Chapter 321: Returning to Jade Capital, Finding Qingqing

"Give up, you can't beat him. Look at you, how long has it been, and you're already severely wounded..."

"Use the environment, close the distance!"

"At most half an incense stick of time left, and you'll be finished..."

"Hand your body over to Chen, Chen has campaigned north and south with General Luo his whole life and has never known defeat; perhaps there is a way to win."

"Give up, this Resurrected One is toying with you. Stop letting this pervert get his kicks. I suggest you mock him a few times first, so he won't be satisfied even if he wins..."

"Hand your body over to me!"

"Half an incense stick of time is almost up... can you still hold on?"

"..."

Time passed bit by bit, Jiang Lai remained silent, still fighting.

The opponent was a Fu Sect disciple, rare in modern times. With a wave of his hand, golden Runes shot out rapidly, tearing streaks of golden light through the dim forest. Jiang Lai had no choice but to twist his body with all his might, dodging these streaks of golden light.

Half an incense stick of time passed.

One incense stick of time passed.

His body gradually became battered, wounds accumulating.

Falling down again and again, climbing up again and again, counterattacking again and again; even though he had no strength to resist, he did not have the slightest thought of giving up.

The green-robed Sword cultivator had fallen silent.

The voice of the Rune disciple came from the forest, deep and hoarse: "A mere Martial Artist, let's see how much longer you can hold on..."

"Whoosh!"

Thousands of talismans shot out as he waved his hand, weaving a golden net in the forest. No matter how thick the tree trunks were, they were instantly severed upon touching the golden threads.

The golden thread Rune net covered him.

Accompanied by many red Runes descending from the sky.

Jiang Lai remained silent, gathering all his Spirit Power, and struck out with a punch.

The green-robed Sword cultivator said nothing.

Instead, the voice of the heavy-armored soldier sounded: "Are you reminded of your own past?"

"Shut up!"

"Is it your turn to tell me to shut up?"

"..."

"Did you give up back then?"

"None of your damn business!"

"I heard that after you returned to the military camp, you were covered in wounds and it took half a year to recover."

"Shut up!"

"Boom!"

Having finally broken through the golden thread Rune net, the red Runes struck him instead, hitting Jiang Lai's body and emitting a series of dull explosions.

"Bang, bang, bang..."

Jiang Lai was sent flying backward for the umpteenth time, fresh blood streaming from his body.

"Get up."

The green-robed Sword cultivator encouraged him for the first time.

Jiang Lai crawled up.

"Use the spear."

The heavy-armored soldier said to him.

Jiang Lai grabbed the long spear.

"Head right, the environment there is complex; use the cover of the Blood Vine. Either put distance between you and him, and there might be a sliver of a chance to win, or run outward; the range of activity for these Resurrected Ones is not infinite, so there might be a chance to escape."

Jiang Lai hurriedly ran to the right.

A few moments later.

The bright red vines were torn apart by the golden threads, countless illusory Runes bloomed in the air, the earth trembled, and dust and fallen leaves flew everywhere.

Jiang Lai lay to the side, on the verge of death.

"A mere Martial Artist..."

The Fu Sect disciple's figure hovered in mid-air, looking down at him with indifferent eyes: "To have such combat power, you can be considered not bad..."

"Hoo..."

Jiang Lai exhaled deeply, looking up to meet his gaze.

Is this the difference between a Cultivator and a Martial Artist?

If one cannot open a Spirit Sea, is one truly destined to be a mortal for life?

Jiang Lai felt very unwilling in his heart.

He had clearly worked very hard, harder than anyone else, and he clearly never gave up; why was there such a huge gap just because he lacked a Spirit Sea?

"Get up."

The green-robed Sword cultivator still said to him.

Jiang Lai took a deep breath and continued to crawl up.

"Boom!"

The Runes exploded on his body once again.

Jiang Lai's body was sent flying backward.

"Get up."

The voice of the green-clad swordsman: "Pick up my Sword."

Jiang Lai did not say a word and continued to climb to his feet.

The long spear in his hand spun as it flew out, emitting a whistling sound as it pierced the air, yet it was easily dodged.

He went and grabbed the Long Sword.

"Boom!"

That Cultivator floating in mid-air seemed like an invincible deity; this was the despairing gap between a Martial Artist and a Cultivator.

"Get up."

"..."

Jiang Lai climbed up for who knows what number of times.

Until he had no strength left and his thoughts were in chaos, the voice of the green-clad swordsman suddenly echoed in his mind again: "Forget it, forget it. Being able to hitch a ride on you and live a few more days is already a profit. Hand your body over to me. I have already been defeated once; I don't want to be defeated again while hitching a ride on you..."

"..."

Jiang Lai's eyes flickered a few times, and he made up his mind:

"Fine!"

The next second, it felt as if another person had squeezed in, manipulating this body together with him.

At the same time, his thoughts suddenly became clear, and a strange power surged from nowhere, filling this body that was full of holes.

Jiang Lai tried his best not to interfere with him and cooperated with him.

"Watch closely!"

The green-clad swordsman said.

"Whoosh..."

The Fu Sect disciple seemed to have sensed something and retreated at high speed.

Only to see a figure standing in the forest, holding a bright, snow-white Long Sword, a crisp voice echoing in the human world once again after a thousand years:

"White Jade Sect, I am Yan San!"

The Spirit Soul was burning, releasing powerful strength.

Since that defeat all those years ago, thirty years of fighting and tempering, laughing and joking, yet never slacking off—nothing else, just wanting to say one thing—

A Martial Artist is not inferior to a Cultivator!

"Clang!"

There was a sword hum in the forest.

This Sword was a mortal sword.

This person was a mortal.

The youth's figure rose with the Sword, leaping into the firmament with a mortal body, the sword tip pointing straight at the heavens.

The Rune exploded.

The Sword Light shone.

The Cultivator pulled away at high speed.

The swordsman stepped on branches to ascend.

The Spirit Soul happened to burn to the end just as the Long Sword pierced through the Fu Sect disciple's skull; warm, fresh blood spurted out, no different from that of a Martial Artist.

Jiang Lai was also already swaying and on the verge of collapse.

"Bang!"

Two figures fell straight down, and the tree branches snapped one after another.

"Swoosh!"

The Long Sword pierced into the ground, supporting the youth's body.

Jiang Lai discovered that he had regained full control of his body. Not knowing what he had sensed, when he struggled to lift his head, he saw an illusory giant beast in the forest. The giant beast's bright yellow eyes were cold and ruthless, and it had been staring at him for who knows how long.

Lord Linjian!

Jiang Lai was stunned for a moment.

Lord Linjian had arrived long ago; why didn't he save him?

Suddenly, Jiang Lai seemed to sense something again and continued to lift his head, looking toward the firmament.

The twilight cast countless colorful clouds.

In the void, there seemed to be an unknown passage leading to an unknown place; what constructed this passage was an unimaginable, unknown Divine Power.

"Bang..."

Jiang Lai could no longer hold on and collapsed to the ground.

His whole body twitched in pain, his muscles and bones broken.

He only heard the voice of the green-clad swordsman coming from his mind, already very weak:

"Was it cool, Brother Chen?"

"Cool."

"Cooler than you?"

"A little less."

"Hahaha... Brother Chen, working with you was quite pleasant. I shall take the first step now..."

"Knowing Brother Yan for thirty years has also been my great fortune," the armored general said calmly. "Brother Yan, take your time; I will come to follow you in a few days."

"..."

The green-clad swordsman did not respond again.

At the same time, a great power descended from the starry sky, landing precisely on Jiang Lai.

The giant beast's phantom walked toward him step by step.

This is the Founding Spiritual Power of the beast.

……

I do not know how much time passed.

When Jiang Lai woke up again, he had already arrived at the Beast Camp; what supported him in making this judgment was Meng Chunqiu, who was guarding by his side.

"Water..."

Jiang Lai opened his mouth at the first opportunity.

"Oh!"

Meng Chunqiu hurriedly poured some water and, while feeding it to him, said, "You finally woke up. You have no idea how severe your injuries were..."

"Who brought me here..."

"Miss Yan, and a fox demon brother."

"How long have I been unconscious..."

"Quite a few days."

"Hmm..."

After Jiang Lai finished the water, he closed his eyes.

"Senior Yan San?"

"..."

"Senior Chen Qing?"

"I am still here."

"What about Senior Yan San?"

"He is gone."

"..."

"He and I died long ago, and we were destined to dissipate long ago. For him to dissipate like this... is actually quite good." The heavy-armored soldier was silent for a moment, "Now you should focus on your own situation."

"My own..."

"Do you feel it?"

"Huh?"

Jiang Lai closed his eyes, summoned the consciousness he had struggled to recover even a little bit, and sensed carefully; sure enough, he discovered a peculiar power within his body.

"This is..."

"This is the Founding Spiritual Power of the beast. I do not know why either; perhaps you have gained the recognition of certain existences from Xing Kong Bi An." The heavy-armored soldier knew that he did not have much energy for the moment, so he continued, "Perhaps you really can master the Three Origins Method..."

Jiang Lai listened in silence.

Over these past few days, under the narration of the heavy-armored soldier and the green-robed swordsman, he had already gained a deep understanding of the Three Origins Method—

The Three Origins Method recorded in textbooks consists of the beast bloodline spiritual power, the Martial Artist's own self including their Spirit Soul, and spiritual medicine, combined with a specific set of methods, ultimately using the spiritual medicine as a neutralizer to complete the deep fusion between the Martial Artist and the High-Tier beast bloodline spiritual power, turning the Martial Artist into a "humanoid High-Tier beast."

But the fact is that the first two do not work.

The spiritual power contained within the beast bloodline simply cannot replicate the process by which a wild beast was originally transformed into a beast, and the Martial Artist themselves cannot withstand this process. The perfected Three Origins Method replaces the spiritual medicine with Divine Power; Divine Power both strengthens the beast bloodline spiritual power and enhances the Martial Artist's own capacity to endure. But in reality? The so-called perfected Three Origins Method only remains in theory. General Luo produced its specific implementation method, but it had never been tested.

Can Divine Power strengthen the spiritual power within the beast bloodline to an effect approaching the Founding Spiritual Power?

Can a Martial Artist's body tempered by Divine Power withstand this transformation process? What about the Martial Artist's Spirit Soul, which is far inferior to that of a Cultivator?

No one knows.

At least for now, Jiang Lai does not need to consider the first point; he directly possesses the beast Founding Spiritual Power from the starry sky. This is the grace of Lord Linjian.

The King of Beasts, the Nine-Tier Imperial Beast, comes from this.

"The Founding Spiritual Power is within your body. If you want to attempt the fusion, it is best to do it as soon as possible; I can still lend you a hand." The heavy-armored soldier said, "Your physical talent is unparalleled, and coupled with the tempering of Divine Power, there is a great possibility you can withstand the transformation process. The only drawback lies in the Spirit Soul; if you fail, you will very likely die here. You must weigh it yourself."

"I am not afraid."

"When your injuries are healed, let us begin."

"Good!"

Three days later.

Jiang Lai's battered body had long since recovered as before. He sat cross-legged on the ground, his mind sinking into his body, and began to fuse the Founding Spiritual Power.

"Boom!"

It was as if there was an explosive sound.

The original Founding Spiritual Power felt like nothing more than a light bubble, but after it was suddenly punctured, a monstrous flood surged out, carrying boundless might. This power rapidly began to impact his body and Spirit Soul, as if it wanted to destroy every cell in his body and recast them, and tear his Spirit Soul to pieces and reorganize it.

At the same time, within the entire Beast Camp, all the beasts seemed to sense it and looked in his direction.

"Ah..."

Even someone as capable of enduring as Jiang Lai could not help but squeeze a cry of pain from his throat, and that was the only sound; he could not utter another.

What was even harder to endure was the process of staying conscious.

To lose consciousness is to die.

Time passed bit by bit.

Jiang Lai's recovery ability was already monstrous, and after more than two months of tempering by Divine Power, it had reached an unknown level. The transformation by the Founding Spiritual Power would recover a part as soon as it destroyed it; he was reborn during this process.

As for the Spirit Soul...

For some reason, whenever the Spirit Soul shattered, a nourishing force would come from nowhere, nourishing his Spirit Soul and causing it to recover rapidly.

Until the weak voice of the heavy-armored soldier came into his mind: "I have reached the end of my journey here. Without Brother Yan, you are in great danger. I wish you good luck..."

Jiang Lai suddenly opened his eyes wide, and only then did he understand—

The existence of the two of them, besides leaving behind the perfected Three Origins Method and explaining it clearly to the successor, was also to help the first Martial Artist to attempt the High-Tier breakthrough survive this ordeal.

Jiang Lai could not help but be stunned.

At this moment, the pain seemed to have become secondary.

Having spent nearly a month together, the green-clad Sword user was always noisy and clamorous, while the heavy-armored soldier was always silent, and when he occasionally spoke, it was mostly to tell the Sword user to shut up; Jiang Lai was neither familiar nor unfamiliar with them, but now, thinking about it carefully, both were Martial Artists, and both were merely Martial Artists...

They were nothing more than two people unwilling to accept that Martial Artists were inferior to Cultivators.

Following General Luo into the Forbidden Land and staying behind willingly were all just to break through the shackles of a Martial Artist...

How could this not be a form of inheritance?

Jiang Lai had no time to think further, as boundless pain had already submerged him.

The Founding Spiritual Power capable of creating a Nine-Tier Imperial Beast was, after all, not something a Sixth Stage Martial Artist could withstand; Jiang Lai's body's recovery ability could barely keep up with the damage, but without the nourishment of the heavy-armored soldier, his Spirit Soul could no longer bear such power.

No matter how Jiang Lai gritted his teeth and persisted, his consciousness gradually blurred.

Finally, the darkness descended before his eyes.

"What happened to him?"

Meng Chunqiu, who was beside him, asked.

"He is already dead."

The fox demon replied very calmly: "However, his body is quite abnormal; the person is already dead, yet the body is actually still being transformed."

"Dead?"

Meng Chunqiu widened his eyes, unable to believe it.

Yan Keling immediately stepped forward to check, only to find that Jiang Lai indeed had no breath and no heartbeat, and in her perception, his vitality was also rapidly dissipating; she immediately turned to look at Lord Linjian beside her: "Lord Linjian, did he fail?"

"Roar..."

"Miss Yan, what did Lord Linjian say?"

"Lord Linjian's general meaning is that to fuse with the Founding Spiritual Power, the right time, the right place, and the right people are all indispensable."

"Then which one is Brother Jiang lacking?"

"Roar..."

"He is not lacking any of them."

"Roar..."

"It is just that the time has not yet come."

"So that's how it is..."

Meng Chunqiu widened his eyes and understood in an instant.

This time, the Bodhisattva was proving the Dao to become a Buddha, and the numerous geniuses entering the Forbidden Land were not in danger themselves.

Inside the Forbidden Land, at the edge of the black curtain.

Two geniuses from the Northern Continent were surrounded by Resurrected Ones and were on the verge of death; at the moment of life and death, a scorching sun rose and saved them.

Half a quarter of an hour later.

Chen Shu checked his watch and said to the Nüxia of the moonlit night: "It is already the fourteenth of August; I have to go, I am going out to watch the evening gala. Nüxia, take care."

"Mm."

"Why is it so cold?"

"Take care."

"Right!"

Chen Shu turned around and walked out of the black curtain.

He wondered how Brother Jiang and Brother Meng were doing now, whether they had successfully found the Beast Camp, and if they had been beaten to death...

When Chen Shu stepped out of the black curtain, he had originally wanted to go to the Beast Camp to take a look; with his current strength, there were no Sixth Stage Resurrected Ones outside the Forbidden Land who could fight him, but having walked out of the black curtain, he was at the other end of Qingshan Ridge, so he was too lazy to go; now that the Forbidden Land had not yet closed, it was better not to disturb them.

Returning to Yujing and seeing Qingqing was more important.

"Whoosh..."

Chen Shu flew in a circle around Qingshan Ridge and headed straight for Yujing.

That place was also what he cared about.