Chapter Nineteen: Who Is the Prey

They never dreamed that after shooting down several people, someone would still dare to confront them head-on, fiercely braving the arrows and charging forward. Their arrows were indeed formidable, but once someone closed in, the situation became perilous.

Within the dense forest, a few young men in worn-out clothing continued to shoot arrows at Song Yue while retreating. They had assumed that all intruders were cultivators and that as long as they maintained their distance advantage, shooting them with bows would be easy—each shot a guaranteed kill. Never did they expect a catfish to appear among the swarm of sardines!

At this moment, Song Yue's figure had already disappeared into the forest. The entire process took no more than a dozen seconds, and by the time Qian Qianxue, Meng Xudong, and the others realized what had happened, Song Yue was gone.

Zhang Zixing’s group witnessed the scene as well. Seeing Song Yue’s ferocity—not only protecting his companions and knocking away incoming arrows, but also daring to charge directly into the fray—they each reacted differently.

Lin Huan, graceful and alluring, watched with bright eyes, thinking this was the mark of a true man! Mo, on the other hand, looked worried; she never harbored ill feelings toward Song Yue, and now, faced with pressure from the denizens of the secret realm, she sincerely hoped he would return safely.

Zhang Zixing sneered, convinced there was no longer any need for him to intervene. Song Yue was reckless, daring to confront the secret realm natives directly. The natives had every advantage—time, place, and people—yet Song Yue dared to walk right into their domain, utterly foolish!

Ou Ping, a handsome young man with golden hair, watched the forest coldly, a hint of caution rising in his heart. That martial artist... was indeed powerful! He had secretly attacked Song Yue before, nearly killing him by stealth. Ou Ping wasn’t sure if Song Yue knew, but still hoped he would die in the forest. Otherwise, he could not allow Song Yue to leave the secret realm alive.

At this moment, many eyes were fixed on that patch of forest. The recent events had shocked them. No amount of warnings could compare to experiencing danger firsthand. Previously, people had spoken about the countless dangers lurking in top-tier secret realms like Kunlun, but many dismissed these warnings, thinking that with so many present—each at least a seventh-tier Qi practitioner—there was no need to fear the relatively few natives.

So what if they were natives of the secret realm? Weren’t they just the descendants of those who stayed behind? Yet when faced with reality, the gap between imagination and truth became starkly apparent.

Within the forest, the archers’ advantage was diminished. The towering trees blocked their arrows, preventing them from reaching full force. This was precisely why Song Yue dared to charge in under a barrage—he was fierce, not reckless! Once inside the woods, their arrows lost effectiveness.

As for other techniques... Before cultivating the Body Protection Qi and the Taiyi Body Refining Scripture, he might have been wary, but now, Song Yue only wanted to test his combat prowess.

Anger burned within him. Though he did not know those who had died, they were all practitioners from the Eastern camp. Even if they were Westerners, he would not wish for them to die so frightened and aggrieved. The secret realm was not their personal property—how dare they act so arrogantly?

He hunted the archers through the forest, but remained cautious. This was their domain—who knew what tricks they might have? Sure enough, as he pursued one, a sudden flash of fire shot at him from another direction. A high-level cultivator’s spell! It was fast—too fast. It was a sneak attack, nearly impossible to avoid completely. Song Yue promptly activated his Body Protection Qi, forming an invisible energy shield around his body. The fire struck his arm, sending a wave of intense heat through him, as if touching a boiling kettle—scalding, but nothing more. The fire was blocked by the Qi!

Song Yue responded by hurling his alloy spear with a throwing motion. The high-tech weapon pierced the attacker, pinning him to a tree! Blood gushed from his chest as he screamed in agony, his cries no more melodious than those of the young cultivators who had just been shot.

Song Yue rushed over and smashed his fist into the man's face, cutting off his screams. He snatched up his alloy spear, knocked away another incoming arrow, then grinned coldly at a shadowy figure nearby: "So you’re hunting us? Let’s see who’s really the prey!"

After this exchange, Song Yue gained a clearer understanding of the secret realm natives' strength. They were about the same age, and their cultivation levels weren’t far apart. The secret realm was indeed suited for cultivation, but as the saying goes—without talent, even if you enter a top-tier school’s special class, you’ll remain a mediocre student.

A cold voice threatened from the woods: "You dare to kill our companion? None of the natives will spare you!"

Song Yue chuckled. "Resorting to threats now? Are you scared?"

He was answered by an arrow from another direction. He knocked it aside with ease and sneered, "If this is all you’ve got, today I’ll kill you all myself!"

He simultaneously activated the Taiyi Body Refining Scripture and Body Protection Qi, the former replenishing the blood and energy consumed by the latter. Song Yue maintained a calm, simmering rage, forcing himself not to dwell on the life he had just taken. He’d fought countless times since childhood, but never killed anyone—this was his first. With his mind intensely focused, there was no time for reflection on those images.

Thus, Song Yue appeared ice-cold and ruthless, just like the secret realm natives who had just killed the outsiders.

Suddenly, he felt intense turbulence in the Body Protection Qi shielding his head, as if a needle tried to pierce through. In an instant, Song Yue understood—it was a mental attack. He grunted, swayed, and used his spear to support himself, but his body seemed about to collapse.

Whizz! Whizz! Whizz! Whizz! Four arrows shot at him in quick succession. The Qi around his head shuddered violently, nearly breaking. Song Yue cried out, his body went limp, and he fell to the ground. By chance, all four arrows missed.

"My head..." Song Yue groaned from the ground, trying to get up. Hidden by the forest grass, the natives couldn’t see him, but remained cautious, not rushing forward. Instead, the one skilled in mental attacks continued to bombard Song Yue.

Soon, the attacker’s spiritual power waned, forcing him to stop. Hearing Song Yue’s agonized moans from the grass, the natives exchanged hand signals. Then they raised their bows again, ready to blind-shoot and kill Song Yue where he lay.

Just then, the grass rustled—Song Yue seemed to be rolling over. Now, hitting him precisely became difficult, especially since their arrows were nearly depleted after several volleys. They glanced at each other, and began to converge toward Song Yue’s location.

A cultivator skilled in fire spells tried to set the grass ablaze, but the attempt failed—the grass was too lively and damp to ignite.

By now, the ferocious martial artist who had speared their companion was barely audible, his cries weakened, seemingly tortured to the point of helplessness. Still, the natives fired a few more arrows, but seeing no response, they finally relaxed.

Aside from the one Song Yue had killed, five natives remained. One specialized in mental attacks, the other four each mastered different fields. What they shared was their skill with the bow. Living in the secret realm required daily confrontation with its dangers—without archery, one couldn’t even enter the woods.

They put away their bows, formed spell seals with their hands, and cautiously surrounded Song Yue, preparing to unleash their most vicious spells for the final blow.

In the grass, Song Yue gripped his alloy spear, his expression focused and icy, his blood energy hidden as he lay in wait. Like a tiger lying in ambush, awaiting prey to walk right into his jaws.

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The third chapter is delivered. Please cast your recommendation and monthly votes.