[Obtained [Spell Coin] x36] [Obtained [Qi-Restoring Pill] x5] [Blazing Fire Bow] [Description: A high-grade Dharmic Instrument. Its body was forged from a hundred-year-old Fire Parasol Tree, and its string was tanned from the sinews of a cultivator specializing in the "Myriad Forms Treasure Body Art." Inscribed with "Fire Gathering" and "Swift Wind" runes. Requires no arrows. Drawing the string condenses fire-element spiritual qi into an arrow. Boasts long range and powerful penetration, with additional effectiveness against sinister, unclean entities. Those who do not specialize in the fire element or possess abundant true qi will struggle to unleash its full power.]
Chu Mo deftly picked up all the glowing orbs, then bent down and stripped Liu Hu of everything before happily putting away his spoils.
Who knew how many loans the man had taken out, or how much effort he had poured into acquiring this high-grade Dharmic Instrument? In the end, Chu Mo had reaped all the benefits.
"Tsk, tsk."
He casually flicked out a low-grade Fire Talisman, reducing the corpse to ash, and muttered, "Murder and arson earn you a golden belt. The ancients truly didn't lie."
With his enemy dealt with, Chu Mo lingered no longer. He turned and raced back the way he had come. Liu Bao and Liu Lang had decent Dharmic Instruments too. He couldn't let such treasures go to waste.
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
Crack-boom!
A bolt of lightning appeared out of thin air and struck the unsuspecting Liu Bao with the crushing might of thunder. The protective spiritual glow around him shattered on impact, and the deathly white lightning illuminated the terror in his eyes. "No-!"
His scream cut off abruptly. The terrifying Thunder Talisman pierced the crown of his head and rampaged through his fragile flesh. In an instant, only a charred corpse remained.
Ying Le looked at the lifeless Liu Bao and grinned in satisfaction. "You dared chase your granddaddy? Didn't you know I've got plenty of high-grade Spirit Talismans?"
He took several ragged breaths to settle his surging blood, then fixed his gaze on the high-grade Spirit Umbrella, his eyes blazing with desire.
Just then, Zhu Ming approached with his Feather Fan in hand, his steps somewhat unsteady. "That was a close call. To think the Liu brothers had two high-grade Dharmic Instruments... We only escaped with our lives thanks to your ample trump cards, Junior Brother Ying."
When cultivation levels were comparable, the quality of one's Dharmic Instrument could often decide the battle.
His and Ying Le's Dharmic Instruments were only middle grade. Had Liu Bao not underestimated them and failed to anticipate Ying Le's remaining trump card, their souls would likely have long since returned to a dark Soul Banner.
"You're too kind, Brother Zhu. We're fellow disciples; helping each other is only right." Ying Le waved a hand, letting a trace of concern appear on his face at just the right moment. "I just wonder how Brother Chu and the others are faring..." Their prospects were probably grim.
Seeing this, Zhu Ming agreed without betraying anything. "Unfortunately, in our current condition, we're powerless to go back and help. Otherwise..."
At those words, an almost imperceptible glint flickered through Zhu Ming's eyes. He glanced sidelong at the Spirit Umbrella on the ground and offered reassurance in his usual tone:
"Don't blame yourself, Junior Brother. Surely fortune smiles upon the worthy-"
Before he could finish, disaster struck.
An enormous wind blade swept out of the Feather Fan, aimed straight at the completely unguarded Ying Le.
"Sorry, Junior Brother. If you must blame something, blame your wealth. And now you've added this high-grade Dharmic Instrument to it. It's simply too tempting." Greed surfaced in Zhu Ming's eyes.
And yet-
"I've been waiting for you!"
As though he had eyes in the back of his head, Ying Le twisted his body unnaturally just before the wind blade struck. At some point, a Crimson Spirit Talisman had already appeared between his fingers!
Crack-boom!
Another blinding bolt of lightning struck back with a speed that left no time even to cover one's ears, hitting the dumbfounded Zhu Ming before he could react!
"You clearly said you had no..." Zhu Ming's horrified accusation vanished beneath the thunder.
When the lightning faded, Zhu Ming stood charred black, wisps of smoke rising from his body, before toppling stiffly to the ground. Disbelieving terror and regret still lingered in his eyes.
"You believed it just because I said it?"
Looking at Zhu Ming's corpse, Ying Le curled his lips into a mocking smile.
He bent down and first picked up the high-grade Spirit Umbrella, stroking it fondly, then began expertly looting every possession from Zhu Ming and Liu Bao.
When Chu Mo returned to the valley, Liu Lang had already vanished. Only Su Yao's corpse remained on the ground, the unwillingness in her eyes yet to fade.
"He picked this place clean?"
He looked around in astonishment. Only the corpses of a few low-level warriors remained on the battlefield. The bodies of the chief and the other mid-level warriors had all disappeared.
"Looks like Liu Lang won."
Chu Mo picked up a torn scrap of Zhang Meng's clothing from the ground and understood. Zhang Meng's corpse was worth more, so the victor must have carried it away.
Left with no choice, he accepted reality and began collecting the bodies of the low-level Totem Warriors.
The battlefield reeked of blood. To avoid attracting Savage Beasts or other fellow disciples, Chu Mo did not remove the "spines" on the spot. Instead, he put all the corpses into his [Backpack], planning to process them somewhere safe.
Although low-level warriors were worth few contribution points, small gains could still pile up.
After swiftly "cleaning up" the battlefield, Chu Mo checked one last time to make sure he had missed nothing, then promptly departed.
Only about an hour later did Ying Le finally arrive. He stared at the empty valley, dumbfounded.
"Liu Hu! Liu Lang!" He ground out their names through clenched teeth. "I'll remember you!"
After a long while, he calmed himself. Ying Le glanced at Su Yao's corpse and murmured, "What a pity..."
He casually flicked out a spark, and flames slowly swallowed her, leaping more than ten feet high.
Crackle, pop.
The raging fire made the small mountain of corpses crackle and pop. Fat dripped, and flames danced.
"As expected of people who specialize in their bodies. They really do take a while to burn." Chu Mo looked at the "funeral pyre" before him and tossed out the remark.
As the flames gradually died down, dozens of strange sections of bone emerged from the embers.
These "spines" were not the usual white. Instead, they had a translucent, jade-like sheen, with faint streams of light circulating inside, as though they contained some peculiar energy.
They varied in size and depth of color, presumably corresponding to the strength of the dead when they were alive.
[[Inferior Rock Spine] x17]
"Not bad. Just thirteen contribution points short of the assessment's minimum requirement." Chu Mo nodded in satisfaction.
Then he turned his attention to the other items in his [Backpack] that he had looted from the natives. Setting aside the assorted beast teeth, ores, and strange ornaments, two items caught his particular interest.
The first was a scroll made from the tanned hide of some unknown beast.
[Rock Tribe Awakening Manual (Incomplete)] [Description: Records a rudimentary method used by cultivators of the Savage Realm to open the gateway to power. Combined with faith in a specific totem, it grants the Dao Path: Totem Warrior.]
"Totem Warrior..." Chu Mo pondered.
This thing wasn't much use to him. After all, Fuli Heaven had already smashed the Savage Realm to pieces, and that so-called Saint had been captured too. This cultivation system clearly had no future.
He put away the beast-hide manual and turned his gaze to the second item.