Chapter 045: Is That All?

Climb over it!

Dangling from the sheer cliff, Su Jingxing paused briefly to catch his breath, then pressed on. This time, however, his path led upward.

He scaled the precipitous mountainside, ascending with swift determination. After three short breaks during the thousand-meter climb, he finally reached the summit.

"Hoo—"

Standing atop the precipice, a cool breeze swept over him, and his vision expanded in an instant. Before him, an endless sea of clouds drifted among the mountains, veiling everything behind the cliffs and blocking even the heavens’ gaze from above. No one could know what lay on the earth at the heart of those peaks. Only an overwhelming, boundless vitality surged forth to greet him.

The energy of heaven and earth!

For the first time, Su Jingxing distinctly sensed a flowing energy between earth and sky—something he had never noticed on his way here, much less in Qinghe City, where so many energies mingled and clashed.

He drew a deep breath, steadying his excitement.

Unfastening his steel claws, he ate a Vital Essence Pill to restore his stamina and clarity. Then, he donned the claws once more, swept his gaze across the mountaintop, and sprinted swiftly to the right.

After traveling a short distance, he began his descent.

Down a steep, sloping path, he unleashed the Eight-Step Ascending Dragon technique.

Swish, swish, swish—

The wind rushed past, carrying with it a faint and intoxicating fragrance—the scent of ripe herbs and wild delicacies. Each breath invigorated him.

Swish, swish, swish!

He sped downward, plunging into the sea of clouds and vanishing from sight.

Yet, within Su Jingxing’s view, the landscape behind the precipice grew ever clearer, revealing more and more details. Through the thin mist, he could make out a faintly visible valley ahead.

When the slope ended, the valley lay in full view.

Rare flowers and herbs blanketed the ground, dazzling in a riot of color. A dense forest hugged the cliff to the left, lush and vibrant, with birds soaring skyward. Stimulated by the abundance of life, small animals frolicked and leapt amid the sea of blossoms.

A river more than ten meters wide meandered through the valley, winding past its western edge. The rich fragrance, carried by the mountain breeze, lingered in the air, refusing to disperse.

What a hidden paradise!

The informant had not lied. At least in this valley, the energy of heaven and earth was exceptionally abundant. It was no wonder that treasures like the Muyan Flower could thrive here.

Only in such a place could true treasures of heaven and earth take root.

Su Jingxing lingered at the end of the slope, gazing out for a while before withdrawing his glance. He then continued to use the Eight-Step Ascending Dragon, swiftly descending along the mountain wall.

Swish, swish, swish—

The descent was far easier than the climb.

Soon, Su Jingxing left the cliffside and stood in the midst of a sea of flowers.

He activated the secret technique “Sound Reaches the Ears,” which let him perceive any movement within a hundred meters, and headed straight for the river in the west.

According to the informant’s account, the Muyan Flower grew near the riverbank—otherwise, it wouldn’t have been visible.

This valley was vast; meadows and flower fields stretched on and on, separated by clusters of woodland. Without exploring it personally, there was no way to know what treasures might be hiding within.

Su Jingxing’s first goal was the Muyan Flower, so he made straight for the river.

But as he walked, he suddenly raised his hand and flicked an ordinary iron throwing knife.

Whoosh!

With a muffled sound, a brilliantly colored serpent, slithering silently through the grass toward him, exploded at the head.

Whoosh!

A knife spun backward.

With a wet splatter, a huge bee, its head as big as an adult’s palm, burst apart in midair.

Whoosh!

The wind sliced through the flower fields—a giant frog, the size of a washbasin and covered with poisonous warts, now sported a gaping hole in its chest.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

As he moved forward, his flying knives reaped a path. Any poisonous creature that dared approach or attempt an ambush met a swift and grisly end.

By the time he emerged from a small grove, more than a dozen venomous beasts littered the ground to either side of his path.

Ahead, the broad, crystal-clear river came into full view.

And there, an extraordinary battle unfolded before Su Jingxing’s eyes.

It was a pig and a goose!

The pig was a wild boar—no, to be precise, a mutated beast. Its size was enormous, twice as big as a grown ox. Its massive body was covered in crimson scales, giving it the appearance of a mythical Qilin. Thick, powerful limbs thundered as it charged, and a pair of curved, razor-sharp tusks jutted from its mouth, exuding such menace that none could help but feel a chill of dread.

Clearly, this was no ordinary boar—it was a beast of legend.

As for the goose, it was also enormous, more than a meter tall and pure white from head to toe.

At first glance, it resembled a common white goose.

At second glance, it looked like a beautiful swan.

At third glance—well, this was no goose, but a fierce and formidable war chicken.

It was wild and savage!

Despite the vast difference in size, the white goose showed no fear of the Crimson-Scaled Boar.

Yes, now Su Jingxing remembered—the mutated boar was called the Crimson-Scaled Boar.

A berserk beast!

As for the white goose, it was uncertain whether it belonged to the berserk or the spiritual beast category—but it was certainly ferocious, for it could fly.

This alone set it apart from ordinary white geese.

The goose darted and soared around the Crimson-Scaled Boar, attacking relentlessly with savage vigor.

Yet the boar’s defenses were too formidable—its red scales rendered it virtually invulnerable to the goose’s assaults, not even leaving a single white mark.

The only vulnerable spot was its eyes.

As the white goose frantically targeted its eyes, the boar, after much running and circling, abruptly dropped to the ground, shut its eyes, and covered its head with its powerful forelimbs, ignoring all attacks.

The goose was instantly dumbfounded.

The Crimson-Scaled Boar’s tactic was flawless—if its defenses could not be breached, there was nothing the goose could do, no matter how violent its assault.

Su Jingxing had no idea what innate abilities the goose possessed, but it was clear that the boar’s gift was its body—the crimson-scaled defense was simply unmatched.

As for the goose, without a specific countering ability, it was helpless against the boar.

The following events proved this point.

Driven to madness, the white goose bounced and struck all over the boar’s mountainous form, but managed only to tickle it.

In the end, exhausted, the goose gave up, shook its wings in frustration, and flew to the far side of the river.

The Crimson-Scaled Boar waited a moment, ensured the goose had left, then got up with a snort, its massive head turning toward the opposite bank. Its crimson eyes glinted with a distinctly human mockery.

Its smug expression and brash demeanor seemed to declare:

Is that all? Is that all you’ve got?

Across the river, the white goose honked noisily but did not return, knowing it was futile to get angry.

The Crimson-Scaled Boar strutted with pride, wagging its tail as it lumbered to a patch of flowers by the river and began to gorge itself.

Su Jingxing was about to continue watching this spectacle when his eyes suddenly narrowed in alarm and he cried out,

“Stop—no, don’t eat that!”