Surviving in a world of demons and monsters to achieve martial arts sainthood

By the time they returned to the "Soul-Severing Cliff" cave, it was already completely dark.

On their way back to the cave, Shen Lian and his companions encountered several waves of first-tier demonic beasts, all of which they easily killed.

"Check their injuries first," Shen Lian said to Lin Feng and the others.

Chen Yun quickly lit a campfire and took out all the healing medicines from her backpack, while Chu Wen swiftly set up a guard post at the cave entrance to ensure their safety.

Everyone sustained injuries to some degree in the battle just now.

Shen Lian was the most seriously injured, with three deep claw marks on his chest that revealed the bone, two broken ribs, and his left shoulder also scratched by wolf claws.

Lin Feng suffered a broken right arm and three bloody marks on his back, which he sustained while fighting with the guard wolves.

Chu Wen's left leg was cut, but fortunately the bone was not broken.

Chen Yun suffered the least injuries, with only cuts on her left shoulder and right arm.

"Take care of Senior Brother Shen's injuries first," Chen Yun said. Shen Lian's injuries were the most serious and needed to be treated as soon as possible, otherwise it would affect his own foundation.

Shen Lian tore open his shirt, and the others gasped when they saw the wounds on his body. The edges of the wounds had turned black, clearly indicating that the wolf claws were poisonous.

Chen Yun first cleaned Shen Lian's wound with water, then sprinkled on the antidote powder. The moment the powder touched the wound, Shen Lian felt a sharp pain.

He gritted his teeth, cold sweat pouring down his forehead, but he didn't utter a sound.

"Bear with it." Chen Yun took out her needle and thread and began to suture the wound. Her hands were steady, and her stitches were fine and dense, a skill she had learned during her training at the Demon Suppression Division.

Chu Wen took out several whittled pieces of wood and bandages from his backpack and said, "The antidote powder is enough to remove the wolfsbane, but the ribs must be fixed, otherwise it will affect the ability to exert force in the future."

He helped Chen Yun stabilize Shen Lian's chest and ribs. The whole process lasted for nearly half an hour. By the time he finished treating Shen Lian's injuries, Chen Yun was exhausted and covered in sweat.

Next up is Raymond Lam, whose right arm is fractured and needs to be set.

Chu Wen has experience in this area.

"Brother Lin, bear with it." Chu Wen grasped Lin Feng's right arm and carefully felt for the broken bone.

Lin Feng said coldly, "Then make your move."

Chu Wen took a deep breath and exerted force with both hands.

Click!

The sound of the joints realigning was exceptionally clear in the cave. Lin Feng's face turned pale, but he remained silent. Chu Wen quickly used a piece of wood to fix it and wrapped it with bandages.

By the time everyone's injuries had been treated, it was already midnight.

The campfire crackled, and the cave reeked of medicine and blood. The four men sat around the fire, silently eating their dry rations.

Chu Wen broke the silence: "We gained a lot in today's battle, but the cost was also considerable. Everyone was injured and it will take at least a few days to recover our fighting strength."

Shen Lian leaned against the stone wall, feeling the sharp pain in his chest, and slowly said, "I'll rest for a day tomorrow, and decide whether to go out the day after tomorrow depending on the situation."

Lin Feng frowned and said, "What about our points? There are only three days left in the trial. If we rest for even one day, the gap between us could widen."

Shen Lian took out the jade talisman, and a pale blue light shone in the dim cave.

Points: 528

He earned fifty points for hunting the Wolf King, and five points for each of the thirty-three Tier 2 Wind Wolves. Adding his previous points, his total score has now surpassed five hundred. This number would easily rank him among the top five in all previous Demon Hunting Trials.

Chu Wen, Lin Feng, and Chen Yun also saw a significant increase in their scores, reaching 315, 402, and 380 points respectively.

"Based on this score, all four of us have a chance to make it into the top ten," Chu Wen calculated. "But the competition will be even fiercer in the last few days of the trial. Top geniuses like Qin Lie, Lin Qing'er, Chu Chunqiu, and Xiao Chen will only have higher scores than us."

Chen Yun said worriedly, "I'm worried that with our current points, we'll be targeted by top geniuses like Chu Chunqiu and Xiao Chen."

Shen Lian nodded and said, "Chu Chunqiu and Xiao Chen are both at the fifth level of the Heavenly Realm. Even if the four of us were at our peak, we might not be their match, let alone now that we are all injured. The most urgent thing is to recover as soon as possible and at the same time avoid their sight."

Chu Wen pondered, "The location of Broken Soul Cliff is well-hidden, so we are safe for now. For safety's sake, we should set up more early warning systems in the surrounding area."

Shen Lian agreed, "That's for the best."

After discussing it, the four decided to rest all day tomorrow. Chen Yun, who had the least serious injuries, would be in charge of guarding and setting up traps, while the others would focus on healing their wounds.

Afterwards, depending on the recovery progress, a decision will be made on whether to go out and hunt monsters.

Shen Lian leaned against the stone wall, circulating the "Tiger-Taming Stance" mental technique. After breaking through to perfection, the healing effect of this stance technique had significantly improved. He could clearly feel the flow of qi and blood at the broken bone, a tingling sensation mixed with a slight pain, a sign that the bone was healing.

[Host]: Shen Lian

[Realm]: Body Tempering Realm (4/10)

[Combat Strength]: 38~48

[Martial Arts]: Tiger-Taming Stance (Perfect) (1/10), Demon-Subduing Blade Technique (Mastery) (6/10)

Skill Points: 0

The boost from the breakthrough to perfection of the "Tiger-Taming Stake" increased his base combat power from 36-46 to 38-48, significantly improving his strength.

Shen Lian pondered, "I only need four more points of proficiency to break through in the 'Demon Subduing Blade Technique.' If I can break through to perfection before the end of the competition, my strength will reach another level."

But his primary task now is to recover from his injuries. He calmed his mind, focused on circulating his inner energy, and gradually entered a state of complete absorption in the world around him.

Silent all night.

The next morning, Chen Yun was the first to wake up. She walked out of the cave and climbed up the cliff to the observation point, cautiously observing her surroundings.

The area around Broken Soul Cliff was completely silent, with only the occasional chirping of birds and the sound of the wind.

In the distant forest, traces of monster activity could be vaguely seen, but they were too far away to pose a threat for the time being.

When Chen Yun returned to the cave, Chu Wen had already woken up and was counting his spoils.

"Thirty-four inner cores, including one third-tier core and thirty-three second-tier cores." Chu Wen carefully placed the inner cores into a specially made jade box. "These inner cores are worth more than four thousand taels of silver. Adding the fur and claws, the total value is indeed more than five thousand taels of silver."

Chen Yun said softly, "It's a pity we can't take too much with us."

"Taking the inner core is enough," Chu Wen said with a smile. "A third-tier inner core is worth three thousand taels of silver, which is enough for the four of us to split evenly with some left over. After the trial, we can exchange it for cultivation resources, which will further enhance our strength."

Lin Feng moved his right arm and frowned, saying, "The recovery is slower than expected. It will take at least two more days before I can exert myself."

Shen Lian clenched his fist and said, "I'm in a similar situation. My broken chest bone will take some time to fully heal."

Chu Wen took out some dry rations and distributed them to everyone: "Then let's rest as planned. Today, Junior Sister Chen and I will be in charge of guard duty, while Brother Shen and Brother Lin will focus on healing their injuries."

After a simple meal, Shen Lian and Lin Feng continued to heal their injuries, while Chu Wen began to set up more complex early warning mechanisms around the cave.

He not only set up tripwires and bells, but also buried "explosive tubes" in several key locations. Once an enemy triggers the mechanism, the explosive tubes will emit a loud bang, serving as both a warning and a distraction for the enemy.

"These mechanisms can only stop martial artists below the third level of the Heavenly Realm at most," Chu Wen said in a low voice as he set them up. "If they come from the fourth level or above, their effectiveness will be limited. But at least they will give us time to react."

Chen Yun nodded, gripping her long sword and standing guard at the cave entrance. Her injuries were the least severe; after a night's rest, she had recovered seventy percent of her fighting strength, enough to handle most situations.

Time passed quietly.

After noon, the sounds of fighting suddenly came from the distant forest. The sound came from the southeast, about five miles from Broken Soul Cliff.

Shen Lian stopped practicing his internal energy and listened intently.

The fighting lasted for about fifteen minutes before gradually subsiding. Immediately afterward, a figure sped towards the direction of Broken Soul Cliff, pursued by three others.

"Someone's coming this way," Shen Lian whispered. "Get ready."

The four quickly went into battle mode. Although Shen Lian and Lin Feng were injured, they could still hold their own in simple combat. Chu Wen and Chen Yun guarded the cave entrance on either side, their long swords drawn.

A moment later, the figure rushed into the area of ​​Broken Soul Cliff.

He was a young man, about twenty years old, dressed in a blue outfit, with multiple wounds on his body and his breathing was disordered. He rushed into the bottom of the cliff and his eyes lit up when he saw the cave, but his expression changed drastically when he saw Shen Lian and the other three at the cave entrance.

"Don't attack! I'm Zhao Ming, a contestant from Qingzhou Prefecture!" the young man shouted urgently. "Someone is chasing me. Save my life, and I'll reward you handsomely!"

Shen Lian sized up his opponent and activated his combat power test.

[Combat Strength]: 30~38

He was at the early stage of the fourth level of the Heavenly Realm, and his injuries were quite severe, significantly reducing his combat strength. The three people chasing him were still three hundred feet away, and their combat strength was between 28 and 36, all at the peak of the third level of the Heavenly Realm.

"Go into the cave," Shen Lian said briefly.

Zhao Ming felt as if he had been granted a pardon and rushed into the cave. Chu Wen immediately sprinkled a powder at the cave entrance to mask their scent, and the four of them retreated into the cave, holding their breath and focusing their attention.

Soon, three figures reached the bottom of the cliff. All three were dressed in black, their faces covered with black cloth, making their features impossible to see. They searched the bottom of the cliff for a while but found no trace of them.

"Strange, they were clearly running this way," someone whispered.

"He might have hidden in some crevice," another person said. "Let's split up and search; he can't have gone far because he's injured."

The three split up to search, and one of them headed towards the cave.

Inside the cave, Zhao Ming's palms were sweating with nervousness. Shen Lian gestured for him to be quiet, and slowly placed his right hand on the hilt of his knife.

The man walked to within ten feet of the cave entrance and suddenly stopped. He crouched down and carefully examined the marks on the ground. Chu Wen's disguise was perfect, but it was hasty and still left some minor flaws.

"There are footprints here..." the man whispered, reaching out to brush aside the dead leaves.

Shen Lian's eyes turned cold, and he burst out of the cave. His injuries had not yet healed, and he could not fight for long; he had to finish the battle quickly.

Hearing the noise, the man looked up sharply and saw a flash of light. He dared not be careless and quickly raised his sword to defend himself.

clang!

Shen Lian brought down his blade, sending the man flying.

"Shen Lian?!" another person exclaimed in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

Shen Lian, holding his knife, coldly looked at the three men: "Get lost, or die."

The two exchanged a glance, a hint of hesitation flashing in their eyes.

They had heard of Shen Lian's reputation; news of his victory over Zhou Yang and Chen Yuan in the battle of Shilin had already spread. But giving up the points they had already earned was truly unwilling.

One of them whispered, "He's all alone. If we join forces, we have a chance to defeat him and take him down. His points will be ours."

The other person gritted his teeth and nodded, giving Shen Lian a cold look.

The two attacked simultaneously, their longswords striking Shen Lian from the left and right. Their moves were ruthless, aimed directly at vital points.

Shen Lian's eyes narrowed, and he activated the "Tiger Subduing Stance" footwork, his figure shifting to the side like a ghost, dodging the attack from the left while sweeping his long sword horizontally.

clang!

The man on the right had his knife knocked away, and his hand was split open. He was horrified; Shen Lian was clearly injured, yet his strength remained terrifying.

Just then, Lin Feng burst out of the cave. Although he couldn't use his right arm, he held the knife in his left hand and his speed was not diminished at all.

Bang!

Lin Feng slashed down, and the man on the left was stabbed in the back and knocked to the ground.

Seeing the situation was dire, the remaining man turned and fled. But Chu Wen had been waiting for a long time, and attacked from the side, blocking his path with a single sword strike.

"I surrender! Hand over the jade talisman!" the man shouted hastily.

Shen Lian and Lin Feng coldly watched the group, and in a short while they obtained the jade tokens. The three of them had a total of 152 points, which meant they had hunted quite a few monsters.

"You can get out of here now," Lin Feng said in a low voice. The three of them felt as if they had been granted a pardon and fled in a panic.

Zhao Ming emerged from the cave and clasped his hands in thanks to Shen Lian, saying, "Thank you for saving my life, Brother Shen."

Shen Lian sheathed his longsword, a sharp pain shooting through his chest; the forceful exertion of his internal energy had aggravated his wound. He forced a smile and asked, "Brother Zhao, why were you being chased?"

Zhao Ming smiled wryly: "I was originally teamed up with two companions, and yesterday we hunted monsters near the 'Poisonous Miasma Valley' and gained quite a few points. Unexpectedly, we were attacked by these three this morning. I fought my way out and escaped all the way here."

As he spoke, he took out his jade talisman: "Brother Shen, I have no way to repay your life-saving grace, please accept these points."

The jade talisman showed a score of 86.

Shen Lian shook his head: "No need, we have enough points. Brother Zhao should keep his points and try to get into the top ten."

Zhao Ming was taken aback, then solemnly clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute: "Brother Shen's noble character is deeply appreciated by me. If needed in the future, I will go through fire and water for you without hesitation."

Shen Lian nodded slightly, then transferred the points, giving each person thirty-eight points.

Shen Lian's score reached 566 points, Lin Feng's score reached 440 points, Chu Wen's score reached 353 points, and Chen Yun's score reached 418 points.

Zhao Ming gasped as he looked at the numbers on the four people's jade talismans. It was only the fifth day, and their points were already this terrifying—it was simply unbelievable.

"Brother Shen, what are your plans for the future?" Zhao Ming asked.

Shen Lian said, "Focus on healing and avoiding battle. We'll decide on a course of action in the last two days."

Zhao Ming hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Brother Shen, there's something I must remind you of. Before I escaped, I overheard those three talking, saying that Chu Chunqiu and Xiao Chen had already locked onto several high-scoring targets, including the four of you."

Shen Lian's eyes narrowed: "Tell me in detail."

"I don't know the specifics, but I heard they've planted spies at various key points to monitor the movements of high-scoring contestants," Zhao Ming said. "Moreover, Chu Chunqiu has declared that he'll clear the venue on the last day and concentrate all the points in his and Xiao Chen's hands."

Raymond Lam sneered, "Such arrogance."

Chu Wen frowned and said, "If that's the case, there will be a fierce battle on the last day. All the high-scoring contestants will become targets; they will either team up or be eliminated."

Shen Lian pondered for a moment, then asked, "Brother Zhao, do you know of any other high-scoring participants?"

Zhao Ming recalled, "Besides you, I also know Qin Lie, Lin Qing'er, Su Wan'er from Dongping County, and Tang Shu from Xihe County. These people are all quite strong, and their scores should all be over four hundred."

Shen Lian pondered in his heart that if Chu Chunqiu and Xiao Chen really wanted to clear the area, these people could all become targets. Perhaps... they could try to join forces.

But the thought quickly passed. Only ten people would advance in the Demon Hunting Trial; any alliance would be temporary, and competition would still prevail in the end. Moreover, they were unfamiliar with each other, with limited trust, making a hasty alliance too risky.

"What are your plans next, Brother Zhao?" Shen Lian asked.

Zhao Ming smiled wryly: "My injuries are quite serious, and I've become separated from my companions. It's too dangerous for me to act alone. If Brother Shen doesn't mind, I'd like to follow you for the time being. Don't worry, I won't hold you back. I can handle all the odd jobs, like keeping watch and setting traps."

Shen Lian looked at Chu Wen and the other two, and seeing them nod, he said, "Okay, but you must follow orders."

Zhao Ming was overjoyed: "Thank you so much, Brother Shen!"

With Zhao Ming as an assistant, the pressure on the guard was greatly reduced. He was indeed skilled at setting traps and establishing defenses, and quickly reinforced the defenses around the cave.

By evening, Shen Lian's injuries had healed considerably. A tingling, itchy sensation emanated from the broken bones, a sign of healing. At this rate, he should be able to recover 70% of his fighting strength by tomorrow.

As night deepened, the five men sat around the campfire.

Chu Wen spread out the map and pointed to several marked points: "According to the information provided by Brother Zhao, Chu Chunqiu and Xiao Chen's spies are mainly stationed at these key locations. We need to avoid these areas and find an absolutely safe location before the last day."

Chen Yun said softly, "But the Black Mist Forest is only so big, where is absolutely safe?"

Shen Lian pointed to a mark on the map: "This is deep within the 'Misty Swamp.' The area is dense with poisonous miasma, sparsely populated with demonic beasts, and has complex terrain, making it easy to lose one's way. Even if Chu Chunqiu and Xiao Chen wanted to clear the area, they wouldn't easily enter such a place."

Lin Feng frowned: "But we might also be trapped inside. The poisonous miasma requires miasma-dispelling talismans, and we don't have many left."

Chu Wen calculated, "We still have four exorcism talismans left, each lasting two hours. If we can cross the swamp and reach the 'Ancient Tree Area' on the other side within three hours, the terrain there is open and suitable for maneuvering."

Shen Lian finally made the decision: "We'll continue resting tomorrow, and set off for the Misty Swamp the day after tomorrow morning. If all goes well, we should arrive at the Ancient Tree District the day after that. On the last day, we'll set up an ambush in the Ancient Tree District and wait for Chu Chunqiu and Xiao Chen to come to us."

A fighting spirit surged in Lin Feng's eyes. Chu Chunqiu and Xiao Chen were both local prodigies of Qingzhou Prefecture, and he naturally wanted to test just how much of a difference there was between them.