#10 - Legend of the Great Zhou
"All done?"
Jun Wuxie leaped down, examining the scene. The Flame Python's head was pierced, ensuring it was dead beyond any doubt.
At that moment, the white-armored woman beside him swayed, nearly losing her balance.
He quickly stepped forward to support her, asking, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
The woman shook her head and walked towards the cave.
Jun Wuxie glanced at the deceased Flame Python and followed her into the cave, planning to deal with the corpse later.
He was also curious about what was inside the cave.
The white-armored woman likely came here for something within the cave.
The cave was deep, with a faint red glow emanating from its depths.
The white-armored woman moved swiftly.
When Jun Wuxie caught up with her, they had entered a spacious cavern. The temperature here was extremely high, causing a burning sensation on his skin, and the area was filled with bubbling magma.
The white-armored woman stood before a crimson fungus-like plant resembling a small snake. She tore off half of the fungal flesh, immediately consumed it, and sat down cross-legged to heal.
The fungus emitted a fiery red aura, which condensed into three stars on the fungal flesh.
A three-star spiritual herb!
Jun Wuxie had never dared to imagine he would ever see a three-star spiritual herb in his life!
The most valuable spiritual essence in the three major commercial firms of Qingyang City was only a one-star superior grade, worth hundreds of thousands of gold!
"The remaining Fire Serpent Orchid is yours. I, Ji Yinlan, never take advantage of others."
In just a short while, the white-armored woman's injuries had significantly improved, her complexion regaining color. She spoke to Jun Wuxie in this manner.
"It's mine?" Jun Wuxie was stunned for a moment, then exclaimed, "What did you say your name was?"
"Ji Yinlan."
"Ji Yinlan, the Seventh Princess of the Great Zhou Kingdom? The legendary Ji Yinlan, the Supreme Commander of all armed forces?"
Jun Wuxie never imagined he would encounter such a legendary figure here!
Ji Yinlan's name was renowned throughout the Great Zhou Kingdom. She was the youngest Supreme Commander in the history of the Great Zhou Kingdom, and her cultivation was the best among the younger generation!
It was said that no one of the same realm could withstand a single spear strike from her, but the spear was said to be her weakness. Seeing the sword on her back, he guessed that the sword was her true strength.
It seemed she was seriously injured this time, otherwise, he wouldn't have been involved.
Thinking of this, he couldn't help but ask in surprise, "You said the spear is your weakness, so why do you use a spear? Is your strongest skill swordsmanship?"
"When I go to the battlefield, using a spear is more convenient for group battles. Speaking of which, I only started using weapons like spears in the last two years, and I incidentally comprehended the meaning of a Grandmaster of the Spear on the battlefield."
Incidentally? She incidentally comprehended and became a Grandmaster of the Spear?
Jun Wuxie wanted to vomit blood. If it were someone else, he would think they were showing off, but she was Ji Yinlan, so there was no need. It was as if she was talking about an insignificant matter.
"Then your swordsmanship must be..."
Ji Yinlan shook her head, saying, "My swordsmanship is far superior to my spear skills, but for certain reasons, I cannot easily draw my sword."
Jun Wuxie didn't continue the topic, as it concerned Ji Yinlan's privacy and was inappropriate to ask further. He began to pluck the Fire Serpent Orchid.
"Are you interested in gaining experience in the military? With your abilities, your future is limitless."
He was taken aback. Was Ji Yinlan extending an olive branch to him?
"I appreciate the princess's kindness."
Jun Wuxie politely declined, carefully storing the Fire Serpent Orchid. He couldn't go to the military; he had to take care of Yueyao.
Ji Yinlan didn't say much more, stood up to leave, but her eyes suddenly narrowed.
"What's wrong?"
Jun Wuxie followed her gaze. In the depths of the magma sea, the magma churned violently, and a crimson, lotus-shaped plant emerged, each petal burning with flames.
"That is?"
"Let's go!"
Jun Wuxie was about to ask what grade of spiritual herb it was, but Ji Yinlan's pupils constricted, and she pulled him out of the cave.
"What's wrong?"
Jun Wuxie asked.
"Do you know what bloodline that Flame Python had?" Ji Yinlan said solemnly, "It's not an ordinary fierce beast, but a spirit-level fierce beast, like a genius martial artist among humans."
"Deep in the magma sea, there is something even more terrifying guarding that Lava Fire Lotus. You must not tell anyone about this!"
"You don't have confidence even after you recover?"
"It's not the same level." Ji Yinlan shook her head, muttering to herself, "Indeed, near the Dragon Ridge Mountains, nothing is impossible..."
"You clean up and leave early. It's not safe here." Ji Yinlan mounted her horse and said, "What's your name?"
"Jun Wuxie."
"Jun Wuxie, I was able to obtain the Fire Serpent Orchid and repair my internal injuries today because of your help. I will remember your name."
Ji Yinlan rode away, disappearing from Jun Wuxie's sight in a moment.
"Hey, your spiritual weapon!"
Jun Wuxie remembered that he hadn't returned the borrowed spiritual weapon to her.
But Ji Yinlan had already gone far away.
"Forget it, I'll return it next time."
Jun Wuxie stroked the sword, a cold light reflecting in his pupils.
A spiritual weapon!
He wasn't sure what grade it was, but even a one-star low-grade spiritual weapon was incredible. The Xiao family's clan-protecting weapon was only of that grade.
He immediately used the spiritual weapon to extract the Flame Python's gallbladder, beast core, and snake teeth, cut off its head, skinned it, filled a cloth bag he brought, carried it on his shoulder, and left the Flame Mountain Valley.
It was already the next morning when he returned to Qingyang City.
His appearance, carrying a blood-soaked cloth bag, startled everyone in the Hunter Guild hall.
Could it be that Jun Wuxie really completed the task and killed the Flame Python?
As soon as this thought arose, everyone immediately denied it.
Kill the Flame Python? A fantasy, impossible!
So many mercenary groups had been destroyed because of it. Could a kid who hasn't even reached the Initial Stage of the Natural Realm do it?
"Young man, did you see the Flame Python?"
The middle-aged manager, who had previously called Jun Wuxie foolish, glanced at the bag on his shoulder, saying with a fake smile, "Don't tell me that bag contains the Flame Python's head."
"How do you know it's not? What if it is?"
Jun Wuxie found this guy annoying. He had called him stupid last time, and now he had a mocking expression on his face.
"Young man, you have a big mouth. Can you think before you brag?" The middle-aged manager became even more disgusted with this young man who was making wild claims, saying, "Even if all the experts in Qingyang City went out, they couldn't kill a third-order Flame Python. What makes you think you can?"
"Just say, what will you do if the bag really contains the Flame Python's head."
Jun Wuxie didn't want to argue with him. This guy was really asking for a beating.
"Heh!" The manager sneered, "If you can produce the Flame Python's head, this manager will eat that head in front of everyone here!"
"Miss Qin, you heard it too, please be a witness."
Jun Wuxie happened to see Qin Keqing coming out of the inner hall. When he registered his identity last time, he vaguely saw that this Qin Keqing was not an ordinary member of the Hunter Guild.
Ordinary members didn't have this kind of temperament, and the true energy dormant in her body was very strong. Her realm was definitely not low, stronger than this middle-aged manager.
"Alright."
Qin Keqing agreed. Beneath her calm expression, she was very shocked. She didn't expect Jun Wuxie to come back alive. Could he have really killed the Flame Python?
Jun Wuxie slammed the bag on the counter, and when he opened it, a bloody python head covered with fiery red scales was revealed.
Instantly.
The entire hall fell silent.
People breathed rapidly, their faces filled with disbelief, rubbing their eyes hard, thinking they were hallucinating.
The middle-aged manager's eyebrows twitched. How was this possible? He didn't believe it and immediately shouted coldly, "Bold! You dare to use a substitute to impersonate it. Do you know the consequences of doing so?"
"Shut up." Qin Keqing's eyes turned cold. She personally checked it and said, "This is indeed the Flame Python, a third-order...fierce beast!"
The middle-aged manager's face turned green and white. How was this possible?
He couldn't believe it, but Miss had spoken, so it couldn't be fake!
This hateful kid actually killed the Flame Python and completed the task!
While he was shocked, he also felt greatly humiliated. Feeling the strange gazes of everyone, his face burned, and a surge of anger rose in his heart, his eyes gradually becoming cold.
At this time, Qin Keqing's heart was difficult to calm down. The information the guild received was wrong. The Flame Python was not a third-order, but a fourth-order spirit-level fierce beast!
How did this young man kill it?
"This manager, a bet is a bet." Jun Wuxie originally wanted to let it go, not wanting to offend people to death, after all, he might have to deal with the Hunter Guild in the future, but the other party actually had killing intent in his eyes, so he immediately ridiculed, "What? Can't afford to lose? Or do you want me to add some seasoning for you?"
"You!"
The veins on the middle-aged manager's forehead popped out. He turned to look at Qin Keqing and said, "Miss..."
"A bet is a bet." Qin Keqing said coldly, "Do you want the world to say that my Hunter Guild can't afford to lose and damage my guild's reputation?"
Suddenly, the muscles on the middle-aged manager's face twitched fiercely a few times.
He looked at the bloody python head with a distorted face, the strong fishy smell rushing into his nose. Thinking of eating it raw, his stomach churned, almost vomiting.
