Apotheosis Begins with Tai Chi

From his Hunter’s perspective, he couldn’t even see any signs of a small or medium-sized battle.

”Cheng! Could it be... that all... all of this... was your doing alone?”

Wang Chuang’s eyes flew wide, and his tongue was in knots as he spoke.

Zhu Kang immediately strode off and quickly surveyed the area.

When he returned, the color had drained from his face. His eyes were wide, but his pupils were clearly contracted in fear. Even his voice trembled:

”It... It was Brother Chen’s Silver Bullets... They... they killed all the enemies here!

Bai Fangshuo! Zhu Biao! And several other chieftains from Grass Head Mountain! Brother Chen shot them all himself!”

”Shot... Shot and killed!? Bai Fangshuo and Zhu Biao!?”

Hearing this, Wang Chuang’s pupils trembled violently, and his legs went weak for a moment.

”Bai Fangshuo was the prestigious Young Manor Master of Cangying Hunting Manor and one of Zhao City’s top Dark Force Archers... The forest is his home turf, and Archery is his signature skill... And he was... shot and killed by Cheng!?”

”And Zhu Biao, that major bandit leader of the Green Forest Dao, the big boss of Grass Head Mountain... The Captain’s Mansion launched several campaigns against him, all of which ended in failure... And he... he fell at Cheng’s hands too!?”

As Wang Chuang spoke, his expression shifted repeatedly, from initial disbelief to repeatedly checking Zhu Kang’s face for confirmation, and finally to complete, utter belief, trembling all over in horror.

In that moment, the way both Wang Chuang and Zhu Kang looked at Chen Cheng completely changed.

They all knew Chen Cheng was a young genius who far surpassed others of the same age and Same Tier, but they had never imagined he possessed such terrifying combat prowess.

’From another perspective, if Chen Cheng were the enemy, everyone from Jiuan would probably be dead by now.’

’Thank goodness!’

’Thank goodness Chen Cheng is on our side!’

’Manor Master Wang Peng’s generous support when Chen Cheng was still unknown was truly a display of a keen eye for talent! It was absolutely the most brilliant decision he ever made!’

”It’s almost funny... I originally thought reinforcements had arrived...”

Zhu Kang composed himself and sighed with heartfelt emotion:

”Who would have thought it was you, Brother Chen... an army of one!”

He paused again, then suddenly clasped his fist and bowed deeply:

”Brother Chen, you turned the tide! You saved the entire Jiuan Hunting Manor! I am filled with admiration and gratitude! Please, accept this bow from me!”

As soon as he said this, Wang Chuang immediately followed his example and prepared to bow as well.

Chen Cheng steadied him and said in a low voice:

”There’s no need for such formalities between us. Besides, now isn’t the time for this...”

Before Chen Cheng could finish, Zhu Kang and Wang Chuang already understood his meaning.

’Words of gratitude could wait. Right now, there were more important matters to attend to.’

「On the other side.」

Wang Peng still lay where he had fallen.

His breathing grew more and more ragged. Each gasp was deeper and heavier than the last, as if he were trying to wring the final breath from his lungs.

The dull thud of his heartbeat, like a drum, was unnaturally clear in the dead silence. It grew heavier and heavier, seeming to pound its way out of his chest.

Not far away, Yun Shuanglin lay just as still, the dense, intersecting branches and the sky-blotting snow above reflecting as a ghastly white in her vacant, beautiful eyes.

The sounds of fighting had completely vanished.

She didn’t know when. Perhaps a little while ago, perhaps even longer.

In the silence of the Ancient Forest, time became a blur. Every breath felt stretched to an impossible length.

For Wang Peng and Yun Shuanglin, especially, every second felt like an eternity.

When there were still shouts and commotion, it at least proved Chen Cheng was alive. They still had hope.

But now, everything had fallen into a deathly silence.

’This meant that the young man who had braved danger alone for their sake had likely already fallen in some unseen corner, his head severed from his body in a spray of blood.’

’The enemy will rush over soon...’

For Yun Shuanglin, some fates filled her with a despair worse than death.

She didn’t dare to think about it any further.

But the thoughts, like vines, wrapped uncontrollably around her Heart Spirit, sprouting and growing wild.

The only sound she could hear was Wang Peng’s heartbeat. One beat, then two, as if counting down the seconds until her humiliation and ruin.

She wanted to end her own life, but she couldn’t even move a single finger.

Suddenly, a faint TAP came from the distance.

Yun Shuanglin’s pupils constricted. Despair, almost tangible, spilled from the depths of her eyes.

Wang Peng also sucked in a sharp breath of cold air, his pupils shrinking in fear. He used all his strength to turn towards the sound, the unknown terror threatening to crush his Heart Spirit and make him break down on the spot.

Just then...

”Uncle—!!”

An incredibly familiar voice called out.

It was followed by the sound of two pairs of urgent footsteps, drawing closer.

”Chuang... Brother... Brother Chen...”

From the angle he was lying, Wang Peng could just make out two figures in white Cloaks. They were especially conspicuous in the gloomy woods, and with a few swift leaps, they were already close.

The moment he saw their faces, Wang Peng—a man of iron who had lived on the edge of a blade for decades—felt his eyes suddenly redden.

Something swirled in his slightly clouded, old eyes.

”Brother Chen... Brother Chen, is that you, Brother Chen?”

Yun Shuanglin tried desperately to look, but she was lying at the wrong angle. No matter how hard she strained her eyes, she couldn’t even catch a glimpse of the corner of Chen Cheng’s clothes.

It wasn’t until Chen Cheng slowly took two steps toward her that she finally saw him clearly.

’It was him—the young man who, for she knew not how long, had been constantly on her mind.’

In that instant, the anxiety gripping her Heart finally eased. The suffocating haze of utter despair seemed to be pierced and scattered by a divine ray of light.

All her feelings of grievance, guilt, and fear were finally swept away.

She opened her mouth, but for a long moment, no words came out. She could only stare fixedly at Chen Cheng with her exquisitely beautiful eyes, the rims of which were slightly red as a tingling sensation filled her nose.