Chapter 169: Savage and Polite
Jiang Li won two consecutive rounds cleanly, but he did not kill anyone.
There was no need to kill that person from Benevolent Travel Temple and offend them for nothing, and that rogue cultivator still had value to him.
Apart from that, in such a public place, he was more inclined to create a righteous persona.
It was fine to kill people. In private, one could kill as many as they wanted. However, in public, compared to a slaughter, people still preferred to see a dignified gentleman.
If there was a chance in the future, he could find a few unlucky demonic cultivators to slay them and uphold justice. Then, his legend would be established.
In the current cultivation world of the Great Mountain Region, the righteous path alliance was the only flourishing path. Those demonic cultivation sects had been torn apart hundreds of years ago and could only struggle at death’s door.
Therefore, if he wanted to climb up in this kind of environment, besides strength and influence, a good reputation could make the person-in-charge see him more pleasing to the eye and could also bring him a lot of help.
Ignoring the rogue cultivator, Wu Shi, who had fainted on the ground, Jiang Li led the 20 wooden soldiers and continued walking up.
He had only walked a short distance when he saw the ring from afar. Before he saw his opponent, he had already smelled his opponent.
Good lord… so smelly!
Jiang Li frowned. Did someone die up there? How long would it take an ordinary person to accumulate such a smell without bathing?
This kind of concentrated stench could likely cause an explosion if there was fire.
A green light flashed in his hand, and a moment later, a half mask appeared on his face.
Wood Armor Technique was one of the first few spell techniques that Jiang Li had learned.
After obtaining the enlightenment of the Nine Nether Wood, his understanding of the Yin and Wood spell techniques naturally rose to a greater level.
Now that the Wood Armor Technique had reached the maximum level, it could be said to be perfected and could be used at will.
The material of this half face mask was soft and transparent, and it was shaped like a mask. It was weaved together by him using a thin root structure, and it could filter out poisonous fog and let in fresh air.
After testing, the filter rate of harmful substances could reach 99%. It completely matched the health standards of the Nine Provinces.
Jiang Li pressed the mask on his face, and the smelly air immediately became much fresher.
Only then did he lead the wooden soldiers forward.
This mountain was indeed very high, but it could not withstand a hundred arenas, causing the gap between each arena to not be too far.
However, his opponent this time was obviously not as polite as the previous two. Not to mention welcoming him, he did not see anyone waiting for him on the stairs.
That person had already entered the competing grounds long ago. It was only when Jiang Li walked to the edge of the stage that he finally noticed him.
Moreover, he did not seem to have any manners.
“Hehe, hehehe! My children! Your lunch is here!”
His voice was hoarse and he sounded slightly deranged. From his voice, one could tell that he was a little crazy.
After Jiang Li saw the situation on the platform clearly, he finally understood the origin of the stench.
Seventeen different types of demon beasts were currently surrounding a youth who was wrapped in beast skin and begging for food. They were grabbing piece after piece of meat from his hands.
However, Jiang Li only fought two arenas before walking up again.
In such a short period of time, around the ring, there was already a large amount of feces accumulated. A few groups of flies were flying excitedly on the feces.
The culprit was none other than the 17 demon beasts… and judging from the appearance of this young man, he might be a part of it as well!
The young man also had a wild appearance. There was a thick layer of filth on his body, and his eyes were densely covered in blood. Even the hair on his body was much thicker than ordinary people.
Coupled with his uneven yellow teeth and his inhumanly crazy voice, no one would doubt that he was a barbarian.
However, despite his dressing and appearance, this guy was actually quite famous.
The genius disciple of the Beast Control Sect from the Great Mountain Region, Man Xiaochuan!
Speaking of the Beast Control Sect, they had really benefited greatly from the rules of this competition.
Amongst these lower sects, the Beast Control Sect’s performance in the Grand Competition could be said to be extremely eye-catching.
At one point, they even suppressed the disciples of the four major sects.
There was no other reason than their advantage with numbers.
These participating disciples of the Beast Control Sect were basically only raising and contracting one or two demon beasts.
For Qi Refinement realm disciples, their energy and wealth were limited. It was normal to choose a few demons with good potential and slowly nurture them.
However, the sudden competition in the cultivation world of the Great Mountain Region made the higher-ups of their sect think about it.
Thus, their high-level cultivators took action and captured a large number of low-level demon beasts in a short period of time.
Through the special methods of the Beast Control Sect, they used some inhuman spell techniques and drugs to forcefully wear down the will of these demon beasts, allowing them to be weakened enough and get contracted by the disciples in a short period of time.
If Jiang Li was not wrong, there was definitely something unusual in the meat that Man Xiaochuan was holding just now.
This method was harder to use the higher one reached, but in the Qi Refinement realm and the Foundation Establishment realm, there was a lot of room for maneuver.
This was especially true for the Qi Refinement realm competition. The ten Qi Refinement realm disciples of the Beast Control Sect had all been forced to contract around ten demon beasts, giving them an absolute advantage in the battle!
After several rounds of fights, almost no disciples were eliminated. In fact, those beast pets that were killed in the fights would be replenished as soon as possible.
This method was not beneficial to the future growth of these disciples.
It was even possible that because they contracted too many demon beasts, the pressure on their mind would be too great, resulting in irreparable damage.
The blood vessels in Man Xiaochuan’s eyes looked like they were about to explode. With the physique and mind of a Qi Refinement cultivator, he would have to spend at least half a month without sleep to become like this.
It could be seen that contracting too many beast pets gave him quite a bit of pressure!
In the end, he would definitely have to break the contract.
Otherwise, how could he raise as many as 17 demonic beasts? Even if he could, his mind and spiritual qi would definitely not be able to withstand it. Sooner or later, he would die.
However, the situation was special now. The greatest benefit was right in front of them, so long as they obtained a sufficient share of the spiritual medicine production,
not to mention sacrificing their potential, so what if they sacrificed the lives of a few disciples?
As a way to increase the disciples’ strength in a short period of time, this was already very cost-effective. Other sects could not be more envious.
After all, they were not Beast Tamers.
Demon beasts were equivalent to the Beast Tamer’s own strength. Even the competition authorities could not find fault with them. That was simply the biggest loophole in the rules of the competition!
The other sects naturally had similar methods, but they were basically only limited to giving more talisman papers and better medicinal pills, such disposable items.
A better sect might open up the exchange of spell techniques and artifacts, but casting spell techniques and controlling artifacts required the support of the cultivator’s own spiritual qi. It was impossible for them to directly increase their combat strength like the Beast Control Sect.
Of course, life was often not so easy.
They wanted to rely on this to ascend to the top of the rankings? It could be considered their bad luck to have encountered Jiang Li!
Jiang Li stepped onto the stage. The bloodshot eyes of Man Xiaochuan from the Beast Control Sect revealed madness and disdain.
However, as the group of Wood Demons behind Jiang Li surged into the ring, his expression could not help but become solemn.
“Eh, this savage actually knows how to talk? If I capture him, I’ll definitely be able to sell him for two spirit stones, no, maybe three!” Jiang Li smiled and retorted.
Without a word, both sides started fighting.
The green wooden soldiers and the multicolored demon beasts collided.
The difference in numbers between the two sides was actually not too great, and it could not form an overwhelming advantage. The demon beasts on the other side were more agile and ferocious, but the twenty Wood Demons were also more tanky.
As they fought, the two sides were evenly matched.
However, as a key figure that could influence the situation of the battle, Jiang Li himself did not have the intention to step forward to help. He stood at the side and watched idly.
The other party took the lead. He rode a black wolf that was two meters tall and charged around among the Wood Demons.
He held a spear that emanated spiritual light and was extremely sharp. It could easily pierce through the head of a Wood Demon.
The black wolf under Man Xiaochuan should also be his initial beast pet. It had been nurtured quite well. As it brandished its claws, it could actually suppress two late-stage Foundation Establishment wooden soldiers.
Wood shavings flew everywhere as Man Xiaochuan slowly led a group of demon beasts to gain the advantage.
More and more Demon Wood soldiers were torn apart and fell. They were about to be wiped out.
“Impressive, impressive. You can contract 17 demon beasts at such a young age. Your mental talent is really not bad.”
Jiang Li could not help but praise the other party. It was already quite good for the other Beast Control Sect disciples to be able to contract ten demon beasts.
The death of a contractual demon beast would cause certain damage to the Beast Tamer. Since the other party had reached this stage of the competition, he must have lost some demon beasts already.
If he was at his prime, 17 was probably not his limit.
“Young man, let me give you a little more pressure. Perhaps you can break through at the last minute?”
Wood Armor Technique!
A max level Wood Armor Technique could not only do all kinds of tricks, but could also be used on others.
A spiritual light shone out and spread towards the remaining 13 Wood Demons. A green light appeared on their bodies and in a blink of an eye, a thick wooden armor grew out and wrapped around them.
With the current strength of Jiang Li’s Nine Nether spiritual qi, the Wood Armor Technique he executed was no longer the same as before.
The claws of those demon beasts landed on the wooden armor but could not even scratch it. For a time, the disadvantageous situation was reversed.
A violent bear demon beast suddenly pounced on the Wood Demon. Its sickle-like claws scratched crazily, and its smelly mouth landed on the wooden helmet as it tried to bite. However, it could do nothing to the wooden armor.
Pew!
The wooden saber was sharper than steel. It pierced through the thick beast skin and stirred fiercely inside.
In this kind of close combat, the advantage of not being able to break through their defenses was simply overwhelming.
As the demon beasts were killed one by one, Man Xiaochuan’s mind became even more fragile. Soon, two lines of blood flowed out from his nostrils.
His bloodshot, wild eyes looked past the wooden soldiers and looked at Jiang Li who was standing not far away calmly.
The two gazes collided, and Jiang Li had no doubt that the other party intended to tear him apart.
As the saying went, capturing the leader was the best course of action. Even the slow-witted Man Xiaochuan thought of this when he was forced into a corner.
Man Xiaochuan did not have the time to wipe the blood from his nose. He put away his spear and nocked an arrow.
The bowstring shook lightly three times, and the three arrows that shot out had already arrived in front of Jiang Li.
The three arrows were engraved with dense spiritual runes. While carrying terrifying power, they flew through the air without making any sound.
With the methods of cultivators, it was not a problem to be accurate within a thousand meters. If this was outside, it would be a fatal blow that was impossible to guard against.
In the end, they were all Qi Refinement realm cultivators ranked in the top 200 in the cultivation world of the Great Mountain Region. There were no weaklings among them.
Although the three arrows were casually grabbed by Jiang Li and did not have any effect, it did not mean that this savage was not strong… He was just not strong enough.
Hmm, these spiritual runes were not bad. He could analyze them when he returned.
Man Xiaochuan’s fighting style was extremely wild. When he saw that the arrows were ineffective, and more and more demon beasts around him died,
he stuffed a handful of pills into his mouth, suppressing his brain that was about to explode from the mental damage. Then, he urged the black wolf beneath him to charge out.
The encirclement formed by the thirteen Wood Demon soldiers was not that tight. Under the other party’s fearless charge, he still tore open their formation and rushed out.
Because of this, the black wolf had multiple wounds on its body. Even its tail had been cut off by the wooden saber, looking extremely miserable.
However, so long as he was able to deal with Jiang Li, all of this would be worth it.
He brandished the spear in his hand and aimed it at Jiang Li’s face.
Pew!
There was a sharp sound like something had been pierced.
It was obvious that the person who was stabbed was definitely not Jiang Li.
A black wooden pole suddenly emerged from the ground and pierced through the black wolf and Man Xiaochuan who were running over it. They were pinned to the ground and vomited blood.
This was an attack style that Jiang Li had imitated using the Nine Nether Dao Scripture by referencing the Tiger Staff artifact.
It could barely be called a spell technique. Its power was passable, so it was temporarily called the Wood Spike Technique.
After the black wood spike pierced through the two, a special toxin from the Nine Nether Wood was released. It directly poisoned the man and wolf, causing them to be hung on the wooden spike and not move anymore.
The beast pets that were being beaten up had no choice but to give in under sinister methods in the first place.
Now, seeing that their master had been defeated, they no longer had any fighting spirit. They directly turned around and ran away, disappearing into the deep mountains.
Looking at this smelly stage, one could only imagine how the later cultivators would feel when it was their turn to fight.
After walking out of the third ring, Jiang Li walked forward for a long time before removing his mask.
Out of the “challenge” of the five people, three had already lost. He did not know what kind of “powerful” opponents awaited him next?
A moment later.
“Eh? Senior Brother Rusty Sword? Long time no see.”
Jiang Li saw the person standing on the staircase with a sword in his hand and immediately recognized him as a Shu Mountain disciple.
He had actually seen this person before.
“Rust… Rusty Sword? Who’s called Rusty Sword! Junior Brother Jiang, I’m Chang Wanzhou, titled Shu Mountain’s Golden Light Sword.”
When the great Golden Light Sword was called Rusty Sword, even the Shu Mountain sword cultivator could not keep a cool expression anymore.
It was written all over his face.
‘Junior Brother Jiang, although I’m not as famous as you, please don’t casually give me a nickname!’
“Haha, sorry, sorry. I was wrong. Senior Brother Chang, you are the Golden Light Sword, I’ll remember that.”
Jiang Li laughed. He really did not remember the other party’s name.
The reason why he called the other party Rusty Sword was because of that sentence, “A sword may rust but not the heart.”
He remembered that at the Immortal Ascension Assembly back then, it was this Chang Wanzhou who stood in front of the small courtyard of the Shu Mountain Five Elements Peak and tested their Sword Heart.
Unfortunately, things did not go as he wished. Jiang Li did not have the talent in the Sword Heart, so he missed the opportunity to become the number one sect in the Great Mountain Region.
He did not know if the Shu Mountain Five Elements Peak would regret missing out on him, a disciple without the Sword Heart, once he completely rose up and stood at the peak of the cultivation world on the Great Mountain.
“Forget it, Junior Brother Jiang Li. Before the battle, please accept my bow.”
Senior Brother Chang straightened his expression and suddenly bowed to Jiang Li.
“Senior Brother Chang, what are you doing?”
Jiang Li was stunned why someone bowed to him again, and then he hurriedly went forward to help the person up.
“Junior Brother Jiang, you saved Junior Sister Shenshan so our Shu Mountain Five Elements Peak are indebted to you.”
“You have yet to recover from your serious injuries. Today’s battle is unjust.”
“However, this is my duty. I will do my best and win. This bow is to apologize to you in advance!”
As he spoke, this fellow actually took out a vine and intended to whip it against his body.
Jiang Li was shocked and hurriedly went forward to stop him.
The disciples of the Shu Mountain Five Elements Peak were too righteous.
“No, no, no. Senior Brother Chang, you must not do this. Why don’t you give this vine to me as an apology?”
Jiang Li snatched the vine and discovered that it was actually an artifact.
Although the quality was not high, with the weak physique of a Shu Mountain sword cultivator, being struck by it would immediately cause flesh to split open.
What kind of education was this to be able to teach such a group of righteous disciples? It was simply unbelievable.
From another point of view, even such righteous Shu Mountain disciples could sit firmly on the throne in the vicious world of the Great Mountain Region. This showed just how strong their strength and heritage were!
No tricks and schemes were useful against them.
“Junior… Junior Brother Jiang is so righteous. If I injure you during the competition, I will definitely compensate you twice as much in the future!”
Jiang Li was speechless.
…
At the same time, two golden sword lights flew out from a huge river.
They looked at each other without any expression on their faces. They turned into sword lights and fled in the direction of the nearby Southern Seal Kingdom’s capital.