The Urban Cultivation Grandmaster

Chapter 26: This One Claims the Spiritwood Crystal Core!

The colossal beast roared, causing the earth to shake and the mountains to tremble. A brilliant light burst forth from within the trunk of the Wutong Spirit Tree, and threads of life energy wafted out from it, adding even more intensity to the already explosive scene. A massive battle was about to erupt. Whether spirit beasts or human cultivators, all coveted the Spiritwood Crystal Core intensely. For the Spirit Beasts, the Spiritwood Crystal Core is a treasure that allows them to enhance their combat power and break through to higher levels of existence; their desire for it is even more intense than that of humans. The human cultivators numbered over twenty. Under these circumstances, everyone was on edge, yet beneath their tension, a peculiar gleam shone in each of their eyes. Mu Tian knew that this was a look of hopeful anticipation; he suspected that more than half of this group was planning to steal the Spiritwood Crystal Cores amid the chaos and then make a run for it. This was a perfectly normal reaction; Mu Tian had thought the same way at first. However, things often turn out differently than expected. Spirit beasts are, after all, sentient beings—creatures endowed with intelligence that rivals that of ordinary humans, and they are in no way comparable to ordinary, savage beasts. “Roar! “Ssssss!” “Woo-woo!!!” The spirit beasts let out their roars and shrieks, their cries merging into a single, deafening din that sent the animals in the mountains and forests scattering and the birds flying into the sky. The human cultivators paid no heed, but grew even more tense, assuming the spirit beasts had begun fighting over the Spirit Wood Crystal Cores. So, each secretly mobilized the spiritual energy within their bodies, ready to strike at any moment to snatch the Spirit Wood Crystal Cores and make a run for it. Mu Tian had no idea what the others were thinking, but at that moment, his expression suddenly changed drastically. The Heritage Stele—the Stele of Beast Cultivation—contained information about spirit beasts, and Mu Tian had a basic understanding of their language. It was quite similar to Daowen; to a certain extent, they were fundamentally connected. However, their communication relied more on the soul, and their roars were merely a form of expression. Mu Tian heard a shocking fragment hidden within the beast’s roar. Although Mu Tian didn’t fully understand everything, he still picked up on the key words. Join forces... clear the area... kill... This group of spirit beasts was practically on the verge of becoming sentient—they knew how to band together, understood what their primary objective was, and were capable of making temporary compromises based on their interests... Were these still the “beasts” people viewed them as? According to certain experts and scholars, although spirit beasts’ intelligence has greatly increased, it will likely take a very long time for them to reach the level of humans. At that moment, Mu Tian felt like slapping those so-called experts and scholars across the face. Just as the human cultivators were bracing themselves to seize the Spirit Wood Crystals, the spirit beasts sprang into action. Several of them subtly shifted their positions, and before anyone realized it, a包围圈 was nearly formed. Just as Mu Tian was about to raise his hoarse voice to warn everyone, Wang Jian beat him to it, shouting, “Trouble! The spirit beasts have banded together—they’re trying to wipe us all out!” Instantly, everyone was overcome with fear. There were no more than a dozen spirit beasts, while the human cultivators numbered over twenty. Logically, the human side held a numerical advantage, yet at that moment, not a single person believed they could defeat these ferocious spirit beasts when they banded together. Spirit beasts were inherently more powerful than humans, and these in particular possessed extremely high cultivation levels—not a single one was below the sixth level of the Meridian Condensation stage. In contrast, among the human cultivators, there were several at the fifth level of the Meridian Condensation stage, and even some at the fourth level. How could they possibly stand a chance? Even before the battle had begun, they were already showing signs of fear. Human cultivators, having lived in an era of peace, had little experience with combat—how could they possibly compare to spirit beasts that had continuously evolved through bloodshed? Wang Jian: “When two meet on a narrow path, the brave prevail. Let’s join forces and find a way to break through!” The spirit beasts roared, moving as fast as lightning, as if they wouldn’t give the human cultivators the slightest chance to escape. Several of them launched a ferocious attack, striking at the nearby human cultivators. Frenzied spiritual energy erupted as the gleaming blades of spiritual energy beneath their massive claws mowed down everything in their path. Caught off guard, several human cultivators were instantly sliced in half and perished on the spot. “Brother Daoyun!” “Brother Tie!” The surviving human cultivators, witnessing their close friends and comrades die horribly right before their eyes, were overcome with despair and cried out in grief. “Let’s fight these beasts to the death!” Everyone unleashed their signature techniques, and the entire scene instantly descended into a massive melee. On the human cultivators’ side, Wang Jian stood out the most. Even before the Spirit Energy Tide, Wang Jian’s cultivation had already reached the sixth level of the Meridian Condensation Realm. Riding the wave of the Spirit Energy Tide, he broke through to the seventh level of the Meridian Condensation Realm in one fell swoop, greatly increasing his combat power! At that moment, he was locked in a fierce battle with a wild bull spirit beast. It was as if fate had brought them together—Wang Jian had been cultivating the Ancient Wild Ox Visualization Diagram, so their battle turned into a veritable bullfighting spectacle. The wild bull spirit beast had evolved on its own, reaching the seventh level of the Meridian Condensation Realm. The “Divine Essence” within its bloodline was that of a Demon Bull, passed down through the ages. Although the “Divine Essence” inherited by the wild bull spirit beast was quite faint, it was naturally innate; every move was fluid and effortless, bringing the “bull’s” attacking techniques to their absolute peak. Empowered by powerful and robust spiritual energy, the wild bull spirit beast’s combat prowess was exceptionally formidable. Wang Jian was no slouch either. As a master of ancient martial arts, he began with the Primordial Wild Ox Fist, unleashing punch after punch as if a primordial Wild Ox had been reborn. His might rivaled that of the Wild Bull Spirit Beast. Furthermore, Wang Jian frequently changed his techniques, weaving ancient martial arts into his attacks. Not only was the power astonishing, but the element of surprise left the Wild Bull Spirit Beast thoroughly flustered. The Wild Ox Spirit Beast’s massive body was like a small mountain. Its four hooves cut through the air like the wind, and its horns were ferocious and terrifying. Spiritual energy swirled around its gigantic horns, radiating a powerful spiritual pressure as terrifying spiritual energy surged forth. The two exchanged blows back and forth; during this time, countless trees and rocks were caught in the crossfire of their clash. This was just one corner of the battlefield—and the only instance where human cultivators were fighting a Spirit Beast on equal footing. In other battles, the outcome was almost always a one-sided rout; humans stood no chance against Spirit Beasts, and even a team of two or three would struggle to prevail. The most terrifying of all were two giant python spirit beasts, each with a crest on its head—one white, the other blue. Both giant pythons were immense, measuring nearly a hundred meters in length. When they moved, their bodies obscured the sky and blocked out the sun; their ferocious aura was overwhelming and awe-inspiring. The crowns on their heads made them seem as if they were about to transform into dragon-like creatures,But that wasn’t the most critical point. What was even more terrifying was their terrifying cultivation levels: the blue giant python was at the seventh level of the Pulse Condensation Realm, while the white one had reached the terrifying eighth level of the Pulse Condensation Realm. Its strength surpassed all others in the arena, and it was the only spirit beast that hadn’t yet made a move. With victory assured and sitting securely on the fishing platform—that description perfectly fits the white giant python with its icy, menacing snake eyes. As the Spirit Wood Crystal Core nurtured by the Wutong Spirit Tree was about to emerge, the white giant python lost its patience. It flickered its tongue, sending wispy strands of cold air drifting through the atmosphere. Several giant trees were struck by the chill and instantly froze solid, as if covered in frost. It had struck! It’s over! It’s all over now! All the human cultivators cried out in despair! Just then, a thunderous roar like crashing waves, intermingled with the demonic bellow of an ancient Wild Ox, echoed throughout the arena. “I claim this Spiritwood Crystal Core for myself!”