At the same time.
In front of the Grinder.
Tang Feng’s brow was furrowed tightly. The situation was becoming more and more dire.
“There are so many middle-ranked martial artists here…is there a war about to start?
He had only just killed four middle-rank martial artists to give his students the opportunity to accumulate more experience.
The situation was worsening nevertheless. Rank-4 and 5 martial artists could not hold a candle to Tang Feng, naturally, but the Catacombs martial artists outnumbered the martial artists in Hope City. Some of the powerhouses from the Catacombs had already noticed him killing those few middle-ranked martial artists.
Tang Feng turned to look at the students teaming up against several Rank-3 martial artists. He suddenly yelled, “Finish them off quickly!”
These new Rank-3 students were still a little too inexperienced.
In the Grinder, one had to be decisive and not prolong the battle even when injured; it would only attract more enemies otherwise.
Following Tang Feng’s words, the students stepped up their efforts valiantly.
Tang Feng looked at them for a moment before sighing, “There isn’t time for all of you to mature…when catastrophe comes, all of you will have to be on the frontlines…”
As he said this, his expression faltered for a moment before swiftly returning to normal.
A sallow-faced Huang Jing descended from the sky. He gave a fleeting glance to the nearby students before he turned to Tang Feng and said, “There will be war soon!”
“I knew it…there are too many middle-ranked martial artists here in the Grinder.”
Huang Jing said very seriously, “Four higher-rank martial artists from the other side attacked last night, but we repulsed them. Both sides suffered equal losses though. We won by the barest margin.
“This place is no longer suitable for practice. Take the students back to Hope City and wait for battle!”
“All right,” Tang Feng replied. Huang Jing said suddenly, after some thought, “We lost Fang Ping.”
“We…what?”
Huang Jing said, head aching, “We lost him.”
“You lost him?” Tang Feng looked aghast. Hurriedly he asked, “Wasn’t he with Old Zheng and the others?”
Huang Jing looked at him strangely. Only after a moment did he finally say, “When you left yesterday, he headed northeast.”
“Alone?”
“Alone.”
“Then now…”
“I watched as he headed northwest. I followed him for a while, but then I came across Sky Tiger from Sky Gate City. 1 He just broke through to Rank-7, so he’s quite average in terms of combat power. It wasn’t a problem, but then Ancient Spear showed up…”
Huang Jing shook his head helplessly. “I went there in the morning. Fang Ping was forced to enter the Jiao ‘s forest. 1 Three Rank-4 martial artists were pursuing him, and the Forest covers an area of more than a hundred li… I couldn’t find him.”
“You couldn’t find him…”
Tang Feng’s face fell. He asked softly, “Is he dead?”
“I don’t know.” Huang Jing shook his head. “I could only do a broad sweep, and I couldn’t stay for long. Sky Gate City’s scrutinizing people like us…”
“I’ll look for him then!”
“It’ll be the same even if you went. Not only is it a forest, but it’s also huge! Where are you going to start looking?”
Huang Jing shook his head. “You take the students back. I’ll conduct a final search. If we really can’t find him…”
Huang Jing did not continue.
If he really could not find Fang Ping, the only thing he could do was to pray that Fang Ping got lucky. The war was starting soon; Grandmasters like him and Rank-6 martial artists like Tang Feng had to guard Hope City, so they could not very well spare time to search for Fang Ping.
Tang Feng looked embarrassed. “I thought…I thought…”
He had not expected Fang Ping to run off on his own!
In Tang Feng’s eyes, Fang Ping’s reluctance to leave with the Rank-3 martial artists was a result of his dissatisfaction at being forced to split up when he wanted to be together with those Rank-2 friends of his.
Who could have imagined that he had really been upset enough to leave the group and wander off!
Huang Jing did not know how to reply to that. He said, helplessly, “He’s a young man after all. They tend to be hot-blooded…he was so offended that he took your words seriously.”
Tang Feng had told Fang Ping that all the Rank-3 people were 50 li away; now he really had wandered off that far!
At present, Sky Gate City was preparing to start a war. Their middle and higher-rank powerhouses were making a clean sweep in the Grinder.
Their human counterparts could only put up a defense in anticipation.
Fang Ping was missing…in the forest, no less, a place most difficult to navigate.
The main point was not that. Huang Jing eyed Tang Feng as he massaged his temples, sounding mildly pained, “Fang Ping is missing…if we really can’t get him back…MCMAU’s going to have hell to pay.”
Tang Feng remained silent. He knew what the dean meant.
Fang Ping had tremendous talent. His Mentality was so potent that he could sense what was going on in his surroundings. Not only that, he had Vitality that replenished endlessly, and he tended to breakthrough in a short time…
With all of that, they had lost him the first time he came down here…or, at the risk of sounding callous, they had left him to die in the Catacombs.
If he had died in battle as per the usual, Lu Fengrou would have nothing to say.
Now, though, the other 97 students were unharmed, save for Fang Ping who was now missing. It was evident what Huang Jing meant by “trouble”.
Tang Feng took a deep breath. After a while, he spoke. “I’ll escort the students back first before I search for him!”
“The area around the Jiao’s Forest is extremely dangerous. There are higher-ranked martial artists around…”
“I’ll conduct a search. I’ll return before the war begins.”
Huang Jing did not say anything in response. Instead, he said softly, “Take care. Also…you’d better avoid Lu Fengrou…”
Tang Feng ducked his head contritely. Not only had he provoked Fang Ping so much that he went out alone to fend for himself, but Fang Ping had also been chased into the Jiao’s Forest. If Lu Fengrou did not rush to confront Tang Feng, she would not be Lu Fengrou; this was an obvious misdeed on his part, with ample proof to back it up, unlike a death on the battlefield.
Tang Feng continued to wordlessly watch over the students on the other side of the Grinder, who were still busy decimating Rank-3 martial artists. After a couple of minutes, the group killed their opponents at the cost of a few injuries.
At that point, Tang Feng said solemnly, “I’ll take them back now.”
“Mm. I’ll go to the Forest to search for him, but I can’t venture too deep inside. While the Jiao residing in the Forest is normally inactive, it will immediately attack if someone like me entered the Forest.”
Tang Feng nodded. Although the Jiao within the Forest did not show itself very often, the Forest was still its territory. If a Grandmaster entered, it would definitely retaliate.
…
In the Jiao’s Forest.
Obviously, Fang Ping did not know that he was currently in the Jiao’s Forest.
In his mind, the Forest was still quite a distance from where he was.
Although on paper the Forest was between Sky Gate City and Hope City, in reality, only part of it was. The majority of the Forest was far away from both places, covering the area of another Catacombs city.
In the woods.
Fang Ping made his way forward carefully. Sometimes when he saw a plant, he would go forward and take a good look at it in case it was a precious object as illustrated in the guide.
Unfortunately, he ended up disappointed most of the time.
“What a terrible place this is…didn’t they say that in the Catacombs, medicinal plants could be found everywhere?”
Fang Ping spewed curses while he walked. He had no idea how far he had gone. He only knew that his Vitality and Mentality were stirring more and more by the minute.
“I’m in trouble.”
Fang Ping was not dumb. At that moment, he also realized that he had probably gone the wrong way.
In what sort of place would someone’s Vitality be active?
In a place where the energy was potent!
Hope City was barren in that regard. The air there was not really saturated with energy particles. Places that had plenty of energy particles were located in the depths of the Catacombs.
Once Fang Ping sensed that his Vitality was buzzing frantically and his Mentality was practically bouncing out of control, he knew that he would have to turn back.
Aside from the Catacombs’ topographical features, the ratio of energy particles in the air was also a way of pinpointing the direction to follow.
Of course, that was not always accurate.
Sensing the high concentration of particles in the air around him, Fang Ping halted in his tracks. He probed meticulously for the direction where the particles were the least concentrated and turned toward it.
“Thank God my Mentality is strong!”
Fang Ping felt that he had lucked out. Anyone else would get lost in these woods, even if they had a good sense of direction.
Luckily he was able to sense energy particles; he could head in the direction where they were least concentrated.
Fang Ping kept walking, following the path where there were the least energy particles. This should be south. If he continued in this direction, he should be able to exit the forest and return to Hope City.
…
Huang Jing scoured the Jiao’s Forest once through, and finally discovered the corpses that Fang Ping had killed and left behind.
“Did this fellow kill three Rank-4 martial artists?’
Huang Jing was astonished. He then wrinkled his brow. “It’s only 20 li away from the outskirts here. Did he leave, or…”
After some consideration, Huang Jing headed toward the path leading out of the forest and searched, but failed to spot any traces of Fang Ping.
“He didn’t leave!”
Huang Jing quickly returned to his previous spot and searched a bit further into the interior. After a while, he said, the corner of his mouth spasming a little, “He’s gone deeper into the Forest!”
The exit was only about 20 li away from where Fang Ping had killed those two people—a reasonable distance for a martial artist to walk.
Fang Ping had not chosen to go this way though, opting to venture deeper into the Forest. Did he want to kill the Jiao?
“What was this brat thinking?”
Huang Jing’s head was starting to hurt. The Jiao was a Peak Rank-7 creature covered with very thick hide! Even a Rank-8 Golden Body would find it hard to defeat a monster like that!
Fang Ping had ventured deeper into the Forest—this was very bad indeed.
Huang Jing began to move but turned to leave after some consideration.
He could not go deeper into this place. A huge dragon would not mind if an ant stumbled into its territory, but if another dragon waltzed in, there would be a huge war.
The situation was dire now. Sky Gate City’s troops were ready for battle. If Huang Jing had gone up against the Jiao and injured himself, Hope City’s chances of winning Magic City’s Catacombs war would be affected.
…
“The energy particles are decreasing! I’m going to be out of here soon!”
Fang Ping was delighted, but suddenly, his face fell!
“There are no more particles!”
In the Catacombs, no place existed which did not have energy particles, but Fang Ping sensed nothing in the air right now. Suddenly there was an area devoid of particles!
“Nothing…absolutely nothing…”
Fang Ping felt his brain go into overdrive. Why had the particles abruptly vanished?
Right at this point, the scene before him came into proper focus.
What had up till now been a thriving forest was suddenly an empty patch of land. It was a clearing, surrounded by tall trees.
There was no cave, only an empty clearing.
In the middle of this clearing lay a glowing golden beast.
The sudden disappearance of energy particles that Fang Ping had sensed was actually caused by the beast absorbing these particles into its body.
To Fang Ping, the creature seemed like a much smaller, extremely dazzling energy Sun!
He had also completely failed to detect its presence earlier.
Fang Ping’s forehead instantly broke out in a cold sweat. The energy the beast possessed was goodness knows how many times stronger than that of the Rank-4 martial artists he had encountered earlier. It was even more powerful than that of the unknown Grandmaster whose presence he had sensed before.
The golden beast looked similar to a lion in appearance. No, it was more like a leopard; its golden skin was marked with spots.
It had horns though!
These horns were not that large, only about four to five meters long. The beast was currently lying on his stomach…but it was not asleep!
It was staring intently at Fang Ping with its two bright eyes!
Fang Ping’s heart could not stop jumping. The next moment, as if he had deciphered the meaning behind the beast’s stare, Fang Ping fished all the energy stones from his backpack hurriedly and tossed them on the ground, saying with an expression of humble apology, “I’ve disrupted your rest. I apologize!”
The golden beast paid him no attention. The energy stones Fang Ping had thrown down moved toward it rapidly, and went down its throat as soon as it opened its mouth.
Fang Ping’s expression changed. He had absolutely no chance of escaping. This was obviously a high-rank creature.
His energy stones, worth more than ten million yuan, had been devoured just like that!
The beast was still staring at him. Was it looking at his physical body?
He had heard that the Catacombs creatures were particularly fond of consuming the flesh and blood of martial artists.
Rivulets of sweat ran down Fang Ping’s forehead. ‘Why did I come here? Was I out of my mind?’
He took a careful step. The beast’s eyes zoned in on him again.
Fang Ping’s heart almost stopped beating.
“I…don’t have any more…”
Fang Ping rummaged around in his backpack and gingerly gestured with his hand. ‘I really have nothing left except for the hundred catties of flesh on my bones.’
The golden beast seemed to possess a certain level of sentience. It knew that Fang Ping was out of energy stones, but its stare was still fixed on him.
Fang Ping felt his legs turn to jelly. He took a step back carefully, but there seemed to be some sort of invisible wall behind him, preventing him from leaving.
“A Mentality shield!”
Fang Ping had a sudden realization.
‘It’s not letting me leave. Does it want to eat me?’
‘No, if it wanted to eat me, it wouldn’t need to wait till now…’
Countless thoughts flitted through Fang Ping’s mind. At this moment, the golden beast raised its front paw, and a small blob of blood-red light appeared. The blob of light detached itself from the paw and was promptly swallowed by the beast.
At that moment Fang Ping suddenly realized what the beast was trying to say!
‘It wants me to feed it with Vitality? F*ck, it’s treating me as a live provider of Vitality!’
Fang Ping immediately understood what the golden beast meant. It was hungry and wanted to feed on Vitality.
As for physical flesh…perhaps it was a little too polluted for the palates of these high-rank beasts. Compared to Vitality, flesh had too many impurities in it.
Fang Ping felt like crying, but he had no tears even for that. He gingerly took a few steps forward until he was nearer to the creature. Hesitantly, he conjured up a blood-colored blob of light on his palm. He did not know how to detach it from his body, though!
The golden beast continued to stare at Fang Ping, waiting for him to feed it.
‘F*ck, I’ve expended dozens of Vitality points just like that…is it going to feed on me forever?’
Fang Ping’s mind was spinning with convoluted thoughts as he continued to condense his Vitality, waiting for the beast to feed on him.
Once, twice…
Fang Ping condensed his Vitality again and again. The golden beast kept devouring the Vitality blobs greedily, having no qualms about the amount.
Fang Ping had condensed his Vitality for close to the 100th time and replenished his Vitality for the third time before the beast finally seemed to have eaten its fill. It probably thought that Fang Ping was some creature that it could continue to milk as it sprawled on the ground, paying no attention to him.
‘I’ve spent close to 3000 Vitality points!’
Fang Ping was devastated. He had spent close to 3 million Wealth points and lost all his energy stones. One could say that this time, he had suffered major losses.
Of course, now was not the time to consider material things; his life was way more important.
Was this beast planning to keep him a prisoner?
He wanted to stop feeding the beast, but when he tried, the creature stared at him intently as if it wanted to swallow him whole. He did not dare to stop.
‘What should I do?’
‘Don’t tell me I have to stay here and provide it with Vitality for free.
‘My Wealth is limited, though. If this goes on and my Wealth’s depleted, I’ll die!’
Fang Ping was sweating more and more. He cursed in his mind. This beast truly resembled Big Lion!
Did this mean Big Lion was his nemesis?
Everybody else never stumbled across high-rank monsters even after several dozen trips to the Catacombs, whereas Fang Ping had run into one on his very first trip. This level of bad luck…what could he possibly say about that?
Fang Ping felt jumpy. He had tried to leave a few times but was always stopped after a few steps by a Mentality fluctuation next to him.
The golden beast was staring at him!
‘This is the Jiao’s Forest!’
Fang Ping calmed down all of a sudden as he realized where he was!
‘I’ve gone into the depths of the Jiao’s Forest!’
Jiao—that was the beast’s name.
Higher-rank monsters in the Catacombs had their own territories. Once these creatures had staked out an expanse of land for themselves, it was rare for martial artists—human or Catacombs—to deliberately provoke trouble with them, unless it was exceedingly lucrative to do so.
Humans did not know much about those creatures, and there was very little recorded about them.
The Jiao’s Forest was mentioned in records, though, because the Jiao was the one high-ranked creature that resided nearest to human cities in the Catacombs. The Jiao rarely left the Forest, however. Humans rarely entered the Jiao’s territory of their own volition. Such provocation was like making an enemy out of a higher-ranked martial artist; unless one were able to kill them quickly, the creatures were capable of holding a mean grudge.
Now that he had identified the beast, Fang Ping racked his brains for ways to escape, but then the Jiao opened his eyes and fixed them on Fang Ping again.
Fang Ping was helpless to do anything other than continue condensing his Vitality.
…
The feeding went on for a long time.
In the course of it, Fang Ping’s Wealth went from 95.3 million to 85 million.
Fang Ping was practically green in the face. This really was a tremendous loss for him!
In just a few hours, he had fed the Jiao ten thousand and more cal, a number equal to a Peak Rank-6 powerhouse’s entire supply.
The Jiao seemed to have finally eaten its fill. It began to snore lightly.
Seeing that, Fang Ping considered making a move—not to kill the creature, obviously, not when he could not even break the barrier it had erected.
He was wondering if he could make a run for it.
If he did, he would be screwed if the creature went after him, but he could not very well stay there and be its food source for eternity.
He had spent ten million of his hard-earned Vitality points in a few hours. He would be bankrupt after a few days at this rate.
Fang Ping moved his feet gingerly. He had only taken a few steps when the Jiao stopped snoring.
Fang Ping’s heart thudded violently in his chest; he quickly started to condense his Vitality once more. The Jiao swallowed it and continued to stare at him.
Fang Ping was helpless. All he could do was to continue condensing his Vitality and stuff this shameless creature to death!
After letting the Jiao feed for a while, Fang Ping said carefully, “I’ll bring a powerhouse here to feed you. My Vitality’s low and my ability’s too weak, you won’t feel full if you feed on me…”
He did not mind if the other understood him or not as he gestured at himself, telling the creature that he was tiny and weak and that there was a ton of better prey out there.
Fang Ping kept gesturing, indicating that his Vitality was too low and that he would die after it was completely exhausted. When he had to mime being dead, the thought came to him that he was quite good at it.
“I’ll lure a powerhouse here so that you can feast on good food…”
Fang Ping continued miming. He did not even know if this beast would understand.
After he finished his impromptu show, he moved backward gingerly.
The Jiao did not stop him this time.
Fang Ping was elated. The beast had believed him!
It had understood him!
It was so naive!
He would have to be extremely stupid to come here again to his death!
Fang Ping moved, careful not to provoke the great beast. He walked forward for about a hundred meters, but the Jiao remained in its spot, making no move to stop him.
When Fang Ping looked back, however, he saw that the Jiao was sniffing the air around it…
Fang Ping’s face turned green. ‘What is it doing?
‘Does it mean that the beast is committing my scent to memory?
‘If I don’t bring a powerhouse back for it to feed on, will it hunt me down?
‘Where on earth will I find a powerhouse to become its personal food source?
‘Unless I bring Big Lion back here…
‘The Catacombs are big, but this is quite near to Hope City. I can’t avoid this place forever, can I?
‘Can I even come around here again after this high-rank creature has fixed its sights on me?’
Fang Ping paled. He was not brave enough to linger. After he was a couple of hundred meters away, he picked up the pace and fled like lightning.
The golden beast looked on from where it was sprawled on the ground, unmoving.
…
Fang Ping still felt as if he were in a dream even after he had run for a couple of minutes.
‘I…survived and walked out from the maw of a high-rank creature?’
Fang Ping remained in a daze for a while. The next moment, he started, recalling something. ‘I spent 11 million of Wealth, and all of my energy stones are gone!’
‘There’s no way I can get revenge for this!’
This was the first time that Fang Ping had seen a higher-rank non-human creature, and he soon fell into a fit of distraction. Were all these non-human creatures sentient?T
Footnotes:
Ch 244 Footnote 1
As the Catacomb names usually contain direct references or meanings, I’ve decided to translate the names directly to preserve these meanings. This will also serve as a distinction between them and human beings from Earth.
Ch 244 Footnote 2
The Jiao is a mythical creature, first documented in the ancient Chinese work The Classic of Mountains and Seas. It is described as “a dog-like creature with leopard markings and horns on its head similar to those of a bull. Its call sounds like a canine’s bark. Any land it steps on will be blessed with a bountiful harvest.”
