Time Travel: Ancient Martial Arts Chronicles

Lin Xiaoxiao's eyes instantly flushed red as she stared at the injured snow fox demon. Anger flared up within her like a burning flame. "How dare you, you bastards, hurt my snow fox!" she roared, completely disregarding her own safety. Her eyes were focused solely on the snow fox demon who depended on her so deeply.

The black-striped leopard ignored Lin Xiaoxiao's anger. Its blood-red eyes gleamed with bloodthirstiness as it continued its ferocious attacks. Each pounce was like a mountain crashing down with overwhelming force, shaking the surrounding trees violently and rustling. Large leaves and branches fell like raindrops, like a blanket of green snow.

Ye Wuhen and Bai Zhi also engaged in a bitter battle. Ye Wuhen's swordsmanship was once incredibly sharp, but now, facing the black leopard's iron-hard fur, he was somewhat powerless. He swung his sword again and again, each strike imbued with powerful internal energy, streaking silver light and shadow through the air, as brilliant as a blooming sword flower, but only leaving shallow wounds on the black leopard's body. The long and intense battle had rapidly drained his physical strength, and his forehead was covered with beads of sweat. Those beads gathered into streams, flowing down his stern face, dripping onto the ground at his feet, splashing a small cloud of dust.

"This beast is too thick-skinned!" Ye Wuhen said gritting his teeth, but the sword in his hand did not stop at all, and he continued to look for the flaws of the black leopard.

Bai Zhi was also exhausted. The slender silver needles in her hand shuttled like a snake, attacking the eyes, acupuncture points and other vital parts of the black leopard. Each needle was extremely precise, and with her deep internal strength, she tried to disrupt the black leopard's actions. However, the black leopard's reaction was extremely fast, and it always avoided the vital parts at the critical moment. As the battle continued, Bai Zhi's silver needles were few and far between. Her face became paler and her lips trembled slightly, but she still gritted her teeth and persisted, muttering to herself: "I can't give up, I must hold on."

Lin Xiaoxiao was terrified. She knew that if this continued, everyone would perish at the hands of the black leopard. She tried to calm herself, trying to mobilize the mysterious vital energy within her body. But her heart was in turmoil, and her vital energy was like a wild horse running wild, running wildly through her meridians, refusing to obey her commands. "Calm down, I must calm down!" Lin Xiaoxiao desperately shouted in her heart, clenching her fists so tightly that her nails dug deep into her palms. The pain brought her back to her senses.

Just as the black leopard pounced at her again with unstoppable force, Lin Xiaoxiao closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to clear her mind of all distractions. Suddenly, she felt as if the air around her had frozen. All sounds vanished, and the world became incredibly quiet, with only the thumping of her own heartbeat in her ears. It was an incredibly strange feeling, as if she had become one with the world around her.

Lin Xiaoxiao tried to guide her vital energy again, and this time, a miracle happened. As if it had heard its master's call, the vital energy began to flow through her meridians in an orderly manner. Moreover, the power was more turbulent than ever before, like a river bursting its banks.

"I feel it!" Lin Xiaoxiao's eyes snapped open, a resolute and fiery light gleaming in them. She leaped high, her entire form spreading like a bird, the dagger in her hand radiating a faint glow that grew brighter and brighter, like the radiance of the sun. "Go to hell!" Lin Xiaoxiao shouted, stabbing the black leopard fiercely. The strike, brimming with her full strength and unstoppable momentum, pierced through the leopard's tough fur, piercing deeply into its shoulder blade.

The black-striped leopard roared with agony, a deafening roar that echoed throughout the forest. It swung its body wildly, its immense force like a tornado, attempting to throw Lin Xiaoxiao off. Lin Xiaoxiao clutched the dagger tightly with both hands, her entire body swung back and forth in the air, carried by the black-striped leopard like a leaf swaying in a gale.

Seeing this, the Snow Fox Demon endured the pain in its body, its eyes gleaming with an unyielding light, and pounced on the black leopard again. It opened its small mouth, revealing its sharp teeth, and bit the black leopard's tail fiercely, tearing it hard, trying to distract the black leopard and create an opportunity for Lin Xiaoxiao.

Ye Wuhen witnessed this scene, a flicker of determination in his eyes. He took a deep breath, concentrating all his energy. His clothes moved without a breeze, as if an invisible force surged around him. "Watch out, sword!" he shouted, and thrust a sword condensed with his life's energy into the black leopard's abdomen. The sword was as fast as lightning, unstoppable, and with unstoppable momentum, it pierced the black leopard's body directly, piercing through the abdomen, drawing out a stream of blood like a blooming blood flower.

The black-striped leopard suffered heavy damage, its massive body collapsing to the ground with a thud, sending up a cloud of dust. The dust rose up and filled the air, like a gray curtain drawn over this tragic battle.

Lin Xiaoxiao tumbled off the black leopard, her entire body drenched in blood—her own and the leopard's. Her fatigue and pain were now oblivious to her; her only concern was the safety of the snow fox demon. She hurriedly crawled towards the demon, her eyes filled with anxiety and worry. The demon lay on the ground, its breath as weak as a candle in the wind. The wounds on its body continued to bleed, its white fur stained red with blood, a horrifying sight.

"You must hold on!" Lin Xiaoxiao's eyes welled with tears, her voice tinged with sobs. She carefully cradled the snow fox demon in her arms, gently covering its wounds with her hands, trying to stem the bleeding, but blood continued to seep through her fingers. "Snow fox, you can't die. We still have adventures to go on together," Lin Xiaoxiao said, choking back tears.

Bai Zhi also hurried over, her steps a little unsteady, but her eyes remained firm. She took out the remaining herbs and quickly treated the snow fox demon's wounds. As she worked, she said to Lin Xiaoxiao, "Don't worry, it will be fine. This little guy is very strong."

After a tense and arduous effort, the Snow Fox Demon's injuries finally stabilized. Lin Xiaoxiao seemed to have been drained of all her strength, collapsing on the ground, gasping for breath. Ye Wuhen walked over and looked at Lin Xiaoxiao, a glint of relief in his eyes: "You just made a breakthrough in the battle. Your control over your vital energy has reached a new level. This time, it's all thanks to you."

Lin Xiaoxiao nodded slightly, her eyes filled with relief at having survived. "This was truly thrilling. Without you all, none of us would have survived. This black-striped leopard is too powerful. We must become even stronger."

After this life-or-death battle, Lin Xiaoxiao deeply realized that her strength was far from enough. In the days that followed, she practiced diligently, like a man possessed. Every morning, as the first rays of sunlight shone through the valley, Lin Xiaoxiao began her training. She practiced the Stone-Breaking Power over and over again, striving for perfection in every movement. Her figure darted through the valley, stirring up a gust of wind. Every punch and kick was accompanied by a whistling sound, as if the very air itself was crackling.

"I must become stronger and not put anyone in danger again," Lin Xiaoxiao vowed silently as she practiced. She constantly tried to break through the bottleneck of her early martial arts career, her clothes soaked with sweat, yet she was completely unaware.

After recovering from its injuries, the Snow Fox Demon grew even stronger. It trained with Lin Xiaoxiao daily, often imitating her movements with a naive air. Its tiny figure diligently imitated Lin Xiaoxiao's punches and kicks, its movements a bit clumsy but its earnestness was hilarious.

"Snow Fox, you're doing great!" Lin Xiaoxiao couldn't help but praise the Snow Fox Demon whenever she saw him working hard. Upon hearing the praise, the Snow Fox Demon would wag his tail excitedly and practice even harder.

As time went by, the tacit understanding between Lin Xiaoxiao and the Snow Fox Demon grew deeper and deeper. They understood each other's thoughts with a single glance or gesture, without needing words. During their training, they cooperated and encouraged each other, becoming an integral part of each other's lives.

One day, while practicing, Lin Xiaoxiao suddenly sensed a powerful aura coming from afar. Like surging ocean waves, it assaulted her senses. She paused, warily looking in the direction of the aura, a surge of unease welling up within her.

Ye Wuhen and Bai Zhi also noticed the unusual aura and stopped what they were doing. Ye Wuhen frowned, "This aura is very strong. We need to go check it out." Bai Zhi nodded in agreement. So, the three of them led the Snow Fox Demon towards the aura's direction.

When they arrived at a valley, they were deeply shocked by the scene before them. A massive, fiery-red phoenix soared above the valley, its entire body ablaze with flames as dazzling as the sun. Wherever it passed, the air was scorched and distorted, as if the entire space were ablaze. Every flap of the phoenix's wings brought with it a blast of scorching air. The surrounding trees, under the intense heat, quickly curled their leaves, withered, and some even burst into flames.

Below the phoenix, a group of men surrounded an old man. The old man, with white hair, stood tall and straight like a pine tree. He held a cane. While seemingly ordinary, it seemed to come alive in his hands. With each swing, the cane unleashed a powerful force, shimmering and spreading like a halo, resisting the attacks of the crowd. The attackers wielded a variety of weapons: knives, swords, and spears. Their moves were varied, some fierce and brutal, others subtle and subtle. They attacked the old man from all sides.

"Old man, hand over the treasure, otherwise today will be the day you die!" A burly man with a face full of flesh shouted loudly, waving the big knife in his hand.

"Hmph, don't even think about it. I was the first one to discover this treasure. Come and get it if you have the guts." The old man snorted coldly and swung the cane in his hand faster. Waves of power surged out of the cane, forcing back the attackers.

Lin Xiaoxiao and the others hid behind a huge rock, observing the situation. "Why are these people besieging that old man? And what's going on with that phoenix?" Lin Xiaoxiao asked quietly, her eyes filled with curiosity and nervousness.

Ye Wuhen said solemnly, "That phoenix is ​​a ninth-grade demon beast, extremely powerful, and not one we can easily provoke. These people must be fighting over some treasure, which is why they clashed with the old man. This kind of situation is very common in the Ancient Martial Continent. For the sake of treasure, they will do anything."

Lin Xiaoxiao clenched her fists, a flash of anger in her eyes: "They are going too far, using their numbers to bully the few. Should we go and help?"

Bai Zhi looked at her with a hint of hesitation in her eyes: "Let's take a look at the situation first. These people are very powerful. We can't act rashly, otherwise we may be in danger."

As they hesitated, the situation shifted. A mysterious figure in a black robe emerged from the crowd, holding a black wand tipped with a black gem that emitted an eerie glow. The black-robed figure muttered a spell, and the air around them instantly grew colder. Streams of black mist rose from the ground and spread toward the old man.

"Oh no, it's black magic, this old guy is in trouble." One of the attackers shouted excitedly.

The old man felt threatened, his expression growing even more stern. He stomped his cane onto the ground, muttering something, and a golden glow emanated from his body, attempting to repel the black mist. However, the black mist, as if alive, continually eroded the golden light, leading to a stalemate between the two sides.

Seeing this scene, Lin Xiaoxiao was extremely anxious: "We can't wait any longer, we have to help him."

Ye Wuhen nodded slightly: "Well, we will act according to the situation. We will attack those minions first to distract their attention."

(End of this chapter)

[Note: This story is purely fictional. Any similarity is purely coincidental.]