Legend of the Divine Archer

He had unsealed the first head of the nine-neonate hydra before his body was strong enough to endure it. He needed to make a statement to the Yan family, and it had been worth it.

Yan Fei, had been a warrior under his uncles command during his active service for the Yan Family. He would always flatter him, to coax him out some savings. Yan Jin, had always seen him as a dog but not traitor. He was the guard in charge of security the night of the incident and he did not hesitate to stab Yan Jin's uncle after pretending to help them escape.

He was the instigator of the hunt an active participant in the demise of his family.

His first human kill being one of his enemy made Yan Jin very happy. He had tortured a lot of information out of Yan Fei to understand that the incident that night was a lot more complex than it seemed. Either way he had crossed a name on his hit list and added a few more.

He could feel the inquisitive gazes of the Meng warriors as he entered a meditative state. From his fight with Yan Fei, he had found a direction for close combat archery.

First, he needed to consider the arrows as bullets. Since they could not gather sufficient momentum to pierce, enhancing them with blood energy could make them hit like blank bullets.

Second, with both his hands occupied with the bow and arrow, he needed to utilize his legs both for momentum and as a pillar, allowing him to shoot from any position. A perfect combination of dexterity, speed, and strength was essential.

Third, he needed a blood tool, specifically a bow, a sturdy and heavy longbow to boost bloodline coating.

Fourth, he needed speed—absolute speed to draw, to shoot, to dodge, and to think.

The order of priority right now was to find Xiao Xiao's aunt. Next would be finding a blood accumulation technique and a bow blood tool. Finally, he would dispose of the blood ore in his case.

He was dragged out of his reverie as he could tell they had arrived. His soul domain was hammered by interferences from every side: voices, energies, tools pounding on his mind, causing a head-splitting headache. He let out a groan, and blood spilled out of his nose. He let out a loud cry before clamping his pounding head.

Being the most experienced of the group, Purple Spear Meng quickly knocked Yan Jin out to protect his brain. "What is wrong with him?" Meng Xiao questioned.

"He has never seen a city before; he passed out from awe! Ha ha ha," Purple Spear Meng burst into laughter.

"I'm glad my situation could bring a laugh out of you," said Yan Jin as he struggled to rise. "Thank you for your help," he said, cupping his hands at the shocked warrior.

Purple Spear Meng was sure he had used enough force to knock the boy out for three days. Looking back and forth between his hand and the blind boy, he couldn't help but reconsider his previous assessment. "It's nothing," he replied.

Sensing the warrior's gaze, Yan Jin quickly added, "We have imposed long enough. Thank you for the ride, but it would be inconvenient for us to enter the city with you." He bowed to Purple Spear Meng, then picked up Xiao Xiao and jumped down from the raptor with the exact same movement the warrior had displayed a few hours before.

It was so sudden it left everyone speechless. What game was he playing? Not trying to curry favor from Purple Spear? Did he really just need a ride? How did he survive the jump? So many questions popped into everyone's mind as the city came into view.

Purple Spear Meng turned to his niece with a very serious tone. "Tell me everything that happened. Don't miss a single detail."

--

Back in the forest, the other members of the Yan family had caught up to Yan Fei's patrol Team.

If Yan Jin was present, he would recognize all 4 of them Yan Shao, Yan Xu, Yan yang and Yan Yi. All ex-members of the Yan Expedition troupe, a group that was once led by his uncle until he lost his hand. They were people he used to call Uncle, people who would drink away and sleep at his house but in the face of profit did not hesitate to encircle his uncle and stab at him repeatedly.

The look on their face was grim with traces of fear "The four warriors, on the other side, died under the claw of the Meng Princess. The signature is consistent. For warrior Yan Fei, I am not sure" said a younger warrior reporting to the four leaders. Yan Shao made a hand sign to dismiss him then he looked at the face of the other three who showed the same worry as him.

"Do you think he is back?" Yan Xu daring to say out loud what everyone was thinking. "We should not have done that ten years ago retribution is here" lamented Yan Yang the coward.

"Shut up! We did nothing wrong we found an opportunity and we seized it." Yan Yi the shrewdest whispered "There is no way he could have survive those injuries. Even if he did only Yan Fei could not advance to the next level, we are all at the purification level, I am one step from resonance… We are not the same." He said looking at the body of Yan Fei.

The body suspended body was pierced in the belly by an icicle that grew from the ground and bloom into an icy rose, that absorbed the blood instead of letting it drip to the ground. It was called "Death Flourish" a blood technique that Yan Jin's uncle was renown for.

"Either way! Whether this was a fluke or a warning we will…" Distracted by the sound of dripping water Yan Xu cut his word short and moved closer to the body asking, "what is this?"

--BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!! A loud explosion detonated on the scene why Yan Fei as it origin decimating everything in a 15 m radius.

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Yan Jin and Xiao Xiao had finally made it to Pine City. Pine City was a bustling metropolis nestled in a verdant valley, surrounded by dense forests of towering pine trees. The city exuded an aura of ancient grandeur mixed with vibrant modernity. As the sun set, the city came alive, illuminated by a myriad of lanterns casting a warm glow over its stone-paved streets.

The architecture of Pine City was a blend of rustic charm and imposing fortifications. High stone walls, reinforced with enchanted runes, surrounded the city, providing protection against both human invaders and demonic beasts.

The main gate, an imposing structure adorned with intricate carvings of mythical creatures, opened into a wide thoroughfare lined with bustling shops and street vendors hawking their wares.

At the heart of Pine City stood the central market, a sprawling plaza filled with stalls and permanent shops. Here, one could find everything from rare herbs and mystical artifacts to exquisite fabrics and finely crafted weapons. The air was thick with the scents of exotic spices, roasted meats, and the occasional whiff of incense from a nearby temple.