Chapter 286: The Leg of a Ten-Thousand-Year Ninth Grade Ginseng King, Tian Chao’s Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Bone

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Before Ning Tianchen could speak, Tian Guozhen insisted, "No, we must go. This ruin was discovered by us first, so we have priority to explore it. If we return to the sect and let other elders handle it, the treasures in the ruins won't be ours."

"We're only Soul Kings or Soul Emperors right now. The inheritance of a powerful Title Douluo would greatly aid our cultivation."

Ning Tianchen chimed in, "Third Elder, you can't catch wolves without risking your shoes. To grow stronger, we must venture deep into the unknown."

Qi Hua sighed. "Sigh… Let me tell you the truth. Deep within the Extreme North lie countless powerful spirit beasts, including more than one hundred-thousand-year spirit beast—and even some that surpass one hundred thousand years."

"Not to mention my strength—even the sect leader can't guarantee absolute safety. Guozhen, have you forgotten when you and Tian Qing encountered the Snow Maiden?"

"Such a terrifying existence isn't something we can provoke lightly."

The Snow Maiden rarely attacked human soul masters, but no one knew her temperament. If they angered her, the consequences would be beyond their ability to bear.

For a moment, everyone began to hesitate.

After a long silence, Ning Rongrong suggested, "Why don't we first follow the explored path? We can decide whether to go deeper later. How does that sound?"

The Snow Mountain Sect hadn't set a time limit for this exploration. Spending more time on the snow plains was feasible.

After some thought, everyone agreed to continue walking, exploring unknown areas along the way.

…

On the other side, Oscar and Chen Huayu arrived at a spirit beast town on the outskirts of the Great Star Dou Forest with their soul-hunting team.

"I wonder how Boss and the others are doing. Now that winter has arrived in the Extreme North, if they haven't found the Snow Mountain Sect yet, they'll probably be stuck in an ice plain town until spring," Chen Huayu said thoughtfully.

Oscar smiled. "Don't worry about them. With Rongrong around, Tianchen won't take reckless risks. I'm sure they've already made contact with the Snow Mountain Sect by now."

Hao Te clapped his hands and addressed the group. "Everyone, gather around. We have a new mission."

Oscar and Chen Huayu exchanged a smile.

Neither expected to receive a soul-hunting mission so soon after arriving at the edge of the Great Star Dou Forest.

The long journey had left them restless, and only hunting spirit beasts could ease their mood.

The team gathered around Hao Te in a circle.

Hao Te explained, "This mission isn't about soul hunting."

"Not soul hunting? Are we being hired as escorts? Who's generous enough to hire us for that?" One of the Soul Emperors in the team grumbled.

For soul-hunting teams, their options were limited—mainly soul hunting or escorting. Of these, soul hunting was the most lucrative. Escort missions often involved goods whose total value might not even cover the hiring fee. Worse still, the client might run off after the job, leaving them unpaid.

Oscar and Chen Huayu felt disappointed.

Hao Te waved his hand. "Listen to me first. The client this time is a wealthy lady from Tiandou City. She's already paid us 5,000 gold soul coins upfront, and she'll cover all our expenses along the way."

"Our mission is to head to the Balak Kingdom, join their grain convoy, and transport the grain to a designated location."

Oscar frowned. "Transporting grain pays 5,000 gold soul coins?"

That amount could buy dozens of carts of grain. What kind of person would hire their team for such a task? Just how much grain were they transporting?

Hao Te didn't care about these details.

As an outsider soul-hunting team, entering the town to take jobs inevitably drew resentment from other teams. If their luck was bad, they'd only get low-level spirit beast hunting requests.

A 5,000 gold soul coin escort mission wasn't any worse than a soul-hunting job.

"We just execute the mission. Since the client is willing to pay, why complain? Transporting grain takes longer but is risk-free. Think of this trip as a vacation."

"Except for Oscar, none of you have been to the Balak Kingdom, right?"

Chen Huayu asked, "Brother Hao Te, I still don't understand. A convoy of hundreds of carts—if bandits attack, how much grain could they possibly steal? Bandit groups in the Tiandou Empire are usually small, with only a few dozen members. Even if they managed to steal a dozen carts, the value wouldn't come close to 5,000 gold soul coins."

Oscar guessed his thoughts. "Are you saying the grain is just a cover? The client might have hidden high-value treasures among the grain?"

Before they could figure it out, Hao Te grabbed the two of them and snapped, "Who cares? We're just escorts. The cargo has nothing to do with us. The payment's already in our hands. If the client lied and we encounter powerful soul masters attacking, we'll just retreat."

Anyway, this was their first time in this spirit beast town. If things went south, they could always leave and change locations. No one would know who they were!

Half a month later, Hao Te's group arrived at Balak City, the capital of the Balak Kingdom.

An elegantly dressed middle-aged man greeted them there.

"You've worked hard. Have some tea to refresh yourselves," the man said, pouring tea for them.

Hao Te pressed him. "Where's the cargo? We can leave immediately. Don't waste time."

The man chuckled and didn't answer directly. Instead, he took a bag of gold soul coins from his spirit tool. "The lady said you've worked hard on the way here. These 500 gold soul coins are for your travel expenses."

"Enough talk. We're here to escort cargo. Where's the stuff? We don't have time to waste," one of the Soul Emperors in the team urged impatiently.

The middle-aged man ignored his words and continued, "These 500 gold soul coins are for your journey here. When you deliver the cargo, ask the person in charge for the rest of your travel expenses."

Hao Te frowned.

The man was acting mysteriously, making him feel like something was being hidden.

Under repeated questioning, the man finally revealed, "Balak City doesn't produce much grain. You'll head to the imperial granary—Suotuo City. Our cargo convoy is there. When you arrive, give this token to the person in charge, and they'll recognize you."

With that, he handed over a nondescript iron token to Hao Te.

After finishing, the man left the teahouse.

Hao Te puzzled, "They could've sent us directly to Suotuo City. Why make us stop in Balak City?"

The Soul Emperor in the team replied, "500 gold soul coins for a longer journey is worth it. Maybe the client couldn't buy grain in Balak City or wasn't satisfied with the prices, so they switched to purchasing in Suotuo City."

Though that made sense, Hao Te still felt uneasy about the man's overly deliberate explanation. It reminded him of Oscar and Chen Huayu's earlier suspicions.

Perhaps this escort mission was highly dangerous. But since they'd accepted the job, there was no turning back.

The others in the team also felt confused but didn't want to waste time. Without even drinking the tea or resting, they set off again.

…

In the Extreme North Ice Plains

Ning Tianchen's group slowed their pace considerably, spending about five hours each day cultivating their soul power during exploration.

Notably, the core of the Ten-Headed Blazing Sun Snake easily shielded them from the icy storms, providing a faint warmth.

One day, while walking across the ice plains, they stumbled upon a plant exposed above the snow and ice.

Ning Rongrong rubbed her eyes to confirm she wasn't mistaken before asking, puzzled, "What kind of plant can survive in such harsh conditions? And how has it not been blown away by these fierce winds?"

Plants couldn't move once they started growing. The freezing temperatures and violent storms of the ice plains were enough to destroy any plant.

This seemingly ordinary plant surviving here was indeed unusual.

Tian Guozhen said, "Most plants found in the Extreme North grow in caves, with only a few growing in ice fissures. This plant truly defies logic."

Tian Chao laughed. "Who cares? Let's pick it first."

"Wait," Ning Tianchen stopped him. "Something feels off. Perhaps this plant is just a decoy. Its main body might be buried under the ice and snow."

Qi Hua agreed with his suspicion and, after a moment's thought, recalled a legendary herb. "There's a very special plant in the Extreme North called the Ten-Thousand-Year Ninth Grade Ginseng King…"

Ning Tianchen raised an eyebrow.

In the original timeline, the Titan Ape and Azure Ox Python had mentioned the Ten-Thousand-Year Ninth Grade Ginseng King as a condition for reviving Xiao Wu.

Among immortal herbs, the Ten-Thousand-Year Ninth Grade Ginseng King stood in a league of its own.

Its medicinal effects surpassed even the Yearning Heartbroken Red.

However, the Ten-Thousand-Year Ninth Grade Ginseng King possessed a degree of sentience. Only powerful soul masters could capture it.

"If it really is the Ten-Thousand-Year Ninth Grade Ginseng King, we can't approach it recklessly," Ning Tianchen said gravely. "Its main body is underground, and it has strong escape abilities. None of us have drilling-type martial souls—it'll be hard to catch."

Qi Hua agreed and then asked, "Friends from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, how much amplification can you provide? If you can boost me by more than 50%, I can catch it."

Ning Rongrong shook her head.

He was a Title Douluo, while she was only a Soul King. Though the Seven Treasures Pagoda martial soul could amplify beyond levels, it could only cross two major stages at most.

With her current strength, she could only fully amplify a Soul Sage. For Soul Douluo or Title Douluo-level individuals, she lacked the capability.

It wasn't that she couldn't amplify them at all—the effect would simply be negligible. Moreover, her soul power would be drained in the process.

"That's troublesome," Qi Hua said after a moment of silence. "The best option now is to bypass it. Once we return to the sect, the sect leader can capture it."

"The Ten-Thousand-Year Ninth Grade Ginseng King stays in one place for a long time, but we don't know how long it's been here. It might leave after we're gone."

Even a single leg of the Ten-Thousand-Year Ninth Grade Ginseng King could regenerate severed limbs—it was too valuable to miss.

Ning Tianchen didn't want to miss it either.

Half a leg of the Ten-Thousand-Year Ninth Grade Ginseng King would be enough to restore Ba Zhen's eyesight. With the opportunity right in front of them, they couldn't let it slip away.

He and Tian Guozhen exchanged a glance, speaking in unison: "We'll work together. Everyone spread out and guard its possible escape routes. Let's capture it in one fell swoop!"

Ning Rongrong said, "We're just speculating right now. Maybe it's just an ordinary blade of grass that's resistant to the cold."

Even if it were a cold-resistant medicinal herb, the fact that it could grow in such an environment meant it was at least a high-grade herb of some value.

"Rongrong, stay behind me in a moment. This time, the Third Elder will take the lead, and the rest of us will provide support. Right now, we don't know whether the Ten-Thousand-Year Ninth Grade Ginseng King is aggressive or not. We also can't rule out that the commotion from our upcoming battle might attract nearby spirit beasts. So, everyone be careful."

No one knew the range of the ginseng king's perception, so they spread out within a 300-meter radius around it.

As Qi Hua made the first move, everyone immediately activated their martial souls and remained on high alert.

"Let's see what you really are."

Qi Hua's figure darted through the air. With one hand, he grabbed the herb, while his other hand slammed forcefully into the ground.

The herb he grabbed was rootless—it was clearly just bait. The real body was still underground.

There were many types of rare herbs in the Extreme North Ice Plains, and Qi Hua couldn't determine the type of this herb at first. But as the surrounding snow cleared, a thick, sturdy leg of ginseng was revealed.

"Everyone, be alert! This is the Ten-Thousand-Year Ninth Grade Ginseng King!"

With a loud shout, the ginseng king hiding underground seemed to awaken and began frantically fleeing beneath the surface.

"Fourth soul skill, Mammoth Tusk!" Qi Hua unleashed a group attack-type soul skill to block the escape routes of the ginseng king.

Ning Tianchen and the others didn't idle either, launching area-of-effect attacks toward it.

Under the snow, the ginseng king seemed to sense the threat and went berserk, wildly darting in all directions.

Seeing the relentless barrage of offensive soul skills, it abruptly burst out of the ground.

At that moment, everyone finally got a clear look at its appearance.

Each of its ginseng legs was over eight meters long, and its main body was enormous, with each ginseng tendril stretching more than twenty meters.

Given its size, this creature must have been at least eighty thousand years old and already possessed considerable intelligence.

"Killing God Domain, activate!"

Ning Tianchen lightly stamped his right foot on the ground, and Ning Rongrong's amplification followed closely.

The Killing God Domain spread rapidly outward from his body, enveloping the Ten-Thousand-Year Ninth Grade Ginseng King.

The piercing killing intent, combined with the surrounding cold currents, formed a thick layer of ice crystals around the ginseng king's body, slowing its escape.

Qi Hua felt a surge of hope, but just as he prepared to finish it off, the ginseng king quickly broke free. Its body smashed open a fissure in the snowy ground and burrowed back underground.

"It hasn't gone far—everyone, watch your feet!" Qi Hua shouted loudly.

Though the eighty-thousand-year-old ginseng king had few means of attack, its strength was formidable.

One of its ginseng legs shot up from the ground and struck heavily against Qi Hua's back.

Thanks to the defensive capabilities of his Snow Mountain Mammoth martial soul, the blow didn't severely injure him, but the impact was significant. A trace of blood trickled from the corner of Qi Hua's mouth.

"Third Elder!" Tian Guozhen and the others exclaimed in alarm.

Qi Hua waved them off. "I'm fine. Be mindful of its attacks. If it comes to it, we can let it go."

An attack even a Title Douluo had trouble withstanding—how could Ning Tianchen and the others, who were only Soul Kings or Soul Emperors, possibly defend against it?

"It's coming for me," Ning Tianchen said. Wings sprouted from his back, and his figure soared into the air.

Simultaneously controlling the Seven Kill Sword, he sent Ning Rongrong out of the battlefield's range.

With a clang, one of the ginseng legs burst out of the ground, its slender tendrils attempting to entangle Ning Tianchen.

"I'll catch her—you focus on fighting it!" Tian Guozhen shouted, rushing to position himself beneath Ning Rongrong.

As Ning Tianchen withdrew the Seven Kill Sword, Tian Guozhen reached out and caught the falling Ning Rongrong.

"Third soul skill, Swordwing Ascension!"

With his right hand forming a sword gesture, countless blade feathers from the Seven Kill Sword and Swordwing simultaneously slashed toward the tendrils of the ginseng king.

…

After putting Ning Rongrong down, Tian Guozhen didn't hesitate and rushed to support Ning Tianchen.

At the same time, his torso was enveloped by a thick layer of bone-like armor.

"Friend, let's work together. I have a way to immobilize it for a moment. You and Third Elder should seize the chance to strike it down."

Out of the corner of his eye, Ning Tianchen caught sight of him and couldn't help but smile. "So, you weren't using your full strength earlier. Let me see what abilities your torso soul bone possesses."

Tian Guozhen leapt into the air, activating his soul bone skill mid-flight.

"One hundred thousand-year Frost Mammoth Torso Soul Bone Skill, Eternal Absolute Zero."

A near-absolute zero cold current spread rapidly from his body.

The exposed ginseng legs of the Ten-Thousand-Year Ninth Grade Ginseng King froze instantly, rendering it completely immobile.

The freezing aura spread rapidly along its legs and throughout its body, freezing it entirely in place.

"What a great opportunity!" Ning Tianchen and Qi Hua attacked simultaneously.

Their targets were different: Ning Tianchen activated his sixth soul skill—"Traceless Flying Swords"—sending countless spirit swords and blade feathers slicing toward the base of the ginseng leg.

Meanwhile, Qi Hua poured his soul skills into the ginseng's main body beneath the surface.

Ning Tianchen's attack landed first, continuously cutting through the ginseng's body.

Sensing the imminent threat to its life, the ginseng king decisively abandoned the leg and focused all its strength on breaking free from the icy grip, burrowing deep into the ground.

"Damn it!"

Qi Hua's follow-up attack ultimately missed, allowing it to escape.

When the raised snow settled, a large pit was revealed beneath the ground.

Looking down, they saw a network of underground ice caves—the Ten-Thousand-Year Ninth Grade Ginseng King had vanished without a trace.

Fortunately, the severed ginseng leg Ning Tianchen had cut lay in the snow.

After all that effort, at least they hadn't returned empty-handed.

"If only my soul skill activation had been faster, it wouldn't have escaped!" Qi Hua stomped his foot in frustration.

(T/N: The raw text says 'leg' but I guess 'tendril' could also work)

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