Chapter Seventy-Two: Endless Slaughter

Clang! Clang! Clang! The clash between Yang Xiao and the Long-tailed Patterned Tiger resounded with the ringing of metal. Throughout their combat, Yang Xiao deftly dodged the beast’s most lethal assaults, choosing instead to repeatedly collide with it from the flanks. In this manner, he could hone his skills without putting himself at undue risk.

The fierce battle between man and beast raged on for two full days. By the end, the Long-tailed Patterned Tiger was utterly spent, its body marred with numerous wounds from Yang Xiao’s relentless onslaught. At last, the tiger could resist no more and collapsed beneath Yang Xiao’s iron fist.

Though somewhat fatigued himself, Yang Xiao felt more exhilaration than exhaustion. He quickly cut away the valuable materials from the tiger’s carcass, stowing them in his storage pouch. Swallowing several medicinal pills, he sat down to recover his strength.

Before long, Yang Xiao set out again, seeking out another spirit beast in a different part of the valley. Naturally, he soon found himself engaged in yet another fierce struggle.

Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, a month passed. By then, Yang Xiao had slain more than a dozen large spirit beasts, and his storage pouch was brimming with all manner of precious materials.

“My storage pouch is nearly full. It seems time to return to Linggu Village, process these materials, rest for two days, and then come back to continue the fight. I refuse to believe I can’t break through to the Qi Condensation Realm!” Yang Xiao mused. By now, his cultivation had clearly advanced, and his mastery of the ninth tier of the Spirit Sense Realm was thoroughly consolidated. He sensed the faint stirrings of a breakthrough. If he continued this relentless training for a few more months, he was confident he would reach the Qi Condensation Realm—far more quickly than if he had stayed home in seclusion.

Having made up his mind, Yang Xiao set off on the road home. But while making his way back, he unexpectedly encountered Fang Dong and his companions. At that very moment, they were in grave peril, beset by a monstrous Golden Silk Spider. The creature spanned several yards in size and could spit golden threads to entrap its prey. Among all the beasts of the Ten Thousand Beasts Valley, it was one of the more formidable and difficult to handle.

The Golden Silk Spider spat out its gleaming threads, ensnaring all eight members of Fang Dong’s group. Its gaping maw opened wide, and it seized one of the men, stuffing him whole into its mouth to chew. The savage scene was truly horrifying.

At first, Yang Xiao had no intention of interfering. Yet, on second thought, rescuing them would be a trivial matter. After all, they were fellow humans—he could not in good conscience stand by as they were butchered by a spirit beast. Besides, Fang Dong was a decent cultivator who had once invited Yang Xiao to join his team out of genuine consideration. By saving him, Yang Xiao would earn a favor, which might prove useful in the future.

Weighing the pros and cons, Yang Xiao decided that the benefits of rescuing them outweighed the risks. He approached the Golden Silk Spider, released his flying sword, and with a single sweep, sliced through the golden threads binding Fang Dong and the others, freeing them.

Then, with another flick of his finger, he sent the flying sword darting forward, unleashing a flurry of radiant sword shadows that enveloped the spider. In no time, Yang Xiao slew the monstrous beast.

Fang Dong, liberated from mortal danger, hurried to check on his companions’ injuries. The others had not been so fortunate—two had been devoured by the spider, and another two had been strangled to death by its silken threads. Of the original eight, four were dead; the remaining four were all wounded to varying degrees, though Fang Dong himself had escaped with only minor injuries.

“My friend, I am forever indebted to you for saving our lives,” Fang Dong said, bowing deeply to Yang Xiao in gratitude.

“Think nothing of it. I only acted in passing. This Golden Silk Spider, at least, yields several useful materials,” Yang Xiao replied, swiftly harvesting what he could from the spider’s corpse and stuffing the spoils into his pouch. By now, however, his storage pouch was nearly at capacity, so he took only the most valuable components, leaving the rest behind.

“You’re all injured. Don’t linger here any longer—it’s best to return at once. If you encounter another dangerous spirit beast, there may not be anyone around to save you,” Yang Xiao advised.

“Who could have foreseen such a formidable Golden Silk Spider? Had it been any other spirit beast, we could have split up and escaped. But the spider’s threads can strike from every direction, leaving us no route to flee. We were too careless, mistaking it for an ordinary giant spider at first. We’ll be more cautious next time and won’t repeat such a mistake,” Fang Dong said ruefully.

Yang Xiao had no interest in listening to Fang Dong’s regrets. His mind was already on how best to handle his spirit beast materials. With such a vast quantity to sell, he would need to find a major merchant.

“Brother Fang Dong, do you know which shop in Linggu Village is the largest purchaser of spirit beast materials?” Yang Xiao inquired. In Linggu Village, Bai Xue’s father, Bai Sheng, specialized in herbs, making his shop unsuitable for this transaction. It would be best to seek out a large materials merchant.

“I do. The biggest shop in Linggu Village is Deshengyuan. They supply materials for the Five Sects and other major clans, so no matter how much you have, they can handle it—and their prices are fair. I sell my materials there all the time,” Fang Dong quickly replied.

“Very good. Take care, all of you. I’ll take my leave now,” Yang Xiao said, and with a few swift steps, he vanished from Fang Dong and the others’ sight, heading straight to Deshengyuan to sell his goods.

“That man truly possesses extraordinary cultivation—far beyond our reach,” remarked a gaunt young man beside Fang Dong after Yang Xiao departed. Fang Dong had previously insisted that Yang Xiao’s skills were formidable, but the youth, seeing Yang Xiao’s youthful appearance, had not believed him. Now he was thoroughly convinced. Despite having reached the eighth tier of the Spirit Sense Realm himself, he realized he was vastly outmatched by Yang Xiao.

“Well? Didn’t I tell you? When we first entered the valley, I sensed that young man was no ordinary cultivator. Now, having witnessed his abilities, I’m truly astonished. Even the attacks of Qi Condensation Realm cultivators are no more impressive. We’re lucky to have encountered him—otherwise, we’d all have become a feast for that Golden Silk Spider today,” Fang Dong said gratefully, gazing in the direction Yang Xiao had disappeared.