Pathway

Chapter 135: The Circle Of One [2]

Immediately after those words, a large phantom clawed hand appeared before Ju Feng who quickly raised his own palms as his Chi energy bust forth from his palm and managed to block it on time before it could reach his chest cavity. The blow seemed light but the impact was heavy on him. It was as if he was hit with a titan's hammer. He wasn't like the disciples of this world. His body wasn't on their level of strength. If not for the talisman and him fortifying his own body with great amount of Chi, he could have been gravely injured.

The phantom claw retracted into an invisible space on the right hand side of the circle causing energy flickering around the area. The invisibility mirage slowly faded away, to reveal a Scavenlike creature but with bigger claws and incredible body strength. Large yellow eyes on a flickering black body that was sparsely dotted in yellow colour. A Tinogoth Feral. He had only heard of them but never faced one before. Harbingers of death, they were called. Its large yellow eyes were still fixed on Ju Feng when its body suddenly burst into dark flame. Shadow flame.

He knew they wouldn't allow him to be permanently injured or die, nonetheless, this would be a terrible experience for him. Especially, if they had to see him as a weakling.

He quickly pushed more chi energy into his body and his palms as he initiated the The Shifting-Heavens hand technique. His palms started to flutter silently in many afterimages as the Chi essence complemented the hand combat technique. He watched in utter shock as the Tinogoth feral made its move while it was dangerously covered in Shadowflame. It was as if the feral was using the Heavenly-Mirage movement as its speed was lightning fast.

Ju Feng hurriedly used the Swift-Spine technique to move out of the way of a diagonal claw swipe that could have cut him half. Although he was still practising this second level of the movement technique, it was the fastest for any cultivator of his stage as far as he knew. Unless, the crazily powerful demigods.

He thrust his shifting palm towards the ribcage of the feral but its direction rapidly changed to swiftly block the feral's lightning fast tail that was aimed at his chest. The benefits of the Shifting-Heavens technique. They continued to exchange deadly strikes as the two of them moved in fast speed that soon turned to blur. However, the speed and strength of the feral was increasing as the fight progressed. This was beginning to give him serious concern as he was already at his maximum speed and strength.

The assistant masters and the disciples were now watching in silent wonder of the scene they were witnessing. Never had they all seen a new inner disciple that almost matched a Tinogoth Feral in both strength and speed. The strength they could believe, but the speed? The two assistant masters glanced at each other before turning back to unfolding scene. There was no way an inner disciple could move like that. No way. The disciples couldn't help but focused unwaveringly on Ju Feng and the Feral who continued to do battle inside the circle.

Suddenly, just as the Feral's body was covered in a dark bright glow, it delivered a mighty blow to Ju Feng who was knocked flying despite his best attempt to block it. After he managed to scramble to his feet, he noticed that the Feral's body had transformed into a mortal giant. Its energy emission had also changed and was now giving off a glowing black flame.

Death flame.

Only a shadow beast of the Jindan level stage at the least, could manifest a body transformation. And deathflame? He couldn't even bring himself to think about the stage it had to be. This was death. It was as simple as that.

He quickly looked around the faces of the core disciples standing around the circle but didn't know which one to call. Seeing Yan Zhihao close by his left, Ju Feng quickly swift-stepped to him and was about to touch him when everything froze in place for a second. When everything returned to normal, the Tinogoth Feral had disappeared and the circle too had vanished. But at Ju Feng's neck was the tip of a long sword that was in the hand of Yan Zhihao. 

"Trust is the foundation of any group of existence. While an individual trust is built on trustworthiness and honesty, a group trust is warranted. In a deadly battle, where your life is on the line, trust will make you rely on others to survive."

The first assistant stood in front of Ju Feng and looked deep into his eyes with all seriousness.

"As a member of the Lightning Reach, you will be making a number of journey outside the sect's premises in hunts. Your fellow disciples will be relying on you and you will be relying on them too. Without trust, your group will simply collapse on itself and lives could be lost. Yet, trust can also make you vulnerable to unsuspected attacks. So, how do you call your friends who are not immediately around you when your life is in danger? Remember, you may be surrounded by both friends and enemies who you couldn't differentiate due to the situation at hand. Of which, any wrong turn can be your death. In this particular situation, Yan Zhihao was your enemy."

He sighed while continuing to stare softly at Ju Feng. Then, touching Ju Feng slightly on the chest, he continued.

"The answer is the Heartpulse. Every heartpulse has a recognition imprint to determine the sender. The heartpulse lets your friend know your need for help or your location. This is very difficult for your enemies to intercept and may allow your survival. This is a warranted trust that must be honoured. Although the vulnerability risk was there, a heartpulse must be honoured. That is why here in the Flying-Stars sect, all must swear the oath of One-Soul to make it easier to honour a heartpulse."

The first assistant reached into his spatial sac and produced a glowing ruby oath stone. An Eternal flame stone.

"Now repeat after me."