Lion?"
It was one of the dominators of Mount Thorn!
"What do we do?" Zhao Chen was pale and helpless.
He was a student who hadn't gone through many things. His heart was filled with fear by this encounter with such a fearsome beast at night.
"We can only fight it…"
Gloomily, Shen Zhe looked ahead.
He had learned a battle technique and illuminated two stars, but he had never been in a real battle. He was also under tremendous pressure.
Sha! Shua!
Not expecting that the prey would escape its attack, the Silver Lion stared at them coldly and licked its teeth, while it paced and waited for a chance.
Cold wind was rising. The woods seemed to be in winter time. Immense pressure was tearing them apart.
Hooo!
The beast roared and pounced.
The wind blew apart the stones and dry leaves on the ground.
Knowing that fleeing meant exposing his back to the beast, Shen Zhe gritted his teeth and charged at it.
Crouching and stomping, he unleashed the power of his whole body.
After he reached the Stage of Unity, his skin, muscles, veins and bones had been condensed and coordinated into a whole.
Shen Zhe dodged the beast's attack like a shooting arrow. Then he slapped back.
Sensing the danger, the Silver Lion changed its course and raised its paw.
BAM!
After the collision, Shen Zhe was forced to take almost ten steps back, and the Silver Lion also stepped back in surprise.
Obviously, it never occurred to the beast that a slim human being could be its match physically.
"Are you all right?"
Zhao Chen hurried to check him.
The Silver Lions had become the dominators of Mount Thorn because of their capabilities. Their adults were as strong as level-one Martial Artists. They were among the herb collectors' greatest threats.
"I'm fine!"
Shen Zhe shook his head and narrowed his eyes after summoning the power of the stars.
He did not win, but he was much more confident.
The Silver Lion found another chance and charged again. Shen Zhe was about to fight back, when the beast turned around and whipped its thick tail at Zhao Chen.
"Crap…"
Shen Zhe squinted and moved fast.
The beast was smart enough to feint an attack when its real target was Zhao Chen!
BAM!
Not expecting the ambush, Zhao Chen raised his hand to block it but he was too slow. He was hit in the chest and flung against a tree, not moving anymore.
"Zhao Chen…"
In his anxiety, Shen Zhe was even faster and reached the Silver Lion in the blink of an eye. He then smacked the beast.
BAM!
The Silver Lion was blown away and it rolled on the ground. It gazed at the young man warily.
"I'm Greatly Fluent at Falling Leaves Palm now?"
Shen Zhe was relieved after taking a few deep breaths.
After his training in the afternoon, and since he was eager to save his friend just then, he made another breakthrough and reached the fourth level of the Falling Leaves Palm!
His capabilities had increased by eighty percent.
Sensing his power, the Silver Lion was even more vigilant and began to hesitate.
"Hoooooo!"
Right then, a wolf howled somewhere far away.
The Silver Lion suddenly turned around and disappeared into the infinite darkness.
"You're leaving?" Shen Zhe was stunned.
Confirming that the beast had left, he went to check on Zhao Chen in a hurry.
"I'm fine…" said Zhao Chen, struggling to get back on his feet.
He had taken the precaution of wearing leather armor in his clothes. Although the Silver Lion's attack was powerful, he was not badly hurt.
"Let's go!" said Shen Zhe in a low voice and walked forward in a hurry, relieved by the outcome.
The Silver Lion was so strong, but it left the moment it heard the howl. Was it possible that the wolf king Ms. Bai had encountered was in the area?
In that case, they would be in real danger.