Chapter 414: Losing Heart

Yao Che looked at Duan Rong and Ximen Kankan, who were standing on the periphery of the crowd, his gaze cold and stern.

This group of fellows had only just entered the Tower Forest; for this first day, besides teaching them the necessary rules, he was preparing to find an opportunity to dampen the restless hearts of these fellows. This was already a custom for the Tower Forest Instructors.

Yet, not long after he began speaking, he saw Duan Rong and Ximen Kankan chatting and laughing there.

Especially that fair and chubby short man, who had a large bump on his forehead; one look and it was clear he had snuck out of the tower privately last night.

Such restless fellows needed to be properly disciplined, and it would also serve as an example for the others, letting them know exactly what kind of place the Tower Forest was.

Yao Che pointed his finger at Ximen Kankan and said, "You go first!"

That sturdy, dark-skinned youth just stood there in silence, and Yao Che found him somewhat more pleasing to the eye by comparison. As for the chubby short man beside him, his eyes were darting around shiftily; for some reason, Yao Che got angry just looking at him.

Ximen Kankan's expression froze, and he asked, "Just me alone?"

He had wanted to cling to Duan Rong's coattails; if Duan Rong went, he could just hide on the side and watch. But he hadn't expected the Instructor to make him go alone.

Yao Che said coldly, "The rule is one person."

Ximen Kankan was somewhat panicked and hesitant.

Yao Che said, "You all have to challenge this family sooner or later, otherwise you won't be able to leave the Tower Forest. This is also a practice opportunity; if you keep dawdling, I will throw you over!"

"No need for that! Instructor Yao! I'll go myself!"

Ximen Kankan immediately became a bit nervous. He was terrified that Yao Che would actually throw him over.

Ximen Kankan walked tremblingly and slowly to a distance of three zhang from the baboon family, then stood there without moving.

The male baboon, whose physique was like a small mountain, saw Ximen Kankan walk over, and a warlike expression immediately welled up in its two copper-bell-sized eyes.

Ximen Kankan stopped, looked at the baboon family three zhang away, and suddenly bowed, calling out, "Big Brother Baboon, let's stop once we've made our point, let's not hurt our harmony. I'll pick some fruit for you to eat later. How about that?"

The baboon was stunned, as if it hadn't expected this person to act this way.

Yao Che was also stunned, then he actually smiled. He suddenly realized that this chubby short man was not only slippery but also an interesting fellow.

The crowd also let out a burst of snickering.

The baboon, however, clearly didn't buy this, and suddenly let out a ferocious roar.

Following that, Ximen Kankan's face turned dark; he saw the male baboon had already transformed into a black shadow, smashing toward him with speed as fast as a thunderbolt.

Ximen Kankan immediately shifted his stance to dodge to one side. But the moment his body moved, he saw a black shadow flash before his eyes; the baboon had closed the distance before he knew it, its clenched fist like a stone pestle, calling out toward his face with astonishing momentum!

Although it was just one exchange, Ximen Kankan had already judged that this baboon's strength and speed far exceeded his own! There was simply no way to fight!

Ximen Kankan immediately lowered his body and rolled on the ground, suddenly rolling behind the baboon, then jumped up, drawing his saber in mid-air; a flash of blade light appeared, and he unleashed a killing move of the Splitting Sky Saber, slashing toward the back of the baboon's head.

Seeing this, Yao Che gave a soft exclamation; he had already seen that Ximen Kankan was at the True Qi Realm Second Layer, but this roll and slash were quite beautiful, and the timing was handled perfectly.

Yao Che nodded slightly. "The person is a bit slippery, but in terms of aptitude, he is still a talent worth molding!"

But the moment Ximen Kankan drew his saber in mid-air, the baboon turned its body, and another punch came calling toward him.

With him in mid-air, he had no choice but to slash his blade toward the baboon's incoming giant fist!

Upon contact, it actually emitted a "ding" sound, the ring of metal against stone.

A violent, massive force surged over; Ximen Kankan's saber was knocked out of his hand and flew away. While still in mid-air, he was slapped to the ground by the baboon, and before he could react, the baboon stepped down, driving the lower half of his body into the dirt.

The female baboon on the side just watched with soft eyes, while the little baboon standing on its shoulder was screaming excitedly, as if cheering it on.

The male baboon stepped on Ximen Kankan's waist, its giant fist tightly clenched, fierce light shooting from its eyes, and it looked like it was about to smash its fist into Ximen Kankan's head.

In the crowd, a sound of gasping could already be heard.

They had originally intended to watch the fun, but seeing Ximen Kankan about to be brutally killed on the spot by the baboon, they felt a sense of shared grief, and where was there any playfulness left now?

Yao Che, however, watched with cold eyes.

That male baboon had been on Tiefeng Mountain for nearly a hundred years and was already extremely human-like. It would absolutely not kill anyone. It knew that these people in the Tower Forest were all Inner Sect Disciples of the Sect; if it killed anyone, it would have to die too!

That punch of its was just to smash the chubby short man into the mud, and then sit on him.

These people had just arrived last night and didn't know.

As long as one was defeated in a spar with the male baboon, this was the standard treatment, and it had to happen every time.

In the Tower Forest, who hadn't been sat on by this big baboon?

Ximen Kankan, however, didn't know; he thought he was truly going to die.

He instantly mobilized his True Qi, gathering it at the back of his head, hoping to mitigate the force of this punch. But he knew this was just a straw for a drowning man, and it was of no real use.

At this moment, he suddenly remembered the scenes of his father forcing him to practice every day; if he had been a bit more obedient, perhaps he wouldn't be dying now!

Just as the big baboon's fist, like a stone pestle, was about to smash down, Yao Che felt a flash before his eyes, and Duan Rong had already darted out!

That speed gave Yao Che a start!

His pupils shrank slightly.

"This speed?! Is it Great Perfection?"

Everyone on the field saw a black shadow, like a fleeting light skimming the surface of a lake, suddenly flash. When they looked closely, they saw that a small figure was already standing in front of the big baboon.

Duan Rong's physique was not small, but compared to the big baboon beside him, he really looked like a small person.

But that small person's movements were as elusive as a ghost, and when he suddenly stood firm, his right leg was already kicked out!

His slender leg kicked right into the big baboon's fist that was smashing toward Ximen Kankan.

That scene was quite shocking!

It was just like a slender branch tipping a giant stone.

Everyone present felt their breathing hitch slightly.

Almost at that very instant, the big baboon's shoulder actually trembled slightly.

Yao Che's eyelids jumped. "It's leg technique!"

The big baboon was suddenly stunned; it had originally intended to smash the chubby short man's head into the mud, but someone had suddenly darted out and blocked its punch.

Duan Rong had arrived in a flash, kicking out in his haste! But he had just watched the spar between the baboon and Ximen Kankan, and he was already very clear about its strength.

The big baboon was clearly enraged, immediately letting go of Ximen Kankan and pouncing toward Duan Rong.

Duan Rong's figure flashed, bypassing it, and suddenly he kicked the baboon in the ribs, actually causing its body to sway and nearly topple over.

The baboon let out a roar of rage, waving its two hands again to smash at Duan Rong.

Duan Rong, however, suddenly stepped onto the baboon's fist, and with a tap of his toes, he actually began to leap upon the baboon's elbows and shoulders.

Duan Rong's figure was as fast as a ghost, leaping and tapping, flashing continuously like a dance, and he had already darted behind the large baboon and mounted its neck.

The large baboon roared at the sky, shaking its body back and forth!

At this moment, the female baboon, which had remained motionless on the side, also made a move; its originally gentle gaze now flashed with a touch of brutality.

The female baboon's figure was actually even more agile than the male baboon's!

It suddenly jumped up, clapping its two hands at the back of the male baboon's neck, actually trying to swat Duan Rong down.

Duan Rong, however, showed no mercy; the moment the female baboon clapped over, he suddenly jumped sideways and kicked horizontally toward the female baboon's head!

He sent it flying away directly!

The female baboon's figure was agile, but its strength and physique were not as good as the male baboon's!

The small baboon that had been clinging to the female baboon's shoulder was also thrown off together, immediately letting out a series of terrified cries!

Seeing the mother and child harmed, the male baboon's eyes turned blood-red, as if it were in heat, and it hammered violently at Duan Rong, its speed and strength actually increasing by a few notches.

Yao Che's heart skipped a beat.

Oh no! That kid first stopped the baboon from smashing the short, fat man's head into the mud. Then he mounted the baboon's neck. After that, he injured the female baboon and the small baboon!

Although this baboon has human-like intelligence, it is still a beast after all!

Under this kid's repeated provocations, he actually triggered its stress response!

Yao Che was already prepared to intervene! He was afraid that in its berserk rage, the baboon would tear the kid apart alive.

But the next moment, he suddenly discovered that even in its berserk, mindless state, the baboon was still being suppressed and beaten by that kid?

"This!? How is that possible?!"

In fact, to defeat this baboon family, it is possible as long as one breaks through to the True Qi Realm Great Perfection. Being possible means there is a chance; usually, after trying a few more times, one will succeed at some point.

After all, the baboon family consists of one male and one female, and sometimes their coordination is not that tacit, so they can be exploited.

But to be able to suppress and beat the baboon while it is in a berserk, mindless state is no longer the level of an ordinary Great Perfection.

Moreover, after observing, Yao Che discovered that the kid seemed to be using leg techniques and Capture. He even had a saber tied to his waist, but his saber had not been drawn even now!

His leg techniques and Capture were not just one style; Yao Che had just recognized over a dozen of them, and all were at the Great Perfection level.

"What kind of freak is this! How can anyone cultivate like this?"

Yao Che's heart was surging like a river; he had been an Instructor in this Tower Forest for over twenty years, and this was the first time he had seen such a fellow.

To have cultivated over a dozen styles of Capture and leg techniques all to the Great Perfection level!

Isn't this insane? Is he bored out of his mind?!

Not long after, the male baboon was kicked unconscious at Duan Rong's feet!

The female baboon brought the small baboon over, but it was quite afraid of Duan Rong, so it could only wail from half a zhang away, not daring to get close.

As the small baboon kept crying, it suddenly recognized Duan Rong.

It pointed at Duan Rong while chattering wildly at the female baboon beside it, seemingly saying something.

The look in the female baboon's eyes as it looked at Duan Rong became even more terrified.

Duan Rong stepped aside, and the female baboon immediately went over to help up the male baboon, which had fallen like a small mountain, and held the male baboon's head in its arms.

Seeing that the male baboon was still breathing heavily and did not seem to be seriously injured, the female baboon finally felt relieved.

Yao Che scrutinized Duan Rong, his heart stirring as if he had remembered something, and he suddenly asked, "Who are you?"

Duan Rong said, "Instructor Yao, my name is Duan Rong!"

"It really is you!" Yao Che exclaimed.

This person had cultivated over a dozen styles of Capture and leg techniques all to the Great Perfection level, and Yao Che had felt something was very wrong. Then he suddenly remembered one thing.

Among this batch of sect disciples entering the Tower Forest, there was indeed a genius rarely seen in a hundred years!

The person who, during the Divine Soul test in the Deep Valley, was half a step away from stepping onto the Altar.

Upon hearing that it was indeed this person, he was suddenly relieved.

Since he was a genius rarely seen in a hundred years, how he cultivated was not something he could understand.

And such a person was not someone he could teach either!

If he followed the same cultivation path as ordinary people, could he still be called a genius?

Yao Che said, "Duan Rong! You have passed! From this moment on, you may leave the Tower Forest!"

"Ah!"

Duan Rong did not expect that he had only entered the Tower Forest last night, and after just one night, he was now considered to have left the Tower Forest!

Everyone in the field looked at Duan Rong with envious eyes.

Xiao Yu's gaze, however, was both joyful and sorrowful.

Naturally, she was happy that Duan Rong had passed the test and was leaving the Tower Forest. But when she thought that she would be locked in this Tower Forest from now on, and did not know when she would see Duan Rong again, how could she not feel sorrow rising in her heart?

Ximen Kankan, however, jumped over with a face full of dirt and said, "Well fought! That baboon just needed a lesson!"

Yao Che glared at Ximen Kankan and said, "Get back in line!"

Ximen Kankan stuck out his tongue, immediately darted into the crowd, and stood in his original empty spot.

Yao Che said, "You stand on the side for a moment; after I finish explaining to them, I will take you to the Instructor Camp."

Duan Rong nodded and walked to the side. Standing in that position, through the gaps in the crowd, he could just see Xiao Yu.

Yao Che merely explained some more rules and the different content that each of them, the Instructors, taught, after which he dismissed the crowd and let them return to their respective towers.

Shadows shifted, and the crowd began to disperse.

Yao Che turned his head to look at Duan Rong and said, "Come with me."

Xiao Yu stood there for a long time, unwilling to leave, staring blankly at Duan Rong.

Duan Rong said, "Mr. Yao, wait for me a moment."

Yao Che's figure paused slightly, and Duan Rong walked up to Xiao Yu.

Without any hesitation, Duan Rong hugged Xiao Yu directly.

The two of them embraced affectionately.

Duan Rong said, "Cultivate well, I will wait for you to come out of the tower!"

Xiao Yu sobbed, "I will!"

Duan Rong let go of Xiao Yu; after all, Yao Che was still waiting nearby, and they could not say goodbye for too long.

Duan Rong said, "Go back to the tower. I will stay here and watch you enter!"

Xiao Yu nodded and turned to walk toward the Tower Forest.

She looked back every few steps, and each time she looked back, Duan Rong's gaze was fixed firmly upon her.

Xiao Yu walked to the entrance of the tower, and tears flowed down once more. At this moment, she even wanted to give up this status as an Inner Sect Disciple, just to follow Duan Rong, be a wife, and raise their children.

Duan Rong stood at the edge of the Tower Forest, waving at her with a smile from afar.

Xiao Yu finally entered the tower with teary eyes; in the cramped and dark space of the tower, she could not help but cry.

She already knew that she needed to reach the True Qi Realm Great Perfection to walk out of this Tower Forest, but when would she ever be able to cultivate to the Great Perfection realm!?

And when would she be able to see Duan Rong again?

On this side, seeing Xiao Yu's figure disappear into the Tower Forest, the smile on Duan Rong's face stiffened, and a sense of loss washed over his heart.

Yao Che sighed behind him, "Sentimental attachments hinder the Dao Heart!"

Duan Rong turned his head and rolled his eyes at him, saying, "She is my wife. Are the ethics of heaven, earth, and humanity not also the Dao?"

Yao Che was left speechless by his retort and said, "Let's go."

The figures of the two then stepped into the dense forest.

After they had walked for quite a while, that male baboon finally woke up leisurely from the female baboon's embrace. The baboon sat up dejectedly, looking at the silent Tower Forest, feeling a wave of annoyance.

(End of this chapter)