Chapter 383: Azurefire Jade

Chapter 383: Azurefire Jade

Ji Xinghuo grabbed onto the antler that resembled a tree branch and, with a powerful exertion of force from Long Kuang's hands, his body sank, and his legs clamped tightly around the creature's abdomen.

The Branch-horned Cloud Elk let out a pained cry and fell from the sky.

Its body turned ethereal, as if it were about to dissipate into clouds and mist, but it was interrupted by the burst of electricity that erupted from Ji Xinghuo's hand.

A loud bang echoed.

The Branch-horned Cloud Elk crashed heavily to the ground, its body tumbling awkwardly. Acting on instinct, it struggled desperately, but Ji Xinghuo was like an immovable mountain, pinning it down firmly and continuously paralyzing it with electricity, leaving it unable to escape.

Amidst its startled cries, the Branch-horned Cloud Elk activated its ability to manipulate plants.

The surrounding shrubs and flowers came to life, raising hundreds of tendrils and thorns that quickly pierced towards Ji Xinghuo on its back.

The shade above their heads also went wild, with branches and leaves striking down fiercely.

"Hahaha..."

Ji Xinghuo laughed aloud.

With one hand, he pressed down on the elk's head, while the other brandished the Ice Vein Axe, hurling it forcefully.

The battle axe seemed to have an auto-navigation feature. Under Ji Xinghuo's metal manipulation, it circled around, slashing swiftly—so fast that even its shadow was hard to discern. It effortlessly sliced through the attacking plants, sending countless fragments of leaves and branches flying in all directions.

But more plants kept coming, like an endless tide.

Boom!

Ji Xinghuo condensed a lightning whip in his hand and casually flicked it outwards.

This was an application of the Thunderclap technique. As thick as an arm, the lightning whip seemed to have substance. In an instant, it extended to several dozen meters in length, resembling the sharpest laser. With a swift swing, it cut through all the plants within a hundred-meter radius, severing them at their roots.

Then, the lightning whip retracted and coiled around the Branch-horned Cloud Elk's neck, electrocuting it until its eyes rolled back and its consciousness blurred.

This went on for several minutes before Ji Xinghuo withdrew the lightning whip.

The Branch-horned Cloud Elk's body was now charred black, its fur burned away by the electricity. However, as soon as the lightning whip was removed, its wounds began to heal, the charred skin peeling away as new fur grew back.

"Get up," Ji Xinghuo commanded in a low voice as he stepped back.

He didn't know if the Branch-horned Cloud Elk understood him, but as a Super-class monster, it surely comprehended its predicament.

The Branch-horned Cloud Elk opened its eyes, fear evident in its gaze, mixed with a hint of cunning. After hesitating for a few seconds, it slowly pushed itself up with its four hooves. As soon as it found its footing, it leaped into the sky, stepping on tree branches to escape into the forest.

In its desperate attempt to flee, it burst forth with incredible speed, becoming a nimble gust of wind that leaped and bounded between the trees, its silhouette blurring before disappearing from view in the blink of an eye.

A few minutes later...

The Branch-horned Cloud Elk finally came to a halt and looked back, failing to spot Ji Xinghuo.

Just as it was about to continue its escape, an arrow shot through the gap in the forest, a red streak of light that exploded upon impact.

Boom!

Countless flames erupted, knocking the Branch-horned Cloud Elk to the ground.

Before it could get back up, it felt a weight on its back and, turning its head, saw Ji Xinghuo once again mounted on its back, lightning whip in hand, ready to strike.

The Branch-horned Cloud Elk endured several lashes of the whip, its flesh torn and bloodied, followed by several minutes of continuous electric shocks.

Ji Xinghuo's attacks were measured; these were mere flesh wounds, and the previous explosive arrow had been pulled back at the last moment.

After teaching it a lesson, he stopped.

The Branch-horned Cloud Elk's recovery ability was astonishing; its wounds healed in the blink of an eye. Ji Xinghuo then instructed it to stand up again.

As expected, it attempted to flee once more. However, faced with the absolute gap in strength, Ji Xinghuo easily caught up, striking it down with a thunderclap and then punishing it with the lightning whip to drive home the lesson.

After several repetitions of this cycle, the Branch-horned Cloud Elk finally realized that escape was futile.

Yet, it still refused to submit, lying on the ground in protest.

Ji Xinghuo smiled.

He then took out a Qing Kong fruit and held it in front of the Branch-horned Cloud Elk. The fruit, lush and green, exuded a refreshing fragrance, its vitality enticing. The elk's eyes widened, fixated on the fruit, drooling with desire but hesitant to eat.

Super-class monsters could utilize expansion curios to integrate different species and enhance their strength.

It was an instinct embedded in their genes.

The Branch-horned Cloud Elk's eyes reflected its inner struggle, but ultimately, it couldn't resist the temptation. It stretched out its tongue, wrapping the Qing Kong fruit into its mouth. After a few chews, it swallowed the fruit, immediately feeling its effects, and let out a pleased low rumble.

Before it could savor the aftertaste, another scent reached its nostrils.

Ji Xinghuo held up the Red Emperor Blood Crystal and Red Termite Essence, showing them to the elk, along with a large handful of other species, including super-limit species.

The Branch-horned Cloud Elk's eyes gleamed with desire.

It scrambled to its feet, its gaze fixed on the items in Ji Xinghuo's hand, but it dared not approach. Before it could get a good look, Ji Xinghuo put everything away and replaced them with a silver bracelet.

This was a "Beast Command" accessory, Super-ability One-star, with the ability "Beast Speaker," allowing simple communication with beasts and monsters. It was a core ability of the "Beast Master" profession template, and when crafted into equipment, its effect would be slightly diminished.

The elk hesitated, uncertainty flashing in its eyes, but it eventually obeyed and walked over.

"You're lucky to be following me. Perform well, and I'll reward you." With the beast control bracelet in hand, Ji Xinghuo patted the elk as he spoke. Its shoulder height was similar to his, and its body length reached nearly four meters.

The Branch-horned Cloud Elk's body trembled, but it remained still, allowing Ji Xinghuo to touch it.

At that moment, Qinghong jumped out of Ji Xinghuo's pocket.

It strutted around the elk, showing off its true form, and immediately intimidated the elk, causing it to soften and collapse to the ground.

Qinghong turned to Ji Xinghuo, smugly baring its teeth.

"Alright, don't scare it," said Ji Xinghuo, aware of Qinghong's intentions. "It's just a temporary mount, of course it can't compare to you."

Only then did Qinghong nod in satisfaction and shrink back into Ji Xinghuo's pocket.

After a few minutes, the Branch-horned Cloud Elk climbed to its feet. It had completely submitted and allowed Ji Xinghuo to mount its back once again.

"Let's go," Ji Xinghuo commanded, and with a squeeze of his legs, the elk began to run.

Soon, Ji Xinghuo understood why the Branch-horned Cloud Elk was considered one of the best mounts. Its size was comparable to that of a horse, making it an ideal size for humans to ride. It ran much faster than a horse and had exceptional endurance.

Even on the most rugged terrain, riding on the Branch-horned Cloud Elk was as stable as mounting a mountain, without the slightest bump or jolt.

All in all, it provided an excellent riding experience.

Not to mention, the Branch-horned Cloud Elk possessed healing, stealth, and plant manipulation abilities, in addition to its exceptional speed and stamina. It was a formidable combatant, and its diet was simple, requiring only grass with no fussiness.

If not for its slightly lacking potential, Ji Xinghuo might have considered using an "interspecies symbiosis" to cultivate it into a battle pet.

"Never mind," he thought. "Qinghong alone consumes an unimaginable amount of my spiritual source energy. Spiritual sources are scarce right now, and I can't afford another energy guzzler."

With that, Ji Xinghuo abandoned the idea.

Interspecies symbiosis would also occupy one of his precious fusion opportunities. After ascending to the legendary realm, fusion chances became extremely valuable, and he couldn't waste them on a beast that would only serve as a mount and wouldn't provide significant combat power in the short term.

While the Branch-horned Cloud Elk could walk on air, most of the time, it ran on the ground.

Ji Xinghuo directed it to leave the forest and follow the main road.

Within the vast territory ruled by the True Dragon Empire, less than half of the area was effectively managed. The rest was considered dangerous, with a network of broad roads built only between cities and settlements.

Disguised as a wanderer, Ji Xinghuo rode the elk on the road, occasionally encountering some troubles, but a slight display of his strength was enough to resolve them.

They traveled by day and camped at night.

Along the way, Ji Xinghuo avoided densely populated areas, except for once when he passed through a wanderer's tribe and purchased a set of saddles with True Dragon Coins to make the ride more comfortable for both him and the elk.

A few days later...

Ji Xinghuo had traveled over 20,000 kilometers away from Cang City and reached the border of the Canghuo Territory.

Before him lay endless mountains stretching as far as the eye could see.

"The Tungsten Mountain Territory," he murmured.

The name itself revealed its affiliation with the Tungsten Mountain Family, a dragon clan descended from the Tungsten Mountain Dragon bloodline.

The Tungsten Mountain Dragon belonged to the "Golden Dragon Species," known for their incredibly tough bodies. On average, they were among the largest of the true dragons, perhaps with no equal except for a few extremely unique individual true dragons.

At the same time, the Tungsten Mountain Dragon was also one of the slowest true dragons, with some individuals unable to fly at all.

However, within the True Dragon Empire, the Tungsten Mountain Family was exceptionally powerful.

The strength of the "Tungsten Mountain Dragon King" ranked among the very best of the over two hundred dragon kings and was rumored to be a contender for the position of Dragon Emperor.

The Tungsten Mountain Territory was a dominant force among the surrounding dragon territories.

Most importantly, the Tungsten Mountain Territory and the Canghuo Territory had a historically poor relationship, even verging on hostility. There had been several conflicts between them in the past, and the Tungsten Mountain Territory had always emerged victorious.

Once he entered the Tungsten Mountain Territory, Ji Xinghuo would essentially be safe.

All this information Ji Xinghuo had learned from books.

A moment later...

The endless mountains loomed before them. The Tungsten Mountain Territory had a unique geographical environment, with mountains covering its entire expanse. The terrain was steep, and the soil and rocks were rich in tungsten ore and a naturally occurring tungsten alloy unique to the Star Realm.

He stared ahead, and in the direction of the Tungsten Mountain Territory, he saw a "Black Iron Battle Scorpion" running towards them. This scorpion was immense, with a body length exceeding 20 meters. It was pitch-black as if clad in armor, and had two massive pincers and a thick, venomous stinger. Its rushing form resembled a moving black fortress.

An A-rank monster!

Black Iron Battle Scorpions were not uncommon in the Star Realm, and Ji Xinghuo had slain them before. But this was the first time he encountered one of this size, and it had evolved to the level of a natural disaster.

Standing on its back was a woman.

"A True Dragon Human!"

Like all True Dragon Humans, she was exceptionally beautiful, tall, and clad in an imperial-style robe. She was unarmed and carried no weapons, yet Ji Xinghuo sensed a threat emanating from her.

She had appeared suddenly.

While traveling, Ji Xinghuo had kept his electromagnetic perception active, yet he hadn't detected this woman's approach. She seemed to have teleported directly into his perception range.

Such precise teleportation skills rendered speed irrelevant.

Ji Xinghuo fixed his gaze on her.

Her etheric energy fluctuations were very subtle, and he could only judge her strength by the intensity of her magnetic field. She was a Sixth-Stage King, possibly at the second level.

"Without a dragon, he's not a Dragon Lord."

Not all True Dragon Humans could become Dragon Lords; the proportion was less than one percent.

But that didn't mean the rest were weak; some non-Dragon Lord True Dragon Humans might even be more powerful.

The Black Iron Battle Scorpion halted hundreds of meters away.

The two locked eyes for a few seconds.

"Your perception is sharp, and your means are diverse. No wonder that fool Cang Huo Xun couldn't catch you." She spoke first.

Ji Xinghuo remained silent.

Just from this sentence, he knew that she had been the one tracking him, and disguising himself as a wanderer was useless.

"Allow me to introduce myself." The female True Dragon Human smiled faintly, "I am Cang Huo Gui, from a distant branch of the Cang Huo Family. Unfortunately, I didn't become a Dragon Lord, so I could only settle for becoming a Dragon Warrior, and later I also trained as a Beast Tamer."

"What do you want?" Ji Xinghuo asked.

Cang Huo Gui sized up Ji Xinghuo, her gaze falling on the Branch-horned Cloud Elk. With a curious expression, she asked, "Where is your battle pet with the titanium-cobalt dragon bloodline?"

Ji Xinghuo's heart skipped a beat.

Immediately, his mind recalled the moment when he had teleported into Cang City through the public array, riding Qinghong and attracting quite a few stares as he walked through the streets. However, he had no memory of Cang Huo Gui.

If there had been a Sixth-Stage powerhouse within his electromagnetic perception range, he would have definitely known.

Unless she had extremely sophisticated concealment techniques.

"Hand over your battle pet, and I'll let you go. How about it?" Cang Huo Gui's tone was casual, but her eyes held a threatening glint, and her arrogance seemed to suggest that it was only natural for him to hand over his pet.

Ji Xinghuo replied in a deep voice, "Are you the one who sent people to capture me?"

"Of course," Cang Huo Gui admitted without hesitation.

She explained, "I detected you in the public array and didn't want to deal with you myself, so I asked Cang Huo Xun to make a move. I didn't expect that waste to let you escape. Cang Huo Luming is also useless; I pointed out your whereabouts to him, and he still couldn't stop you."

"Hehe..." Ji Xinghuo understood the situation.

He had always wondered where he had exposed his identity, and now he realized that he had been targeted and directly reported.

Cang Huo Gui had stumbled upon him by accident.

"Your battle pet is very rare." Cang Huo Gui continued, "At first glance, I could tell it was special. The titanium-cobalt dragon bloodline is impressive, but what's truly remarkable is that it belongs to the Void-type spiritual beasts, with limitless potential. If I were to nurture it, its future strength would surpass that of a true dragon. In your hands, its potential is being wasted..."

Her eyes shone with anticipation, and she looked at Ji Xinghuo with disdain, as if he were squandering a precious resource.

Ji Xinghuo let out a cold laugh.

"You couldn't even become a Dragon Lord, which shows your inferior talent. Yet, you dare to spout such nonsense in front of me?" He ridiculed her without restraint.

Cang Huo Gui's expression froze.

This struck at the deepest pain in her heart. Any True Dragon Human who wasn't a Dragon Lord was considered a failure, cast aside.

"You're asking to die!"

Cang Huo Gui screamed and took action, but Ji Xinghuo was faster, and he entered the battle state first.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end