Chapter 114: Burn, Young Man!

Somewhere outside the city.

Qing Xi reduced all the storage bracelets in his hands to powder. His "Space Body" growth progress had increased to "130/10000." Sensing the interference zone, which had grown slightly larger, Qing Xi felt a sense of profound gratification. He looked at it as if watching a child grow, a simple, rustic smile spreading across his lips.

Although the spatial interference zone could only appear and vanish at designated locations—lacking the ability to crush or shift objects for the time being—Qing Xi had gradually discovered many uses for it. For instance, by splitting the interference zone into two parts and employing a pincer maneuver, he could precisely calculate the spatial coordinates to freeze an object in mid-air.

He gently tossed a stone into the air. After calculating the position, two spatial interference zones appeared simultaneously. The stone, which should have continued its upward trajectory, suddenly froze in mid-air, as if caught by an invisible hand. When he dispelled the zones, the stone began to fall.

"It's a pity it can't exert pressure yet. If it could, even a king of the Heaven Profound Realm might not be able to withstand the force of spatial crushing," Qing Xi mused. He took out a medicinal herb, inhaled its scent deeply, and then used the ultimate technique "Heaven and Earth Boundless, Ten Thousand Mile Tracking" to locate more of the same species. Alternatively, he would employ his "Dog Nose" divine ability to continuously scour the Central Region for rare treasures.

A day later, Qing Xi was sprinting calmly across the plains, with a half-step Earth Realm Twin-Headed Mad Bull in hot pursuit.

"Moo!"

After chasing him for three hundred miles, the Twin-Headed Mad Bull let out a frustrated roar and turned back toward the deep, ancient forest it called home.

"Finally escaped that disaster." Qing Xi collapsed onto the ground, exhausted.

Throughout the day, he had found a wealth of treasures and even discovered two micro-veins of spiritual energy, digging out several fist-sized low-grade spirit stones. If cut into standard cubes, they would amount to at least five hundred low-grade spirit stones. However, the moment he plucked a nearly two-thousand-year-old medicinal herb, he had been relentlessly hunted by the Twin-Headed Mad Bull that leaped from a nearby lake.

This beast was infinitely close to the Earth Realm, possessing thick hide and sturdy flesh. Even when Qing Xi unleashed his "Blazing Sun Arrow"—an ultimate technique reinforced by his low-grade Fire Spirit Body—he could not penetrate the bull's defenses. Thus, he had been forced into a frantic escape.

During the chase, Qing Xi attempted to use "Earth Escape," but the Twin-Headed Mad Bull possessed a peculiar divine ability: it could release shockwaves that caused the earth to tremble. Caught off guard, Qing Xi was blasted out of the ground. Left with no other choice, he had to rely on his own two feet.

Several times, when the bull was about to close the gap, Qing Xi used the spatial interference zones to pinch and bind it in place. Unfortunately, the range was currently limited to one hundred and fifty meters; beyond that, the spatial force would dissipate. What followed was always more desperate flight. He could only sprint with a look of utter existential despair.

Fortunately, his physical strength was now astonishing. Combined with the "Flying Shadow Steps"—a Bronze-tier ultimate technique he had spent several thousand Origin Points to deduce and learn specifically for escape—his speed was immense. Each stride covered fifty meters, allowing him to maintain a safe, albeit hair-raising, distance from the bull. His expression gradually shifted from sheer terror to mild alarm, then to worry, and finally to indifference. His internal logic was: "It’s not as fast as me anyway, no need to panic!"

Now that the bull had finally given up, Qing Xi was utterly spent. He slumped to the ground, quickly swallowed a hundred-year-old herb to recover some strength, and then began to stroll leisurely forward. At the same time, he took out the herb he had snatched.

The herb was only three inches tall, shaped like coral, and pure white like fine jade. Within it were tree-like pale silver filaments, and its surface was wreathed in a faint red halo, giving it a mysterious air. Feeling the surging power within, he estimated it was worth at least two hundred low-grade spirit stones. Yet, rather than selling it, he was more inclined to consume it himself. Anything guarded by a half-step Earth Realm beast could not be ordinary.

[Type: Heaven and Earth Spirit Herb]
[Name: Jade Origin Spirit Grass]
[Age: 1999 years]
[Note: Having absorbed vast amounts of solar and lunar essence along with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and bathed in the blood of many powerful beasts, it has grown into a treasure brimming with surging blood energy and dense spiritual essence. It was originally the treasure the Twin-Headed Mad Bull intended to use to break through to the Earth Realm.]

After reading the information on the Jade Origin Spirit Grass, Qing Xi knew he had hit the jackpot. A treasure used by a half-step Earth Realm beast to attempt a breakthrough was extremely valuable; even in the eyes of sect masters, it would be considered a rare prize.

"Since this is a treasure for breaking through to the Earth Realm, and my strength has reached eighty thousand catties—the equivalent of a peak Profound Realm expert—could consuming this allow my strength to surpass that of an Earth Realm beast?" Qing Xi asked the system.

Xiao Zhu explained: "Impossible. The leap from the peak of the Profound Realm to the Earth Realm is vast. Setting aside the enhancements to physical durability and speed, the strength requirement alone jumps from eighty thousand to two hundred thousand catties. This Jade Origin Spirit Grass is merely a key to the breakthrough, not the entirety of the process."

"Well... should I eat it or not?" Qing Xi was conflicted.

"Why wouldn't you eat what you've already obtained?" Xiao Zhu added. "While the Jade Origin Spirit Grass cannot push your body to the Earth Realm, it is sufficient to reach the half-step Earth Realm."

"Then what am I waiting for? Down the hatch."

Qing Xi tossed the herb into his mouth. Immediately, he felt a surge of massive power erupt, threatening to tear his body apart. Feeling as though he had an inexhaustible supply of energy, he was forced to continue sprinting as he refined the herb to accelerate the process. He ran faster and faster, his body temperature soaring due to the medicinal power. He looked like a fireball; had he not channeled his True Qi to protect his robes, he would have been left stark naked in an instant.

At that moment, a large group of people was walking leisurely along the road. Suddenly, a humanoid fireball streaked past them, whipping up a fierce gale.

"Ah!"
"We're under attack!"

Their clothes instantly caught fire, and several women let out shrill screams.

"Everyone, stay calm!"

The man with the highest cultivation, possessing star-like eyes and sword-shaped brows, shouted. A massive surge of True Qi erupted from him, extinguishing the flames on everyone in an instant. He frowned, staring in the direction the fireball had vanished, about to offer a stern rebuke, but found no one there. The figure had long since disappeared without a trace.

The young man looked at the ground, noticing that every hundred meters or so, there was a footprint accompanied by a pungent, scorched scent.

"Senior Brother, what on earth was that? Could it be a demon from beyond the heavens?" A woman asked, her face pale with lingering fear.

The young man shook his head, his expression grave. "I am not certain, but in that fireball... there seemed to be a person, and quite a young one at that!"

"That's impossible... among the younger generation, who could possess such terrifying speed?" The woman shivered. The moment the fireball had swept past, she was nearly lifted off her feet, and her clothes had been set ablaze—the mere thought made her shudder. Who in the Central Region was this formidable? Surely no one on the Rising Star Ranking possessed such power?

The woman thought to herself but dared not ask, fearing she might annoy her senior.

The young man shook his head and said, "Judging by the direction he vanished in, he seems to be heading toward Gathering Respect City. He must be here to attend the grand assembly."