Chapter 146: Xuan Zhongni

Chapter 147

The Sacred Mark Team was swiftly assembled. Its lineup was quite impressive, consisting of thirty members, all at the late Heavenly Pass Stage. When they gathered, a formidable aura emanated from them, filling the surrounding onlookers with awe.

Xiao Tianxuan also looked satisfied. With such a lineup, they could even contend with genuine experts of the Grand Prime Stage if they united their efforts.

"Since you have joined my Sacred Mark Team, you are now family," Xiao Tianxuan said with a smile, looking at the members. "The Sacred Mark Land offers numerous opportunities. As long as we work together, we need not fear anyone."

He possessed considerable charisma, and as the Young City Lord of Sacred Mark City, his status and position were clear. His words carried weight, so no one objected to his assumption of the captain's role. Xiao Tianxuan indeed had the qualifications.

"Without further ado, the first objective for the Sacred Mark Team is that Tier 4 Origin Beast," Xiao Tianxuan stated without delay. "We must win this battle to establish the reputation of our Sacred Mark Team." He knew that even though he had attracted some top talents, whether he could retain them depended on this initial confrontation. If they secured a decisive victory in this battle, the Sacred Mark Team's reputation would surely spread, attracting even more elite individuals to join. Through this positive cycle, Xiao Tianxuan himself would undoubtedly rise to prominence, comparable to the most outstanding prodigies.

With his words concluded, he waved his hand and shot forward first. The members who had joined the Sacred Mark Team immediately followed suit. Dozens of Heavenly Pass Stage experts surged forward together, their Origin Qi swirling powerfully. Their combined momentum appeared quite formidable.

As they moved, a larger crowd of spectators followed them like a swarm of locusts. Many knew that they were not strong enough to handle the Tier 4 Origin Beast or the Minor Heaven Origin Art. However, there were still other beasts surrounding the Tier 4 Origin Beast. If they could seize this opportunity to hunt them, it would still yield considerable gains.

Zhou Yuan watched this grand spectacle, his eyes glinting slightly. He subtly blended into the crowd.

A large contingent of people surged into the mountain range, sweeping aside everything in their path. No beast could resist them. After half an hour of this sweeping advance, they reached the depths of the mountain range.

Xiao Tianxuan, full of vigor, led his Sacred Mark Team members to a hillside. From there, they looked ahead at a vast valley, silver-black in color, from which constant gusts of wind and muffled thunder emanated. By this time, the beast groups that had been outside the valley were all cleared out.

"That Tier 4 Wind-Thunder Beast is in this valley," Gu Ling said, looking into the valley's depths, a hint of apprehension crossing her face. They wouldn't dare provoke a Tier 4 Origin Beast if they didn't have such a large group. Moreover, this Tier 4 Origin Beast had also cultivated a Minor Heaven Origin Art.

"Captain, if that Wind-Thunder Beast uses its Minor Heaven Origin Art, I'm afraid none of us can stop it," a late Heavenly Pass Stage member behind Xiao Tianxuan spoke up. The others nodded in agreement. While their numbers, over thirty late Heavenly Pass Stage cultivators, looked impressive, a single mistake could lead to them being wiped out by a single Minor Heaven Origin Art.

Xiao Tianxuan heard this and smiled faintly. "If it uses its Minor Heaven Origin Art, I have my own ways to deal with it," he said. Seeing his composed demeanor, the others secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If Xiao Tianxuan had intended to use their lives as fodder, they likely would not have participated. However, it now seemed Xiao Tianxuan, as expected of Sacred Mark City's Young City Lord, also possessed some hidden trump cards.

"Prepare to lure out the Wind-Thunder Beast and proceed according to the plan," Xiao Tianxuan calmly instructed. One person nodded in response and then cautiously moved towards the valley.

In the distant mountains, Zhou Yuan sat cross-legged, his eyes narrowed as he watched the scene. He knew it was not yet the time to make his move...

"Xiao Tianxuan, let's see what methods you have up your sleeve..."

Just as the Sacred Mark Team member approached the valley, a furious beast roar echoed from within. The roar was like thunder, shaking the entire valley violently. The member, who was at the late Heavenly Pass Stage, turned pale and immediately ran away without hesitation. However, just as he turned, a bolt of lightning seemed to shoot out from the valley. In a flash, it appeared behind him. Then, a dark shadow descended, and a beast claw wreathed in lightning fiercely struck the Sacred Mark Team member. A deep thud resounded as the member spat out a mouthful of blood. His body plummeted like a cannonball, crashing into the ground and creating a deep crater. His fate remained unknown.

At this moment, everyone finally got a clear look at the monstrous beast. It was a huge creature, roughly ten zhang tall, standing upright with lightning crackling beneath its feet. Its head was a dark green ox head, and its body was wreathed in lightning, exhaling gales of wind with every breath. It was indeed the Tier 4 Origin Beast, the Wind-Thunder Beast.

Violent Origin Qi fluctuations, like thunderclaps, emanated from its body in waves, shaking the void. An astonishing fierce might spread out.

From a distance, the expressions of many onlookers changed involuntarily. Some couldn't help but retreat, as the ferocity of a Tier 4 Origin Beast was simply too much for them to bear.

Xiao Tianxuan's expression also grew more solemn at this moment. However, he did not flinch. With a firm grip, a dark red spear appeared in his hand. The spear seemed to have constantly dripping lava, intensely crimson. As he gripped the spear, Xiao Tianxuan's aura steadily climbed.

"That's the Blazing Demon Spear of Sacred Mark City, a High-Grade Profound Origin Weapon. I can't believe Xiao Tianxuan brought it out.""Only a High-Grade Profound Origin Weapon can harm that Tier 4 Wind-Thunder Beast."Low whispers could be heard among the forests.

Xiao Tianxuan's surging aura snapped the other Sacred Mark Team members back to reality. Gritting their teeth, they immediately drew their weapons, causing Origin Qi to surge. All their weapons were clearly at the Profound Origin Weapon level. A series of sharp auras rose, attracting the attention of the Wind-Thunder Beast. Immediately, the wind and thunder swirling around its body became even more violent. It roared, stomped through the wind and thunder, and transformed into a bolt of lightning, rushing straight towards Xiao Tianxuan. It had sensed that the latter posed the greatest threat to it.

Boom! Boom!

The charge of a Tier 4 Origin Beast was incredibly fierce, with violent wind and thunder constantly rending the air. Xiao Tianxuan watched the charging Wind-Thunder Beast without panic. Instead, he waved his hand, and immediately everyone dispersed, while he remained stationary.

The roaring lightning struck the hilltop where Xiao Tianxuan stood. The entire hilltop collapsed at that moment. The Wind-Thunder Beast's ferocious impact was akin to heaven and earth crumbling. Xiao Tianxuan's figure, however, shot straight up. At the same time, he clutched his hand, and everyone saw a mud jar appear in his grasp. The jar seemed to be covered in enigmatic patterns.

As Xiao Tianxuan tilted the mud jar in his hand, deep yellow sludge immediately poured down from the sky, completely covering the Wind-Thunder Beast's massive body. The moment the sludge touched the Wind-Thunder Beast's body, it rapidly solidified. Moreover, the sludge seemed incredibly heavy, instantly suppressing the Wind-Thunder Beast's speed.

Roar! Roar!

The Wind-Thunder Beast roared furiously, wind and thunder coiling around its body. However, as soon as the sludge was shattered, it immediately reformed, seemingly endless. In a mere instant, Xiao Tianxuan employed his methods, restricting the Wind-Thunder Beast's most troublesome attribute: its speed.

Zhou Yuan watched this scene, his eyes also narrowing, and his expression turning a bit solemn. "That sludge... could it be Profound Gravity Mud?" he murmured.

Profound Gravity Mud was an Origin Treasure, difficult to refine, highly valuable, and single-use. Xiao Tianxuan's supply of Profound Gravity Mud was worth at least several hundred thousand Origin Crystals. Once covered by this mud, one would not only feel as if carrying a mountain but also have to constantly expend their internal Origin Qi to shatter it. Otherwise, the mud would accumulate, eventually covering them completely and forming an earthen prison.

"This guy is truly well-prepared. Who knows... he might actually succeed in hunting down this Tier 4 Wind-Thunder Beast..." Zhou Yuan mumbled to himself, then let out a soft chuckle. However, this situation was exactly what he wanted to see. A one-sided slaughter by the Wind-Thunder Beast would have been boring. Now that they were locked in a struggle, like the snipe and the clam, he, the hidden fisherman, could seize the opportunity to act.