In a wilderness clearing, a creature covered in long fur roamed through the weeds, just out looking for something to eat.
At this moment, it felt something falling from the sky.
The moment it looked up, with a loud BOOM, its entire body was smashed into the dirt.
It: "..."
’I just came out for a look, why did they have to step on me?’
Then, it erupted in fury. With a great roar, its body instantly swelled.
The originally unimposing, long-furred creature instantly transformed into a massive Fierce Beast.
With a furious roar, it swatted the person off its head with one hand.
’This guy is just asking to die.’
"I told you to adjust your landing spot," Jiang Zuo said, watching Daoist Crazy Python get sent flying.
Indeed, it was Jiang Zuo and his party who had just fallen from the sky.
Jiang Zuo’s descent had been effortless. It was just Daoist Crazy Python and the other two who had to make a hard landing.
Unfortunately for him, Daoist Crazy Python’s luck was poor, and he landed on a local Hairy Monster.
These creatures couldn’t be considered beasts. They weren’t normal living beings, but rather the most common foragers on the Ancient Battlefield.
They varied in strength, however, and the one Daoist Crazy Python had landed on was by no means weak.
As a Tier Three, he was no match for this Hairy Monster.
At this moment, Swordsman Beitian made his move. His sword was already poised, pulsing with immense power. Then, he brought it down in a single slash.
The Hairy Monster was instantly cut in half.
Compared to the skeleton, this Hairy Monster was pathetically weak.
At this time, Nangong Sui planned to go loot the corpse. Based on his years of experience, he was certain he could find something.
But before he could move, Jiang Zuo spoke up, "Cut open its skull. There should be a Desolate Stone of decent quality inside."
Swordsman Beitian was taken aback. "A Desolate Stone? A top-grade Refining Material?"
Jiang Zuo looked calmly at Swordsman Beitian and said, "Since when is a Desolate Stone considered a top-grade Refining Material?"
’Back in the day, I wouldn’t have deigned to use Desolate Stones for Artifact Refining. So what if they’re a little hard? So what if they’re a bit more compatible?’
’With my abilities, I can make any material hard, and any material compatible.’
Swordsman Beitian gave a wry smile. "Fellow Daoist, putting aside its other qualities, Desolate Stones are the materials most likely to produce an Artifact Spirit.
They fetch heavenly prices at auction out in the world."
’Jiang Zuo scoffed. What material *wouldn’t* easily produce an Artifact Spirit in my hands?’
’If I want one, I can make one.’
Seeing that Jiang Zuo didn’t answer, Swordsman Beitian said nothing more. He then cut open the Hairy Monster’s skull and, sure enough, found a stone.
But just as he reached for it, something suddenly flew out at incredible speed.
Swordsman Beitian was instantly on alert.
"That’s the essence of the Hairy Monster. They produce the Desolate Stones. It’s looking for a new body now," Jiang Zuo said.
As predicted, nothing else happened, and Swordsman Beitian pocketed the Desolate Stone.
Then Swordsman Beitian said to Jiang Zuo, "Fellow Daoist, if you need this later, you can..."
"I don’t," Jiang Zuo cut him off before he could even finish.
Swordsman Beitian: "..."
Meanwhile, Nangong Sui stood dumbfounded to the side. ’The treasure is gone again? And such a fine Refining Material, too.’
But Nangong Sui refused to believe it. ’My luck is this good; I’m supposed to be the big winner!’
’But now isn’t the right time for looting.’
’I have to hold back.’
At this point, Jiang Zuo added, "Every Hairy Monster here has a Desolate Stone. These things aren’t much different from ordinary rocks around here."
Swordsman Beitian: "..."
Nangong Sui: "..."
The others were also stunned. ’Is he for real?’
For a moment, they all felt the urge to go farm for materials.
Hu Xing spoke up. "Fellow Daoist Po Xiao, can you tell us how many of those Hairy Monsters there are around here?"
Jiang Zuo shook his head.
’How would I know? This is just an extension of that place. It’s hard to say how many there are, but there were certainly plenty on the main Ancient Battlefield.’
At this moment, Wu Xi approached Jiang Zuo, a charming smile on her face. "Fellow Daoist Po Xiao, you must know where to find them, right?"
Jiang Zuo replied expressionlessly, "I don’t."
’It was true. The Hairy Monsters weren’t evenly distributed, and there was no particular pattern to their locations. But if I wanted to find them, it would still be easy.’
At this moment, Wu Xi moved closer to Jiang Zuo and said in a delicate voice, "Fellow Daoist Po Xiao must have a way, right? I wonder if you could help me out."
Wu Xi was very beautiful, and her delicate voice could make anyone’s heart soften.
Most men would find it impossible to refuse.
But Jiang Zuo was unmoved. He simply said coldly, "No."
Wu Xi didn’t get angry. Still smiling flirtatiously, she moved to press herself against Jiang Zuo.
However, just then, Jiang Zuo moved. He swung the Bone Saber, and a powerful sword light erupted from it, slashing directly at Wu Xi.
An intense sense of danger jolted Wu Xi to her senses. Facing Jiang Zuo’s strike, she realized she had no time to react.
The next moment, her Protective Treasure activated. However, it didn’t last long before being shattered, though it did buy Wu Xi a moment to react.
She threw up a hasty Defense, but it crumbled layer by layer under Jiang Zuo’s saber.
BANG!
The Bone Saber smashed through all of Wu Xi’s defenses, sending her flying.
PTHOO—
Sent flying, Wu Xi spat out a mouthful of blood. She was seriously injured.
At that moment, Daoist Crazy Python stepped in front of Jiang Zuo. "Fellow Daoist Po Xiao, please stay your hand."
Jiang Zuo stared coldly at Wu Xi. "I hate it when people get close to me. Next time, it won’t just be a serious injury."
Jiang Zuo’s eyes were utterly frigid. For some reason, Wu Xi felt a sliver of terror creep into her heart.
"S-sorry, I disturbed you, Fellow Daoist," Wu Xi apologized.
She finally understood the legends about Po Xiao: how he dominated a Tier Two as a Tier One, and how his performance at Tier Two was so overwhelming that the examiner didn’t dare to act. Now she understood.
’This man is no ordinary Tier Two. Even though he’s Tier Two, you have to treat him like a Tier Three.’
After that, Jiang Zuo ignored them. ’Disgusting.’
’In my past life, no one dared get that close to me. Not even Jiu Xi.’
’Anyone who dared to use that tone with me, who dared to get that close, is already dead.’
’It disgusted him. Back then, Jiu Xi was no different. They all disgusted him.’
’Pink Skulls. In my eyes, they are all the same: nothing but a skeleton, a pile of dust.’
’However, that last attack consumed all my Spiritual Qi. I need to take out the Battle Spirit Stele now.’
’With the Battle Spirit Stele and the Innate Two Qi, I’ll recover quickly.’
Meanwhile, Nangong Sui stood to one side, saying nothing. He was suddenly reminded of the Po Xiao he’d seen before.
’That faintly cruel smile.’
’This man is not to be trifled with.’
Daoist Crazy Python and the others helped Wu Xi tend to her wounds, while Swordsman Beitian curiously asked Jiang Zuo, "Fellow Daoist Po Xiao, did you just use Swordsmanship with a saber?"
Jiang Zuo asked, "Is there a problem?"
Swordsman Beitian was speechless.
’How could that not be a problem?’
’A sword is a sword, and a saber is a saber. If they were interchangeable, why even distinguish between the two?’
’Sabers and swords are completely different.’
’Swordsmanship isn’t meant for a saber, and likewise, Sword Skill isn’t meant for a sword.’
’Anyone who could pull it off was usually some kind of freak.’
Without a doubt, Swordsman Beitian felt Jiang Zuo was exactly that kind of person.
But that wasn’t what concerned him. It was Jiang Zuo’s Swordsmanship.
"Fellow Daoist, was that the Northern Celestial Seven Swords you just used?"