C21 Lin Central Encirclement

"Are you guys okay?" Gao Yuxi asked with a smile, making her way toward the group.

"So many have died... Some in their sleep, never waking up," a woman sobbed.

"We started with over a dozen, now we're down to just these few," a man lamented, his face etched with despair.

"We can't stay clustered together; they'll track us down," Chu Xing interjected as he approached.

"Chu Xing's got a point. We need to spread out—their ships can detect us," Gao Yuxi chimed in urgently.

"Let's get moving, then!" another man urged.

An idea struck Chu Xing. "I've got a plan. Four of them were tailing us. We split into three groups, lie in wait, and spring an ambush when they arrive."

"Smart thinking," Gao Yuxi said, stepping closer to Chu Xing.

"Better to stand and fight once than to keep running," someone declared.

"Yeah, let's give them hell," another agreed.

Chu Xing surveyed their weathered faces, once carefree in a time of peace, now transformed into the visage of heroes from his memories.

He spoke with conviction, "One of them is at the Qi Training Third Layer, but so is Lin Yu. He and I will take that one on, and the rest of you handle the others." He gestured to his clone for emphasis.

Gao Yuxi added her reassurance, "Lin Yu is formidable. You can count on him."

"We've got this, Miss Gao."

"Absolutely, we've got this."

"Chu Xing, lay out the plan for us," Gao Yuxi requested, her gaze fixed on him.

"Lin Yu and I will set up the front ambush. The rest of you split into two groups, positioned further out. Once we engage, you all join in," Chu Xing instructed, pausing to consider his next words. "Of course, if they outnumber us, we'll adapt on the fly."

Chu Xing was aware of the risks; facing the enemy head-on could be perilous, but they had to seize any opportunity that arose.

"Isn't that incredibly risky for you?" Gao Yuxi expressed her concern.

"It's okay, we've got an escape plan," Chu Xing said with a reassuring smile.

"Stay safe."

Chu Xing was determined to set up a solid ambush this time. He strategically placed a large metal slab ahead and used it as a lure for the enemy. His plan was to encase the enemy with metal upon their arrival. He also concealed his sword's tip within the leaves, aiming for a swift and decisive confrontation.

The afternoon usually buzzed with life in the forest, but now an eerie silence had settled in. No sounds could be heard except for the occasional breath. The once vibrant greens were now shrouded in a haze of gunpowder smoke that stubbornly clung to the splintered branches.

About an hour later, voices broke the silence.

"Big brother, why does that alien look just like us? He's got the air of a dandy," remarked the pig-headed man.

"He is a dandy. Maybe our ancestors were aliens too," Duan Dezhang replied coolly, his mind flashing back to the image of the dandy surrounded by admirers, and he spat in disgust.

"He promised to take us to the stars. Could it be true?" the pig-headed man pressed.

"Will you give it a rest?" Duan Dezhang snapped, clearly irritated.

Chu Xing noticed two additional figures alongside the original four; they were merely at the Qi Training First Layer, which allowed him to breathe easier.

As they stepped onto the metal slab, puzzled by its presence, the slab sprang into action, enveloping them.

Chu Xing had his sights set on Duan Dezhang. The metal swiftly clamped around Duan Dezhang's waist, but with a swift reaction, he cleaved through the slab at his feet, breaking it apart. Channeling his spiritual energy, he managed to extricate himself from the metal's grasp.

Meanwhile, the pig-headed man wasn't so lucky; Chu Xing's sword tip had already pierced his throat. Caught off guard and lacking Duan Dezhang's strength, he was killed instantly.

As the sword tip moved to strike another, Duan Dezhang deflected it with a powerful slash and aided the others in their escape.

At that moment, Chu Xing, along with his clone, launched an assault on Duan Dezhang. Simultaneously, the rest of the ambushers, hidden on both sides, surged forward into the fray.

Duan Dezhang was a formidable and merciless opponent, skilled in martial arts. He fought as if he had nothing to lose. Had it not been for his clone's intervention, Chu Xing's true self would have sustained additional injuries.

With his clone providing cover, Chu Xing's blade found its mark on Duan Dezhang's flesh time and again, leaving his body riddled with bloody streaks.

"Chu Xing, let me go, and we'll stay out of each other's way in the future," Duan Dezhang pleaded.

"Do you really think that's possible?" Chu Xing responded.

In the ensuing melee, two of the four remaining adversaries were slain. Witnessing their deaths, Duan Dezhang's gaze grew even more ferocious. He began to back away towards the fallen, while Chu Xing intensified his assault.

In a sudden burst of action, Duan Dezhang charged at Gao Yuxi. She thrust her sword at him, but Duan Dezhang deliberately allowed it to impale his chest. Clutching Gao Yuxi tightly, he drew his own blade across her neck.

"If I'm to die, I'm taking someone with me," Duan Dezhang declared, his final breath escaping him.

The events unfolded too swiftly for Chu Xing to react.

Chu Xing stood in shock, watching the chaos unfold, unsure of his next move.

The bystanders were equally frozen in disbelief. Seizing the moment, the two remaining enemies fled. Chu Xing's clone pursued them, dispatching both with a sword driven by rage.

Chu Xing's gaze lingered on Gao Yuxi's eyes, filled with a mix of defiance and confusion. He was consumed by guilt; it was his battle with Duan Dezhang, yet it was Gao Yuxi who paid the ultimate price.

Approaching the pair, Chu Xing gently separated them and closed Gao Yuxi's eyes. She appeared to be sleeping, her features serene and beautiful.

"Such a tragic loss," he sighed. "We should bury her."

"I'll take her body and lay her to rest elsewhere," Chu Xing insisted, still fixated on Gao Yuxi.

"Very well."

"I'll keep only this sword. The rest of you can divide up what's left. This is where we part ways," Chu Xing told the others.

"Thank you. Until we meet again."

Chu Xing collected Gao Yuxi's body and claimed Duan Dezhang's sword for himself—a High Rank Yellow Grade weapon. Now, all that remained of their possessions were their arms.

To Chu Xing's surprise, merely an hour after he left the scene of their battle, a spaceship from the cosmos descended to retrieve Duan Dezhang's body.

"Shi Er, will he come to?" Fu Yuanqing inquired, gently stroking the woman beside him as he gazed upon Duan Dezhang's remains. The woman lay compliantly against Fu Yuanqing's chest, letting his hands wander.

"Young Master, the sword only pierced his chest, not his heart. The Qi Rejuvenating Pill, while a common pill that boosts the circulation of spiritual energy, should aid his recovery if he takes it," Shi Er responded with deference, occasionally glancing at the woman in black, whose lips curled into a secretive smile—whether from Fu Yuanqing's touch or Shi Er's jest was unclear.

"Of course, we were fortunate to find him early enough to attempt a rescue," Shi Er added, bowing his head.

"Give him a Muscle Revitalizing Pill," Fu Yuanqing said, wincing as he handed Shi Er a jade bottle.

Turning to Wang Liang, who knelt trembling on the ground, he warned, "I hope you're telling the truth. Otherwise, you'll learn the consequences of deceiving me."

"Yes, yes, absolutely true," Wang Liang stammered, sweat beading on his brow, too anxious to wipe it away.

"Young Master, that's a High Rank Yellow Grade pill, known for accelerating muscle growth—and you have only three left," Shi Er looked up, astonished. He couldn't fathom why his normally frugal master was being so liberal.

"On this planet, someone at the Qi Training Third Layer is considered a master. Our plundering efforts are lagging; we need his prowess," Fu Yuanqing explained, continuing to caress the woman beside him, indifferent to her cries of pain.

Wang Liang, fearing for his life, had sought out Fu Yuanqing's men and surrendered, hoping to secure a significant role. He had insisted on reporting a crucial secret directly to the aliens aboard their ship.

He divulged the nation's strategy to Fu Yuanqing and revealed several confidential locations.

Fu Yuanqing was in search of a relic treasure and inquired if anyone knew of its whereabouts. Clueless himself, he suddenly remembered Chu Xing, the man who had severed his arm, and embellished the story to claim that Chu Xing possessed such a treasure.

After reviewing Chu Xing's photograph and the recent satellite imagery, Fu Yuanqing set in motion the events that had just transpired.

A quarter of an hour later, Duan Dezhang, who had been lying on the ground, slowly opened his eyes, gazing around in confusion. Shi Er approached and recounted what had happened.

"Thank you, Young Master, for saving my life," Duan Dezhang said, echoing Wang Liang's gesture of kneeling in gratitude.

"You're aware now, and that's good. I'm assigning you ten men to eliminate the two who attempted to kill you and retrieve whatever they carry," Fu Yuanqing directed his gaze at Duan Dezhang before turning to Wang Liang. "And you're to join them."

"Yes, sir."

Unbeknownst to Chu Xing, a life-and-death challenge awaited him. At the moment, he was taking refuge in a well-constructed cellar, encased by thick steel plates.

"My defenses are too weak; I need to devise a solution," Chu Xing mused to his clone.

He had donned a new outfit complete with a hat and mask, revealing only black metal that was indistinguishable at a distance.

After some thought, Chu Xing crafted a vest from the black metal for his true self. It was a mere two kilograms—a thin layer that wouldn't hinder his agility.

Testing the vest with his spiritual energy, Chu Xing found it concealed within the metal, energizing it like blood. "This is truly remarkable. I'm curious about its grade," he remarked, pleased with the metallic vest.

With a section missing from his clone, Chu Xing armored only his upper body in black metal, leaving his lower half in bright silver. But with clothing as a disguise, he would remain unnoticed.

"Although my spiritual power is gradually increasing, it lacks a significant breakthrough. Against a formidable opponent, stealth is my only advantage," Chu Xing assessed his capabilities.

Currently, his main body was at the Qi Training Second Layer, and his clone had reached the Qi Training Third Layer. With only twenty-three spirit stones in his possession, a swift advancement was unlikely.

Despite the fact that each battle contributed to the enhancement of his strength, it was a gradual process built up over time. Chu Xing quietly resumed his cultivation practice.