Chapter 97 : Chapter 97
Chapter 97. The Midmonth Assault
Xu Yuan paid no heed to the cheers around him. His gaze rested on the Flying Rock Eagle’s corpse.
The bird was enormous. Even after removing the feathers and bones, the usable spirit beast meat would likely amount to no less than ten jin.
By the rules, whenever a spirit beast was killed within the medicinal fields, thirty percent had to be turned in and sent together with the medicinal treasures to the Residence storehouse at the end of the month.
The remaining portion would then be distributed at the duty captain’s discretion.
“Process this eagle,” Xu Yuan ordered. “Take thirty percent according to protocol, label it and seal it for storage, to be turned in at the end of the month. As for the remaining seventy percent…”
“Field Overseer Gao led the interception and rendered meritorious service, so he will take ten percent. The rest of the brothers who participated in the defense will share another ten percent. Whatever remains is to be sent to my residence.”
“Yes, my lord! Thank you, my lord!”
Everyone answered in unison, the joy on their faces growing even brighter.
The flesh of a spirit beast at the peak of the Fourth Transformation was excellent cultivation nourishment. Even a small share was a considerable gain.
Xu Yuan offered a few words of reassurance to the still-shaken herb farmers, then turned and returned to his small courtyard.
Not long afterward, the processed spirit beast meat from the Flying Rock Eagle was delivered.
The meat of a beast at the Fourth Transformation contained astonishingly rich blood and qi. Even for Xu Yuan at his current level, it was of considerable benefit to his cultivation.
He kept most of it for himself, then cut off about two jin from the finest portion and said to Xiao Qi, “Go invite Captain Zhang over. Tell him I came into a few jin of wild game and would like him to share a few drinks with me.”
Xiao Qi stared at the dark-red spirit beast meat, which gave off a faint sheen and swirled with spiritual energy. His eyes nearly went straight, and he could not help swallowing.
This was the spirit beast meat of a Fourth Transformation beast!
It was the equivalent of the condensed essence of blood and qi from a Fourth Meridian martial artist.
Ordinary servants like them rarely even had the chance to smell something like this, yet today he was not only seeing it with his own eyes, but might even get to benefit from it and taste the broth made from stewing the meat.
“Yes, sir! I’ll go right away!”
Xiao Qi’s voice trembled with excitement. He turned and dashed out through the courtyard gate, wishing he could bring Zhang Cheng over that very instant.
By evening, Zhang Cheng arrived as invited.
The moment he stepped into the courtyard, the rich aroma of meat hanging in the air set his appetite aflame.
When he saw the roast on the table, golden in color and beautifully marbled, his eyes lit up at once, and he clicked his tongue in amazement. “So this is that Flying Rock Eagle at the peak of the Fourth Transformation?”
“Brother Xu, your luck really is enviable.”
“Ah, just a blind cat stumbling into a dead rat,” Xu Yuan said with a shake of his head and a smile.
“Now you’re just being modest. I’ve heard this spirit beast’s meat is famed for being firm and springy. Looks like I’ll be basking in your good fortune tonight and eating to my heart’s content.”
Xu Yuan smiled and invited him to sit. “You flatter me, Brother Zhang. I just happened to run into it by chance.”
The two of them raised cup after cup and ate with great relish.
The Flying Rock Eagle’s meat truly lived up to its reputation. It was wonderfully chewy, and with each bite, a mild, refined current of blood and qi spread out and merged into the limbs and bones, greatly nourishing the body.
The Tiger Gall Wine was fierce, the spirit beast meat rich and fragrant, and amid laughter and conversation, the relationship between the two men grew even closer.
Zhang Cheng ate until his face was flushed red, then suddenly said, “Oh, right. There’s something I need to tell you.”
At that, Xu Yuan turned to look at him.
“A Fifth Meridian martial artist from the Level Four district has thrown in his lot with the Bai Family,” Zhang Cheng said, setting down his wine cup and speaking as if to himself.
“What do you mean?” Xu Yuan frowned.
“He served in the medicinal fields as a duty captain for four years. His seniority is even greater than mine… but later, Yang Caiyu squeezed him out.” After saying that, Zhang Cheng picked up a slice of meat with his chopsticks and chewed it slowly.
“I’m telling you this so you can be prepared. That old senior of ours isn’t the sort who can swallow his grievances quietly.”
“You mean—?” Xu Yuan raised a brow and stared at him directly.
“Just be prepared. It’s not as though it’s certain to happen.” Zhang Cheng gave a vague laugh and tried to brush it aside.
The two continued drinking and talking until night had grown deep before the meal finally came to an end.
After that, Xu Yuan’s life became even more regular.
Most of his time was still spent on his own cultivation. Only occasionally did he come out to inspect the medicinal fields and deal with matters that required his personal decision.
These calm yet fulfilling days gradually made the foundation of his cultivation firmer and more solid.
…
Time slipped by quietly, and before long, midmonth arrived.
At this time, the exotic fragrance released by the ripening medicinal treasures also reached its peak.
This round of spirit beast attacks was, sure enough, several times fiercer than before!
Not only were there more of them, but there even appeared a spirit beast that had reached the Fifth Transformation realm: the Ironhide Bull.
The beast was as massive and sturdy as a small hill. Its entire hide was a deep gray, tough beyond measure, and ordinary blades could scarcely injure it. When it charged, it was like a heavy war chariot mowing down everything in its path.
Its eyes were blood-red, clearly driven into a frenzy by the exotic fragrance of the medicinal treasures. It charged straight toward the core area of the medicinal fields, smashing apart the raised field ridges and flattening young shoots wherever it passed.
Gao Xiaosong and the others tried to stop it, but their attacks struck the Ironhide Bull only to throw off a few sparks. Instead, one brutal charge from the beast forced them into a frantic retreat. Those who failed to dodge in time suffered broken bones and torn sinews from even a glancing hit.
By the time Xu Yuan arrived after hearing the news, this was the scene that greeted him.
He did not rush forward at once. Instead, he observed calmly for a moment and saw that while the Ironhide Bull was thick-skinned and immensely strong, it was not agile enough when turning.
In particular, those great bell-like eyes, though blazing with ferocity, might also prove to be a weakness.
“Fall back. Evacuate the herb farmers and hold the perimeter. Don’t let the other spirit beasts exploit the gap and rush in.”
After giving the order, Xu Yuan’s figure shifted, and he took the initiative to meet the Ironhide Bull head-on.
When the Ironhide Bull saw that someone actually dared to face it directly, it let out an enraged bellow, lowered its head, thrust forward its sharp horns, and drove its hooves into the ground. The earth shook as it barreled forward like an out-of-control siege ram!
Xu Yuan moved lightly beneath his feet, his figure graceful as the wind. He did not try to clash head-on with the brute in a contest of strength, but instead relied on his movement technique to circle and maneuver around it.
He darted left and right, sometimes closing in, sometimes drawing it away, constantly probing and harassing it. The Ironhide Bull bellowed in fury again and again, yet it could not so much as touch the hem of his clothing.
The surrounding crowd watched in rapt admiration. They were astonished by Xu Yuan’s exquisite movement technique, yet at the same time broke into cold sweat for him.
Every charge of that Ironhide Bull carried terrifying force. Taking even a single hit from it was no joke.
After roughly twenty to thirty exchanges, Xu Yuan finally spotted an opening.
The Ironhide Bull launched yet another savage charge and missed. Its forward momentum was too great, and its movements slowed for just an instant.
At the exact moment it swung its head around to search for its target, Xu Yuan flashed forward like lightning, suddenly closing in at its side. He extended two fingers like a spear, concentrating a razor-sharp force of his fist technique, and stabbed straight at its right eye!
Pfft!
A soft sound rang out. Though he failed to burst the eyeball outright, the force penetrated inward. The Ironhide Bull let out a heaven-shaking roar of pain. Blood poured at once from its right eye, its vision was impaired, and its movements became even more frenzied.
Xu Yuan pressed his advantage without mercy. Driving his movement technique to the limit, he clung to the Ironhide Bull like a bone-burrowing parasite, his fists falling like a violent storm upon the comparatively weaker areas around the side of its neck!
Every punch contained terrifying force, and the dense impacts rang out like a succession of war drums.
The Ironhide Bull struggled madly and thrashed about, trying to throw Xu Yuan off, but in the face of the obvious gap in speed, all of it was futile.
Its thick hide began to split. Cracks appeared even in its solid skull, and bloody foam gradually seeped from its seven orifices.
Finally, under one heavy, force-laden punch from Xu Yuan that smashed into the vital point behind its ear—
The Ironhide Bull let out one last unwilling cry. Its four legs gave way, and its massive body collapsed to the ground like a toppled mountain and a fallen jade pillar.
The earth shook three times from the impact, and dust billowed into the sky.
A spirit beast of the Fifth Transformation had been beaten to death by Xu Yuan’s fists!
After this battle, Xu Yuan’s authority in the medicinal fields was completely established. No one dared harbor the slightest doubt about him anymore.
Even Gao Xiaosong, who had once been the most unwilling to accept him, was left now with nothing but deep powerlessness and awe.
…
Time passed swiftly. August 22.
Xu Yuan had just finished another round of cultivation in the quiet chamber and slowly exhaled a long, turbid breath.
【Skills: Tai Chi Exercise (Perfected 100%), Jade Platform Stance Art (Minor Mastery 86%), Benlei Fist (Major Mastery 87%), Wandering Dragon Step (Major Mastery 32%), Iron Garment Art (Major Mastery 37%)】
【Aptitude: 28 (Promising Uncut Jade)】
“This medicinal field really is a good place. There’s even surplus spirit beast meat and medicinal treasures here. I just don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to stay…”
Looking at the progress shown on the panel, Xu Yuan felt quite gratified for a moment.
The medicinal fields were indeed an excellent posting, arguably the best place in the entire Shangyang Residence apart from the Level One area.
Countless eyes were fixed on positions like these.
Even though Xu Yuan had a few connections, none of them were strong enough. There was no telling when he might be squeezed out.
“Forget it. I’ll take it one step at a time.”
Xu Yuan cast those thoughts aside. Just as he was about to loosen up his limbs, Xiao Qi gently knocked on the door and reported respectfully from outside,
“My lord, the Chief Guard has already gone to the Residence headquarters to make his report.”
“Before leaving, he sent word that you and the other eight captains are to go to the Chief Guard’s courtyard in one hour to discuss matters.”
At that, Xu Yuan’s expression shifted slightly.
The Chief Guard had left the medicinal fields, yet still wanted all nine captains gathered together. It seemed he intended to communicate the recent situation in each field.
“Understood. Prepare water. I’m changing clothes.”
He gave the order calmly.
…