One year later, Li Wei ventured north to find more black tiger's because his medicinal soup had finished.
His progress was evident in last year.
Tiger Boxing manual: [Complete]
Chen Family Body Forging Technique: [Complete]
Bull Demon Physique Refining Technique: [Complete]
Iron Body Technique: [Complete]
Iron Sand Palm: [Complete]
100 Poison Immunity: [Complete]
Li's Swordsmanship: [350%]
Internal Organ Training Manual: [Complete]
Art of Turtle Breathing: [4/5 stars]
The northern mountains stretched vast and endless, their peaks veiled by a pale mist. Li Wei advanced deeper into the wilderness, his breathing steady, each step calculated. It had been a year since the black tiger hunt, and his body, hardened from endless training, now bore the strength of a 2nd-rate mid level martial artist. His senses were sharp, tuned to the subtle sounds of nature, yet today the air felt... different.
He paused.
The usual rustle of leaves and distant bird calls had vanished. Silence pressed in from all sides, thick and oppressive. His eyes scanned the surrounding forest, noting the unnatural stillness.
Then, like wolves emerging from the undergrowth, they appeared—bandits. Twelve of them, filthy and armed, their eyes gleaming with predatory intent. Their movements were swift, closing in on him with practiced coordination. The leader, a burly man with a scar running across his face, sneered.
"You shouldn't have come here," the man growled, his voice dripping with malice. "We can't have you finding out where we really camp. No one leaves the northwest alive."
Li Wei said nothing. His body reacted instinctively. There was no choice now. It was them or him.
The first bandit charged, swinging a rusted axe toward Li Wei's head. The world slowed, and in that moment, Li Wei ducked under the blow, his sword flashing as he surged forward. Steel met flesh with a wet thud, and the bandit's eyes widened in disbelief as his throat opened, spraying blood. He collapsed in a heap, gurgling his last breath.
The others moved in instantly. A sword whistled through the air, aimed at Li Wei's side, but he twisted, the blade grazing his robe as he spun into the next attacker. His own blade rose, slicing through the man's arm, then driving deep into his chest with a sickening crunch. He yanked the sword free, his feet already shifting, moving to face the next threat.
Two down.
A third bandit came from his left, brandishing a spear. The weapon thrust toward Li Wei's abdomen, but he sidestepped, the spear tip barely missing its mark. Before the man could retract the weapon, Li Wei's palm shot out, striking the bandit's wrist with bone-shattering force. The spear dropped, and in one fluid motion, Li Wei reversed his grip on his sword, plunging it into the bandit's neck.
Three dead.
But more came. Five, six—surging toward him in a chaotic rush, weapons raised. One swung a club at his head. Li Wei ducked, narrowly avoiding the strike. The club smashed into a nearby tree with a loud crack, but the bandit didn't get a second chance. Li Wei's sword arced upward, slicing through the man's torso. Blood sprayed, and the body crumpled.
Yet before he could recover, a spear struck his shoulder. Pain flared as the tip dug into his flesh, ripping through skin. He gritted his teeth, his free hand snapping out to grab the shaft of the spear, yanking the attacker forward and into the path of his blade. The bandit gasped as the sword pierced his gut, his body going limp in Li Wei's grip.
Five dead.
Li Wei's muscles ached, blood dripping from the gash on his shoulder. But there was no time to dwell on the pain. Another bandit, wielding twin blades, charged with a flurry of wild slashes. Li Wei blocked the strikes with rapid precision, the metallic clang of steel on steel filling the air. The force of each blow vibrated through his arms, but he remained steady, countering with a single powerful thrust that skewered the bandit through the chest.
The man's body convulsed, his swords slipping from his hands as he dropped to his knees. Six.
Around him, the bandits hesitated, their confidence wavering as they watched their comrades fall one after another. Li Wei's expression didn't change, his breathing heavy but controlled. Blood dripped from his wounds, staining the ground beneath him, but his eyes were cold, focused.
The leader snarled. "What are you waiting for? Kill him!"
Four bandits lunged at once, a coordinated assault. Li Wei stepped back, deflecting a spear aimed at his face with the flat of his sword. The force of the blow sent a jolt through his arm. Another bandit swung a massive axe toward his side. Li Wei twisted, the blade missing him by inches, and drove his sword into the man's ribs with a sharp thrust. The bandit let out a strangled cry as he fell.
But there was no time to revel in the kill. An arrow whistled past Li Wei's ear, narrowly missing him. He turned just in time to see two more bandits bearing down on him. A heavy mace swung toward his head, but Li Wei dropped low, sweeping his leg out to knock the bandit off his feet. The man crashed to the ground, and Li Wei's sword followed, plunging into his chest.
The remaining bandits hesitated, glancing at each other. They had not expected this.
Eight dead.
Li Wei's chest heaved with each breath, his vision narrowing as fatigue and pain began to settle in. Blood streamed down his arm, his legs heavy. His sword, though sharp, felt like a lead weight in his grip. His thoughts were cold, calculating, and focused only on survival.
He knew he couldn't keep this up forever. Despite his skill and discipline, the numbers were overwhelming. His muscles burned with exertion, and the deep cut on his shoulder throbbed with every movement. He needed an out.
The bandits regrouped, circling him like wolves preparing to strike. But there were only four left now. One of them, a large brute wielding a hammer, sneered as he raised the weapon high, aiming to crush Li Wei's skull.
With a roar, the brute swung. The air seemed to crack under the force of the hammer's descent, but Li Wei darted to the side, the hammer smashing into the earth where he had stood. The ground trembled from the impact, but Li Wei's blade flashed upward, catching the brute under the chin. Blood erupted from the wound, the man's body going rigid before collapsing backward, the hammer slipping from his grasp.
Nine.
Yet even as the last three bandits rushed him, Li Wei's vision swam. His blood loss was severe, and his movements, though precise, were slower. He parried one strike, then another, but a sudden sharp pain bloomed in his side as a sword grazed him. He grunted, pushing the pain aside, and retaliated with a powerful slash that cleaved through his attacker's arm, then buried the blade deep in his chest.
Ten dead.
But he was faltering.
The leader and his two remaining men rushed at him, their eyes wild with desperation and rage. They could see he was weakening. Li Wei staggered back, his hand clutching his side where blood oozed from the wound. He swung his sword to parry a blow, but the force of it sent him stumbling toward the edge of the clearing—toward the cliff.
The bandits sensed his desperation, their eyes gleaming with savage triumph. "We've got him now!" the leader barked. "Push him off!"
Li Wei's boots slid dangerously close to the cliff's edge, loose stones tumbling down into the abyss below. His heart raced, not with fear but with the realization that he had no choice. His muscles screamed in protest, his body covered in a dozen small wounds. The cliff loomed behind him, the sound of rushing wind rising from the unseen depths.
The leader, grinning like a predator who had cornered his prey, advanced, his sword ready to deliver the killing blow.
But Li Wei, even in his weakened state, wasn't done yet.
With a final surge of strength, he lunged forward, catching the leader off guard. His sword sliced through the man's arm, severing it at the elbow. The leader howled in agony, falling to his knees as blood gushed from the wound. But the two remaining bandits were already moving in, their weapons raised high.
Li Wei had no room to dodge.
An axe caught him in the side, the impact sending him sprawling backward. His vision blurred, his body screaming in pain as he staggered to his feet, only to feel the ground crumble beneath him.
The cliff gave way.
Li Wei's heart raced as he fell, the wind whipping past him. Branches tore at his clothes and skin as he plummeted, the world spinning in a chaotic blur. The ground rushed up to meet him, but thick branches snapped beneath his weight, slowing his fall. His body slammed into the earth with bone-rattling force, the breath knocked from his lungs.
Pain surged through him, every inch of his body bruised and cut. But he was alive. Barely.
Above him, the bandits' voices faded, their figures vanishing from the edge of the cliff. They believed him dead. Half of these and its were 3rd martial artist. If they were normal people he would have killed them all in under a minute.
Li Wei lay still, the fog around him thick and oppressive. His chest rose and fell with ragged breaths, his body broken but his mind intact. The fall had been brutal, but he had survived.