Chapter 713: Taming the Anthive Queen
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
"Even though the Beastscale Incense has the effect of inducing drowsiness in spirit beasts, it is unlikely to work on the Myriad Anthive Queen!"
Taking the scene before him into sight, Zhang Xuan shook his head.
The Beastscale Incense had a powerful trancing effect that would put even Transcendent Mortal 7-dan pinnacle spirit beasts to sleep with just a single whiff. However, it just so happened that the Myriad Anthive Queen was an exception.
A lifeform that could control thousands of Myriad Ants—how powerful must its soul be?
How could it be easy to make it faint?
If they were to continue down this path, they would be in trouble once the Myriad Anthive Queen emerged.
"I must get the Myriad Anthive Nest by all costs. It won"t be easy for me to get the Anthive Nest once they realize that the spirit beast inside the cavern is the Anthive Queen…"
Zhang Xuan didn"t worry about the safety of the duo. After all, how could one who could acquire even the invaluable Beastscale Incense not possibly have even more formidable life preservation means?
What he was more concerned with at the moment was how he should keep the others from realizing what was inside!
The Anthive Queen was an incomparably rare spirit beast. Even if one were to comb through the entire Hongyuan Empire, they might not be able to find a second one. To actually stumble upon one here already took a huge stroke of luck. If it were to land in the other party"s hands, it would be impossible for him to get it back anymore.
After all, who would be willing to give up an artifact capable of storing an army?
"Should I knock them out?"
Zhang Xuan stroked his lower jaw as he contemplated what he should do.
The easiest way to obtain the Myriad Anthive Nest was for him to rush in. However, the duo was blocking the entrance to the cavern. To get past them, he would have to knock them out.
"But if Elder Mo found out and judged it as a violation of the rules, I might be deemed to have failed the examination. That would be a huge loss…"
As soon as such the thought came into his mind, Zhang Xuan quickly shook his head.
He had little understanding of the capability of a Saint, so he couldn"t tell whether Elder Mo had some way of enforcing the rules. Since the latter had spoken against harming other candidates to compete for their prey, if he were to be caught knocking the other party out and taking the Myriad Anthive Queen, he could land himself in serious trouble.
"Clone!"
Thus, Zhang Xuan chose to summon his clone.
Communicating telepathically with the other party, Zhang Xuan executed the Red Dust Heaven Ascending Steps while hiding himself amidst the lush tree crowns as he moved closer to the cavern.
If he had used some movement technique instead, it was unavoidable that he would produce some noise. Such a problem wouldn"t occur when he was in flight.
As long as he didn"t wish to be found, the other party wouldn"t be able to notice him easily even if they had reached Perfect Harmonization realm.
Soon, Zhang Xuan arrived at a location just several dozen meters away from the cavern, and he hid himself within the shrubs.
…
"It has been some time since we lit the Beastscale Incense; the spirit beast inside should be asleep by now. Should we go in to take a look?"
After multiple rea.s.surances from Brother Yu, Senior Feng was finally able to put aside his worries. With nothing weighing on his mind, he couldn"t help but flush in agitation at the thought of procuring a Perfect Harmonization realm spirit beast inner core.
Elder Mo had said earlier that Clarifying Turbidity realm pinnacle spirit beast inner core was worth 1 point, a Consonant Spirit realm primary stage spirit beast was worth 10 points with an increment of 10 points for each small cultivation realm higher, and a Cosmos Bridge realm primary stage spirit beast was worth 100 points with an increment of 100 points for each small cultivation realm higher… so on and so forth. Going by this calculation, a Perfect Harmonization realm primary stage spirit beast inner core was worth 1000 points!
This was equivalent to killing ten Cosmos Bridge realm primary stage spirit beasts! With such a score, he would be able to earn a good placing despite the strong compet.i.tion from the other examinees.
"There"s no rush. A Perfect Harmonization realm spirit beast possesses an exceptionally powerful soul. We should wait a little longer. It would be foolish to get careless now!" Brother Yu said.
He was also excited by the situation before him, but he wasn"t about to allow his anxiousness to get in the way of his success.
As confident as he was in the Beastscale Incense, he still felt that he should be careful considering that it was a Perfect Harmonization realm spirit beast he was dealing with.
"Alright!"
Senior Feng nodded with glowing eyes. "If we can hunt down this one, Brother Yu"s points will near 2000. By then, Zhang Xuan will surely be unable to catch up with you even with the help from his half 9-dan spirit beast!"
Recalling the matters that had happened between him and Zhang Xuan, he couldn"t help but feel slightly stifled.
Defeated by a single finger of the other party, he was utterly humiliated to the point that his confidence was shattered. If Brother Yu could defeat the other party in his stead, he might just be able to rea.s.semble the vestiges of his confidence.
"No matter how powerful his tamed beast may be, he has to be able to find spirit beasts to hunt first. If he can"t even find the spirit beasts, how can he obtain any points?"
Brother Yu sneered coldly as confidence beamed on his face.
So what if Zhang Xuan had a half 9-dan spirit beast?
Given the other party"s capability, he would only be able to find and hunt down a single Cosmos Bridge spirit beast. On the other hand, he was going to hunt down a Perfect Harmonization realm spirit beast!
The other party"s defeat was already inevitable!
"Indeed…" Senior Feng nodded in agreement. But at that moment, a strong wind suddenly sounded beyond the valley.
"Someone is here!"
Brother Yu"s face darkened.
Senior Feng also hurriedly turned his sights over.
It wasn"t easy for them to find such a formidable spirit beast. Sharing it with another was the last thing on their mind.
Just as Brother Yu and Senior Feng tensed up warily, the sound of the wind suddenly stopped. Following which, a deep voice echoed.
"Those are the marks of a Perfect Harmonization realm spirit beast!"
"Perfect Harmonization realm spirit beast?"
Hearing those words, Brother Yu and Senior Feng"s eyebrows leaped in shock.
To be found with such convenient timing, it couldn"t be that the other party had followed them here to steal their prey from them, could it?
Hu hu!
However, it seemed like they were overthinking it. A strong gust of wind suddenly blew in the surroundings once more, but it gradually grew softer and softer. It seemed like the master teacher had gone off in another direction to pursue the Perfect Harmonization realm spirit beast he had just spoken of.
"Take care of the Beastscale Incense, I"ll go take a look!" instructed Brother Yu before heading out of the valley, unable to hold back his curiosity.
Could there really be another Perfect Harmonization realm spirit beast here? Surely things couldn"t be so coincidental?
Thus, he dashed out of the forest, only to see a figure rus.h.i.+ng up the mountain. However, the figure was already extremely far away, making it hard to identify him clearly.
As for the marks of a Perfect Harmonization realm spirit beast, he combed through the area several times but there was nothing at all.
"Now!"
At this moment, Senior Feng"s curious gaze was also directed in the direction where Brother Yu left. The hidden Zhang Xuan chuckled softly, and "hu!", he dived discreetly into the cavern without alarming anyone.
The one who exclaimed and fled earlier was Zhang Xuan"s clone.
Naturally, his goal was to serve as a distraction so that Zhang Xuan could find an opportunity to slip in.
Of course, he had his clone mask his voice and warp his appearance so that it was impossible for the matter to be traced back to him.
Hu!
After slipping into the cavern safely, Zhang Xuan immediately activated his Eye of Insight and scanned the surroundings.
The interiors of the cavern were dark, cold, and damp. A layer of Myriad Ants lay unconscious on the ground, pa.s.sed out under the potent effects of the Beastscale Incense.
Since the Beastscale Incense could knock out even a normal Transcendent Mortal 7-dan spirit beast, how could mere savage beasts possibly remain conscious before it?
Zhang Xuan slowly ventured deeper into the cavern. A moment later, his eyes lit up.
Not too far away, there was a hive around the size of a football hanging from the ceiling. However, it felt warm and smooth as if it was forged out of jade. With just a single glance, it was apparent that it was an extraordinary artifact.
Beside the hive was a spirit beast with snow-white fur. With a plump physique, it was around the size of a human. From afar, it resembled a snowman.
"This is the Myriad Anthive Queen?"
Zhang Xuan was taken aback.
He"d only learnt about the Myriad Anthive Queen from a brief introduction in a book. There wasn"t much of a description on its appearance, so Zhang Xuan had a.s.sumed that it would look as hideous as the Myriad Ants. Who knew that it would have such an adorable appearance instead?
Hu hu hu!
Deep in thought, Zhang Xuan failed to control his zhenqi for an instant. The next instant, the snowy white Myriad Anthive Queen"s eyes suddenly locked onto him.
Sou!
It abruptly pounced over, and its claws tore down upon Zhang Xuan.
As expected of a Perfect Harmonization realm spirit beast, it possessed astonis.h.i.+ng offensive power. Before the claw had even reached him, Zhang Xuan could already feel an immense pressure pus.h.i.+ng down on him, threatening to tear him and the s.p.a.ce around him to shreds.
Perfect Harmonization reflected the eventual convergence of all paths of a cultivator. With this convergence, one"s zhenqi would become denser, purer, and more aligned with nature, allowing one to harness greater strength. At the same time, such a convergence also nourished one"s soul.
A simple claw it might be, but it was derived from a harmony of the body, mind, and spirit. Unimaginable might was harnessed behind that simple claw.
"Humph!"
Knowing that it was too late to hide, Zhang Xuan gathered his might and countered with a fist.
His zhenqi raged furiously in his body. The might of his Cosmos Bridge realm cultivation, along with the enhancement from his physical body and soul, granted him strength comparable to a Transcendent Mortal 8-dan.
Kacha!
The fist and claw collided, and before the Myriad Anthive Queen could even process what was going on, its snowy body was suddenly sent spinning through midair. It crashed into a wall, leaving a huge dent in it.
It was simply too weak to stand against Zhang Xuan in a clash of strength.
If not for the resilient const.i.tution that spirit beasts possessed, it might have died from that fist.
Weng!
After being sent flying in the first encounter, the Myriad Anthive Queen was forced to acknowledge the prowess of the man before it. Realizing the danger it was in, it hurriedly got onto its feet and dashed forward, intending to grab its hive before escaping.
"You want to escape?"
Knowing that it would be difficult for him to capture it once it escaped, Zhang Xuan stepped against the ground and executed the Heaven"s Path Movement Art. Hu! In the blink of an eye, he suddenly appeared in between the Myriad Anthive Nest and the Myriad Anthive Queen.
With a surge of zhenqi, he sealed the air around the Myriad Anthive Queen, locking its movements.
Given Zhang Xuan"s current strength, it would be difficult for a Perfect Harmonization realm expert to break through his seal.
"Weng! Weng!"
Seeing the human before it preventing it from getting its nest, the Myriad Anthive Queen panicked. Anxious, it bared its fangs, revealing two rows of sharp teeth.
"I must deal with it quickly…"
Zhang Xuan knew that he couldn"t waste too much time on the Myriad Anthive Queen, especially since he had no way of telling when Senior Feng and Brother Yu would come into the cavern. Furthermore, there were countless Myriad Ants sprawled all over the area. With their numbers, they would be a difficult foe to deal with once the effect of the Beastscale Incense wore off.
Thus, without any hesitation, Zhang Xuan gathered his strength and stepped forward. His palm whipped forward swiftly, striking the furry head of the Myriad Anthive Queen.
Peng!
Under that powerful palm strike, the Myriad Anthive Queen was sent cras.h.i.+ng back into the wall once more. Large mouthfuls of blood spilled from its mouth.
This time, Zhang Xuan had utilized a significant portion of his strength. Even despite the resilient defenses of a spirit beast, the Myriad Anthive Queen still suffered severe injuries.
Placing his hands behind his back, Zhang Xuan gazed down on the grievously wounded Myriad Anthive Queen impa.s.sively. His throat vibrated slightly as he spoke in the Ancient Beast Language.
"Submit to me and become my tamed beast, and I can heal you and raise your cultivation. Otherwise… be prepared to die!"
After which, he flicked a surge of the incredibly pure Heaven"s Path zhenqi into the other party"s body.
As if a refres.h.i.+ng stream of water was cleansing its body, the Myriad Anthive Queen felt its pores opening up in relaxation.
Weng! Weng! Weng!
After witnessing the incredible purity of the surge of zhenqi and its rapid recovery, the Myriad Anthive Queen realized that its life was no longer in its control, and hesitance would only lead to its demise. Thus, it lowered its head in submission.
"Yes. Let"s form the contract!"
Knowing that the other party had chosen to submit after realizing that it was in a position of weakness, Zhang Xuan nodded in satisfaction.
With the prowess of the Heaven"s Path zhenqi and Ancient Beast Language, taming spirit beasts had become easier than ever for him. There was no need for excessive words.
"This…"
Soon, after the contract was completed, Zhang Xuan exhaled a mouthful of turbid breath. Following which, he glanced at the hive before him with a peculiar expression.