29: Chapter 29 An Encounter with the Zhang Family of Tianchen Mountain

Chen Changqing spent about an hour arriving at a relatively remote region. Few Cultivators set foot here, so Yao Beast resources were much richer than in other places, making it perfect for him to rapidly increase his strength.

Putting away the map, he familiarized himself with the surrounding environment before beginning to search for his target.

His eyes immediately locked onto a pack of wolf beasts about ten miles away. In this pack, except for the alpha wolf which possessed the strength of a High Grade Tier-1 Yao Beast, the other dozens of wolf beasts were mostly at Medium Grade or Low Grade Tier-1.

At this moment, the pack of wolf beasts was besieging a Barbarian Ox Beast. After half a quarter of an hour, the Barbarian Ox Beast's stamina gradually gave out. Seizing the opportunity, the alpha wolf tore a chunk of flesh from its back. Pain racked the Barbarian Ox Beast, causing it to thrash about wildly, and seeing this, the rest of the wolf beasts rushed forward to bite and tear at its body.

However, the Barbarian Ox Beast originally possessed the strength of a High Grade Tier-1 Yao Beast, so it wasn't easy for it to lose its ability to resist. Consequently, many wolf beasts lost their lives under the Barbarian Ox Beast's attacks. Unfortunately, after being torn at by so many wolves, the Barbarian Ox Beast's body was already covered in wounds. Having lost a large portion of its flesh, its aura withered, and it was on the verge of death at any moment.

After a while longer, the Barbarian Ox Beast finally collapsed.

Awoo! Oowoo!

The alpha wolf threw its head back and howled, and all the other wolf beasts followed suit, seemingly celebrating and showing off their achievement and strength.

Immediately after, the alpha wolf was the first to begin feeding. Just as these wolf beasts lowered their guard, Chen Changqing swiftly approached and summoned his qingyang sword to slash at the alpha wolf.

Pfft! Blood spattered as the alpha wolf's head rolled off its neck. Such an abrupt turn of events left the pack instantly leaderless, the depths of their eyes filled with fear and confusion.

However, Chen Changqing gave them no time to react. He threw out several Fireball Talismans to disrupt and kill some Low Grade Tier-1 wolf beasts, then gripped his qingyang sword and slaughtered his way into the pack.

Since his Physical Body had already reached the level of a Low Grade Tier-1 Yao Beast, he wasn't worried about engaging in close combat with Yao Beasts. On the contrary, relying on his powerful Physical Body, Divine Soul, and spiritual power, he struck terror into these wolf beasts.

Streams of Azure Wood Finger shot from Chen Changqing's fingertips, bursting forth in an instant. Every hit drew a streak of scalding blood, and every hit killed a wolf beast. In just a quarter of an hour, the entire pack was completely slaughtered.

Chen Changqing immediately gathered the Yao Beast Materials, absorbed their blood qi, and left the area quickly after finishing to prevent attracting other Yao Beasts.

After finding a safe cave, he spent the time it takes an incense stick to burn to Cultivate the Cangtian Transforming Dragon Art. Guided by the Cultivation Technique, the blood qi inside the dao bead was absorbed cell by cell into his body, and his Physical Body grew step by step—from three thousand to three thousand one hundred jin, three thousand two hundred jin... three thousand five hundred jin, until it reached three thousand six hundred jin before stopping.

"Ever since my Physical Body reached the Realm of a Low Grade Tier-1 Yao Beast, the physical strength that should have increased by over a thousand jin only rose by six hundred jin. It seems that as my Realm increases, the blood qi required for every strength gain will skyrocket step by step." Chen Changqing pondered for a moment before arriving at this conclusion. Previously, this change wasn't obvious, but now that he had reached the Low Grade Tier-1 Yao Beast Realm, he could clearly feel it.

Even so, this was still great. After all, if it were any other Body Cultivator, they couldn't possibly absorb the blood qi of Yao Beasts to increase their Realm like he did. They could only rely on day after day of Body Refining Cultivation Techniques to slowly raise their Realm, enduring pain unimaginable to ordinary people along the way.

It was precisely for this reason that even though the threshold for Body Refining Cultivation Techniques was very low and didn't demand high talent, very few Cultivators were willing to Cultivate them.

"Phew!" Chen Changqing circulated his Evergreen Art and began absorbing Spiritual Qi. Surrounding Spiritual Qi gathered continuously into Chen Changqing's body, flowing through his Meridians into his Dantian, where it was refined into spiritual power.

"Hmm?" Chen Changqing was startled awake. Just now, after extending his Divine Sense, he detected figures of Cultivators nearby.

He stood up quickly, left the cave immediately, and extended his Divine Sense to search the surroundings.

"Sigh! I didn't expect our luck to be so bad—to actually run into a group of Black-Striped Leopards." Among the four people, an ordinary-looking middle-aged man sighed mournfully.

In Chen Changqing's perception, four Cultivators slowly emerged from the nearby tall grass. Looking closely, all four wore tattered dark blue robes, with the word 'Zhang' faintly visible embroidered on them, appearing to be members of the Zhang Family.

"Let's find a safe place to rest first, then set off for Tang Country. We must leave Dayan alive; we can't let Fourth Uncle and Eighth Brother die in vain." A somewhat glamorous woman spoke with a sorrowful expression.

"To think that our Zhang Family has fallen to such a state! Damn it! I will definitely avenge this! Zhao Family, Zhou Family—just you wait! If I, Zhang Shiheng, do not avenge this in this lifetime, I swear I am not human!" The young man standing behind them spoke with pure Killing Intent, his whole demeanor radiating hostility.

As soon as he spoke, the expressions of the other three turned gloomy. However, having experienced more, they weren't as impetuous as the youth and didn't show their emotions so openly.

"Regardless, Shiheng, you must not act recklessly. It's a long road ahead. As long as you successfully achieve Foundation Establishment, our Family still has hope for revenge." The old man walking at the very front had weathered eyes as he spoke in a heavy voice; he was afraid Zhang Shiheng would act on impulse.

"I understand, Fifth Granduncle." Zhang Shiheng calmed his agitated mood, his tone turning somewhat dull. Foundation Establishment? Easier said than done. If their Zhang Family still existed, he would at least have a fifty percent chance of successfully achieving Foundation Establishment. Now, even a stable environment for Cultivation had become a distant luxury.

"What happened to the Zhang Family? Didn't they win the auction for the foundation establishment pill? Could it have been stolen in the end? But seeing them like this, I'm afraid things are even more severe. Could it be..." Chen Changqing muttered to himself. Perhaps that was the only possibility?

Chen Changqing remained standing on the tree, suppressing his aura completely so not a trace could be detected. As the four passed underneath him, they were entirely unaware that someone stood right above their heads.

"There's a cave ahead?" the middle-aged man called out in surprise.

Hearing his words, the others were startled at first, thinking someone was chasing them down again. Just as they were about to bolt, they suddenly realized they had misheard.

The three looked at the middle-aged man and followed his finger—sure enough, it was a cave! Relief and joy instantly filled the group. Finally, there was a place where they could rest. After fleeing for days on end, they were already exhausted.