The type of martial arts that forces the user to continually destroy their bodies in different ways and constantly escalates in promise of an even stronger body. Swimming in lava pools, taking lightning on with their bodies, and destroying their flesh and bones to recreate them with even more toughness! This is the path of the most famous physical cultivators. But Bing was something of an anomaly.
Bing didn't need to hurt himself or work his body out to extreme levels at all to gain great strength. All he needed was to absorb the body of another with his Devil's Arms and his strength would grow! He could take the progress of another's and benefit from their hard work with far less effort given. Killing someone in this dog-eat-dog world, wasn't much when compared to training to the limit every day and strengthening your body all to have that hard work stolen from another with less than half the work!
To advance his Devil's Physique all he needed to do was eat food with high quality qi and nourishment. The body technique would covert 100% of the nutritional value in the food to his body making sure that not a single piece of it was wasted. The normal cultivator couldn't even come close to Bing's absorption rate. The only way for a cultivator to reach 100% like Bing was if they got a pill refiner to refined it for them and refine it perfectly without a single accident.
It was a total cheat and Bing has only recently realized just how powerful his Devil Arts were. His true strength would be on a different level compared to his actual cultivation stage as long as he continues to take the bodies of others with his mouth hand and eat qi rich foods and herbs.
"Die fool!" Bing stood his ground like a stubborn bull and took the attack head on with his shield.
He was forced to slide back from his strength but barely moved from his original position. The Huan dog sent multiple slashes with his sword at Bing. Bing's eyes could track them all, his body could respond to each slice, and his shield could defend against each strike! If it wasn't for the many bodies he's absorbed since the start of being chased, Bing wouldn't have stood a chance against this cultivator.
Well, he still doesn't but at least he wasn't being completely dominated. The situation changed in a second, soon the sword became nothing but a gleaming ray of light that wanted nothing more than to pierce into his flesh. The speed of his swordsmanship increased and now Bing was having trouble reacting to his attacks. He felt his flesh being sliced, his reaction being slowed, and his strength being drained with every hit.
Bing was forced entirely on the defensive lest he wanted to die from a thousand cuts! If his opponent had a spirit weapon, Bing was sure a couple pieces of his flesh would be lying on the ground right now. He had to do something and do it quick. If things continued the way it was going now, Bing would find himself sliced into pieces!
"Swift Devil!" Bing blasted away as if he was trying to escape.
"Don't run away Fatty! I'm not done prepping you for the main course!"
"Swift Devil! Swift Devil! Swift Devil!" Bing became nothing but a blur as he left behind the 8th stage Qi Gatherer.
He dropped to his hands and knees after plowing through multiple trees. Those destroyed trees would lead the Huan member right towards him but that was fine. He didn't run out of fear for his life or anything but to wisely retreat in preparation for the day he would get his revenge. Bing took out another teleportation spell and slapped it on himself, disappearing from his position and appearing 50 steps elsewhere.
He dug into his pockets and ate a recovery pill and a qi pill to get himself back in a working state. There's no telling where exactly he just teleported himself, there might be some more Huan clan cultivators around. He couldn't see anyone nearby and the forest looked basically untouched from where he was. Looking down at his plump body, Bing took a second to catch his breath and just relaxed for the moment.
He's been running and fighting since the early morning thanks to the Huan clan. There weren't moments like this where he could just sit and relax against a tree. No threat to his life was anywhere in sight and the Immortal Forest was just as beautiful as ever. He used this chance to cultivate in peace. Any time he could use to increase his strength was invaluable with the circ.u.mstances he found himself in.
It was nothing but the sound of birds tweeting and insects buzzing. The wind was calm and gentle, unlike his current circ.u.mstances that was anything but those two things. His stomach moved along with his chest as he breathed in and out during his cultivation. His stomach being more noticeable than his chest but Bing was not ashamed of his body. He was taught that you should love yourself as you are and stood by that saying with all his heart.
Bing continuously cycled his qi within his body and used it to bash against the barrier leading to the 5th stage. It wasn't too long ago that he broke into the 4th stage so it wouldn't be anytime soon that he would be able to breakthrough to the 5th realm with just his talent alone. To overcome his average talent, Bing would need countless resources to climb the heights of cultivation. Bing wasn't one to normally get excited over dangerous things but once the Treasured Plains open, it isn't too farfetched to say that his entire life is going to change from the magical treasures inside. As long as he plays his cards right and use some common sense, he should have a fairly good time inside.
Bing's situation didn't change for a while. Peacefully cultivating under a tree with the wind blowing at him lightly. It wasn't until a familiar face showed up abruptly that Bing's situation changed.
Bang!
"Gah!" Ying's flaming figure was sent flying through the tree Bing was cultivating under.
Bing turned around to see the 8th stage Qi Gatherer he was fighting before surrounded by rose petals. He had a deep bleeding gash on his stomach with eyes full of rage and hatred. He didn't even take notice of Bing as he covered his sword with the rose petals and posed with his sword's tip aimed at Ying. Ying slowly rose from the ground covered in wounds and burning with terrible heat. She didn't seem to notice him either as her sword became a giant ma.s.s of flames. She pointed her blade at the Huan cultivator back.
"You're not so bad for a mutt from the Huan clan." She spat some blood out of her mouth.
"First, it was the Fatty to disrespect me and now it is some stupid girl!? I, Shui Huan, have never been insulted like this ever! Does my cultivation stage mean nothing to you ants?! Does my clan mean nothing in your eyes!? Just die already!" He vanished from his previous position and dashed at extremely high speeds towards Ying.
Ying didn't even blink as she centered herself and charged towards the 8th stage with her sword. She held it like a lance and looked like she planned on piercing him through the chest just like he does with her.
'Hah... It's just like her to not even try and think of avoiding his attack. The huge amount of qi in that rose petal covered blade is not something he can just pull out on a whim. If she avoided it till, he drained himself dry she wouldn't have to risk her life like this. That reckless straightforward fighting style is something I'll never understand. Life is too precious to take unnecessary risks.' Bing thought as the two blades clashed against one another.
A fierce wave of heat that would turn any average disciple in the 6th stage to ash, shot out from Ying's blade behind Shui. Her flames were just barely on the cusps of reaching Shui's body but his qi defended him from the initial intensity of the heat. His skin however was covered in blisters and reddening from the flames. The wound on his stomach was bubbling from the heat. The trees behind him were reduced to wood ash. Even Bing had to shield himself from the heat using his qi and shield to protect him.
From out of Shui's blade, countless rose petals shot out from his blade. Petals that looked sharp enough to cut through any metal. The petals sliced into Ying's body, having cuts appear all over her. The flames engulfing her were barely strong enough to defend her vital areas but she was still heavily bleeding. The trees behind her were sliced into numerous pieces and fell to the ground, the petals went through them like they were nothing more than paper taking on miniature swords.
The two suffered terrible injuries with Ying coming out on top with looking the most injured but even with that, she was still overpowering Shui in strength! Her giant blade's sharp tip was pushing back Shui's sword! Shui's shocked expression showed just how he felt about this situation.
"Impossible! Impossible! Impossible! There's no way I could lose to a girl two stages below me! No! No! No! I refuse to accept it! I won't accept it! Never could I allow myself to be humiliated so badly! I am a member of the great Huan clan! You are nothing but worms that should be licking the dirt off my feet!!!" Shui screamed with great power.
His qi started swirling to new heights. Ying's sword started to be pushed back inch by inch no matter how much strength she put into her arm.
"I got you Ying!" Bing suddenly called out. "Swift Devil!"
Bing tackled Shui off his feet and then rolled onto the ground. Bing suffered some cuts from the swirling rose petals that was around Shui's body but ignored them as he bashed his shield into Shui's head as hard as he could. Shui lost his sword from the tackle and could only try and push Bing off with his qi and rose petals alone.
"Bing?" Ying absentmindedly muttered before looking over to see Bing on top of Shui. "When did you get here?"
Bing couldn't answer her question as Shui bucked and twisted to get free from his great weight. He used his knees to hold Shui's arms down to stop him from grabbing him. He could feel himself crushing the ribs of the arrogant cultivator but that would take too long and these rose petals could take his eye out if he isn't careful. Bing grew an additional pair of arms that quickly shot out of the front of his stomach and grabbed the throat of Shui. He slowly crushed his throat while slamming his shield into Shui's head at full force.
"YOU FAT TRASH! HOW DARE YOU!?" Bing was suddenly blindsided by someone and knocked near Ying's legs.
��They were a nice pair of legs but now wasn't the time to focus on such a thing. Bing flipped himself up and took out a recovery pill from his pocket to give to Ying.
"Thanks, but don't expect to see me in a situation like that again." She swallowed the pill. The many cuts on her body were being slowly healed.
"Let's hope a situation like that doesn't happen again..." Bing muttered as he looked at the groups of Huan clan members gathering together in front of them.
"Speaking of situations... You wouldn't mind running away with me, would you?" Bing asked innocently.
Ying just looked at him as if he was an idiot.
"A Yue never runs from her enemies. I won't shame my family by fleeing from a dangerous battle. A Yue can only grow by surviving through the bloodiest and most terrible of battles."
Bing really hated Yue's barbaric savage family and their rules but it's not like he expected any other answer after all the time with her. The girl will go forward and never even consider going left, right, down, up, or back. Really makes it impossible to get out of perilous situations with her because of it. It looks like they'll have to go all out if they want to survive. If worse comes to worst he'll have to teleport with Ying against her will.
"KILL THEM!!!!" The Huan clan members charged towards them.
Ying grinned as she looked at the unsurmountable odds. The thought of losing never even crossed her mind. She'll get out of this alive or die trying. She would try and keep Bing from dying though. Her family's rules don't involve outsiders. She stood right next to Bing who was fully ready to take on the large group with her.
"I don't believe all this bloodshed is necessary my fellow disciples. We are all Golden Serpent disciples. We shouldn't be so eager to rip each other apart." Lei Zhi suddenly spoke up as Xiurong jumped forward and grew to giant heights and towered over everyone.
Xiurong stood in front of Bing, Ying, and Lei Zhi. She snapped her mighty claws and the Huan clan stopped in their tracks seeing her huge size. She was almost as big as a Dragon Worm! Everyone present had no doubts that she was able to take on a Dragon Worm with her size and even win! Lei Zhi smiled at Ying and Bing.
"Get out of the way Zhi. I'm not running away from this." Ying threw away his heroic action without much regard.
"Please rethink this Ying. It would do no good for anyone to indulge in a meaningless slaughter."
"It's not meaningless! These b.a.s.t.a.r.ds want our head! And if that's not a good enough reason to kill someone then I don't know what is."
"You would kill someone for literally anything." Bing pointed out
"Shut it Bing. I'm saving your life here if you forgot." She punched him in his arm and stared back at Lei Zhi.
"That's right you are saving his life remember? When did killing become a part of saving someone's life?" Lei Zhi questioned.
Ying grumbled. Her goal was to help out Bing. She didn't come out here only to slaughter the Huan dogs.
"Fine Zhi! I'll back down this time but don't expect something like this again!" She faced Bing with an angry huff. Seeing him smile so stupidly and relieved made her want to take her frustrations out on him. How could anyone be satisfied with running away? Zhi's stupid peaceful nature and Bing's stupid cowardly personality are so annoying sometimes!
She repeatedly punched Bing in his arm as Lei Zhi called back Xiurong and Bing took out another teleportation spell to teleport them all away. Bing grabbed the two and they vanished 100 steps away. Ying angrily took the lead as she had more experience in the Immortal Forest than any of them. She led them towards Lei Zhi's shack while unleashing her frustrations on the two by criticizing them and insulting them. The blind middle-aged man and the porky youth only smiled like idiots. No more bloodshed and no possibility of losing their lives in a pointless battle. If anything, they came out on top today in their opinion.
