Chapter 20: Valley of Shadows (Part Two)
Shen Yuan's body swayed from exhaustion, his breath coming in ragged bursts as if he were inhaling fire. Steam rose from his blood into the cold air as he stared at the shifting shadows ahead.
From behind the shattered rocks, five more stone-backed crocodiles emerged, crawling forward with slow, dreadful weight. Their cold red eyes fixed on him as if he were nothing more than a moving meal.
He could feel the vibrations of their steps through the ground — each movement sent a tremor through his chest, as if the world itself was striking him from within.
He muttered in a hoarse voice,
"Five more... and not a moment's rest, huh...?"
A faint laugh escaped his lips — not mockery, but a mix of fatigue and stubborn resolve.
The elder's voice echoed in his mind, more serious than ever:
"Be careful, Yuan. Your body's strength is waning. Your blood is flowing too fast, and your muscles are fatigued. Don't rely on instinct alone… fight with a cold mind."
But how could one keep a cold mind in the midst of hell?
The first crocodile lunged, the ground exploding beneath its feet. Shen Yuan dodged left, then kicked off the earth to retreat — but a sharp crack in his ankle made him grit his teeth.
"Damn… my foot…"
There was no time to think. The second one leapt with its jaws wide open. This time, he didn't run. He stepped forward instead, using his left arm as bait for a split second, then twisted his body and smashed his fist into the side of the creature's stone head.
The blow didn't pierce the armor, but it staggered the beast.
At that moment, the black pearl in his ring pulsed — responding to something deep within him.
With a single thought, the ring melted into dark light, forming that same obsidian sword veined with glowing crimson lines.
His vision was blurred from fatigue, but his hand didn't hesitate.
"Just hold on a little longer!" he growled to himself.
He moved like a shadow through the dust — one strike, then another, then another.
They weren't perfect blows — far from it — but each carried the same killing intent.
Red sparks flew where blade met stone skin, and finally, he severed one of the beast's front joints.
Black blood erupted as the monster shrieked in pain.
Before he could even breathe, two more attacked at once.
He ducked beneath snapping jaws, but one's tail smashed into him, sending him flying into the rocky wall.
The air was knocked from his lungs — his ribs felt as though they'd shattered.
"Ahh… damn it… that pain…"
The elder's voice barked in his mind,
"Circulate your energy! Force your primal body to its limit — don't let your blood stagnate!"
With those words, a heat surged inside him.
His veins glowed faintly red, energy churning violently in his chest, pumping life into every aching muscle.
He rose again, legs trembling, eyes hard as steel.
The fourth crocodile roared and lunged. The fifth moved in a wide arc to block his escape.
Yuan smirked — a brief, almost mad smile.
"Good… you're working together now. That's… perfect."
As the fourth charged, Yuan whispered in his mind,
"Poison."
The cracks on his sword blazed red, and a sharp, acrid scent filled the air.
When the blade struck, it didn't pierce deeply — but a trace of venom seeped through.
Moments later, the beast's movements faltered — just slightly, but enough.
Yuan spun behind it and slashed the weak point at the base of its skull.
The strike severed the nerve; the creature fell silent.
"One more…" he gasped.
But the others didn't pause. Three attacked at once.
Each clash of steel against stone sent sparks flying, the grinding noise deafening.
One bit into his left shoulder — he screamed, but his primal body forced the torn muscles to contract, ripping his arm free and leaving a trail of blood behind.
At that instant, Shen Yuan stopped thinking.
All he felt was rage — at his weakness, his failure, his inability to be enough.
"I… WILL… NOT… FALL!!!" he roared.
He charged, a beast among beasts.
His strikes looked wild, but every one was driven by sheer will.
Each step came with splashes of blood and dust.
And at last — after endless minutes of brutal combat — he stood alone, staggering among the corpses.
Five mid-ranked crocodiles lay motionless.
The air was thick with the scent of blood and smoke.
Shen Yuan could barely lift his sword, so he drove it into the ground for support.
"Hah… hah… is it over?"
The elder's voice came quietly:
"No. Not yet. Two stronger than these remain… and the leader after them. Prepare yourself — the hardest part is still ahead."
Shen Yuan lifted his head slowly, blood dripping down his
face — and smiled.
"The hardest part, huh?... Good. Then let's see who falls first."
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Enjoy everyone:)
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