Realm-Hopping Martial Master

「Twenty days later.」

Tree shadows hung inverted.

Blood floated in the once-murky shallow waters.

A huge Golden Crocodile was being dragged ashore by Jiang Shu. In his other hand, his alloy battle sabre was damaged beyond recognition; the tip had broken off, and the blade was full of notches.

The Golden Giant Crocodile. Among third-rank Mutant Beasts, it possessed mid-tier combat power. The most precious part of it was its blood, which was gold-colored. Even a Hua Jing Master who drank it would have their vitality tremendously fortified.

What a pity. The true essence of this Golden Giant Crocodile's blood was completely drained during the battle earlier. The blood now can only slightly fortify my vitality, and it smells unbearably putrid. Truly tasteless to consume, yet a waste to disregard, Jiang Shu lamented. However, it's fortunate that there aren't any other third-rank Mutant Beasts near this Golden Giant Crocodile, allowing it to monopolize this Heaven and Earth Treasure Medicine, making my strenuous battle worthwhile.

Biluo Grass.

A third-rank Heaven and Earth Treasure Medicine, which strengthens the kidneys. However, for me, this Biluo Grass is not very useful. It's immature, and its medicinal effects are mediocre.

But it can still be exchanged for points. If I dig it out along with the soil, it should survive for several days. Once outside, it will certainly thrive. Moreover, the points for exchanging this Biluo Grass are even higher than those for the Earth Pattern Fruit.

After all, compared to strengthening the spleen, strengthening the kidneys has a bigger market.

Unable to help himself, he slumped to the ground. Jiang Shu's strength was utterly drained. For the past twenty days, he had fought every single day! He had encountered extremely terrifying third-rank Mutant Beasts, against whom he would instantaneously toss a C-grade hand grenade, risking life and death as he traversed the vast landscape of the Da Jing Dynasty. He had run into third-rank Mutant Beasts with weak combat power where, despite gaining the upper hand, they would escape by burrowing into the ground. He had found Heaven and Earth Treasure Medicines that could fortify vital organs, and he had also found sites where a Heaven and Earth Treasure Medicine had matured only to be devoured by a third-rank Mutant Beast, leaving nothing but air behind.

It seems like this is the twelfth third-rank Mutant Beast I've hunted down since entering the Secret Realm, he reckoned.

After a brief rest, he skillfully extracted the Golden Giant Crocodile's teeth and stuffed them into his already full backpack. Jiang Shu stretched. The remaining seven bullets for his C-grade pistol had long been used up. After the battle with the first Mountain Splitting Bear, Jiang Shu had consumed the Earth Pattern Fruit and summarized his combat experience. In the subsequent battles, he used only one bullet each time, always aiming for the Mutant Beasts' weak spots. He discovered that as long as he didn't shoot at lethal spots, most Mutant Beasts within several hundred meters couldn't react in time. His three-style sabre technique broke through its limits during these successive battles! The rest of his lower-grade Martial Arts had all been cultivated to Perfection as well. His combat strength had multiplied several times in just twenty short days! It could not be increased any further! His spleen, too, had been thoroughly tempered.

At eighteen, having tempered my spleen, I must be at least considered a mid-level genius in the eyes of the Danxia Chamber of Commerce. If we compare combat strength, I might even climb higher, he mused. Cultivating to the Energy Consolidation stage is simply too slow. Fortifying the lungs for several days isn't nearly as efficient as cultivating the Famished Tiger Roar Mountain Strength for my spleen—not even fifty percent as effective.

After returning to the county city, I must learn a decent Middle Grade Cultivation Technique, he whispered to himself.

Quietly muttering, Jiang Shu kindled a flame. He roasted pieces of the Golden Crocodile's flesh and consumed them.

「Outside the Heaven and Earth Secret Realm.」

Within the military zone, the channel through the rift of heaven and earth was becoming more unstable. During this time, several Hua Jing Masters emerged, all having achieved significant combat successes. The Grandmaster rankings within the Martial Artist Alliance were updated periodically. Upon reaching the Energy Consolidation Realm, combat success became the standard by which everything was measured. The more numerous and mightier the Mutant Beasts one hunted, the higher one's ranking on the Grandmaster list!

This day, a Hua Jing Master emerged, appearing to be around forty years old. His backpack was so full it was stretching at the seams, his body was bathed in blood, and the war sword in his hand was damaged beyond use.

"I used up all the C-grade hand grenades and the bullets in the pistol," he said. "If you ask me, you should've supplied more; they're completely insufficient."

"Mutant Beasts of the third rank truly are a different existence from those of the second rank. Each one possesses immensely strong offensive power and escape capabilities. If I'd had more bullets this time, maybe I could have hunted down that Furious Wind Corner Eagle!"

What a pity, he sighed, facing the military officer who came to greet him.

Wang Jing wasn't really blaming the military; he was sincerely offering advice. Although they, Hua Jing Masters, also wished to improve themselves in battle after battle, the Martial Arts of the Xia Country were still, after all, in their infancy. Potent offensive techniques and movement techniques had yet to be developed. Against ordinary third-rank Mutant Beasts, they could still manage, but once facing a powerful third-rank flying creature, without bullets, they would be forced to flee for their lives. They couldn't manage a true counter-kill. The sky... it truly is humanity's forbidden zone. No matter how skilled one is in Martial Arts, it's impossible to completely conquer it with one's own strength!

"Mm, I'll pass on Grandmaster Wang's suggestion to my superiors," said the officer. He was the same camp commander who had received Jiang Shu last time. With a smile, he accepted the backpack Wang Jing handed over and began to take stock of the items inside.

"Just six third-rank Mutant Beasts: Phantom Zebras, Hurricane Human-faced Spiders, Thunder Mantises…" Wang Jing stood with his hands behind his back, listing the spoils within the backpack, his eyes filled with undisguised pride. On this trip to the Heaven and Earth Secret Realm, I actually slew six third-rank Mutant Beasts! With such an achievement, my rank on the Grandmaster list is bound to rise by more than a dozen places!

"Congratulations, Grandmaster Wang. The important materials here total thirteen thousand points. I've already reported it upward; after verification, the points will be updated on Grandmaster Wang's account," the officer announced.

"Mm, have any other Grandmasters come out these past few days?" Wang Jing asked casually with a nod and a smile.

"Basically, everyone has. Among them, you, Grandmaster Wang, have the highest achievements. You will surely enter the top hundred of the Grandmaster list this time!"

"You flatter me," Wang Jing said modestly, his smile growing even brighter upon receiving the desired answer.

However, just as he was about to leave the military area, a series of footsteps suddenly sounded from behind him. He turned around in surprise and suspicion. He saw a young man he had never seen before emerging barefoot from the rift between heaven and earth. What was rather amusing was that the young man wore no clothes, merely a piece of marten skin modestly covering his lower body. His backpack was also stuffed full. In his hand, he also held a piece of fur, obscuring whatever was wrapped inside.

Wang Jing's gaze became grave. Having reached the Energy Consolidation stage himself, his perception was naturally extraordinary. He saw at a glance that the marten skin wrapped around the young man's waist was from the Ruyi Treasure Weasel, a third-rank Mutant Beast with an illustrious reputation. Although the Ruyi Treasure Weasel has average combat strength, it's elusive and incredibly hard to locate. Its pelt alone is worth three thousand points. Even I'm not confident I could take it down completely. This young man was able to emerge wrapped in its pelt... Could it be that he is also a Hua Jing Master? Someone who maintained himself well and reached the Energy Consolidation stage in his twenties? The Ruyi Treasure Weasel must have been hunted by him. I wonder what this unfamiliar Hua Jing Master's accomplishments are this time. Three kills? Wang Jing pondered silently, moving aside to make way, but did not speak.

At that moment, the young man approached the camp commander and said, "Here are the important materials from twelve third-rank Mutant Beasts, and also the third-rank Heaven and Earth Treasure Medicine, Biluo Grass. Please tally them."