[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-martial-immortality-starting-with-the-spirit-bea":3,"chapter-martial-immortality-starting-with-the-spirit-bea-martial-immortality-starting-with-the-spirit-bea-chapter-21":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Martial Immortality: Starting with the Spirit Beast Scroll",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1636714,2103,"Chapter 21 - 17: The Donkey of Guizhou","martial-immortality-starting-with-the-spirit-bea-chapter-21",21,"\u003Cp>\"Go check the goods.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bearded leader, Sixth Master Diao Liu, waved his hand, and the bandits dismounted one after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man with the goldfish eyes, sabre in hand, said brashly, \"You lot, stand over to the side. Anyone makes a wrong move, and my sabre won’t know you from a stranger!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Headman Zhou Pao forced a smile. \"That’s our companion on the raft. Could you allow us to carry him down first?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shut it. You move when I tell you to move,\" Goldfish Eyes snapped back arrogantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"One of the boar’s tusks is broken. What a shame.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This bear is huge. Look at these claws, these teeth...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bandits stood before the raft, sizing up the kill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Dachun couldn’t stand the sight of them, so he simply closed his eyes and feigned sleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Lin quietly shuffled over to Liang Song’s side and whispered, \"You know about the Drilling Mountain Leopard crew. Is this Diao Liu strong?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was unwilling to let the bandits just take the exotic beast they had expended so much effort to kill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang Song’s brow twitched. He also lowered his voice. \"He’s the sixth-in-command of the Drilling Mountain Leopards. He’s a veteran, but in terms of strength, he’s not in the top ten. To put it bluntly, he’s just in charge of logistics and supplies. I hear he’s at the Second Layer of the Power Realm.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Second Layer of the Power Realm? What kind of level is that? How strong?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Power Realm has a Third Layer: Skin, Bone, and Sinew. Training to the Second Layer gives you what they call bronze skin and iron bones.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Lin frowned. \"Bronze skin and iron bones? Does that mean he’s impervious to blades and spears?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang Song shook his head slightly. \"Not quite. It just means his strength is greater, his skin is tougher, his sinews are stronger, and his bones are sturdier than a normal person’s.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let me put it this way: if any Power Realm martial artist fought that bear head-on, they wouldn’t last fifteen minutes. Otherwise, why would they be robbing us of our kill?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Lin thought, ’That makes sense.’ But he didn’t know what other tricks the man might have up his sleeve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang Song seemed to read his mind. \"His raw strength probably can’t match yours, but you’ve never learned any formal fighting techniques, so you’d be at a disadvantage there.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Lin glanced down at the iron spear on the raft. ’If I had that spear in hand,’ he thought, ’and caught him off guard with a thrusting attack, I’m seventy percent sure I could kill him in one blow.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if he went for the spear now, the bandits would surely be on their guard. They might even swarm him before he could make a move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go talk to Headman Zhou Pao first. I’ll see if I can find an opening.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liang Song nodded. \"As long as we can take out the leader, the rest will be easy. Headman Zhou Pao and I have poisoned arrows. Perfect for shooting these bastards dead...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This spear is so heavy!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the bandits saw the long spear lying on the ground. Curious, he reached for it, but couldn’t even lift it and cried out in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Sixth Master is a spear expert. Take it to him, let him have a look.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Goldfish Eyes lunged forward, heaved the iron spear up, and presented it to the bandit leader as if it were a treasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let me give it a try.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sixth Master Diao Liu took the long spear and praised, \"A fine spear!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gripped the shaft with both hands—thrusting, lifting, chopping, dotting, smashing... he executed a few flourishes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What skill, Sixth Master!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Only the Sixth Master could wield such a heavy spear.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Sixth Master’s spear technique is brilliant...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bandits cheered loudly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Lin watched with a cold eye. He suddenly felt like a tiger watching a donkey’s feeble kick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spear techniques looked flashy, but his movements were slightly sluggish. It was clear he lacked the strength to match his intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’This is the power of the Second Layer of the Power Realm?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Without absorbing the bear’s Essence Soul, my strength might have been only a little greater than his. But now...’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’In a contest of pure strength, I have nothing to fear from him!’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Lin was now confident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is a military spear, good for a cavalry charge, but a bit too heavy for regular use.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A smile appeared on Sixth Master Diao Liu’s face as he feigned modesty. Then, his expression suddenly turned sharp, and his eyes fixed on Zhao Lin and the others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Whose spear is this!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Headman Zhou Pao could speak, Zhao Lin cut in, \"The spear was passed down in my humble family.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Headman Zhou Pao’s expression flickered, momentarily confused by Zhao Lin’s move. Liang Song leaned over and whispered a few words to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sixth Master Diao Liu narrowed his eyes, sizing up Zhao Lin. \"You can wield this spear?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Lin looked up, putting on a simple, foolish expression. \"I can’t use it well. I can just mess around with it a bit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Goldfish Eyes scoffed, \"Pfft, you’re bragging. It’s a struggle for me to even carry it. Mess around with it? My ass...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sixth Master Diao Liu raised a hand to silence Goldfish Eyes and said in a low voice, \"Show me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright.\" Zhao Lin obediently walked forward. Diao Liu suddenly tossed the spear at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Lin reached out with both hands to catch it, but the force was too great. He lost his footing and fell on his butt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"HAHAHA...\" The bandits roared with laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sixth Master Diao Liu let out a breath of relief, a smile touching his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had intentionally thrown the spear with extra force, intending to test Zhao Lin’s skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The test revealed that while Zhao Lin was strong, he wasn’t a trained martial artist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stop laughing. Watch him use the spear.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sixth Master Diao Liu wiped the smile from his face and pointed at Zhao Lin. \"Let’s see if you have what it takes to be a martial artist.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Goldfish Eyes yelled, \"You hear that, kid? Do your best. If the Sixth Master takes a liking to you, he’ll bring you back to the stronghold to live the good life!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Live the good life? That sounds great!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Zhao Lin immediately stood up and brushed the snow off his rear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lifted the long spear, struck a proper-looking opening stance, then took a big step forward, and... SLIP...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His feet slipped from under him, and he went flying, spear and all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bandits burst into laughter again, and Sixth Master Diao Liu shook his head in disappointment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"All brawn and no brains.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of them noticed that Zhao Lin was now less than twenty feet from Sixth Master Diao Liu’s mount.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Headman Zhou Pao and Liang Song exchanged a glance. Their fingers hooked the bowstrings on their chests, while their other hands reached back to their quivers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That doesn’t count, that doesn’t count! The snow was too slippery!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Lin scrambled up with a look of indignation, muttering as he picked up the iron spear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go on, get back. Leave the spear,\" Sixth Master Diao Liu said, waving his hand impatiently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Zhao Lin didn’t listen. He suddenly bent his body, his legs exploding with power as he charged forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a flick of his arms, the long spear shot upward, piercing through the horse’s neck from below. With a PSHHT, it erupted from the nape of the horse’s neck, skewering the abdomen of Sixth Master Diao Liu, who was still in the saddle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Lin felt a resistance in his hands, similar to when he had stabbed the bear, but it was just as incapable of stopping the iron spear’s advance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You dare...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Diao Liu had never expected Zhao Lin to pull such a move. Utterly terrified, he roared, summoning every ounce of his strength to execute an Iron Bridge, his upper body arching backward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of this dodge, the iron spear that should have pierced his abdomen instead burst out from his chest, pinning him to the horse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While all the bandits’ eyes were on Zhao Lin, Headman Zhou Pao and Liang Song nocked their arrows and each fired a shot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two bandits fell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They dare ambush us! Kill them!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bandits were battle-hardened and reacted instantly. The remaining four drew their sabres. One rushed Zhao Lin, while the other three charged toward Headman Zhou Pao and Liang Song with a roar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Headman Zhou Pao and Liang Song didn’t have time to fire another arrow. They threw down their bows, drew their hunting knives, and met the charge...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To think... the lifelong hunter would get his eyes pecked out by a goose...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bandit leader knew his wound was fatal; there was no escaping alive today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fighting through the excruciating pain, he reached into his tunic and found a vial. He broke off the stopper, and a faint scent of Musk was instantly released.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened his mouth and swallowed the red pill from the vial...\u003C\u002Fp>",1534,"2026-06-06T11:22:22.007Z",1,"novelbin.me","9d6071ff8024f91dcb5c23735cdb903b4d40774bc7bab5afa3d2c71428beae85","martial-immortality-starting-with-the-spirit-bea-chapter-22","martial-immortality-starting-with-the-spirit-bea-chapter-20",122,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fmartial-immortality-starting-with-the-spirit-bea-cover.jpg"]