Starting from the pharmacy, he grew into a martial saint among men.

"Could it be a top-grade hidden bone?"

Although surprised, the old man did not make a sound or approach.

He was just quietly observing Xiao Yi, constantly exhaling puffs of smoke.

"Grandpa, is there anything special about him?" the girl in green asked.

The old man knocked off his cigarette ash, took two puffs, and his gaze became deep and thoughtful.

"Your talent is hidden, but you possess extraordinary abilities. However, your character still needs further examination. If fate allows, you will have another junior brother."

-----------------

"Dinner's ready!"

Shi Yi called out loudly, and the bodyguards came to the big pot in batches, each taking a large bowl of food.

This is a very convenient type of meal called Kongqian Rice, which Chu Hong ate in Sichuan in his previous life.

You need to cook the rice until it's half-cooked first, then stir-fry the cured meat, vegetables, etc., and finally cover it with the half-cooked rice.

Simmer for a while before taking it out of the pot, and you'll have a delicious meal with meat and vegetables, full of aroma.

In fact, most people who escort goods usually eat dry rations and biscuits, which is simple and convenient.

The food is only slightly improved when we stay at an inn.

Arranging such a lavish meal would not only be time-consuming, but also easily expose their whereabouts.

But the security escort agency was very benevolent.

Given the extreme danger of this escort mission, it's possible that none of them will be able to return to Yunxi County.

Therefore, this arrangement was made specifically so that even if one were to die tragically, one would not be left hungry.

The aroma of rice mixed with the scent of meat made the refugees huddled nearby drool.

Many homeless people crowded around, hoping to receive some alms.

Shi Yi was not a heartless person. With a cold face, he distributed a bowl of chopped dry biscuits to the refugees before sternly ordering them to leave.

After dinner, the sky had completely darkened, and a cold wind blew, bringing a chill.

Shi Yi immediately arranged for a night watch.

For typical escort missions, guarding the night usually involves placing a few sentries nearby.

However, this method is no longer feasible due to the high value of the goods this time.

The highest level of vigilance is required, expanding the watch area to a radius of one mile, with sentries patrolling alternately, both visible and concealed.

Even the unarmed refugees were kept under close watch.

Chu Hong was assigned to the second round of night watch, and he was assigned to the outermost area in the south.

He leaped onto a pine tree, concealed himself among the branches and leaves, and observed the nearby movements.

Not far behind him, other bodyguards took turns scouting.

But if there is any unusual activity, we can respond quickly.

Chu Hong dared not relax for a moment, for the dense forest was full of dangers, and the slightest carelessness could lead to his death.

"Snap!"

Suddenly, a crisp sound came from deep within the dense forest.

It sounded like a tree branch being snapped underfoot, extremely jarring in the night.

He immediately became alert, his eyes fixed on the darkness.

At the same time, he gestured behind him to indicate that there was a situation there.

The dark clouds in the sky dissipated somewhat, and slivers of moonlight fell.

But with the dense forest obscuring the view, Chu Hong still couldn't see what was lurking in the darkness.

Chu Hong quietly pulled out his crossbow, aimed it at the darkness, and held his breath.

But the crisp sound seemed like an illusion, vanishing without a trace.

Suddenly, Chu Hong broke out in a cold sweat, and the hairs on his body stood on end.

When did the chirping of insects in the forest disappear?

It was eerily silent.

Chu Hong's pupils contracted sharply, and he almost instinctively flipped over and jumped down from the tree.

"Bang!"

A sudden flash of cold light struck, snapping tree branches and sending wood chips flying.

Chu Hong turned his head and saw a black beast with a vertical eye on its forehead landing steadily next to where he had just been hiding.

Three-eyed cat demon!

"Attention! The three-eyed cat demon is attacking!"

Chu Hong shouted a warning, fired a sharp arrow from his crossbow, and suddenly activated his Swift Wind Step.

His movements were like lightning, his feet barely touching the ground, leaving only a blur as he retreated at lightning speed.

The three-eyed cat demon is one of the common monsters found in dense forests.

Although small in size, it is a top predator in the forest.

This is because they are social monsters.

If even one cat demon appears, there must be dozens of cat demons in this area.

Furthermore, every cat demon possesses the strength of Ming Jin (明劲), and powerful cat demons even have the strength of An Jin (暗劲).

This is definitely not something Chu Hong can handle.

Seeing its prey flee, the cat demon pounced like a ghost, but missed repeatedly due to Chu Hong's agility.

Even though he was right in front of her, she couldn't touch the hem of Chu Hong's clothes.

"brush!"

The next moment, a large patch of pale green light suddenly shone in the darkness.

One, two, three...

Countless eerie lights appeared, which was quite terrifying.

Chu Hong's heart skipped a beat, and he quickened his pace.

"Run!"

Upon seeing this scene, one of the bodyguards turned around in a panic, but he did not possess Chu Hong's agility.

In an instant, he was pounced on by several cat demons and fell to the ground, his shrill screams suddenly rang out.

But then it came to an abrupt end.

Upon learning of the situation, Shi Yi led his men and rushed over, his fists exploding with force, instantly shattering a cat demon that had been chasing Chu Hong.

"Form the formation, slay the demon!"

In an instant, the bodyguards rushed forward and clashed with the attacking cat demon.

Chu Hong steadied himself, turned around, drew his sword, and used the Swift Wind Step to quickly move away.

He didn't fight the cat demon head-on, nor did he linger in battle. Each time, he would slit the cat demon's throat just as it was about to pounce.

Although he had never specifically practiced swordsmanship, his timing was extremely precise.

In the blink of an eye, he saved several bodyguards.

Occasionally, he would combine the Nine Forging Fist with his movement techniques to blast down the attacking cat demons.

Suddenly, a slightly larger cat demon attacked.

Chu Hong felt a chill run down his spine and instinctively squatted down on the spot.

The next instant, sharp claws pierced the air, slicing through his afterimage.

If he were still standing, this claw strike would surely have severed his head from his body.

Even though Chu Hong dodged, the cat demon in mid-air only paused briefly before striking Chu Hong with its claw again.

"Rip!"

The sharp claws grazed Chu Hong's back, sparks flying, and his iron armor was instantly destroyed.

Inside, the flesh was rolled up, and fresh blood was gushing out.

"Junior Brother Chu!" Xiao Yi exclaimed, turning around and rushing over.

But Shi Yi was faster; he crushed the cat demon in his hand and leaped in front of Chu Hong:

"Are you alright?"

"You step back first, leave this to me!"

It turns out that the cat demon that attacked Chu Hong was actually a newly emerged Dark Force cat demon, which had previously been hiding among a group of ordinary cat demons.

As if they had targeted Chu Hong, they launched a sudden attack on him.

So much so that even the Dark Force Escort Masters who were defending against the cat demon failed to detect it, allowing it to slip through their fingers.

Chu Hong gritted his teeth and quickly retreated.

After quickly bandaging the wound on his back, he charged back into the battlefield.

This time, his right hand clenched into a fist, then transformed into a claw, then into a palm—each move deadly.

Holding a short knife in his left hand, the blade flashed like a bolt of lightning, striking out frequently, each strike bringing forth a spray of hot blood.

Moments later, the cat demon suffered heavy casualties and finally retreated hastily with a shrill scream.

Chu Hong leaned against a large tree, panting, his eyes sharp as he stared in the direction the cat demon had gone.

"There are too many cat demons in this litter; the number is abnormal," someone said.

Under normal circumstances, a litter of cat demons will have at most thirty or forty members. If there are more, they will have to split up and each take up its own territory.

But there are at least a hundred cat demons attacking today.

If these cat demons hadn't been slightly less intelligent and their actions weren't so well coordinated, they might have been completely wiped out.

Suddenly, Chu Hong's pupils contracted. Under the moonlight, on a rock that was not hidden by trees.

A figure shrouded in black robes and holding a short stick suddenly vanished.

"Someone is manipulating these cat demons!" Chu Hong whispered.

Shi Yi and the others also saw that figure, and for a moment, a dark cloud hung over them.

Shi Yi's expression was grave: "It should be the Worry-Free Sect. They are testing our strength."

He arranged for people to clean up the battlefield, count the number of people, and record the names and merits of the fallen escorts.

The others began bandaging their wounds, howling in pain.

Xiao Yi poured the wound medicine onto Chu Hong's long, narrow wound on his back, but Chu Hong remained silent, which deeply moved Xiao Yi.

Just how strong is Junior Brother Chu's willpower that he doesn't feel any pain?

Chu Hong smiled faintly and said softly:

"Compared to life and death, what is this little pain?"

Despite saying that, Chu Hong knew in his heart that if it weren't for his minor mastery of the Swift Wind Step, he would have been in serious trouble.

Today he will surely become food for the cat demon.

"Hey, Grandpa told me to give this to you; it'll help him recover faster!"

At this moment, the girl in green suddenly ran over and handed Xiao Yi a celadon bottle.