Chapter 43: Ambush in the Dense Forest
Meng Xueli and his group were positioned in the sunken terrain of a valley.
The sky was a clear blue, with white clouds drifting lazily. Beneath their feet, the grass was lush and green, while the forest around them echoed with the rustling sounds of insects. A cool, damp breeze brushed against their faces. Compared to the twilight desert they had just crossed, this place was undeniably comfortable.
The secret realm functioned as an independent world. Within this enclosed and self-sustaining space, mountains, rivers, vegetation, birds, and beasts were all real. However, the sky above—the sun, moon, and stars—was merely an illusion created by the lingering aura of mirage beasts.
Deep valleys, dense forests, and tall grass—at first glance, Meng Xueli thought this would be an ideal place for an ambush.
So when the sharp whistling of arrows cutting through the air erupted from all directions, followed by a rain of arrows hurtling toward them, he couldn’t help but think, “As expected.”
“Who’s there, lurking in the shadows like cowards?” Zhang Suyuan bellowed. Even as he spoke, three longswords rang as they simultaneously left their scabbards.
*Clang! Clang! Clang!*
Gleaming sword light wove together, forming a three-sided barrier. The incoming arrows were deflected by the swift swords, sent flying back into the depths of the forest.
They were all outstanding disciples of Han Shan, trained under the same master and practiced in the same sword techniques. When traveling together, their coordination in battle was seamless, their reactions swift and instinctive. At that moment, they formed a triangular defense, surrounding Meng Xueli tightly within their sword screen, leaving no openings.
Standing in the center, Meng Xueli watched as rune-engraved arrows were knocked away, embedding themselves in the grass around them. The impact of the arrows remained strong even after being deflected, striking the ground with muffled explosions. Clumps of grass, dirt, and shattered stone were sent flying in all directions, resembling a violent storm crashing down upon them.
Suddenly, the onslaught ceased. The dense forest fell into a brief silence, causing the three Han Shan disciples to hesitate slightly. They had barely entered the secret realm and were caught off guard by an ambush. Now that they had just adjusted to combat, the enemy had abruptly fallen silent.
“Scatter!” Meng Xueli suddenly shouted.
With the tip of his spear touching the ground, he used the force to propel himself upward. His body shot straight into the air, leaping out of the center of the sword formation.
His voice carried the force of thunder, and the three instinctively obeyed, swiftly retreating backward. Almost at the same moment, a deafening explosion erupted, leaving nothing but blinding white light in their vision.
*Boom!*
Dust filled the air as debris was sent flying. The three raised their swords defensively, witnessing a deep pit, nearly ten feet in diameter, appearing where they had just stood. Scattered flames ignited the grass, sending wisps of smoke curling into the air.
The enemy had used an explosive talisman, yet it had failed to injure them.
Talisman crafting was a complex and expensive process. Though less durable than magical artifacts, talismans were highly flexible and often served as life-saving measures in battle.
That day, when Que Xianming had come to Han Shan to rescue Meng Xueli, he mentioned that demonic fire would leave traces. Forced to rely on mortal means instead, he had used an explosive talisman, which was powerful enough to destroy the Han Shan plank roads that held array formations. Its sheer force was undeniable.
Meng Xueli transmitted a message to his companions: “There are five of them, all at the Barrier-Breaking stage. They’re equipped with repeating crossbows and have swift footwork.”
Repeating crossbows fired arrows in rapid succession. The attackers moved swiftly while shooting, making it difficult to pinpoint their positions.
“Elder Meng? Where are you?” Zhang Suyuan called out in a bewildered voice through their transmission.
The battlefield was in chaos. Thick smoke and dust obscured the sky, and although Meng Xueli’s voice reached them, his figure was nowhere to be seen. As Zhang Suyuan processed this, four dark figures suddenly darted out from the dense underbrush.
The four were cloaked in black robes that concealed their presence, their faces obscured. Their blades gleamed in the dim light, exuding an ominous killing intent.
So the brief pause earlier had merely been the time the enemy needed to put away their bows and crossbows and switch to close-range weapons.
However, the three Han Shan disciples had been forewarned and were fully prepared. Without hesitation, they reformed their three-sided sword formation.
*Clang!*
As blades and swords clashed, Zhang Suyuan’s heart sank. Their opponents were of a similar cultivation level and fought with precise coordination. Excluding Meng Xueli, who was still in the early Condensed Spirit Realm, their side was fighting three against four—barely holding their ground. But Meng Xueli had said there were five attackers. One more enemy must still be hidden in the forest, waiting for the right moment to strike…
Just as this realization struck him, a piercing, agonized scream suddenly tore through the dense forest!
Something was wrong—Elder Meng was in danger!
Meng Xueli didn’t retreat but instead advanced, seizing the moment just before the talismans exploded. He soared through the air and leaped into the forest.
Following the rain of arrows came explosive talismans, and after that, close combat. Meng Xueli wondered, who were these people? Their tactics were quite precise, and they didn’t hesitate to spend resources.
Everyone who entered the secret realm had their own purpose. Only those with shared goals could form teams.
Core disciples of major sects sought to earn high rankings, while junior disciples simply wanted to broaden their horizons and gain valuable experience.
Disciples from smaller sects had no ambition for rankings; they focused on collecting rare minerals and spiritual herbs within the secret realm, which they could sell to artifact refiners and alchemists to earn spirit stones for their sect and themselves.
Those lacking resources came to gather them, while those with personal grudges took the opportunity for revenge.
Even if someone had their eyes on him, the secret realm’s entry points were entirely random—what were the odds of encountering them here?
As he pondered, he moved swiftly, narrowing his eyes to focus on a particular spot amidst the dense leaves of the tall trees. He lifted his spear with both hands, leveling it horizontally before giving it a slight tremor.
The sharp spear tip shot forward like an arrow leaving its bowstring, piercing through the gaps in the foliage and disappearing from sight.
A moment later, Han Shan’s trio and the four figures in black cloaks heard a sharp, anguished scream, tinged with disbelief and shock.
Hearing this, the ambushers intensified their attacks in desperation to break away, but their movements became erratic, exposing more flaws.
Meng Xueli had no idea that the opponents were wondering the same thing—what were the odds of this encounter?
Everyone was entering the secret realm for the first time, unfamiliar with the terrain.
This particular group consisted of rogue cultivators who had purchased entry talismans. They considered themselves strong fighters and specialized in ambushes. Yet, they had chosen to ignore caution and immediately resorted to highway robbery upon entering the realm.
They didn’t know who would pass by; they simply decided based on what they saw. Unexpectedly, their first “fat sheep” turned out to be Ji Xiao’s Dao companion, Meng Xueli.
Meng Xueli had weak cultivation but held a special status. To survive in the secret realm, he was bound to carry numerous magical artifacts and spiritual elixirs, any one of which would be a valuable treasure.
Their assumption wasn’t wrong. Even Han Shan’s sect master and the peak masters had advised Meng Xueli: “Bring plenty of supplies and use them when necessary.”
Cultivators who refused to be bound by sects or had been expelled became wandering rogue cultivators. Without a sect’s backing, they had to rely solely on themselves, making their path even harsher. Under such conditions, those who managed to cultivate to the Barrier-Breaking Stage were naturally stronger than ordinary cultivators of the same level.
This group of ambushers thought the same. They believed that major sect disciples only knew how to fight in tournaments and lacked experience in real combat within natural environments. They also assumed these disciples were naive and foolish—when faced with a robbery, the first thing they did was ask, “Who are you?” If they had shouted something like, “How dare you act so brazenly under broad daylight!” it would have been utterly laughable.
Through silent communication, they had planned out their ambush, identifying Meng Xueli as the weakest point.
Even if the rain of arrows failed, the explosive talismans should have broken their three-person sword formation. Yet, the moment Meng Xueli leaped out of the sword barrier, everything spiraled out of their control.
He moved swiftly, barely escaping the blast radius. His spear tip, used as a hidden weapon, was three inches long and had pierced through the shoulder blade of a stealth expert preparing to launch a sneak attack, pinning the person to a tree with blood gushing out uncontrollably.
Then, he rejoined the seven-person battle. His long staff swept across, forcing the four Barrier-Breaking cultivators into a state of disarray, unable to counterattack.
Meng Xueli dispatched them as easily as chopping vegetables. Turning to the stunned Han Shan disciples, he said, “Step back.”
The three hesitated, unwilling to leave him to fight alone.
At that moment, an angry voice rang out from within one of the black cloaks: “He’s not Meng Xueli! He’s wearing a disguise mask! We’ve fallen into a trap!”
Meng Xueli was speechless. Just as he was about to strike that person down with his spear, a sudden change occurred!
Huge shoutout to @_nyanmaru_ on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.
