The frigid weather had driven the ferocious beasts deep into the mountains, leaving the men of Ye Village cooped up at home, honing their skills and waiting for the warmth to return before venturing out to hunt.
Ye Village was a large settlement, and under Ye Feng's leadership, it had amassed sufficient provisions for the winter, alleviating any concerns about food shortages.
Snow fell heavily, blanketing the earth in a pristine white.
In such bitterly cold days, no one wished to venture outside; the villagers remained indoors, diligently cultivating their strength.
Only Ye Tian was an exception; every few days, he would brave the elements to seek out second-level snow bears in the mountains, sharpening his martial skills and enhancing his combat experience.
After a month of training, his Thunder Palm technique finally surpassed the Nine Shadows, reaching the pinnacle of perfection.
It was then that Ye Tian ceased his martial training and dedicated himself fully to enhancing his cultivation.
With the extraordinary talent of his yellow martial soul, his rate of advancement was remarkably swift; a month of training equated to a year for others, propelling him from the early stages of a second-level martial artist directly into the third level.
...
The snow danced in the air like a flurry of delicate sprites, despite a month of gradual warming, the cold weather showed little sign of abating, and the snowy wilderness remained largely devoid of ferocious beasts.
"This weather will likely remain chilly for another two months!" Ye Tian mused to himself, clad in a tiger-skin coat as he trod through the thick snow, running through the forest.
He had ventured out once more to hone his skills!
Passing by a familiar waterfall, he did not linger, continuing deeper into the mountains, this time aiming to advance ten miles beyond his previous mark.
"I am now a third-level martial artist; snow bears pose no threat to me. It's time to seek a third-level ferocious beast to test my mettle," he contemplated inwardly.
As a former special forces soldier, he understood the importance of practical experience; once one's strength had significantly increased, it was essential to find an opponent of equal prowess to truly grasp one's capabilities.
If one cannot even control their own true strength, how can they hope to defeat others?
Cautiously navigating through the wilderness, Ye Tian ventured into uncharted territory when suddenly the ground trembled, and the echoes of enraged beasts roared in the distance, shaking the very mountains.
"Hm? That sounds like the black-furred rampaging bear!" Ye Tian's brow arched in excitement as a smile graced his lips. The black-furred rampaging bear was a third-level beast, precisely one of his targets for this expedition.
Without hesitation, Ye Tian quickened his pace towards the source of the roars, and soon enough, he spotted a massive bear cloaked in thick black fur, its size easily equivalent to two snow bears, exuding a formidable presence.
At that moment, the black-furred rampaging bear locked its fierce gaze upon Ye Tian, showing no courtesy to this unexpected intruder, and lunged directly at him, a powerful aura rushing towards him like a gale.
"Come at me!" Ye Tian felt a surge of excitement instead of fear; he sprang into action, unleashing his Thunder Palm. Nine shadowy palm strikes shot forth in unison, their might astonishing.
The black-furred rampaging bear disregarded the illusory palm shadows and charged at Ye Tian with a thunderous roar, its paw descending like a boulder, brimming with power.
Yet Ye Tian's speed and agility far surpassed that of the black-furred rampaging bear, allowing him to deftly evade the strike. Simultaneously, the nine palm strikes collided violently with the bear, delivering a devastating blow.
The enormous form of the black-furred rampaging bear was sent reeling, crashing heavily to the ground.
"Roar!" Though he had severely injured the bear, the attack only served to further enraged the ferocious creature, which charged at Ye Tian in a frenzied assault.
Ye Tian remained calm as he engaged in battle; while the black-furred rampaging bear was no longer a concern, he still relied on his speed to gradually wear it down with his Thunder Palm.
"Boom!"
At last, as the massive bear collapsed to the ground, Ye Tian beamed with exhilaration.
With his current strength and mastery of the perfected Thunder Palm, a third-level beast was no match for him.
It was well-known that ferocious beasts were far more formidable than martial artists of the same level. Many third-level villagers in Ye Village would struggle against this black-furred rampaging bear.
Only Ye Tian, having honed the Thunder Palm to perfection, could so easily triumph over the beast of equal rank.
"The black-furred rampaging bear is decent among third-level beasts; I didn't expect to defeat it so effortlessly. Clearly, this isn't my ultimate strength."
Ye Tian's eyes glimmered as he gazed toward the unknown expanse of forest ahead.
Having easily defeated the black-furred rampaging bear filled him with confidence; he decided to venture deeper, curious to see if he could encounter a fourth-level beast.
This was a reckless decision, for ahead lay territory frequented by dangerous beasts, where the hunting teams from Ye Village treaded with extreme caution.
Yet after considerable deliberation, Ye Tian resolved to press on.
"In such cold weather, even powerful ferocious beasts are reluctant to emerge; the odds of encountering one should be slim," Ye Tian reasoned, planning to only explore the periphery of the perilous area.
As he stepped into the treacherous zone, a heavy sense of oppression enveloped him; no beasts appeared, yet the atmosphere was thick with tension.
Ye Tian's heart tightened; he understood that this sensation stemmed from the presence of numerous powerful beasts, which had pervaded the area over time, creating an oppressive environment.
With his face set in determination, Ye Tian advanced cautiously, observing his surroundings and listening intently. He tread lightly, striving to avoid drawing attention to himself as he continued to delve deeper.
"Roar!"
Suddenly, a thunderous roar assaulted his ears, making his head spin and ringing in his skull.
"This is bad!" Ye Tian felt a surge of urgency; though he had yet to see the beast, the sheer power of its roar signaled that it was far beyond his ability to contend with.
Without hesitation, Ye Tian sprinted forward, glancing back to witness a terrifying sight.
"Roar!"
A colossal bear, draped in black fur, was closing in on him with massive strides.
The black-furred rampaging bear?
No, if it were merely a black-furred violent bear, Ye Tian wouldn't be frightened enough to flee, let alone lacking the courage to fight.
"Damn it, it's actually the black-furred violent bear king, a beast of level five! Why am I so unlucky?" Ye Tian glanced back at the massive bear, terror coursing through him. This was no ordinary bear; it was the black-furred violent bear king, with strength surpassing level five.
The black-furred violent bear king was twice the size of a regular black-furred violent bear, exuding an overwhelming power that made the ground tremble as it pursued Ye Tian.
Ye Tian dared not look back and continued to sprint forward. Fortunately, while the black-furred violent bears were immensely strong, they lacked speed, making it difficult for even the bear king to keep pace with Ye Tian.
However, the area was incredibly perilous; who knew what other formidable beasts might emerge?
"Damn it, running like this isn't a solution!" Ye Tian thought anxiously. The commotion caused by the bear king would surely attract other powerful beasts. If something like a tiger or leopard, known for their swiftness, appeared, he would be left with no chance of survival.
His heart raced with urgency as he scanned his surroundings, pondering an escape route while running.
The enormous black-furred violent bear king was surprisingly patient, chasing Ye Tian for an entire hour without showing a hint of fatigue, while Ye Tian himself began to tire and slow down significantly.
As a result, the distance between them diminished considerably, sending Ye Tian into a panic.
"What should I do? What should I do?" Ye Tian fretted. After an hour of frantic running, even with his level three martial artist abilities, he was nearing his limits. His speed surpassed that of the black-furred violent bear king, but he could not match its stamina, the two levels of difference rendering any comparison futile.
Even with his past life experiences as a special forces soldier, trained under the harshest conditions, Ye Tian found it increasingly difficult to maintain his composure.
At this rate, within half an hour, he would undoubtedly be caught by the bear king.
"I can't die! I've just awakened my martial soul; I refuse to perish here!" Ye Tian silently roared, filled with resentment and regret.
With memories from his previous life, he had always believed himself to be more intelligent than others, convinced that by adhering to his plans, he would inevitably become powerful. Yet, he had forgotten one crucial fact: this world was entirely different from his previous one, filled with beasts and martial artists, where any kind of danger could arise.
Unwittingly, Ye Tian found himself trapped in the pride fostered by his past memories until this moment, when he realized that this world operated under its own rules, which he must obey.
At least for now, he lacked the strength to challenge those rules.
"Roar!" The bear king's furious growls drew nearer.
In a moment of panic, Ye Tian stumbled over a branch, tumbling into the thicket ahead before crashing against a large boulder, wincing in pain.
But he had no time to dwell on it; scrambling to his feet, he prepared to flee once more. Suddenly, he noticed a small opening beside him, just big enough for him to slip through.
"There's always a way out!" Ye Tian's eyes lit up with excitement. Without a moment's hesitation, he crawled into the dark cave.
As the black-furred violent bear king charged after him, its enormous frame could not fit through the opening, leaving it to roar in fury from outside.
"Come on, try and get in here! Hahaha!" Ye Tian laughed heartily, feeling exhilarated to have escaped death. He waved his fist at the enraged bear, his face alight with provocation.
"Roar!"
The bear king, seeing Ye Tian's triumphant demeanor, grew even more furious. It could not enter but pounded the ground in frustration, causing the earth to quake.
After venting its rage, the bear king did not leave; instead, it sat before the cave, glaring intensely at Ye Tian.
Now it was Ye Tian's turn to feel anxious. If it wouldn't move, how could he escape?
He certainly didn't want to remain trapped in this cave indefinitely; after all, he needed to eat. At this rate, he would either be killed by the black-furred violent bear king or starve to death.
Suddenly, Ye Tian understood the bear king's "malicious intent."
"From now on, if anyone dares to call bears stupid, I will turn against them!" Ye Tian lamented inwardly.