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Chapter 9: I've Never Fought Before

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"Haha, Fellow Brother Cao, that was simply amazing! What a formidable movement skill!" Stepping onto the cliff's top, Wonlai laughed impressed.

Following close behind, Li Ling propped herself up with her long and sinuous abdomen. Her big and mesmerizing eyes fell on the cat as if reevaluating her previous impression.

Kyu Cao and the other two stood not far in wait. The cat's expression... there was no changes. But Ti Ping looked a bit sullen, while the sturdy Bi Gong seemed to glance at the cat with an impressed glint.

"Thank you." He really didn't know how to respond to the tiger's praise, so Kyu Cao only politely accepted it.

Wonlai regarded Kyu Cao with more satisfaction.

As expected, the cat was not simple; he was actually this formidable. He couldn't know his origin, but such martial arts couldn't come from an ordinary background.

It was normal for the descendants of great families to come to the Bloody Army to acquire experience for a season. Someone like this could become a good backer, so it was really worth to befriend.

His personality was a bit odd though.

"If you don't mind me asking, could you tell us which movement skill that was?"

At the tiger youth's question, Kyu Cao went into thought.

These past days, he'd earnestly cultivated next to the wild lake.

Thanks to the richer concentration of Yin aligned energies in the forest, his Cultivation progressed much faster. This allowed him to allocate more time to practice martial arts. It was his first time doing something like this, so he made sure to have plenty of time for it.

This martial art movement skill was called Treading the Frozen World. It was one of the three martial arts appended to the Seven Deep Hells Frozen Record inside the pendant.

The reason it was called Frozen World, it wasn't because one would be able to tread the ground as if it was a frozen surface. But because one would be able to step on anything, even the air, as if time and space were frozen in place.

Running on water, or up a smooth vertical surface, these feats were possible too. It was a movement skill that emphasized mobility, rather than speed or tricky footwork.

Fourth level of the Earthly Warrior Realm, as well as medium success of the first stage of Treading the Frozen World, those were the fruits of his zealous two weeks of training.

When he accepted the tiger's invitation, Kyu Cao also accepted the risk that news of his true Cultivation could soon reach the main family.

But at worse, they would simply start to put more attention on him, making his life more restricted.

He couldn't, however, let them know about the techniques he cultivated.

Not only was his fire-body, ice-method cultivation extremely bizarre. This cultivation method was a heritage from his mother, a taboo subject within the Bloodstripe Clan.

However small the possibility could be, he couldn't afford to let them know either of these.

"If Fellow Brother Cao can't tell, you don't have to force yourself," seeing as the cat went quiet, Wonlai said this.

"I appreciate it," nodded Kyu Cao.

Wonlai nodded back and spoke out, "then, let's move on."

He began to walk forward, the others following closely, more closely than before.

Technically, they were still within the range of the safe area. But as trainees that had come to the Backdoor's Forest before, they knew well that from the cliff onwards, true trials of life and death lay.

The group trod through the forest with some caution, with a pace that was neither slow nor fast. There was, however, familiarity in their steps, and the shadow of nervousness couldn't be found on their faces.

The only one dissonant with this atmosphere was Kyu Cao.

His face looked as if he disregarded everything around him. But the way his eyes constantly darted around, twinkling like little blue stars, told of his true feelings. Both his ears and tail moved with childish impatience.

"Young Lord Cao, if I may ask, what's your Cultivation level?" Bi Gong would admit himself, he was not very bright and neither could he read the subtle hints, but seeing how the Young Master regarded the cat, he knew that this was someone he should be polite toward. He, however, was raised blunt and uncouth, so he was still not shy about being intrusive.

The other three... two, instantly perked their ears, also curious about this.

"Fourth level," Kyu Cao responded honestly. This was something he really didn't need to conceal. And now that he was traveling in a group, it might actually be something that was important to let the others know.

"Fourth level?!" Repeated the bull with some shock. This was, however, not because it was remarkable, but because it was lower than his expectations.

Fourth level of the Earthly Warrior Realm, it was the same as him.

Wonlai, Li Ling and Ti Ping had similar thoughts.

Some misgivings even appeared within the tiger's eyes, but then also some expectations. Only fourth level of the Earthly Warrior Realm yet his movement skill is this overbearing. That could only mean, that this martial art was much more formidable than he initially believed.

"And how old would the Young Lord be?"

"Sixteen."

The puzzlement in everyone's eyes only deepened.

He was a year older, yet was the same level as them.

This didn't make them think that he was inferior to them, since they clearly knew how hard was to cultivate and advance levels.

But a young master of a clan like him should also have access to medicines and elixirs to help his Cultivation. Just like Wonlai, who was part of the Bloodstripe clan, they would expect someone like him to be at least at the fifth level or maybe more.

In fact, Wonlai's position in the clan wasn't that important, yet what he received was enough to help him reach the peak of the fifth level of Earthly Warrior at fifteen.

It wasn't that they were expecting too much from him. They simply believed that the cat couldn't be someone with an ordinary position, so it was actually reasonable. More so after witnessing his martial arts.

This cat, they simply couldn't figure him out.

A moment in silence passed. Bi Gong seemed to be thinking something over, then faced Kyu Cao with a earnest expression. "Should I call you Old Lord Cao then?" This young bull really was ignorant of the high class world and etiquette.

"... That sounds awkward... Senior Cao should do."

The other three could only stare speechless.

Senior? In what?! Just because you're older?!

In the Cultivation World, seniority was determined by strength, and not by age. This was an ironclad rule. But the cat seemed truly serious when he spoke.

"Okay," Bi Gong, however, nodded obediently.

Afterward, they went silent.

A short while later, it was the cat who spoke first.

"Should I call you Junior Gong?"

"Senior Cao can call me however he likes."

"... Then, Little Gong."

"Hahaha, as Senior Cao wishes!"

The others could only observe with odd expressions.

No matter how they saw it, little was a word that did not describe the bull. The ox race was the biggest of the thirteen theriope races, and Bi Gong was especially tall even among them. He was only a fifteen years old youth, but was already as tall as a full grown ox adult, quite intimidating despite his youthful features. Oxen had also the longest youth and growth period, so he still had some years of growing to come. He was sure to become a daunting figure in the future.

Was this someone who could be cutely called Little Gong?

"At least it looks like they will get along nicely," thought Wonlai helplessly. An uneasy feeling had sprouted in him regarding this cat youth, but he hoped he was just thinking too much.

If the outer area of the Backdoor's Forest could be described as a picturesque wilderness, clear and peaceful, then the inner areas had a more primal feeling to them, much darker and dangerous. One would not be able to put a foot ahead without the feeling that something might suddenly jump out from the shadows.

After walking for about a third of hour, Kyu Cao and the others reached their objective, much to the relief of Wonlai, Li Ling and Ti Ping.

The pair of cat and bull seemed to hit off really well, talking the whole way.

However, to the other three's dismay, the way they talked was paused and droning, the kind that most would find grating.

The two spoke of various, inconsequential, random topics along the way, causing the others to almost have a nervous breakdown.

"We've arrived. Ti Ping, scout if it's ahead."

"Un."

Almost immediately, the four's demeanor changed completely, and an air of seriousness permeated the atmosphere.

With a strong nod, Ti Ping's smaller body got close to the ground, and with light, noiseless steps he scurried away.

The other waited patiently and silently, until he returned a few moments later.

"We are in luck. It is close ahead."

"All right. With the number of people we have, we can use a three-pronged approach. Fellow Brother Cao, Bi Gong, I will leave the left rear to you two. Ti Ping, Li Ling, take the right rear. I alone will take the front," Wonlai swiftly assigned positions to everyone.

When the other members of his group heard that he alone would take the front, looks of worry crossed their eyes, but didn't argue. The tiger was, after all, the only one among them who was a level five Earthly Warrior, a peak one even. For him to take the front was the most reasonable, so they could only believe in him.

As for Wonlai, the thing he was the most worried about, was actually the cat Cao.

He glanced in his direction, and as expected, Kyu Cao's expression was neutral and indistinguishable. Before, he found it aloof and profound, but now it looked more like the expression of someone clueless about what was going on around him.

He, however, gritted his teeth and decided to not judge the cat prematurely.

"What it's ahead?" Kyu Cao suddenly asked.

"A Three-clawed Woody Grizzly," Li Ling sweetly explained.

There were basically two types of beast in the Backdoor's Forest. Grade one martial beasts, and ferocious beasts, which were basically martial beasts without a core, thus weaker.

When one spoke of the Backdoor's Forest low-level martial beasts, it mostly meant about the ferocious beasts. Ferocious beasts' strength varied greatly, from being comparable to level one Earthly Warriors, to level three; indeed, well suited for low-level Cultivators.

The three-clawed woody grizzly was, however, a grade one true martial beast, comparable to a peak level six Earthly Warrior theriope.

"We wanted to test our current strength, so we want to attempt engaging a grade one martial beast. The Three-clawed Woody Grizzly actually isn't the easiest pick, but very few martial beasts prefer to roam alone in this forest." There was some helplessness in the snake's voice.

One characteristic of low-level beasts was proliferation. Especially ferocious beasts, most species in this forest tended to act in packs, with numbers of dozens, even hundreds.

Only some grade one martial beasts liked to be alone. But they were grade one martial beasts. For low-leveled trainees, such martial beasts were quite a challenge.

Comparable to level six Earthly Warrior, that was two times as strong as level five, and as four times as level four.

Of course, it wasn't as simple as four level four Earthly Warriors being capable of defeating a grade one martial beast. Martial beasts had natural advantages beyond their level, particular abilities, innate weapons, domineering vitality, and so on.

"I understand," said Kyu Cao.

"We split here. Everyone assume their positions and wait for my signal." Seeing that a young master like Cao did not object to receiving orders, it was at least one worry less for Wonlai.

Kyu Cao followed the towering figure of Bi Gong, who now held a simple looking saber.

It was truly extremely simple, but in the bull's hand it seemed to acquire some sort of valiant charm.

"So this is a Cultivator," thought Kyu Cao inwardly.

Soon, they reached the edge of a relatively sparse area of the forest.

Here, Kyu Cao could see the imposing shape of a bear, brown furred, and probably the double of his height.

But what attracted most the attention were three long, ominous looking claws on each of its front paws. They were black like a bleak night, and could behead a theriope with one swipe.

"You aren't going to take out your weapon?" Asked Bi Gong to the cat, seeing that this was still barepawed.

Kyu Cao considered it for moment, before shaking his head. "I do not have a weapon with me."

The bull regarded Kyu Cao incredulously, wondering if the cat was serious.

A moment passed, but the cat didn't take out a weapon, only staring ahead impassively, his long tail slowly rocking behind him.

Now that he thought about, it did not look like he carried a weapon inside his clothes either. Bi Gong began to be apprehensive about all this.

"Groowwwl!"

A loud roar forcefully pulled Bi Gong's attention, and he knew that Wonlai had made his move.

He peeked over the bushes they were hiding behind, and saw Wonlai running toward the terrifying bear with a sword in paw.

The tiger steps were steady like mountains, powerful like marching armies, and his gaze as sharp as his sword.

Bi Gong couldn't consider the matter any longer, and readied himself with saber in hand.

"What is that I should do?" But abruptly, such question came from behind him.

He turned around, and found the cat staring straight at him, with an indecipherable expression, but a curious glint in his eye.

"Wh-What?"

"What is that I should do?" Kyu Cao repeated the question.

Bi Gong still was having a hard time understanding the words. "What does Senior Cao mean with that?"

"I've never fought before, so I don't know what to do."

Suddenly, Bi Gong felt as if the ground bellow him was caving in, and he was about to plunge to the darkest depths of earth.