The Battle Ahead

"Since that's settled, let's do it this way. Liu Yang, what materials are needed to make a Boundary Breaking Talisman? Tell us, and we'll see if we can gather them all," Xie Chong said after a moment's thought.

"These are the materials needed to make a Boundary Breaking Talisman. Take a look. To be honest, given my skill in talisman-making, I'd need several attempts to produce one." As he spoke, a fair-faced, middle-aged man took out a Black Jade Slip and handed it to Xie Chong.

Xie Chong sent his divine sense into it, then quickly withdrew it and passed the Black Jade Slip to the others.

After all four had taken turns inspecting its contents, their faces all grew grave.

"Beiyou Stone and Guangyin Sand aside, it actually requires the hide of a Level Ten Yao Beast! A Level Ten Yao Beast is equivalent to a Nascent Soul Late Stage cultivator, and is just one step away from becoming a Sacred Beast. Does anyone have the hide of a Level Ten Yao Beast?"

"No."

"Neither do I, though I do have a piece of Beiyou Stone."

"I don't have any either, but I have a box of Guangyin Sand."

Xie Chong knitted his brows and pondered for a moment before giving his orders. "Liu Yang, Li Jun, go see if you can find a Level Ten Yao Beast. The two of you should have no trouble dealing with one. Once you get the hide, come straight back."

"Yes, Commander Xie."

The two men answered, then turned into streaks of black light and flew toward the distant horizon.

......

At the border between Great Tang and Eastern Qi, in the Langya Mountain Range.

On a broad plain, thousands of cultivators fought one another.

Their clothing made it clear that they