Their leader's words acted as a signal, prompting all ten individuals perched in the trees to unleash an array of weapons and techniques aimed at Tyler. Unfazed, he astutely assessed the trajectories and energies of their attacks through his divine sense.
With calculated precision, he advanced toward the burly man, the only visible gap he could readily find, and employed elements of the Flowing River Sweep technique to enhance his lower body, granting him a speed nearly three to four times faster than his usual sprinting speed.
Although this movement technique demanded a significant expenditure of qi, he had no alternative in the current situation.
Despite his heightened senses and formidable strength, an arrow from a henchman hidden in the trees struck him from behind, momentarily taking his breath away as he stumbled forward. Fortunately, the woman wasn't particularly powerful, and Tyler's resilient skin proved tougher than they anticipated, causing the arrow to shatter upon impact.
Within a single breath of time, Tyler recovered and charged forward.
He moved up 20 meters in the matter of a single second, putting pre-shattering world renown sprinters to shame and arrived in front of the leader.
Having already suffused his lower limbs and core with Qi, Tyler decided to be direct and forceful, fearful that he wouldn’t be able to dodge the next barrage of attacks.
These people had attacked him and would suffer the consequences. He knew none of them could most likely match his power, but that didn't matter. A tiger always used his full power even when catching a mouse.
There were no rights and wrongs when it came to life and death situations.
Channeling all his Qi from his core, he maintained his forward momentum, covering the remaining 5 meters in a final push, directing the entirety of his cultivation base into his right leg.
With a forceful kick forward, he unleashed a variant of the Soaring Crane kick that Master Tanaka had said resembled the Galewind Eagle’s Kick.
Tyler’s leg shot forward, devoid of any constraints, soaring high like a predatory eagle piercing the air.
His movement caused the air to wail in response, mimicking the cry of the natural predator. Yet, the leader managed to mount a partial defense, employing the flat side of his scimitar to intercept the oncoming kick.
The entire sequence transpired in a matter of seconds, leaving the onlookers frozen in shock as Tyler’s kick connected with their bosses’ scimitar.
Crack!
With a resounding crack, the scimitar snapped in multiple pieces, parts of it acting as shrapnel and lodged themselves in the leader’s body, causing a bloody mess. But what followed was even worse.
Unable to thwart Tyler's assault. His foot pressed on, connecting squarely with the large man's chin.
Splurt!
Like a melon being smashed by a sledge hammer, his head exploded into a gooey sludge of blood and brains. A single attack was all it took to end a man’s life.
With the leader lying lifeless, Tyler remained vigilant and turned his gaze toward the man's subordinates. "So, are you going to run now, or are we going to fight?" Tyler taunted.
His challenge acted like a rallying cry, snapping the lackeys out of their daze, and a few of them couldn't resist shouting out.
“Shit! Grogg’s dead! Run!”
Having witnessed his fair share of bloodshed and brutality during his military career, Tyler wasn't overly disturbed by the gruesome sight unfolding before him. He also possessed enough humanity not to mercilessly slay adversaries who had surrendered or attempted to flee.
Maintaining his wide-spread divine sense, he observed the lifeless body of the man he had just dispatched as well as paid attention to any sneak attacks.
Almost as if on cue, a lone arrow streaked forth from the depths of the forest, well beyond the 100-meter range of Tyler's divine sense so he couldn’t exactly pinpoint its origin.
Tyler detected the arrow's presence well before any audible or visual cues, but he didn't let his guard down. Drawing inspiration from Master Tanaka's Eight Trigram Protector’s Fist, he understood that the incoming attack was too swift for him to evade in time and he needed to mount a defense.
Summoning his cultivation, Tyler thrust forward with a punch, creating a protective gust of wind that deflected the arrow off its intended target; his heart. To his surprise however that wasn’t anywhere near enough to avoid the blow all together.
The arrow smashed into his left shoulder, piercing straight through as if his skin was made of paper.
Ugh!
Almost automatically, Tyler’s instincts kicked in and he ran towards the arrow, hiding behind the nearest tree.
An attack that completely disregarded how tough his reforged skin was extremely dangerous and could definitely threaten his life. If it hadn’t been for his divine sense, he would’ve died. Any other cultivator at his level or even the leader's level would have met a fatal end from such an attack.
He had completely forgotten about this part of his body as he hadn’t really encountered any situations in which it had proved useful. So today seeing two instances where it was useful and wasn’t at the same time was a sobering thought.
He wasn’t invincible.
Sure, his cultivation and his divine sense made him extremely tricky and dangerous to deal with, but that wasn’t enough for a clear cut difference in raw power.
After a few tense seconds, no more arrows came, so Tyler condensed some of his Qi into his legs to increase his speed and stepped forward, left shoulder bleeding and arm completely immobile.
Using his divine sense, he locked in on a nearby tree in the direction the arrow came from.
A single arrow appeared within his sphere of perception a split second after he had stepped out but Tyler had anticipated this and carrying his enhanced speed and momentum forward, he leaped directly behind the tree.
Thud.
The arrow narrowly missed!
Then, the second Tyler was about to step out once more, a singular voice resonated, the sound enhanced by an infusion of Qi.
"Psht. Hopefully you're this lucky in the future, you brat!"
Following this remark, silence fell over the area. It was clear that the woman who had spoken had hastily retreated but Tyler wouldn’t be fooled with such obvious tactics. Keeping his guard up, Tyler cautiously proceeded forward.
Not a single arrow came.
Seeing how he seemed safe, he cautiously made his way back to the cliffside, going from tree to tree as if his very life depended on the quick movements from cover to cover.
Arriving at the cliffside, he encountered Annie and an unidentified companion, whom Tyler hadn't seen directly before. He had obviously detected the man in the main house, staying with Annie but he didn't ask nor did he care why he was there.
The man standing beside Annie was relatively short and appeared to be in his late thirties. However, unless Tyler's divine sense was deceiving him, this individual was at least a Sea Formation expert, emitting an aura similar to that of Lo Shen.
The man stepped forward and bowed slightly to Tyler. “Young Lord, please.” Out of his storage bag he summoned a singular 10 meters squared plate that he carefully manipulated and gestured for Tyler to hop on.
Amused, Tyler laughed as he felt the aura of a familiar Sea Formation cultivator spread forth from within the forest through his divine sense. “I think we’ll be okay but my shoulder will make climbing damn near impossible. Thanks.”
With that, he climbed up on the tile and was completely safe the whole time as the unknown sea formation cultivator carried him up to his residence before giving him a few basic healing pills.
***
A few moments earlier, deep within the forest, a young woman perched on the branches of a tree, a significant distance away from the trap her subordinates had set up. She was not a member of their small group but rather the leader of the entire Azure Viper Gang.
She couldn’t let an opportunity to seize such a fatty sheep slip through her fingers and had hence come as backup in case things went awry.
Equipped with several crystals imbued with formations, she possessed the ability to track and monitor the activities of every member of the Azure Viper Gang within a range of over 500 meters.
The group's leader, a robust man named Grogg, held one of the more special crystals transmitting sound and image, while another had been placed by the chief scout, granting her long-range visibility through this thick forest.
At first, she was leisurely and relaxed, her bow still in her storage bag. But the moment that mortal had announced his presence, making it known that he already knew an ambush was waiting she tensed up.
Then, seeing the man side step an otherwise silent attack, she was instantly convinced. This wasn’t some fatty sheep, but a crouching tiger! Thankfully, she had come purely because she was bored and could collect on this rich young master.
A few breaths of time hadn’t even elapsed until she saw her very own man get overpowered in a single attack and perished instantly after the mortal had brushed off an arrow from a level 7 scout.
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The mortal had almost perfectly escaped from multiple attacks all at once and dealt a fatal blow to a Qi Transformation cultivator!
Then, the taunt had caused all of the rabble to flee away in fear!
Angered, she knocked an arrow and fired at the mortal. No one looked down on the Azure Viper Gang!
Seeing as the chief scout hadn’t bothered to leave with his far-sight formation crystal and that Grogg’s was still attached to his waist, she had a perfect view of everything happening over where the mortal was.
A single second elapsed between her releasing the arrow and it landing. But the movements and reaction of the mortal she was observing left her covered in goosebumps.
She had missed her assassination attempt! A mere level 6 mortal had deflected the attack of a level 19 Qi Transformation assassin and was unhindered even though he had taken a direct hit in the shoulder! If anyone in Edge City’s underworld heard about this they wouldn’t believe her for a second.
Then, rather than retreating, the man ran towards her location as if he was on the hunt for easy prey! She quickly released another arrow that also narrowly missed its target. Seeing how fast this mortal was moving and staying behind cover, he would be out of range of her transmission crystals and she'd lose sight of him fairly soon.
Unwilling to meet her demise at the hands of such an unknown figure possessing unknown powers, she instantly fled after saying a few words to vent her anger.
Unfortunately for the leader of the Azure Viper Gang, an overprotective emperor had been monitoring their plans all along. He had deliberately allowed the situation to unfold, viewing it as an opportunity to sharpen Tyler's edge.
To this end, he had formally inquired about the Azure Viper Gang through an elder of the Sword Sect in Edge City's Lo family and specifically requested to let the events unfold and only prevent anyone from escaping the forest.
Seeing Tyler’s power for himself, he knew that the man would, at most, have a good fight and at worst he’d get a few injuries but this little gang couldn’t possibly kill him due to his divine sense.
As an additional precaution, Lin Jian had also informed Tyler's servants of the situation and that they should accompany him from now on. Rather than directly intervening himself, he believed it was essential for Tyler to learn the ways of this world in a more grounded manner, rather than relying on a Soul Shattering cultivator to come to his rescue every time. Not that he had really ever done so, but the sentiment remained.
In this grand game of chess, Tyler was one of the kings in need of protection, and the Sword King had decided to step back and let the pieces on the board fulfill their roles in safeguarding the king. There were also some things brewing within the empire that required his attention so he couldn’t always be there.
In just a few weeks, the next admissions of the Sword Sect would take place and Tyler had been diligently preparing to join their ranks. At that time, Lin Jian was confident he could make a significant impact and gain direct access to the sect's resources without the Sword King's involvement.
If he hadn’t gotten used to having someone chaperone him around, he’d find it difficult within the sect given his natural talent.
In the end, all the members of the Azure Viper Gang who had managed to escape were captured by the Lo Family residing in Edge City and promptly incarcerated.
The operation's leader, Lo Shen, penned a brief message, attaching it to a domesticated bird destined for the recently established Three Heritage Haven, quietly nestled above Edge City, unbeknownst to most of its inhabitants.
Tyler,
We have arrested the Azure Viper Gang.
Shen.
In a swift and efficient manner, the system that had been established within Sword King Mountain to counteract such criminal organizations demonstrated its prowess by promptly eradicating one such group.
It was worth acknowledging that these groups were allowed some leeway primarily because, for the most part, they engaged in petty theft and minor offenses that didn't warrant immediate attention.
However, the underlying reason lay in the Lo family's understanding of the necessity of crime within a city filled with cultivators. Criminal activities often led to unforeseen challenges and forced young cultivators to confront difficult situations.
Of course, if these gangs targeted defenseless mortals who couldn't defend themselves or committed truly egregious acts, they would face swift retribution from the higher powers.
***
The next morning, Tyler returned to his daily routine, starting with a sumptuous breakfast and an hour of cultivation in the garden.
Thanks to the recovery pill he had taken, he had made significant progress in healing, and his arm was no longer immobile. However, the skin around the injury remained notably red and, given the recent regrowth of skin, was still quite sensitive.
When it came time to go down to the dojo however, the sea formation servant from the previous day, a man named Gregory, trailed him at a respectful distance.
Gregory had expressed his desire to accompany Tyler throughout the day, and after some contemplation, Tyler agreed. It was, after all, Gregory's job to ensure the security of the estate, including Tyler's personal safety, and Tyler had no intention of impeding him in the fulfillment of his responsibilities even if he found it awkward.
The only reason he hadn’t seen the man or that Gregory hadn’t bothered him yet was by order of his mysterious employer but that had changed with recent events.
Coming tomorrow, someone else would take permanent residence on Three Heritage Haven, a formation master to be precise. This was in order to maintain security in Gregory’s absence and a fourth quaint little home would be built for the man near the precipice.
From the grand vista of his residence, Tyler surveyed the world below, a faint smile gracing his lips. A cool breeze gently brushed against his skin, and with his attunement to the winds, he sensed that this breeze was significantly different from the day before.
Although he couldn't precisely identify the specific characteristic that made it different, he could undeniably recognize its distinctiveness compared to before.
It felt like the whispers of the winds were speaking in a different language this morning. Tyler summoned a plush chair from his inner world and comfortably settled into it, dedicating his thoughts to unraveling the essence of this wind.
After an hour of silent contemplation, Tyler unraveled the mystery. The winds that had consistently blown from the southwest, carrying a gentle warmth and moisture, had now shifted and came from the northwest. With this new direction came the chill of the northern icy plains.
From the sides, Gregory had maintained a stoic silence the whole time as he had also sat down on a prayer mat in meditation.
With the mystery of the winds resolved, Tyler got up and put his chair back into his inner world. “The winds are changing, Greg. It seems autumn knocks on our doors.” Tyler said with a smile on his lips.
With that, Tyler started his descent into the city. Greg had tried to have Tyler fly down with his help but was flatly refused. Tyler wouldn’t allow anyone to just carry him around like some pompous nobleman unless he was immobile like yesterday.
Tyler and Gregory made their way to the city, reaching the Radiant Fist Dojo without any complications. As the arrival of autumnal winds graced the city, another significant event was set to unfold today.
This marked the beginning of full-time classes at Edge City's academy.
Tyler discovered that many of the youths, including Sakura, who had been attending classes at the dojo had been enrolled in summer classes to further refine their skills in their chosen disciplines and would have to attend full time for a few months.
These young individuals, hailing from affluent families, had the Radiant Fist Dojo for martial arts training. However, martial arts wasn’t the only thing in this world as they were also expected to prepare their children for self-sufficiency by ensuring they excelled in various money-making endeavors in this world.
In light of these developments, the dojo would mostly remain vacant from sunrise until shortly after 3 or 4 pm during the fall season. To accommodate the young students, Master Tanaka had adjusted the dojo's opening hours to extend into the late hours of the night, should anyone need additional training time.
All of this to say that ultimately, Tyler would be mostly alone in the mornings now and that Sakura couldn’t be his teacher anymore and he’d have to “make do” with Master Tanaka himself.
While Ryuji considered Tyler’s attainments in the four techniques that he had taught him to be excellent, he knew full well that he was far from reaching the flawless realm and had at most reached the precise realm with the basic techniques.
His own variants using his cultivation method and understanding of the winds were even less advanced and were at the discerning stage at most. Tyler didn’t have anyone to show him these after all.
He had self-corrected what felt wrong with his divine sense and nothing else.
Knowing that it was really bad manners to ask such things from others, Master Tanaka naturally did not pry for specifics but his experience did not lie in his assessment whatsoever and was bang on the mark. That is, if Tyler had access to the system’s rankings.
With this in mind, Master Tanaka spent some more time teaching Tyler a few connecting moves, completing the whole set of the Radiant Wave Stance.
These techniques, though relatively straightforward, were typically reserved for instruction at the Qi Transformation stage due to their Qi energy prerequisites. The Radiant Wave stance itself was usually a Qi Transformation martial art.
The next step after that was Master Tanaka’s very own Radiant Illumination Fist Method that he had designed himself and had received the extremely rare title of [Originator]. That title and method had carried him easily all the way to the peak of Aperture Strengthening.
However, Master Tanaka made an exception in Tyler's case, recognizing the uniqueness of his abilities and taught him the remaining moves to the Radiant Wave Stance.
These techniques were given fitting names: "Flowing Tides Blow" emphasized the art of mitigating an opponent's attack by utilizing their own force when evasion or complete absorption was not viable.
Meanwhile, "Dam-breaking Strike" was designed to catch opponents off guard and deliver a devastating knee strike to their core when in close quarters.
These techniques, although based on the comprehension of water laws, were not a limiting factor for someone with Tyler's level of discerning abilities.
The entire day passed by quietly with Tyler sparring in the morning with Master Tanaka, effectively exhausting himself once more and leaving the entire afternoon to Qi-less practices of the new movements.
When sunset arrived, Tyler departed with Greg.
Upon arriving home, Tyler was shocked to see a new house near the precipice already be built and seamlessly merge into the small estate. Whoever had built it was incredibly fast and effective!
The formation expert wouldn’t be here until morning however.
As Annie prepared dinner for everyone, Tyler sought solace near the edge, sinking comfortably into the plush chair gifted to him by the Sword King.
With his divine sense extended as far as possible, he endeavored to meditate and establish a deeper connection with the world and the winds themselves.
At the outskirts of his divine sense's reach, he sensed someone approaching, flying in on a sword, and instantly recognized the newcomer – Shen.
Keeping his eyes closed, Tyler remained composed as the man drew nearer. Before Shen could even announce his presence, Tyler spoke up. "Thanks for yesterday. I had no idea you were back in town."
Surprised that Tyler, seemingly deep in meditation with his eyes closed, had somehow detected him, Shen descended to the ground near Tyler.
The moment Shen touched down, Tyler opened his eyes and conjured a chair and table for him. Moments before, he had detected that Annie was done cooking and was preparing multiple plates and would shortly step out to serve him some.
"Wanna stay for dinner? Annie makes a killer Infernal Stallion," Tyler suggested.
Shen, who hadn't noticed anyone with food nearby, raised his eyebrows but agreed, "Sure, I'll stay for dinner. I'm quite hungry actually, thanks." Within moments, the tall and muscular Annie emerged from the main house, creating the illusion that Tyler had prepared all of this in advance.
Shen however swiftly dismissed the thought and had rightly assumed it was a prearranged dinner originally only prepared for Tyler.
This was somewhat confirmed when the man's new servant, Annie, went back inside to prepare a few more plates.
Tyler and Shen enjoyed their meal, discussing in detail the events of the previous day and the Lo family's investigation into the matter.
Tyler was surprised to learn that he had been under surveillance for weeks.
As they sat under the cool night breeze, Shen broached the main reason for his visit. "The Sword Sect's entrance exam is in two weeks. Do you still intend to participate?"
Tyler didn't hesitate for a moment and nodded enthusiastically, a broad smile gracing his face. "Yup."
Tyler was eager for his future at the Sword Sect and was fully prepared to make an impression on those in attendance, even if it meant raising a few eyebrows. But he didn’t care.