Chapter 74: Striking from the Shadows

With all the dark pumas dead, the alliance of university students pulled back to tend to their wounded. To be more precise, Mu Zi Xing tended to the wounded, using her healing techniques to stem bleeding and execute stopgap measures to save lives.

Even though we called it healing techniques, it wasn't as if Mu Zi Xing was an omnipotent goddess who made injuries disappear with a wave of her hand. Healing cultivation worked by accelerating the injured party's metabolism and speeding up his innate regenerative abilities. Basically, Mu Zi Xing infused the victim with her qi to stimulate faster cell multiplication. It wasn't a miraculous "restore HP" type of thing like you would see in games. The wounded party didn't instantly heal from their injuries like in fantasy stories and anime.

Mu Zi Xing simply sped up their healing, that was all. Stimulate clotting to stop bleeding, accelerate cell multiplication to mend torn flesh and broken bones. Minor cuts and abrasions would heal very quickly, but the more major injuries such as broken bones or internal injuries would take a bit more time, even with Mu Zi Xing's help.

At least it transformed the casualties suffering from mortal injuries to simply walking wounded. Leaving them to suffer here in the forest without any form of medical help was a death sentence, especially with the spirit beasts and whatnot lurking around. Fortunately, nobody was on the verge of death. I doubted Mu Zi Xing's healing skills were that advanced yet. If the worst case scenario happened, I had no doubt she would do her best, but I wouldn't be surprised if her very basic healing techniques failed to bring someone back from the edge of death.

"Everyone all right?" Xia Xing Yue asked, checking on her schoolmates from Ten Thousand Swords University first before moving on to the students from other schools. Everyone murmured an affirmative. Mu Zi Xing collapsed, falling into Si Nan's arms, exhausted.

"Mu Zi Xing needs to rest," Si Nan said. Xia Xing Yue nodded.

"I think we all need to rest."

"Yeah, captain."

"Oh, wait, captain." One of the Ten Thousand Swords University students raised a hand. "Cang Mu and his gang are missing."

"Yeah, I know." Xia Xing Yue scowled, placing her hands on her hips. "They've been missing since before we engaged the dark pumas in battle. Thanks to them, our left flank almost collapsed. If it wasn't for Shu Cong…"

"I'm sure you guys will manage somehow," I quickly said. Xia Xing Yue sighed and shook her head.

"Even so, thank you. We are grateful to you all the same." Her expression darkened. "And it doesn't change the fact that Cang Mu and his lackeys abandoned their positions and put the rest of us in danger. I will definitely report this to Director Shen when we return to Ten Thousand Swords University. They will be punished for their irresponsibility and cowardice, have no doubt about that."

I agreed wholeheartedly with that. I looked forward to seeing those slimy bastards receive their just desserts.

"Other than Cang Mu and his gang, I think we are okay. Just exhausted." Another of Xia Xing Yue's comrades spoke up.

"That's right, captain, we could use a rest," another agreed. "If it's all right with you."

The dark pumas might only be minion-class spirit beasts, but there were so many of them that exterminating them caused us to expend quite a bit of energy. It was only natural that we would appreciate the rest.

"I'm glad there are no major injuries." Xia Xing Yue sighed in relief. She then turned toward the patch of ginseng. "You guys take a break. I'll grab the thousand year old ginseng, then we can all get out of here."

There was a chorus of acknowledgements and "yes, captain" from the gathered students. I nodded and left it to Xia Xing Yue. Since she was the leader, she might as well accept the credit. It didn't matter to me. We would still receive the appropriate rewards for taking on the task. The whole reason why I brought Si Nan and Mu Zi Xing was to help them earn credits, and we would receive them upon completion of the mission.

Not to mention, my objective of helping them gain combat experience had already been achieved. I was confident that Si Nan would grow stronger from here on out. And this was also excellent practical practice for Mu Zi Xing, a perfect simulation of battlefield conditions. If both of them wanted to remain in the cultivator world, they would have to get used to this.

"Should I set up a defensive array?" I asked, rising to my feet. Xia Xing Yue considered my proposal for a moment before nodding.

"Go ahead. Better safe than sorry."

"All right." I began scribbling spirit runes in the area around the resting students. Xia Xing Yue nodded and turned toward the ginseng patch.

"I'll leave the formation to you. I'll go fetch that thousand-year-old ginseng and I'll be back in a second."

She cautiously treaded through the garden of ginseng, occasionally stopping to pick a few good ones here and there while on her way toward the thousand year old one. I didn't object. Since we were already here, we might as well grab a few extra for some more profit or whatever benefits that could be gleaned from gathering ginseng.

Pushing my glasses up my nose, I took a deep breath and finished up the last of my spirit runes. The formation activated, a barrier shimmering to life around us. At that moment, Xia Xing Yue finally reached the thousand year old ginseng. She bent down to pull it out.

That precise second, I sensed something. My Heavenly Flow and Earthly Paths detected movement in the shadows. Without thinking, I rushed forward, executing Jin.

"Eh?"

Just as Xia Xing Yue obtained the thousand year old ginseng, she looked up, only to see a shadow leopard leap out of the shadows and pounce on her. She was barely able to conjure an ice shield in time, but the warrior ranked spirit beast smashed through her barrier in one swipe before slashing at her.

The claws would have torn her neck out if they had landed, but Xia Xing Yue was no longer there.

"Shu Cong?!"

Somehow, I had made it in time with my footwork technique and succeeded in barreling into her, knocking her away from the shadow leopard.

"You saved my life…!"

"Not yet! The enemy is still here!"

Drawing my sword, I parried the vicious claws from the shadow leopard. However, its sheer strength sent me sprawling on the ground. It was a miracle that I managed to hold onto my dragon sword, but already my arm felt numb from the tremendous impact.

The shadow leopard snarled and slashed at me, intending to tear my head off, but Xia Xing Yue intervened. A few ice swords pierced through the shadow leopard.

No, they didn't. The ice swords broke against its thick black fur but didn't even draw blood. My friend clicked her tongue.

"Equivalent to the peak of Heaven realm, huh?"

"Captain!"

The Ten Thousand Swords University students were rushing out of the barrier formation that I had conjured, trying to help their leader. Xia Xing Yue withdrew, sparing them a glance.

"Be careful. Those who are still injured, remain inside the barrier. The rest of you, with me. Formation delta!"

"Wait!" I called out, swinging about. "There's another Shadow Leopard!"

A second one jumped out of the trees and struck. I barely parried its strike, smoke rising from my blade as I was sent skidding backward.

"Are you all right?" one of the other students asked, rushing forward to help. The shadow leopard twisted around and slashed at him. It would have eviscerated the poor fella if I hadn't used my footwork technique to hurl myself forward and send the both of us crashing onto the ground.

"Watch out!" I snapped, out of breath because of my clumsy use of Jin. "The shadow leopard is one of the swiftest warrior-class spirit beasts."

"T…thanks!" he stammered. He glanced at his friends, who gathered to form a triangular arrowhead formation. They raised their weapons, which consisted of two spears and a sword, and charged forward.

The shadow leopard batted them aside, easily shattering their formation. Before it could bear down on them, I was already between them. Twirling my dragon sword, I exchanged several furious blows with the relentless shadow leopard.

"Ugh!"

I could feel blood drip from my wounds. Despite doing my best with Heavenly Flow and Earthly Paths, the shadow leopard's claws succeeded in raking my skin, tearing flesh and gouging chunks of meat out of my arms and body. Staggering back, bleeding profusely, I desperately slashed with my dragon sword, but the shadow leopard easily bounded away.

Damn it! Its speed was far superior to mine, to the extent that even with Heavenly Flow and Earthly Paths, I couldn't keep up with it. I could read the flow of its qi and detect the currents of its qi as it executed its attacks, but I just couldn't avoid those strikes in time.

Heaving, I tried to knock the shadow leopard away as it swiped at me, only for it to disappear. Thanks to my sixth sense, I was aware that it had somehow gotten behind me. Whirling around, I swung my sword at the same time it slashed at me. Claws bit into metal and I was sent staggering from the tremendous blow.

While I frantically defended myself, I risked a glance at Xia Xing Yue. She and her other comrades were busily engaging the first shadow leopard. In her desperation, she had frozen almost the entire clearing, but the shadow leopard was easily breaking free from the ice and launching attacks. Fortunately, with her reinforcements, Xia Xing Yue had clearly dealt severe damage to the shadow leopard. Now I could see blood leaking from multiple wounds all over its body.

The first shadow leopard's movements were also slowing, a combination of Xia Xing Yue's ice and the loss of blood from the many injuries that its human opponents had delivered.

In contrast, I had yet to deal any injuries to the shadow leopard yet. I was solely on the defensive, and even so I was failing. The shadow leopard was too fast. It was making use of its brutal strength to rip my defenses apart and land more wounds on me. Just when I thought I parried its paws, its claws raked my back from behind, sending a spray of blood.

"Ugh!"

I swung my sword and nicked the shadow leopard, finally drawing blood. Hissing in pain, the shadow leopard retaliated with a slash that tore through my shoulder and grazed my temple. As I was sent spinning to the ground, I could feel blood streaming down my face. Coughing, I leaned on my sword and forced myself to my feet.

Smacking me about, the shadow leopard appeared to toy with me. The three Ten Thousand Swords University students who were trying to support me charged forward, but they were swatted away almost effortlessly by the nocturnal predator.

No choice. I had to gamble everything on this move. I could feel the tension, the realization that I might actually die here if I slipped up. But I was aware that I would succumb anyway if I didn't do anything to turn the tables on my foe.

The shadow leopard was too strong.

But it wasn't a demonic cultivator. Sure, just like those bastards from the future, it was intent on taking my life…but it wasn't out of malice. Wait, perhaps there was malice in it. The shadow leopard was clearly toying with me.

Good. If it underestimated me, just like those idiotic demonic cultivators, then perhaps I might stand a chance after all.

Taking a deep breath, I took my glasses off and activated my enhanced sixth sense.