Burn Essence, Spirit Medicine Secured!

Xia Wuji waited nearby like an experienced hunter.

Not a trace of his aura leaked out.

The combat strength of these four top-grade Fierce Beasts rivaled that of Primal Energy Realm martial artists—and exceptionally formidable ones at that. Though Xia Wuji possessed razor-sharp Sword Essence and could employ Man-Sword Unity, there was no need for him to rush out now.

Hidden in the shadows, he swallowed a top-grade Qi-Nourishing Precious Pill he had just obtained, replenishing the True Essence expended in the previous battle.

"Boom!"

The Giant Demon Ape's fist struck the Storm Blue Wolf.

The Storm Blue Wolf crashed heavily to the ground, smashing a shocking crater into the earth.

The Giant Demon Ape leaped down into the crater, directly lifted the Storm Blue Wolf, and then enacted an exceptionally bloody scene!

It tore the Storm Blue Wolf apart alive!

Wolf blood sprayed everywhere!

The Giant Demon Ape tossed the wolf's two halves onto the ground, dug out a Beast Core, and stuffed it straight into its mouth, crunching it to pieces!

Immediately afterward, the Giant Demon Ape charged madly toward the hill shrouded in crimson radiance.

The Lightning Leopard and the Wind Swallowing Eagle immediately abandoned their attacks on each other.

Flapping its blood-soaked wings, the Wind Swallowing Eagle skimmed low across the ground and charged at the Giant Demon Ape.

The Lightning Leopard transformed into a streak of thunder and shot forward, likewise attacking the Giant Demon Ape.

The Giant Demon Ape let out a furious roar and suddenly seized the Wind Swallowing Eagle by its talon.

The Wind Swallowing Eagle cried out miserably, then the Giant Demon Ape swung it through the air and smashed it toward the Lightning Leopard hurtling over!

"Boom!"

The Giant Demon Ape wielded the Wind Swallowing Eagle like a weapon, battering the Lightning Leopard and sending it flying backward.

The Wind Swallowing Eagle, meanwhile, was smashed to pieces!

The Lightning Leopard was drenched in blood. Crouching low, it kept growling at the Giant Demon Ape.

The Giant Demon Ape beat its chest frantically with both arms, unleashing roar after roar that shook the mountains and forests.

In the end, the Lightning Leopard slowly retreated, not daring to approach again.

In the shadows, Xia Wuji's gaze flickered.

This Giant Demon Ape looks close to advancing into a true Demon Beast. Its strength truly is formidable—the Lightning Leopard no longer dares compete with it!

Looks like I'll have to reveal a bit of my real skill.

Xia Wuji murmured softly.

Originally, he had possessed forty-one drops of True Essence in his Dantian.

However, after fighting the people from the Sword Pavilion—especially the battle against Li Qing—he had expended quite a bit. Although he was recovering quickly with the top-grade Qi-Nourishing Precious Pill, he still had only thirty-six drops of True Essence.

The Giant Demon Ape growing stronger as it fought was beyond Xia Wuji's expectations, making it more difficult for him to play the fisherman who profited in the end.

But Xia Wuji was determined to obtain this Second-tier Low-grade Spirit Medicine, the Crimson Jade Blood Ginseng. Naturally, he had other methods.

With a thought—

In an instant, the Sword Seed within his Dantian shook violently!

All thirty-six drops of True Essence transformed into sword qi!

Xia Wuji's body shot forward in an instant, like a sharp sword piercing the air, raising a shriek as piercing as a tidal wave.

By now, the Lightning Leopard had completely retreated.

The Giant Demon Ape was turning around, preparing to pluck the plump fruit!

Suddenly, a figure rushed onto the hill!

"Roar!"

The Giant Demon Ape released an enraged roar. Its black hairs stood on end like hard steel needles, its scarlet eyes like two seas of blood. Its enormous body leaped up and lunged forward viciously.

Having reached the hilltop, Xia Wuji thrust one hand fiercely into the earth. The next moment, he pulled out the Crimson Jade Blood Ginseng!

The entirely crimson Spirit Medicine flowed with a crystal-clear sheen and contained incomparably abundant energy.

It has indeed reached the standard of a Second-tier Low-grade Spirit Medicine! Xia Wuji thought, joy appearing on his face. He immediately tucked the Crimson Jade Blood Ginseng into his robes.

At that moment, a heavy pressure came crashing down from above.

The berserk Giant Demon Ape was like a mountain falling upon him.

Xia Wuji snorted coldly!

The sword qi formed from the thirty-six drops of True Essence in his Dantian erupted in an instant!

"Burn Essence!"

Xia Wuji shouted!

The Jinghong Sword slashed out violently!

In that instant, heaven and earth lost their color!

The peerless edge seemed poised to reduce everything here to fragments!

This sword was a supreme killing technique recorded within the Eternal Sword Canon!

It was also a desperate move!

One sword expended everything!

Only with the conviction to kill without fail could this sword be unleashed!

The sword qi formed from thirty-six drops of True Essence shot forth, then merged in midair into a single sword qi!

"Slash!"

That sole sword qi was brilliant and resplendent, resolute and tyrannical. It directly cleaved the descending Giant Demon Ape into fragments that filled the sky!

Blood rained down like a torrential downpour.

Xia Wuji instantly stuffed all his remaining top-grade Qi-Nourishing Precious Pills into his mouth. Forcing himself to summon a breath of strength, he stepped into the Shadowless Wind Step and fled in an instant!

This was no place to linger!

He was exceedingly weak now. Even an upper-grade Fierce Beast would leave him powerless to resist.

And in a place like this, there were certainly no few upper-grade Fierce Beasts.

A short while later, Xia Wuji arrived at the mountain peak where the Arrow Feather Eagle was waiting. With a cold shout, the Arrow Feather Eagle atop the peak swooped down.

Xia Wuji leaped up and landed steadily upon the Arrow Feather Eagle's back, then rode it away from this perilous place of conflict!

At the same time, he tore off a piece of the Crimson Jade Blood Ginseng and tossed it into his mouth.

A warm current instantly spread through his body. Xia Wuji circulated his cultivation technique to refine it and recover his strength!

Sure enough, not long after Xia Wuji departed, roars from Fierce Beasts rang out from the direction of that battleground.

Four top-grade Fierce Beasts had fought, and three had died. The order among the Fierce Beasts of the Monster Suppression Mountain Range had collapsed; chaos would likely reign for quite some time.

Just then—

A flicker of danger rose in Xia Wuji's heart.

"To the left!"

He shouted softly.

The Arrow Feather Eagle instantly shifted sideways to the left!

A bolt of lightning flashed past.

Had Xia Wuji not detected it in advance, the Arrow Feather Eagle's body would have been blasted apart by that lightning!

Xia Wuji looked down and discovered that the Lightning Leopard which had been scared off by the Giant Demon Ape had actually pursued them!

The Lightning Leopard was a top-grade Fierce Beast. Though it had fought fiercely against the Wind Swallowing Eagle and been taught a harsh lesson by the Giant Demon Ape, suffering serious wounds and losing its full combat strength, it was still far more powerful than an ordinary upper-grade Fierce Beast.

Xia Wuji had used the Burn Essence secret technique to kill the Giant Demon Ape, swallowed a top-grade Qi-Nourishing Precious Pill, and eaten a piece of Crimson Jade Blood Ginseng. He now had twenty-one drops of True Essence in his Dantian.

But that was clearly not enough to deal with this Lightning Leopard!

He still had to wait!

Fortunately, though the Lightning Leopard was fast, it could not fly. It could only race across the ground after the Arrow Feather Eagle, occasionally firing a bolt of lightning into the sky. With Xia Wuji's warnings, the Arrow Feather Eagle always narrowly avoided them.

With the Lightning Leopard pursuing them, Xia Wuji could only remain on the Arrow Feather Eagle's back and could not land. The Monster Suppression Mountain Range was about to erupt in a beast tide, and staying in the air was extremely dangerous.

At this point, Xia Wuji had completely refined that piece of Crimson Jade Blood Ginseng.

Not only had he recovered all his strength, but his True Essence had even increased, reaching forty-six drops!

Just as he was about to strike and deal with the Lightning Leopard—

Suddenly, a woman's figure flashed through the forest below!

The Lightning Leopard's body was instantly split in two.

With a flick of her sword, the woman removed the Lightning Leopard's Beast Core, then glanced at Xia Wuji in the air.

Xia Wuji's expression tightened. He then patted the Arrow Feather Eagle's neck, and it immediately swooped down. While still several yards above the ground, he leaped straight down and arrived before the woman.

The woman had an oval face, exquisite features, and a graceful figure, with an air of distinction about her.

Xia Wuji could tell that this woman was in the Primal Energy Realm. Moreover, the movement technique she had displayed while speeding over was rather exquisite; she should be able to travel through the air for short periods.

Such a young Primal Energy Realm martial artist was certainly not some unknown figure within the Great Chu Dynasty.

If she intended to attack Xia Wuji, then with Xia Wuji seated on the Arrow Feather Eagle's back, the Arrow Feather Eagle would be completely useless.

So he might as well come down!

Before Xia Wuji could speak, the woman said, "The Monster Suppression Mountain Range is about to erupt in a beast tide. With your level of cultivation, flying around in the sky atop a mid-grade Fierce Beast like the Arrow Feather Eagle is no different from courting death."

"This time, you were lucky to encounter me."

"Hurry up and leave!"

After saying that, her figure flashed, and she vanished from before Xia Wuji.

A smile appeared on Xia Wuji's face. So he had encountered a heroic swordswoman who drew her sword to help?

As for her name and origins... Xia Wuji did not ask. Of course, even if he had, she might not have told him.

They had met by chance and planted a seed of kindness.

If fate allowed, they would meet again someday. Then he could repay her with a good deed.

With the Lightning Leopard no longer a threat, Xia Wuji soon returned to the tomb space of the Mortal World Sword Master. It was rather quiet here.

Xia Wuji took out the Crimson Jade Blood Ginseng, from which he had eaten a small piece.

Looking at the Second-tier Low-grade Spirit Medicine in his hand, anticipation appeared on his face.

The purpose of this journey into the Monster Suppression Mountain Range had finally been achieved!