Free Web NovelChapter 350: Killing Tiger Zhao
Fang Hao’s fist, wrapped in platinum and Chaos Qi, collided head-on without any fanfare with the blood-colored saber light formed by Tiger Zhao burning his life force and achieving the unity of man and saber!
There was no world-shaking explosion, only a dull thud so extreme it felt as if it could shatter one’s Divine Soul!
At the point where the fist light and saber light met, space itself seemed to warp, and a visible shockwave of grayish-white rippled outward like water!
"Rumble—!!"
Wherever the shockwave passed, the ground was plowed into a massive trench several fathoms deep and dozens of fathoms wide. Surrounding rocks, trees, and even two small hills were instantly reduced to powder! The few Golden Core captains who had luckily survived only had time to let out a short scream before being caught by the shockwave; like fallen leaves swept away by a gale, they exploded into clouds of blood mist mid-air, leaving no remains!
Fang Hao let out a muffled groan. As if struck by an invisible giant hammer, he was sent flying back hundreds of fathoms, crashing violently into a cliff face and leaving a massive human-shaped indentation. His face was as pale as paper, and a trickle of dark-golden blood leaked from the corner of his mouth. His right fist was mangled, with flesh torn open to reveal the bone, and his entire arm trembled slightly, his bones covered in fine cracks.
His internal blood and Qi churned like boiling water, his internal organs were displaced, and his Chaos vortex had dimmed considerably. This life-risking strike from Tiger Zhao was far more powerful than he had anticipated. Had it not been for his powerful Physical Body and his use of the chaos pill cauldron’s Origin power, that blow might have caused far more than just injuries.
Enduring the intense pain, he struggled out of the cliff face and looked toward the center of the explosion.
There, the dust was slowly clearing. Tiger Zhao’s massive body lay at the bottom of a deep pit like a tattered sack. The door-sized ghost-head great saber had shattered into several pieces scattered across the ground. Tiger Zhao’s eyes were wide open, filled with resentment and disbelief. A bowl-sized hole pierced through his chest from front to back; his heart was gone, his body was nearly drained of blood, and his aura had completely vanished.
This Nascent Soul stockade lord, who had once reigned supreme and held a fearsome reputation in the outer reaches of the Ancient Elephant Mountain Range, had ultimately died under the fist of a "Golden Core Cultivator" like Fang Hao.
Fang Hao let out a long sigh of relief and slumped to the ground, coughing violently, each cough bringing up blood. He quickly took out several healing Medicinal Pills and swallowed them, then circulated the Chaos Derivation Art to begin calming the turbulent blood, Qi, and spiritual power within him.
This battle seemed like a victory, but it had been incredibly perilous. Tiger Zhao’s Frenzied Demon Blade Technique was famous for its ferocity, and that final desperate strike was even more terrifying. If not for Fang Hao’s powerful Physical Body and the fortuitous preliminary Fusion of his Chaos Qi and golden body power, it was uncertain who would have survived.
"Nascent Soul Cultivators are truly not to be trifled with..." Fang Hao thought solemnly. This time, Tiger Zhao had been careless, allowing him to get close and suppress him with physical strength. If he encountered Nascent Soul Cultivators skilled in long-range Spells, Magic Treasures, or bizarre Divine Abilities, it might not be so easy.
After meditating for about half an hour and feeling his injuries temporarily suppressed, Fang Hao struggled to his feet and walked over to Tiger Zhao’s corpse.
Even in death, the Physical Body of a Nascent Soul Cultivator contained powerful blood and Qi essence. Fang Hao flicked a wisp of Earthly Fiend Golden Flame, incinerating Tiger Zhao’s corpse and leaving only a small pile of crystalline ashes. This was the condensed essence of a Nascent Soul Cultivator’s Physical Body, which could be used to refine certain special Medicinal Pills or feed Spirit Beasts.
Then, his gaze fell upon the ancient-looking Storage Ring on Tiger Zhao’s finger, which glowed with a dull, bloody light.
"Finally, time for the harvest..." A glimmer of anticipation flashed in Fang Hao’s eyes. The lifelong collection of a Nascent Soul Cultivator and a stockade lord surely wouldn’t disappoint him, right?
He removed the ring and wiped away the remaining Divine Sense mark—with the owner dead, the mark dissipated quickly. Fang Hao’s Divine Sense eagerly delved inside.
First to enter his "sight" were piles of Spirit Stones radiating a soft light! A rough scan revealed at least five or six hundred thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones! There were even millions of Mid-Grade Spirit Stones! This didn’t even include those of lower quality. This amount of Spirit Stones alone was enough for Fang Hao to spend lavishly for a long time.
Besides the Spirit Stones, various Artifact Refining Materials, Spiritual Plants, Spirit Medicines, and jars of Medicinal Pills were also piled up. Fang Hao scanned them quickly, and soon, his gaze was drawn to a few items.
An exquisite jade box contained a Spiritual Plant that was entirely emerald green, with nine narrow leaves shimmering like stars—it was the nine-leaf star grass he had been searching for! Judging by its age, it was at least eight hundred years old, with abundant medicinal power!
"Excellent! Now, for the main ingredients of the nascent soul forming pill, only the seven-colored moon orchid is left!" Fang Hao was overjoyed and carefully put away the jade box.
Next, he saw several pieces of metal Ore shimmering with various colors. One piece was silvery-white and speckled with starlight—it was the star iron needed to repair the golden puppet, and its quality was even better than the piece Su Xuan had given him! There was also a piece of Earth Fire Flame Crystal, red as fire with what looked like lava flowing inside, which was also a rare fire-attribute Artifact Refining material.
In a corner, Fang Hao also found several Jade Slips. He checked them one by one. One recorded the Frenzied Demon Blade Technique that Tiger Zhao practiced. Although this blade technique followed a path of overwhelming power and fearlessness, and was somewhat crude, the indomitable and peerless Saber Intent it contained provided valuable insights for Fang Hao to temper his own fist techniques and Sword Intent.
Another Jade Slip was a Map of Yao Beast Distribution in the Ancient Elephant Mountain Range, much more detailed than the one from the Bald Big Man. It not only marked various dangerous places and resource points but also recorded the types and strengths of Demon Beasts that might appear in different areas, even mentioning the growth environments of some rare Spirit Medicines. This map was crucial for Fang Hao’s upcoming exploration of the Ancient Elephant Mountain Range, especially for heading to Heavenly Pillar Peak.
Another Jade Slip made Fang Hao’s eyes narrow. It recorded a secret technique called the Blood Refining Tracking Art, which was the method used by the Tracking Old Man. This technique could track a target within a certain range through residual blood, aura, or even items they had touched, which was quite eerie. Fang Hao read it carefully, noting its key points and counter-methods to be prepared in the future.
Finally, Fang Hao’s gaze fell on a black iron casket placed separately in the deepest part of the Storage Ring. This iron casket was neither metal nor wood; it felt cold and heavy to the touch, and its surface was covered in complex runic Restrictions, which were more than a grade stronger than the Restrictions on the iron chest in the Qingfeng Stockade storehouse.
Fang Hao tried to crack it but found the Restriction exceptionally complex. With his current level of formation mastery and Chaos Spiritual Power, he couldn’t open it in a short time.
"Good stuff!" Fang Hao was delighted rather than surprised. The stronger the Restriction, the more precious the contents. He carefully put away the iron casket, planning to find a way to open it once his formation skills improved or his strength grew.
After finishing the inventory of Tiger Zhao’s storage ring, Fang Hao also scavenged the Storage Pouches of the Golden Core captains and the Tracking Old Man. Their collective wealth amounted to over two hundred thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones and some miscellaneous resources, which served as a modest bonus.
Having done all this, Fang Hao cleaned up the battlefield slightly, erasing some obvious traces. Although in these deep mountains and forests, traces would soon be covered by those of Demon Beasts, it was better to be safe than sorry.
He looked up at the sky; the sun was already dipping into the west. The battle with Tiger Zhao had caused quite a commotion. Although this place was remote, there was no guarantee it wouldn’t attract other Cultivators or powerful Demon Beasts.
"I must leave as soon as possible, find a safe place to heal, and then go to Heavenly Pillar Peak!" Fang Hao made up his mind and didn’t linger. Identifying the direction, he sped toward the deeper parts of the Ancient Elephant Mountain Range.
This time, he was even more careful. Using the detailed map he got from Tiger Zhao, he specifically chose routes that were rarely traveled and had fewer Demon Beasts. He needed time to digest the gains from this battle and also time to recover from his injuries and improve his strength.
Heavenly Pillar Peak, ten-thousand-year star wood, ancient Immortal Cave... there might be even greater Opportunities there, but they would certainly be accompanied by greater dangers. But after witnessing Tiger Zhao’s strength and the eeriness of the netherworld pearl, Fang Hao knew well that without strength, everything was just empty talk.
Reaching the Nascent Soul realm was imperative! And Heavenly Pillar Peak was a hurdle he had to overcome on his path to becoming a Nascent Soul Cultivator!
