Chapter 1392 – Xu Race
After cutting down a few branches of century-old Ironpear Wood, Zhao Hai turned his head to Li Zongdao and Mo Sheng. Li Zongdao and Mo Sheng already dealt with their enemies. Zhao Hai received the two Ironpear Rats that Mo Sheng killed. Li Zongdao also wanted to give Zhao Hai his rats, however Zhao Hai waved his hand and said, “Keep it. Those are yours. If you can’t meet your quota later, these two will be worth two months of tax. Keep it, it’s your hard work.”
Li Zongdao knew that Zhao Hai wouldn’t take the rats no matter what, so he took them for himself. However, he made sure to feel grat.i.tude towards Zhao Hai.
After Li Zongdao kept the two Ironpear Rats, he looked around before turning to Zhao Hai, “Little Hai, do we head inward?”
Zhao Hai shook his head and said, “We won’t, let’s leave immediately. Once the other Ironpear Rats discover the situation here, they would certainly chase us. We will be in deep trouble if we don’t leave right now.”
Li Zongdao was aware that Zhao Hai was telling the truth, so he nodded and left the area with Zhao Hai. Zhao Hai looked at the sky and said, “It’s already late. Let’s head back and eat something. We’ll go out again tomorrow.”
Li Zondao nodded and said, “Alright. So should we pay our tax for this month after we go back?”
Zhao Hai laughed and said, “Brother Li, you’re really an uptight person. Don’t worry, don’t we still have one month? If we act too well, then those monks will turn their attention to us. Let’s wait until the end of the month. If we get injured this month and forced to leave the battlefield, then wouldn’t that be a waste?”
Li Zongdao listened intently to Zhao Hai. Then he thought about what Zhao Hai said. If he paid his taxes now, then if he was injured in the coming month and forced to leave the battlefield, his gains would be much less.
As the three were flying, Zhao Hai suddenly felt a strong aura approaching from a distance. Judging by the aura, the source must be a Transcending Tribulation Expert.
Zhao Hai’s complexion changed, then he turned to Li Zongdao and said, “Brother Li, put away your defensive artifact. We’ll be flying at full speed.”
Li Zongdao quickly put his defensive artifact away. Zhao Hai waved his hand and took out a metallic s.h.i.+p. Zhao Hai stood on the s.h.i.+p along with Li Zongdao and Mo Sheng. Then Zhao Hai controlled the s.h.i.+p to fly forward with all its strength.
The s.h.i.+p also had formations that increased its speed. And with Zhao Hai controlling it, its speed was naturally fast. That Transcending Tribulation aura was beginning to lag behind.
Zhao Hai didn’t intend to use his s.p.a.ce to immediately return to the newcomer’s area. He didn’t want to reveal that he can use spatial techniques this early.
Only people from the World of Cultivation knew about Zhao Hai being able to use spatial techniques. As for the other people in the Ten-thousand Realm Battlefield, they were naturally unaware. Zhao Hai decided to use his spatial techniques as an ace. So he didn’t want to use it at this time.
Li Zongdao stood on the s.h.i.+p wondering why Zhao Hai wasn’t using his spatial techniques. However, he didn’t say anything. He also felt the strong aura just now. Seeing that the aura wasn’t in pursuit, he felt relief.
As for Mo Sheng, he actually didn’t care. It was as if he didn’t know what fear was. He just looked around curiously as he stood on top of Zhao Hai’s s.h.i.+p.
Although the aura was now very far from them, Zhao Hai didn’t slow down. He kept flying at full strength. This was because he knew what was chasing him. The Transcending Tribulation Expert was actually one of the strange green creatures.
The green creature that Zhao Hai killed was just a Nascent Soul Expert. But the one chasing him right now was at the Transcending Tribulation stage. However, the Transcending Tribulation expert didn’t seem to be chasing them for revenge but instead to rob them. Now that Zhao Hai and the others had run away, he no longer chased and just flew away in anger.
Zhao Hai didn’t decelerate even after the danger left. He kept flying towards the newcomer’s area. It didn’t take long before they arrived and entered Zhao Hai’s cave.
Upon entering the cave, Zhao Hai and Li Zongdao began to relax. Then at this time, Mo Sheng turned to Zhao Hai and said, “Elder Brother, I’m hungry.”
Zhao Hai smiled and said, “Alright, let’s eat something. Brother Li, let’s drink a few cups to celebrate our first day.” Li Zongdao certainly wouldn’t decline. The three proceeded to drink inside Zhao Hai’s cave.
Meanwhile, at this time, someone flew outside Yuan Ding’s cave and reported, “Master, Liu Wu asks for an audience.” Yuan Ding’s voice was then heard, “Come in.”
Liu Wu complied and entered the cave. Inside the meditation room, Yuan Ding and Yuan Zhen were currently meditating. Seeing Liu Wu come, Yuan Ding nodded and said, “What’s the situation?”
Liu Wu reported, “Zhao Hai’s group of three went to the Ironpear Forest. I don’t know if they were able to get some harvests, I didn’t dare enter the forest.”
Yuan Ding nodded and said, “What about the others?”
Liu Wu’s expression turned gloomy as he said, “Most of them were robbed and killed. Master’s judgement was correct. Some people have been aiming at us. As long as our newcomers head out, they would immediately attack. Besides Zhao Hai’s group who came back safely and those who weren’t able to come back, most of those who came back were injured.”
Yuan Ding nodded and said, “Alright, you can head back. Don’t tell anybody about this. Keep monitoring Zhao Hai’s group. See if you can find out how strong they are.” Liu Wu nodded before leaving.
When Liu Wu left, Yuan Zhen said, “Senior Brother, what do we do about this? We have already lost a lot of Buddhist disciples. Do we invite more people here?”
Yuan Ding thought about this and said, “Let’s not worry about that for now. Also, adding more people won’t help our situation. On the contrary, this would inform the Cultivators that we are having trouble over here. After all, there are still Cultivators in the Ten-thousand Realm Battlefield. Once they know that we’re in trouble, they would certainly make a move.”
Yuan Zhen nodded, then his two eyes turned vicious as he said, “Once I find out who’s behind this, I certainly won’t let them off.” Yuan Ding lowered his head and chanted the names of Buddha. Although he no longer said anything, one felt a killing aura coming out of his body.
What Yuan Ding and Yuan Zhen didn’t know was that Zhao Hai was aware of Liu Wu’s surveillance. Liu Wu followed them the moment they left their residence. Zhao Hai found out about him a long time ago. However, Zhao Hai didn’t deal with him. He just wants to see what Liu Wu wants to do.
At this point, almost the entire newcomer’s area has been mapped by the s.p.a.ce. The only exception was inside the caves. This was because each cave has a defensive formation that would activate the moment it gets touched by the silver needle.
However, Zhao Hai didn’t let this opportunity go. When he discovered that Liu Wu was tracking him, he made Cai’er place a silver needle on Liu Wu. Because of this, he was able to hear what Yuan Ding and Yuan Zhen were talking about.
He didn’t expect that what Huang Daoran and Feng Baiming said about the dispute between the Cultivators and the Buddhists was true. Who knows what method the Buddhists used in order to prevent the sects from entering the Ten-thousand Realm Battlefield.
However, this dispute had very little to do with Zhao Hai. The Buddhists treated him well, and so did the Cultivators. Also, Zhao Hai belonged to the Machine Field. He didn’t belong to either the Buddhist Sect nor the Cultivators. It must be said that his relations.h.i.+p with the Cultivators was at the same level as the Buddhists.
Zhao Hai has a Cultivator as a Master. Although Huang Daoran was a rogue cultivator, he still studied orthodox methods of the sects. Therefore, Huang Daoran can be said to be someone from the sects. In this case, it might seem that Zhao Hai was closer to the sects than the Buddhists. However, one shouldn’t forget that Zhao Hai’s current strongest techniques belonged to the Buddhist Path, which might lead him to be called a Buddhist. In the end, Zhao Hai couldn’t really be distinguished as either a Cultivator or a Buddhist.
However, Zhao Hai also knew that no matter what, he was someone from the World of Cultivation. If people from other great realms dealt with his people, then he wouldn’t be polite.
If things went with what Yuan Ding and Yuan Zhen said, then the ambush on the Ironpear Forest wasn’t just a simple attack. There was a much bigger event behind it.
Although he was thinking about this, Zhao Hai didn’t express it in his expression. His face was still calm as he drank with Li Zongdao and discussed today’s harvest.
Li Zongdao didn’t notice anything. He was currently thinking about how lucky he was to be with Zhao Hai. Not only would he be safer during battles, he could also eat delicious food and drink tasty drinks every day.
The one who indulged in the food and wine was Mo Sheng. He ate two chickens on his own and drank a jug of spirit wine. When he became full, he immediately fell down and pa.s.sed out. He looked like he drank himself to sleep.
Zhao Hai didn’t mind Mo Sheng. He took his wine cup and then turned to Li Zongdao and said, “Brother Li, come, let’s drink!”
Li Zongdao looked at Mo Sheng, then he smiled faintly and said, “I really envy this kid. He could eat and sleep with no worries. Sometimes I wish I was like him.”
Zhao Hai smiled faintly and said, “Right, he’s quite lucky. We couldn’t compare to him.” Then he clinked Li Zongdao’s cup and then downed the liquor.
After doing this, Li Zongdao looked at Zhao Hai and said, “Little Hai, without you, I wouldn’t have this rich of a harvest on the first day. The battlefield is indeed too dangerous to be alone. Let this Brother toast you a cup. I’ll remember this grat.i.tude.”
Zhao Hai smiled faintly and said, “Brother Li, you’re too polite. We’re brothers, so you don’t need to mind it. “ The two chatted and drank for some time. Unknowingly, both of them sensed that they were getting drunk, so Li Zongdao said his goodbyes and went back to his cave.
When Li Zongdao left, Zhao Hai immediately returned to the s.p.a.ce. Upon entering the s.p.a.ce, he was immediately greeted by the green creature that has been turned into Undead. Zhao Hai looked at the green creature and said, “What is your name? What’s your race called?”
The green creature gave Zhao Hai a salute and said, “Replying to the Young Master, I’m called Xu Zuotian and I belong to the Xu Race.”[1]
Zhao Hai looked at Xu Zuotian and said, “Xu Race? Why do you call your race ‘Xu’?”
Xu Zuotian replied, “We’re named after the feelers on our heads. These feelers can help us control magic artifacts. The stronger we are, the more magic artifacts we can control.”
Zhao Hai looked at the feelers on Xu Zuotian’s head and then nodded, “Your ambush, is it something you did on your own, or were you instructed by someone? What’s your goal?”
Xu Zuotian replied, “We were ordered by our race to deal with the World of Cultivation’s newcomers. Because of this, I made a move against the Young Master’s group. The World of Cultivation’s newcomer’s area has been supposedly encircled by our clansmen. As long as the Young Master heads out, you will immediately be discovered by our people.”
Zhao Hai nodded, then he looked at Xu Zuotian and said, “Your Xu Race wants to deal with the World of Cultivation? Does the World of Cultivation have a grudge against you?”
Xu Zuotian shook his head and said, “There’s no grudge. We Xu people live by robbing other people. In the Ten-thousand Realm Battlefield, we mainly focus on stealing. As for why we target the World of Cultivation, I don’t know.”
Zhao Hai nodded, he understood what Xu Zuotian said. The Xu Race was a bandit race, taking things by force in order to survive. It was not strange to be ambushed by them. The only strange thing was the fact that they seem to be targeting the World of Cultivation.
Judging by Xu Zuotian’s words, he didn’t know anything besides the command given to him. Zhao Hai couldn’t help but knit his brows as he said, “Are you under the control of your race?”
Xu Zuotian nodded and said, “Yes, Young Master. All Xu Race who enter the Ten-thousand Realm Battlefield must get the approval of the race. After that, we need to obey the race’s commands. However, the race rarely gave us direct orders. We can do things on our own while turning over 30% of our harvest.”
Zhao Hai nodded, “So it’s like that. Alright, you can go back.” Xu Zuotan nodded before he was sent to the h.e.l.l s.p.a.ce. However, Zhao Hai was now more curious about the Xu Race. If Xu Zuotian was under his race, then why did the race’s higher-ups make the decision to suppress the World of Cultivation?
1. Xu(须) means ‘feelers’ or ‘palpus’ of an insect