Chapter 82: Fierce Battle, Revised

It was said that Sun Xuan, the golden-robed guard captain of the Northwestern Route of the Peacekeeping Office, had one in his possession. Someday, when he could finally beat him, he would snatch it away without fail.

Ling Chi was already turning over a little scheme in his mind. He dragged the bear onto the official road, tore off a strip of sinew, and tied it around the black horse’s neck.

“One of us gets one end. You’re not getting away, Blacky.” Ling Chi rubbed its head.

The black horse endured the added burden without protest.

Its thick legs strained, and the black bear was dragged forward inch by inch.

“Not bad. My Blacky has really grown up.” Ling Chi said lightly as he hauled the brown bear along beside it.

The horse snorted, breathing hard through its nostrils, yet it only quickened its pace.

When the man and horse appeared at the city gate, dragging the bear’s massive body behind them, the whole county was shaken. More and more common folk gathered along the streets to stare.

Bold children came forward to stroke the bear fur, and Ling Chi did not stop them. He even told them to go to the Peacekeeping Office to eat bear meat. Taken together, the two bears weighed more than eight thousand jin, and even after skinning and butchering them, there would still be a mountain of meat left.

These were bear demons of the sea of qi realm. For the children to manage even a small bowl of soup would be good enough. Most likely it would fortify them so much they would end up with nosebleeds.

He dragged them all the way to the Peacekeeping Office, where he had the banners and officers haul the carcasses back to the training grounds. Ling Chi took up a short blade and skinned and broke them down himself. The bear hide could be peeled off and made into bedding, which would be wonderfully comfortable.

The smaller bones could be boiled into soup and given to the children in the county.

The thick bones and meat were only something cultivators could bear.

The bear body, ten feet long, shocked the county’s martial artists. A sea of qi realm bear demon, and the first they had seen in decades at that. This sort of thing would have to be recorded in the county annals.

“Little Six, where did you hunt such a huge bear demon? You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?”

Yang Shu walked up curiously and touched the bear hide, asking with concern.

“I’m fine. I only went to the outskirts of Crane Mountain. Someone came today to report that a bear demon had injured people, so I made a trip.”

“Just right. Take these bear paws and cook them for the wedding banquet. It’ll give Mistress real face. These are the paws of a fifth-stage sea of qi bear demon; you can’t even hope to see them on ordinary days.” Ling Chi said with a grin.

“That won’t do. Leave two to be sent to the main table, and the rest you and your brothers divide among yourselves. Besides, it’s already generous enough to let them taste bear meat.”

Yang Shu still felt pained at wasting such expensive ingredients. Better to leave the good things for the family.

Ling Chi smiled and nodded from the side.

“The moment you entered the county, someone came looking for me, wanting to buy some bear meat to nourish themselves. I only said I’d wait until you came back.”

Yang Shu smiled as she tidied Ling Chi’s hair. As if she could decide such things for him.

“Whether it’s sold or given away, it’s up to Mistress. There’s so much of it that I can’t use it all anyway. You decide.”

To others, this bear meat might be a treasure, but for Ling Chi’s body, it could hardly improve much.

The body-tempering effects of thunder far surpassed these things. In the future, if he could hunt something with a higher cultivation level, then it might be worth trying.

Yang Shu nodded. It would be nice if they could sell it for a good price or exchange it for some cultivation resources.

“Sixth Brother, I heard you dragged back two enormous bears.”

Before Little Rui’er had even arrived, her voice was already floating over.

“Wow, such huge bears. Sixth Brother is amazing.” Rui’er looked at the massive carcasses, beaming as she jumped high into the air before pouncing onto the soft bear hide.

“Do you like black or brown? I can have two bedding mats or some clothes made for you.”

Ling Chi asked casually.

“Really? I want black.”

“All right, I’ll keep a black one for you. The rest can make a big cloak for Mistress.” Ling Chi gestured as he answered.

With a short blade in hand, he worked like a master butcher dissecting an ox, stripping away bone, flesh, sinew, and hide piece by piece. He laid some of it on a wooden board and called Li Wu over to send it to the martial hall. The rest he left for Mistress to handle.

He kept the ten-foot bear sinew for himself. After curing it, he planned to tan it together with the snake sinew into a new belt. If needed, he could also take it off and use it as rope.

The brown bear hide was handed directly to Zhao Kun, as their wedding gift.

Ling Chi tanned the black bear hide thoroughly, scraped away the remaining residue and membranes, then stretched it out to dry in the shade.

He busied himself the whole afternoon. Just as he sat down, Zhao Shanhe and Li Shui came over.

“Old Six, you brat, not bad at all. You actually got such a huge bear demon. Third Brother and I are in for a feast.” Zhao Shanhe laughed, punching him in the chest.

“Mistress has already saved the bear paws for you. Take this bear meat back and eat it.” Ling Chi said without budging an inch, while Zhao Shanhe’s fist turned bright red from the impact.

Zhao Shanhe stared at his reddened hand and was momentarily speechless. This kid’s body was becoming more outrageous by the day.

“Mistress has arranged for the three of us to help entertain the guests, but I don’t know any of these people. I’ll have to trouble the two senior brothers.” Ling Chi said, draping an arm over each of their shoulders.

“Third Brother is the most tactful and polished among us, so he’s perfect for it.” Zhao Shanhe said slyly, pushing the burden onto Li Shui.

Li Shui rolled his eyes, shook himself free, and walked off. Who told him to be the third senior brother?

“Fifth Brother, care for a spar?” Ling Chi challenged, taking a boxing stance.

When Zhao Shanhe first took office, he had been at the sixth level of opening the meridians. These past few months, he had also made some progress.

“Your Fifth Brother is merely at the seventh level of opening the meridians. How could I be your Sixth Young Master’s match?” he said helplessly, looking at his still-red fist.

“Hahaha! Old Six, I’ll spar with you myself. Use your full strength.” Zhao Qing’s robust figure appeared on the training grounds, his seven-foot frame broad of shoulder and body, a pair of tiger eyes gleaming brightly.

His dark skin seemed forged from metal, and his aura was vast and imposing. At a glance, it was clear his cultivation had advanced.

“Congratulations, Master, on your breakthrough. The spirit pearl is within reach.” Ling Chi and Zhao Shanhe said in unison.

“Mm. At last, I’ve broken through. Come, Old Six. Let master and disciple test each other bare-handed.”

Zhao Qing intended to weigh his youngest disciple’s abilities. In a month’s time, they would fight side by side, and he needed to know what he was dealing with.

“Master, be careful.”

Ling Chi’s fighting spirit surged. He clenched both fists.

The opening form of the Eight Extremities Fist: Crossbow Drawn at the Center.

He rose onto the tip of one foot and sent a fist crashing toward Zhao Qing’s face with the sound of wind.

Zhao Qing shifted aside, seized Ling Chi’s left arm, turned his shoulder and sank his waist, then swung his right leg wide to lash at Ling Chi’s middle.

Ling Chi had no time to withdraw. He could only raise his knee and drop his elbow, meeting the kick head-on.

Muay Thai guard technique: knee and elbow raised together.

Bang.

Leg and knee collided with a dull thud, stirring up a burst of air.

Both had now gained a rough sense of the other’s strength, and Ling Chi struck first.

Eight Extremities: Ground-Standing Sky-Piercing Cannon.

Both fists burst forth like angry dragons surging from the sea, one hammering toward Zhao Qing’s chin, the other racing for his throat.

Zhao Qing instantly broke free, his arms circling like he was gathering the moon. He had just pressed down the incoming fists when Ling Chi’s flying knee was already driving into his chest.

Clang.

Zhao Qing was forced back several steps before he steadied himself.

“Good boy. Again.” Zhao Qing’s fighting spirit rose in turn, and he took the initiative.

The two fought together once more.

The fierce clash drew many onlookers to the edge of the training grounds. This was the county’s first and second seat testing their skills against each other, a rare sight indeed.

The two fought faster and faster, their force growing ever greater. The air waves they stirred even rippled across Little Rui’er’s cheeks at the sidelines.

“Mother, why is Father hitting Sixth Brother? Is he being naughty?” Little Rui’er asked in a soft, childlike voice, shrinking into Yang Shu’s arms.

“They’re sparring, not fighting.” Yang Shu tapped her little nose and answered with a smile.

Little Rui’er’s confused gaze fell on the flying sand and stones of the training grounds. The adult world was so complicated.

Xiao Zhan watched the two exchanging blows with a complicated expression. Both were sea of qi realm martial artists, yet he was still far, far behind.