Chapter 32 – The Hunter Becomes the Hunted

“We should split up,” Said Bao Hua.

Mei Ling and Ren exchanged amazed glances and watched their friend immediately panic and start stammering.

“N…No! Tha…That’s not what I mean!”

“How could you?!” Ren hammed it up.

Mei Ling, looking crushed, said, “Where did we go wrong?”

“I am betrayed!” Ren cried out dramatically even as he took another gulp of wine.

Mei Ling couldn’t keep it any longer and started laughing.

Bao Hua looked at them, his mouth open, before he too got it. He shook his head ruefully.

“Some friends you are. Heh. I just mean that we are not making the most of this opportunity. We keep taking the safe choices. If we never push ourselves, we will never advance and become true cultivators.”

The other two stopped joking around. In fact Ren had just started to think along the same lines. Somehow Bao Hua had managed to put the words together perfectly to crystalize the feeling in Ren’s mind.

Hua continued, “When I was out there patrolling with unfamiliar people to guard my back, having to protect them, with unknown threats out there, I somehow made amazing progress in my cultivation. I know we work very well together and we face the same dangers, but I don’t think I ever had to push myself.”

“I was afraid of being left behind and pushed myself to breakthrough. Without that to motivate me, I don’t think I would have made it here. It was a risk, but one worth taking. I… I…”

Mei Ling cut in, “I understand what you mean. I have seen others who joined the sect at the same time we did barely reach the 8th layer of qi gathering realm. And they were even of a higher spirit root order than you. The difference is, they took the safe path and relaxed. One, I know, relies only on the stipend the sect provides and barely does anything to earn more spirit stones. So I understand. Steel can only be tempered in the hottest flames.”

“I think I was just starting to realize the same thing. After that battle, I felt my shortcomings more keenly than ever. After the tournament, I put everything into breaking through but didn’t plan for anything afterwards. This trial is a slaughter trial, and it is filled with amazing natural treasures. It is the perfect environment to grow stronger,” Ren spoke his piece.

“My uncle once told me cultivating to become immortal is a lonely path. I think it means that some things can only be done alone. You will always be my friends, but if we aim for the lofty ideals of cultivating immortality, then we should accept the burden and push ourselves.”

They fell silent as they pondered each other’s words. The fire popped and crackled, and the faint sounds of others filled the air. Eventually, they all looked up and nodded. The decision was made.

Bao Hua left first. He was going to try his luck in the area that previously belonged to the Hidden Sea sect. After Ren patched up the formation as best he could, he decided to head the other way, angling towards the section of mountains between their sect’s territory and that of the monks of the Golden Light Monastery. Mei Ling still had a few disciples she was healing and would leave soon after. They all promised to meet back in a month or so at the camp unless something changed.

Ren already felt a little more tense as he made his way through the forest cautiously. With no one to watch his back, he started using the Third Eye Sense more frequently to observe his surroundings. Blood beasts were rarer, but the scythe-armed beasts bluntly called ‘Slashers’ were more common.

When he saw the first one, he hid and watched. He made note of its limbs and saw how, like other blood beasts, it seemed to rely on a sense of smell. He almost sighed in relief that he had covered his own with those stinky berries. When he was sure that it was alone and that no other beast could intrude on a battle, he retreated a short distance and laid out a formation.

His plan was to lure it in, trap it, and use an illusory mist to attack it from its blind spot. He knew he lacked the strength to take its blows head-on. His other concern was his sword. As strong as it was, it wasn’t meant for the foundation realm and was showing signs of wear. So he would have to be swift and retreat from its reach and possibly hobble it first.

The first part went flawlessly as he attracted its attention and lured it straight into his formation array. The thin vines burst out to wrap all over it. He tried to focus on restricting its blade arms first to prevent it from cutting itself free. The thin white mist around the area was starkly different from the red haze that covered the realm. Under its cover, he lunged in using Earth Striding Leap to speed up his attack. He struck its shoulder in an upward blow and hurtled past as it tried to turn. After repositioning, he struck again at the same shoulder. The slasher was already starting to break free, the vines unable to hold it down.

Ren was worried, but he had planned an escape route, so he wasn’t too scared. He hastened his attack and managed to sever one arm, but unfortunately it escaped the bindings. He could choose to flee or continue the attack. Surprisingly, he didn’t hesitate. This is why he had split from his friends.