Apotheosis Begins with Tai Chi

Within my domain, if you dare show your face, I’ll take you out in an instant. I know every move you make, but you have no idea where I am. Each shot seems to erupt from the deepest, most terrified corner of your own heart...

This was the domain-control of a top-tier Archer!

When adversaries meet, the brave are victorious.

Courage and relentless progress—these applied to an Archer as well.

However...

At this moment, Bai Fangshuo had no thought of a direct confrontation. His mind was filled with only one thing: ’Where can I hide? How? For how long?’

He was more than just outmatched in presence.

It was as if the enemy had him pinned underfoot, grinding him into the dirt.

This crushing pressure...

Bai Fangshuo hadn’t experienced it in a very, very long time.

The last time he’d felt this way was over a decade ago. He had only just begun his Archery training then, and his master had pinned him down with a few blunt wooden arrows, leaving him nowhere to hide, nowhere to run.

Back then, he was young and didn’t know any better. All he knew was that his master was fierce, and he was scared.

But now... he was the Young Manor Master of Cangying Hunting Manor. He was a scion of the Bai Family’s Direct Lineage, one of the Eight Great Races. He was a top-tier Dark Force Archer whose skill was renowned throughout Zhao City.

He had never imagined that, even now, he would still feel—

Fear!

"We’re surrounded... We’re surrounded... Retreat... Brothers, retreat!!"

"The Chieftain is dead! Retreat! The situation’s bad, get out of here!!!"

Terrified shouts erupted through the forest, rising and falling in waves.

If even someone as powerful as Bai Fangshuo was afraid, how could the fierce Grass Head Mountain bandits lying in ambush possibly remain calm?

Zhu Biao hadn’t brought many men this time—only forty in total, including himself.

But every single one was a hardened bandit from the Green Forest Dao, a villain who would commit any crime and kill without blinking.

They spent their lives on a knife’s edge, never backing down from a common brawl or bloody skirmish.

But now...

In the span of just a few words...

Their Chieftain, Zhu Biao, had died a gruesome death. Five of their leaders were now headless corpses, blood still gushing from their necks.

Crucially, the five men had been standing far apart, yet they had all died in the exact same way.

According to Bai Fangshuo, they were facing a single Archer.

The remaining bandits, however, didn’t see it that way. From their perspective, this had to be an encirclement, a hunt carried out by a whole group of Archers.

The net was closing in.

Even if the enemy was few in number, at this rate of slaughter, it would only be a matter of moments before all thirty-something of them were wiped out.

In a fair fight, or even one where they were at a slight disadvantage, they had the fearless audacity of true bandits.

But now, they couldn’t see even a sliver of hope for victory.

They couldn’t even see the enemy.

With the butcher’s cleaver hanging over their heads, ready to fall at any second, they were under extreme pressure. No matter how ferocious or crazed they were, it was impossible not to feel fear. Impossible not to run.

"Don’t run! Nobody runs!"

Yu An roared, his voice sharp and desperate.

But who would listen to him?

The remaining bandits only knew that their Chieftain, Zhu Biao, had called him "Lord Altar Master." They had no idea what altar he was master of, and they certainly didn’t care.

At a time like this, saving their own lives was paramount. Who would give a damn about him?

BANG! BANG! BANG!

At the same time, three more men were taken out with headshots, one after the other, their blood spraying into the air.

The remaining bandits ran even faster.

They ran with all their might, not even stopping to retrieve lost boots. Their Longbows and Quivers were a hindrance, so they tossed them aside.

They dropped their arms and armor, scurrying away like cornered rats.

Seeing this, Yu An and Bai Fangshuo both wanted to take advantage of the chaos to escape.

However...

The enemy Archer gave up on picking off the fleeing bandits, locking onto the hiding spot of Yu An and Bai Fangshuo instead.

Yu An had just poked his head out from behind an ancient tree when a Silver Bullet shot straight toward him.

Fortunately, he was only testing the waters and immediately pulled his head back.

If he had dared to actually rush out, he would already be a dead man.

Bai Fangshuo witnessed the entire exchange and became even more terrified of making a single move. He remained huddled behind a large rock, not daring to even breathe.

Ten steps away.

Wang Chuang was completely stunned, his mouth agape. His voice sounded distant as he spoke:

"Uncle, we have reinforcements? How did we end up surrounding the enemy?"

Zhu Kang looked completely bewildered. He shook his head slowly, his voice lacking any conviction.

"All of our men are here... When I planned this with Big Brother, there was never any mention of reinforcements... This... could this be soldiers sent from the heavens?!"

"From... from the heavens?"

Wang Chuang gulped, his eyes darting around. The expression on his face was a sight to behold.

Around them...

The surviving members of Jiuan wore the exact same expression as Wang Chuang.

A mixture of shock, elation, relief, and gratitude toward their mysterious saviors... it was a complex and wonderful thing to see.

"Uncle..."

Wang Chuang collected himself and asked solemnly,

"Should we give chase? These bastards killed so many of our people... Are we just going to let them go?"

"Chase!"

Zhu Kang answered without hesitation.

"Brothers! The enemy is in total disarray! They’re fleeing like rats, running for their lives! If not now, when?"

"Those who can still move, follow me!"

Wang Chuang leaped up, raising his arm and bellowing,

"Charge! Avenge our fallen brothers!"

"KILL—!"

These survivors were the elite of Jiuan Hunting Manor, every last one a capable and passionate warrior.

Just moments ago, they had been suppressed, forced to cower behind cover as they watched their sworn brothers die gruesome deaths one after another.

Their frustration had reached its absolute limit.

Now that they could finally counter-attack, they were like enraged bulls, eager to unleash all their pent-up frustration and hatred upon the enemy a hundredfold.

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