Chapter 174: Chapter 111: Ninefold Thunder Shock Saber Perfection, Cao Feng’s Shock; The Same "Seven Stars Castle," Chu Fan’s Horror

At the foot of White Tiger Mountain, behind a leeward earthen slope.

Chu Fan slung the longbow over his back and glanced toward the distant horizon.

A sliver of pale light had appeared on the edge of the deep blue sky.

The last few sparse stars were slowly fading from view.

The surrounding darkness gradually receded, and the outlines of distant mountains slowly emerged from the ink-black void, like great beasts just stirring from their slumber.

The wind was chilling, carrying the unique crispness of the hour before dawn.

A shadow flickered in Chu Fan’s eyes.

Ever since the nightmare last night, the images from his dream had been haunting him like specters, impossible to shake off.

A heavy weight seemed to be pressing on his chest, making it hard to breathe.

Beside him, Zhao Tianxing was already packed and ready.

He watched Chu Fan, his expression tinged with worry.

Ever since waking from his dream last night, Chu Fan hadn’t slept a wink.

He knew Chu Fan’s temperament well. Even when facing members of the White Tiger Gang or the Blood Saber Sect, Chu Fan wouldn’t so much as frown while beheading them one by one and spilling rivers of blood.

’How could a nightmare leave him too scared to even sleep?’

He just felt that something was seriously wrong with Chu Fan right now.

"Are you okay?"

Zhao Tianxing handed him a wheat biscuit, part of their rations.

"I’m fine. Let’s go."

Chu Fan took the biscuit and tilted his head slightly.

The two of them started up the mountain path.

They hadn’t gone far up the mountain when two men suddenly leaped out in front of them, blocking their path. They were disciples of the White Tiger Gang.

"Hunters?"

One of the disciples glanced at the longbows on their backs and asked with a frown, "Why haven’t we seen you before? What village are you from?"

The two men already had their long sabers drawn, their expressions tense.

White Tiger Mountain wasn’t particularly high, but it was a necessary route to the Qilin Mountain Range.

The White Tiger Gang guarded this place with the classic bandit’s attitude of "This mountain is ours to rule." They would bleed hunters and merchants dry, but would grovel and scrape before members of major sects or powerful nobles.

As a minor gang, they relied on their allegiance with the Blood Saber Sect and had managed to thrive.

Recently, however, the Blood Saber Sect’s territory had been almost completely eroded. The sect was now just barely clinging to life, which had given the White Tiger Gang a huge scare.

Before they could even recover, several of the White Tiger Gang’s sub-branches were slaughtered...

Now the members of the White Tiger Gang had lost all their former arrogance, acting like beaten dogs.

Even when they saw hunters, they weren’t nearly as ferocious as they used to be.

But Chu Fan had no intention of playing along.

He activated his Ghost Shadow Illusionary Body Step and closed the distance in an instant. His hands shot out like lightning, seizing both men by the neck!

SNAP!

The two White Tiger Gang disciples didn’t even have time to utter a cry before their necks were crushed.

Zhao Tianxing swallowed hard.

He had long known that Chu Fan had left him in the dust, but he never imagined the gap between them was this enormous!

Lately, he had been training desperately and had consumed numerous Treasure Plants, bringing him to the verge of breaking through to the Bone Marrow Forging Realm...

’But even if I did break through,’ he thought, ’I wouldn’t dare kill an enemy with a move like that.’

’Only someone whose strength far surpasses their opponent’s, someone with absolute confidence, could be so decisive—not even needing to draw their saber!’

The two continued on their way up the mountain.

Without much effort, they slaughtered the White Tiger Gang disciples at all three checkpoints and stealthily made their way halfway up the mountain.

This White Tiger Gang sub-branch was situated in a strategic location halfway up the mountain, easy to defend but difficult to assault.

The stronghold was encircled by a crude wooden stockade, with several watchtowers faintly visible within.

According to the intelligence Zhao Tianxing had purchased, only a single Incense Master was stationed here on White Tiger Mountain.

The White Tiger Gang’s Incense Masters were nothing like those of the three major sects. They hadn’t reached the Entering the Realm of Strength; their strongest were only at the Bone Tempering Realm.

Initially, Zhao Tianxing’s plan was to do what they did at the Fishery: Chu Fan would lead the attack, and he would provide support.

Working together, killing a Bone Tempering Realm expert shouldn’t be too difficult.

After all, they both had Moon Eclipse Arrows.

But before they arrived, Chu Fan changed the plan...

This time, Zhao Tianxing was to take the lead!

The reason was simple: they were taking on the White Tiger Gang for the sake of Zhao Tianxing’s revenge!

Zhao Tianxing agreed, but he couldn’t stop a knot of nervousness from tightening in his chest.

He was only at the peak of the Blood Refining Realm and had yet to break through to the Bone Marrow Forging Realm.

’Even a mighty tiger fears a pack of wolves...’

’And I’m not even a mighty tiger.’

’I don’t have Chu Fan’s Body Technique or his level of strength. If a group got close to me, I’d probably be killed on the spot!’

Thankfully, having Chu Fan by his side gave him some reassurance.

The two crept to the outskirts of the stronghold, scouted the surrounding terrain and paths, then exchanged a look and split up.

Zhao Tianxing moved to the southwest, drew his bow, and nocked an arrow, his intent focused and sharp.

Two bolts of light, like moonbeams, materialized and shot silently toward two of the watchtowers.

At almost the same moment, Chu Fan, who had moved a short distance to the southeast, also let two arrows fly.

The arrows pierced the necks of the guards on the two watchtowers, pinning their bodies to the wooden posts.

Having chosen their positions, they each climbed one of the watchtowers.

The watchtowers were built on high ground and constructed from timber.

From the top, they had a commanding view of the area outside the White Tiger Gang’s sub-branch gate. They could also see a wide stretch of the outer perimeter and the path leading up the mountain.

To avoid these two watchtowers earlier, they had gone to great lengths, taking a long detour and finally scaling a nearby cliff to get into position.

Now, having climbed the tower in silence, Chu Fan casually fired off two more arrows, killing the guards at the main gate who were still yawning.

"We’re under attack!"

Moments after the gate guards were killed, someone inside the stronghold noticed, and the alarm bells began to clang wildly.

But Chu Fan and Zhao Tianxing remained on their watchtowers, loosing arrow after arrow, continuously reaping the lives of the White Tiger Gang members who charged out the gate.

"Who dares to be so bold!"

A furious roar echoed from within the stronghold.

A volley of feathered arrows shot toward the watchtowers where the two were positioned.

Unfortunately, their archery was so poor that not a single arrow even grazed their clothes.

Immediately after, however, the White Tiger Gang switched to fire arrows.