Top Soldier Pursued by a Beauty

Zhao Dong instinctively pressed Jiang Nianyu's head down along with his own.

The giant python exerted an immense, oppressive aura. Could this be the demonic beast mentioned in the Mystic Sky Technique? China had cultivators, and likewise, some beasts could attain spiritual awareness. These were known as demonic beasts. They could also absorb nature's spiritual energy to cultivate themselves and increase their intelligence. The red python gave Zhao Dong the impression of being a demonic beast; its eyes, glowing like red lanterns, were filled with an icy, murderous intent.

He could only pray that the red python wouldn't target him and Jiang Nianyu first.

Soon, a harsh voice came from not far ahead—it was the man in green from before.

"Fiend!" the man roared. "Don't think I fear you just because you've attained spiritual awareness. Judging by your strength, you're only around the Master realm. I can still take you down!"

The python hissed and lunged at the man in green.

The man dodged, leaping several meters away. A dagger appeared in his hand as he thrust straight at the python. He was incredibly fast, appearing behind the python in the blink of an eye and stabbing at its head.

The python seemed to sense his intention. Its upper body suddenly whipped around, causing the man's attack to strike nothing but air.

The man's expression shifted. Before he could react, the sound of a whip cracking echoed from behind him. Upon closer inspection, it was the python's tail, which whipped viciously across his chest.

THWACK!

The man in green violently spewed a mouthful of blood as his body was slammed to the ground seven or eight meters away, a massive gash appearing on his chest.

The red light in the python's eyes intensified as it wriggled forward rapidly. It reached the man in a matter of seconds and bit down viciously on his leg.

"Ah!!"

The man in green let out a hysterical scream that was particularly harrowing in the silent night.

Despite his injuries, the man, a peak Master, endured the pain and abruptly sat up, punching the python's head fiercely. The python's body shook; clearly, the punch was a heavy blow. In the moment its movements slowed, the man in green jumped up. He seized the python's vital point with one hand and hammered its head with his other fist.

The python writhed in pain, crushing a swath of reeds around it.

"Damned beast! You're merely a third-level Master, only capable of fighting a seventh-level Master at best! And you think I can't handle you?"

The man in green landed his final punch on the python's head.

BANG!

A mist of blood exploded as the python's head burst into a mass of flesh. Its robust body slowly fell to the ground, lifeless.

Jiang Nianyu witnessed the entire scene, her pretty face gone pale. Zhao Dong gestured for her to be silent, his gaze fixed on the man in green's next move. He watched as the man pulled out a dagger and sliced open the demonic beast's abdomen. To his surprise, the man extracted a red object the size of a chicken egg.

The man in green muttered to himself, "I can't believe my luck. A hundred-year-old demonic beast's inner core, what a treasure!"

After saying this, he tucked the core inside his robes and then jumped into the pond.

Zhao Dong gaped, his face a picture of shock. Was that... a demonic beast's inner core?

For cultivators, that was a priceless treasure. Swallowing it could enhance one's realm; it was the most precious part of a demonic beast. The effects of a hundred-year-old demonic beast's inner core were especially potent, capable of helping one break through at least two levels.

Zhao Dong's heart raced. How wonderful would it be if I obtained that core?

Beside him, Jiang Nianyu tugged at Zhao Dong's sleeve and whispered, "Zhao Dong, what do we do now? Can you take that man on?"

Zhao Dong pondered for a few seconds before whispering back, "More or less. It's a close match."

Jiang Nianyu bit her lip, her voice tinged with apprehension. "Then what's your plan? Are you going to snatch the Purple Xuan Grass or not?"

Zhao Dong hesitated, then said resolutely, "Yes! A heavenly opportunity is right in front of me. I can't give up!"

"But it's dangerous..."

"The rougher the sea, the more valuable the fish! We have to charge, even if it's dangerous!"

Jiang Nianyu couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, I support you! But you have to be strong. If something happens to you, I probably won't make it either."

Zhao Dong was taken aback, gazing deeply at her. "Shouldn't you be advising me against this? After all, this is irresponsible of me toward you."

Jiang Nianyu smiled. "I trust you."

Zhao Dong opened his mouth, gave Jiang Nianyu a deep look, and said, "Thank you!"

The two waited quietly in the reeds. Zhao Dong was still trying to figure out a way to seize the items without a direct confrontation. That would undoubtedly be the best approach.

As he contemplated, the surface of the water stirred, and soon a figure climbed out—it was the man in green.

In his hand, he held an entirely purple plant. Under the moonlight, it was shrouded in faint purple light, exuding a pure Spiritual Energy that Zhao Dong could feel even from this distance.

Jiang Nianyu observed the figure, her brow furrowed as she whispered, "Zhao Dong, this person... I think I've seen him before."

Zhao Dong was startled and whispered back, "You don't know him, do you? Because if you did, it wouldn't be right to rob him."

Jiang Nianyu shook her head. "No, this person..." Suddenly, her expression changed drastically. "This person is an enemy of my Jiang family! He tried to assassinate my grandfather a year ago, but he failed! His name is Hawkeye, and he's a Loose Cultivator! He's sinister and ruthless, a known assassin in the East Sea. He stops at nothing for money. It's said that he once wiped out a small family in Longhai, and the most despicable part is that he even gouged out the children's organs!"

"What?!"

Zhao Dong's eyes instantly turned cold. He said in a low voice, "If that's the case, then I have no reservations. We absolutely can't let such treasures fall into the hands of scum like that!"

Zhao Dong scanned the area, looking for an opportunity.

The man in green didn't leave immediately. Instead, he set aside the Purple Xuan Grass and the Demon Python Core from his robes, washed his clothes in the pond, and then tossed the python's corpse into the water.

Zhao Dong stared intently at the inner core and Purple Xuan Grass that the man in green had set aside, his heart pounding.

A gleam flashed in his eyes. This is it! This is the perfect moment!

Zhao Dong's Spiritual Energy surged as he prepared to charge. But just as he moved, a black shadow shot out from the other side of the pond, charging straight for the man in green.

Zhao Dong froze, his gaze fixed on the newcomer. He was utterly shocked. The black shadow was Kou Hongmin! Hong Wu's top expert and the number one on the East Sea Sky List.

Zhao Dong was stunned. He never expected someone else to be hiding here, let alone for it to be Kou Hongmin.

Kou Hongmin swung a palm at the man in green, who, caught by surprise, also struck out with a palm of his own. The two palms met with a dull thud like muffled thunder—the sound of their Inner Strength colliding.

The man in green's body was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground as he spat out a mouthful of blood. He looked at Kou Hongmin in terror, stammering, "You... Who are you?"

Kou Hongmin, dressed in plain cloth, had an indifferent expression. "I am Kou Hongmin, number one on the East Sea Sky List," he said coldly.

The man in green exclaimed in shock, "So it's Mr. Kou! You must also be here for the Purple Xuan Grass. I'll leave... The Purple Xuan Grass is yours, Mr. Kou. Please, spare my life!"

Under the moonlight, Kou Hongmin's eyes were chillingly grim. "I want the Purple Xuan Grass, and I want your life. A grudge has been formed between us today. Letting you go would only mean leaving a future threat. Will you kill yourself, or must I do it for you?"

The man in green's eyes were bloodshot, and he bit his lips so hard they bled. "Mr. Kou," he said hoarsely, "must you be so merciless? The Purple Xuan Grass is yours. I'm no match for you; I would never cause you trouble!"

"Hmph! Who knows if you're telling the truth? If you won't kill yourself, then I'll do it for you!"

A look of defiance and anger crossed the man in green's face. "I know you're strong, Mr. Kou, but since you want my life, I'll fight you to the death!"

"You're courting death, you piece of trash!" Kou Hongmin snarled.

As he spoke, his hand shot out, forming a claw aimed straight for the man's throat.

At that very instant, Zhao Dong moved. His muscles exploded with power as he burned his own blood essence, pushing his Mystic Sky Technique and Spiritual Energy to their absolute limits. He shot forward like a bolt of lightning toward the Purple Xuan Grass and the red inner core, snatching both items in the span of a single breath.

Kou Hongmin and the man in green both saw him and screamed at the same time, "No!!!"

But it was too late. Zhao Dong already had the items in hand. He retreated just as quickly, rushing to Jiang Nianyu's side, scooping her into his arms, and taking flight. It all happened in the blink of an eye. Zhao Dong was already carrying Jiang Nianyu and sprinting into the distance.

Kou Hongmin's eyes were practically splitting with rage. Forgetting about the man in green, he charged after Zhao Dong and Jiang Nianyu.

In an instant, Zhao Dong and Jiang Nianyu reached the car. They threw open the doors, jumped in, started the engine, and slammed a foot on the accelerator.

Zhao Dong's mind was in chaos. If Kou Hongmin catches us, I'm finished! I'm no match for him!

The next second, Kou Hongmin appeared, moving like a black bolt of lightning. But just as he arrived, the Porsche shot forward.

"Zhao Dong, it's you?!! I'll kill you!!!" Kou Hongmin recognized Zhao Dong, his features twisting with rage as he lashed out with his palm toward the driver's seat.

Zhao Dong cried out in alarm as the Porsche's engine roared and the car leaped forward.

CRASH!

The driver's side window shattered instantly, sending shards of glass exploding through the car's interior. In that same moment, the car shot away, leaving Kou Hongmin behind. Thanks to its powerful acceleration, the Porsche instantly put great distance between them.

Zhao Dong stuck his head out the window, turned back, and said with a grin, "Old dog, I'm outta here! Bye-bye!"

Kou Hongmin gave relentless chase, but he couldn't outrun a car. After a short distance, he was forced to stop.

His eyes were bloodshot as he roared, his voice dripping with venom, "Zhao Dong, I will kill you! You're a dead man!!"

The car vanished into the distance, and the man in green was also nowhere to be seen. Kou Hongmin was so furious he could have spat blood. He never imagined someone else—least of all Zhao Dong—had been hiding by the pond.

Kou Hongmin's lungs felt like they were about to explode from rage. He stood there for a long time before turning back. Zhao Dong was now on his kill list.

Meanwhile, Zhao Dong and Jiang Nianyu sped on, quickly arriving at the Jiang family estate.