Chapter 8: The Oncoming Great Battle
Dan Ming contemplated for a moment and said, "Dan Chen, there's something I need your approval on."
Dan Chen looked at him with surprise, and Dan Ming continued in a serious tone, "The Wang family is coming with great momentum, and a battle is unavoidable. Our Dan family's strength is inferior to theirs. We have only six days left to do everything we can to boost our power. I've decided to share the techniques and martial skills with three elders of the clan, hoping they can enhance their strength. What are your thoughts on this?"
"It's up to you, Clan Chief," Dan Chen replied. He couldn't help feeling a bit frustrated, considering the trouble he had faced from the Clan's Grand Elder. However, when it came to the life or death of the family, personal grudges had to be put aside.
Dan Ming chuckled, "Do you know why the Grand Elder is antagonistic toward you and your mother?"
Dan Chen shook his head. He had asked about it before, but Liu Wanfeng had never told him.
"The Grand Elder is one generation senior to me and the other two senior clan members. He has a beloved grandson who had feelings for your mother and so was your father's rival. This man's talent was not inferior to your father's, but his character was problematic. He even set traps to take your father's life, which was a grave violation of clan rules. The Grand Elder personally severed his meridians because of this incident. Due to this matter, he harbors deep resentment against your family."
"You should know that the Grand Elder is not a bad person; he just can't let go of his grudges. At a critical moment for the family's life and death, we shouldn't be entangled in these personal disputes. We should be united externally."
"I'll follow your arrangements," Dan Chen said, understanding the whole story, and his resentment towards the Grand Elder diminished slightly.
"Very well, I will go make the arrangements. You stay here in seclusion, and I'll have someone inform your mother," Dan Ming said with a contented smile. He was very satisfied with Dan Chen's character.
Over the next few days, Dan Chen remained in seclusion at the same place.
Meanwhile, the Clan Chief and the three senior clan members, the only four martial experts in the Dan family, all entered seclusion as well, leaving Dan Zhen in charge of the clan's affairs.
Dan Chen moved like a swimming fish, constantly shuttling through a stone forest specifically designed for practicing footwork. He was as fast as lightning, yet he didn't collide with a single stone pillar.
Dan Yuan stood nearby, watching and applauding. At the same time, he felt a bit frustrated. Dan Chen had reached the pinnacle of the Swimming Fish Step after practicing for two days, while it had taken him more than half a year in the past.
These days, under Dan Ming's guidance, Dan Yuan, the first-day talent of the Dan family, had been helping Dan Chen in martial training. However, there wasn't much he could teach Dan Chen due to Dan Chen’s own extraordinary talent in martial arts. Whenever he pointed out a minor issue, Dan Chen would quickly improve and never make the same mistake again.
Dan Yuan was deeply moved by this. He knew that his own talent was about to be overshadowed.
However, Dan Yuan bore no jealousy feelings toward Dan Chen. He had been educated by Dan Ming and Dan Zhen since childhood, and while he pursued his own strength, he also prioritized the family's interests. The stronger Dan Chen became, the happier he was. He guided Dan Chen with dedication and no hidden agenda.
Emerging from the stone forest without a trace of breathlessness, Dan Chen asked, "Elder brother, how am I doing?"
Dan Yuan had a blank expression as he said, "You're still far from perfection; you need to work harder."
Dan Chen rolled his eyes. Perfection wasn't that easy to achieve, after all. He was feeling a bit frustrated as well. He had consecutively deduced three superior martial skills, and the spiritual energy in his mental space was depleted by ninety percent. It wasn't enough to support the deduction of another superior martial skill. Fortunately, the spiritual energy in his mental space would gradually replenish with daily practice and would be sufficient for further deductions once it was refilled.
He had to practice this intermediate Swimming Fish Step on his own. With his extraordinary talent as the Martial Saint Body, he had already perfected this martial art to its highest level in just two days.
"Practicing footwork without fighting is pointless. Come, I'll give you a try!" Dan Yuan's figure flickered, and he launched an attack directly.
"Hey, hey! Why do you always act without a warning?” Dan Chen yelled in protest. These past few days, he had been relentlessly bullied by Dan Yuan. He might be a genius, but he had only just entered the world of martial arts, with only the fifth stage of the Initial Martial Realm. How could he possibly compete with Dan Yuan, who had reached the intermediate stage of the six-staged Initial Martial Realm? He got thrashed several times each day.
However, Dan Chen’s progress was quite rapid. Initially, he couldn’t last more than a couple of moves when they fought, and each time, the battle would end soon after Dan Yuan made his move. But now, Dan Chen could endure for quite some time.
Both of them displayed the Swimming Fish Step, fighting and chasing each other. They soon reached the stone forest, where they had to not only engage in combat but also avoid colliding with stone pillars.
Dan Chen's strength was inferior to Dan Yuan's, so he focused on dodging and occasionally launching counterattacks. He seemed to possess a combat instinct, often seizing fleeting opportunities and striking precisely at crucial moments, making Dan Yuan quite uncomfortable.
For instance, at this moment, Dan Yuan had to adjust his posture to avoid a stone pillar on his left, which had a minor influence on his movements. Seizing this opportunity, Dan Chen struck. Both his hands reached out simultaneously, the right with a Jade-Shattered Fist aimed at Dan Yuan's chest, and the left with the Thousand-Leaf Hand sweeping diagonally, emitting sharp sounds due to the fierce energy.
Dan Yuan quickly adapted his stance and blocked the blow aimed at his waist, but he couldn't evade the slicing energy completely. A mark was left on his clothes.
Dan Chen was elated, but Dan Yuan retreated and extended his foot, kicking Dan Chen away.
"Ouch!" Dan Chen grimaced and rubbed his back. He felt a stinging sensation.
"Remember, during a battle, you must stay fully focused and not let your guard down until your opponent is defeated," Dan Yuan said coldly.
"I got it!" Dan Chen was feeling a bit frustrated. He had taken advantage of the situation but was distracted for a moment, and it almost led to a reversal. He knew it was a mistake that he shouldn’t have made.
...
The weather grew colder, and the atmosphere in the Dan family became increasingly tense. Even the young members, who were completely unaware of the situation, became unusually obedient, diligently practicing at the martial training grounds every day.
Inside the clan, everyone appeared hurried, as if an invisible force was chasing them, making it hard to breathe.
At the training grounds, the youths, under the supervision of their instructors, loosely practiced their martial skills.
After enduring through practice, the youths gathered in groups during their break.
"Dan Kang, something strange is going on lately; there are more people, and many of them are unfamiliar faces," a young man in blue clothing said.
A young man in yellow clothing glanced at him casually and replied, "What's so strange about that? The deadline given by the Wang family is almost here, so the clan naturally has to prepare. The clan issued a summons, and these are the clan members who've returned after receiving the order."
"Ah? Are we really going to fight?" The young man in blue clothing was taken aback.
"Of course! The whole clan has been mobilized. I heard that the Clan Chief and the three senior clan members are in seclusion, preparing for the upcoming battle," the young man in yellow’s source of information was always up to date.
"Wow! Are we really going to fight? All of this started because of Dan Chen," the young man in blue clothing exclaimed, a mixture of amazement and resentment in his voice.
"You're so ignorant!" the young man in yellow clothing scoffed. "Wang Changkong didn't die; he was just seriously injured and will recover after some time. Do you really think a battle between two families is incited by such a trivial matter?"
"Um," the young man in blue clothing hesitated. "So, you mean it's not Dan Chen's fault?"
"He's just unlucky, that's all. Even without this incident, the Wang family would have found another excuse. According to what my uncle said, the Wang family has been preparing in secret since the beginning of the year, and they're nearly ready now," the young man in yellow clothing sighed with a worried look.
He patted the shoulder of the young man in blue and said, "Dan Le, work hard, and be ready to give it all tomorrow."
The young man in blue stared blankly, momentarily at a loss for words.
...
In the blink of an eye, seven days had passed. The moon set in the west, and the sun rose in the east, signaling another clear day. However, within the Dan family, it felt as though a storm was brewing.
The clan members were all armed, fully equipped, and gathered outside the Jade Truth Hall.
The Deputy Clan Chief, Dan Zhen, and the three senior clan members stood on a high platform to the north of the square, discussing matters among themselves.
"Last night, the Wang family began assembling their forces, and they've already issued orders to attack the Dan family," Dan Zhen said with a solemn expression, relaying the latest news.
"They can come if they want; our Dan family fears no one," the senior clan member stated with a stern expression and a fierce look. He had obtained the latest martial technique, and although he hadn't advanced further, his impure Qi had become purer, which had significantly boosted his overall strength.
"While the Wang family is slightly stronger than our Dan family, the gap isn't that significant. If we go all out, they could still be severely injured," the second senior clan member said, holding a longsword in his hand as it seemed he was skilled with long weapons.
"Deputy Clan Chief, how is the Clan Chief doing?" the third senior clan member asked anxiously.
"My father broke through last night and is currently stabilizing his realm. When the Wang family's people arrive, he will come out," Dan Zhen explained.
As soon as Dan Zhen finished speaking, laughter echoed from the direction of the Dan family's main gate. "Dan Ming, Wang Zhenshan is leading the Wang family's experts to pay a visit. Why don't you come out to greet us?"
The laughter was so loud that even the lower-ranked martial artists of the Dan family, dozens of zhang away, were shaken, and they had to exert their full strength to resist its impact.
"Wang Zhenshan, you're still pretending here after all these years. Come on in; I'll be waiting for you here," Dan Ming's voice came from the courtyard behind as he abruptly appeared on the high platform, finishing his sentence.
Seeing Dan Ming's extraordinary agility, the family members below couldn't help but become excited. They gained a bit more confidence for the upcoming battle. The three senior clan members, simultaneously glancing at Dan Ming, nodded slightly and confirmed their final preparations, feeling a sense of relief.
"All right, I haven't stretched my muscles for decades. Today, I'm going to have a great battle," the senior clan member roared, his voice resounding like a mighty bell.
Dan Chen and Dan Yuan had walked out from the courtyard behind and witnessed the scene. They were a bit dissatisfied, seeing this side of the old man, the senior clan member.
Dan Chen noticed Liu Wanfeng in the distance. He waved at her and hurriedly ran over to whisper, "Mother, don't be afraid. I'll protect you."
Liu Wanfeng glanced at him and said with a hint of irritation, "You don't understand the magnitude of the situation. It's not something you should meddle in. Just stay quietly in the background."
Dan Chen raised an eyebrow, about to mention that he had already reached the fifth stage of the Initial Martial Realm and could practice two superior martial skills, as well as his recently acquired intermediate peak level body technique. Suddenly, he felt a connection and turned to look at the main gate.
A purple-robed elder entered with a group of people.
“Finally," Dan Chen's aura changed as he released a strong sense of readiness for battle.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone