Nine Star Hegemon Body Art (WN)
Nine Star Hegemon Body Art (WN) - Chapter 71: Twelfth Level of Qi Condensation

The southern pass was almost a thousand miles to the southwest of the capital. It was a narrow pass between sharp mountains and cliffs that represented the border with the Grand Xia.

Within the mountain range were huge trees that reached for the sky and countless wild beasts. Magical Beasts even occasionally roamed there. It was a wild land with no signs of human habitation.

The southern pass had a mountain valley that was sided by tall, precipitous cliffs. The mountain valley had to be traversed in order to get to the Grand Xia.

BOOM!

Within the depths of the mountain range was a secluded pool. Long Chen was sitting cross-legged on a boulder. With another muffled bang from within his body, a twelfth cyclone was born.

The originally three-meter-wide cyclones immediately grew to become a terrifying thirty meters. It really did make him feel numb.

For most Qi Condensation cultivators, their cyclones were only the size of a fist. Some of them might have their cyclones be a foot wide. If a person’s cyclone was two feet long, then that would qualify them as a legendary genius. But Long Chen’s cyclones had already reached an incomparable size.[1]

The size of the cyclones dictated how quickly you could absorb spiritual qi from heaven and earth. Even once you advanced to Blood Condensation, your cyclones would still remain. In other words, your cyclones were your ultimate way of absorbing spiritual qi.

Normally, you would be extremely happy to have your cyclones grow larger. But once they grew so large that it was inconceivable, that would naturally be startling and frightening.

Long Chen looked inside his Dantian. The twelve cyclones were like a group of huge mouths that were voraciously devouring heaven and earth’s spiritual qi.

The spiritual qi in this place was much denser than in the capital. Long Chen had managed to break through in just a couple of days.

He was becoming more and more worried and uncertain about the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art. Just when was the end of this? The size of the cyclones was now completely shocking.

Just as Long Chen was thinking things over, a snow-white little fellow jumped onto the huge rock he was on and wiggled into his embrace.

Looking at that adorable fellow, Long Chen immediately put aside those worries and picked him up.

Lu Fang-er had taught Long Chen how to raise Magical Beasts. Over the past two days, Long Chen had caught several wild pheasants and used their blood to nourish Little Snow.

What had caused Long Chen to click his tongue in wonder was that Magical Beasts truly were Magical Beasts; as soon as Little Snow had drunk their blood, he had immediately started to grow stronger, no longer stumbling and staggering when he walked.

What was most inconceivable to him was that despite Little Snow not having any teeth, he actually had tightly bit down on the pheasant, tearing away a piece of flesh and swallowing it in one gulp.

But Little Snow’s throat wasn’t wide enough and the food got stuck. The little guy ended up rolling around in panic. Long Chen was given a fright and hastily picked the food out of his throat.

But the little guy actually seemed to act on instinct and immediately started to tear at more flesh.

Long Chen was helpless to that and could only tear the pheasant into small enough pieces for him. However, the result was that Long Chen’s eyes almost popped out of his head.

Little Snow was originally only a bit larger than a hand, but he actually managed to finish half the pheasant which was almost twice his size!

Even after half that pheasant, Little Snow’s belly only enlarged slightly. He then crawled beside Long Chen and took a long nap. After the nap, he actually began to eat again.

In just a couple of days, he had already grown to become a foot long. He had even grown four new teeth. Although they were still extremely immature, Little Snow still had enough power behind them to tear his food on his own now.

The little fellow actually appeared very fierce, but he was extremely affectionate with Long Chen. After he was tired, he would crawl into Long Chen’s embrace and doze off. Sometimes, he would even lick Long Chen’s face.

Unfortunately, now Long Chen really couldn’t use him to wash his face. Now that Little Snow had started to eat flesh, the smell was a bit too strong.

Long Chen gently stroked Little Snow. Whenever he looked at the little fellow, he would think of Meng Qi’s perfectly beautiful image. A fire would burn within his heart.

BOOM!

Long Chen saw that a couple of miles away in a forest, a huge tree toppled down. At the same time, an earth-shaking roar rang out.

Long Chen shook his head and rushed over there while holding Little Snow. Arriving at the jungle, he saw that the forest now had an area hundreds of meters wide that was a complete mess. The trees in this area had all been snapped and crushed.

Within the center of that disorderly zone was a huge figure holding a three-meter-long huge Savage Bull.

“Wilde, how many times have I told you to use a bit of skill when hunting? Use the smallest amount of energy to achieve your goal.” Long Chen looked helplessly at Wilde.

“Hehe, brother Long, I remembered what you said right up till the point I saw my prey.” Wilde scratched his head in embarrassment.

Looking at the huge bull whose neck had been snapped, he didn’t know just what to say.

Wilde’s strength seemed endless. He was just like a terrifying Magical Beast in human form. But it seemed that when it came to using skillful techniques, he didn’t have any talent at all.

Along their path, in order to keep himself full, Wilde had already killed four Magical Beasts. Although this Savage Bull was just a first rank Magical Beast, its strength was still shocking. An ordinary Blood Condensation cultivator wasn’t necessarily a match for it.

But it was nothing more than a chicken in front of Wilde. Its neck had been broken without it having the slightest ability to resist.

Wilde’s favorite method of fighting was to directly use his full force to completely overwhelm his opponent. This caused quite a headache for Long Chen.

It was just like he was Magical Beast. He favored attacking instinctively. He could remember things while not fighting, but as soon as he was in battle, everything would be thrown out of his head.

“Okay, well let’s handle this bull for now. I’ll skin off the fur and bury the viscera.”

Long Chen took out a sharp knife and began to skin the bull. That kind of meticulous work was something he didn’t even bother trying to get Wilde to do. Maybe if it was crushing the bull into a pulp he could ask Wilde to do it.

The scent of a Magical Beast’s blood could spread extremely far. Even if it was a hundred miles away, other Magical Beasts could smell it. After gutting and skinning it, Wilde brought the meat back to the camp.

The camp location Long Chen had chosen was behind a waterfall. There was a natural cave there, a ready-made shelter.

In addition, the flowing waterfall could block their scent, making it more difficult for other Magical Beasts to notice them.

Although they weren’t afraid of ordinary Magical Beasts, being sneak attacked was also extremely troublesome. If it was a venomous Magical Beast, then that would be a fatal danger.

The cave was very wide. Long Chen started a fire and cooked the bull on a frame over the flame, roasting it. In less than two hours, a fragrant smell filled the cave.

When Little Snow smelled it and saw the huge bull, he struggled free of Long Chen’s embrace and charged right at it.

Long Chen was startled and hastily grabbed him. If he was a bit slower, then Little Snow would have already jumped into the fire.

Although that wouldn’t burn him to death, his snow-white fur would all be scorched.

“Don’t make trouble.” Long Chen put on an angry expression for Little Snow.

The little fellow seemed to be able to sense Long Chen’s anger and immediately became more obedient. His large eyes stared into the ground, and he didn’t dare look Long Chen in the eyes, seeming to acknowledge his error.

Although Long Chen hadn’t placed a slave imprint on him, with a couple of the techniques Lu Fang-er had left him that were used to communicate and connect with him, he was still able to clearly express his state of mind.

But if a slave imprint had been placed on him, he could make him die with just a thought. He would never be able to betray him or even having any thoughts of betraying him.

Long Chen didn’t treat the little fellow as a slave, but more as a partner and companion. After all, the current Scarlet Flame Snow Wolf was just like a child, so he still needed Long Chen’s help to figure out what he shouldn’t do.

Little Snow peeked up and saw that Long Chen’s expression was still gloomy. He slowly raised his head and started rubbing back and forth against Long Chen’s chin, almost as if he was petting him.

Long Chen wanted to laugh inside, but he still endured. If he let it end just like this, then Little Snow would be even bolder next time. He had to teach him a lesson.

The little fellow rubbed him for a long time. Seeing that Long Chen’s face still remained dark, he actually lowered his head and started to cry.

Long Chen practically couldn’t believe his own eyes. Carefully examining him, he confirmed that they really were tears. His nose even sneezed a few times as if he were choked with sobs.

“Okay, well, next time don’t act like that. It’s dangerous and will hurt you. Understood?” Long Chen bitterly smiled and gently rubbed Little Snow’s head.

The little fellow seemed to have understood Long Chen’s meaning and once more started using his small head to rub Long Chen’s chin.

Long Chen sighed. It seemed he also had to worry about this fellow as well. Looking to the side where Wilde was currently salivating, he felt a huge headache oncoming.

When it was essentially cooked, Long Chen cut off a large piece and gave it to Little Snow. The little fellow didn’t like eating ground meat and preferred torn off pieces.

Long Chen merely cut off several kilograms of meat. The rest was all given to Wilde because Wilde’s stomach seemed to be like a bottomless pit that would never be full.

Even though he already was well aware of Wilde’s appetite, seeing him practically sucked up the wild bull that was several tons in an instant still caused him to feel some shock. Looking from the bones on the ground to Wilde who still seemed to want to keep eating, Long Chen didn’t know just what to say.

According to Wilde, Magical Beasts’ meat tasted exceptionally good to him and after eating he would feel as if his full body was filled with power. It was much more efficient than eating beef.

Long Chen once more examined Wilde’s body and found that those sleeping cells were all gradually recovering, a very good sign.

At the same time, he also realized that Magical Beast meat was extremely important to Wilde. It seemed that the stronger the meat, the more it would help Wilde grow.

After eating, Little Snow’s belly was as round as ball. He crawled up next to Wilde and started snoring. Long Chen also started to cultivate. Since there was no way for him to advance to Blood Condensation, he might as well just condense another cyclone.

As for Wilde, he hesitated for a moment. With the Mountain Splitting Battle-Ax on his back, he continued to go hunting. It seemed he really would never be full.

The next day at noon, a burst of wind blew by, bringing with it a couple of voices. The cultivating Long Chen slowly opened his eyes. The person he had been waiting for had finally arrived.

[1] How do you end up with 30-meter-wide cyclones in your body? Well the answer is that the Dantian is both a physical space as well as a visual space inside you