69: Chapter 69 Shadow Canyon, Battle Against the Shadow Leopard!

"It seems the difficulty of this mission lies in the dark and complex environment, as well as the concealment and speed of the Shadow Leopard."

Ye Chen pondered.

For him, possessing the Mist Transformation Steps and powerful Divine Sense,

this was actually more advantageous than dealing with thick-skinned, strength-based Yao Beasts.

As for the cold environment, his Profound Ice True Essence was equally unafraid, and might even be beneficial.

Ye Chen then took out the Yellow Rank Low Grade standard longsword issued by the Sect and began to study the accompanying "Flowing Cloud Sword Technique."

The sword technique had only three forms: "Moving Clouds and Flowing Water," "Clouds Rolling and Clouds Unfurling," and "Boundless Sea of Clouds."

It emphasized continuous sword momentum, elegant footwork, and overcoming hardness with softness.

Although the grade was low, as a foundational sword technique of the Tianyun Sword Sect, it was quite balanced and upright.

It contained a trace of the Concept of cloud transformation.

It was somewhat helpful for broadening his vision of the Sword Dao and integrating into the Sect's sword technique System.

Ye Chen spent half a day practicing the three forms of the sword technique until he was proficient.

Although its power was far inferior to his self-created Ice Fire sword moves, it was sufficient for handling ordinary situations and keeping up appearances.

He then took out the remaining Talisman paper and cinnabar he had brought from Qingyun City to attempt drawing a few simple Talismans.

He had never systematically learned how to craft Talismans.

However, he had seen some basics in the miscellaneous books given by Lin Qingxue.

Coupled with his currently powerful Mental Energy and precise control over Spiritual Qi,

he successfully drew a few "Light Body Talismans," "Cold Resistance Talismans," and "Illumination Talismans," which were better than nothing.

As for offensive Talismans, the failure rate was too high, so he had to give up on them.

Finally, Ye Chen adjusted his state to the best condition and checked his belongings once more.

The ice scar sword, standard longsword, identity token, Storage Pouch, positioning jade Talisman, a few bottles of ordinary Medicinal Pills, dry rations, water skin, fire starter, and the drawn Talismans.

As well as the dimmed profound ice token, Black Wind Fiend's token, and the secret letter.

And the black tortoise armor worn close to his body.

After confirming everything was correct, Ye Chen changed into the black martial attire that was convenient for movement.

He put on his Inner Sect Disciple white robe over it and pushed open the stone door of his Immortal Cave.

On the morning of the third day, the sky was faintly bright, and the mist had not yet dispersed.

Ye Chen left Flowing Cloud Peak and followed the guidance of the positioning jade Talisman.

He headed towards the outer edge of the Tianyun Mountain Range, in the direction of the Black Wind Mountain Range.

He did not use a flying Spiritual Artifact.

For Ye Chen's current leg strength, the mere thousand-mile journey

could be completed in one day if he traveled at full speed to reach the outer edge.

This was a good opportunity to familiarize himself with the terrain and hone his footwork.

Along the way, he encountered many other Inner Sect Disciples who were also out on missions.

Most of them were riding various spiritual birds or maneuvering sword lights, whistling past.

They cast surprised or indifferent glances at Ye Chen, who was running on the ground.

Ye Chen didn't mind and pushed the Mist Transformation Steps to the limit.

His figure flickered unpredictably through the mountain forest, and his speed was surprisingly not slow.

...

By evening, he had penetrated deep into the Black Wind Mountain Range.

He was now far from the Tianyun Sword Sect mountain gate, and the Spiritual Qi had become thin and impure.

The mountain forest was also more primitive and wild, and the roars of Yao Beasts could be heard from the depths from time to time.

Ye Chen found a hidden cave to spend the night, set up a simple warning Formation, and consumed a Medicinal Pill to regulate his breathing.

The night passed without incident.

The next day, following the guidance of the jade Talisman, he ventured another hundred miles into the northwest direction.

The surrounding environment became noticeably cold and damp.

Towering ancient trees blocked out the sun, and the forest was filled with a faint grayish-white mist, making the light dim.

The air was filled with the smell of rotting branches and leaves mixed with some kind of cold qi.

"I should be almost there."

Ye Chen stopped and took out the positioning jade Talisman.

On the jade Talisman, a point of light was flickering slightly.

It pointed to a deep, dark gorge entrance directly ahead, formed by two steep black mountains.

The mist at the entrance was even denser, almost substantial, rolling constantly, as if it were a giant mouth waiting to devour people.

Shadow Gorge.

Ye Chen put away the jade Talisman, his eyes narrowing slightly.

He did not enter immediately, but first circulated his Profound Ice True Essence.

A thin layer of cold qi shield formed on his body surface.

This could both resist the possible cold invasion and, to a certain extent, interfere with the Shadow Leopard's perception of heat and life aura.

At the same time, he slowly released his Divine Sense, carefully probing into the mist at the entrance of the gorge.

The mist had the effect of blocking Divine Sense; with his current Divine Sense strength, he could only probe about ten zhang.

Anything deeper was a blur.

As far as his eyes could see, there were slippery, moss-covered black rock walls.

The ground was covered with thick, decaying leaves that had accumulated for who knows how many years, and occasionally one could see pale beast bones.

He did not find any traces of the Shadow Leopard, but that gloomy and oppressive feeling followed him like a shadow.

"moon shadow grass likes the shade and often grows in cliff crevices where moonlight can penetrate the mist, or near shaded springs..."

Ye Chen recalled the records in the handbook and looked at the dim sky.

Although it was still daytime, the valley was already like twilight.

He decided to enter the valley first to find a suitable collection site and, at the same time, investigate the Shadow Leopard's lair.

Subsequently, Ye Chen used the "Mist Transformation Steps," concealing his aura to the extreme, like a ghost.

He slipped into the fog-filled gorge silently.

Once inside the gorge, the temperature plummeted, and the light became even dimmer.

Everything around was dead silent, with only his own light footsteps and the occasional dripping of water.

The mist flowed around him, carrying a bone-chilling cold.

If it were an ordinary Meridian Opening Realm Cultivator, they would likely be frozen stiff before long.

But for Ye Chen, this cold qi actually refreshed his spirit, and his Profound Ice True Essence became a bit more active.

He moved carefully inward along the rock wall on one side of the gorge.

His Divine Sense acted like tentacles, carefully scanning everything around him.

On the rock walls, he could occasionally see some moss or shade-loving herbs emitting a faint dim light.

But none of them were moon shadow grass.

After proceeding for about a mile, the gorge became narrower and more winding, and a fork in the road appeared.

Ye Chen stopped, hesitating about which way to go.

Suddenly, his Divine Sense captured something deep in the left fork.

A trace of extremely faint, cold-attributed Spiritual Qi fluctuation was coming from it, which was somewhat similar to the description of moon shadow grass.

His spirit lifted, and he immediately turned to the left fork.

This fork was narrower and darker, with the rock walls overhead almost closing in.

Only a sliver of daylight remained, and the mist condensed into water droplets here.

They kept dripping, making "drip, drip" sounds, which were exceptionally clear in the silence.

After advancing another few dozen zhang, a small pool of water appeared ahead.

The pool water was pitch black, bottomless, and emitted an even stronger cold qi.

And on the opposite side of the pool, near the base of the cliff, in a crevice of a damp rock illuminated by a faint ray of daylight penetrating through a crack above,

there were surprisingly three plants growing!

The plant was only half a foot tall.

Its body was translucent grayish-white, with slender leaves, as if condensed from moonlight.

At the top, it bloomed with rice-grain-sized little flowers that emitted a soft moon-white halo.

It was exactly the "moon shadow grass"! Moreover, looking at its shape and luster, it had a decent age, completely meeting the mission requirements.

"Not bad luck."

Ye Chen was delighted. But he did not immediately go forward to pick them.

moon shadow grass usually has a companion Yao Beast guarding it, or the cold Spiritual Qi it emits itself will attract shade-loving Yao Beasts to dwell there.

The Shadow Leopard was likely nearby.

He held his breath and completely hid his figure behind the shadow of a protruding rock.

His Divine Sense acted like the most precise net, slowly scanning around the pool.

Especially those dark corners, rock crevices, and the cliff walls overhead that light could hardly reach.

There was no movement.

Everything was terrifyingly dead silent.

There was only the sound of dripping water and the barely perceptible Spiritual Qi fluctuations emitted by the three moon shadow grass plants.

Could it be that the guardian Yao Beast just happened not to be here?

Or, was this moon shadow grass not the exclusive property of the Shadow Leopard?

Ye Chen's vigilance did not decrease but increased instead. Something abnormal must have a demon.

He patiently waited for about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, and there was still no abnormality.

He could not wait any longer; a long delay might lead to trouble. He decided to take a risk.

Subsequently, Ye Chen took a deep breath, his internal True Essence circulating secretly, and the ice scar sword could be drawn at any moment.

Then, his figure flickered, like an arrow off the string, and he dashed out from his hiding place, aiming straight at the three moon shadow grass plants!

His speed was extremely fast, yet he was as light as a feather, landing without a sound.

The ten-zhang distance was covered in an instant.

Ye Chen reached out with his right hand, his True Essence wrapping around his palm, intending to grab the three moon shadow grass plants along with the soil at their roots.

Just at the moment his fingertips were about to touch the moon shadow grass—

An unexpected change occurred!

"Roar—!"

A low, cold roar that seemed to sound directly from the depths of the Soul came from directly above his head without any warning!

At the same time, a fierce, unparalleled killing intent, carrying a bone-chilling cold and a fishy stench,

locked onto him firmly!

Ye Chen felt a wild warning ringing in his heart; without hesitation, he forcibly stopped his forward momentum.

He executed the "Mist Transformation Steps" to the limit under his feet and dashed sharply to the side and back!

"Rip!"

A pitch-black sharp claw, which had almost merged with the surrounding shadows, brushed past his back.

It tore three long gashes in the white robe on his back.

Revealing the black martial attire inside and skin that faintly shimmered with a jade-like luster!

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If the black tortoise armor hadn't reacted instantly to offset most of the force,

this claw strike would likely have shredded his flesh!

Ye Chen's figure retreated several yards, his back against the rock wall as he looked up.

Above him, in the shadow of the cliff wall he had previously scanned with Divine Sense only to find nothing,

a massive, pitch-black figure with a pair of eyes shimmering with an eerie green light appeared.

It slowly "flowed" down like melting asphalt.

It landed on the ground without a sound. It was indeed a Shadow Leopard!

This beast had actually been lurking in the shadows of the rock wall directly above the moon shadow grass.

It blended perfectly with its surroundings.

Even Divine Sense detection had been interfered with and blocked by some kind of innate talent!

What terrifying concealment ability!

At this moment, the Shadow Leopard fully revealed itself.

It was a size larger than an ordinary leopard.

Its sleek lines were full of explosive power, and its pitch-black fur seemed to absorb all light in the dim environment.

Only those eerie green vertical pupils, cold and cruel, stared fixedly at Ye Chen.

It was as if it were looking at prey that had intruded upon its territory and disturbed its sweet dreams.

It crouched low, a threatening low growl emanating from its throat.

Its sharp claws carved deep furrows into the damp ground.

It exuded the ferocious aura of a second-rank Peak Yao Beast.

"As expected, it's here."

Ye Chen's eyes were cold as he slowly drew his ice scar sword.

An eerie blue light flowed along the blade, dispelling some of the surrounding chill.

That was truly dangerous just now; had he not reacted quickly and had the protection of the black tortoise armor, he would have suffered a great loss.

This Shadow Leopard was indeed a Yao Beast specialized in assassination; patient, enduring, and if it missed its strike, it immediately revealed itself to intimidate.

The Shadow Leopard seemed somewhat surprised that Ye Chen could dodge its certain-kill strike.

Its eerie green pupils constricted slightly, but its killing intent grew even stronger.

Its limbs flexed slightly, and it suddenly exerted force!

Whoosh!

Its figure instantly vanished from its spot, leaving only a faint black afterimage behind!

Its speed was incredibly fast, like a true shadow darting through!

In the next instant, it appeared on Ye Chen's left side, a claw lunging toward his heart with a shrill sound of breaking air!

Simultaneously, it opened its mouth and spat out a cloud of dark green poisonous mist, foul-smelling and clearly highly toxic.

It enveloped Ye Chen's face!

The offensive was fierce and perfectly coordinated, sealing off all of Ye Chen's escape directions!

Ye Chen's eyes narrowed, not daring to be careless.

He executed the Mist Transformation Steps once again.

His figure was like willow catkins, drifting out through the gap between the claw wind and the poisonous mist in the nick of time.

At the same time, he swung the ice scar sword upward with a backhand, sending a condensed blue Sword QiGang toward the Shadow Leopard's neck!

The Shadow Leopard reacted extremely quickly; missing its strike, it immediately twisted its body.

With incredible flexibility, it avoided the Sword Qi, its thick tail acting like a steel whip.

With a whistling sound, it swept toward Ye Chen's lower body!

Ye Chen tapped his toes and leaped into the air, dodging the tail whip.

While in mid-air, he thrust out the ice scar sword repeatedly.

Several streaks of frigid Sword Qi shot toward the Shadow Leopard's vital points like raindrops!

The Shadow Leopard's figure blurred again, turning into streaks of black afterimages as it maneuvered within the narrow space.

It actually managed to avoid most of the Sword Qi.

The few streaks that did land on it were deflected by that layer of pitch-black fur that seemed capable of absorbing attacks.

Only a few white marks were left, failing to cause any substantial damage.

"Such fast speed! Such strong defense!"

Ye Chen landed, secretly alarmed.

This Shadow Leopard was indeed a second-rank Peak beast, far more troublesome than those Earth Fire Scorpion Kings in the Molten Fire Abyss.

Especially its speed and concealment abilities.

The Shadow Leopard was also enraged by Ye Chen's fierce Sword Qi and strange movement technique, letting out a sharp screech.

Black energy surged around its body, and its speed actually increased once more!

It no longer attempted a direct frontal assault, but instead circled Ye Chen at high speed.

It constantly launched sneak attacks from various tricky angles—claws, tail, and the poisonous mist from its mouth.

They came in an unending stream, displaying the characteristics of an assassin to the fullest.

For a time, only shifting black shadows and flickering sword light could be seen within the gorge.

The sounds of clashing metal and exploding energy were constant.

Ye Chen pushed his Mist Transformation Steps and sword techniques to their limits, maintaining a steady defense and counterattacking.

He was not impatient; although this Shadow Leopard was fast,

its attack power was not particularly outstanding compared to its speed.

With the black tortoise armor and his powerful Physical Body, he could withstand it.

He was waiting, waiting for an opportunity—waiting for this beast to become frustrated after failing to land a hit, revealing a flaw, or using its ultimate move.

Sure enough, after fighting for about the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, the Shadow Leopard grew increasingly agitated at its inability to win.

It suddenly leaped back, creating distance from Ye Chen, its eerie green pupils staring fixedly at him.

A low, gurgling growl came from its throat.

The black energy around its body churned violently.

It actually faintly condensed into several black phantoms identical to its original body!

Innate Divine Ability—Shadow Clone!

"Roar!"

With a fierce roar, including the original body,

five nearly identical Shadow Leopards pounced toward Ye Chen from different directions with shrill killing intent!

Each one was lifelike, radiating the same aura and killing intent, making it difficult to distinguish the real one! Moreover, their speed was even faster than before!

"Perfect!"

A sharp light flashed in Ye Chen's eyes as he advanced instead of retreating!

He knew that this beast using its innate Divine Ability meant it was at the end of its rope.

As long as he broke these Clones, he could secure victory in one stroke!

The ice-fire cyclone within his body spun frantically, and the Ice Lotus Imprint glowed slightly.

A powerful surge of Mental Energy erupted, spreading out like mercury on the ground, scanning the five pouncing figures!

Under the enhancement of the Ice Lotus Imprint, his Divine Sense was extremely sensitive to energy and life signatures!

"The second one on the left!"

In a flash, Ye Chen locked onto the original body, which had the most solid aura and the most subtle energy fluctuations!

He ignored the other four pouncing phantoms.

He concentrated all his power into the ice scar sword in his right hand!

Ice Fire True Essence was compressed and condensed at an unprecedented speed; upon the blade, the icy blue and golden-red lights intertwined once more.

The phantom of that tiny Ice Fire Seal appeared.

But Ye Chen did not use the "Ice Fire Seal."

Instead, he channeled all his power into the simplest, most direct, and swiftest thrust!

"Profound Ice Thorn: Extreme!"

Ye Chen's figure and the sword light almost merged into one, turning into a blue line barely visible to the naked eye.

With speed far exceeding that of the Shadow Leopard, he struck first despite moving second.

He pierced with unerring precision toward the center of the forehead of the locked-on figure.

The place where the Shadow Leopard's Divine Soul and demon core were most closely connected!

This sword strike was fast! Precise! Ruthless!

It condensed all of his spirit, power, and Concept!

Moreover, it seized the perfect moment when the Shadow Leopard was using its innate Divine Ability, its mind was slightly distracted, and its old strength was spent while new strength had yet to arise!

Puchi!

The dull sound of a sharp blade entering flesh.

The ice scar sword pierced into the Shadow Leopard's forehead without any resistance.

Extreme cold Sword Qi and searing hidden force erupted instantly.

They surged frantically along the blade into its brain, destroying all signs of life!

The Shadow Leopard's forward pounce abruptly froze, and its eerie green pupils

were filled with unbelievable terror and despair.

Its sharp claws were only three inches from Ye Chen's throat, but they could no longer advance a single fraction.

The other four phantoms pouncing toward Ye Chen also vanished like soap bubbles the moment the original body was struck.

"Roar..."

The Shadow Leopard let out a weak and unwilling low growl.

Its massive body twitched a few times before crashing to the ground.

The light in its eyes quickly dimmed, and its aura vanished completely.

The second-rank Peak Yao Beast, the Shadow Leopard, was dead!

Ye Chen slowly withdrew the ice scar sword; the blade was clean, without a single drop of blood.

He panted slightly, sweat appearing on his forehead.

That sword strike just now seemed easy, but in reality, it had condensed all of his energy and spirit, and the requirement for timing was extremely high.

The consumption was also not small.

Fortunately, it was successful in one hit.

He walked to the Shadow Leopard's corpse and used his sword to cut open its skull.

He took out a pigeon-egg-sized, pitch-black demon core that seemed to have dark mist flowing inside.

It was cold to the touch and contained pure yin-cold energy.

This was exactly what was required for the mission.

After putting away the demon core, Ye Chen walked to the edge of the pool.

He carefully and completely harvested the three stalks of moon shadow grass.

He placed them into a pre-prepared jade box and sealed it.

At this point, all mission objectives were completed.

Ye Chen breathed a sigh of relief, intending to process the other valuable Materials on the Shadow Leopard,

such as the fur, sharp claws, and venomous teeth,

before leaving this gloomy gorge.

However, just as he leaned down to prepare to cut the leopard skin, another change occurred!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Three shrill sounds of breaking air shot toward him from the direction of the gorge entrance without warning!

The speed was like lightning, in a triangular Formation.

They aimed straight for Ye Chen's back, the back of his head, and his lower back—three vital points!

The arrows were pitch-black and silent, yet they carried bone-chilling killing intent and cold poison.