C20 Dragon Peak Battle

"My name is Chu Xing, gifted with psychic talent and currently at the Second Layer of Qi Training. This is Lin Yu; he's mute and possesses a golden spiritual root, at the Third Layer of Qi Training," Chu Xing introduced himself and his companion to Gao Yuxi.

"Welcome, both of you. Your levels of cultivation are impressive. It's quite uncommon to encounter someone with a spiritual root talent," Gao Yuxi remarked, her eyes alight with interest. She thought to herself, "At last, two formidable individuals have arrived today."

"What's our assignment?" inquired Chu Xing.

"There's no specific mission yet. For now, head to your room and rest. We'll notify you when something comes up," Gao Yuxi instructed, then called out, "Sister Zhang, please show them to their room."

Chu Xing and his clone shared a room, a strategic choice to facilitate his concealment.

"Chu Hao, where are you?" Chu Xing reached out to Chu Hao over the phone.

"I'm in the capital, having joined the Dragon Group. I've been trying to contact you, but your phone's been unreachable. Where are you?" Chu Hao asked with urgency.

"I've been in Shenlongjia with my phone off. I've also joined the Dragon Group here. Stay alert," advised Chu Xing.

"Take care and stay safe," Chu Hao responded.

After the call, Chu Xing resumed his cultivation practice.

Aboard the flying ship, Fu Yuanqing was enjoying the company of two beauties, laughing heartily. Nearby, Shi Er was fixated on a screen, with a European man standing beside him.

"Young Master, the Master has inquired about your whereabouts again," Shi Er reported, glancing at his smartwatch.

"Tell him to stop asking. I'll return in a month," Fu Yuanqing replied nonchalantly, planting a kiss on one of the beauties beside him.

He had been ignoring his father's inquiries, basking in the joy of dominion over the past month. His aggressive tactics had amassed him a following of hundreds of cultivators, and their looting had netted him a collection of treasures. Despite his dissatisfaction with the low quality of the treasures, the power they represented was intoxicating.

"Young Master, we should really inform the Master about the powerful Demon race slumbering beneath the Bermuda Triangle," Shi Er suggested with concern.

"Why the urgency? We've yet to uncover any significant treasures. There's bound to be something worthwhile at Mount Kunlun," Fu Yuanqing replied with impatience.

"Di You, you have three days. Head east in three days' time," Fu Yuanqing instructed the European man beside him.

"Yes," Di You responded, his gaze fixed on Fu Yuanqing, his thoughts unreadable.

Over the past month, Fu Yuanqing's forces had launched frenzied attacks on cultivators with the aid of their spaceship, claiming many lives. The spaceship's guidance enabled swift and widespread assaults across the globe.

Three days later, the spaceship descended upon the capital, unleashing a barrage of destruction. Buildings crumbled, but thankfully, many had already dispersed and found refuge elsewhere.

Subsequently, numerous planes touched down. Fu Yuanqing had deployed nearly all his forces to this assault, convinced of their superior strength in the area.

Outside the Shenlongjia Hotel, a man in his thirties with a scholarly demeanor addressed the crowd, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lee Zijie, from Wudang Mountain, currently leading the Dragon Group's Shenlongjia Squad. The capital has just suffered an attack by the spaceship. Our primary mission is to eliminate the enemy within the forest, with additional tasks of providing reinforcement when special circumstances arise."

Gao Yuxi, someone Chu Xing had previously encountered, stood beside the speaker.

Chu Xing had been practicing his cultivation in his room when he was summoned for the meeting. Now, he joined the roughly two hundred people gathered outside, having just learned of the capital's plight.

"We have two hundred and five people here, with over three hundred reinforcements en route from Mount Wudang. We will fight as one, leveraging the forest's strategic advantages. And remember, surrender is not an option," Lee Zijie declared emphatically.

He added, "Our internet communications are being monitored, so they're off-limits. Everyone will receive a communicator—stay tuned for updates. There's an armory nearby; arm yourselves to the teeth. Once you're equipped, head into the forest, and good luck to you all."

A voice from the crowd called out, "What's our plan moving forward?"

After a brief pause, Lee Zijie replied, "Our future hinges on the destruction of those spaceships."

A hush fell over the assembly as sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting a still portrait of the moment.

Chu Xing wasted no time. He grabbed a communicator and weapons, then made his way into the forest. The armory was stocked with an array of weapons, predominantly small arms.

Chu Xing armed himself and his clone with an arsenal that included a sniper rifle, pistol, machine gun, rocket launcher, and grenades. He made sure his clone was particularly well-equipped, knowing that firearms would significantly enhance its effectiveness.

Upon entering the forest, Chu Xing crafted a modest steel shelter within a deep pit, where he lay in wait for the enemy's arrival. He could sense the presence of others nearby, yet the future seemed uncertain.

On the third day's morning, the forest was suddenly seized by violent tremors. Trees were uprooted as if they were mere blades of grass, and the forest was left as devastated as a field after plowing, with destruction all around.

The bombardment ceased after some time, leaving Chu Xing sprawled on the steel, his head ringing. It took him a while to regain his senses.

His clone, unaffected, readied a rocket launcher, poised to engage in the nascent war.

Soon, Chu Xing's keen spiritual awareness detected a group within a ten-meter radius. Though limited in range, his precision was impeccable. Both he and his clone launched rockets, and silence enveloped them once more.

The enemy retaliated with their own rockets, but Chu Xing's makeshift shelter provided adequate protection. He strategically placed his sword's tip along the enemy's inevitable path, lying in wait.

Gunfire erupted nearby, followed by the clash of weapons. A figure dashed toward Chu Xing—it was Gao Yuxi, pursued by a dozen enemies.

As Gao Yuxi drew near, Chu Xing and his clone unleashed their rockets at the pursuers. Chu Xing quickly pulled Gao Yuxi to safety as they took cover.

Predictably, a barrage followed. Without time for questions, Chu Xing and Gao Yuxi lay low, her breaths coming in desperate gasps.

When the enemy reached the sword's concealed tip, Chu Xing executed a swift move, slicing through their throats. But as he prepared for another strike, the enemy countered, forcing the clone to respond with a burst of machine-gun fire.

"Go for the head—they're wearing bulletproof vests," Gao Yuxi remarked from the sidelines.

By then, five adversaries had charged at them. Chu Xing observed that only one was at the Qi Training Second Layer, two at the First Layer, and the rest hadn't even reached the initial level.

His clone drew a broken sword and struck at the one with the highest cultivation level, while Chu Xing himself joined the fray. Despite taking several sword hits, the clone relentlessly advanced on the enemy, who, in a panic, retreated. Seizing the moment, Chu Xing lunged forward and pierced the man's throat.

The others attempted to flee, but they stood no chance against the concerted efforts of Chu Xing and his clone, who swiftly eliminated them.

Gao Yuxi arrived, sword in hand, only to find the skirmish over. Chu Xing was busy rifling through the enemies' belongings, too preoccupied to engage in conversation.

"Let's move," Chu Xing instructed, backing away. The foes carried nothing but low-grade weapons—no other valuables.

"You two are incredibly strong," Gao Yuxi commended Chu Xing from a secluded spot.

"What just happened?" Chu Xing inquired.

"The leader planned an ambush with over a hundred Wudang Mountain disciples, but we were discovered. The airship fired upon us directly. Most of us perished—I was fortunate to make it out alive," Gao Yuxi explained, tears welling up.

Chu Xing, unsure of how to console her, simply said, "You shouldn't have stayed grouped together."

"Yes, we had planned to disperse after this battle. Who could have foreseen this?" Gao Yuxi sobbed as she spoke.

"The airship likely has equipment to detect humans. We might be under surveillance right now," Chu Xing pondered aloud.

"What do we do?" Gao Yuxi asked, alarmed.

"Don't worry. There aren't many of us," Chu Xing reassured her, thinking that his mechanical clone would likely go undetected.

They moved locations several times throughout the night. Come morning, Chu Xing noticed someone approaching.

"Wake up!" he urged, shaking Gao Yuxi awake. His mechanical clone had remained vigilant overnight, keeping watch over their surroundings.

"Duan Dezhang, you swine!" Chu Xing glared at the group ahead of him.

"Do you recognize them? They're traitors, lapdogs of the enemy," Gao Yuxi spat out with venom.

"I've encountered them a few times. Stay sharp—there are six of them, and they're formidable. Duan Dezhang has reached the Third Layer of Qi Training. If we can't overpower them, we need to pull back immediately," Chu Xing cautioned.

"Understood."

Chu Xing kept the tip of his sword concealed, ready to strike. As they drew near, he lunged, aiming for Pig Head, but the sword's tip failed to make its mark. Duan Dezhang parried it, "Watch out!"

In that instant, rockets from both Chu Xing's true form and his clone were launched. "Boom!" They obliterated a foreigner.

"Run for it!" Chu Xing yelled. With Duan Dezhang on the scene, if they couldn't take him down swiftly, the risk would soar.

They sprinted away with urgency, but their pursuers were hot on their heels.

Duan Dezhang, realizing his adversary was Chu Xing, bellowed, "Is that you, Chu Xing? Today we settle this once and for all!"

Seeing Gao Yuxi lagging behind, Chu Xing dashed to her side, hoisted her onto his back, and accelerated. They moved faster than before, and soon the chasers were no longer in sight.

"Is that Gao Yuxi up ahead?" a voice called out from the front.

"Yes, it's me," Gao Yuxi replied, dismounting from the clone and expressing her gratitude, "Thank you."

"It's us! What a relief to find you, Miss Gao," the newcomers said as four men and a woman emerged to greet them.