Chapter 20: An Unexpected Future

Martial skills, as a warrior’s means of attack, come in a wide variety.

However, among lower-level warriors, few diligently study martial skills because compared to that, building a solid foundation to prepare for future breakthroughs in cultivation ranks is more worthwhile.

Especially in some prestigious families, young people are even required not to learn martial skills before reaching the Innate Realm, but instead spend all their time strengthening their foundation—that is, refining their skin, flesh, and bones in the Postnatal Realm.

In this way, once they break through to the Innate Realm, their progress will be rapid.

This explains why Nangong Shi, the prodigy of the Nangong family, is still only at the middle Postnatal Realm—not because she can’t break through, but because she is desperately holding back her realm.

Compared to her, Chu Li’s advantage is significant.

Not only can he steadily improve his realm, but he can also gain Martial Skill Points through missions to enhance his combat power.

Over time, within the same cultivation level, he will have no rivals!

But where to allocate this Martial Skill Point makes him hesitate.

Chu Li looked at the system; at this point, he only had two martial skills—one was the Chu family’s Demon-Repelling Sword Technique, and the other was the movement skill, Wind and Cloud Step.

Among these, the Demon-Repelling Sword Technique was at a minor proficiency level and already quite powerful, able to scatter demonic energy with righteous qi, effectively breaking defenses.

“This Demon-Repelling Sword Technique is especially effective against demons; once it reaches full proficiency, its power will probably be astonishing.”

Thinking this, Chu Li was tempted.

The other skill, Wind and Cloud Step, he had only used once before, but it was extremely wondrous.

Even though the Feng family’s Spirit Snake Sword Technique is notoriously hard to dodge, under Wind and Cloud Step, Chu Li moved with ease.

Most importantly, this skill was only at the beginner level!

“If I raise it to minor proficiency, not only will it become stronger, but the energy consumption will likely decrease, allowing longer usage.”

Should he upgrade the Demon-Repelling Sword Technique or the Wind and Cloud Step?

After much thought, Chu Li decided… to think about it later.

He would save the Martial Skill Point for flexibility.

Because something more urgent had come up.

“Chu Li, after losing to you last night, that group from the Saint Martial Academy went up the mountain overnight.”

“Up the mountain overnight? Is Feng Jue crazy?”

Hearing this news from Jiang Ying, Chu Li furrowed his brows deeply.

At night, the mountain demons have the advantage — this is something all martial artists know, so very few people enter the mountains to hunt demons after dark.

“That Feng Jue actually risked going up the mountain at night? He must have a death wish.”

“But if he succeeds in slaying the demon on Yunlong Mountain, then our trip here will have been for nothing.”

Jiang Ying reminded him, and upon hearing this, Chu Li nodded.

If the demon were slain by the Saint Martial Academy team, they wouldn’t just lose their points; they wouldn’t even be able to complete their mission — the loss would be enormous.

At this thought, Chu Li could no longer care about his physical condition. Together with Jiang Ying, he immediately set off toward Yunlong Mountain.

Perhaps because of yesterday’s incident, the county had even assigned them a local constable named Zhao Da to guide them, who explained the situation along the way.

“You two, starting half a month ago, this Yunlong Mountain began to emit blood-red mist all over — it’s eerie as hell!”

“Our Yunlong Town sent a team of constables to investigate. Their leader, Zhao Ye, was a Postnatal Realm early-stage martial artist.”

“And guess what? It’s been half a month since they went in — not a single one came back out!”

“Especially that mountain temple halfway up — some villagers who fled back said they saw blood rising sky-high from there!”

Hearing Zhao Da’s trembling account, Chu Li and Jiang Ying couldn’t help but frown.

The leader of the constables was an early-stage Postnatal Realm martial artist, and yet not even he escaped?

What about Feng Jue and his team?

Although the four from the Saint Martial Academy were all at the Postnatal Realm and much stronger than those constables, they entered the mountain at night, and now there was still no news…

Thinking of this, the two quickened their pace almost instinctively.

Not because they were worried about the Saint Martial Academy team — to be honest, Chu Li didn’t care at all whether Feng Jue’s group lived or died — but there was one thing they did care about.

“The corpses of martial artists are a great tonic for demons. If they all end up being devoured, it’ll cause big trouble.”

“These demons aren’t ordinary Postnatal Realm creatures. Worse yet, they might even use it as an opportunity to break through to the Innate Realm!”

With this in mind, the two quickly stepped onto the mountain path leading to the mountain temple, where the surrounding mist grew denser and denser.

The thick, iron-sweet scent of blood filled their noses, unsettling them deeply. Just then, Zhao Da suddenly stopped in his tracks, pointed ahead, and said in a trembling voice:

“What’s going on? In the mist up there… isn’t that something?”

Hearing this, Chu Li and Jiang Ying simultaneously looked up — and in the next moment, their expressions changed drastically.

Amidst the swirling mist on the stone steps ahead, there lay a round, severed human head, placed deliberately to face outward, as if in warning.

The face was twisted in terror, looking horrifying — it was the female student from that four-person Saint Martial Academy team!

“Ah!”

When he saw clearly what lay on the stone steps, Zhao Da let out a pig‑like shriek of terror and, scrambling and crawling, fled back down the mountain.

Chu Li and Jiang Ying paid him no heed. Exchanging a glance, they stepped forward cautiously to investigate the area.

They saw that the head had been severed cleanly at the neck, the cut smooth—clearly done by a sharp blade.

All around on the stone steps were bloodstains and sword marks, obvious signs of a fierce fight.

Nearby lay a headless corpse, its body covered in wounds and fallen facing downhill. Seeing this, Jiang Ying analyzed:

“Looks like that female student was terrified and tried to run away, but in the moment she turned, the demon cut off her head.”

“Mm.”

Chu Li nodded slightly at her words, his expression turning grim.

“No matter what, she was still a Postnatal Realm martial artist—yet she was so frightened she fled mid‑battle?”

“What on earth is in this mountain?”

Thinking about this, the two followed the blood trail forward—and before long, they found the remaining three people.

Or rather, three corpses.

One was discovered before the mountain temple’s stone stele, dead from massive blood loss after severe injuries; he had been leaning against the stele, long dead, and his internal organs had been gouged out.

One had died in the forest, his head smashed to pulp and over half his body devoured.

The last was Feng Jue himself, who had died in front of the mountain temple, his body cut clean in two at the waist, eyes open in death.

Seeing this scene, Chu Li’s eyes widened, and he felt a profound shock in his heart.

He never would have imagined that even Feng Jue would die here!

In the original story, Feng Jue was supposed to live until the end—yet now he had died inexplicably on Yunlong Mountain.

From this, it was clear that the butterfly effect caused by Chu Li leaving the Chu family was likely far greater than he had imagined.

And this also meant that many things in the future might not follow the plot he remembered.

Thinking about this, Chu Li’s expression grew solemn. Together with Jiang Ying, he walked toward the mountain temple ahead.

As they drew nearer, the mountain temple hidden within the swirling mist finally revealed its true form.

It was a fairly large temple, but long since dilapidated, covered everywhere in cobwebs and dust.

Stepping into the main hall, a thick, iron‑sweet stench of blood rushed to greet them. On the ground lay countless gnawed human bones, and human skins hung from the beams—like the very depths of the eighteenth hell.

The statue in the center of the main hall had already been smashed, reduced to a pile of rubble.
In its place, a huge bloody claw mark scarred the wall.

“So this is the ‘Blood Claw Mountain Temple.’ Quite fitting, I suppose.”

Chu Li thought this to himself, his mind taut with tension—
when suddenly, a roar burst out fiercely from behind them.

“Who’s there???”