Chapter 206 - Arc 13: Wild Beast Plains | Chapter 206: Hunt
Translator: Lynn
A bald man a.s.serted, “The designated time is before Si Shi19-11 AM, and it hasn’t arrived yet, so we have to wait.”
The thin young man scoffed coldly, “Those who placed the order are coming to compete with us; I’ll endure it!”
Another robust man, resembling the bald man, spoke gruffly, “Keep your words in check. If it’s an immortal who hears you slander me like that, you might find yourself short on food!”
The two individuals in front fell into a brief silence. However, the dark-skinned woman sneered, saying, “So what if it’s an immortal? We’ve hosted people before, and in the end, the young master acted like a reckless beast and made a fool of himself. I had to protect him; truly useless!” Her words resonated with everyone.
Reflecting on the years spent in the Wild Beast Plain, this group of soldiers had uncovered ways to support their families. Yet, occasionally, someone ignorant would join them, making contributions uncertain and dividing the spoils.
Ordinary warriors were manageable; if obedient, they could be guided. The real concern lay in the arrival of an “immortal leader” with a cultivation base often limited to the Qi refining stage but an air of superiority surpa.s.sing everyone.
If such a leader failed, they wouldn’t linger for long. Even if they rested while hunting, it could be tolerated. However, if they were unlucky enough to encounter someone fond of pointing fingers, their lives might be implicated without any added value to the chaos.
Within this small order, the five soldiers had been comrades-in-arms for many years, sharing meals, living together, and traveling as one. However, due to the “pending order,” they had been halted for two years before reluctantly accepting the order again. This reignited past grievances, prompting them to vent their frustrations in front of their companions.
Yet, they ended up being a tad too outspoken. Realizing the slip of their tongues, the leading burly man scolded, “Shut up! It’s the imperial court’s decision to allow people to place orders, so how can we intervene? But whoever arrives, I’ll just do my duty. If anything goes wrong, as long as it’s not our fault, there’s nothing we can do about it. We’ve been in this man-eating place for so many years; it’s a wonder we haven’t all ended up in the stomachs of wild beasts!” The Leader, majestic both in terms of cultivation and status, added a sense of authority to his words. The other four fell silent, abandoning their complaints and waiting quietly.
As the time neared Si Shi, everyone suddenly noticed someone approaching. Turning their heads, they saw a man in green gradually closing in. The man exuded a tranquil aura, appeared young, had a handsome and gentle face, and wore a smile on his eyes and brows when not speaking.
As he drew closer, everyone could see his features clearly. Despite his youth, there was no overpowering coercion emanating from him. This led them to underestimate him slightly in their hearts.
The Leader, being an innate warrior, recognized him as a cultivator. Judging by his age and demeanor, The Leader speculated that this person was likely from a well-off family. Perhaps he came from a background with some influence, seeking self-improvement by joining the army. However, he seemed inexperienced in the world, and The Leader hoped he wouldn’t be hindered or swayed by the flattery he had received earlier, becoming overly confident.
However, young masters of this sort usually reached only the third or fourth level of Qi refining, inferior to a congenital martial artist like The Leader. Hence, they likely wouldn’t cause significant trouble.
Having these thoughts, The Leader, with a century of experience, displayed a blend of slickness and worldly sophistication. He smiled, cupping his fists in salute, and said, “This must be the immortal who has come to join our small order for martial arts. I’m Tai Jun, these four are this Tai’s subordinates.” He proceeded to introduce each of the four under his banner. “These two are brothers from the Kou family, Kou Yuan and Kou Ye,” Tai Jun indicated the bald men. He then pointed to the thin young man, saying, “This is Liang Yongjin.” Finally, he gestured towards the dark-skinned woman. “This is Ban Lianshan, and she possesses considerable skill.” Following this, the four greeted the newcomer politely, and Tai Jun inquired, “May I know the senior’s name?”
The young man in green robes patiently waited for everyone to conclude their introductions and then smiled, saying, “I am Xu Ziqing. In the future, I’ll be placing orders with you. Please guide me.”
In a brief moment, Xu Ziqing glanced at the five people and gathered a sense of familiarity.
In terms of cultivation, the only woman, Ban Lianshan, is the most powerful, standing at the tenth level of Houtian. The other three are all at the ninth level of Houtian, making them truly formidable in the ordinary world.
These individuals were highly vigilant, displaying obvious unwelcoming glares towards him. Despite their attempts to conceal something, their guarded demeanor was evident in the depths of their eyes. However, this was only natural.
Qianwu Team was already a tightly-knit team with extraordinary camaraderie. If he had arrived by placing an order privately, he would undoubtedly face rejection. Yet, Xu Ziqing was unperturbed. He deliberately chose a martial artist team over a cultivator team for a specific purpose.
After these initial pleasantries, the five members of the Qianwu Team, although still somewhat skeptical, found a bit more ease in Xu Ziqing’s polite manner.
Tai Jun addressed him first, saying, “This must be Xu Xianzhang’s first time on the Wild Beast Plain. This time, we’re hunting a horned beast. I hope Xu Xianzhang won’t take any action and observe how we handle it.”
Wanting to a.s.sess the situation first, Xu Ziqing nodded with a natural smile, saying, “Certainly, I’ll cooperate with you all.”
Upon hearing this, Tai Jun felt a slight sense of relief.
They all moved forward, with Xu Ziqing in tow. Engaging in casual conversation, they provided him with an overview of the situation.
The Wild Beast Plain boasted an expansive area covered in endless weeds and scattered dwarf trees. Among these, rugged and peculiar rocks formed numerous slopes and hills. In the distance, some lakes remained concealed in hard-to-find locations.
Daily, a milky white mist hovered unpredictably over the plain, occasionally appearing and causing disorientation when encountered.
The ferocious beasts exhibited strong reproductive capabilities, resulting in prosperous and lean years. During prosperous years, beast swarms or individual beasts frequently wreaked havoc. Even in lean years, solitary beasts were not uncommon, and many preferred living in groups, forming various power structures.
No one had accurately calculated the number of wild beasts inhabiting the plain. Despite the pa.s.sing years and changing generals, the beasts continued their relentless existence.
Due to the extreme danger of the Wild Beast Plain, the outer region was divided into fifty areas. Most of these areas teemed with wild beasts, making them challenging but manageable for the warrior team. Cultivators who were well-adjusted or partnered with powerful warrior teams could venture into the inner layer to hunt two-horned beasts.
Deeper regions harbored more formidable wild beasts, posing increased difficulty in dealing with them.
Upon hearing this, Xu Ziqing formulated some thoughts.
Triangular wild beasts posed no threat to those at the Foundation Building and the Golden Core Formation stages. Given his senior brother’s Golden Core stage, he likely ventured into the central region alone.
Thinking of his senior brother, Xu Ziqing felt less apprehensive. With his senior brother’s capabilities, as long as he avoided the Pentagonal-horned Beast, it was likely just training, not an insurmountable challenge.
Unbeknownst to them, the martial arts order team fell into silence, and the atmosphere grew tense.
Xu Ziqing also withdrew his musings. He realized they had entered the fifth district to search for prey, and speaking loudly would jeopardize their success.
At this moment, the expressions and energies of the five individuals underwent a drastic change.
If they had been like unsheathed sharp knives before, exuding a fierce aura, they now sheathed their sharpness and stealthily lurked.
Observing this, Xu Ziqing restrained his energy even more. Gradually, he confined all the energy in his body, using his newfound technique to transform into an inert piece of dead wood. Not a single breath escaped.
In Qianwu Team, Tai Jun, the order leader, had been paying some attention to Xu Ziqing. Naturally, he was the first to notice, surprise flickering in his eyes.
This young cultivator doesn’t seem useless… With this thought, he narrowed his eyes and focused his energy.
A little over ten feet ahead, a peculiarly shaped beast gnawed on something. The “creaking” sound of chewing, reminiscent of bone, pierced the air.
And this kind of bone… the eyes of warriors were exceptionally sharp. Even from such a distance, they could discern shapes resembling human arms.
The expressions on everyone’s faces turned more indifferent.
Even Xu Ziqing sensed a trace of hostility toward these beasts.
However, anything that consumed humans could not be treated lightly.
In the next moment, someone made a move.
This person, akin to a cheetah, transformed into a black blur and rapidly charged towards the beast!
Tai Jun gestured, “Everyone, take your shots.”
The three others responded, “Yes, Chief!”
Subsequently, all four shadows rushed out simultaneously!
Xu Ziqing observed clearly that, in a brief moment, the first figure leaped onto the beast’s back with agility and precision. Possessing dark skin resembling smooth silk, the figure exuded tremendous strength.
Surprisingly, the first to engage was Ban Lianshan!
She gripped the horn with both hands, her arms acting like a winch as she vigorously twisted it.
“Crack!” The horn snapped off!
Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.
Support me on ko-fi ^^
![Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com]()