I become stronger by sacrificing my lifespan, becoming invincible in the world.

As dawn broke, snowflakes began to fall.

The thirty-odd people of the third scout team stood crookedly on the open ground, waiting to be assigned tasks. Wang Scarface, wearing a fur coat and with a blade of grass in his mouth, scanned the crowd with his eyes, finally settling on Lin Chen.

He grinned, and the scar twitched as he did so.

"Today, the third team is divided into six groups, scouting fifty li north towards the 'Black Wind Forest.'" Wang the Scarface spat out a blade of grass. "Same as always, five men per group, must return and report before Shenshi (3-5 PM). Any group that dares to slack off or give false intelligence..."

Before he could finish speaking, he lashed the ground with his whip, sending up a cloud of mud and snow.

Suppressed breathing filled the crowd.

"First group, Zhang Kui will lead the team," Wang Scarface called out.

A lean man stepped forward at the call. He was in his thirties, with triangular eyes and a hooked nose, and his gaze always darted sideways when he looked at people. He was Wang Scarface's confidant, and it was said that he had some shady connections inside the pass, and often helped to embezzle the rations of his subordinates.

Zhang Kui stood at the front of the line, his gaze sweeping over the group, and suddenly pointed a finger: "You, you, and you... be in my group."

Of the three people he selected, there was Zhao Tiegu, Li the Cripple, and... Lin Chen.

Lin Chen looked up and met Zhang Kui's gaze.

Those triangular eyes held no emotion, only a cold, calculating gaze, like a butcher looking at a sheep about to be slaughtered.

"One last one..." Zhang Kui randomly pointed to a young, unfamiliar convict, who was so frightened that his legs went weak.

After the groups were formed, everyone went to collect their equipment.

It was still the same rusty waist knife, the broken bow, ten arrows, and a small bag of moldy dry rations. When Lin Chen got his hands on it, he found that the bowstring was almost worn through, and it groaned under its strain with the slightest pull.

"Make do with it," Zhao Tiegu said in a low voice, patting his bow, which was obviously in better condition. "Stay close to me and don't stray too far."

Lin Chen nodded.

He knew perfectly well that Zhang Kui's specific request for his group was no accident.

Scarface Wang suffered a setback yesterday, and he's determined to get revenge today. This Black Wind Forest is probably not as simple as it seems.

The team gathered at the gate.

The heavy ironwood city gates slowly opened, and a cold wind swirled in, carrying snowflakes that stung people's faces. Zhang Kui was the first to walk out, without looking back.

Lin Chen and his four companions followed him into the desolate wilderness beyond the pass.

The further north you go, the more gloomy the sky becomes.

Withered grass lay prostrate on the frozen ground, and the outlines of distant mountains were blurred in the snow and mist. The wind howled through the cracks in the rocks, making a strange, mournful sound, like countless people crying.

After walking for about an hour, a dark forest appeared ahead.

The trees are ironwood, a species unique to the North. They have long since lost all their leaves, leaving only bare, straight trunks like spears, standing there in the dark like a row of tombstones.

This is the Black Wind Forest.

"Go in," Zhang Kui commanded curtly.

The five people filed in.

It was darker inside the forest than outside. The ironwood trees had dense, straight trunks, and their branches and leaves intertwined overhead, almost blocking out all light. The ground was covered with a thick layer of decaying leaves and snow, which felt soft and crunchy underfoot.

The air was filled with a musty, stale smell, mixed with a certain... fishy odor.

"Be smart, all of you." Zhang Kui walked in front, his hand on the hilt of his knife. "In this forest, there are often demonic wolves and 'Rotting Claw Jackals.' If you get bitten, the wound will rot to the bone, and even a god couldn't save you."

As he said this, he glanced back at Lin Chen, seemingly unintentionally.

Lin Chen didn't say anything, but slowed down his pace to keep a closer distance from Zhao Tiegu and Li Quezi.

We walked another two or three miles further in.

The forest grew denser, almost completely blocking out the light. Only a few steps in front of me could be clearly seen.

Suddenly, Zhang Kui, who was walking ahead, stopped.

"There's movement." He lowered his voice and made a gesture.

The five people immediately scattered and found tree trunks to hide under.

Lin Chen leaned against a thick ironwood tree, held his breath, and listened intently.

The sound of wind, the sound of falling snow, and... the very faint rustling of claws stepping on decaying leaves.

more than one.

They surrounded us from three directions.

"Get ready." Zhang Kui's voice came from behind another tree, carrying a deliberately suppressed excitement.

Lin Chen's heart sank.

Not right.

Zhang Kui reacted too quickly, as if he already knew there would be something here.

Just then—

Whoosh!

A bone arrow pierced the air and embedded itself in the tree trunk where Lin Chen was hiding, its fletching vibrating and buzzing.

It's not a monster!

They are demons!

"Scatter! It's a demon patrol!" Zhang Kui shouted, then retreated rapidly in the direction he had come from!

Almost simultaneously, three dark figures pounced out from the depths of the dense forest!

It was humanoid, but taller and more robust, covered in rough fur, with beast-like features on its face—protruding fangs and eyes that glowed green in the dim light. It carried a bone knife, a bone spear, and a rudimentary bone bow.

Three demon warriors!

Judging from his aura, he is at least equivalent to a human at the third or fourth level of the Acquired Realm!

"Damn it! That bastard Zhang Kui betrayed us!" Li the Cripple cursed, and hurriedly drew his bow and nocked an arrow.

But it was too late.

A demon warrior wielding a bone spear lunged straight at the unfamiliar young convict. The boy was terrified, forgetting even to draw his sword. The bone spear pierced his chest, pinning him to the ground. He died without even uttering a scream.

Another demon warrior lunged at Li the Cripple.

Li the Cripple fired an arrow, which was deflected by the opponent's bone knife. Just as the bone knife was about to strike his head, Zhao Tiegu pounced from the side, slashing fiercely with his short sword, forcing the demon warrior to parry.

"Hey kid! Watch out!"

Zhao Tiegu's roar came.

Lin Chen suddenly turned his head.

The last demon warrior was lunging at him with a sinister grin. He brandished two bone swords, blocking any space for him to dodge to the left or right.

Zhang Kui... had already retreated twenty paces away, hiding behind a tree, watching coldly. His triangular eyes gleamed with cruelty and anticipation.

It turned out to be the case.

He deliberately lured them into the area where the demon patrol was active, then withdrew first, using them as bait and scapegoats.

What a ruthless scheme.

Lin Chen's eyes turned cold.

The bone knife was already in front of him.

He did not back down.

Instead, he stepped forward half a step to meet the blade!

The body twisted at an incredible angle, two bone knives grazing the ribs and shoulders, tearing through the black clothing, but failing to injure the flesh. The ingenious use of confined space in "Wolf's Gaze Step"!

At the same time, Lin Chen's right hand shot out like lightning, not gripping the knife, but directly grabbing the demon warrior's wrist that was holding the knife!

Devour!

If we're going to expose ourselves, let's expose ourselves more thoroughly!

The divine jade's suction power is fully activated!

The demon warrior felt a numbness in his wrist, followed by a chilling sensation that spread rapidly up his arm. His eyes widened in horror as he tried to pull his hand back, only to find his strength draining away rapidly!

Muscles atrophy, fur loses its luster, and the green light in the eyes quickly dims.

[Lifespan of the Devouring Demon Warrior: 12 years]

[Current lifespan reserve: 80 years (20 years for humans + 48 years for wolf demons + 12 years for demons)]

A heat current, purer and more powerful than that of demonic beasts, surged into his body! It lacked the ferocity of beasts, but possessed a primal, untamed, wild power!

Lin Chen released his grip.

The demon warrior collapsed to the ground, his body now a shriveled corpse that looked as if it had been dried out over the years.

On the other side, Zhao Tiegu and Li the Cripple were fighting a fierce battle against another demon warrior. Zhao Tiegu had been slashed on the arm, and blood was gushing out. Li the Cripple was in even more dire straits.

Without hesitation, Lin Chen darted out like a ghost.

The wolf claw dagger was drawn from his waist, drawing a dark golden arc in the dim light, and stabbed straight at the demon warrior's back!

The demon warrior sensed the danger and turned to block.

But Lin Chen was too fast.

The dagger struck the bone knife, using the force to change direction and pierce the opponent's throat from an unbelievable angle!

puff!

Blood splattered.

The demon warrior clutched his throat and collapsed, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Zhao Tiegu and Li Quezi, panting heavily, looked at the two demon corpses on the ground, then at Lin Chen, their eyes filled with complex emotions.

"Where's Zhang Kui?!" Li the Cripple suddenly remembered, gritting his teeth as he looked around.

Twenty paces away, behind that tree, it was already empty.

Zhang Kui ran away.

He left the three demon warriors with them and slipped away first.

"Bastard..." Zhao Tiegu clutched his wound, his face ashen.

Lin Chen walked to the first demon warrior's corpse, pulled out the bone spear, and picked up the bone knife from the ground.

The material was rough, but it was polished very sharp, and there were dark red bloodstains on the blade.

He handed the bone knife to Zhao Tiegu: "Old Zhao, your knife is chipped, use this for now."

Zhao Tiegu took the bone knife, weighed it in his hand, and then looked at Lin Chen: "Kid, what you just did..."

"Let's get out of here first," Lin Chen interrupted him, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings. "The smell of blood will attract more things."

He walked to the body of the young convict, paused for a moment, bent down and took the untouched bag of dry rations from the man's arms, then put it into his own pocket.

In this godforsaken place, wasting food is a sin.

"Walk."

Without further delay, the three quickly retreated in the direction they had come from.

Behind them, the Black Wind Forest fell silent once more.

Only snowflakes fell silently onto the three corpses.

In the distance, a lean figure hid deeper in the forest, peering through the gaps in the trees in the direction the three had gone, a hint of malice and suspicion flashing in his triangular eyes.

"They're still alive...and they even killed three demons?"

Zhang Kui licked his lips.

"That's interesting."

He turned and disappeared silently into the depths of the dense forest.

The road back was even more silent than the way there.

Li the Cripple cursed and swore all the way, insulting Zhang Kui and Wang the Scarface's ancestors for eighteen generations. Zhao Tiegu silently bandaged his wounds, glancing at Lin Chen walking ahead every now and then.

Lin Chen continued on his journey while simultaneously absorbing the energy from the 12 years of demon race lifespan.

Unlike the ferocity of demonic beasts, the lifespan of demons is closer to that of humans, but they possess a primal, wild vitality that is extremely nourishing to the physical body. The abrasions on his arm were healing rapidly, and the muscle fatigue caused by forcibly using his movement techniques earlier was also easing.

He could feel that his strength had improved a little more.

Although his dantian is still shattered, with his body that has been strengthened many times, combined with the Wolf Gaze Step and the Wolf Claw Dagger, ordinary martial artists at the fourth or fifth level of the Acquired Realm are probably no match for him.

But not enough.

Far from enough.

Zhang Kui's framing, Wang Scarface's scheming, and countless pairs of eyes lurking in the shadows within Ghost Cry Pass...

He needs to become stronger faster.

A longer lifespan is needed.

We need... the hope of repairing the dantian.

In the distance, the outline of Ghost Cry Pass gradually became clear in the wind and snow.

Like a crouching giant beast, with its dark mouth agape, waiting for its prey to return.