Chapter 98 - 97: Heaven and Earth Secret Realm, Extreme Cold Land (4200, Report Scores and Ask for Subscriptions)

「A month later.」 「Yun Dian Province.」 An endless forest stretched on, seemingly without end. A helicopter hovered mid-air. Below, an army of thousands of soldiers could be faintly seen encamped on an open field. Some new types of firearms, unseen even during military parades, lay like giant beasts among them. In front of them, a fissure between heaven and earth, just wide enough for one person to pass through, emitted a strange glow. Jiang Shu gripped an alloy battle saber, a large-capacity backpack purchased from the Martial Artist Alliance on his back. As he descended from the helicopter, the Qi and Blood within his body instantly churned slightly, as if drawn and stirred by some unseen force. He had the distinct feeling that training here could increase his martial arts practice speed by roughly ten percent. "Yun Dian Province currently has three Heaven and Earth Secret Realms," Shang Jibei began to explain. "The two newly discovered ones both border other countries. According to the signed agreement, we can only enter each one once the passage stabilizes. The one truly belonging to our Xia Country is only this place; it’s also somewhat safer." As he steadied himself, six soldiers from the army quickly ran over. Three of them held instruments and scanned each of the trio to confirm their identities. The other three each carried a safe in one hand and an envelope and pen in the other. "Martial Artists can enter the fissure between heaven and earth, but occasionally, some Mutant Beasts might streak out from it," Shang Jibei continued. "The army’s role is not only to declare sovereignty but also to guard this place. After all, any Mutant Beast entering a city could cause a significant disaster. Every soldier who comes here writes a will. If one is sacrificed, the army will dispatch personnel to bestow honors and deliver the will to the soldier’s family. It’s the same for us Martial Artists." Shang Jibei was the first to take a sheet of paper from an envelope. He swiftly wrote a few words and signed his name. He and Zhu Qingyun’s families were actually aware of the existence of the Heaven and Earth Secret Realms. Even if they didn’t write, their families would understand. Only Jiang Shu, coming from an ordinary background... perhaps he’ll write a bit more. He stood by, waiting for Jiang Shu. However, to Shang Jibei’s surprise, Jiang Shu also wrote just a few brief lines, inserted the paper into the envelope, and handed it to the soldier. "You might want to write a little more; it can be a comfort," Shang Jibei advised. With just that piece of advice, he slung a heavy battle sword as wide as a man’s back onto his own and strode towards the fissure between heaven and earth, entering first. Jiang Shu, however, gestured for the soldier to place the envelope in the safe and followed closely behind. Zhu Qingyun was next. In the span of a month, the strength of all three had greatly improved. Shang Jibei had focused on learning two sets of Swordsmanship, one of which was the Heavy Sword Without Edge technique, possessing overwhelming power. Its explosive force could shatter the skull of a typical Rank 2 Mutant Beast with a single blow. Zhu Qingyun, on the other hand, hadn’t learned any offensive techniques, concentrating instead on movement techniques and medical skills. Carrying a pack half the size of a person, she served as a combat medic. As for Jiang Shu, his progress was even more considerable. His proficiency with the Unnamed Saber Technique was nearing small success, and it was highly probable he would achieve a breakthrough within the Heaven and Earth Secret Realm. The enhancement from the Tiger Bone Mad Demon Fist had allowed him to fully temper his upper limbs and even partially forge the bones in his legs. In Pingling County, he could now be considered a top Martial Artist at the Middle Stage of the Bone Forging Realm. He had cultivated both movement techniques acquired from the Martial Artist Alliance to small success or higher. The Snow Stepping Technique was useful for circling behind Mutant Beasts to launch surprise attacks. The Minor Leap Skill was suitable for navigating treacherous terrain and somewhat resembled the Wudang Sect’s Cloud Jumping from the martial arts novels of his previous life. It was just a pity he didn’t have enough points for the Toad Leap; otherwise, with abilities for both upward and forward leaps, he would be fully equipped. 「Heaven and Earth Secret Realm.」 「Extreme Cold Land.」 As soon as Jiang Shu stepped in, an icy chill struck him, as if the massive door of a freezer had been swung wide open. He first confirmed that his panel could still be opened and that he retained the ability to travel back to the Da Jing Dynasty. Then he looked around. Enormous, oddly shaped trees grew there, surprisingly still thriving. Their needle-like leaves were half an arm’s length, and both the tree bark and the ground were encased in layers of ice. Not a single star sparkled in the sky above; instead, endless snowflakes, each half the size of a palm, drifted down. A considerable light permeated the entire Heaven and Earth Secret Realm, and the roars of beasts echoed incessantly from the forest depths. "In the Extreme Cold Land, the temperature in the outermost area alone reaches negative one hundred degrees Celsius, and it grows even more terrifyingly cold further in," Shang Jibei explained, his breath misting. "Ordinary people would lose consciousness within a short time. Even soldiers who practice Qi Blood Transport, despite extensive cold protection measures, cannot venture much deeper. Even we Martial Artists with Dark Force can only hunt in the peripheral areas. The weather gets colder further inside, and the Mutant Beasts become more terrifying." Shang Jibei took out a specially made telescope and scanned the surroundings. In such extreme weather, only specially designed equipment could function; the molecular structures of ordinary materials would change. "At the three o’clock position, roughly three miles away, is a Rank 2 Mutant Beast—the Iron Bone Cold Pig. Its specialty is charging. A single charge can unleash at least ten thousand pounds of force, so try to avoid a head-on confrontation. Besides its flesh and a pair of tusks, nothing else on its body is valuable. The three of us will divide the flesh. As for the tusks, whoever makes the kill gets them. In the Martial Artist Alliance, a pair of Iron Bone Cold Pig tusks is worth sixty points. Jiang Shu, will you take the shot, or shall I?" "I’ll do it," Jiang Shu replied. The Mutant Beasts found within the Heaven and Earth Secret Realm differed slightly from those in the Da Jing Dynasty. During this time, besides practicing his Martial Arts, Jiang Shu had also diligently read the posts on the Martial Artist Alliance forums.