An Moxue sat under the tree, trying to calm herself down.

The wolves eyeing their property ahead, whose secrets are unknown, are even more vicious and despicable than these people. If they cannot do these things now, their fate is sealed, and there is no way they can turn the tide.

If she couldn't do it, she tried another way to calm down. She stood up, found a flat and open space, and began practicing the Guiyi Fist. While practicing, she silently recited the mental mantra.

With a clear mind, he suddenly felt enlightened. He punched a pine tree, about the size of a bowl, with a force that carried the wind. With a crack, the pine tree snapped in two.

She didn't stop, she kept practicing until she was covered in sweat, feeling completely refreshed, and her mental and physical techniques both broke through to the next level.

As she finished her routine, this round of boxing helped her understand some things and let go of her burdens. When she looked up, she found Wu Sicheng and his companions gathered not far away, watching her with worry, admiration, and something else she couldn't understand in their eyes.

She looked at him questioningly, as if asking what was wrong.

When Wu Sicheng saw her like this, he said to the others, "Let's disperse. Rest here."

Then he walked over to An Moxue and asked, "Moxue, are you alright?"

"Yeah, it's alright now."

"That's good."

Why was everyone surrounding me just now?

"You were so engrossed in practicing your boxing just now that you threw a punch, and look, the pine tree snapped in two, attracting everyone's attention." As she spoke, her eyes glanced at the pine tree she had broken.

"I didn't notice at all."

“You seemed to be in your own world just now, and no one could get in. Everyone was a little worried, so we gathered here.”

"Oh, you were probably in a state of enlightenment regarding your fist technique just now, but you've already advanced to the next level," An Moxue said with a smile, her eyes brimming with undisguised joy.

"So happy?"

"Of course, this set of boxing techniques is easy to learn, but difficult to advance. I've only reached the third level, so I have a long way to go. What are the plans next? Is there anything I can do for you?"

"We still have a few comrades to find, and a few enemies are missing. We must set off as soon as possible. Are you ready now?"

"Yes, anytime."

"Alright, let's rest a bit more and then set off."

Half an hour later, the team set off, this time splitting into three groups. An Moxue was still in a group with Wu Sicheng.

The threats to traversing the primeval forest are not limited to humans; they are more likely to come from nature itself. Fortunately, winter has arrived, and the threats from plants and animals have decreased significantly. However, dangers still exist everywhere. Large animals such as black bears, wolves, wild boars, wild dogs, and jackals can all be deadly.

If you encounter them while traveling, you must avoid them, especially wolves and wild dogs. They are social animals with a keen sense of smell, and once they set their sights on you, they will fight to the death.

An Moxue and her group hadn't encountered any large animals in the few days they were in the mountains. This was partly due to the reasons they had discovered and avoided them, but also partly due to luck.

But their good luck seemed to end on this day. As evening fell, the group gathered to exchange their latest discoveries. Wang Mang, who was in a group with Zhao Gang, found new pieces of clothing that were highly similar to the enemy they were tracking. The clothing fragments had obvious bloodstains. Based on the size and number of fragments, the group judged that the person had probably been bitten and dismembered. Just as the group was discussing whether they should leave as soon as possible, two small creatures made urgent howling noises. The five of them immediately became alert and assumed a defensive posture.

When they were young, a pack of wild dogs surrounded them. There were more than ten of them, their hair standing on end, revealing sharp, white teeth. They made rapid and shrill cries, as if calling out or showing off. Their eyes were full of confidence and contempt, as if saying, "A bunch of overconfident humans, just wait to die."

A major battle was about to break out. Wu Sicheng said, "Everyone, pay attention. Try to kill them with one blow as quickly as possible, and then leave this place as fast as you can. Try not to get bitten or scratched by the wild dogs."

The wild dogs were poised and ready, waiting only for their leader's command to launch a full-scale attack.

An Moxue's group of five was also ready to act at any moment.

The leader of the wild dogs let out a loud, excited bark. As soon as the bark fell, the wild dogs pounced on them, and An Moxue and her four companions fought back on equal footing.

People always pick on the weak, and perhaps the stray dogs also thought An Moxue was easy to bully. Three of them pounced on her, one attacking from the front and two from the sides. She went straight for the one in front of her and punched it in the face. Caught off guard, the stray dog ​​seemed not to have expected anyone to face it head-on. It took a solid punch, its face collapsed, and it let out an angry howl.

Then came a side kick, sending another stray dog ​​flying, and he leaned forward to avoid a third stray dog.

As she turned around, a third one pounced. She crouched down and leaned back, slashing the dog's belly with her dagger, leaving a trail of blood. As it crashed to the ground, blood and intestines were exposed. No other dog dared to approach her. An Moxue took the opportunity to finish off the first dog and the third, and both dogs died.

The others were equally impressive. Although none of them could kill the wild dogs instantly, they didn't let them gain an advantage either. Among them, Wu Sicheng was the most surprising. When the fierce dogs pounced on their prey, he turned sideways and grabbed the hind leg of one of the wild dogs. He then swung the hind leg like a sledgehammer and swung it at the wild dog until it died.

The battle lasted for nearly half an hour. All the wild dogs were killed. Wu Sicheng made a hand gesture and said "retreat." The group quickly formed a high-speed advance formation and left the area.

The group marched at full speed for more than an hour before stopping to rest for ten minutes, treat their wounds, and then continue on their way, this time at a much slower pace.

It wasn't until nearly 10 p.m. that the team found a cave and stopped to rest.

Inside the cave, everyone gathered around the campfire, roasting food. Wu Sicheng sat next to An Moxue and asked, "Moxue, how are you? Is anything bothering you?"

"It's alright. It's the first time I've had something this exciting. Now that I've stopped, I feel like my whole body is falling apart. I'm so tired, but everything else is fine." She said casually as she silently reached into her pocket.

"That's normal. You'll get used to it after a few times. Everyone's like that the first time. Some people are still incredibly excited even after they stop. There's always a buffer period."

"I learned a lot from accompanying you on this trip, and it was all worth the danger and excitement."

"I'm sorry, you should be resting at home right now. You could hang out with your friends and chat with them."

"It's okay. On the contrary, I prefer this kind of fresh and challenging life. It's not boring. I don't like a life where you can see the end from the beginning. That kind of mundane life is uninteresting. It's extremely boring."

"I used to think the same way as you. Maybe it's because I've been living a busy and tiring life for too long, but I yearn for a peaceful and stable life."

"Perhaps it's because we have different experiences and different aspirations."

This day was an unprecedentedly exciting one for An Moxue. Growth comes at a price, whether it be blood or tears, hardship or sweat.