Beginning with the Five Animals Fist to Become a Saint

Jiuchong Mountain.

Tiger Leaps Cliff.

Looking at Jiang Ning's calm expression, Longtou took a deep breath, a hint of heartache flashing in his eyes, but he also knew that today's matter could not be easily resolved.

But the brief exchange just now had completely dispelled any thoughts he had about being an enemy of Jiang Ning.

Now he was absolutely certain that ordinary curse techniques had no effect on Jiang Ning.

A powerful physical body brings strong vitality, enough to resist the erosion of evil curse techniques.

He raised his hand and took out a jade bottle from his bosom: "This is the essence of three thousand years ago. I obtained it in a grotto-heaven a few years ago. Thanks to it, I was able to successfully enter the first rank. I still have three drops left. It can temper muscles and bones, strengthen the body, enhance blood and qi, nourish the dantian, nourish the soul, and increase divine power."

"Today, I offer these three drops, along with the Mysterious Heart Fruit from earlier, as an apology to the Marquis. I wonder if the Marquis will accept them?"

Before Jiang Ning could even agree, he tossed the jade bottle into the air and towards Jiang Ning.

Jiang Ning reached out and took it, his gaze slightly narrowed.

"Divine power of growth?!"

“Not bad!” The dragon head nodded in affirmation: “Although I have not been a first-rank official for long, I have a profound foundation. This three-thousand-year-old spiritual essence has made a great contribution. I originally wanted to keep a few drops to nurture the dragon head’s descendants. I have offended you today and can only apologize to the Marquis.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning uncorked the bottle.

goo-dong-

A surge of pure and rich spiritual energy rushed towards him, causing his throat to gurgle and a strong desire to well up within him.

Desire is the source of the spiritual essence emanating from the transformation bottle.

His body was extremely thirsty before these three drops of three-thousand-year-old spiritual essence!
Feeling the irresistible attraction of the spiritual essence in the bottle to his body, he nodded slightly, put away the jade bottle and brocade box together, his expression calm.

"In that case, let's leave it at that. Where are my supplies?"

When Longtou saw that Jiangning had relented, he felt somewhat relieved.

"Please wait a moment, my lord!" he said.

Then he gave a signal to the people behind him with his eyes.

soon.

Then two people left.

He leaped towards the cliff top, and with a few bounds, he disappeared into the vast mountain forest.

Jiang Ning and the other two waited quietly.

At this moment, Chen Canghai and Jing Wuming remained silent.

They originally thought that they would need to help with this trip to Jiuchong Mountain.

But now they realize that it's not their turn to take action at all.

The clash between Jiangning and Longtou exceeded their expectations.

After a while.

Two figures carrying four boxes leaped down from the top of the cliff.

Several ups and downs.

boom--

With a thud, the two landed heavily in front of Tiger Leaping Cliff.

"My lord, please take inventory!" the dragon head said, bowing.

At this moment, four large ironwood chests were neatly arranged in front of Jiang Ning.

The copper lock and seals on it are still intact.

Jiang Ning nodded: "Now that the resources have been returned and I have accepted the items, let's consider this matter closed."

"Your Excellency is very generous!" the dragon head said, clasping his hands in a humble manner.

Seeing this, Jiang Ning did not linger any longer. He put the four large ironwood boxes into a mustard leaf and then turned to leave.

"My lord, please wait." The dragon head suddenly spoke, his expression somewhat complicated: "My lord, you are so young yet possess such cultivation and physique. What is even more remarkable is your clear sense of right and wrong and your decisive actions. We have become acquainted through this fight today. Perhaps we can have a drink together someday if the opportunity arises."

Jiang Ning paused slightly, glanced at him, and then nodded.

"Farewell!"

After saying that, he moved and darted away several feet like a wisp of smoke, and Chen Canghai and the other person quickly followed.

Leaving the Ninefold Mountain range, we arrived at the official road.

Chen Canghai followed behind Jiang Ning, unable to suppress his doubts.

"My lord, although that dragon head is strong, you clearly have the upper hand. Why not take this opportunity to eliminate this scoundrel? Why did you ultimately agree to a reconciliation?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ning slowed his pace.

"Judging from the fight just now, do you think I had a better chance of winning?"

Chen Canghai pondered for a moment, then nodded after accepting the suggestion: "From my perspective, the Marquis is slightly ahead in the physical battle with that dragon head. However, the opponent's aura is powerful and his true essence is not activated, so he is obviously not going all out. If it were a life-or-death struggle, the outcome would still be uncertain."

“It’s not that we can’t know.” Jiang Ning shook his head, a hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes: “It’s that I have absolutely no confidence in winning. The dragon’s physical strength is the strongest I have ever seen.”

"Moreover, this person possesses such a powerful physical body, and his blood and qi must be extremely strong. The fact that he was able to reach the first rank of martial arts under such circumstances is enough to prove that his true essence and spirit are on par."

"He clearly left himself a great deal of leeway."

"If it really comes to a life-or-death struggle, even if I win, it will be difficult to keep him here! Since that's the case, this apology is more than enough. Since we don't have absolute certainty of eliminating future troubles in one fell swoop, it's better to make peace with him, take back the resources, and get some real benefits. The martial world is not just about fighting and killing; assessing the situation and acting accordingly is the way to long-term success."

“I can tell he originally had other ideas!”

"But now he has taken the initiative to back down and is willing to reconcile, which is enough to prove that he is a smart man!"

"When dealing with smart people, you either settle things completely or make peace with them; otherwise, you'll face endless troubles!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Canghai nodded in understanding, his face revealing admiration for Jiang Ning: "Your Excellency's foresight is admirable; it was my oversight that led to this."

Upon hearing this...

Jing Wuming glanced at Chen Canghai secretly.

It seems I only met Chen Canghai today.

He had never heard such words from Chen Canghai before.

He knew that Chen Canghai, after all, was once a first-rank martial artist and possessed the natural arrogance of a strong person.

He himself was the same.

He was once unparalleled in his prowess, and all the heroes of the world paled in comparison to him.

Then, he looked at Jiang Ning and secretly admired him.

He was young and impetuous, and he knows what his temperament was like back then.

If he had been in Jiangning's situation back then, he would have suppressed it with overwhelming force and would never have chosen reconciliation.

Because he understood this, he admired Jiang Ning's choice. Not being swayed by momentary impulses is the way to long-term survival.

"Let's go." Jiang Ning said no more, turning his gaze towards the distant capital: "Now that we've retrieved the resources, there's no need to linger outside!"

At that moment, an invisible sense of urgency welled up in his heart.

The fact that the Eighteen Dragon Heads attacked him this time undoubtedly shows that in addition to being targeted by Xia Xuanyan, he was also being targeted by other immortal grotto heavens.

This situation was not beyond his expectations. Because no matter how much pretense he had put in before, it would naturally fall apart with the passage of time.

The curse has eroded the internal organs, and the condition will inevitably worsen over time.

Just like Emperor Changning, but he could no longer fake this ever-deepening seriousness of the situation.

If it drags on for too long, people will naturally start to doubt his health.

Therefore, he was not surprised when the Eighteen Dragon Heads received the commission and began to test him.

He knew that if it weren't for the Martial Saint's two recent actions that shocked the world, the test he was being given today might not have come from a mere Martial Saint who had only recently entered the first rank, but from a powerful expert from the Immortal Dao Cave Heaven.

Even experts at the Nascent Soul Realm.

Thinking about all this, how could he not feel a sense of urgency?

Moreover, the actions of the eighteen dragon heads were not isolated incidents.

A few days ago, the Crying Saintess also attacked him in front of the Imperial Preceptor's mansion.

He was easily killed because he was too weak.

Today's eighteen dragon heads are different.

The brief physical confrontation allowed him to witness the power of the dragon's head.

Unlike the elderly servant from the Prince's mansion who was frail and nearing the end of his life, this servant was different.

This leader is at the peak of his career.

Even if they had entered the ranks of the first-class, it would have been less than ten years.

However, the pressure on him was immense, and he couldn't see through the true nature of that leader.

That is precisely why he chose to reconcile.

This encounter also made him put away his contempt.

If a mere leader who has only been in the first rank for less than ten years possesses such strength, then what about the other figures?
To reach the pinnacle of first-grade martial arts, who isn't a true prodigy who stands out from among millions?

If the leader has such strength, how much weaker can the other peak-level martial arts masters be?
"My current strength is far from enough! I underestimated the heroes of the world!"

Jiang Ning felt a heavy heart and increased his speed as he headed towards the capital.

the other side.

Tiger Leaps Cliff.

Watching the figures of Jiang Ning and the other two disappear at the end of the official road, the stern smile on Longtou's face gradually faded, replaced by a solemn and thoughtful expression.

"Big Brother!" Wang Wenzong stepped forward and called out in a low voice, his eyes still filled with lingering shock.

The brief yet earth-shattering exchange just now not only shocked Chen Canghai and the others, but also deeply shook the minds of these seasoned dragon leaders.

The leader waved his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet.

He slowly turned around, his gaze sweeping over his six brothers behind him, finally settling on his right arm, which was slightly numb and still felt hot.

The sleeves on his arms had already been reduced to dust in the collision.

On the bare arms, hot blood surged in the veins, and dark golden lines were faintly visible beneath the skin.

Those were the protective Dao patterns naturally activated by his proud Dragon Elephant Overlord Body.

At this moment, a faint burning pain still emanated from my arm.

"What a fine Marquis of Dongling!" the dragon head thought to himself, his five fingers unconsciously clenching together.

In the instant his fists and palms clashed, as the battle progressed, he felt not only an overwhelming and terrifying force that he could not resist, but also a blazing, intense, and scorching aura, as bright as the sun.

The energy traveled straight through his muscles and bones from the fist, scorching his flesh and blood.

That power was extremely yang and strong, domineering and incomparable, as if it could burn away all the evil and filth in the world.

The true energy he had gathered from his Dragon Elephant Overlord Body felt oppressively evaporated in the face of this pure Yang power.

"This Marquis of Dongling's physical body is by no means inferior to mine." The dragon head spoke, his voice low and carrying a rare hint of solemnity: "No, perhaps... even stronger!!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Wenzong and the others all changed their expressions.

They knew all too well how terrifying the dragon's physique was. It was a foundation for breaking through the first-grade barrier against all odds, thanks to the fusion of the ancient dragon and elephant's essence blood, the tempering of countless adventures, and the baptism of three thousand years of spiritual marrow.

Now he's admitting that the other person might be physically stronger?

"How is that possible?" another dragon leader couldn't help but exclaim. "Brother, your Dragon Elephant Body is already at its peak, and you've been refined by three thousand years of spiritual essence. In terms of physique alone, there are only a handful of people in the world who can rival you. How old is Jiang Ning?"

The dragon head shook his head, his gaze profound: "Age is not a problem. This boy has a special physique. When we fought just now, the aura within him was like the blazing sun burning the sky, and golden flames seemed to be flickering in his blood. Towards the end of the battle, golden Dao patterns flowed beneath his skin—those are innate Dao patterns!!"

"It shares the same origin as the innate divine power patterns on the treasure bones of demonic beasts, but is even more profound and perfectly integrated with the physical body."

"This is something that cannot be obtained through cultivation; it is a true innate divine body, a peerless genius favored by heaven and earth."

He paused, recalling the scorching and intense fist intent: "Moreover, his power attribute is extremely domineering, pure yang and blazing, which has a natural suppression effect on me."

"His power is like the sun shining brightly, penetrating everywhere, and possessing terrifying burning and purifying abilities."

"If my foundation hadn't been so deep, those few dozen rounds would have been far more than just a slight disadvantage."

Wang Wenzong said, "Then there's no need for our elder brother to sacrifice the Profound Heart Fruit and the precious spiritual essence. He was clearly wary of our elder brother just now! If it really comes down to a fight, we're not afraid of him!"

The leader shook his head: "You're too naive. What I'm wary of isn't his current strength."

He looked in the direction Jiang Ning had left with his hands behind his back, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "First, everyone in the world knows that he has been under a curse for a long time."

"But just now when we fought, his blood and energy were surging, his spirit was high, and his eyes were like lightning. There was no sign of him being eroded by the curse and being terminally ill."

"Clearly, with his current physique, this curse technique is completely unable to erode his internal organs."

"His physical vitality is so strong that it can ignore the corrosive effects of the curse."

"This is extremely frightening. It means that the plans and schemes of those blessed lands and grottoes may have failed from the very beginning."

"He has been disguising himself and patiently undergoing a transformation. Such cunning is not to be underestimated! He is a great threat!"

At this point, Longtou paused again.

Then he continued, "Secondly, his growth rate."

"Don't forget, he's only risen to power in Dongling City in just a few years."

"In just a few years, he went from being completely unknown to being able to fight me and even put pressure on me. This incredible speed of advancement is unheard of."

"My nephew Xingyun also had dealings with the Marquis of Dongling when he was still weak!"

"I may be able to hold my own against him today, but what about in a year, six months, or even a few months? If he makes another breakthrough, will I still be able to keep up?"

“Third, and most importantly,” the leader turned around, his gaze sweeping over his brothers, “he is not without backing. The Imperial Preceptor Su Qingying has a close relationship with him, and the Martial Saint’s two actions were both because of him. If he really takes that step one day in the future, who can withstand his reckoning?”

"The others who fought me today clearly did not go all out."

"I can sense that he still has many trump cards up his sleeve! A person of his stature must also have many trump cards and ways to protect himself! No one can guess how many good things that Martial Saint would leave him, given how much he values ​​him so much!"

"How can one possibly be an enemy of such a person?"

The mountain wind howled, stirring up dust from the cliff edge.

The dragon leaders remained silent upon hearing these words.

"What about the cave that entrusted us with this task?" Long Xiaofeng asked hesitantly.

"Tell me the truth!" the leader ordered. (End of Chapter)