“It’s too wasteful to refine close to two hundred Sanqing Zhenqi Pills before cultivating the Qi Lake to perfection.”
Although his cultivation level had risen by a large margin, Zhang Ruochen’s mood was not very good.
Two hundred Three Clear True Qi Pills were close to a million silver coins worth. If other martial artists knew that he had wasted the pills in such a way, they would be so angry that they would vomit blood.
“The Three Clear True Qi Pill is only a second grade elixir, the effect is already very poor for me, even if I continue to take it, it won’t have much effect anymore.”
Zhang Ruochen still had three hundred and forty Three Clear True Qi Pills left, and planned to bring them back to the Western Academy to sell them to the new students at a low price, and then, go back to buying third grade pills.
Outside, a single Triple Clear True Qi Pill could be sold for 5,000 silver coins, so if Zhang Ruochen only sold them for 3,000 silver coins a piece, they would surely be snatched up like crazy. Especially for those trainees in the early Xuanji Realm and the middle Xuanji Realm, the Sanqing Zhenqi Pill could quickly boost their cultivation.
After making up his mind, Zhang Ruochen put away the remaining three hundred and forty San Qing True Qi Pills.
“Blood Qi Condensing Beast.”
Zhang Ruochen’s entire body was wrapped in scarlet blood qi, and behind him, a seven-metre tall giant savage beast silhouette and a blood-red seven-clawed divine dragon silhouette coalesced.
After his cultivation level was raised, the blood qi was intense, and the elephant shadow and dragon shadow became more solid and lifelike, as if they could come to life.
At this moment, Zhang Ruochen was like a dragon and elephant merging together, radiating a powerful martial aura.
With his current cultivation, even if he didn’t activate the power of his bloodline, he could still burst out with a speed of fifty-two metres per second. With the power of his bloodline stimulated, he was able to burst out at a speed of fifty-four metres per second.
“Not bad at all, let the true qi settle for a while longer, so that the increased true qi and the blood, flesh, sinews and veins are completely fused, and then you will be able to impact the Xuanji Realm’s Middle Extreme Position.”
This time, he had been cultivating in the Space-Time Crystal Stone for more than a month, and only ten days or so had passed in the outside world.
When Zhang Ruochen stepped out of the Space-Time Crystal Stone, he felt a powerful savage beast aura and looked up to see a five-metre tall blood-red lion standing in front of him.
It had two huge heads with eyes bigger than Zhang Ruochen’s fist and two rows of palm-length sharp teeth in its mouth, and upon seeing Zhang Ruochen, it immediately let out two earth-shattering howls that shook Zhang Ruochen’s eardrums.
Upper Second Order Savage Beast, Two-Headed Blood Lion.
Almost in a flash, Zhang Ruochen took out the Flash Soul Sword and cupped it in his hand, pointing it at the Two-Headed Blood Lion and spitting out a half-metre long sword light above the blade.
“Young boy, don’t be nervous, that’s just a mount that this Emperor has taken in.” Xiao Hei was sitting on the ground, setting up a fire, and was roasting a huge cow leg.
That one ox leg was more than two metres long, and it was estimated that it had to weigh more than two hundred pounds, and it had already been roasted to a golden colour, emitting a rich meaty aroma.
In the distance, the corpse of an Iron-skinned Barbarian Bull King fell amongst the fallen leaves, but one thigh was missing. Obviously, that one thigh had already been roasted by Little Black.
“The mount you took in? The Twin-Headed Blood Lion is a Second Stage Upper Grade Savage Beast, its battle power is comparable to that of a Xuanji Realm Grand Circle martial artist, it will obediently submit to you?” Zhang Ruochen said.
Xiao Hei looked rather disdainful and said, “It’s just a mere second rank upper grade savage beast, if this Emperor’s cultivation wasn’t sealed, it wouldn’t even have the qualifications to be food for me. Now, it is simply its honour to be this Emperor’s mount. Little Shuang, right?”
The two huge heads of that one Two-Headed Blood Lion gently nodded, and then, plopped down in front of Little Black’s body.
Zhang Ruochen put away the Flashing Soul Sword and walked next to the Twin-Headed Blood Lion, staring at the Twin-Headed Blood Lion’s eyes as he unleashed his spiritual energy.
A moment later, Zhang Ruochen withdrew his spiritual energy and laughed, “I guessed correctly, you have inscribed the Imperial Beast Inscription above the eyes of the Two-Headed Blood Lion.”
Beast Masters usually burnt Imperial Beast Inscriptions above the eyeballs, skins, and bones of savage beasts, thus achieving the purpose of harnessing savage beasts.
Being exposed by Zhang Ruochen, Xiao Hei did not feel embarrassed in the slightest and said, “So what? At least it’s my mount now, do you have the ability to take in a savage beast mount as well?”
Zhang Ruochen said, “I don’t need to go through that trouble, I can just directly use the merit value to exchange for a savage beast mount at the Academy Palace. A second-rank upper class savage beast mount is only two hundred to five hundred merit values. If I’m willing, I can even go and exchange for a third-rank savage beast mount.”
The huge cow leg, already roasted, was being slowly savoured by Xiao Hei.
“Swish!”
Suddenly, there was a flash of sword light, and the fattest ten catties of head on top of the cow’s leg was cut off, thrown up, and landed in Zhang Ruochen’s hands.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve tasted the flavour of meat …… Well …… it’s really fragrant, thanks a lot!” Zhang Ruochen held the golden piece of beef and tore off a piece with his fingers, putting it into his mouth and savouring it, enjoying this feeling very much.
For the last half a year, Zhang Ruochen had been using Blood Dan instead of food. Tasting the flavour of roasted meat once again, his mood was indescribably pleasant.
“It tastes good, Little Black, your craftsmanship is a little better than the royal chef of the royal clan.” Zhang Ruochen praised.
Little Black held back and held back, but ultimately didn’t lash out, his tongue licking his lips as he held back his anger, “As long as you’re happy with your meal, it’s fine.”
There was no way, its fate was now completely controlled by Zhang Ruochen. If it didn’t endure, what else could it do?
Zhang Ruochen and Xiao Hei ate the entire beef leg all the way through, Zhang Ruochen ate about twenty jin and Xiao Hei ate two hundred jin. The meal capacity of one person and one cat was simply astonishingly large.
In fact, this was quite normal, it was said that a Heavenly Extreme Realm martial artist could eat a savage beast weighing thousands of jin in one meal, and could convert the blood and flesh of the savage beast, into their own strength.
Zhang Ruochen took off the Time and Space Crystal Stone from Little Black’s neck and retracted it, stood up, stretched, and said, “I’m going back to the Devil Wind Valley to cultivate, are you going or not?”
“Not going! I’m going to collect some herbs and refine some pills.” Little Black said.
Zhang Ruochen said, “What are you refining pills for?”
“To give it to you, of course.” Little Black paused and added, “Your cultivation becomes stronger so that my strength can follow. I must win against that girl surnamed Huang, too arrogant, this Emperor has never seen such an arrogant human.”
Xiao Hei’s cultivation was all sealed in the Qian Kun Divine Wood Diagram. The stronger Zhang Ruochen’s cultivation was, the more seals it could unlock, and the stronger it would naturally become.
It could be said that Zhang Ruochen and Xiao Hei were now completely like grasshoppers on a rope, if Zhang Ruochen died, Xiao Hei would also be resealed into the Qian Kun Divine Wood Diagram.
“You also know how to make pills?” Zhang Ruochen revealed a few smiles.
Little Black said, “This Emperor is so knowledgeable and holy, not to mention Imperial Beast Alchemy, even if it’s refining weapons, laying down formations, calling out the wind and rain, and turning stones into gold, it’s still an easy task.”
Zhang Ruochen stood in the middle of the forest, his face becoming grave as he made a silent gesture and said, “Shhh!”
“Hush? Hush what hush? This Emperor has many other skills, for example, summoning Yin soldiers, communicating the sun and moon, and freezing ten thousand miles…….” Suddenly, Xiao Hei’s cat ears twitched, seeming to have heard something as well, and immediately shut up.
Its mouth blew out a mouthful of cold air, in front of the fire immediately extinguished, those not burned out the branches of the tree issued a “giggling” sound, covered with a layer of white frost.
The fire went out, and the surroundings became dark.
The two-headed blood lion lying on the ground seemed to have sensed what was going on, and raised its two heads, spitting out a mouthful of cloudy air with a bloody flavour.
Zhang Ruochen closed his eyes and channelled his true qi to his ears, and after a long time, he said, “We’re surrounded, about two thousand human martial artists.”
“Zhang Ruochen, what kind of strong enemy did you provoke?” Little Black asked.
Zhang Ruochen pondered for a moment and said, “I see! The nine counties in the western part of the ridge all have armies stationed in the Heavenly Demon Ridge, and among them, the Four Directions County has the most armies stationed there. Prince Huo Xing hates me to the bone, and when he sees me leaving the Western Courtyard, he will definitely go to the military camp to deploy his army to kill me.”
“How does he know our whereabouts?” Xiao Hei said.
“In the military camp, there is a kind of savage beast called the ‘Three-Headed Dog’ that will be able to locate me as long as it follows the scent I left behind.” Zhang Ruochen carried his Soul Flash Sword, his eyes becoming incomparably sharp as he said, “Prepare to meet the battle.”
“Not fleeing?”
“There is no escape.”
“Zhang Ruochen, give me a hundred Spirit Crystals, and this Emperor can set up a Flaming Vermillion Bird Formation, which might be able to pose some threat to them.” Little Black said.
Without thinking, Zhang Ruochen took out a hundred spirit crystals and threw them to it.
Little Black got the spirit crystals, buried them one by one into the ground, and used his cat claws to carve formation inscriptions into the ground.
Before long, a Flaming Vermillion Bird Formation covering a fifty-metre radius was set up, and only needed to activate the formation by pushing the inscriptions with its true qi.
“Only a low-grade formation can be set up, hopefully it can block this elite army.” Little Black returned to Zhang Ruochen’s side, looking very tired.
At this moment, the sound of heavy iron hooves came from all directions, and a bronze torch illuminated the night sky, and in the forest, a sea of fire was formed, surrounding Zhang Ruochen and Little Black in the centre.
Zhang Ruochen swept over with a glance, and sure enough, they were the armies of the Four Directions County States, wearing thick iron armour and riding savage beast mounts, with their cultivation levels almost all at the Yellow Extremity Realm’s Minor Extremity Position, and a portion of them had even reached the Yellow Extremity Realm’s Middle Extremity Position.
“Wow!”
Roughly five hundred soldiers half-kneeled on the ground, pulling their iron thread bows apart, with thunderous arrows resting on their bowstrings, all of them pointing at Zhang Ruochen in the centre.
Well-trained and neatly organised, they were definitely true elites.
“Ta da!”
Prince Huo Xing rode a second-ranked barbarian beast of inferior barbarian beast and walked out from the army, staring at Zhang Ruochen, who stood not far away, with a condescending stance and laughed, “Zhang Ruochen, this prince thought that you had already fled a long time ago?”
Zhang Ruochen looked coldly at the soldiers in all directions and calmly said, “I just wanted to make sure if it was you or not, that’s why, I’m waiting for you here.”
“You are deliberately waiting for me here? I think you’re waiting to die!” Prince Huo Xing had a sneer on his face.
“You think you can kill me with them?” Zhang Ruochen laughed.
Prince Huo Xing grinned and said, “You think you are a Heavenly Extremity Realm powerhouse who can fight off an army with your own strength? To tell you the truth, this prince has brought along 2,000 Tiger Martyr Army elites, not to mention you, even if an Earth Extremity Realm powerhouse was surrounded, it would be a dead end.”
