Chapter 17: The Water Armored Turtle
Qi Refining 10th stage was followed by Core Formation initial, so Yuseong had just provoked an opponent four whole stages above him. Only someone like this could properly test the power of an upper-grade magic tool.
“You insolent bastard!”
The Core Formation initial youth pointed at him with a finger, and a silver beam shot out at blinding speed. Yuseong deployed his barrier and sent out five Water Horn Swords for a probing exchange. Thanks to his mental training, he could now control five of them.
Boom!
The silver beam shattered the barrier and pierced through the Silver Serpent Armor, but it dissipated harmlessly without harming his flesh. With Iron Skin Art 7th stage layered over the Silver Serpent Armor, ordinary attacks couldn't touch him.
“You brat! You've even learned body refinement! Don't you know that cultivating both spells and body arts slows your progress?”
The youth blocked the incoming five Water Horn Swords with his own barrier, then pulled a black bow magic tool from his storage pouch. The bowstring drew back on its own and loosed an arrow that sliced through the air. Yuseong positioned his five Water Horn Swords like shields to block it.
Kaboom!
The arrow punched through the Water Horn Swords and flew straight at him. Yuseong pulled five White Sand Flying Daggers from his storage pouch to intercept. A single arrow cracked all five Water Horn Swords.
Yuseong activated his movement technique to close in rapidly, drew his Flame Orb, and hurled a fireball. A massive sphere a zhang across scorched the air as it hurtled toward the youth.
Without a hint of panic, the youth summoned a five-chi-long indigo turtle from his spirit beast pouch.
“Too bad—you didn't know I have a Water Armored Turtle.”
The Water Armored Turtle gaped its mouth, spewing a torrent of water that engulfed the fireball. Hiss! Steam billowed as the zhang-sized fireball clashed with the deluge, neutralizing each other.
A 3rd-grade demon beast raised as a spirit beast... What an unexpected variable. First things first—he had to deal with this annoying turtle.
Decision made in an instant, Yuseong flung the already-cracked Water Horn Swords at the youth and rocketed toward the turtle with his movement technique. The Water Armored Turtle opened its maw again, firing multiple water jets. The spear-like streams pierced his barrier and slammed into his body. One grazed his waist, tearing away a fist-sized chunk of flesh; another punched a hole in his arm, blood spurting out.
“Urk.”
Gritting through the pain, he smashed a fist toward the turtle's head. It swiftly retracted into its shell, dodging, and unleashed another jet. The force was greater than expected; this time Yuseong evaded with his movement technique and circled behind the turtle to brace for the youth's arrows.
Oh? So it has a tail.
Spotting the tail, he slashed down with a White Sand Flying Dagger, severing it cleanly. Kreeee!
Enraged, the Water Armored Turtle went berserk, blasting a massive barrage of water jets at him.
“You bastard! Cutting my Water Armored Turtle's tail! I'll torture your soul and make sure you don't die easy!”
As the youth loosed arrows and daggers, Yuseong threw up the thickest barrier he could and dodged like mad, hurling White Sand Flying Daggers at the turtle's legs and fireballs into its shell. With the turtle between them, he and the youth chased and evaded each other for a quarter of an hour. He targeted the head, legs, and shell—the beast's weak points—using the Flame Orb whenever an opening appeared.
He couldn't dodge every arrow and jet; his body was a mangled wreck. He dusted himself head to toe with Wood Life Powder and kept fighting. His left arm dangled uselessly, his shoulder pierced by an arrow and barely mobile. Green powder mixed with crimson blood—his appearance was grotesque.
The turtle's jets were weakening. Seizing the moment, Yuseong gathered his magic power and poured it into the Flame Orb. A dragon's roar shook heaven and earth as a fire dragon the size of the turtle materialized.
“Gasp!”
The youth paled, hiding behind the turtle and deploying a bead magic tool's barrier. The five-chi fire dragon soared with majestic fury before diving at full speed.
Kwaaaang!
The thunderous blast pulverized three layers of barriers in an instant. The Water Armored Turtle blocking the youth melted away. Flames engulfed a ten-zhang radius in the aftermath.
Yuseong rushed in, slashing with White Sand Flying Daggers and fists. With the Flame Orb on him, he moved freely through the inferno unscathed. The turtle's indigo body was charred black and dissolving; the youth stood barely, clothes burned away, skin blistered.
The youth blocked the daggers with his bead barrier, but Yuseong's fist shattered it.
Crack!
“Wait! I'm an elder of the Beast Taming Sect. My master is at the Nascent Soul—”
Splat!
Ignoring him, Yuseong caved in his skull. He ignited the body and nascent soul with the Flame Orb.
“Arrrgh! You bastard! My master will avenge me!”
The nascent soul's final scream faded. In moments, the youth's body and soul were ash, leaving only the storage pouch and spirit beast pouch.
Whew... Rewards after hardship were always sweet. Of course, he'd fought for survival.
Killing a Beast Taming Sect disciple in their territory meant leaving fast was wise. He pocketed the pouches, extinguished the flames on the turtle's corpse with cold qi, stored it in the pouch, and cleaned up. Erasing all traces of battle, he mounted a flying magic tool and headed for Unkak Sect.
Proud of himself for fairly defeating a Beast Taming Sect Core Formation initial cultivator. Thanks to the Yin-Yang Art's pure, abundant magic power, the body art Iron Skin Art, and the upper-grade Flame Orb, he'd bridged four stages. Still, Beast Taming Sect cultivators seemed weaker in personal prowess, relying on spirit beasts. Yet as Gaun Mountains' top sect, Nascent Soul or Spirit Severing elders must change that dynamic.
The dying youth had mentioned his master at Nascent Soul, so caution until back at Unkak Sect. The scene was cleaned; even a Nascent Soul expert wouldn't peg him as the killer. No more missions near Beast Taming Sect territory.
Nine thousand li to Unkak Sect—he dug caves at rest spots, cultivated to recover, and moved on. Once far enough, he checked his spoils: the storage pouch and spirit beast pouch.
The spirit beast pouch was empty. The 3rd-grade demon Water Armored Turtle had been his only one. Hopes dashed.
But the storage pouch remained. Inside: 30 lower-grade spirit stones, a pouch of unidentified pills, a jade slip, and two 60-year-old ginseng roots. Perfect—he could buy Black Herb and Shadow Sound Grass at the sect shop for Red Flood Pill ingredients.
The pills' effects were unknown until he scanned the jade slip. It detailed basics of taming demon beasts. The pouch held Beast Advancement Pills to boost growth.
Best to raise from birth, nurturing personally. So stealing another cultivator's spirit beast is out?
Further reading revealed blood seals to prevent betrayal. One could subdue ownerless beasts this way—but the cultivator's cultivation had to exceed the beast's, or betrayal risked later. Still, benefits outweighed risks; many took the chance. Beast Taming Sect mandated each disciple raise at least one.
Jo Daemun—the dead one—had likely raised the Water Armored Turtle from youth to 3rd-grade. Pity to lose it, but targeting it first was key to victory. At least the shell remained; he could commission Baek Gong for a defensive magic tool. A five-chi turtle meant plenty of material. Baek Gong's skill should yield something good.
Wait... If Jo Daemun's master came to Unkak Sect, hunting the killer and learned he commissioned a 3rd-grade Water Armored Turtle shell? The master would know his disciple had one. And right after the death? It screamed guilt.
Would Unkak Sect protect a Qi Refining 7th stage like him? Or hand him to Gaun Mountains' top sect's Nascent Soul powerhouse? Weighing it, they'd sacrifice him to avoid offending Beast Taming Sect.
Act carefully. No commissioning the shell with Baek Gong. Regrettable, but necessary.
Back at sect, seek basic refinement arts. Better to learn himself for self-repair and forging later.
It stung not forging the 3rd-grade shell immediately, but with the master surely hunting, caution ruled. Double-checked pouches and contents with divine sense—ordinary. Empty spirit beast pouch was useless and conspicuous, so stored it. Discarded Jo Daemun's pouch; memorized jade slip, then burned it.
Thoroughly verified, he low-altitude flighted toward Unkak Sect.