Chapter 23 - Sweep
As Yang Xie peacefully drifted into sleep, basking in the joy of his breakthrough, Yang Yi and his men continued their sweeping operation.
In the woods, 901 shadow soldiers moved like ghosts in the night, silent and deadly.
When Yang Xie advanced to the second stage of the Warrior Realm, his shadow soldiers also ascended, becoming second-stage warrior shadows.
Countless first-level alien beasts fell at their hands, providing nourishment for the continuous growth of the shadow soldiers.
Encountered 30 first-level alien beast pigs—eliminated.
Encountered 20 first-level alien beast rabbits—eliminated.
And so on…
As the shadow soldiers ventured deeper into the forest, they soon encountered their first second-level primary alien beast—a wolf.
Yang Yi didn't intervene personally. Instead, he sent his shadow soldiers to test its strength.
This second-level alien wolf was far superior to its first-level counterparts. It was larger, stronger, and capable of using Aura Skills—powerful techniques fueled by its spiritual energy.
A second-level warrior shadow soldier engaged in battle with the wolf but found it difficult to gain an upper hand. While the shadow soldiers were strong, they lacked the ability to unleash Aura Skills, putting them at a disadvantage.
However, they weren't entirely powerless. Even as first-stage warriors, the shadow soldiers had a strength of 3,000 kg, rivaling ninth-stage Great Zhoutian Warriors. Now, having reached the second stage of the Warrior Realm, they were even stronger.
Additionally, the Eternal Night Magic Code granted them a 10% combat boost in darkness, making the shadow soldiers even more formidable at night. With their peak-level Zhenwu Fist techniques and mastery of the Bloody Battle Sword Technique, they had powerful offensive skills at their disposal.
Under the relentless assault of three shadow soldiers, the alien wolf began to tire, and ultimately, it fell. Upon its defeat, its shadow was devoured, further strengthening the shadow army.
Encouraged by their victory, Yang Yi pressed forward, venturing even deeper into the forest.
Encounter with a Group of Alien Monkeys
They soon stumbled upon a group of 45 second-level alien monkeys.
Most were second-level primary beasts, while a few had reached the intermediate stage.
If Nangong Qing's team were to face them head-on, they would likely struggle.
But against Yang Yi's 901 shadow soldiers, the outcome was clear.
The alien monkeys were highly agile, swiftly leaping from tree to tree, using the dense forest to their advantage. At night, they appeared as nothing more than blurs of movement.
Unfortunately for them, they had encountered the Shadow Corps—the true rulers of the night.
With the Shadow Killing Secret Manual, the shadow soldiers could move at extreme speeds and even blend into the darkness, attacking from within the shadows.
The result was inevitable.
All 45 second-level alien monkeys were slain, their shadows absorbed into the army.
A Formidable Opponent – The Golden-Patterned Giant Bear
Just as they were about to push further, Yang Yi and his army encountered a truly powerful foe—a giant bear with golden patterns on its head.
It stood 7 meters tall, towering like a massive beast.
Its footsteps shook the ground, each movement causing a tremor in the forest.
Shadow soldiers' attacks barely scratched it.
With a single swipe of its claw, dozens of shadow soldiers were sent flying.
Realizing their attacks were ineffective, Yang Yi commanded the shadow soldiers to retreat.
Fusion Shadow – A Display of True Power
Instead of continuing a futile assault, Yang Yi activated his strongest technique—Fusion Shadow.
The remaining 800 shadow soldiers merged into his body, causing his figure to grow larger and more imposing.
Drawing the Ice Spirit Sword—which Yang Xie had chosen not to use—Yang Yi wielded it like a blade and unleashed the Bloody Battle Sword Technique.
The giant bear attempted to block the strike with its arm, but the result was disastrous.
The Ice Spirit Sword could cut through iron like butter.
Combined with Yang Yi's overwhelming strength and refined swordsmanship, blocking was tantamount to suicide.
The bear's arm was severed instantly, flying through the air like a broken kite.
Stunned and in agony, the giant bear barely had time to process what had happened before a final slash decapitated it.
Its final thoughts were filled with confusion—
"How did this small, shadow-like figure suddenly become so terrifying?"
With its death, Yang Yi absorbed its shadow, causing the once-mighty bear to shrivel like a deflated balloon.
He then retrieved a precious crystal from the bear's head—a significant reward for the hunt.
An Unexpected Emergency
Just as Yang Yi was preparing to advance further into the forest, an urgent signal suddenly came through.
It was a distress call from Shadow Master Yang Xie.
Without hesitation, Yang Yi transformed into a black lightning bolt, racing towards Yang Xie's location.
Yang Xie's Side – A Dangerous Ambush
At 4 AM, the air was cold, and Yang Xie's team was in danger.
Laughter rang out in the night.
"Hahahaha! Struggle all you want! I love watching people fight for their lives!"
A man clad in black, wearing a pig-head mask, sneered at them.
At this moment, Nangong Qing and her team were being held hostage by two masked men in black.
Only Yang Xie and Nangong Ya remained safe, protected by 100 shadow soldiers.
A few minutes earlier, Yang Xie had been abruptly woken up by his shadow soldiers.
Still groggy from sleep, he was shocked by the sight before him:
Nangong Qing and the others were bound, knives at their throats.
A dozen masked men in black were locked in battle with the shadow soldiers.
Strangely, no one else was awake—only he had regained consciousness.
Realizing the severity of the situation, Yang Xie attempted to wake Nangong Ya, but no matter how many times he called, she remained unresponsive.
Had she been poisoned?
Or drugged?
Why was he the only one awake?
Then, he remembered—the Divine Court Shadow Soldiers had woken him up.
Perhaps, that was why he was unaffected.
Yang Xie's gaze turned cold as he faced the masked intruders.
"Who are you? What do you want?" he demanded.
The leader, still wearing his pig-head mask, chuckled.
"Interesting. You actually woke up after being exposed to the Bauhinia Tears Dream?"
Yang Xie narrowed his eyes. Bauhinia Tears Dream? A drug? Did they use it while we were asleep?
The masked leader ignored his question, instead observing Yang Xie with growing excitement.
"Your talent was recorded as D-level, with a shadow warrior martial soul. But these 100 shadow soldiers... something doesn't add up."
"I see now! You're not D-level! Your talent is at least S-level!"
"What an unexpected windfall!"
The leader's tone turned manic, his eyes gleaming with greed.
Yang Xie's expression darkened.
So that was it.
Their original target was Nangong Ya, because of her S-level talent.
But now, they had found him—a "big fish."
These masked men were no ordinary bandits.
They were members of a dangerous cult.
Damn it.
They had to be eliminated.
To Be Continued...