Chapter 246: At the End of One’s Rope
Translator: Transn Editor: Transn
The purple-red sword Qi surged and destroyed the black Demon Odor surrounding the Yellow Bull Spirit. It cut its defensive Chain Mail Shirt as well, leaving a deep sword wound on its old yellow-brown skin. The wound was so deep that it revealed its bones and internal organs.
Meng Qi wielded his Precious Weapon with his full force, but this strike was just tantamount to an ordinary Half-step Exterior Scenery movement. Hence, he couldn’t instantly kill the Yellow Bull Spirit at Half-step Exterior Scenery, for it also had a protective Demon Odor and tough body.
However, he wasn’t fighting alone. The minute the Yellow Bull Spirit uttered a scream and was about to rouse from his spiritual coma, Luo Shengyi punched the monster with his right fist. His right arm seemed to bulge two times larger than usual, and his fist carried the powerful and towering momentum of a mountain.
By throwing this punch, he appeared to shorten the distance between them and appeared before the Yellow Bull Spirit. He hit the monster squarely on the wound caused by Meng Qi’s Purple Decease Sword.
Simultaneously, he also threw his left fist at the monster with the same mountainous power. But it emitted a totally different aura.
This punch was solitarily towering and perilous. It was a different kind of mountain momentum.
The Iron Fist of the Nine Great Mountains was an Exterior palmsmanship, imitating the nine mountain momentum.
The human world operated along the earth’s standards; the earth revolved around the universe’s principles; the universe functioned based on the Dao’s law, and the Dao naturally ran its course.
Bang, bang!
Two explosive sounds broke out from the profound wound, and the organs inside the Yellow Bull Spirit blurred, as if a colossal stone was rolling inside its body.
The two continuous Exterior palm attacks were Luo Shengyi’s last-ditch efforts to protect himself, but now he had to use his full force to seize every second for himself. Otherwise, he would be the one to die.
Qi Zhengyan also grabbed the precious opportunity to thrust his Golden Dragon Stripe Sword into the monster. With its blade coated in a layer of thin ice, his sword burned with the power of the dragons, like a young hornless dragon exhaling cold light from afar.
“Ah… ”
Yellow Bull Spirit’s screams instantly stopped as if it was frozen. Its body gradually expanded before exploding, with its Calculus Bovis flying toward Qi Zhengyan.
Flesh and blood scattered everywhere. The Yellow Bull Spirit’s self-explosion was incredibly terrifying and even flung Luo Shengyi away with its force. He was wounded heavily in the chest. He spewed mouthfuls of blood and exhaled more air than he inhaled.
He struggled to grab his Recover Pill and swallowed it as soon as possible. He sat down crossed-legged to harmonize Qi-circulation without worrying. If anyone attacked him now, he could only resign to his fate.
The Calculus Bovis was a magical weapon that the Yellow Bull Spirit cultivated at the cost of its life. It was so quick that they barely managed to dodge it. Under the yellow light, it was gleaming a bloody red. It made for a terrifying scene.
With a rigid face and unwavering eyes, Qi Zhengyan used his full strength to attack the weapon. Like blossoming lotus and burning flames, the sun glows surrounded his body. He was ready to cut the Calculus Bovis apart.
The Calculus Bovis was so fierce that he could only crack it a little. The weapon’s counterattack, fortunately, pierced his sun glows, hitting him on his chest instead of the head.
His ribs cracked in a row and he flew upside down, as a way of unloading the impact he received.
He suddenly felt someone catching him, as well as absorbing the residual force from the Calculus Bovis.
Returning his Whisper Sword into its scabbard, Meng Qi held Qi Zhengyan with his right hand. He stepped back dozens of paces, leaving a series of deep footprints lined with radioactive cracks.
He vomited a mouthful of blood, finally managing to ease the force of the Calculus Bovis.
With Meng Qi’s help, Qi Zhengyan narrowly avoided his chest, internal organs and spinal from being destroyed. Even so, all his ribs were broken and his heart was heavily injured. He had to take a Recover Pill.
Fu Zhenzhen was capable of stabilizing such an injury but would need a lot of time to cure it. Based on the precarious situation, Qi Zhengyan must get a full recovery.
Fu Zhenzhen rushed over to treat their broken bones, so the Recover Pills they consumed could come into full effect.
On the other side, Jiang Zhiwei’s battle with the Yellow Bull Spirit was drawing to an end. Since Yellow Bull Spirit was only good at using its brute force, she managed to manipulate a flaw in it. She led it to lose its balance and then struck it with her “Anatta Sword” without hesitation.
Drawing a beautiful arc, the sword light crossed the distance like a heavenly guest and penetrated the Yellow Bull Spirit’s mid-brows.
Fully engaged in the fight against a Half-step Exterior Scenery monster, she didn’t have the luxury to rush to her teammates’ rescue. She could only take a risk to end her fight as soon as possible.
The Yellow Bull Spirit opened its mouth and spat out a yellow Calculus Bovis. It then fell backward onto the ground with blank eyes.
Its colossal body hit the pit on the ground with a thud, sending dust and smoke everywhere.
Bang!
Unable to dodge the Calculus Bovis, Jiang Zhiwei used her sword hilt to block it. Though she protected her head, the weapon hit her shoulder so much that she was pushed away.
Her left shoulder was badly maimed and her internal organs suffered from minor injuries. She instantly hit at her acupoint and swallowed the rest of healing elixirs that she collected over this year.
In just a few minutes, the three Half-step Exterior Scenery monsters were all annihilated. But Meng Qi’s team suffered heavy losses. One of his teammates was dead, three were severely wounded, and one escaped with only injures. Only Zhang Yuanshan, Fu Zhenzhen, and Ruan Yushu were left with full combat power. Worst still, all their monster-suppressing containers were used up.
Honestly speaking, Meng Qi’s team was quite powerful. All the members were masters on the Ranking List of Young Masters, excluding their two assistants and Ge Huai’en. Jiang Zhiwei was even in the top list. Thus, they could destroy a Half-step Exterior Scenery master very quickly and easily, for example, the Wolf Demon. However, group effort also had its limits. They could eliminate at most three monsters with the use of containers, but now they could only deal with two such monsters themselves.
But that wasn’t accurate either. In the next hour, before the Recover Pill became effective, they couldn’t handle another monster equivalent to Yellow Bull Spirit. Never mind two.
The main and secondary fighters, Jiang Zhiwei and Luo Shengyi, were incapable of fighting within the next hour. Neither could Qi Zhengyan. Meng Qi and Zhang Yuanshan might be powerful, but they weren’t masters of Half-step Exterior Scenery. They would be hard-pressed to kill such a monster even with the help of Precious Weapons and Ruan Yushu.
Their typical plan was that Jiang Zhiwei fought with one, leaving the rest to contend the other one. The majority would kill their assigned monster as soon as possible and then helped her.
“Here, take a Recover Pill.” Meng Qi took out his pill and handed it to Jiang Zhiwei.
Jiang Zhiwei raised her beautiful eyebrows and smiled. “It’s fine. I have other pills. Though they’re not as good as Recover Pills, they can help me recover some battle power within an hour.”
“Don’t be so courteous. You’re the best in our team. The faster you recover, the bigger our hope of survival will be.” Meng Qi chose his words cautiously. His injuries were slight, so the Eight Nine Mysteries would help him fully recover. “Either way, wouldn’t you also give me your pills if I’m heavily injured?”
Having treated Qi Zhengyan and Luo Shengyi’s injuries, Fu Zhenzhen came over, just as Jiang Zhiwei was about to say something. “Take my Recover Pill. A Half-step Exterior Scenery strike is far beyond my capability. If I’m hit, I would just die immediately, even the Recover Pill is useless to me. Besides, I have more elixirs than you.”
She wore a serious expression, when she saw that they wanted to object. After getting to know one another, she was no longer as shy as she had been. “I’m a doctor, so you have to follow my orders.”
She paused before saying, “Sister Jiang, you can independently handle a Half-step Exterior Scenery master. If you can’t fight, we’ll suffer greatly in our battles. If I’m severely injured, that will mean that you all are already dead. If that’s the case, the pill would just be a form of torture to me.”
As a candid and straightforward person, Jiang Zhiwei gently nodded. She accepted Fu Zhenzhen’s Recover Pill and swallowed it.
“Let’s hurry up and leave. Our battle is too loud earlier. I worry it would draw other Half-step Exterior Scenery monsters here.” Meng Qi stayed alert to the surroundings. He came over to Ge Huai’en’s body and sighed, seeing his head that had exploded like a watermelon. On the sixth day of the task, his first teammate had fallen…
He searched Ge Huai’en’s body to see if he had any unrealized wishes but found only something related to the Book of Changes. Left without anything to do, he carried a giant stone to cover Ge Huai’en’s body to protect him from the monsters.
Just then, Zhang Yuanshan had collected an intact and two half broken Calculus Bovis, as well as a bullhorn. He gave them to Ruan Yushu, who placed them inside the Space Ring. It was safer to keep their spoils inside the ring, for the Half-step Exterior Scenery battle would easily destroy them.
They had to give up on things like the rest of the bullhorns and skins due to their limited time and the monsters’ giant bodies. After all, Jiang Zhiwei could only cut off one bullhorn with her Exterior movements. They rapidly moved ahead with the wounded on their backs to keep them away from the monsters. Once they completely got rid of their encirclement, they could hide somewhere for two hours. The situation would improve by then.
Before long, they suddenly heard the crisp chirping of a bird and their heartbeats quickened. It would be dangerous, if they were discovered by the Flying Bird. It would be even worse, if the Flying bird was also a Half-step Exterior Scenery monster.
If it was a Flying Bird trying to spy on them, they could remove it from their track through the woods. But if it was a Half-step Exterior Scenery monster, the team made up of the wounded had to risk their lives.
Unfortunately for them, things continued to get worse. A monster with a pair of reddish wings flew over at a ridiculous speed. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been able to catch up.
“Hand over your Chance! Otherwise, I’ll let you die in my stomach,” the monster cried, circling in the air.
Never mind not being able to hand over the Chance, Meng Qi wouldn’t even pretend to be the Chance to collaborate with the monster and buy some time. On the one hand, a wise man wouldn’t let others control his life. On the other hand, Meng Qi didn’t know what the Chance was at all. The temple was also nearby. If they were captured and couldn’t give them the Chance, they would just all end up with death.
Would he really be dying here? Meng Qi felt a shudder run through him and he glanced at Jiang Zhiwei, Ruan Yushu, Qi Zhengyan, and Zhang Yuanshan. He noticed they also appeared to be frightened, but determined and intrepid as well.
Damn it! If he was doomed to die today, he wouldn’t survive anyway! He would give it all and fight!
Having lived two lives, he had made so many friends and mastered many profound Kung Fu. Why did he have to fear death?
Meng Qi suppressed his emotions and once again became calm. He recalled the many dreams that he hadn’t realized and the many things he hadn’t finished, such as traveling the world.
Now that he finally had the opportunity to practice Kung Fu, he must experience all realm and figure out what the Dharmakaya was. The world was vast with different landscapes and he must taste all delicious food and appreciate all picturesque views. He had so many good friends and partners and wanted to roam the Jianghu with them. His Master took the fall for him and his Junior Brother was isolated. He really wanted to see them again. If he didn’t realize all these dreams, he would die with regrets.
Meng Qi’s surging surviving desire triggered his fighting desire.
After thinking about it, he took out the small jade joss left by Master Yuan Meng and said, “The Chance is here.”
He was also dazed, when he saw the small jade joss. What a coincidence. Master Yuan Meng’s last letter before his death was, “Where to find the Spirit Mountain.”
The reddish-winged monster’s eyes brightened, when it laid its eyes on the small jade joss. It flew down holding a crimson Long Spear, giving off a domineering Demon Odor. He expected no less from a Half-step Exterior Scenery monster.
When it was close to the ground and was about to pick up the small jade joss up, Meng Qi and Zhang Yuanshan made their moves.
For the first time, Ruan Yushu’s expression became grim. She continuously played the Eight Non-human Sounds, delivering the soul-breaking sounds into the monster’s ears and heart.
Blood began to flow out from her eyes, nose, and mouth as she played. The blood stained her zither, but she never stopped playing.
The monster shook its head and painfully rolled back and forth on the ground. Meng Qi jumped high and struck the monster with his Whisper Sword.
One strike, two strikes, three strikes!
Six strikes, eight strikes, nine strikes!
Like residual shadows, the sword continued to cut the monster, as if it was the Ninth Heaven’s Thunder Punishments.
Purplish electricity surged on, slashing the monster.