Chapter 264: A Deadly Blow
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
With a sense of crisis, Huang Yanchen stared questioningly at Zhang Ruochen and asked, “Junior fellow apprentice, what kind of sword array is that? Why haven’t I heard about it before?”
“Don’t be too tense. Just a sword array.” Zhang Ruochen understated.
After hearing their talks, Han Qiu took a tumble that Zhang Ruochen didn’t impart Yin-Yang Two Forms Sword Array to Huang Yanchen at all. Instead of his fiancee, he passed such a powerful sword array to her.
Thinking of this, Han Qiu should feel secretly pleased.
Zhang Ruochen fixed his attention to that distant battlefield without noticing the facial expressions of Huang Yanchen and Han Qiu.
A fierce fighting among Three-footed Firecrow, Si Xingkong and Zhang Tiangui destroyed the whole ancient city, turning streets, buildings, altar and squares into a sea of fire.
“Half-saint’s Blood Book suppresses 70 percent of the strength of Three-footed Firecrow. Thus it’s not hard for Si Xingkong and Zhang Tiangui to defeat it… Look! Ling Xiansu wants to run away!”
Ling Xiansu sensed an adverse situation and immediately left Three-footed Firecrow to confront the attack from Si Xingkong and Zhang Tiangui. Then he rode Fire-cloud Wolf to the suburbs of Yueji City.
How could Zhang Ruochen release him?
“I’ll hunt down Ling Xiansu and you guys deal with those Fourth-level Savage Beasts.”
With a loud clang, Zhang Ruochen drew out his Abyss Ancient Sword and strode out towards Ling Xiansu. Having reached the medium stage of the Earth Realm, Zhang Ruochen boosted his speed to a higher degree with a fastest speed at 240 meters per second.
The speed of the Fire-cloud Wolf was extremely fast, approaching the speed velocity. However, under the pressure of Half-saint’s Blood Book, it decelerated remarkably and was soon overtaken by Zhang Ruochen.
“Hi, Ling Xiansu. What do you think of the deal that I mentioned to you in the beginning? Think over it again!” Zhang Ruochen caught up with Fire-cloud Wolf and blocked his way.
Zhang Ruochen moved his sword crosswise and swayed, forming a wave of sword and forcing Fire-cloud Wolf and Ling Xiansu to stop.
Ling Xiansu ground his teeth and said angrily, “Junior, who am I? I would rather die than submit to you.”
Then Ling Xiansu gave Fire-cloud Wolf a command to rush towards Zhang Ruochen again.
Zhang Ruochen shook his head in despair and turned to attack the leg of Fire-cloud Wolf.
Fire-cloud Wolf lifted its legs with raging flames around the whole body. A pair of feet hard as metal abruptly stepped onto Zhang Ruochen’s head.
Zhang Ruochen immediately changed his strick and bent his legs. Then he took hold of his sword to chop towards the belly of Fire-cloud Wolf.
PFFT!
The Celestial Bodyshield of Fire-cloud Wolf was broken open at once under the sharp lethality of the Abyss Ancient Sword. Its belly was torn by the sword Qi and blood continued to gush out.
Letting out a pathetic roar, Fire-cloud Wolf dashed forward hundreds of meters and ultimately fell on the ground with a sharp piercing reluctance.
SWOOSH!
Flying high of over 10 meters, Ling Xiansu balanced his body in the air and landed onto the ground like a feather.
“If it had not been for the pressure of Half-saint’s Blood Book, you couldn’t have defeated Fire-cloud Wolf, little boy!”
Ling Xiansu couldn’t believe that Zhang Ruochen had achieved such significant progress in his strength. He just thought it was the Half-saint’s Blood Book that accounted for Fire-cloud Wolf’s failure in the battle.
Carrying a bloody sword, Zhang Ruochen went over and asked, “Why don’t you run away now?”
With a strange look in his eyes, Ling Xiansu released his anger and said with a sly grin, “I suddenly figured it out and decide to yield to you. Of course, you should first tell me what benefits I can get from you.”
“Really?” Zhang Ruochen said.
“Of course!”
As Ling Xiansu walked to the front of Zhang Ruochen, all of a sudden, he whipped out a 17-centimeter silver needle between his two fingers and was about to stab at Zhang Ruochen’s glabella.
CLASH!
Ling Xiansu made an attack unexpectedly. If Zhang Ruochen hadn’t taken precautions against Ling Xiansu, his Qi Sea in glabella would have been badly destroyed.
Unfortunately, Ling Xiansu underestimated Zhang Ruochen who swayed a sword at the same time of his sneak attack.
CHH!
Then Ling Xiansu’s throat was cut down unerringly by the Abyss Ancient Sword, leaving a line of blood.
Ling Xiansu toppled stiff down to the ground with a thud, his eyes widening and staring at the sky out of breath.
Looking at the corpse of Ling Xiansu, Zhang Ruochen signed and said, “There was a very good chance for you but you chose a dead ending.”
If Ling Xiansu was willing to desert to Zhang Ruochen, Zhang Ruochen would never mind giving him some superior-level beast-training inscription to help him go further on the path of Beast Trainer.
Of course, it was too late to talk about these now!
Zhang Ruochen walked up to Ling Xiansu to pick up that purple crystal from his hand. A piercing chillness arose when he held it in his hands.
Complex inscription was engraved on the surface of crystal with the brilliance of plumes of Spiritual Qi flowing which manifested an extraordinary treasure.
“This Beast-training Crystal could sell at least five million silver coins. Good stuff!”
Zhang Ruochen stored away the Beast-training Crystal and put it into his Storage Ring.
Afterwards, Zhang Ruochen came straight to the dead Fire-cloud Wolf and cut a hunk of Spiritual Brawn weighing 50 kg from its body.
With crystal clear appearance and crimson color, the Spiritual Brawn gave off a strong fragrance.
Considered to be more precious than many panaceas and Spiritual Doses, the Spiritual Brawn born from fourth-level savage beast was the quintessence of its body which could be easily absorbed by warriors.
Zhang Ruochen intended to take this Spiritual Brawn back to Devil Martial City for Kong Xuan, Bing Xue and Zhang Shaochu as he thought it would benefit them a lot.
Soon afterwards, Zhang Ruochen separated Fire-cloud Wolf’s bones, eyes and teeth, putting them into his Storage Ring.
Each part of a fourth-level savage beast was a treasure. Even the flesh and blood of Fire-cloud Wolf could sell at a premium price.
Since Zhang Ruochen had plenty of Spiritual Crystals and didn’t lack money, he didn’t fetch the wolf’s flesh and blood in case Zhang Tiangui found he owned Space Treasure.
Nobody could control the Beast-training Crystal after Ling Xiansu’s death. Naturally, those savage beasts fled just like the tide was receding in all directions.
“Gaaa!”
Looking like a giant fireball, Three-footed Firecrow moved towards the horizon and soon flew out of the Yueji City.
Not only did Three-footed Firecrow flee away, another Fourth-level Savage Beast, Dragon-eagle, also escaped and flew towards the boundless Omen Ridge, disappearing in the mountains.
One Fourth-level Savage Beast, Cloud-swallowing Sparrow also wanted to run away but was suppressed by Half-saint’s Blood Book and fell onto the ground.
Holding Half-saint’s Blood Book, Si Xingkong jumped onto Cloud-swallowing Sparrow’s back. Along with Chang Qiqi, Huang Yanchen, Fengxuan and Songji, they left that ruined ancient city and rested outside the city.
Carrying a war knife on his back, Chang Qiqi stood on the top of the Cloud-swallowing Sparrow and shouted in the distance. “Junior fellow apprentice Zhang, the crisis here is solved. Let’s hurry back to Devil Martial City now!”
“Okay!”
Zhang Ruochen leaped in the void space for nine times in a row and finally flew onto Cloud-swallowing Sparrow’s back after nine rises.
Standing at a high altitude, Zhang Ruochen looked behind and asked, “What about the others?”
Chang Qiqi smiled and answered, “They are all from Yuntai Suzerain and naturally won’t go with us.”
Zhang Ruochen mused and nodded. Zhang Tiangui, Han Qiu and Lu Qiankun were accredited as the top three internal students of the suzerain in Yuntai Suzerain and all of them were as powerful as warriors of the Earth Board.
Normally, Evil Warriors from Poisonous Spider Club and masters from Square Commandery would not offend them.
Zhang Ruochen held his fists in both hands and said, “Thank you for your great help, elder brother Chang and my eldest brother. But for your rescue, I wouldn’t have escaped from Yueji City.”
Chang Qiqi said, “No need to thank me for I didn’t even give a hand. Instead, you should be grateful to your eldest brother and junior sister apprentice Huang.”
Carrying a wine gourd, Si Xingkong took a sip and said with smile, “Since we are all students from the School of the Martial Market, it’s an obligation for us to help and support each other. To my surprise, junior fellow apprentice humbled Fire-cloud Wolf with great ease. If it was not for Half-saint’s Blood Book, I may not necessarily beat you.”
“What? Has junior fellow apprentice Zhang’s cultivation become so powerful?” Chang Qiqi exclaimed.
Chang Qiqi already knew that Zhang Ruochen owned strong cultivation and was acknowledged as a talented warrior. But it was implausible if he was said to be stronger than Si Xingkong.
As was known to all, Si Xingkong not merely ranked the first among Ten Prodigies of Omen Ridge but also was the top master of the younger generation.
Si Xingkong glared at Chang Qiqi and said, “That’s not surprising at all, as you can see that in one day, your junior fellow apprentice killed three masters at the level of martial arts legends in a row. He has already become the top master of the younger generation. Did you remember when he killed Fire-cloud Wolf, one fourth-level savage beast, with only one sword in Yueji City? That is impossible for me to accomplish.”
Chang Qiqi looked at Zhang Ruochen and said enviously, “Junior fellow apprentice Zhang, are you a Four-and-a-half Uniquenesses genius?”
“Four-and-a-half Uniquenesses genius? I think he is a Five Uniquenesses genius at least.”
Si Xingkong looked up and fell over on Cloud-swallowing Sparrow’s back. After a sip of wine, Si Xingkong grinned and said, “When junior fellow apprentice Zhang come back to Devil Martial City, the title of the first genius of 36 commanderies in Omen Ridge and the top master of the younger generation will possibly be supplanted. Haha…”
Zhang Ruochen said with smile, “My eldest brother, how could you give your position of the top master of younger generation to me so easily?”
Si Xingkong’s eyes lit up and appeared a sense of war intent. “Of course it’s not that easy to be the top one. Sooner or later, we will have a battle and I wish you will strain every nerve to fight with me then.”
“Sure.” Zhang Ruochen said firmly.
To battle with full strength was the greatest respect for him.
Huang Yanchen sat cross-legged on Zhang Ruochen’s left at a short distance. She asked, “According to the news from Hugestone City, I heard you have grasped pivotal collusive evidence of Poisonous Spider Club and the Royal Family of Square Commandery. Is the news reliable, Zhang Ruochen?”
“Yes.”
Zhang Ruochen nodded.
Then Huang Yanchen threw her eyes on Chang Qiqi and Si Xingkong. She pondered for a while and said, “Could you come to my practice mansion tonight? I have important things to consult with you.”
Seeing Huang Yanchen was about to talk but said nothing, Zhang Ruochen nodded his head and agreed.
After half a day, Zhang Ruochen, Si Xingkong, Chang Qiqi and Huang Yanchen returned back to the Internal Academy.
Afterwards, Si Xingkong led Zhang Ruochen alone to Silver Gowned Elder Hall.
The Hall Master of Silver Gowned Elder Hall was called Lei Jing who was in charge of everything concerning Martial Market Banks in 36 commanderies of Omen Ridge. And all silver gowned Elders should defer to him.
It could be said that in some respects, Lei Jing had more power even than Palace Master of the School of the Martial Market.