The Challenge

With the improvement of his cultivation, Wang Xue had gained physical strength stronger than people at the third level of the Jade Palace realm. A normal level 3 Jade Palace realm cultivator would mostly have 25,000 pounds of striking force and Wang Xue exceeds that by 10,000.

Although he still cannot beat people whose level of cultivation two levels higher than him, having this kind of strength is already considered as monstrous already. However, Wang Xue had new pressing problems at the moment, and that's the amount of spiritual energy needed in order to advance.

He advances the next level with the help of the 50 percent spiritual energy concentration and another 200 spirit pills and that's still only the advancement requirements of level 2 Jade Palace realm. Wang Xue may not have a problem at the moment but it's only a matter of time before he runs out of spirit pills.

"Obtaining the 100-years-old Jade Lotus is just me being lucky, it's not easy getting an early treasure like that at my current level of strength. I must find a way to earn some good amount of spirit pills to substitute for the lacking amount of spiritual energy." Wang Xue mumbled to himself as he ran towards the direction of the next state.

Back in his prime Wang Xue didn't even give 100-years-old Jade Lotuses a second look, however even so that did not mean Wang Xue was not used to this kind of lifestyle. Before he became the Bloody Monarch he started from the very bottom to the point that his position right now is so much better than then.

"Better find a good place to earn money then."

As he runs Wang Xue notice someone was actually up ahead hiding in wait, and all of them were in a pretty good position, but apparently not good enough as they were easily seen by Wang Xue.

Wang Xue welcomed fights, but if he can avoid troublesome ones Wang Xue would choose to just avoid them. He turned to his right and ran ahead for 100 meters before going back on the course leading to the State ahead of him.

However, like he thought when Wang Xue turned to leave the people hiding in the shadows also left that place, Wang Xue watched them move and confirmed that they really were after him.

"Whoever these guys it would seem that I am their target." As continued to ran Wang Xue started observing the movements of the other party, one, two, three, and four. There were a total of four people moving around from behind.

When he noticed them going after him Wang Xue didn't hesitate to summon his spiritual energy from his Golden Pagoda. The power of his two-layered pagoda started rolling inside his body the out.

Boom!

The ground on Wang Xue's feet caved in and Wang Xue flew like a cannonball fired from a cannon taking the people that were following him in the shadow by surprise. The four people were startled by this sudden move of Wang Xue then a shout suddenly rang out in the Dark Forest.

"Hurry after the 100,000 spirit pills!" with that loud voice swooshing sounds quickly emerged.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Four shadows suddenly appeared and started chasing after Wang Xue with fast speed.

Wang Xue turns and looked behind him and found four men chasing after him, checking the level of their strength Wang Xue saw from weakest to highest the strength of their cultivation.

"The one from the right is the weakest at level 2 of Jade Palace Realm the man beside him is as strong as he is also at the Jade Palace Realm. I can take care of them quickly but the other two would need a little bit of trouble, a level 3 Jade Palace Realm and a peak level 3 Jade Palace Realm!"

"I really want to end this group, but I do not have the time to deal with them, people from the Boulder Sect and Nine Flower Valley could also be lurking around here, I better get to the Wind State before anything happens."

With that said Wang Xue took an abrupt sharp turn to the left, he was trying to lose them. The four people who were following Wang Xue also took the sharp turn, but when they did Wang Xue that they had been following was nowhere to be found.

"What the, where is he!?" a loud and hoarse voice suddenly rang out in the Dark Forest, "Where did he go!? That guy's head is worth a hundred spirit pills, no way in hell will we let him go this easily!!!"

A big and burly man was in a rage, the scar over his left eye that seemed to have been caused by a demonic beast seemed to be glowing red from anger, the three men surrounding him saw how he was acting and all of them hurriedly left.

Booom!

A tree that towered over 15 meters in height was suddenly blown away, the big man suddenly started raging like a mad bull. This violent man was known as Demon Bear, he was known as the biggest problem because of many reasons.

There were not many people who knew what Demon Bear's real name, but people had started calling him by this name after he fought with the Demoing Black Bear that cost him his left eyes, but in that fight, he was somehow able to kill the Demonic Black Bear and wore its skin as clothes.

The second reason as to why he got that name was because of his strength, with a strength that rivals a Demonic Bear and a temper and aggression that partners it with. His men had followed him for years and they knew that if they were to stick around in that place while their leader acts like that, they would be lucky to only get a few broken bones, so they just went out to find Wang Xue who suddenly disappeared.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

As the continuous sounds of explosions happen in the vicinity Demon Bear finally stopped his every movements "huff, huff, where's that accursed brat." Demon Bear was out of breath after going on a rampage, in a 30-meter radius every tree and plants were decimated.

Wang Xue at this moment was up in the tree as he watched Demon Bear acting like a mindless demonic beast. He had been hiding here since he took that sharp turn Wang Xu was actually about to leave that is when he heard Demon Bea said something about his head having 100,000 spirit pills.

As he watched Demon Bear get tired Wang Xue crouch down on the tree positioning his body, taking out his Ice Steel Sword Wang Xue started gathering his spiritual energy.

Wang Xue pounced on Demon Bear, he was like a cannonball that was fired from a cannon he was fast. He tore through the air as he dove from above, and like an eagle, Wang Xue readied his talons which was the Ice Steel Sword.

Swoosh!

Demon Bear heard the tearing sound of the air but before he could turn to see what was causing that sound he saw Wang Xue wearing his white clothes crouching on the ground with his black sword pointed on the sky above.

"You're the brat Boulder Sect had been looking for!" Demon Bear go a closer look on his face, so with a start, he raised both of his hands and called out his Martial Spirit, but before he could finish raising his hands he heard the sound of something dropping on the ground.

Plop!

Then, he started feeling a stinging pain on his right arm.

Drip, Drop!

The sound of water trickling down on the floor rang in the silence of the Dark Forest that had been created by Wang Xue and Demon Bear. Demon Bear slowly turn his head and looked at his right hand only to see it missing.

Spurt!

Blood started spraying all over the place. Wang Xue didn't use any kind of skill nor did he use any kind of attack, just pure speed. He was fast as lighting and his sword sharper, with his fast movements Demon Bear didn't even notice his right hand actually being cut away from his body before he saw it.

"Aaah! My hand y…!" Demon Bear wanted to scream but a hand stopped him, covering his mouth Demon Bear can only look at Wang Xue with hateful eyes.

Wang Xue was small compared to Demon Bear as he was a head shorter, but even so, Wang Xue was still able to grab him by the mouth stopping from creating any kind of ruckus resulting for his men to come back right away.

"Make a sound that I did not asks you to make and I will cut the other arm off, just answer my questions and you won't have to suffer much." Wang Xue's tone was cold, he stared Demon Bear in the eyes and slowly he started letting his murderous intent flow out of him letting Demon Bear feel all of it.

Demon Bea who had been struggling couldn't keep his eyes away from Wang Xue's, not because it was beautiful or anything but because what he saw from those black eyes were like an endless abyss that could swallow him up if he dared to turn away.

'Is this really the kid that I had been chasing? This murderous aura is not ordinary, it's like being swept by an ocean of death, and this kind of murderous aura should not belong to a kid like this. Who is this Wang Xue?' Demon Bear thought.

Wang Xue let go off Demon Bear's mouth and asks his first question "How did you knew that I am in the Dark Forest, that you even set up an ambushed for me like you knew that I will be coming here."

"I didn't know anything, I—I am a local lowly bandit here in the Dark Forest I only saw you and remembered you from the poster that was given to us by the Boulder Sect." Demon Bear said honestly.

"Then what's this poster and the 100,000 spirit pills that you kept talking about?"

"I-It was the Boulder Sect, they placed a huge bounty of 100,000 spirit pills in order to kill you. Every disciple of the Boulder Sect had been looking for you and every mercenary, bounty hunters, bandits, and rouge cultivator had you markdown."

"So that's what is happening then what about the Nine Flower valley did they do anything in order to search for me? What's their move?"

"Nothing, the Nine Flower Valley kept as a whole its silence, but Si Inning and many disciples from the Nine Flower Valley are out for blood as they search for you!"

Wang Xue nodded his head as he started processing all the information he had gathered, 'The Boulder Sect took it upon themselves to kill me and is doing everything they can to hunt me down, huh. The Nine Flower Valley, on the other hand, kept quiet but didn't stop their disciples for getting revenge, are they using me to let their disciples interact with the outside world and let them gain experience? As for the other people in the continent, they are also all out for blood to get the reward, it's safe to say that everyone is my enemy.'

Wang Xue was in deep trouble and Demon Bear also knew this too, that's why he was so intent on chasing Wang Xue because he didn't want to let him get away and let others take the reward for themselves, 'You're doom to die in the future!'

Demon Bear was scared out of his wits when he faced Wang Xue but he knew that he will die in the near future, and he could not wait to see that or even learn about it, and the only that he needs to do now was to get in Wang Xue's good side and somehow make it out alive.

But then, he saw something he didn't understand nor comprehend, a smile and a look of excitement actually appeared on Wang Xue's face. "What are you smiling for?"

Slash!

"Argh" Demon Bears left arm was cut off.

"I told you not to say anything irrelevant. But because you answered everything I ask without any dishonesty, I will stick to my promise" Wang Xue said.

Demon Bear forced out a smile trying to let Wang Xue know how happy he was.

Slash!

"Eh?" a very weak sound escape his mouth.

"You won't suffer anymore this way!" With that Wang Xue left, he had gained valuable information. With the whole continent after him Wang Xue could not wait for the challenges that will come to him, anticipation enveloped his entire being.

Taking Demon Bears storage bracelet Wang Xue left for the next state, more excited than he was when he advances a level, in order to squeeze out the potential hidden away in every human a trial was needed.