Chapter 28: A Monster

In the forest, the thick canopy of leaves cast dappled shadows on the ground below, creating an ever-shifting pattern. The air was thick with the scent of moss and damp earth, and the calls of distant creatures echoed through the dense foliage.

"Young master Lin Ji, what should we do? The task the clan has given us seems impossible. There is a silver basilisk at the peak of the Body Tempering realm in that area. We don't stand a chance—it took us so much effort just to defeat that mid-level frost boar!" a young boy, Lin San, said, his voice trembling slightly.

"Don't worry about that," Lin Ji replied, a calculating gleam in his eye. "I have my ways. As long as we reach within 20 meters of that snake, I will take care of it. But the problem is it's really good at sneak attacks. For us to reach that distance without losing lives is impossible unless..." Lin Ji trailed off, hinting at something.

Lin San came to a sudden realization. "That's a great idea, young master! We can use the Ning clan members as bait. We will be able to hit two targets with a single arrow," he said, excitement creeping into his voice.

Lin Ji nodded approvingly. "Exactly. Now, the challenge is to lure the basilisk out of its lair and towards the camp of the Ning clan."

"But how will we find the Ning clan's camp?" Lin San asked, furrowing his brow in concern.

Lin Ji smirked. "I've already taken care of that. Not only can I find them, but I have also come up with a plan to lure the beast. We need to ensure that the Ning clan people stay within a particular range of the basilisk."

"How will you do that?" Lin San asked curiously .

Lin Ji took out two vials of a blue concoction gleaming with iridescent light. "These are the special concoction that only be bought from the beast taming sect on the mainland.

It will do it's job but the problem is it's effect is too strong as it is grade 3 and we will have to deal with the beasts that get lured by it .

So be ready to defend yourselves as well , we will strike when they have the least numbers in their camp ." He said as ordered everyone to prepare.

In the morning all of them moved stealthily through the underbrush , careful not to make any unnecessary noise. Lin Ji had a special device, a small orb that pulsed with a faint blue light, designed to track the presence of other cultivators and beasts .

This was the device which helped him avoid more powerful beasts and even spy on basilisk from afar.

This was also a gift from Jian Wuji .

.

He held it in his hand, and its light grew brighter as they moved closer to the Ning clan's camp but something was interfering with the orb so it took more time than usual and it consumed a lot of qi , so he made Lin San carry the device.

"We're getting closer," Lin Ji whispered. "The orb is detecting their presence. Once we find their camp, we'll set our plan into motion."

As they crept closer, Lin Ji outlined his strategy. "We'll use the concoction to drive the beasts into a frenzy. We'll place it near the Ning clan's camp. When the basilisk comes searching for the source, it will inevitably encounter the Ning clan members. For now Prepare a camp of our own one kilometre away from their's."

Lin San nodded, impressed by Lin Ji's meticulous planning. "And what if the Ning clan decides to leave the area?"

"That's where our timing comes in," Lin Ji replied. "We'll need to place the concoction and then create a disturbance to ensure they stay put. Maybe we'll stage a minor attack to keep them occupied."

They soon reached a vantage point overlooking the Ning clan's camp. The Ning members were busy setting up their traps near a stream for beasts they have identified, completely unaware of the danger lurking nearby.

Lin Ji and Lin San retreated a safe distance to avoid detection." We have been waiting for some time now but they are not moving out for some reason there is no need to wait for too long" Lin Ji took out the concoction in a small vial. "This should do the trick," he said, handing the vial to Lin San.

"Place it about 50 meters from their camp, in the direction of the basilisk's lair. Make sure you're quick and don't get spotted while the rest of us will stage the attack."

Lin San nodded, taking the vial and moving swiftly towards the designated spot.

"Alright everyone get ready , we will attack their base and our goal is to pretend as if we are there to break their tablets , that is probably a deliberate loop hole in this competition and after Lin San uses the concoction we retreat as soon as possible as it will take effect in about 15 minutes." Lin Ji ordered.

..........

In the forest, the air was tense with anticipation. My companions and I were gathered in a small clearing, going over our plans to hunt down a peak-level Body Tempering beast. The sound of rustling leaves and distant animal calls filled the silence between our discussions.

"Ning Feng, are you sure we can handle this beast?" one of my companions Ning Po asked, doubt creeping into his voice.

I nodded confidently. "Yes, Remember, it's not just about brute strength but also about strategy. We'll lure it into a trap and weaken it before going in for the kill."

Ning Rong, her face serious, was studying a map of the area. "We'll need to set up formations here and here," she pointed out, "to ensure it can't escape."

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Just as we were finalizing our plans, Ning Rong's expression suddenly shifted. Her eyes widened, and she seemed to be concentrating on something unseen.

"Ning Rong, what is it?" I asked, sensing her unease.

She closed her eyes briefly, then opened them with a look of realization. "There's a disturbance nearby. It’s the Lin clan members. They're coming this way, and... I think they're here to break our tablets, to eliminate us without harming us."

A cold smile spread across her face. "They're trying to play it safe. I’ll go handle this." Without another word, she turned and walked away, leaving the rest of us puzzled.

I watched her go, already aware of what she was planning. I had anticipated something like this and set up a stealthy sensing formation around our camp using various materials, covering a 500-meter radius. Ning Rong's departure didn’t concern me; she could handle herself.

She moved silently through the forest, her steps barely making a sound. Her soul sense, heightened by her soul attribute physique, allowed her to pinpoint the Lin clan members' location with ease.

As she approached, she saw Lin Ji and his group preparing to attack.

Ning Rong stepped out from the shadows, her presence immediately noticed by the Lin clan members.

Lin Ji turned to face her, a smirk on his face. "Ah, Ning Rong. I wondered when you would show up. Are you here to stop us?"

She gave him a cold, defiant look. "Your little plan won’t work. You think you can eliminate us by breaking our tablets? Pathetic."

Lin Ji's smirk widened. "Confident as ever. But confidence won’t save you. You’re outnumbered and outmatched."

Ning Rong drew her sword, her aura flaring. "Numbers mean nothing. I'll take you all down myself if I have to."

Lin Ji laughed, drawing his own weapon. "Bold words. Let’s see if you can back them up."

With that, the tension snapped like a bowstring, and the forest erupted into chaos. Ning Rong moved with blinding speed, her sword a blur as she struck at Lin Ji. He parried her blow, their swords clashing with a shower of sparks.

The other Lin clan members rushed to join the fight, but Ning Rong was a whirlwind of motion, deflecting their attacks and countering with lethal precision. Her movements were fluid, her strikes deadly accurate.

Ning Rong felt the power of mid level body tempering from Lin Ji , he was older than Li Liang who was already on the cusp of high level at the limit of mid level body tempering so this much was expected from a clan's young master.

Ning Rong started to get a bit more serious as she started using her techniques and not just her qi to fight.

Lin Ji slashed at her throat while another girl threw a qi imbued dagger at her from behind , she ducked to dodge the sword and a pulse of qi was released from her like a veil but it concentrated on the point where the dagger was supposed to hit .

The dagger bounced off to the side , even the girl had a shocked face at this display of qi control and this was all the time Rong needed to counterattack as she flickered and appeared beside the girl who was a little distracted and smashed her tablet that was hanging on her hip.

A protective shield appeared from above in form of a light which also acted as a prison trapping her within .

Lin Ji couldn't match her speed since his movement technique was only at initial stage while hers was at intermediate.

Three of the five attacked from the front while two charged from both her flanks she withdrew her sword in her spatial bag and took a fighting stance. She caught the first sword with her bare hands coated in dense qi as she delivered an upper cut to his face while she side stepped another one knocking him out.

Lin Ji took this chance to charge straight at he thrust his sword forward but before he could move his sword towards her back , he reeled back in shock as he almost got skewered by the sword that appeared on her left hand behind her back which was pointing at his abdomen .

She swung her sword sideways in arc forcing back both the people on her flank as they attacked her in unison. Both of their hands were shaking from sheer force in that swing .

"What kind of monster is this , not only she is at mid level at such a young age but all of her techniques are at intermediate level and her qi control is out of this world , it's basically like fighting a high level monstrous beast ?" Lin Yun said.

Lin Ji's confidence began to waver as he realized just how outmatched his group was despite their numbers. Ning Rong was a force of nature, her combat skills honed to perfection.

"You underestimated me," she said, her voice cold and steady. "That will be your downfall."

Lin Ji snarled, trying to rally his comrades. "Don’t let her intimidate you! We can still win!"

But it was clear that victory was slipping away from them. Ning Rong's relentless assault left them with little room to maneuver or counterattack.

Meanwhile, back at our camp, I was monitoring the situation through my sensing formation. I could feel the battle's intensity and knew that Ning Rong had things well in hand.

My companions and I remained on high alert, ready to intervene if necessary, but trusting in Ning Rong's abilities. We had come too far to let the Lin clan disrupt our plans now.

As the fight raged on, it became evident that Ning Rong's sheer willpower and skill were too much for Lin Ji and his group. One by one, the Lin clan members fell, either incapacitated or fleeing in defeat.

Lin Ji, now left without any 'face', faced Ning Rong with a mix of fear and anger. "This isn’t over, Ning Rong. We’ll be back."

She looked at him with icy resolve. "Next time, come prepared for a real fight. Now get out of here."

Lin Ji stumbled away, his remaining comrades following him. Ning Rong watched them go, her sword still at the ready, but she didn’t pursue. She had made her point.

She returned to our camp, her expression calm and composed. "The Lin clan won’t be bothering us for a while," she said simply.

I nodded, a small smile playing on my lips. "Well done, Rong. Now, let’s get back to our original plan. We have a peak-level beast to hunt."

........

Lin San reached his destination .

He carefully placed the vial and activated it, releasing a potent scent into the air. He gave the predetermined signal to his team and ran off .

After 20 minutes passed, the wind carried the scent towards the basilisk's lair, and almost immediately, everyone heard a distant, furious roar.

"Now, we wait," Lin Ji said, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "The basilisk will be drawn out, and the Ning clan will have no choice but to deal with it and the funniest part is they were moving in that exact direction."

As the minutes ticked by, the tension in the air grew palpable. The ground seemed to tremble with the approaching beast's movements. Lin Ji and Lin San watched from their hidden vantage point, ready to fight if needed.

The basilisk, a massive, silver-scaled serpent, emerged from the forest, its eyes glowing with rage. It moved with terrifying speed and grace, heading straight for the source of the scent. As it neared the Ning clan's camp, Lin Ji signalled to Lin San.

"Stay within range, and let the basilisk do the work," Lin Ji whispered to himself, watching as chaos unfolded in the camp below. The Ning clan members, caught off guard, were now faced with a deadly threat.

Lin Ji smiled coldly. "Now, let's see how they handle this."

From their hidden vantage point, Lin Ji and Lin San observed as the Ning clan members fought to defend themselves against the enraged beasts.

Lin Ji knew that their plan was working perfectly. The beasts would either weaken the Ning clan enough for them to make their move, or it would drive them away from their position, allowing the Lin clan to proceed with their objectives unimpeded.

In the chaos, Lin Ji's mind raced with thoughts of the next steps. If the Ning clan survived, they would be significantly weakened, making them easier targets. If they fled, it would be a simple matter to move in and plant the formation flag without resistance.

"Everything is going according to plan," Lin Ji murmured, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction.