Chapter 306
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 306
Chapter Title: Xiao Hei Trapped, a Fleeting Opportunity
“That white monkey has no bloody aura; it's definitely a spirit beast. Its master should be nearby. For a perfected second-tier spirit beast, its master is most likely a perfected Foundation Establishment cultivator. Fellow Daoist, what's your decision?”
On the mountaintop, a fat and a thin cultivator stared at the battling Maoqiu and the single-horned thunder beast.
They released their spiritual senses, observing the area for several hundred yards around.
When a spirit beast fights a demonic beast, a cultivator must be present. If the cultivator has fallen, the spirit beast would likely flee into the deep mountains and become a demonic beast itself.
“I've seen the list of cultivators who entered the Beast Taming Mystic Realm. Officially, three people have primate-type spirit beasts. Among them, Elder Duofu, Grandmaster Chen's Mountain Velvet Beast is a water-type monkey. The other two have a Crimson Flame Monkey and a Golden-Tailed Monkey.”
“This white monkey is a water-attribute spirit beast, similar to Grandmaster Chen's Mountain Velvet Beast. But after a Mountain Velvet Beast breaks through to the second tier, its whole body turns black. It shouldn't be a white monkey!”
The fat cultivator looked puzzled.
He flew to the side of the mountain stream and scanned the area with his spiritual sense, but he didn't detect any fluctuations of a cultivator's spiritual power.
“This white monkey is definitely not Grandmaster Chen's. In that case, the other party might be a perfected Foundation Establishment cultivator.”
“We'd better leave for now. We can't use our trump cards on fighting over spirit items.”
The fat cultivator said cautiously.
There are many spirit items in the Beast Taming Mystic Realm. They had only been inside for a few months, yet they had already collected two quasi-third-tier spirit items and five top-grade second-tier absorbable spirit items.
As for mid and low-grade second-tier spirit items, they had even more.
There was no need to waste their life-saving trump cards on fighting for spirit items. They should be saved for when they leave the mystic realm to protect themselves.
If they fell when the mystic realm's restrictions were fading, what use would all the spirit items they obtained be?
It would just be paving the way for others.
...
“Master, the auras of those two two-legged beasts have disappeared.”
Latiao poked its massive python head out of the cave. With its bulging flesh and uneven head shape, it could no longer be considered a python's head.
It looked very similar to an anaconda.
“They left.”
Chen Jianghe was a little surprised. Maoqiu and the single-horned thunder beast were about to run out of spiritual power, and it was almost time to reap the rewards.
Leaving at this moment... could they have discovered him?
But his and Latiao's hiding spot was excellent, and he hadn't felt any spiritual sense on him.
It was impossible to be discovered.
“To be able to ignore such a great temptation and just leave?”
Chen Jianghe couldn't figure it out.
Have they overcome an addiction?
An exclamation from a memory buried for over a century couldn't help but surface in Chen Jianghe's mind.
Maoqiu was a spirit beast, which meant a cultivator was present.
The other party could surely figure that out.
But Maoqiu was nearly out of spiritual power.
If the two of them had a trump card, they could have taken a gamble. Yet they didn't, choosing to leave at this critical moment instead.
Their level of caution earned even his admiration.
So prudent.
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, confirming that the two cultivators' auras were gone.
Chen Jianghe had Latiao make a move, intervening in the battle to help Maoqiu.
With Latiao's intervention, the battle ended quickly. After all, having fought to this point, both Maoqiu and the single-horned thunder beast had nearly exhausted their spiritual power.
With Chen Jianghe as its backup, Maoqiu didn't care about consuming spiritual power at all, so its attacks were extremely fierce and sharp.
The single-horned thunder beast could only be forced to fight Maoqiu with all its might.
“Master.”
Maoqiu appeared before Chen Jianghe, one hand gripping the single horn of the thunder beast, the other holding a heavy profound iron rod. Its body was charred black, and spiritual blood dripped from the web of its hand.
“Good.”
Chen Jianghe praised.
“Put away the heavy profound iron rod, and put down the single-horned thunder beast. I'll heal your wounds.”
Hearing this, Maoqiu put away the iron rod, dropped the single-horned thunder beast, and extended its mangled hand. The flesh was torn open, charred black and stiff from the lightning strikes.
Yet, just moments ago when it was gripping the heavy profound iron rod, Maoqiu had not shown the slightest sign of pain.
“Endure it.”
Chen Jianghe took out the Silver Moon Flowing Wave Sword, sliced away the charred flesh from the wound on Maoqiu's hand, and then cast the [Jade Dew Flesh Growing Curse] to heal it.
He channeled his spiritual power lightly, condensing it into life-filled spiritual energy that enveloped Maoqiu. While repairing the wounds on its hands, it also restored its fur.
A quarter of an hour later.
The wounds on Maoqiu's hands were fully healed, and its fur had returned to its snow-white color.
“Let's return to the riverbank first.”
Chen Jianghe said.
He flew on his sword towards the stream at the base of the other side of the mountain, with Maoqiu following closely behind, carrying the body of the single-horned thunder beast.
Latiao, on the other hand, was put back into the spirit beast pouch.
The crisis was resolved. Next was to wait for Xiao Hei's spiritual message.
At this moment, Chen Jianghe didn't dare to send a message to Xiao Hei, as he didn't know what the situation was over there.
If Xiao Hei was fighting those five perfected second-tier demonic beasts, his message could very well distract him.
Those were five perfected second-tier demonic beasts.
“Xiao Hei's defense is powerful, and his escape arts are unmatched. Even if he can't win, as long as he isn't greedy for the spirit items, he can escape at any time.”
Chen Jianghe comforted himself.
Back at the riverbank by the stream, Maoqiu began to process the demonic beast parts. Although it had been decades since it last did this work, its technique was still very skilled.
It was just that before, it processed mid-to-late first-tier demonic beasts, and now it was processing perfected second-tier and mid-to-late second-tier demonic beasts.
The essence of the work was the same.
Chen Jianghe only needed to tell Maoqiu which parts of the demonic beasts were valuable, and Maoqiu could perfectly cut them out.
A day passed.
The demonic beasts had been processed.
Chen Jianghe stored all the valuable parts and threw the useless ones into the great river, where they were quickly devoured by the phantom fish.
The phantom fish were demonic beasts with a superior second-grade bloodline. They never appeared alone but always in schools of at least several hundred.
Although they were only late first-tier, they could bite through the defenses of a second-tier demonic beast and devour it.
At the bottom of the river.
Chen Jianghe felt restless. He stood up, broke the water's surface, and activated his Dharma Eye to look towards the Thunder Pool.
But he didn't see Xiao Hei's figure.
He also hadn't received any message from Xiao Hei, and he still didn't dare to disturb him.
If not for the imprint on his spiritual platform glowing steadily without any sign of flickering, Chen Jianghe would have already gone back to find Xiao Hei.
Judging from the spiritual platform imprint, Xiao Hei was safe and likely uninjured.
He hadn't returned for such a long time.
He was probably tied down by the five perfected second-tier demonic beasts and couldn't break free for the moment.
“Master, you don't need to worry about Lord Turtle. Even if I used my full strength, I couldn't break Lord Turtle's defense.”
“It's different. There are five perfected second-tier demonic beasts.”
“It's the same. Even five perfected second-tier demonic beasts would find it hard to break Lord Turtle's defense, unless their spiritual power undergoes a qualitative change, like a perfected second-tier demonic beast on the verge of breaking through to the third tier.”
Maoqiu sent a comforting message.
What Chen Jianghe feared most was that among those five perfected second-tier demonic beasts, there was one comparable to the Frosty Triangle Python from the Wind and Snow Valley Mystic Realm.
That Frosty Triangle Python couldn't do anything to Xiao Hei on its own, but with four other perfected second-tier demonic beasts, even Xiao Hei's powerful defense would be hard to bear.
Another two days passed.
Chen Jianghe still hadn't received a message from Xiao Hei, but Xiao Hei's imprint was glowing brightly, showing no signs of danger.
He could also sense Xiao Hei's general location through the spiritual platform imprint.
“What's going on? He still hasn't escaped?”
Chen Jianghe worried.
“Five perfected second-tier demonic beasts... Xiao Hei can hold back three, Maoqiu can hold back one, and Latiao and I can take out one first.”
“As for those mid-to-late second-tier demonic beasts... at worst, I'll use [Absolute Ice Seal].”
At this thought, Chen Jianghe formed hand seals and executed the Water Ripple Escape, speeding towards the mountain where the Thunder Pool was located.
When he was still over fifty li from the mountain.
Chen Jianghe's figure paused as Xiao Hei's spiritual message sounded in his spiritual platform.
“Master, don't come over! There's a third-tier demonic beast.”
Xiao Hei sensed Chen Jianghe moving rapidly towards him and immediately sent a message through their spiritual link.
They had each other's imprints on their spiritual platforms, allowing them to communicate no matter the distance.
“A third-tier demonic beast? How are you? Can you escape? We can give up the Violet Thunder Heavenly Flame, the Thunderlight Stones, and the Firelight Stones. You must be safe.”
Chen Jianghe was extremely anxious and quickly sent a message.
The Tiannan Sect's secret treasure had only detected three third-tier demonic beast auras in the entire Beast Taming Mystic Realm, and they had run into one. This was just too unlucky.
“I'm fine. It's a third-tier demonic beast that just broke through, but I can't leave.”
“Why?”
“That very strong female two-legged beast is also here. She's fighting the newly advanced third-tier demonic beast and needs my help to hold back the other four perfected second-tier demonic beasts.”
“Very strong? Lady Jinghong?!”
Chen Jianghe's expression tightened.
Lady Jinghong had actually appeared at the mountain with the Thunder Pool and was engaged in a great battle with the newly advanced third-tier demonic beast.
No, is she insane?
Even a newly advanced third-tier demonic beast is still a third-tier demonic beast. Even ordinary Core Formation grandmasters would have to avoid it.
How could a perfected Foundation Establishment cultivator who disbanded a False Core possibly fight a newly advanced third-tier demonic beast?
“Can you lure those four perfected second-tier demonic beasts to me?”
Chen Jianghe asked via spiritual message.
He didn't want Xiao Hei to stay at the Thunder Pool mountain. Once Lady Jinghong was defeated, Xiao Hei would have to face the attacks of a newly advanced third-tier demonic beast and four perfected second-tier demonic beasts.
That was too dangerous.
“That female two-legged beast helped me block the third-tier demonic beast, and the four perfected second-tier demonic beasts are all attacking her. If I want to leave, I can go at any time.”
Xiao Hei sent a message.
With these words, Chen Jianghe understood Xiao Hei's meaning.
Regardless of Lady Jinghong's motives, she had helped Xiao Hei. Otherwise, it would be Xiao Hei facing a newly advanced third-tier demonic beast and four perfected second-tier demonic beasts right now.
The situation would be even more grim.
If Xiao Hei left now, it would be tantamount to leaving Lady Jinghong in a perilous situation.
Xiao Hei couldn't bring himself to repay kindness with enmity.
Chen Jianghe couldn't either.
“I'll send Maoqiu to help you. First, kill the perfected second-tier demonic beasts, then help Lady Jinghong deal with the third-tier one.”
“This female two-legged beast's attacks are very strong. She's not at a disadvantage against the newly advanced third-tier demonic beast. It's just that her defense is too weak.”
“A love-crazed madwoman!”
Chen Jianghe cursed inwardly.
Even if you're looking for a breakthrough by fighting demonic beasts, you shouldn't pick a third-tier one!
Even a newly advanced one is out of the question!
Chen Jianghe no longer hesitated. He formed the Water Ripple Escape seal, and a current of water enveloped his body, speeding him along the great river towards the Thunder Pool mountain.
Outside, fifty li would be but an instant for Chen Jianghe, but inside the mystic realm, it took several dozen breaths.
Under the restrictions of the Beast Taming Mystic Realm, a strange gravity pressed down, making it difficult for Foundation Establishment cultivators to even move.
If a Qi Refining cultivator were here, they probably couldn't even take a step.
Boom!
A sword like a star, like a meteor falling from the boundless night sky, crashed into the Thunder Pool mountain, instantly shattering a hundred yards of rock.
A hundred-foot-long barbaric ox was sent flying, tumbling down the cliff.
Swish!
The sword was like a shooting star, its starlight brilliant.
It flashed past, striking at the barbaric ox's horns.
Clang!
The sound of the impact traveled for ten li. The barbaric ox was sent flying by the force, but its horns were completely unscathed, with only a white mark left behind.
Moooo!
The barbaric ox stomped the ground and roared towards the sky.
Instantly, a domain of fire formed in a hundred-yard radius, and hundreds of fire snakes materialized, charging towards Lady Jinghong.
“Big Dipper Calamity Dispersal: Alkaid.”
Lady Jinghong's jade-like fingers formed a sword sign. With a turn of her body, the Alkaid Sword hung above her head. Following the changes in her hand seals, as the fire snakes came to devour her, the Alkaid Sword transformed into thousands of copies, slaying the fire snakes, penetrating the fire domain, and stabbing towards the barbaric ox.
Hundreds of golden sword lights attacked.
It was impossible to tell which one was the true body of the Alkaid Sword.
However, the illusions of the Alkaid Sword also possessed a certain degree of attack power. This stunned the barbaric ox, which had just broken through to the third tier and had not yet had time to comprehend third-tier divine arts.
It could only use its powerful physical body to withstand the rain of swords that filled the sky.
Seeing this, Chen Jianghe understood what Xiao Hei meant by "don't come over." The attacks were too powerful.
Whether it was Lady Jinghong or the newly advanced third-tier barbaric ox, they were far beyond what he could withstand.
He could barely endure even the aftershocks of the battle.
“What a powerful [Big Dipper Sword Art]!”
Chen Jianghe exclaimed in admiration.
Seeing Lady Jinghong use the [Big Dipper Sword Art], Chen Jianghe could imagine the scene when he himself would use it.
It would probably be just as stunning and invincible!
Chen Jianghe saw that although Lady Jinghong's attacks were fierce and sharp, her spiritual power was being consumed extremely quickly.
Almost every time she used the [Big Dipper Sword Art], she needed to consume a second-tier Spirit Recovery Pill.
In contrast, the barbaric ox, which seemed to be beaten back step by step by Lady Jinghong, had not suffered a single injury.
Not even a minor one.
If this continued, the one to be defeated in the end would surely be Lady Jinghong.
A third-tier demonic beast was too strong.
Even without comprehending third-tier divine arts, its tyrannical physical body and second-tier divine art attacks were enough to make a False Core itinerant cultivator die with regret.
At this moment, the strength Lady Jinghong displayed far exceeded the attacks of a False Core itinerant cultivator.
She was far stronger than Gao Peiyao and Lu Qingfeng from the Battle of Cangyan Mountain.
That one Alkaid sword strike could slay a False Core cultivator.
“Maoqiu, go help Xiao Hei. First, kill that perfected second-tier flying beast.”
Chen Jianghe released Maoqiu from the spirit beast pouch and took out a jade bottle, handing it to Maoqiu.
“Find a chance to give this bottle of spirit pills to Lady Jinghong.”
“Don't worry, Master!”
Maoqiu, holding the heavy profound iron rod, quickly flew towards the Thunder Pool mountain ten li away.
“Ten second-tier Spirit Recovery Pills. This is all I can do to help you.”
The jade bottle Chen Jianghe had Maoqiu give to Lady Jinghong contained ten second-tier Spirit Recovery Pills.
Lady Jinghong had helped Xiao Hei, so he naturally couldn't turn a blind eye.
Although Lady Jinghong's main purpose was to fight the newly advanced third-tier demonic beast in hopes of finding an opportunity for Core Formation.
Helping Xiao Hei was just a convenient side-effect.
Even so, he couldn't just watch as Lady Jinghong fell into peril.
If he had run away with Xiao Hei.
Lady Jinghong would be besieged by one third-tier demonic beast and four perfected second-tier demonic beasts. At that point, she wouldn't be able to escape even if she grew wings.
Chen Jianghe didn't get any closer to the Thunder Pool mountain, afraid that the third-tier barbaric ox would sense his aura.
He hid himself in a rock crevice and activated his Dharma Eye to watch the scene on the Thunder Pool mountain.
Xiao Hei's thirty-foot body, its turtle head retracted into its shell, would occasionally extend its short, thick limbs to interfere with the attacks of the four perfected second-tier demonic beasts.
And as it bounced back and forth, Xiao Hei blocked all the attacks from the four demonic beasts for Lady Jinghong.
It even blocked a charge from the barbaric ox for Lady Jinghong.
Two deep white marks could be seen on Xiao Hei's shell, left by the impact of the third-tier barbaric ox's horns.
They had almost recovered now.
Right after the impact, a barely visible crack had appeared on Xiao Hei's shell.
To be able to block a strike from a third-tier demonic beast without being injured was a testament to the strength of Xiao Hei's defense.
With Xiao Hei's cooperation, Lady Jinghong could truly focus solely on attacking without defending.
While attacking the third-tier barbaric ox, she could still spare a strike to attack the extremely fast perfected second-tier flying beast.
One of its wings had been half-severed by Lady Jinghong's Benetnash Sword.
This was also why Chen Jianghe had Maoqiu coordinate with Xiao Hei to kill the flying beast first.
Seeing Maoqiu join the fight.
A trace of doubt flashed through Lady Jinghong's sharp eyes.
A single cultivator with two perfected second-tier spirit beasts... on the list her friend from the Tiannan Sect had given her, there didn't seem to be any cultivator who entered the Beast Taming Mystic Realm with two perfected second-tier spirit beasts.
One must know that the cost of raising two perfected second-tier spirit beasts was too great.
An ordinary cultivator simply couldn't afford it.
Even with spirit stones, it would be difficult to buy enough resources.
Spirit stones, spirit pills, custom-made magical artifacts... this would require connections with at least a grandmaster alchemist and a grandmaster artifact refiner.
However, Lady Jinghong didn't dwell on it.
She only wanted to attack with all her might, using the [Big Dipper Sword Art] without any reservations, to comprehend the fourth level, the Megrez Sword.
Helping Xiao Hei was her gamble on whether the cultivator behind the spirit turtle had a grateful heart. If so, they would help her tie down the four perfected second-tier demonic beasts.
If not, she would have fled immediately.
She had won the gamble.
This spirit turtle with its extremely powerful defense did not leave and had been helping her block the attacks of the four perfected demonic beasts.
It even helped her block one of the third-tier barbaric ox's attacks.
This gave her time to unleash the Alkaid Sword.
“Jiji~” (Maoqiu.)
Seeing Maoqiu fly over, Xiao Hei let out a loud cry, retracted its limbs into its shell, and rammed towards the perfected second-tier flying beast.
Although they hadn't communicated.
The moment it saw Maoqiu, a single glance was enough to know which demonic beast the other wanted to target.
“Zhi zhi...” (Lord Turtle, I'm here!)
Xiao Hei knocked the perfected second-tier flying beast away, and Maoqiu leaped up with its heavy profound iron rod, unleashing a divine art in an instant.
The heavy profound iron rod in its hand smashed into the flying beast's head.
Red and white matter splattered, and even the spirit core was knocked out. Maoqiu opened its mouth, inhaled, and sucked it into its treasure pouch.
With one perfected second-tier demonic beast killed, the other three began to grow cautious.
Their attacks were no longer so frenzied.
Although Xiao Hei didn't actively attack, its defense was too powerful, causing these perfected second-tier demonic beasts to lose their will to fight.
They wanted to disengage and flee.
But they were also afraid of the third-tier barbaric ox.
As the attacks of the three perfected second-tier demonic beasts slowed, Maoqiu found an opportunity to spit the jade bottle out of its treasure pouch and give it to Lady Jinghong.
“Second-tier Spirit Recovery Pills? Whose spirit beasts are this turtle and monkey? Could it be his?”
A figure flashed through Lady Jinghong's mind.
“Impossible. This spirit monkey has an extremely high bloodline and is pure white; it's definitely not a Mountain Velvet Beast. And he doesn't have a spirit turtle!”
Lady Jinghong's thoughts shifted instantly. She stopped wondering whose spirit beasts they were. With these ten second-tier Spirit Recovery Pills.
She could simultaneously summon three flying swords to attack the third-tier barbaric ox, and in doing so, comprehend the fourth level, the Megrez Sword.
“Fellow Daoist, please help me block this barbaric ox's attack one more time.”
Lady Jinghong called out softly.
She seemed to be speaking to Xiao Hei, but in reality, she was asking for help from Chen Jianghe, who was behind Xiao Hei.
“Xiao Hei, can you block that third-tier barbaric ox's attack?”
Chen Jianghe felt Lady Jinghong's aura continually rising, ever since the moment he first saw her.
As the battle intensified, her aura seemed to be climbing towards a certain critical point.
She was just one step away. As long as she took that step, there would be no more obstacles to her Core Formation.
Lady Jinghong still owed him a favor and would help him once in the Beast Taming Mystic Realm. Naturally, the stronger she was, the better.
“With the Spirit Recovery Pills Maoqiu brought, my spiritual power has recovered to eighty percent. Although this barbaric ox is third-tier, its realm isn't stable, and it hasn't comprehended any divine arts. I can block one strike.”
Xiao Hei sent a message.
When Chen Jianghe had Maoqiu bring ten second-tier Spirit Recovery Pills to Lady Jinghong, he also gave five to Maoqiu.
These were for it and Xiao Hei to consume.
“What's your relationship with this female two-legged beast? I feel like she's about to break through. Helping her this time might be what she needs.”
“She saw everything when I was devouring the Thunderlight Stones, Firelight Stones, and the Violet Thunder Heavenly Flame.”
“If this female two-legged beast forms her core, I won't be able to block her terrifying attacks.”
Xiao Hei's meaning was very clear.
Helping Lady Jinghong now, if she formed her core and became greedy for the treasures he had obtained, they would have no choice but to flee for their lives within the mystic realm.
They might even be killed by Lady Jinghong.
“No matter. I won't show myself. Besides, even if she's going to form her core after we help her, it will still take time.”
Chen Jianghe replied.
As long as Xiao Hei wasn't harmed, he still wanted to help Lady Jinghong.
An opportunity for Core Formation was a rare and precious thing.
Especially for someone like Lady Jinghong, who sought breakthroughs in battle, encountering such an opportunity was extremely rare.
If she missed it this time, who knew what kind of danger she would have to face next time.
Furthermore, if he helped Lady Jinghong this time, then after she formed her core, the favor she owed him would be even greater.
If he encountered an unsolvable problem outside, he would only need to show Xiao Hei and Maoqiu, and Lady Jinghong would naturally understand everything.
Chen Jianghe also wanted to see if Lady Jinghong could comprehend the fourth level of the [Big Dipper Sword Art] before forming her core.
If he could observe Lady Jinghong execute the Benetnash, Alkaid, Alioth, and Megrez swords, it would be of great help to his future cultivation of the [Big Dipper Sword Art].