Arc 13: Wild Beast Plains | Chapter 229: Run
Translator: Lynn
As commonly understood, anyone imposing a ban on others must possess the aura of the person they’ve banned, making it traceable. This holds true for the ban on the core of the Jiuxuan Meihu.
However, the Fox King smiled and reassured, “I have a method to temporarily conceal my aura. There’s no need for both of you to worry about me.”
After his escape, it seemed he had a plan in mind, displaying no signs of being a prisoner in the stone cell. This performance, though fake and pitiful, triggered a slight tremor in the hearts of the two brothers, intensifying their wariness.
Xu Ziqing smiled and stated, “In that case, I won’t inquire further. But…” He gazed at the Fox King, his expression serious. “Shixiong and I have fulfilled our promise to bring you out. I wonder if the Fox King will also fulfill your end by allowing us to examine the fragmented map in Tianlan’s secret world?”
While Yun Lie’s expression remained unchanged, the sword intent in his brows remained vigilant, ready to unleash at any moment. This was their cautious approach against Jiuxuan Meihu.
Jiuxuan Meihu glanced at them and then smiled lightly, saying, “How do you know I brought the fragmented picture with me? What if I placed it elsewhere?”
Shaking his head, Xu Ziqing responded, “The Fox King was jesting. The fragmented picture is incredibly precious. Considering your temperament, how could you casually leave it elsewhere? If someone were to chance upon it, it would be a significant loss! Therefore, I speculate that you must have used a method to carry it with you, concealing it from the scrutiny of those Beast kings… Jiuxuan Meihu is a unique being of heaven and earth, and even if we know something about it, we are unaware of the numerous hidden supernatural powers you possess.”
Jiuxuan Meihu’s smile deepened. “For now, let’s put aside the discussion on hunting for treasures. It’s better for me to find a secure location and discuss the crucial matter of the treasure hunt when the time is right.”
Xu Ziqing sighed. “The Fox King is intelligent and cunning, but my brother and I aren’t foolish enough to risk our lives. Our deal with the Fox King is simply me saving the Fox King, and in return, the Fox King provides us with the fragmented map. Now that half of the transaction is complete, all that remains is for the Fox King to produce the map, allowing my Shixiong and me to make a copy. Let’s not bring up the joke about going on a treasure hunt together; it would only increase the danger!”
Jiuxuan Meihu’s eyes lit up upon hearing this. He was convinced that the two cultivators were extremely wary of him, and no matter how eloquent he was, he couldn’t persuade them. Thus, he suppressed his calculations and stated, “…that’s fine. But the deal ends here. Even if I encounter you in the secret treasury, I won’t show mercy. At that time, don’t claim I owe you any favors.”
Xu Ziqing breathed a sigh of relief and added, “What favors do we owe the Fox King? We aren’t of the same sect. Once you provide the map, the two of us will part ways with you. If we meet on a narrow road, only life and death await.”
Jiuxuan Meihu nodded, not fully agreeing.
No matter how hard he tried to test them, he merely pointed his finger at the entrance, releasing a cloud of pink mist.
The mist carried a spiritual light, emitting a faint brilliance, resembling a living entity.
Examining it with his consciousness, Xu Ziqing noticed it was a palm-sized piece of cloth adorned with golden lines, forming a faint route. After confirming, he looked at Yun Lie.
Yun Lie nodded slightly, affirming, “It’s genuine.”
Xu Ziqing nodded inwardly, turning around to ask, “Then, Fox King, please release this picture temporarily so that I can copy it.”
Jiuxuan Meihu curled his lips and wiped them with his hand.
The cloth leaped up, suspended between the Fox King and Xu Ziqing, freezing in midair.
Xu Ziqing understood that this was also a defensive measure employed by the Fox King. As they were present, and his Shixiong possessed a higher cultivation level, the responsibility of restraining the Fox King fell to him. Meanwhile, Xu Ziqing, with his lower cultivation level, was tasked with the copying.
Based on their tacit understanding, a decision was made with just a glance. Immediately, Xu Ziqing retrieved a blank jade slip, placed his consciousness on the fragmented picture, and began copying.
Due to his long-term suppression of Rong Jin, Xu Ziqing possessed a robust spiritual consciousness, enabling a swift copying process. At this moment, he didn’t meticulously observe the graphics but recorded the lines precisely, including peculiar characters, expressions, and more, leaving nothing unrecorded.
About half a moment later, all the details on the small fragmented map had been thoroughly expanded. Xu Ziqing scrutinized it carefully once again, ensuring there were no omissions, and then decided to stop.
Subsequently, Xu Ziqing handed the jade slip directly to Yun Lie, trusting his brother’s discerning eye to distinguish the authentic from the counterfeit.
True to expectations, Yun Lie’s spiritual sense inspected the map, and he affirmed, “It’s accurate.”
This brought relief to Xu Ziqing.
On the other side, Jiuxuan Meihu raised his hand to retrieve the fragmented map. He then opened his mouth, sprayed out the powder mist once more, rolled it up, and swallowed it into his stomach.
Both parties refrained from resorting to any low-level tactics, finding a measure of satisfaction in their dealings.
Jiuxuan Meihu shifted his gaze and spoke again, “The transaction is concluded, and you two are aware of my sincerity. I wonder if this fellow Daoist can remove the sword intent for me?”
As soon as he uttered this request, Xu Ziqing hesitated.
The sword intent was initially employed to buy time, preventing the Fox King from reacting adversely. Now that the Fox King had shown sincerity, refusing to resolve the matter might seem unkind. However, there was the lingering doubt – what if the Fox King had been deceiving them with a false face before and decided to turn hostile immediately afterward?
In the midst of contemplating these considerations, Jiuxuan Meihu’s expression suddenly shifted. He exclaimed, “Not good! The wild beasts are on the move!”
Xu Ziqing was momentarily stunned, and then he felt the ground trembling beneath his feet. It seemed as if a vast army was approaching from a distance, causing the ground to quake even before their arrival. Astonished, he looked up at Yun Lie, asking, “Brother, is this… a beast tide?”
Yun Lie’s expression also bore a hint of gravity. Without uttering much, he raised his hand and delivered a sword intent into Jiuxuan Meihu’s body, instantly shattering 80% of the remaining sword intent within him. “Take care of yourself,” he said to Jiuxuan Meihu. Afterward, he extended a hand to Xu Ziqing, urging, “Let’s go!”
Without much time for consideration, Xu Ziqing transformed into a cyan light, and Yun Lie turned into a golden light, departing simultaneously. At this moment, the two rays of light, one leading and the other following, swiftly vanished.
Jiuxuan Meihu glanced in the direction of their departure, rapidly circulating the supernatural powers within him. Within a few breaths, he had completely expelled the remaining sword intent. The slight delay in these moments made it too late for him to give chase. Thus, he turned around and fled in another direction.
Not long after the two had left, the sound of trampling from behind grew increasingly closer.
Countless black savage beasts surged forward like a relentless wave! Each sported a single horn on top of their heads, glossy black and exceedingly sharp.
Individually or in small groups, these one-horned beasts might not be intimidating. However, when they gathered in tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands or millions, they formed an overwhelmingly formidable force.
Even formidable Nascent Soul cultivators would find themselves exhausted, their limbs weakening from constant battle. When their true energy was depleted, even their survival would be uncertain.
This was the beast tide, commencing with a single-horned beast and advancing like an ocean wave.
The entire plain of wild beasts transformed into a hunting ground, a paradise for the creatures to prey on and slaughter!
Moreover, Xuan Li’s several Nascent Soul monsters moved swiftly, releasing their spiritual senses to search the plain. King Zun also employed his mana to locate the restriction within Jiuxuan Meihu’s body. However, Jiuxuan Meihu appeared to possess a supernatural power that firmly suppressed the forbidden breath’s fluctuations. Despite the king’s considerable effort, he couldn’t trace his whereabouts.
Observing this, Xuan Li grew somewhat anxious and suggested, “It might be more convenient for Senior King Zun to accompany us and cast spells outside.”
If they couldn’t locate Jiuxuan Meihu, cooperation with King Zun would be impossible. Nevertheless, given their newfound friendship with King Zun, they had to collaborate for the time being to swiftly retrieve the map fragments.
Following this, Xuan Li added, “Senior King Zun, I’ll go right away!”
The king’s aura surged, and he stood up decisively, declaring, “Let’s go!”
Soon, numerous figures emerged from the monster’s lair. His Majesty led many monster soldiers of sixth rank and above, utilizing the monster wind to scour the plain. Zun Wang, Xuan Li, and others followed suit, using Qi or spiritual weapons as they tirelessly searched.
Each individual divided the plain into several domains, systematically combing through them. These seasoned cultivators and beasts, relying on their cultivation and strength, paid little heed to the five-horned beasts. Even when encountering a group of wild beasts, they left no stone unturned.
After half an hour of such efforts, dawn was imminent, and the scorching sun began to ascend, casting a reddish glow.
Abruptly, the sky darkened, accompanied by high-pitched beast cries echoing from countless wild beast colonies.
Xuan Li’s expression underwent a drastic change as he exclaimed in shock, “How could it be a beast tide? There’s still over a year left; why is it erupting now?”
King Zun and other monsters furrowed their brows deeply, contemplating, “The scale of this beast tide surpasses those of previous years. Could something have changed among those golden horns?”
At this juncture, a black wave of beasts surged toward them, their roars and footsteps resembling thunder from the sky, incessantly rumbling. Following the countless black horns, a flood of red-horned beasts emerged, resembling a colossal red tide.
Subsequently, countless golden light spots flickered endlessly within the herd of beasts. The potent auras concealed within the dense black were briefly evident before vanishing once more.
This monumental force was akin to a stormy sea, ceaselessly crashing like waves against the shore.
The resounding noise echoed like thunder on the flat ground, deafening all around. Many warriors and monks, scattered across the plains, panicked and shouted in terror:
“Yes, it’s the beast tide!”
“The beast tide is coming!”
“Run—”
Meanwhile, Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie navigated away from the light, heading straight for the border town beyond the plain, rushing urgently without daring to delay. Yet, even with their swift pace, as they were about to escape the plain, they found themselves encircled by two groups of wild beasts.
It turned out that when the beast tide erupted, the scattered beasts spontaneously gathered, initiating attacks on the remaining foreign races on the plain.
Further behind the two, a more imposing wave of beasts approached. They had to eliminate these two groups of wild beasts quickly to continue their escape.
Without a word, Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie halted simultaneously.
In an instant, thirty-two blood-colored vines shot into the sky.
On the other side, a massive golden sword descended—
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