I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, So I’ll Max Out My Defense

Chapter 220 - 221: Frontier Secrets

Li Xiaobai looked towards Zhen Qiankun and asked, “Exactly where is this borderland, and what kind of state are those Flesh Mountains in?”

“Let Tian Ba speak about that, he’s been defending the borderlands all year round and knows more than I do,” Zhen Qiankun said.

Tian Ba was the rugged man who had spoken up for Li Xiaobai before, his muscles bulging like coiling dragons, blue veins throbbing wildly, a killing aura emanating from his body, making it clear he was no ordinary character.

“Hehe, Brother Li, you’re quite impressive. Even I find that Flesh Mountain that awakened in the Tianbei Secret Realm troublesome, yet you managed to survive effortlessly. I admire you for that!”

Tian Ba was a straight talker and burst into hearty laughter.

“This borderland area is the world beyond the Immortal Spirit Continent. You can think of the Immortal Spirit Continent as a circle, where the inside is the environment where humans live, and beyond that circle is where the Flesh Mountains reside.”

“But aren’t the Flesh Mountains devoid of any self-awareness? How come they have their own territory?” Li Xiaobai was somewhat puzzled.

“Indeed, the Flesh Mountains lack self-awareness, but their numbers are vast, mostly gathered outside the circle. They move inward on instinct, and we who defend the borderlands strive to push back these invading Flesh Mountains. It’s precisely because they lack consciousness that we have the opportunity to contend with them. If they possessed intelligence, the Immortal Spirit Continent would have been long gone,” Tian Ba explained slowly. Only those cultivators like him, who constantly battled against the Flesh Mountains, truly understood how troublesome they were.

“Aren’t there any powerhouses in the borderlands tasked with clearing out the Flesh Mountains?”

“Of course, there are. Over half of the top powerhouses from the Immortal Spirit Continent are there. Certain reclusive ancient creatures from the various races of Central Province have been holding fast in the borderland area, claiming to be in seclusion, concealing the fact that they have been dead but are actually struggling against the Flesh Mountains.”

“Even so, clearing out the Flesh Mountains is extremely difficult. Within the Flesh Mountains, there are entities of enormous size. Just the other day in the Eastern Sea, the Vice Leader from the Aolai Country fought a Divine Demon Flesh Mountain at the borderlands. Neither could overcome the other after three days and three nights, and in the end, it resulted in a stalemate.”

“Bear in mind that all three leaders of the Aolai Country are of the Half-step Human Immortal realm!” Tian Ba said gravely. This news was originally a secret, locked away, but today he felt it was necessary for everyone to be spirited and stay alert.

Especially this bunch of spoiled second-generation heirs, who knew nothing, and at this rate, they wouldn’t even know how they died.

Everyone was shocked upon hearing this. A Half-step Human Immortal was the ceiling of combat power in the Immortal Spirit Continent, and if even such existences couldn’t defeat the Flesh Mountains, how powerful must they be? To think such terrifying creatures have always existed in their world!

Liu Ming looked pale, recalling the scene when he practiced cultivating his Primordial Spirit by embracing a Flesh Mountain, and suddenly it didn’t seem so pleasant to him.

Li Xiaobai pondered. The borderlands were the battlefield between humans and the Flesh Mountains. Compared with this, the affairs within the Immortal Spirit Continent seemed trivial. If he could train in the borderlands, he might be able to increase his Attribute Points every day just by lying down.

“May I ask Brother Tian Ba, where exactly do these Flesh Mountains come from?”

Li Xiaobai asked earnestly, a question he had failed to understand all along.

“Brother Li, have you heard of the Ancient Era?”

“The first era after the heavens and earth were opened up?”

Li Xiaobai remembered that when Ergouzi was captured, Ji Wuqing had transformed into a phoenix from the Ancient Era.

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“Correct. During the Ancient Era, there were two extremely terrifying creatures. One was named Undying Phoenix, and the other was called ‘Soul’. They fought against each other, causing the sky to shatter and the earth to split, and from their chaos, the universe re-evolved all living beings.”

“Afterwards, the whereabouts of these two creatures became unknown. However, according to many ancient records, ‘Soul’ was shattered into pieces and scattered into the mortal world, becoming what we see now as these Flesh Mountains,” Tian Ba said.

“Cackle, not bad, it was indeed I who shattered that soul to pieces back in the day,” Ji Wuqing leaped forward, chest puffed out, and spoke with a faint tone. “I must say, throughout the ancient and present times, only that soul has been worthy of competing with me. In the countless, endless years, no one has matched it, and even today, I, Ji Wuqing, am willing to acknowledge the soul as the strongest!”

Ji Wuqing sprang out, standing tall with pride, casually making his declaration.

Li Xiaobai’s face turned dark, and without a bit of courtesy, he threw him aside. This darn chicken was ruining the perfect atmosphere with his antics.

However, with Ji Wuqing causing such a commotion, the somber and oppressive atmosphere had indeed eased up quite a bit.

“Ahem, today I invited Tian Ba over not only to familiarize everyone with the current situation on the Mainland but also to recruit troops for the borderlands. We’re gathering cultivators because Flesh Mountain has recently revived en masse, and a long-lasting war is imminent. The borderlands need more talents.”

“All of you are the young elites of the Immortal Spirit Continent, and perhaps you can lend a hand,” Zhen Qiankun said, his eyes brimming with expectation.

“Uh, this… Saint Heir, as you know, we can’t really decide on this matter ourselves; we have to wait for instructions from home,” someone said hesitantly.

“Indeed, although we are very eager to go to the borderlands and fight against Flesh Mountain, our families probably won’t agree,” another added.

“I’ll go back and talk to my father, and we’ll see what happens,” said another reluctantly.

“Saint Heir, I think it’s best if I don’t embarrass myself with my insignificant cultivation…” another chimed in meekly.

The cultivators’ expressions were somewhat embarrassed. Previously, they were fearless due to their ignorance, bold in their words, but now, faced with the reality presented by the cultivators defending the borderlands, they were afraid.

In Aolai Country, being the Second Leader was akin to being a celestial being, and even she couldn’t deal with Flesh Mountain. If these people went, they would likely lose their lives.

“Cowards.”

Tian Ba commented disdainfully. He hadn’t even mentioned the number of cultivators dying at the borderlands each year, and these so-called young elites were already showing cowardice, which he found contemptible.

“As for the matter of the borderlands, Fire Qilin Cave has been sending people annually. This year coincides with our Fire Qilin Divine Beast competition. Here, I’ll make our stance clear: all four Qilin Divine Beasts from Fire Qilin Cave will head to the borderlands to join the battle, and in addition, we will deploy more than a dozen cultivators to provide support,” Shentu stated in a calm voice, having kept silent until then. For an old and established force, conflicts with Flesh Mountain were as common as daily meals.

Once these words were spoken, the crowd felt even more ashamed. Look at the people from Fire Qilin Cave – such dominance! Confronting danger, the thought of escape never crossed their minds; they truly had the right to their arrogance.

“Hmm, the strength of Fire Qilin Cave has always been an important line of defense for the borderlands. This year, with the help of the Divine Beasts, we should be able to relieve quite a bit of pressure,” Tian Ba nodded in approval. Among those present, Shentu was one of the few who could earn his high regard.

“Shouldn’t Young Master Li make a statement?”

“Indeed, Young Master Li is a genius. It would be a pity if he did not go to the borderlands.”

“Stop it, perhaps he has no intention of going at all; we shouldn’t pressure him.”

Among the crowd, someone spoke using a Secret Technique, the voice echoing around the peak, but it was impossible to tell who was stirring trouble.

Before Li Xiaobai could respond, Tian Ba was already furious. Clenching his fist, he smashed it towards an uninhabited area: “Cowards hiding your heads and revealing your tails, come out!”

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Chapter 222 The Pampered Zhong Lingxiu
Translator: 549690339

The void trembled as Tian Ba’s fierce aura swept over the entire area, causing the faces of all the cultivators to pale. This aura was not just the oppression of cultivation level, it also contained an aura of slaughter.

In an instant, a figure was sent flying from an empty corner, spewing fresh blood.

“It turns out to be you, you rat!”

Fires blazed in Tian Ba’s eyes as he glared viciously at the other person. The cultivator rolling on the ground was none other than Liu Ming, who had just been thrown.

That guy had slipped away to the side while everyone was distracted, planning to stir up trouble and then flee the scene, but he hadn’t expected Tian Ba’s reaction to be so intense that he immediately attacked.

That punch had caused him serious internal injuries. Without ten days or half a month to recover, he was afraid he wouldn’t heal.

“Which sect’s disciple are you anyway? You didn’t speak up when your sect was surrounded during the border campaign, but you’re quite skilled at causing troubles in secret. If you had been at the frontier, I would have been the first to slaughter you!”

Tian Ba roared, and the dozen or so burly men who had come with him all stood up in unison, staring intently at Liu Ming.

At this moment, Liu Ming was sweating profusely, the deadly gaze of Tian Ba chilling him to the bone.

“I was just asking, no other meaning, I’ll leave now, I won’t interfere with your matters.”

Liu Ming, lacking confidence, scrambled up and walked down the mountain.

Tian Ba looked at Zhen Qiankun, “Which sect does this person belong to?”

“Xingtian Sect.”

Zhen Qiankun spoke, knowing that this incident had been noted and just because nothing was done now didn’t mean nothing would happen in the future. The Xingtian Sect was in for trouble.

“Hmm, understood. There’s something wrong with this sect; if we don’t straighten things out from the top down, it will only lead to chaos. When we get back, take a count, and send all those from the Xingtian Sect to the front line!” Tian Ba said.

Hearing these words, the cultivators felt a chill down their spines. Liu Ming’s foolish actions meant that the elders from the Xingtian Sect who were stationed at the border were now going to bear the consequences. He had caused too much disaster.

If the Xingtian Sect found out about this, they would probably flay him alive and string him up.

“There’s no need for Brother Tian Ba to go that far. There will always be a few black sheep in a sect; we can’t let them harm those with true ambition. Guarding the frontier is a meritorious deed. I, Li Xiaobai, am willing to go!”

Li Xiaobai said cheerfully.

“Brother Li makes sense. We can’t dishearten those with ambition. However, it’s still necessary to mete out some discipline.”

“Brother Li’s willingness to lend us a helping hand is more than welcome. On this trip to Central Province, our goal is to select some elite troops. In a month, I will organize for all of you to head to the frontier together. This is a frontier token, with this, you may come and go as you please.”

Tian Ba nodded in satisfaction. Although he hadn’t had much contact, he could tell that Li Xiaobai was no ordinary man. Anyone who could stir up so much hate among the present cultivators was certainly not mediocre.

“Xi Yao also wishes to accompany Master to the frontier,” Xi Yao said, for her opportunity for breakthrough relied on Li Xiaobai, so naturally, she could not miss it.

“Alright, then let’s go together, and the daily expenses will be covered by you,” Li Xiaobai said with a chuckle.

“Yes!” Xi Yao sighed in relief.

“Alright, the main purpose of today’s meeting was to discuss this matter. Having such an outcome is quite good already. In the past, the great meeting was divided into literary and martial contests, but in my opinion, we can forego today’s martial contest,” said Artifact God leisurely.

“I also agree with this. In some time, it will be the time for the competition among the Three Sects, open to all the cultivators in the world. Then, we shall meet again,” Zhen Qiankun said.

“That sounds good. Then, we will take our leave first.”

“I’ll be leaving first…”

The cultivators had been restless for a while, the intimidating presence of a group of fierce individuals made them feel like they were sitting on pins and needles, especially since they had previously antagonized Li Xiaobai. They were afraid of meeting the same fate as Liu Ming.

The early conclusion of the meeting was exactly to their liking.

But at that moment, a thunderous roar exploded in the void: “Who has dared to wrong my precious niece?”

A streak of light descended, revealing two figures.

Li Xiaobai narrowed his eyes slightly; the newcomers were none other than the daughter of the Elixir Sect Sect Master, Zhong Lingxiu, and beside her, a middle-aged man carrying several human heads, clearly the heads of some of the guards from the foot of the mountain.

Xi Yao’s expression changed instantly. She recognized the man; it was Wang Gang, an Inner Sect Elder of the Elixir Sect and Zhong Lingxiu’s half-master who doted on her immensely.

No wonder Zhong Lingxiu hadn’t shown her face at the conference at all; she had gone to find Wang Gang.

“What is the meaning of this, Elder Wang? Today is the day for us young cultivators to exchange our views on the Dao. Please, Elder, show some respect and do not trouble us,” Zhen Qiankun stepped forward and said, puzzlement written all over his face.

“Saint Heir, Wang is not here to interfere with you. However, a thug slipped into our meeting, humiliating my Xiuer. I must find him and flay him alive!” Wang Gang’s eyes glinted with cold light as he scanned the crowd before him.

“May I ask who has offended Xiuer?” Zhen Qiankun asked, his brows furrowing as he stared at Zhong Lingxiu. This woman was becoming more and more unreasonable; was Wendao Peak a place of slaughter and strife?

“Li Xiaobai!”

“Uncle, it’s him, Li Xiaobai. He’s the one who humiliated me, he didn’t even allow me into the Sect gate, kill him quickly!” Zhong Lingxiu’s eyes bore a venomous look as she pointed at Li Xiaobai and screamed in alarm.

“Silence, Xiuer; Young Master Li is my master, you must not be rude!” Xi Yao was getting angry. Zhong Lingxiu had always been pampered and spoiled, which had been magnified today. Not only had she brought trouble to Wendao Peak, but her actions showed a blatant disregard for their presence.

“Sister Xi Yao, quickly come to my side; Li Xiaobai is as good as dead today!” Zhong Lingxiu was fixated on Li Xiaobai, not listening to anyone. The humiliation she suffered at the foot of the mountain, she was determined to repay a hundredfold.

“Li Xiaobai, do you recognize these heads? They dared to stop me from entering Wendao Peak, so I severed their heads. Now it’s your turn!”

“This is my uncle, an Inner Sect Elder of the Elixir Sect, with a cultivation level at the Transcendance Tribulation Stage. Today, you are doomed!”

Wang Gang took two steps forward: “Kid, make sure to open your eyes wider in your next life; not everyone can be offended.”

“Elder Wang, perhaps you are not aware of the rules of Wendao Peak; let me inform you. Here, the shedding of blood is forbidden, even for you!” Zhen Qiankun’s face was as dark as could be. From the very beginning of the conference, he had made an oath with his Dao heart that this place was a Pure Land, where killing was prohibited. Whoever contravened this would have to pay with their life.

Now this Elder from the Elixir Sect dared to commit murder, challenging his Dao heart.

“Rest assured, Saint Heir, Wang does not kill. I will simply take this person away and deal with him slowly,” Wang Gang said coldly. For him, anyone who dared to insult Zhong Lingxiu must die, no matter who it was.

He extended a hand toward Li Xiaobai from afar, making a gripping motion: “Xiuer, your uncle will cripple his cultivation for you. You can deal with him slowly later, how does that sound?”

“Thank you, Uncle!” Zhong Lingxiu smiled radiantly.

As Zhong Lingxiu basked in the victory, Li Xiaobai said with a touch of helplessness, “It seems there’s one thing you all have misunderstood. How can a mere Transcendance Tribulation Stage cultivation level cripple my cultivation?”