Hunting and Returning to the City

But it wasn't over yet.

Demon Tongue was only the prelude.

Bang—

The Demon Beast's massive body—over a meter tall and more than four meters long—collided with Zhang Ming.

In an instant.

Zhang Ming, shield in hand and clad in armor, his entire body weighing several thousand pounds, was sent flying several meters like a cannonball.

Several meters away.

The tremendous impact drove Zhang Ming's body several dozen centimeters into the rock wall.

Forcing down his surging Vital Energy, Zhang Ming quickly struggled free from the rock wall.

"Damn it, good thing I'm wearing this armor."

Steadying himself and regulating his breathing, Zhang Ming looked into the distance.

Zhang Ming weighed several thousand pounds and wore iron armor, giving him astonishing defenses, yet he had still been knocked several meters away.

How could the Demon Beast have fared any better?

Great Newton had taught them that every force had an equal and opposite reaction.

At that moment, the massive Demon Beast was howling and rolling about on the ground. Clearly, that collision had not felt good for it either.

"An opportunity."

Without the slightest hesitation, Zhang Ming immediately removed the Long Spear from his back.

His Vital Energy surged, stimulating every inch of flesh in his body as the brutal strength of the [Mighty Bull Cultivation Method] was driven to its limit.

"Die!"

Whoosh—

The Long Spear tore through the air, whistling toward it.

The distance of several meters vanished in the blink of an eye.

Squelch—

The Demon Beast's fur and scales were tough, but the Long Spear was of exceptional quality, bolstered by the tens of thousands of pounds of brute force from the [Mighty Bull Cultivation Method].

At such close range.

After only a slight resistance, the Long Spear pierced through its scales and plunged into the Demon Beast's body, spraying blood.

It wasn't over.

"Again."

Whoosh, whoosh—

Two more Long Spears ripped through the air and shot toward the Demon Beast's body.

At such close range, the Long Spears never missed.

All three Long Spears embedded themselves in the Demon Beast's head.

The Demon Beast's vitality was immense. Even so, it did not die immediately, still struggling, wailing, and rolling about without end.

But Zhang Ming would not let such a good opportunity slip away.

The Ring-Pommel Great Saber appeared in his hand as he charged forward at high speed.

Black Tiger Descends Mountain.

Roar—

A phantom black tiger appeared, and the great saber cleaved straight into the Demon Beast's head.

With a single strike, the Demon Beast's head was split in two, killing it on the spot.

"Good, it's finally dead."

Once the corpse stopped struggling, Zhang Ming drew a deep breath. Without lingering for even a moment, he immediately put away his shield and saber, dragged the Demon Beast's corpse, and ran toward the cave entrance.

The purpose of this trip into the mine was to hunt Demon Beasts.

Now that he had killed one—a large Demon Beast over a meter tall and several meters long—

What was the point of going deeper?

Zhang Ming dragged the dead Demon Beast's corpse and fled at top speed.

Rustle, rustle—

The sound of countless Demon Beasts running rose from behind him once more.

As he ran, Zhang Ming occasionally fired a Long Spear into the dark mine tunnel behind him.

He did not hope to kill or injure any Demon Beasts.

He only needed to slow their pursuit, even a little.

Thus, he fled all the way.

More than ten long spears behind him had all been thrown.

The darkness of the mine cave finally receded somewhat.

The cave entrance was ahead.

"Young Master, Young Master!"

"My lord, my lord!"

At the entrance, the anxious armored soldiers and Lin De hurried forward to greet them.

"Watch out for the beast behind us!"

Zhang Ming shouted sharply. Several armored soldiers hastened behind Zhang Ming, raising their shields as they stood guard.

Huff, huff—

Dropping the beast's mangled, blood-soaked corpse that he had dragged all the way here, Zhang Ming panted heavily as he stared at the cave entrance.

Ready at any moment to block and kill any beast leaving the mine cave.

Time ticked by, second by second.

Yet not a single beast emerged from the mine cave.

Zhang Ming felt fortunate. Good thing they didn't come out. It seems the beasts truly hate the light.

"Alright, it looks like there's no danger for now. Seal the mine cave again."

"Yes, my lord."

Rumble, rumble.

The winch turned.

The Refined Iron Gate, weighing ten thousand jin, slowly closed under the rollers' push.

Mine Cave No. 13 returned to darkness.

"Young Master, Young Master, are you alright?"

Only then did Lin De turn his attention back to his young master.

"I'm fine. Just minor wounds."

The beast's charge had been fierce, but that was all.

His armor, shield, and formidable body were no pushovers either.

Swallowing a pill to ease his injuries, Zhang Ming gave his orders.

"Alright, prepare containers, wooden crates, and saltpeter. I'm going to dissect the beast here."

Taking the enormous beast corpse directly back to Yang City was not a wise choice.

Dissecting it, then secretly sealing it in wooden crates to bring back to Yang City, was the best option.

"Alright, Young Master. Please wait a moment."

A short while later.

Everything was ready.

Zhang Ming had never dissected a Mine Cave Beast before.

But thanks to his perfected medical skills and the mastery of flesh, bodies, muscles, joints, and the like that came with his blade arts, dissecting the corpse did not take much time.

Just two hours later, the enormous corpse had been sorted into categories and placed into different wooden crates according to value.

Splash—

Clean water washed the filthy blood from his hands. Facing the terrified gazes of those beside him, who looked at him as though he were a crazed corpse butcher, Zhang Ming ordered, "Transport these wooden crates to the Zhang Family."

Zhang Ming did not remain at Qingmang Mountain Mine for long.

After hunting the beast and processing and dissecting its corpse, he merely rested briefly to ease his physical exhaustion before setting off once more.

It couldn't be helped. With the Hundred Beasts Sect as an enemy that could arrive at any moment, Zhang Ming had no choice but to make the most of his time.

What was more, Zhang Ming himself wanted to test the effects of the new version of the Bull Secret Medicine—

whether it was as powerful as it had been in his memories.

He raced onward.

Outside Yang City, Zhang Ming remembered something.

"You go into the city first. I still have something to do."

"Yes, my lord."

Watching more than a dozen armored soldiers escort the convoy into Yang City, Zhang Ming turned his horse around and galloped off in the other direction.