Volume One: The Temptress Chapter 12: One Hundred Thousand Jin

“Boy, don't be distracted. Time is tight—quickly imprint your blood upon the sword.” Feng Ling’er lightly raised her wrist, and the Immortal-Slaying Sword instantly appeared before Jiang Hao.

“Yes, Master.” Without hesitation, Jiang Hao bit his finger and let his fresh blood drip onto the Immortal-Slaying Sword.

Jiang Hao’s blood was immediately absorbed by the blade, which had been black, now flickering with a faint glimmer of light that vanished in an instant.

“Consider yourself lucky, boy. If this sword weren’t damaged, you wouldn’t have tamed the Immortal-Slaying Sword so easily,” Feng Ling’er said calmly.

“Heh heh, thanks to Master’s help. Otherwise, it would have been very difficult for me to obtain such a treasure,” Jiang Hao scratched his head, a sycophantic smile spreading across his face.

“Hmph, slick talker,” Feng Ling’er chuckled softly. Clearly, she was pleased that Jiang Hao had acquired the Immortal-Slaying Sword.

At that moment, Jiang Hao stepped forward to grasp the sword, but to his surprise, the sword fell heavily to the ground almost immediately after he held it.

The blade plunged deeply into the earth, sinking a full foot, leaving Jiang Hao utterly stunned.

“Master, this sword is too heavy! If I hadn’t let go in time, my arm might’ve been broken,” Jiang Hao said, astonished as he gazed at the sword buried deep in the ground.

“Expected. Right now, this sword weighs about ten thousand jin,” Feng Ling’er murmured.

“What? Ten thousand jin!” Jiang Hao’s back chilled at the revelation, never imagining the sword he had just held was so heavy.

Seeing Jiang Hao’s shocked expression, Feng Ling’er shook her head and sighed lightly: “Look at you, so easily amazed by ten thousand jin. To be honest, if the Immortal-Slaying Sword weren’t damaged, it would weigh around one hundred thousand jin.”

“One hundred thousand jin? My heavens! Master, did I hear you correctly? A sword weighing a full one hundred thousand jin?” Jiang Hao trembled slightly, his expression dazed as though losing reason.

“That’s why I said it’s a treasure,” Feng Ling’er smiled gently.

“For now, your cultivation won’t break through further. In the days ahead, focus on training with this Immortal-Slaying Sword. A sword weighing ten thousand jin suits your current strength perfectly,” Feng Ling’er advised.

“It’s all up to you, Master,” Jiang Hao nodded, his eyes fixed on the Immortal-Slaying Sword, still immersed in amazement.

“First, put the Immortal-Slaying Sword away. Quickly pick those Spirit Fruits, then leave this place at once. My primordial spirit can’t hold out much longer,” Feng Ling’er instructed.

“Understood, Master.” Jiang Hao replied softly, then hurried to the poolside and plucked all seven Spirit Fruits from the Spirit Flowers.

Just as Jiang Hao placed the Spirit Fruits into his Heaven and Earth Ring, a deafening roar came from outside the cave, followed by a terrifying murderous aura that filled the air with dread.

“Not good! That bloodthirsty mad ape has found us!”

---

“Boy, retreat quickly!” Feng Ling’er urged urgently.

Jiang Hao didn’t hesitate and dashed out of the cave immediately. Facing a raging mid-tier third-grade beast, his current strength was like an egg against a stone.

As Jiang Hao rushed out, the bloodthirsty mad ape charged recklessly into the cave. Its speed was so swift that Jiang Hao and the beast nearly brushed past each other.

Close behind were Shen Shilong, Wei Moyang, and Miao Xiaolan—clearly in pursuit of the mad ape.

“Boy, block the cave entrance!” Feng Ling’er urged desperately.

“Mountain Shattering Palm!” Jiang Hao responded instantly, channeling his spiritual power and slamming a palm heavily against the cave wall before leaping back to safety.

“Not good!” Shen Shilong and the others said in unison, their eyes flashing with killing intent, staring straight at Jiang Hao.

“Boom!”

With a loud crash, the cave’s rocks began to collapse, and the entrance was soon buried under rubble. Jiang Hao had successfully sealed the mad ape and the three pursuers inside the cave.

“Luckily, I escaped. I almost got caught like a turtle in a jar!” Jiang Hao exhaled deeply, secretly relieved.

“Bang! Bang…”

“Damn it! When I get out, I’ll skin you alive!”

Fierce fighting noises and Miao Xiaolan’s hysterical screams came from inside the cave.

It was clear that Miao Xiaolan was enraged beyond measure. After all, anyone tricked by a mere spiritual energy cultivator would be furious.

“Such a venomous woman, wanting to skin me alive!” Jiang Hao shook his head helplessly.

That brief glance earlier had revealed Miao Xiaolan’s ruthless and unscrupulous nature.

“Boy, not all women are as lenient with you as I am,” Feng Ling’er said indifferently.

“Master, that’s uncertain for now,” Jiang Hao whispered.

“What did you say?” Feng Ling’er’s cold voice sounded in his ear.

“Ah? Nothing, Master. Let’s run!” Jiang Hao said hurriedly, turning and sprinting toward the forest’s edge.

---

“Hmph, you’re wise, boy,” Feng Ling’er snorted coldly, then fell silent.

Jiang Hao ran straight out of the cave without pause, heading for the misty forest’s edge. According to Feng Ling’er, the stone wall at the entrance wouldn’t hold Shen Shilong and the others for long.

...

“Boom!”

After the incense stick’s worth of time passed, Shen Shilong and the others mercilessly shattered the rubble blocking the cave entrance.

“Never thought we’d be fooled by a boy at the spiritual energy stage!”

Shen Shilong gripped the Gale Blade, his body battered and bloodied, signs of a fierce life-or-death struggle evident.

“Cursed! If I see that boy again, I’ll skin him alive to vent my rage!” Miao Xiaolan’s beautiful face was smeared with blood, clearly badly hurt.

“Enough, don’t be so angry. If that boy hadn’t provoked the beast into losing its mind, how could the three of us have killed it?”

“Besides, we still have seven Spirit Flowers!” Wei Moyang stepped out slowly, dragging the massive corpse of the mad ape behind him.

“Hmph! Killing that beast benefits me nothing. But you, Wei Moyang, have scored big,” Miao Xiaolan sneered coldly at him.

“Heh heh, you know my cultivation requires the essence blood and beast pills of magical beasts,” Wei Moyang smiled, openly revealing his true intentions.

Shen Shilong and Miao Xiaolan said nothing immediately, their gazes fixed on Wei Moyang, waiting for a clear answer.

Wei Moyang saw through their thoughts and declared without hesitation, “Fine. You take six of the seven Spirit Flowers; the beast’s corpse is mine.”

“Haha! Brother Wei, you’re generous! I was waiting for you to say that!” Shen Shilong laughed heartily and patted Wei Moyang’s shoulder, clearly pleased with the decision.

“Hmph, that’s fair enough!” Miao Xiaolan smiled shyly, her anger abating somewhat.

“Even if I gave you all the Spirit Flowers, it wouldn’t matter,” Wei Moyang thought to himself, a sinister smile curling his lips. “With this beast’s essence blood and beast pills, my strength will surpass yours by far!”

Meanwhile, Shen Shilong, Wei Moyang, and Miao Xiaolan had etched Jiang Hao’s face deeply into their memories. They vowed to make the young cultivator who had taken them by surprise pay dearly in blood for his intrusion today.