The leader was thrown to the floor, 50 meters away from the battlefield. Now, he was sure the blind beggar was the biggest threat to him. Even though his bloodline was activated, he could not find any trace of his opponent. "Yan Fei, after all these years, you are still a peak-level awakened," Yan Jin taunted, emerging from the darkness with his bow and arrow.
"Who are you?" Yan Fei demanded, "It seems like being Yan Li's lapdog all these years did not pay off after all," Yan Jin said, his tone mocking.
"Who are you, you fucking cripple!" roared Yan Fei as he ran toward Yan Jin with a sword he pulled out of nowhere.
Yan Jin shot two arrows: one regular, aimed at Yan Fei's face, and the other coated in blood energy, aimed at his knees. The energy shield generated by Yan Fei's bloodline deflected the first arrow, but the second arrow hit the shield like a bullet into a bulletproof jacket. The pressure of the impact was not strong enough to pierce but could hit like a truck.
Caught off guard, Yan Fei was tripped by the impact and fell face-first. After confirming his first hypothesis, Yan Jin shot three arrows into the sky before taunting the fallen warrior, "I know you have no backbone, but please stand with dignity."
Completely infuriated by the taunt, Yan Fei activated the Ice Claw bloodline technique and launched another assault. This time, he was within a three-meter radius of the blind archer. As he clawed repeatedly at Yan Jin, Yan Jin was shooting his arrows defensively for the first time. Coated in blood energy, the arrows created counter impacts strong enough to deflect the incoming swings.
Yan Fei's attacks were relentless, each claw strike more ferocious than the last. Yan Jin's defensive shooting was precise, his arrows intercepting each strike with calculated efficiency. The clash of bloodline energy reverberated through the air, creating shockwaves that shook the surrounding trees.
Yan Fei snarled, his Ice Claw technique forming icy tendrils that tried to wrap around Yan Jin. But Yan Jin was nimble, dodging and weaving with a fluidity that belied his blindness. His movements were a dance of evasion and counterattacks, his arrows finding their mark with unerring accuracy.
Yan Fei, growing more desperate, launched a flurry of slashes, hoping to overwhelm Yan Jin. In response, Yan Jin shifted his strategy. He ducked under a wide swing, closing the distance and slamming the butt of his bow into Yan Fei's ribs, knocking the wind out of him.
Yan Fei staggered back, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "Who are you?" he rasped, genuine fear creeping into his voice for the first time.
Yan Jin, maintaining his calm demeanor, responded, "I am a shadow of your past, here to remind you of your failures."
Enraged, Yan Fei summoned his remaining strength for one final assault. He channeled all his bloodline energy into his Ice Claw, the air around it freezing as he lunged at Yan Jin.
In a swift motion, Yan Jin nocked another arrow, this one pulsating with an intense blood energy. He released it just as Yan Fei closed in. The arrow cut through the air, striking Yan Fei's Ice Claw directly. The impact shattered the ice, sending shards flying and knocking Yan Fei back with a force that left him sprawled on the ground, dazed and defeated.
In his first fight with another blood warrior Yan Jin could finally draw an outline of his close quarter fight technique. Adding some feints and dodges in the mix he could effectively defend against the onslaught. Sensing the exhaustion creeping in due to the extreme focus required to execute this technique Yan Jin pushed his bloodline to the maximum opening his eyes for the first time.
The deep blue aura of Yan Jin's nine neonate bloodline emanated a pressure that suppressed Yan Fei's snow dragon bloodline. The psychological effect was so strong that Yan Fei fell on his back, crawling away from the blind monster before him. Yan Jin's bottled-up emotions of ten years surged within him, heightening the oppressive atmosphere. "Still a dog, after ten years! Traitor," Yan Jin spat, stepping forward. "You betrayed my uncle for ambition, yet here you are."
"It's you! You're that bastard Yan Jin," Yan Fei exclaimed, a flicker of recognition and fear in his eyes. He attempted to regain his composure, but his voice wavered. "Even if you kill me, you won't get revenge. Yan Li's son has awakened the Imperial Ice Dragon bloodline. He has joined the Golden Warriors. You can't kill him." Yan Fei's laugh was filled with a desperate bravado.
"Just an imperial bloodline?" Yan Jin's voice was cold, filled with contempt. The terrifying aura of his bloodline surged, causing an earth-shattering change in the forest.
Meanwhile, Meng Xiao was cleaning up the battlefield. She inspected the arrows that had fallen from the sky during her showdown with the other three warriors. The arrows had landed like meteors, creating enough distraction for her to take out one opponent and injure a second, causing the rest to fall like dominos. As she examined the scene, a screech echoed from the direction Yan Jin had gone. It sounded like a bird's cry from the end of times.
A terrible pressure descended, forcing everything within a five-kilometer radius to kneel. A cold wave spread out, chilling everything in its path. The frost propagated in every direction before stopping right at the entrance of the camp. Meng Xiao was completely terrified. She took out her claws as she saw a silhouette emerging from the fog. It was Yan Jin, with his cane and case, walking towards the campfire.
Yan Jin's appearance was imposing. The oppressive aura around him had dissipated, and Meng Xiao still felt her bloodline trembling in fear. The frost around them crackled underfoot as he approached Xiao XIao. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice surprisingly calm and gentle given the immense power he had just displayed.
Meng Xiao, still shaken. "Where…Where is Yan Fei?" she stammered, her eyes wide with fear and curiosity.
"Gone" Yan Jin replied, his tone measured. He turned to Xiao Xiao, who was clutching her book tightly, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and admiration. "Let's move. It's not safe here anymore."
The night was silent, save for the crackling of the campfire and the distant echoes of the forest. Yan Jin's mind was already calculating his next steps and the lady behind them would play a pivotal role.
As the raptor bird descended, a powerful figure in purple armor leapt from its back, landing gracefully in front of Yan Jin, Xiao Xiao, and Meng Xiao. The warrior's armor glinted in the sunlight, a deep, regal shade of purple that signified his high status and formidable strength. The intricate designs etched into the armor suggested both elegance and practicality, combining protection with a certain ceremonial flair.
The warrior's face was partly obscured by a helmet, but his eyes shone with a fierce intensity. His movements were fluid and confident, each step betraying the latent power he held. His presence was imposing, radiating authority and a readiness for combat.As he stood, a palpable aura emanated from him, a sign of his cultivation level. This was no ordinary warrior; he was at the blood resonance level.
The warrior's aura was suffused with a sense of balance and control, indicating his mastery over his bloodline energy. This energy flowed through him like a river. As he approached Meng Xiao, his concern was genuine, but his eyes never lost their sharp, vigilant gleam. "Are you okay, Meng Xiao?" he asked, his voice a deep, resonant baritone that carried both authority and reassurance.
Meng Xiao nodded, her earlier fear giving way to relief. "Yes, uncle, but the group B was slaughtered by the Yan family," she said, tears welling up in her eyes.
"It's okay, don't cry. I'll send someone to gather the bodies and bury them well," he reassured her, his tone softening for a moment before his attention turned to Yan Jin and Xiao Xiao.
"And who might this be?" he asked, his gaze assessing the newcomers.
"This is, er...," Meng Xiao began, but Yan Jin stepped forward, his posture humble yet unwavering.
"I am Jhin, and this is Xiao Xiao. Miss Meng Xiao and we met on the way to Pine City," Yan Jin said, his voice calm and measured.
The warrior, noting Yan Jin's blindness and the apparent lack of cultivation, quickly dismissed any potential threat. "Ah, Jhin, let us give you a ride to Pine City. It would be much faster."
"Pardon me for imposing, then," Yan Jin replied as they boarded the now-landed raptor bird, the warrior's formidable presence a silent reminder of the power and danger that surrounded them.