Chapter 446 - 279: The Breakthrough and the Soul-shaking Tiger’s Roar

Chapter 446: Chapter 279: The Breakthrough and the Soul-shaking Tiger’s Roar

"Damn beast! You’re courting death!"

Shi Lan felt a wave of fear. ’Thank goodness there are only three of these 7th-rank desolate beasts,’ she thought. ’Otherwise, we’d be in real trouble today.’

From Yu Fei’s perspective, Shi Lan and the other two had a clear division of labor. A male Grandmaster was focused on defense, a female Grandmaster had deployed a water-attribute domain for support, and Shi Lan’s spear was wreathed in flame, her attacks astonishingly powerful.

They weren’t fighting the beasts one-on-one. Instead, they cooperated as a team, which allowed them to leverage their strengths, cover their weaknesses, and end the battle much faster.

Humanity’s strength lies in gathering together and working as a team.

Just then, the silver wolf appeared, dragging its battered body. Shi Lan’s eyes lit up. She immediately abandoned her fight with the ox-like beast and turned her attention to the wolf.

Kicking an enemy when they’re down is a standard tactic. The injured silver wolf was the perfect opening.

During the Green Sea Qi Tide, the desolate beasts were exceptionally volatile. By the time the silver wolf realized the danger it was in, it was too late.

The three Grandmasters struck as one, their coordination seamless, and slew the beast on the spot.

The rest of the battle was much easier. Combining their strength, they quickly dispatched the remaining two desolate beasts.

Yu Fei watched intently. He noted that Grandmaster-level Martial Artists relied mostly on the power of their domains to deal with 7th-rank desolate beasts. While Gang Qi Martial Artists combined their spiritual will with their Inner Qi to become more lethal, Grandmasters took it a step further. Their Inner Qi evolved into True Essence, and their spiritual will manifested externally as a domain, granting them a variety of abilities.

Whether to trap or to kill, the choice was theirs in an instant.

Although 7th-rank desolate beasts possessed immense Qi Blood, their attack patterns were simplistic. Against a Grandmaster of the same rank, they could easily be kited and toyed with until dead.

Even so, a Grandmaster’s defenses weren’t necessarily that strong. ’My Iron Body is probably tougher than theirs,’ Yu Fei thought. He could stand and trade blows head-on with a 7th-rank desolate beast, relying on pure, overwhelming force to secure a kill. These Grandmasters, however, wouldn’t dare to face a desolate beast’s attack directly.

The Grandmaster handling the defense relied primarily on the properties of his domain, using techniques to deflect the force of the blows and his own True Essence to counteract the beast’s Qi Blood.

’This means I already have what it takes to fight a Grandmaster,’ Yu Fei realized.

The time when Xu Wei suppressed him with a single wave of Sword Qi was long past; something like that could never happen again.

There are countless Body Refining Martial Artists in the world, but very few ever obtain truly profound techniques.

The greatest Iron Body skills place heavy emphasis on one’s innate talent and constitution, as well as one’s comprehension and access to resources.

Take the Pure Yang True Body that Yu Fei had cultivated to the second realm, for example. Just to begin training it, a Martial Artist needed a Yang-attribute affinity. Other top-tier Body Refining skills had their own unique requirements.

Then came the Melt Gold Jade Body Skill. Yu Fei had drawn upon the resources of an entire world, fusing the properties of countless rare metals and jades into his being. His body had literally been forged from a mountain of resources—enough to cultivate several Grandmasters, had they been spent on ordinary Martial Artists instead.

That was why he could go toe-to-toe with a 7th-rank desolate beast and withstand its direct attacks.

If an ordinary Grandmaster were to be struck by a 7th-rank desolate beast, they would suffer a minor injury at the very least.

Most Martial Artists only practice Iron Body techniques to slightly improve their physical durability and keep it from becoming a weak link, so their investment is limited.

Yu Fei recalled that Zhang Hu, a senior of his, practiced the Jia Wood Vitality Body—a top-tier Body Refining skill that focused on life force and regenerative abilities.

After Shi Lan and her companions finished off the 7th-rank desolate beasts, they couldn’t help but feel a sense of joy. The body of a 7th-rank beast was a treasure trove; it could be exchanged for a considerable amount of cultivation resources.

For the next few days, Yu Fei spent his days casually slaying beasts on the city wall. At night, if a 7th-rank desolate beast was lurking nearby, he would secretly lure it over for Shi Lan’s group to slay. Thanks to him, they profited handsomely.

On the tenth day, the verdant tide finally receded from the land, signaling the end of the beast horde. The people of Celestial Rock City erupted in cheers as they descended from the walls.

They had weathered the beast horde safely. Though some were injured, not a single person had died, and their spoils were plentiful. It was the best possible outcome.

A three-day celebration feast was held throughout the city, but Yu Fei only stayed for one night before departing.

Having witnessed the Grandmasters in action, Yu Fei had a much better sense of his own strength.

’A domain is a Grandmaster’s most formidable weapon,’ he mused. ’Even though the killing power of my Limitless Sword Qi has grown, it’s useless against a Grandmaster’s domain.’

’Without True Essence of my own, it’s nearly impossible to counter it.’

In terms of fundamental energy quality, his Inner Qi was more than a level and a half below a Grandmaster’s True Essence. It hadn’t been purified into Gang Qi, let alone sublimated into True Essence. While it looked deadly, it would crumble before a true Grandmaster.

It was only effective against creatures like desolate beasts, who relied solely on their crude, unrefined Qi Blood, that his Limitless Sword Qi had any real effect.

If he were to truly face a Grandmaster, Yu Fei would have to rely on his honed Iron Body to endure their attacks, just like a desolate beast.

The most important thing now was to continue purifying his spiritual will through bloody combat. Once his Returning Ruins Realm Sword had devoured enough different martial intents and condensed them into a single, unified whole, he could advance to the Gang Qi realm.

At that point, ordinary Grandmasters would be no match for him, and Yu Fei would finally have a true foundation to stand on.

Just as he was about to leave, Zhuang Yan found him and refunded the 20,000 contribution points that had been charged as an entry fee ten days prior.

"Mr. Zhuang? What’s this for?"

Yu Fei was surprised. He was used to the profit-seeking nature of Martial Artists; such generosity was a rare sight.

Zhuang Yan was beaming. They had profited greatly from defending the city, and with no casualties or structural damage, he had received a handsome reward.

"Mr. Gao! Our City Lord, Shi Lan, has given an order. The victory in defending the city was thanks to everyone’s solidarity. Her Ladyship said that you outsiders contributed greatly and have earned merit, so the entry fee is being waived!"

A look of pleasant surprise crossed Yu Fei’s face.

"Really? That’s incredible! City Lord Shi Lan is so generous, a true heroine! I only wish I could thank her in person!"

As a lone cultivator, this was the reaction he was expected to have.

"Hahaha, don’t worry about it, my friend, just take it. The City Lord is being very generous to all the outsiders this time. You saw it yourself, didn’t you? All eight of the 7th-rank desolate beasts that charged the walls were taken down. That’s the reason for all this celebration, and she wants everyone to share in the good fortune!"