Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
"What?"
Luo Tang and Fang Jin's eyes immediately reddened in agitation.
Spirit beasts possessed strength equivalent to Transcendent Mortal realm cultivators, and not only could their blood induce Bloodline Evolution in savage beasts, it could also temper a human's body, thus boosting one's strength.
This thing was much more valuable than spirit stones.
To think that the reward for challenging the Ten Beasts Cage was this!
However... even though they knew now that there was such a reward, it was impossible for them to challenge the Ten Beasts Cage.
No matter how valuable the reward was, it would be for naught if one lost one's life!
What was the use of a blood essence if one was dead?
"It's already difficult to triumph over a savage beast of the same cultivation realm as one, needless to say, challenging ten at once. Let's hurry over to see who... is so desperate to die." Luo Tang said, gritting his teeth.
He was confident that he would emerge as the champion for the Beast Taming Competition, but even so, he didn't have the courage to face the ten savage beasts alone.
Who could it be?
To barge in just like that, even causing the chiming of the bells... Was he really tired of living?
"Let's go over then!"
Hall Master Feng nodded in agreement.
Beast Tamer Wang and Fang Jin were also curious to see who that brazen fellow was.
Thus, the group hurried toward the Beast Hall, and soon, they arrived at a vast open ground. There was an enormous crater around seven hundred to eight hundred meters wide right in front of them.
The crater was covered by an immense steel cage, and the ten savage beasts were segregated into several groups, prowling around the area they were placed in.
At this moment, a large group of people, attracted by the chiming of the bell, was standing at the perimeter of the crater, looking at the situation in the cage below. Their eyebrows and mouths were twitching in fear from that sight.
There were many talented beast tamers amidst the crowd, but the sight of so many powerful savage beasts still caused their hair to stand on end.
"And the final one is a Zhizun realm primary stage savage beast..."
"Even a Zhizun realm intermediate stage expert would find it hard to subdue it. This... How does he intend to clear the trial?"
"Judging from how the weakest savage beast in it is a Zongshi realm advanced stage... that means that the one challenging the Ten Beasts Cage is a Zongshi realm pinnacle cultivator! Is it Wei Youdao, Jiang Nanping, Ji Wuxin, Fang Jin, or Luo Tang? From what I know, their cultivation realms are around that level, and their beast taming capability is also up to par!"
"You must have been living under a rock! Jiang Nanping and the others have reached Half-Zhizun, and Wei Youdao even managed to achieve a breakthrough to Zhizun realm primary stage. It's not them!"
"Not them? Then who else could it be? Who would dare to challenge ten powerful savage beasts face on?"
...
The strength of the savage beasts had caused a huge commotion among the crowd.
The savage beast guarding the very end of the cage was a Zhizun realm savage beast... Facing it was truly a ticket to hell.
Who would be so reckless?
Does he not fear death, or is he tired of living?
"To throw away one's life for a drop of spirit beast blood essence, that fellow must have a screw loose!"
Luo Tang couldn't help but comment.
Spirit beast blood essence is valuable, but nothing could be more valuable than one's life.
To disregard his life and challenge this hopeless trial... Has he gone mad?
"I know nearly all of the famous Zongshi realm pinnacle beast tamers in vicinity of Xuanyuan Kingdom... Who could it be? From what I remember, none of them are this irrational though?" Fang Jin's eyebrows knitted tightly together in contemplation.
Judging from the strength of the savage beast, it couldn't be Wei Youdao and the others. But other than them, who could possess the capability to challenge this Ten Beasts Cage?
Furthermore, even if it was that bunch, they probably wouldn't dare to take on this seemingly hopeless trial!
...
"Challenging the Ten Beasts Cage? He sure is brazen! He's probably tired of living, and he just wants to make a name for himself before his death!"
Amidst the crowd, a young man crossed his arms and glanced at the cage below with slight disdain in his eyes.
It was the genius who induced fear in Luo Tang and the others, Wei Youdao!
"Indeed. I've seen many of such people. Now, the only thing I'm curious about is whether he can even pass the first stage!"
Another person standing beside him harrumphed.
Another famous genius of Xuanyuan Kingdom, Jiang Nanping.
The two geniuses were as though two radiant stars among the crowd, and privately, they were good friends as well.
Upon hearing that someone wanted to challenge the Ten Beasts Cage, they immediately hurried over.
They wanted to see who possessed such courage.
As for whether that person could pass the trial or not, they thought that it was a ridiculous question.
Putting aside the Zhizun realm savage beast at the very end which was two small cultivation realms stronger than the challenger, just in the very first stage, the challenger had to face four savage beasts which were only one small cultivation realm weaker than him. This, in itself, was already a hopeless cause.
"The first stage consists of four Zongshi realm advanced stage Whirlwind Wolves! This savage beast moves extremely fast, and they're adept at coordinating with one another in a battle. It is already a difficult feat for a Zongshi realm pinnacle to subdue one. With four of them... They could probably even defeat an average Half-Zhizun cultivator. Zongshi realm pinnacle? Hehe, you must be dreaming!"
Wei Youdao shook his head.
"Indeed. That fellow will be torn to shreds in this stage!"
Jiang Nanping shook his head as well.
"He's asking for it anyway. Before challenging the Ten Beasts Cage, one has to sign a life-and-death agreement absolving anyone of blame if the challenger were to die in the midst of the trial. Even if he were to die, it would only be his own fault!"
Wei Youdao harrumphed coldly. Just as he was about to continue speaking, he suddenly caught sight of something and said, "He's out!"
Hearing his words, the crowd immediately turned their gazes onto the field below, and they saw a young man slowly walking toward the first stage of the Ten Beasts Cage.
"This fellow looks extremely young, it can't be that he's under twenty..."
"He's indeed young. To be able to reach Zongshi realm pinnacle at such an age, he must be incredibly talented. Why would he be in such a rush to seek death?"
Upon seeing the appearance of the figure below, the crowd was taken aback.
"Brother Wei, do you recognize him?"
Jiang Nanping was also stunned.
He knew all of the geniuses in the vicinity of Xuanyuan Kingdom, but he had never seen this fellow before.
"I've never seen him before!" Wei Youdao shook his head.
"To challenge the Ten Beasts Cage at such a young age, do you think that he has some ace up his sleeves?"
Jiang Nanping frowned.
"Ace up his sleeves? The Ten Beasts Cage has been here for more than a thousand years already, but no one has succeeded in clearing it before. No matter how many aces he has up his sleeve, it is impossible for him to succeed. He's probably just another brat who is trying too hard to impress others!" Wei Youdao waved his hands nonchalantly.
"You're right. In the thousand years since the Xuanyuan Kingdom Beast Hall is set up, countless geniuses have challenged the Ten Beasts Cage, but no one has succeeded before. This unknown fellow is probably just trying to earn some fame." Jiang Nanping expressed his approval of the other party's view. "I wonder, by the end of this trial, will he still have a breath in him to enjoy his fame..."
...
"I-I-It's... him?"
"How could it be him? Is he mad?"
Contrary to the crowd's doubtful gazes, upon seeing the figure, Hall Master Feng and Beast Tamer Wang's faces immediately warped, and they nearly bit off their tongues from shock.
"You two know him?" Surprised, Luo Tang turned his gaze over.
"He's... the person I often speak of... Beast Tamer Zhang!"
Biting his tongue tightly and confirming that he wasn't dreaming, Hall Master Feng fell into a daze.
He was wondering what kind of incredible figure would challenge this impossible Ten Beasts Cage, and never in his dreams did he expect that it would be that youngster he just met a month ago... Zhang Xuan!
Didn't this fellow head to Tianwu Kingdom?
Why was he here?
Furthermore... Challenging the Ten Beasts Cage?
Didn't he know how dangerous it was?
Furthermore... Wasn't he at Tongxuan realm pinnacle? When did he reach Zongshi realm pinnacle?
Many doubts surfaced in Hall Master Feng's mind, jamming up his head, leaving him frenzied.
The heck, what in the world was going on?
"He's Zhang Xuan?"
Luo Tang froze for a moment before sneering coldly, "You all spoke of him as though he was some kind of deity. I thought that he would be some formidable figure... To think that he's just an ignorant brat!"
Hall Master Feng and Beast Tamer Wang had praised Zhang Xuan before him innumerable times, and this had left the proud him displeased.
Even so, to be complimented like that by the two elders of the Beast Hall, Luo Tang thought that he would be a truly formidable figure. Yet, the other party turned out to be an ignorant brat who would charge mindlessly into the Ten Beasts Cage.
Genius? Pui!
Challenging the Ten Beasts Cage, you sure know how to overestimate yourself. I will watch you be torn apart by the savage beasts later on...
Thinking so, disdain slowly appeared in his eyes.
"Genius? You mean a genius at courting death, right?" Hearing the conversation between them, Fang Jin sneered.
No matter how proud a genius was, they knew their limits. To challenge the Ten Beasts Cage for a drop of spirit beast blood essence that one couldn't obtain, that was an absolutely idiotic decision.
...
"Zhang Xuan, be careful..."
From above, Mo Yu, Zhao Ya, and the others gazed at the situation anxiously.
Mo Yu had been intrigued by how Zhang Xuan intended to raise his cultivation by coming to the Beast Hall. Upon hearing that he was going to challenge the Ten Beasts Cage, she immediately came to a realization... spirit beast blood essence!
However... Even if the spirit beast blood essence could augment one's strength, was it worth going through such risk just for it?
There are ten savage beasts, and every single one of them can easily slaughter a cultivator. Even if you manage to pass the first two stages through your extraordinary beast taming capability, what about the ones afterward?
Half-Zhizun savage beasts and a Zhizun realm primary stage savage beast... This was a line up that even a Zhizun realm intermediate stage cultivator would be unwilling to face.
"Teacher will surely... be fine!" Zhao Ya said.
She possessed absolute trust in her teacher, but the dangerous sight before her still left her worried.
"He should be fine..."
Mo Yu nodded as well, but it seemed as though she was convincing herself instead.
...
In contrast to the disdain and tense expression of those above, Zhang Xuan seemed completely relaxed.
To exact his vengeance, Zhang Xuan would have to grow stronger. Even if he were to gather a sufficient quantity of Zhizun realm cultivation technique to form a complete Zhizun realm Heaven's Path Divine Art, he would require a huge number of spirit stones to fuel his cultivation. As such, there was only one way left for him to grow stronger swiftly... Spirit beast blood essence!
As long as he had a sufficient quantity of it, through his Heaven's Path Golden Body 2-dan, he would be able to temper his physical body to reach Zhizun realm pinnacle in the shortest possible time.
Spirit beast blood essence was incomparably valuable, so it was unlikely for Beast Halls to sell it to outsiders. Besides, even if it was up for sales, Zhang Xuan couldn't afford it anyway. Given his current strength, he couldn't snatch it by brute force either. Thus, the only path left before him was to challenge the Ten Beasts Cage.
According to the books, as long as he succeeded, he would be given a droplet of spirit beast blood essence.
Hu!
Breathing out a mouthful of turbid gas, Zhang Xuan glanced at the four Whirlwind Wolves of the first stage and smiled faintly.
"Come on!"
At which, he walked forward to the four ferocious wolves.
...
"He's charging straight in?"
"Is that fellow trying to charge through via brute force?"
"There must be something wrong with his head! One should use their beast taming capability along with their strength to challenge the Ten Beasts Cage. He should at least throw out some food or something to win the other party's goodwill before trying anything. Wouldn't he incur their anger by charging straight in?"
"He's doomed. The Whirlwind Wolves have already been provoked..."
...
The Ten Beasts Cage wasn't just about one's battling prowess. After all, it was impossible for one to defeat so many powerful savage beasts within two hours!
The standard way was to use beast taming means to get on good terms with the savage beasts so as to pass through their area peacefully.
Yet, without even saying anything, this fellow charged straight in as though a fool.
Aren't you inviting the Whirlwind Wolves to tear you apart?