Chapter 255: Spirit Sword Wristband

Chapter 255: Spirit Sword Wristband

 [Spiritual Source Power +578]



Ji Xinghuo glanced at the interface. Killing this legendary Ice Lord granted him less than 600 spiritual source power points, similar to the Highland Blood Shaman he had slain earlier, who was only at the fourth tier.

This was the difference between those who revered the Stellar God and those who didn't.

Both were legendary beings, yet the spiritual source power gained from killing He Yan was three times what he received from this Dan practitioner.

Ji Xinghuo hadn't forgotten that there was another legendary Highlander present, a follower of the Red Emperor. He turned his head to look, and the Iron Warrior was just climbing to his feet, his wounds already largely healed—a testament to the resilience of legendary beings, far surpassing that of ordinary men.

The Iron Warrior's eyes were bloodshot as he glared at Ji Xinghuo.

"Which tribe are you from?" he asked.

Ji Xinghuo didn't answer; he merely held his battle axe and walked towards him.

"Puh..." The Iron Warrior spat out a mouthful of blood. Facing Ji Xinghuo's pressure, he had no intention of fleeing. He picked up the broken sword at his feet and said in a low voice, "Come on! I already know your ability. It won't be easy to kill me!"

Ji Xinghuo's eyes narrowed slightly.

Indeed, the Iron Warrior had discovered his ability to control metal, so he no longer triggered his exotic ability, keeping his body in its regular state instead of transforming it into metal.

Even though this would greatly reduce his defense, he would rather fight with his flesh and blood.

It was still much better than being countered.

"Burn my blood, and offer it to the Red Emperor in sacrifice!" The Iron Warrior roared, his blood energy erupting as he brandished his broken sword and charged at Ji Xinghuo.

Not every legendary Highlander was blessed by the Red Emperor and possessed the Blood Rage ability.

This Iron Warrior was one such example.

However, his strength was only slightly inferior to He Yan's. If it weren't for the fact that his iron body was countered, he would have been even more fearsome than He Yan in a head-on fight.

Boom! Boom! Boom...

The Iron Warrior moved faster and faster, stomping a row of pits into the ice and exuding a formidable aura.

Yet, Ji Xinghuo continued to walk forward at a leisurely pace.

In the blink of an eye, the Iron Warrior had charged to within seven or eight steps. With just one more big stride, his broken sword would be able to strike Ji Xinghuo.

"Heh!"

The Iron Warrior took a mighty step forward, his legs bursting with power.

However, his roar was drowned out by a peal of thunder as a thick bolt of lightning struck down from above, hitting his head precisely as he lifted his foot.

Such a fierce attack instinctively triggered his iron body ability, hardening his body, but also causing it to be paralyzed with intense pain.

He lost his balance.

Ji Xinghuo's left hand reached out, as if an invisible giant hand had grabbed the Iron Warrior and pulled him over. Even though the Iron Warrior gritted his teeth and endured the pain to deactivate his iron body, it was too late. His body flew up and stopped right in front of Ji Xinghuo.

The double-bladed battle axe swung.

Blood splattered.

The Iron Warrior's head flew off, and his headless body fell to the ground.

[Spiritual Source Power +1766]



Ji Xinghuo checked the information and sure enough, followers of the Red Emperor were extraordinary. A single Iron Warrior was worth three legendary Ice Lords.

From killing these five people today, he had gained a total of over 3,800 spiritual source power points.

"With a little more accumulation, I'll have enough to raise my spirit power to the fourth level."

He looked at the spiritual source power and the progress of his spirit power upgrade on the interface, feeling rather pleased. This battle hadn't been in vain.

Moreover, he hadn't looted the spoils of war yet.

These five people definitely had valuable items on them. Ji Xinghuo was just about to search their bodies when he remembered that there was someone else present.

He turned his head to look at Bai Mang.

This Linghorne tribesman was rather lucky. The Dan Ice Lord had been too focused on the battle to kill him, and now he was still alive. Taking advantage of the situation, he had freed himself from the icy restraints and fled to the lakeside.

"Lord!"

When Bai Mang saw Ji Xinghuo looking at him, his heart trembled and he immediately knelt with a thud. Facing Ji Xinghuo, he bowed and said loudly, "Lord saved my life and avenged the Qingye Tribe. Bai Mang is willing to pledge himself to you, Lord, and serve you for life."

Ji Xinghuo looked at him without responding.

However, he couldn't help but sigh inside—sometimes fate was truly ironic.

A few days ago in the Qingye Tribe, Bai Mang had been full of hostility towards him and regarded him as an enemy. Now, he wanted to serve him and repay his gratitude.

When he didn't hear a response from Ji Xinghuo for a long time, Bai Mang couldn't help but raise his head.

His emotions were very complex—shocked, overjoyed, but also full of regret. He had originally thought that Ji Xinghuo was just a slightly stronger Blood Maniac, on the same tier as himself. He never expected him to be so powerful. Those five people who had killed thousands of tribesmen and the Prophet were instantly slain by his axe.

Especially in the end, when the fifth-tier Iron Warrior was as weak as a lamb before him, beheaded with a single axe strike.

This Highlander was most likely a sixth-tier powerhouse!

If he had known earlier, he would have entertained him properly in the tribe and kept him there for half a day. Perhaps the subsequent tragedy could have been averted.

The Prophet must have received a revelation, which was why he allowed him to enter the tribe to rest.

Bai Mang looked up expectantly, but saw that Ji Xinghuo was completely ignoring him and was instead collecting the spoils of war from the corpses.

"Lord."

He called out again.

Ji Xinghuo turned to look at him, his eyes filled with killing intent. "I have no need for the servitude of the weak."

Bai Mang was startled and said in a trembling voice, "Yes, sir."

He had no doubt that if he insisted on calling him "Lord", the other party would kill him. He stood up from the ice, his heart enlightened. So this terrifying Highlander hadn't come to save him specifically; he had his eyes on those five people, seeking battle and slaughter.

These five people were quite wealthy. The most valuable items were their weapons: the Winged Man's bow and longsword, the Evil Spirit's dagger, and the Blood Shaman's giant axe. They were all Super Ability One-Star items and would be easy to sell. The Iron Warrior's greatsword was a Super Ability Two-Star, but it was a shame that it had been broken in the fight.

They also carried a substantial amount of True Dragon Coins, totaling several hundred thousand.

However, the most significant gain came from the legendary Ice Lord. In his pockets alone, there were over 200,000 True Dragon Coins and more than a dozen Ether Crystals.

In another bag, the Ice Lord had a collection of exotic species, most of which were of superior or exceptional quality.

Among them were two super-limit exotic species.

Ji Xinghuo identified them as "Wings of the Winged Man" and "Rubber Body."

The Wings of the Winged Man had a chance of being born from the corpse of a Winged Man above the third tier. After fusion, one would possess a pair of energy-constructed wings, capable of flight and providing both offense and defense. It was one of the two core abilities of the "Omni-Battle Sentinel."

While this particular Wings of the Winged Man was of the most ordinary quality, it was still a super-limit exotic species and thus extremely valuable, even if it couldn't compare to the ability of "Flight."

The "Rubber Body" was also well-known. It granted the user's body incredible elasticity, making them impervious to blunt weapon attacks and also provided insulation.

The success rate of fusing with these two super-limit exotic species was both above 80%.

However, Ji Xinghuo had no plans to fuse with them.

The most valuable item the legendary Ice Lord possessed was not the Ether Crystals or the exotic species, but a delicate bracelet worn on his wrist.

Ji Xinghuo's eyes lit up as soon as he picked it up.

"Super Ability Three-Star!"

This item must have cost the Ice Lord a significant portion of his wealth. Although it appeared to be a simple bracelet, it was, in fact, a weapon specifically crafted for a spiritual string user and could only be activated by spiritual energy.

Ji Xinghuo examined it closely.

The bracelet was beautifully crafted, about two fingers wide, but he couldn't identify the metal used. It was incredibly lightweight, and its surface was adorned with four different-colored patterns—red, blue, purple, and silver—dividing the bracelet into four equal-sized sections that were distinct yet seamlessly integrated.

When he attached his spiritual energy to it, the bracelet made a cracking sound and split into four parts.

The four sections absorbed his spiritual energy and swiftly extended, transforming the curved bracelet into four thin, blade-like weapons, each about half a meter long!

The blades resembled swords but lacked a hilt or guard, hovering in front of him with a chilling gleam.

Each sword blade also had a unique color.

Ji Xinghuo could sense that each of the hiltless blades carried two exotic abilities, granting them distinct combat capabilities. However, now was not the time to study them further, so he withdrew his spiritual energy, and the four sword blades retracted, reassembling back into the bracelet.

"Definitely a Super Ability Three-Star!"

"And among the Super Ability Three-Star items, this is one of the top weapons."

Ji Xinghuo glanced at the bodies on the ground and couldn't help but think that this legendary Ice Lord had been too careless. He hadn't utilized this powerful weapon at all.

However, he could guess some of the reasons.

This bracelet consumed an enormous amount of spiritual energy. In just a few seconds of testing, Ji Xinghuo had lost over 100 points of stellar power.

The activation alone was costly, and the consumption would undoubtedly be higher in battle.

As a legendary first-tier cultivator, the Ice Lord wouldn't have been able to sustain its use for long.

Thus, it was not something to be used lightly.

So, at the beginning of the fight, the Ice Lord hadn't activated the sword blades of the bracelet. When he realized his situation was dire, he attempted to flee but was severely injured by Ji Xinghuo's attack, and it was too late to use the bracelet by then.

"Even when a lion hunts a rabbit, it still exerts all its strength," Ji Xinghuo noted to himself, remembering the lesson.

However, he didn't feel particularly fortunate. Even if the Ice Lord had used the bracelet, Ji Xinghuo was confident he could have killed him. The sword blades were made of a special metallic material that only a kinetic string user could manipulate, and he could interfere with their control as well.

Moreover, the sword blades might not have been as deadly as they seemed, and they wouldn't have posed much of a threat to him.

Weapons were important, but the person wielding them was even more so.

Ji Xinghuo put the bracelet on his left wrist. He didn't know its name or who had crafted it, but it was his now.

"I shall call it the 'Spirit Sword Wristband,'" he decided.

After collecting the spoils of war, Ji Xinghuo turned to Bai Mang and saw the astonishment in his eyes, knowing that he had witnessed the entire process of him acquiring the Spirit Sword Wristband.

"Come here," Ji Xinghuo said in a low voice.

"Yes," Bai Mang replied, his voice trembling.

Bai Mang wanted to turn and run, but thinking of the consequences, he could only reluctantly approach, keeping his head lowered, afraid to meet Ji Xinghuo's gaze.

"Who are they?" Ji Xinghuo asked, gesturing at the bodies.

"I don't know," Bai Mang quickly shook his head. "On the noon of the day you left, they arrived at the tribe. That man..." He pointed to the headless corpse of the Ice Lord nearby, "...he claimed to be from the True Dragon Empire and needed a guide to find a thousand-legged ice centipede of apocalyptic caliber."

Ji Xinghuo was a little puzzled.

If they only needed a guide, the Linghorne tribe would have agreed, given the presence of such a legendary powerhouse among them. How did the conflict start?

"We agreed," Bai Mang continued, his eyes filled with hatred. "But they demanded that the Prophet himself act as the guide. The Prophet wanted to protect the tribe and couldn't leave easily, so he recommended me. But this angered them, and they killed the Prophet on the spot and went on a killing spree in the tribe..."

Bai Mang's face twisted with pain as he recalled the events, his voice breaking.

"I know there are several apocalyptic-level thousand-legged ice centipedes in the Ice Finger Mountains, so I brought them here." Bai Mang pointed at the ice beneath their feet. "There's a secret passage underneath this ice lake that leads to the mountain on the other side. Inside the ice nest is a terrifying thousand-legged ice centipede. Maybe it can kill them."

Ji Xinghuo remained impassive.

He had already known about this when he first arrived at the ice lake. His electromagnetic induction had detected the secret passage and a huge nest underneath the ice.

Within the nest was a thousand-legged ice centipede that had reached the "Can" level.

However, it was currently hibernating.

During this season, he had encountered quite a few of these insect-like monsters in the Ice Finger Mountains. As the cold season set in, they would retreat into their nests to overwinter, only awakening during the warm season, known as the "Warm Moon."

The commotion from the earlier battle had startled the ice centipede, but it was very cautious and did not emerge from its nest.

It opened its eyes, and the numerous long legs on either side of its body twitched occasionally.

Ji Xinghuo observed it through his electromagnetic induction.

He was somewhat tempted to take action.

If he could kill this thousand-legged ice centipede, he would obtain at least two or three super-limit exotic species. However, it was unwise to venture into the nest of such a "Can"-level apocalyptic monster.

"If it comes out on its own..."

Ji Xinghuo turned and walked away.

"My lord!" Bai Mang was taken aback and quickly followed, but Ji Xinghuo didn't want to pay him any heed and directly took to the air, soon disappearing into the distance.

Bai Mang stared at the figure vanishing beyond the horizon, feeling dumbfounded.

He turned back and circled the ice lake. Ji Xinghuo had already taken everything of value from the corpses, leaving only the severed heads. Bai Mang picked them up and left with a heavy heart.

Amidst the frosty mist in the sky, Ji Xinghuo stood suspended in mid-air, his gaze penetrating the mist as he watched Bai Mang return to the Qingye Tribe. He had no intention of getting involved with the Qingye Tribe or the Linghorne people any further. By avenging them, he had already done his best.

As for what would happen to the Qingye Tribe from now on, Ji Xinghuo didn't want to concern himself with it, nor did he have the capacity to help.

A moment later.

Ji Xinghuo activated his Stealth Ring and slowly descended from the sky, landing on a cliff on one side of the ice lake, about three to four kilometers from the center.

The cold wind blew through the mountains once more.

Through his electromagnetic induction, Ji Xinghuo sensed that the thousand-legged ice centipede had finally stirred and crawled out of its nest into the passage.

Its body length exceeded thirty meters, and it was covered in ice armor. On both sides of its body were two rows of dense, slender legs. While "slender" was relative to its massive body, each leg was still as thick as an adult's thigh and measured over a dozen meters in length. In total, it had several hundred legs!

These legs were extremely flexible, allowing it to climb along the icy walls of the passage with agility.

The frost-covered passage had clearly been dug out by the ice centipede. One end led to its nest, while the other extended downward, reaching the bottom of the ice lake.

Soon, the ice centipede crawled into the lake, where the water had not yet frozen.

Its slender legs moved continuously, propelling its massive body forward. It reached the frozen ice surface, and the disturbed water in the large hole that had been punched through earlier caused ripples to form. Several of its legs stretched out, breaking the thin ice, and then, an extremely hideous head emerged from the water and rose above the ice surface.

The ice centipede climbed out of the hole, its most prominent feature being a giant mouth filled with serrated, sharp teeth.

It had a pair of enormous eyes, and two antennae on its head that were almost as long as its body.

From the back of its head to the front third of its body, wing-like fins spread out on both sides. Each segment of its body was covered in ice armor, and hundreds of legs extended in all directions, giving it a light and agile movement that belied its enormous size and granted it speed and flexibility that defied its bulk.

The ice centipede breathed in the cold air.

Within a radius of a hundred meters around it, the temperature dropped even further, causing the moisture in the air to condense into snowflakes and frost that swirled around it.

Ji Xinghuo stood on a distant cliff, motionless as he observed the creature.

"It truly is a 'Can'-level monster!"

The four levels of apocalyptic monsters—Hong, Can, Zhen, and Yun—were not determined solely by evolution but also by the strength of the monster. Typically, apocalyptic monsters would only evolve once or twice, and there would be no evolution between the "Hong" and "Can" levels.

A "Can"-level monster was equivalent to the peak of the second stage of the legendary realm, approaching the Heavenly King realm.

It might also be comparable to a weaker Heavenly King.

Ji Xinghuo judged that this thousand-legged ice centipede had definitely not reached the Heavenly King realm, but it was more fearsome than most second-stage legendary monsters.

"I can try to hunt it, but I shouldn't act rashly."

Ji Xinghuo watched as the ice centipede crawled on the ice lake. It discovered the headless corpses and its antennae quivered excitedly. It bit into the corpses, chewing a few times before swallowing them whole. For a monster like this, these corpses of fourth and fifth-tier practitioners were like a nourishing tonic.

After devouring the corpses, the ice centipede immediately plunged back into the large hole in the ice, returning to its nest beneath the lake.

Soon, it entered hibernation once more.

Ji Xinghuo reappeared on the distant cliff, his eyes fixed on the gradually freezing water surface as he formulated a hunting plan in his mind.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end