In an instant, a strong breath of death came rushing in!
Zhenjin's face turned heavy, like iron.
He quickly recalled that Zi Di had mentioned the Fire Poison Bees during the day!
That Evil Wolf, which Zhenjin had indirectly dealt with, once threw a beehive into the camp, sparking a battle between the Fire Poison Bee Swarm and the search and rescue team. Although the Fire Poison Bees were driven off in the end, four team members were stung and fell into a coma. Even though Zi Di used all her strength, she couldn't save them, and they died that night.
From the Life Breath perspective, although most Fire Poison Bees were just common insects, a small portion were Bronze Level Magic Beasts, but their sheer number and fire poison made them deadly.
The fire poison could be fatal!
"My lord, you must go. I have potions to detoxify!" Zi Di urged again.
Zhenjin looked at the girl standing in front of him, warmth and emotion surging in his heart.
Zi Di, facing the blue-furred Evil Wolf's pursuit, had never given up on him, stayed by his side when he was unconscious, and now was willing to sacrifice herself to buy him a chance to escape.
Whether Zi Di's claim was a lie or if she indeed had such potions, which were rare and couldn't be used carelessly on the previous team members,
Zhenjin had no reason to convince himself to escape alone, leaving a frail girl behind to fend off disaster for him.
"You go! I'll handle these Fire Poison Bees."
Zhenjin stepped forward, moving past Zi Di, then quickly bent down and pulled out a thick piece of wood from the campfire.
The wood burned at the front, serving as a natural torch.
Zhenjin intended to wave the torch to fend off the aggressive Fire Poison Bees.
But Zi Di, seeing Zhenjin's action, hastily cried out, "Don't use the fire!"
"Lord Zhenjin, these Fire Poison Bees aren't afraid of fire at all; in fact, they were attracted by our campfire!"
Zi Di's words stunned Zhenjin.
Trusting Zi Di, Zhenjin immediately swung his arm and threw the torch high into the air ahead.
The torch landed in the southeast direction, about fifty to sixty steps away, without being extinguished.
The Fire Poison Bee Swarm buzzed in confusion, quickly sending a small group towards the torch.
This small group of Fire Poison Bees, about a dozen or so, flew toward the fire as if moths to a flame, throwing themselves into it without hesitation.
To Zhenjin's amazement, the flame burning at the torch's front swiftly weakened, and within a few breaths, it was barely alive before finally extinguishing.
Those Fire Poison Bees that flew into the flame rose again, wobbling in the air as if satiated!
"What kind of bees are these, feeding on fire?!"
Zhenjin had no time to ponder more as the group that swarmed the torch was but a small fraction.
The main force of the Fire Poison Bees closed in on the young man and woman.
Zhenjin bit his teeth, pulling the girl back rapidly.
"There's no escape! Lord Zhenjin, someone must lure them away," Zi Di's face filled with despair.
She urgently said, "These Fire Poison Bees hunt everything warmer than themselves. The higher the body temperature, the more they target it."
"We encountered a Fire Poison Bee Swarm before; the blue-furred Evil Wolf deliberately carried a beehive to attract them, aiming to hunt us."
"We resisted the Fire Poison Bees, losing four guards, injuring nearly ten before resolving the issue."
"Who knew there'd be more Fire Poison Bees here!"
"My lord, you must go. As long as I attract these Fire Poison Bees, I can buy you time!"
With that, Zi Di shook her arm to break free from Zhenjin's grip.
But Zhenjin held her firmly, his strength making it impossible for her to succeed.
They steadily retreated, distancing themselves from the campfire, with the Fire Poison Bee Swarm hot in pursuit.
Buzz, buzz, buzz!
The Fire Poison Bee Swarm suddenly split, with a large portion heading towards the blazing campfire.
Yet, a small group remained, harboring lethal intent as they drew closer to the young man and woman.
Zhenjin and Zi Di had no choice but to retreat to the edge of the campfire's light.
Before them lay a pitch-black night forest.
Zhenjin abruptly halted.
They couldn't run any further!
The forest at night was far more terrifying than during the day, with countless fierce predators on the prowl. Humans, in such an environment, had severely restricted vision.
Under these circumstances, if Zhenjin and Zi Di rushed into the forest, it would be self-destructive.
Comparatively, battling the aggressive Fire Poison Bee Swarm offered a slim chance of survival.
For Zhenjin, who had cultivated his fighting energy and was a Holy Temple Knight, it was likely that he possessed Silver Level vitality. Fire poison was extremely dangerous to common guards, but for a silver life, it was a different matter.
Though the situation was critical, Zhenjin maintained his composure and clarity.
"Don't panic; we still have a chance!" he shouted, abruptly turning to face the swarm.
At the same time, he forcefully pulled Zi Di behind him.
Clang!
A light ringing sound, Zhenjin drew his sword from its scabbard.
Most of the Fire Poison Bees were still attracted to the campfire; Zhenjin faced only a few dozen at that moment.
The firelight rapidly weakened but still provided visibility.
The Fire Poison Bees were almost at his face!
Zhenjin took a deep breath, stepped forward, and swung his one-handed sword, slicing streaks of cold light.
Many Fire Poison Bees were hit by the sword; some were cut in half, some fell to the ground twitching, and others, after being struck, wobbled and flew again.
Equipped with a weapon, Zhenjin significantly improved his attack!
Each time Zhenjin's sword struck a Fire Poison Bee, it felt like slicing through fist-sized metal chunks.
The Fire Poison Bees' surface was extremely tough, rarely being directly cut through.
Zhenjin's heart sank; the Fire Poison Bees were much harder to deal with than expected.
This small group of Fire Poison Bees, disturbed by Zhenjin, buzzed and dispersed, then quickly flew down again from all sides and above.
Zhenjin, with only one sword and no shield, found it challenging to defend against the onslaught of numerous Fire Poison Bees.
In reality, even with a shield, it would be hard to fend off such attacks; full-body armor was the most targeted defense.
Zhenjin struggled, left and right, in a dire situation. The only consolation was that almost all the Fire Poison Bees were attracted to him, temporarily not attacking the girl behind.
Suddenly, Zhenjin felt numb at his waist, followed by intense pain.
"My lord!"
Amidst Zi Di's cry, Zhenjin reached his left hand to his waist, pulling out a frantically buzzing Fire Poison Bee.
The Fire Poison Bee was fist-sized, tough in his grasp, and as heavy as an egg. Without thinking, Zhenjin exerted full strength to crush it but failed.
However, as he yanked the bee out, its stinger remained deeply embedded in his waist. Once the bee and stinger separated, the bee in Zhenjin's hand quickly stopped moving, becoming a corpse.
Zhenjin tossed it aside, ignoring the pain, continuing his battle.
The chainmail provided resistance to axes and blades, but against the venomous stinger's attack, its effect was limited.
Zhenjin used his Protective Arm as a shield, covering his face, blocking many incoming Fire Poison Bees.
Over time, Zhenjin got stung multiple times. Many Fire Poison Bees managed to sting him.
"Am I going to die here?" The dire situation sank Zhenjin's heart to the depths.
"Fighting energy, I need fighting energy!" Zhenjin cried out in his mind.
If the fighting energy could be released outward, it would protect him. Silver Level fighting energy could form a tight protective layer on his body surface, enough to resist the bees' stings.
This was the best defense against stingers, far more reliable than chainmail.
However, Zhenjin couldn't remember how to activate Silver Fighting Spirit.
His memory was damaged, incomplete, unable to mobilize it!
"Silver Fighting Spirit! Damn it, come out!!" In the danger, Zhenjin almost shouted aloud.
The campfire had diminished significantly, barely covering the ferocity on Zhenjin's face.
At the brink of life and death, a brand new memory suddenly surged in Zhenjin's mind!
An autumn evening.
Zhenjin found himself in a study.
The study was dim, with a narrow window on one side of the stone wall, the only light source.
The reddish-brown desk was made of top-grade wood. On the desk were a pen holder with three white feather pens and an ink bottle beside it.
On the study's wall hung three oil paintings: one depicting golden farmlands, another a deep-blue castle in the forest, and the third a lake with a half-naked noblewoman.
Another wall stood bare, with only hooks and no paintings.
"Zhenjin, my son, don't keep your head down," a slightly hoarse voice came.
Zhenjin slowly raised his head.
He saw a thin, pale middle-aged man sitting behind the desk, sporting two straight, fine moustaches. The man furrowed his brows, showing a stern disposition.
Zhenjin immediately noticed that "he" shifted his gaze, seemingly unable to meet the middle-aged man's eyes, looking toward the single window.
Outside, the sky was filled with dazzling evening clouds.
"Why? Half a month has passed, and my son, your Concealing Breath Technique shows no progress, remaining at the same level," continued the middle-aged man.
Zhenjin involuntarily averted his eyes, staring at the lower part of the desk, feeling unable to face the man.
The middle-aged man knowingly said, "I understand your feelings. You've never had interest in Concealing Breath Technique, thinking our family's combat skills are weak, haven't you?"
"You believe our Hundred Needle Family bloodline brings no exceptional physical abilities, strength, or speed, and now we are mere Lower Nobles of the Empire, correct?"
Zhenjin remained silent.
The middle-aged noble sighed deeply, stood up, walked around the desk, and stood beside Zhenjin: "Come, follow me."
They left the study, walked through a dim corridor, passed mottled stone walls, and entered the castle garden.
The sunset light bathed the garden.
The garden, neglected, appeared desolate and decayed.
The only striking feature was a large tree at the garden's center.
The tree branches reached skyward without leaves, and some roots lay exposed on the dry ground, twisted and bare. The trunk was covered in what looked like sycamore leaves.
The breeze stirred the leaves clinging to the trunk, making a rustling noise, vibrant and lively.
Zhenjin's father, the middle-aged noble, led him to the tree.
"Watch closely!"
The middle-aged man gave a soft shout, suddenly releasing a rush of Golden Fighting Spirit.
The golden fighting spirit was far more powerful than Silver Fighting Spirit, overwhelming any Black Iron Level fighting energy. Its eruption whipped up a fierce wind.
Young Zhenjin was forced a step back by the wind, squinting his eyes.
Under the strong wind, the sycamore leaves on the trunk flew up one by one, revealing their true form: a large group of Tree Winged Butterflies.
"Combat Skill: Hundred Needle Wind!"
The middle-aged man swiftly drew his sword.
The sword was not a bladed cutting sword but a long, slender Stabbing Sword.
In the man's hands, the Stabbing Sword struck continuously, forming a flurry of sword shadows. The sword's point, covered in fighting energy, sparkled brilliantly!
The butterflies, caught in the wind and struck by the golden sparks, fell to the ground.
Within a few breaths, the ground was blanketed with "sycamore leaves," hundreds of butterflies dead, none escaped.
"Amazing! So powerful!"
Zhenjin exclaimed, wide-eyed. Upon closer inspection, he saw each butterfly's head was pierced.
The nobleman's sword skill was incredibly precise!
"Cough, cough." The middle-aged man sheathed his sword, coughed repeatedly, his face turning pale.
"Do you still think our Hundred Needle Family is weak?"
Zhenjin vigorously shook his head.
"Every noble family has its foundation. Our Hundred Needle Family was once great in the South! Hundred Needle Wind is our signature combat skill, one of our cornerstones, a well-kept secret."
"Managing a family requires strategy. Sometimes, we need to be high-profile, showing our strength. Other times, we need to lie low, like now, where our Hundred Needle Family needs to appear weak and lessen our presence."
Pausing, the middle-aged noble continued: "Do you know the foundation for activating Hundred Needle Wind?"
Before Zhenjin could reply, the man said, "It's Concealing Breath Technique."
"What?" Zhenjin was surprised.
"Only by concealing, gathering strength, can we achieve a powerful outburst. Concealing Breath Technique allows us to hide our aura, misleading others about our fighting energy level. It also accumulates strength. Mastering Concealing Breath Technique enables advanced combat skills like Hundred Needle Wind. It's the foundation of our family's techniques. Zhenjin, you're the heir of the Hundred Needle Family. Practice diligently."
"I understand, Father! I will try my best!" Zhenjin replied, eyes shining with determination.
The memory flashed and vanished; Zhenjin returned to reality almost instantly.
He stared at the approaching Fire Poison Bees, his eyes suddenly bright.
Combat Skill: Hundred Needle Wind!
This time, it was a completely different sword technique.
The previous slashing and sweeping movements disappeared, leaving only—stabs.
Continuous stabs!
Shh, shh, shh, shh…
The sword's tip pierced the air, like countless arrows, precisely striking the airborne Fire Poison Bees.
Zhenjin applied a unique force technique, the sword tip forming a blurry shadow in the air resembling a faint light curtain!
"This is?!" Zi Di looked up, shocked and thrilled.
Zhenjin's counterattack rekindled her hope.
"Well done, my lord!" Zi Di exclaimed, cheering Zhenjin on.
Fire Poison Bees dropped to the ground; the Hundred Needle Wind combat skill effectively countered these venomous insects.
"My lord…" Zi Di, well-protected, gazed at Zhenjin's back, her eyes reflecting the flickering, weakening firelight, shining brightly.