Chapter 100 - 98: Mutant Beast, Rank Three!

Only between life and death can a person truly be forged. In the cave. Jiang Shu occasionally swung his war blade, practicing the three styles of blade techniques over and over, which he had already trained to a minor level of proficiency. In a matter of days, he had fully recovered. His vitality surged as before. During this time, some changes also seemed to have occurred within the Heaven and Earth Secret Realm. Far off, occasional tremors echoed, as if from earthquakes. Bizarre roars and furious bellows rose amidst the trembling. A second-order Mutant Beast certainly couldn’t cause such a commotion! So, the battle in the distance was either a fighter at the Refining Internal Realm clashing with a third-order Mutant Beast, or two third-order Mutant Beasts fighting each other! Either way, it was not a battle that they, as Martial Artists at the Dark Force level, could interfere in. Even someone with a strong heart and constant fighting spirit like Shang Jibei had begun to retreat, no longer advancing. The gap between Dark Force and a third-order Mutant Beast was like that between clouds and mud! Moreover, he was not alone. As the team leader, he had to take responsibility for his teammates. "Jiang Shu..." Shang Jibei hesitated, and though he didn’t finish, Jiang Shu naturally understood his meaning. But understanding was one thing; taking action was another entirely. Since entering the Heaven and Earth Secret Realm, Jiang Shu knew that compared to all the Martial Artists from Xuanxing, his greatest advantage was not that he possessed Martial Arts from another world! Because at this moment, in the Da Jing Dynasty, he merely resided in a small county town. The strongest person he had encountered was only at the Refining Internal Realm, which was equivalent to Xia Country’s Refining Internal Realm. As for Xia Country, it was possible that within Shang Jibei’s family, there was someone at the Elixir Realm! Temporarily speaking, their Martial Arts heritage was definitely much deeper than his own. Compared to Shang Jibei, his biggest advantage was that he could travel back to Pingling County from within the Heaven and Earth Secret Realm! He had the ability to completely escape in the face of death. Even though the panel has a cooldown, and returning would trigger it, the worst-case scenario is I just train to the Refining Internal Realm in Pingling County before coming back. Third-order Mutant Beasts, huh? Back in Pingling County, I was only at the Skin Grinding Realm; I wouldn’t have even dreamed of encountering one. Now, my Tiger Bone Mad Demon Fist is rapidly improving. The bones of my upper limbs and my right lower limb have all been tempered to completion. Consuming second-order Mutant Beast meat for over half a month has brought surging vitality, elevating my strength to the peak among Dark Force Martial Artists. Not to mention, I also have the three blade forms mastered to a minor level. Against a peak third-order Mutant Beast, I might not withstand a single exchange. But what if it’s on its deathbed? With this ’golden finger’ in hand, how can I not gamble when an opportunity presents itself! "Shang Bro, why don’t you and Zhu Qingyun head back first? I feel staying in this Heaven and Earth Secret Realm is more beneficial for my Martial Arts improvement, so I’d like to stay a bit longer," Jiang Shu said casually, naturally not voicing his true thoughts. "It’s too dangerous. I understand your thinking. The Heaven and Earth Secret Realm is indeed more suitable for us Martial Artists to practice. When I first entered, I also felt it would be great to stay inside forever." "But it’s not really like that. With third-order Mutant Beasts appearing in the distance, the battlefield could expand and affect us. One’s realm can be improved anytime, but safety is paramount." "Yes, our gains this time have been quite substantial. Next time another Heaven and Earth Secret Realm opens, we can enter together," Zhu Qingyun, who had been mostly silent, rarely took the initiative to add. "It’s fine, I’ll be careful. If it really gets dangerous, I’ll just practice on the outskirts. The only trouble is, I’ll need you, Shang Bro, to take the important materials I’ve obtained before you leave." "Carrying them around is quite a bother." Jiang Shu spoke with an air of nonchalance. Shang Jibei looked deeply at Jiang Shu and finally nodded. He knew that, on one hand, Jiang Shu and he were similar; once they made a decision, it was hard to change. On the other hand, he also believed everyone had their own opportunities and secrets. Perhaps Jiang Shu’s advancement in this Heaven and Earth Secret Realm is indeed faster than ours. Wanting to stay a little longer is understandable. "Alright, how about this? Qingyun and I will wait for you at the passageway. I’ll lend you this telescope for now." "We’ll probably wait at the passageway for half a month. If you don’t return in half a month, I’ll come looking for you. As for the important materials, I’ll have Qingyun take them back... If..." "I will personally purchase the important materials with credits and convert them into a sufficient amount of Xia Country currency to give to your parents in one lump sum." "And this heavy sword... if you want it, you can take it. Your alloy war blade is of somewhat average quality and is damaged. If you really encounter danger, not having a reliable weapon is a problem." "Although a heavy sword and a war blade are different, your blade techniques should be adaptable with some variation and shouldn’t significantly affect your combat strength." "Thank you," Jiang Shu didn’t stand on ceremony, shaking Shang Jibei’s hand and taking the equipment. Watching the two depart, Jiang Shu stood firm, breathing deeply to adjust his condition to its absolute peak. Then, with a push from his toes, he shot off into the distance. He frequently raised the telescope, peering through the canopy of the giant trees for any movement ahead. After advancing for about a quarter of an hour, the tremors grew more pronounced. Only then did Jiang Shu get a clear view of the battle. He saw a tiger-shaped Mutant Beast, about three times the size of an ordinary tiger, letting out low snarls. Its body was pitch-black, lean and ferocious, with little flesh, and its tail stood erect like a huge club. Opposite it was a Mutant Beast of similar size but somewhat plump, with a round belly, resembling a snow leopard. It was covered in white fur, its fangs as long as alloy war blades. Around these two third-order Mutant Beasts, other unfortunate creatures, caught in the battlefield with nowhere to flee, lay dead. Although I don’t recognize these two third-order Mutant Beasts, I’ve seen enough posts in the Martial Artist Alliance forums to make some guesses. This snow leopard-shaped one must be about to give birth. It must have been hiding day and night, but somehow it was discovered. Muttering to himself, Jiang Shu quickly retreated, finding a spot where he was safe yet could still observe the battlefield. He had the ability to transmigrate, but only once. He could be reckless, but only once. He had to be extremely cautious. Through his telescope, the two Mutant Beasts clashed again. The battle raged on. Tiger roars! Leopard bellows! With each collision of their massive forms, the quaking intensified. The tiger-shaped Mutant Beast increasingly gained the upper hand. It was faster. Each explosive movement left an afterimage, its sharp claws and teeth tearing bloody trails across the leopard-shaped Mutant Beast. The leopard-shaped Mutant Beast swayed unsteadily, as if it couldn’t hold on any longer and was about to collapse. The tiger-shaped Mutant Beast leaped, aiming its fangs straight for the leopard’s neck. It’s going in for the kill. Just as Jiang Shu thought it was a one-sided slaughter, the battle decided, with no benefit for him to gain, the leopard-shaped Mutant Beast suddenly roared in fury, and an icicle shot from its mouth! It struck the tiger-shaped Mutant Beast squarely in the abdomen. The leopard’s sharp claws simultaneously ripped into its foe, tearing viciously! Blood and viscera sprayed through the air! As if expending all its strength, the leopard-shaped Mutant Beast collapsed. But it struggled back to its feet, four legs trembling, and let out a triumphant roar. It stomped one foot on the tiger-shaped Mutant Beast’s body, drenched in its enemy’s blood, and surveyed its surroundings!