Chapter 209 - Arc 13: Wild Beast Plains | Chapter 209: Keep Devouring
Translator: Lynn
This bloodthirsty demon vine is perilous and relentless; even slight contact can result in entanglement, followed by complete absorption!
Even though Xu Ziqing was the master of the demon vine, witnessing Rongjin drag a bunch of blood-filled gourds left him secretly astonished. He now understood why his senior brother had repeatedly warned him to be cautious. Nevertheless, this time, since his senior brother permitted him to come to the wild beast plain, it meant he agreed to let him provide additional blood for Rongjin. After all, Rongjin, being his natal tree, couldn’t afford to be weak. Even the techniques mentioned in “Ten Thousand Woods Great Heart Planting Technique” couldn’t be employed.
Once composed, Xu Ziqing communicated through thoughts: “Rongjin, come back.”
A soft voice responded, “Mother, mother!” filled with joy.
Xu Ziqing’s heart melted as he observed the four blood vines swiftly returning, intertwining and rubbing around him as if they wished to wrap themselves around him and draw closer. He extended his hand to stroke the vines and said with a gentle smile, “Is Rongjin full?” He asked.
The bloodthirsty demon vine swayed its body rapidly: “Hungry, hungry…”
Xu Ziqing was slightly taken aback. Weren’t thirty or forty heads enough? Reflecting on it, there were countless wild beasts on the left and right plains, allowing Rongjin to feast to its heart’s content. Considering how Rongjin had been with him for so long, yet never fully sated, he realized he had not managed it properly.
After contemplating for a while, Xu Ziqing first approached the animal carcasses with only bones and skin remaining, extracted their core and horn, and stored them in the ring. Subsequently, he stowed a few more animal skins in the bag, discarding the remaining corpses as camouflage.
At this point, Xu Ziqing ventured further into the plain, with Chonghua scouting from the air and Rongjin coiled around his arms and waist. Only the leaf buds were perched on his shoulders, appearing as crystal-clear as red jade, enhancing his fair skin.
On the demon vine’s stem, the blood color was rich, resembling flowing blood, harmonizing with Xu Ziqing’s handsome face. This stark contrast added an enchanting beauty to him.
Since Rongjin was still hungry, Xu Ziqing, who had previously spoiled Chonghua, felt a bit guilty and didn’t restrict it.
As they delved deeper, the number of wild beasts increased. With the prohibition lifted, Rongjin indulged, weaving through herds of beasts and sucking the flesh and blood from dozens of wild beasts.
As it absorbed more, the bloodthirsty aura thickened around it, forming a bloody mist after a while. Xu Ziqing’s face faintly appeared in the blood mist, giving him a mysterious appearance. If observed by others, they might not perceive him as an immortal cultivator but as a demonic cultivator.
After three or four hours of this, Rongjin had sucked the flesh and blood of more than 300 heads. Xu Ziqing obtained all the cores and horns, storing only about 20 in the bag.
Suddenly, Chonghua descended and landed in front of Xu Ziqing.
Rongjin noticed and extracted a leaf bud from a beast’s body with a “pounce,” then swayed it left and right in front of Chonghua as if demonstrating its might.
This posture suggested that if Chonghua approached, it would strike.
Chonghua immediately halted, emitting two howls filled with grievances.
Despite possessing the blood of the kun peng, which held limitless potential if stimulated, Chonghua, at just ten years old, had reached first-order monster status through immense love and rigorous training. However, its power, derived from the blood of an ancient beast, was far inferior to that of the ancient bloodthirsty demon vine, a murderous entity.
It struggled but managed to avoid complete intimidation. Pinching the demon vine would be impossible.
Xu Ziqing knew Rongjin was domineering, especially now that it was full of flesh and blood, and significantly more powerful than before. While it swung its body energetically, it prevented Chonghua from getting close. Xu Ziqing was somewhat concerned; even though he could currently suppress Rongjin, it was due to the latter’s closeness. He couldn’t guarantee it wouldn’t mistake the blood food for momentary pleasure.
As the vine and eagle engaged in a standoff and Chonghua acted coquettishly, Xu Ziqing felt helpless but also found it amusing. After thinking for a while, he retrieved a red bead, a beast’s core, from the storage ring and tossed it toward Chonghua.
Chonghua’s eyes lit up, opening its mouth to swallow the core. The cries of grievance ceased.
Observing this, Xu Ziqing couldn’t help but smile.
Wild beasts encounter almost no impediments in their cultivation, boasting an extraordinarily robust reproductive capacity and lifespans ranging from hundreds to thousands of years. As they gather in groups, dominating the wild beast plain, their inherent prowess defies the norm.
Yet, such overwhelming power cannot be tolerated by the natural order.
As a result, the hides of these creatures vary based on their grades. These hides serve multiple purposes, from tanning leather armor to refining magic weapons and robes. The horns on their heads find use in tool refinement and alchemy, contributing to the enhancement of physical strength. The meat from higher-level creatures, comparable to that of ordinary monsters, proves valuable, particularly to cultivators.
However, the most alluring aspect is their core, consumable by animals, cultivators, and warriors alike. It poses no hindrance, and the impurities within are no greater than those found in ordinary middle-grade pills.
With these numerous benefits, wild beasts are considered treasures, attracting people to flock to them. Many cultivators and warriors are willing to engage in battles, driven by this interest. This interest is a fundamental reason for the empire to amass a large army and guard the wild beast plain for countless years.
After tossing more than ten wild beast cores to Chonghua, Xu Ziqing ceased.
Chonghua continued to cry “Ai Ai,” seemingly pleading for more.
Amused, Xu Ziqing remarked, “Don’t eat too much; you should digest it first.”
Though annoyed, Chonghua obediently complied.
Meanwhile, the bloodthirsty demon vine prepared to move again, emanating thoughts all centered around the word “eat.” So insatiable, it truly seemed impossible to satiate.
Sighing, Xu Ziqing recognized that it could now discern the direction of blood food. He decided to place Chonghua in the beast card and instructed it to practice within.
Following the command of the demon vine, Xu Ziqing walked to the northwest.
Unbeknownst to him, he had traversed the safer outer Fifty Districts and entered a deeper region.
After walking about two hundred steps, Xu Ziqing suddenly restrained his breath.
The bloodthirsty demon vine exhibited extreme obedience, swiftly inhaling all the surrounding blood mist, leaving only four coral-red vines adorned with leaf buds, presenting an appearance of harmlessness and beauty. However, this facade was deceptive.
Twenty steps ahead, a one-horned wild beast forcefully dominated another in a mating display. Both creatures growled and convulsed violently.
The horn on the upper beast differed from the black horns seen before; it was of a dark golden hue. The horn on the subdued beast, on the other hand, was not black but crimson.
Yet, the sense of threat emanating from these two beasts was even more pronounced.
Of course, this perceived threat was only relative.
Xu Ziqing harbored no fear of these two beasts. However, gauging their auras, he deduced that the golden-horned beast’s cultivation was comparable to that of a cultivator at the sixth or seventh level of Qi refining. The one with the red horn was also at the third or fourth level of Qi refining. In comparison to the black horn’s eight or ninefold cultivation, this pair exhibited significantly greater strength.
Contemplating whether the different luster implied distinct powers, Xu Ziqing’s musings were interrupted by Rongjin, who silently charged forward.
Two muffled sounds of grunts echoed as the two wild beasts, still engaged in their act, were impaled from top to bottom. They met a shared fate and perished on two parallel vines, within the “mouth” of the bloodthirsty demon vine.
Instantaneously, blood gurgled, flowing upward along the vines, intensifying the red hue of the blood vine.
Sensing Rongjin’s satisfaction, Xu Ziqing pondered that the creature seemed more content after consuming these two beasts than after devouring numerous heads consecutively. It dawned on him that Rongjin hadn’t felt full because there was quantity without quality. No wonder.
As the two beasts transformed into mummies, Xu Ziqing prepared to clean them up. To his surprise, Rongjin displayed unexpected obedience. The vine extended, peeling off the skin and horns, extracting the core, and delivering them to the master.
“Mother, mother…here…”
A hint of surprise crossed Xu Ziqing’s face. He shifted slightly and said, “Thank you, Rongjin.”
Rongjin touched him, obediently wrapping around his waist.
Xu Ziqing sensed Rongjin’s increased spirituality, realizing that if this trend continued, communicating with Rongjin would become easier. Teaching Rongjin, even if it became excessively bloodthirsty in the future, seemed more manageable than before.
Subsequently, they prioritized consuming the beasts with golden and red horns on their heads. The more Rongjin consumed, the more vibrant the color became, pulsating faintly, as if on the verge of bursting.
As they strolled and dined, the sky gradually darkened. Xu Ziqing, after attending to Rongjin, was surprised to note, “It’s actually quite late.”
As the sun descended upon the Wild Beast Plain, the fog thickened, obscuring the vision of both cultivators and warriors. Fortunately, being a cultivator in the Golden Core Formation period, Xu Ziqing could extend his consciousness, projecting the surroundings into the sea of consciousness. For ordinary warriors, despite having keen six senses, they would be ensnared by the mist in this situation, often falling prey to wild beasts.
It was a known fact that wild beasts were resourceful, utilizing every part of their body, but warriors and cultivators who ventured to make a living on this plain also served as nourishing food for many wild beasts.
After contemplating for a moment, Xu Ziqing decided not to venture further. He located a spot with shallow weeds near boulders, encircling a small open space with stones. He tossed in hay and fire talismans, igniting a blazing flame in an instant.
The plain harbored not only numerous wild beasts ruling in groups but also various monsters. Although not as potent as the wild beasts, they possessed their unique survival strategies.
Every nightfall, ferocious beasts mobilized, whether surviving independently or aligning with a group. They either hunted for prey or absorbed moonlight, refusing to rest peacefully. Consequently, for cultivators and warriors inadvertently stranded on the plain, the nighttime posed more danger than the daytime.
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