Early in the morning, the rising sun shone over the small lake, gold and warm.

By the lake, a man was practicing swordsmanship, giving off reflected dazzling sunlight.

He violently pierced the air with his sword and then jumped out. With body coordinating steps, he swept the iron sword around in the air and finally brandished it down forwardly with great force. He waved the sword like it was a b.u.t.terfly dancing in flowers leaving one shadow after another. And while before the shadows disappeared, the sword suddenly thrust out in an astonishing speed, three times in a row.

And the next moment, the iron sword was drawn back. With a pause, all his strength was poured into his right arm making veins on his hand stand out, and then the strength was infused into the sword, which brought a sudden outburst with the sword being brandished out violently as if it was going to break any thing in the way into pieces.

Chen Zong practiced Rushing Sword, Looping Sword, Cutting Sword, Free Sword, Dashing Sword and Exploding Sword nonstop, with sword, body and steps working in perfect harmony.

“Five days! I finally reach the Rudiment of Eight-move Swordsmanship.” Chen Zong put his sword back into its sheath, wiped away the sweats on his forehead, and smiled satisfactorily.

Eight-move Swordsmanship was several times harder than Tiger Fist, especially that the sword, body and steps must cooperate with each other perfectly and precisely without even a hairbreadth mismatch. Previously, Chen Zong should at least practice hardly for over a year to possibly reach the Rudiment, but now after vessels refined and marrows washed, he was totally a different man and everything would be different from then on.

Every time when he practiced, he could feel the tip of the sword in the middle of his eyebrows slightly quivering. It gave off something cool and fresh making him so refreshed and clear-headed, which helped him get a better understanding of the swordsmanship, have better control of his body and promote his practice effects many times over.

“If I reach the Little Accomplishment of the Eight-move Swordsmanship, then about 60% of my body could be refined and my practice speed will be way faster than that when I was at the Great Accomplishment of the Tiger Fist. However, it still can’t help me break through the third level of Qi-Blood Realm.” Chen Zong looked forwardly which was the direction of the Wind Roaring Forest, and continued, “Maybe, I should go to the Wind Roaring Forest to look for herbs to invigorate my qi and blood. In pa.s.sing, I can hunt some beasts; after all, eating more beast meat is beneficial for my cultivation.”

With this thought, he immediately strode towards the Wind Roaring Forest.

The Wind Roaring Forest was some distance away from Lake Town, which took Chen Zong about an hour even though he had been running at a constant speed all the way. In the forest, the wind blew and the forest howled, as if many beasts were roaring, hence the name.

When he restored his strength after a few minutes’ rest, Chen Zong picked up his sword and went into the Wind Roaring Forest.

The forest was very big with luxuriant trees whose branches and leaves blocked the sunshine, making the light very dim like at dusk, but after that miraculous experience, Chen Zong’s eyesight was enhanced, so he wasn’t affected much by the dim light.

Outside the forest the wind roared, but inside the forest only the chirping sound could be heard, just so peaceful and tranquil.

Chen Zong searched carefully for quite some time, but he got nothing, no herbs and not even a rabbit.

“It seems that the peripheral area has been searched for many times and the only choice now is to get deeper into the forest.” Chen Zong said to himself while looking at the deep of the forest solemnly.

The Wind Roaring Forest was located at the foot of the Wind Roaring Mountain and at the junction area there could be monster beasts pa.s.sing by from time to time. If confronted with a monster beast, martial artist not strong enough had no other chance but to fight to death.

In the middle of the forest, snakes, wolves, tigers, leopards and other strong beasts wandered all-around. With Chen Zong’s cultivation, it was very dangerous for him to step foot on that area.

Chen Zong took a deep breath and walked decisively into the forest. With eyes looking straight ahead and blood pumping rapidly, he was on his toes and ready to take actions at any time.

Suddenly, there was a subtle sound on his right and a white shadow flashed through the corner of his eyes. Chen Zong pulled out his sword and stabbed forward, but only cut down several white hairs. That was a rabbit running at a fast speed. Even though Chen Zong chased after it immediately, it still got into a hole on the tree. Chen Zong had no other way but to let it go.

Then a sudden coldness. .h.i.t him, giving him goose b.u.mps and making his hairs stand on end. Without any hesitation, he brandished his iron sword upwards and with an arc of sword and a flopping sound, a snake was cut off and fell down at a distance.

Looking at the snake’s still twisting brown body and its triangle head, Chen Zong took a big and deep breath with heart racing and head sweating. He knew this snake, Skin Withering Snake, which was not a monster beast but it was fatally venomous; with just one bite a strong Ox would die in minutes and even a martial artist wouldn’t live any much longer.

“As expected, dangers are everywhere!” Chen Zong calmed himself down. He was not at all frightened but had an unprecedented impulse to go deeper into the Wind Roaring Forest. It was the courage to stand up to the difficulties, but right at this moment his stomach growled.

“It has been so long since I get into the forest! I’ll go back now and continue my adventure tomorrow.” Chen Zong said rubbing his stomach. Then he retreated from the Wind Roaring Forest with high vigilance.

Chen Zong kept thinking while he walked slowly back home. The lake was on his way home. And by the lake stood a person with brown clothes.

“Chen Dalei……” even with frowned eyebrows, Chen Zong walked forwards in big strides fearlessly.

Like Chen Zhongjie, Chen Dalei was also a hired thug of Chen Zhigang, but Chen Dalei was at the third level of Qi-blood Realm. Therefore, even though he also practiced Tiger Fist, he was way more powerful than Chen Zhongjie.

“Can I defeat Chen Dalei with the power I have now?” Chen Zong thought in his mind.

Speaking of cultivation, he was inferior to Chen Dalei, but concerning Tiger Fist, he was at the peak of Great Accomplishment and Chen Dalei was just at the peak of Little Accomplishment. So, it was hard to say who was better by one tally.

“Chen Zong, you have me waited for an hour.” Chen Dalei, as strong as a horse, shouted with eyes wide open.

“That’s your own business.” Chen Zong sneered instead of being overawed.

“You wounded Chen Zhongjie and even dared to threat Brother Gang and me. Now let’s settle the scores.” Chen Dalei shouted and then ran to Chen Zong in big strides so aggressively and fiercely like an enraged tiger.

Raising his tiger claw, Chen Dalei infused his power of the third level of Qi-blood Realm into his fist.

"All right, just take you to test the power of my Eight-move Swordsmanship.” With this thought, Chen Zong parted his legs in tandem, with the right foot ahead, slightly bent, and left foot behind, bent even lower, putting most of his weight on his left foot. Then he rose his left heel, let the sole of his right foot support his body, tightened the muscles on his left leg to the limit and slightly bent his body to the left side with left hand tightly griping his sword on his waist and the fingers of right hand moving slightly.

The Crouching Sword!

This was the first move of the Eight-move Swordsmanship.

Chen Zong stared at Chen Dalei coldly and sharply, never missed a single expression and move, and calculated the distance between them silently.

“Ho!” With a shout as loud as the Spring thunder, Chen Dalei was about to pouch out his right fist. If hit, Chen Zong would definitely be hurt internally.

Chen Zong exhaled and meantime griped the handle of his sword with his right hand. Then he pushed off the ground with his left foot so forcefully that the ground was about to crack, and bent his waist to the right side all of a sudden, infusing a mighty power into his right arm. At this time, the iron sword was unsheathed and with the harsh sound still ringing in the ears, the sword had already swept forwards, leaving a shadow like a half moon behind.

The Pulling Sword!

Chen Dalei was so scared that he at once halted his steps. With a cold feeling hitting his chest, his brown martial uniform was cut open and the tip of the sword crossed his chest, leaving a thin incision behind with blood beads oozing out.

Chen Zong with a cold face pointed at Chen Dalei with his iron sword.

“Chen Zong, if you are really so powerful, then drop your sword!” Chen Dalei stepped back, so enraged and overawed.

“Sorry, but sword is part of my power!” Chen Zong said calmly.

“You……” Chen Dalei pointed at Chen Zong angrily with face reddened due to rage and chest heaving violently due to shortness of breath. And then he continued, “Put down your sword and let me give you a punch. Otherwise, I’ll tell Brother Gang and let him teach you a lesson. At that time, you’re a dead man for sure.”

“Go back and tell Chen Zhigang. I’ll attend the Compet.i.tion of Martial Apprentices and I will duke it out with him.” Chen Zong said coldly.

“All right, since you are so confident about yourself, I’ll wait to see how Brother Gang get your a.s.s kicked.” Chen Dalei smiled due to extremely anger. After pointing at Chen Zong several times, he stepped back again, then turned around and left.

Putting his sword back in its sheath, Chen Zong rubbed his stomach again and continued to walk back home, “Dad should be back now. I have to cook dinner.”

His changes could never escape the eyes of his father who had reached the seventh level of Qi-blood Realm.

Chen Zong had made up a story, which said at one night when he finished practicing Tiger Fist, he was in a daze with eyes staring at the moon. While at this time a learned senior pa.s.sed by who gave him a fruit, which not only made up his inherent shortage of Qi and blood, but also helped him break through the second level of Qi-blood Realm. Then the senior directed him on how to practice Tiger Fist and even taught him a Swordsmanship to establish his foundation.

This sounded so incredible and unbelievable, but Chen Zhengtang believed it because he had heard about other similar stories. And he thought if others could be so lucky, then why his son couldn’t be the lucky one.

Since Chen Zhengtang believed his story, Chen Zong felt relived. After all, the fewer people knew his miraculous experience that night, the better. With the current cultivation, Chen Zong couldn’t really put it in words but his instinct told him so.

After Chen Zong finished washing and cooking rice, his father still didn’t come back home. Chen Zong pulled out a plain wood black box covered with subtle cracks, opened it and took out a scroll.

After unfolding it, it seemed there was a sudden roaring and then a vividly fierce tiger came into sight.

The picture of Tiger Coming out of the Mountains!

Chen Zong’s dad gave him this after knowing that he had reached the peak of Great Accomplishment of Tiger Fist. The picture was hidden so carefully that to find it his dad ransacked so many boxes and chests. According to his dad, this picture was painted by a cultivator who had reached the Completion of Tiger Fist and might be beneficial to him.

When his dad talked about it, Chen Zong found some complacent on his dad’s face, like a kid showing off his toys.

Looking closely to the picture, Chen Zong could see it was in merely black and white, using simple drawing techniques to give it a unique charm. And with extraordinary vigor of strokes, it outlined a steep cliff and from where a fierce tiger was running down the mountain, so true to life that it seemed about to come out of the paper.

And the three characters Chen Liwei inscribed on it, so vigorous and forceful.

These days, as long as Chen Zong got free time, he would take out the picture to observe and learn from it. Surely, he got deeper understanding about Tiger Fist and even better he could use Tiger Fist better than before, really a pleasant progress. But still, he had no clue about how to get to the Completion.

“Great Accomplishment is easy but Completion is hard.” Chen Zong thought to himself, “I am wondering how senior Chen Liwei reached the Completion of Tiger Fist.”

“If only I could seek some advice from him in person. Maybe he can help me find some inspiration and make breakthroughs.”

Then Chen Zong forgot it all and focused on the picture to carefully feel the unique charm in it.

As he watched at it, Chen Zong felt that he seemed to see through something but failed to capture it. This vague feeling was really hard to take.

……

“You mean that he wants to challenge me?” Chen Zhigang, a vigorous and agile man, asked, who was in green martial uniform and with back towards Chen Dalei, stood there looking up into the sky with hands at the back.

“Yes!” Chen Dalei nodded forcefully.

“Trying to goad me into action? A mere bug. What makes him think he could challenge me?” Chen Zhigang sneer and said, “Dalei, let your brother beat him up to make him lie on bed for eight or ten days as the punishment for trying to challenge me.”

“OK, I’ll tell my brother this now!” Chen Dalei clenched his fist and looked very excited because his brother was a martial artist at the fourth level of Qi-blood Realm.