C413 Accident

An endless expanse of wilderness stretched out under a dim sky, with a fine drizzle falling like threads of silk. The rain seemed to form strings connecting heaven and earth, occasionally stirred by a gentle breeze, creating a silent, yet beautiful symphony.

A lone figure appeared in the rain, disrupting the serene scene. Dressed in black, he carried a long, dark sword, its blade stained with blood that the rain was slowly washing away. It was a surprise to see Woo Zhengyang here.

Earlier, in the secret chamber of the Profound Heaven Sect's Heavenly Death Peak, a golden vortex spun rapidly, filling Woo Zhengyang with excitement. Without hesitation, he recreated the formation, guided by an inexplicable sense of familiarity.

Unexpectedly, the formation activated on its own once completed. Woo Zhengyang found himself standing at its center. As the formation operated, he realized why it felt so familiar. Similar formations were etched in his Array Origin Bead, reminiscent of the teleportation array Moh Lunhui had used to escape in Heavenly Martial City.

However, Moh Lunhui's teleportation array was simple, using just a few shattered spirit crystals. In contrast, this formation was complex, requiring a full set of three hundred sixty-five intact spirit crystals.

Woo Zhengyang was both surprised and delighted to discover he had set up a teleportation array. Delighted because he now had a thorough understanding of how it worked, and with some patience, he believed he could set up a teleportation array on his own. Surprised because he had entered the array without any preparation, and now had no idea where it would take him.

After a flash of white light, everything went pitch black. This feeling was familiar to Woo Zhengyang, similar to entering the Light Doors of ancient secret realms. These Light Doors contained teleportation formations, some sending you to random spaces, others to specific locations. But this time, the darkness lasted far longer, nearly as long as it takes for incense to burn halfway.

During this time, Woo Zhengyang felt as if his body was floating in a void, constantly shifting positions. Finally, light returned, and his body settled into this new space. Then, he was drenched by endless rain.

Feeling the rain, Woo Zhengyang's first thought was to raise a protective shield of genuine Qi. However, he failed. As he tried to circulate his Qi, it was as if all his meridians were sealed, making it impossible to move his energy.

Realizing this, Woo Zhengyang's expression changed dramatically. Yet, upon examining himself internally, he felt somewhat relieved. His cultivation was intact, and his Sword-shaped Genuine Qi hadn't disappeared.

Woo Zhengyang couldn't understand why his genuine Qi was suddenly out of control. Even when he tried to force it to move, the sharp, sword-shaped Qi remained frozen, as if solidified.

"Roar..."

Before he could investigate further, a deafening roar erupted behind him, carrying a stench that was suffocating. Woo Zhengyang quickly spun around and retreated, drawing the No Life Sword from his back and slashing it behind him with speed.

Once he turned, he finally saw it—a demonic beast unlike any he had encountered before. Its body resembled a bull, covered in golden scales, yet it had a pair of blood-red wings. Its head was like an oversized fish, mouth agape, lunging toward him.

Woo Zhengyang felt relieved that he had trained both his body and Qi. He had just tested it, and his blood and Qi power were still usable.

"Clang..."

The sound of metal clashing rang out as the No Life Sword struck the beast's teeth, sending sparks flying. With the strength of several thousand pounds, any ordinary beast would have been knocked back, no matter how strong its defense. Yet this strange beast showed no signs of retreat, not even slowing down, as it continued its charge toward Woo Zhengyang, seemingly intent on swallowing the No Life Sword whole.

In the Martial Master Stage, one can contend with demonic beasts ranging from level five to level eight. Woo Zhengyang had never encountered such a strange beast before, but from that initial strike, he could gauge its level to be at least seven, possibly even eight or nine.

An eighth-level beast is equivalent to a Peak Martial Master in the Reality Condensing Stage, while a ninth-level beast matches a Shape Gathering Stage martial arts master. If Woo Zhengyang could channel his genuine energy, he wouldn't fear a fight. However, to avoid an untimely demise, his only option was to run.

And run he did, for an entire day! Throughout the day, Woo Zhengyang attempted multiple times to turn back and fight, but each attempt ended in failure. He realized that relying solely on his physical strength was not enough to defeat the beast.

Finally, Woo Zhengyang set up an array, which put an end to the relentless pursuit of the strange beast. Unfortunately, retrieving the array flags seemed nearly impossible, much to his dismay.

But the ordeal wasn't over. Just after escaping the first beast, Woo Zhengyang had the misfortune of encountering another beast with equally formidable strength. Fortunately, this beast's defense wasn't as strong. Even without unleashing sword energy, the sharpness of the No Life Sword, combined with Woo Zhengyang's physical power, was enough to inflict damage on the creature.

Woo Zhengyang had been locked in a fierce battle with a demonic beast for an entire day, eventually wearing it down to defeat. He emerged from the desolate valley where the fight took place and ventured into the wilderness. Typically, the open plains weren't a common habitat for demonic beasts. Unfortunately, Woo Zhengyang's luck ran out as he encountered another beast, sparking a new round of grueling combat.

At first, Woo Zhengyang thought the rain might have driven the beast into the open, defying its usual behavior. It wasn't until he stumbled upon a beast's nest in the wilderness that he realized his mistake. For three days, he wandered and fought through the wilderness, physically and mentally exhausted. The rain was a constant companion, neither intensifying nor easing, just a steady, relentless drizzle.

The situation was unsettling, and what made it worse was the complete absence of any other human presence. Woo Zhengyang had no idea where the mysterious teleportation had taken him, but a sense of foreboding gnawed at him; the place was too strange. Another three days passed, leaving him utterly drained. Thankfully, the number of beasts dwindled, and their strength waned, allowing Woo Zhengyang some much-needed rest. Without it, he wouldn't have lasted much longer.

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