Chapter 99 - 97: Heaven and Earth Secret Realm, Extreme Cold Land (4200, Report Results and Ask for Subscriptions)_2

Those who survive in harsh environments often rank among the most powerful in their Realm. His words had barely faded when Jiang Shu abruptly charged forward. Shang Jibei and Zhu Qingyun followed closely, one providing support, the other monitoring their surroundings. Perhaps because of the ice beads and snowflakes on the ground, Jiang Shu’s execution of the Snow Stepping Technique was even more agile. He silently circled to the rear, his alloy battle blade already drawn. Gripping it with one arm, he unleashed Fierce Tiger Jumping! Although he hadn’t learned the Toad Leap, Fierce Tiger Jumping also allowed for an energetic leap. When he was ten steps away from the Iron Bone Cold Pig, Jiang Shu’s form blurred. The strength in his alloy battle blade surged, and an immense force exploded from within! As if sensing the change in the air, the Iron Bone Cold Pig didn’t even turn its head, instead rolling awkwardly on the ground. With a roaring cry, its half-arm-length sharp tusks jutted out menacingly! It turned back to look at Jiang Shu, its needle-like quills standing on end as a chilling aura seemed to condense upon them from the air. Its two massive hind legs pawed the ground forcefully, building strength as shards of ice flew everywhere. "Brother Shang, how many moves do you think Jiang Shu will use?" Zhu Qingyun asked. Despite having faced Jiang Shu in the Martial Arts prodigy competition at university, she knew a tournament fight was, after all, not a life-or-death situation. A Martial Artist’s true strength could only be revealed in such a battle. Without a doubt, both Shang Jibei and Jiang Shu were cut from the same cloth. "He’s stronger now," Shang Jibei replied. It was an answer that seemed off-topic, yet perfectly addressed the question. In the clearing, the Iron Bone Cold Pig charged fiercely. Extreme cold burst forth from beneath its hooves as they pawed the ground. Head lowered, it didn’t display its massive tusks, but this ferocious charge would force even an ordinary Dark Force Martial Artist to retreat. White Tiger Bearing Corpse! With an upward flick of his blade, Jiang Shu faced the Iron Bone Cold Pig’s charge calmly. Holding the blade in one arm, he utilized the immense power from the collision, stamped his feet, and activated his Small Leap Skill, vaulting over five meters high. Fierce Tiger Jumping! He executed the Skill once again. With all his strength concentrated, the alloy battle blade chopped down on the Iron Bone Cold Pig’s skull. "ROAR!" Rage! Fear! The Iron Bone Cold Pig roared repeatedly, but it was too late. Jiang Shu’s alloy battle blade had already penetrated its skull; he chopped and sliced forcefully! Torrents of hot blood sprayed all over Jiang Shu, the stench unbearable. Beneath him, the Iron Bone Cold Pig lay on the ground, twitching on the verge of death. In just three short rounds! An Iron Bone Cold Pig—a beast that even a Manifested Force Martial Artist would flee from, and an early-stage Dark Force Martial Artist would hastily dodge—was slain by Jiang Shu’s blade. Following the methods posted on the Martial Artist Alliance forums, Jiang Shu extracted the two half-arm-long tusks. Sixty points. He calculated that hunting four more Iron Bone Cold Pigs would be equivalent to 3,000,000 Xia Country currency. And this might have taken him only three to four minutes. Indeed, only in a Heaven and Earth Secret Realm does a Martial Artist truly have the ability to make quick money. After slaying four more Iron Bone Cold Pigs, I’ll be able to purchase other Martial Arts from the Martial Artist Alliance. Jiang Shu twisted his foot on the ground. Countless tiny ice beads flew up. As his qi and blood surged, the ice beads melted into water, washing over his body. In a dangerous situation, I naturally wouldn’t waste my body’s qi and blood so carelessly. But now, with Shang Jibei by my side, and an Iron Bone Cold Pig to consume soon to replenish my energy, a little wastage is no big deal. After all, this foul-smelling blood is indeed uncomfortable. I just need to be more careful next time and try to maintain a certain distance from the Iron Bone Cold Pigs. Summing up his experience, Jiang Shu placed the tusks in his backpack. At that moment, Shang Jibei came over. The group roasted the Iron Bone Cold Pig over a fire on the spot and shared the meat. After eating only a third of his portion, Jiang Shu stopped. This Iron Bone Cold Pig was, in a sense, a gift from Shang Jibei. The opportunity to gain combat experience and obtain the tusks was already a great result. Naturally, I should know how to share. "How is it? Isn’t it vastly different from the Mutant Beast meat you had at the academy?" Shang Jibei asked with a smile. Zhu Qingyun and Jiang Shu were both visiting a Heaven and Earth Secret Realm for the first time, so this was presumably their first time eating such a potent Mutant Beast. Back when I returned from the Heaven and Earth Secret Realm in Shengjing, all the Mutant Beast meat at the academy seemed tasteless in comparison. It was like an ordinary person eating synthetic meat. Neither the flavor nor the vitality it provided could compare. Shang Jibei mused. 「Half an hour later.」 Leaving behind a pile of bones, Jiang Shu and his companions set out once again. The deeper they ventured, the slower their pace became. Shang Jibei observed their surroundings, occasionally taking action. His edgeless heavy sword crushed ordinary Mutant Beasts in two or three strikes. Clearly, his combat strength was on par with Jiang Shu’s. When confronting some of the more terrifying Fierce Beasts, Shang Jibei and Jiang Shu would flank them, cooperating to take them down. With each kill, the spoils in their bags grew. Their combat strength also surged rapidly as they fought various Mutant Beasts. Whenever they were injured, Zhu Qingyun, who kept watch nearby, would step forward and retrieve Heaven and Earth Treasure Medicines from her backpack. She applied them in combination, and minor injuries recovered incredibly fast. The trio’s teamwork produced an effect far greater than the sum of its parts. "Let’s tally the gains from roughly the past half-month," Shang Jibei said. In front of him lay a massive Black Spring Water Bull, its blood pooling on the ground, which was scarred with terrifying cracks. Judging by its size and the condition of both Shang Jibei and Jiang Shu, it was clear this Mutant Beast was the most terrifying they had encountered so far. Shang Jibei’s arm hung limply; though not broken, it was clearly devoid of strength. His thick broadsword was planted in the ground beside him. His legs were also injured, and he stood like a cripple. Jiang Shu’s alloy battle blade had a fingernail-sized notch, and a sizable wound marked his waist. Among the three, Zhu Qingyun was the busiest, constantly applying healing medicines to their wounds. "Alright. Iron Bone Cold Pig, a pair of tusks, 60 points." "Ice-Eating Sheep, a pair of horns, 60 points." "Dark Wave Ice Leopard, a pair of tusks, 80 points. A leopard’s whip, 100 points." ... "Black Spring Water Bull, a pair of horns, 100 points. A piece of bezoar, 120 points." The two reported their hunt results, keeping what they had killed individually. For joint kills, they divided the spoils proportionally based on effort. In summary, their total gains for the half-month reached an astonishing 5,000 points. Jiang Shu alone had raked in an incredible 2,800 of those! In just half a month, I’ve become rich! Jiang Shu thought with excitement. Zhu Qingyun, despite rarely fighting, had also earned several hundred points from Mutant Beasts. Moreover, her main income came from the Heaven and Earth Treasure Medicines she collected. She had found seven or eight second-order Heaven and Earth Treasure Medicines, amassing over 1,000 points herself. "Indeed, teaming up allows for much greater rewards," Shang Jibei said, sitting cross-legged on the ground while practicing a peculiar breathing technique. After entering the Heaven and Earth Secret Realm in Shengjing alone, I realized my limitations. This three-person team is even more effective than I imagined. Before entering this Secret Realm, I hadn’t expected Jiang Shu to have so many hidden cards. I could discern his Snow Stepping Technique and Fierce Tiger Jumping, but that ferocious three-style blade technique... In my opinion, that’s not something ordinary Dark Force Martial Artists could access even through the Martial Artist Alliance. It seems Jiang Shu has had his own fortuitous encounters to reach his current level. This is truly good. The more Martial Artists like him there are, the stronger Xia Country will become. Only then can we transform the dangers of the Heaven and Earth Secret Realms into true, great opportunities and take the lead among the nations of the world. Without asking about Jiang Shu’s three-style blade technique, Shang Jibei spoke again, "It will likely become more dangerous if we proceed further. The Mutant Beasts we’re encountering now already require both of us to combine our strength to defeat. Should we continue? Let’s take a vote." "I abstain. You two decide," Zhu Qingyun said without lifting her head, still treating Shang Jibei’s wounds. I’m just a tag-along anyway. Feeling his injuries, Jiang Shu hesitated for a moment before saying, "Let’s rest for a few days, then push onward for a while longer." Currently, Xia Country has few Heaven and Earth Secret Realms, and each opening involves a waiting period. Every entry is a precious opportunity for us Martial Artists. Besides, even though I’ve earned 2,800 points, my alloy battle blade is damaged. I’ll have to buy a new one from the Martial Artist Alliance once we get out, and that will be another significant expense. So, while we still have the strength, while our qi and blood are still vigorous enough to fight fiercely in this Extreme Cold Land... what’s the harm in battling for another half a month!