Chapter 149: Supreme Battle Body, the Dangerous Gao Yu |
His own skin membrane reshaping process was most likely different from others'.
Xia Hong had long harbored such speculation within his heart.
Judging by the current situation, the strength level of humans in the Warmth Realm was probably only comparable to mid-tier Frost Beasts.
Yet breaking through just one Warmth Realm required the blood of over a hundred mid-tier Frost Beasts.
No matter how you looked at it, it seemed unreasonable.
After clashing with Yuwen Hu, this speculation was practically confirmed.
The difficulty of his own skin membrane reshaping was indeed different from others'.
But that the difference could be so vast was something Xia Hong hadn't anticipated.
According to Gao Yu, when base strength reached the limit of thirty thousand jin, the skin membrane reshaping stage could at most increase it by twenty thousand jin, reaching a limit of fifty thousand jin. That meant the skin membranes throughout the body were perfected, achieving the Flawless State. Upon breaking through to the Warmth Realm, strength would double again.
Therefore, the standard for the Warmth Realm was one mane's strength.
Of course, that was for the ordinary Warmth Realm!
Just like different types of Frost Beasts have different upper limits of strength, among humans there is also a group of exceptionally gifted individuals whose skin membranes' tolerance for pain and beast blood far exceeds that of ordinary people.
For this group, the skin membrane reshaping stage would be longer than for ordinary people, and the amount of Frost Beast blood they could absorb could be several times or even over ten times greater.
The so-called Battle Physique Bearing refers to the unique constitution of these individuals.
The price paid is greater, so naturally, during this stage, those with Battle Physique talent would have a higher upper limit for strength improvement.
Generally, Battle Physiques are divided into upper, middle, and lower grades.
Based on the strength upper limit during the skin membrane reshaping stage.
One hundred thousand jin is upper grade; eighty thousand jin is middle grade; sixty thousand jin is lower grade.
If strength during the skin membrane stage can reach one hundred thousand jin, then upon cultivating the Flawless Body and officially breaking through to the Warmth Realm, with strength doubling, the base strength would soar to two hundred thousand jin in one step, which is two manes' strength.
By analogy, even the lowest grade Battle Physique, upon breaking through to the Warmth Realm, would have a strength as high as one hundred twenty thousand jin, a full twenty percent higher than an ordinary Warmth Realm practitioner.
A twenty percent difference in strength is enough to decide many things.
"Of course, this strength isn't obtained out of thin air.
In the Ice Abyss world, time is equivalent to life. These people with Battle Physiques, because they need to absorb more Frost Beast blood, often use beast blood beyond the upper limit to save time breaking through to the Warmth Realm.
Normal people using two or three jin at a time is pretty much their limit.
Those with stronger willpower might manage up to three to five jin at most.
But they start with at least five jin, and the highest might use ten jin. The pain they must endure is far beyond what ordinary people can imagine. Those who die directly during the process of using beast blood are countless."
As Gao Yu's words fell, the entire main hall on the first floor fell silent instantly.
The belated fear in Xia Hong's eyes rose precisely at this moment.
Of course, the fear only lasted a short while.
What filled his heart more was excitement.
It was also at this moment that all seventeen members of the hunting team turned to look at Xia Hong in unison, their expressions shifting from initial shock to astonishment, and finally to intense excitement.
"Ten jin? Big brother uses over a hundred jin every time, even two hundred or three hundred jin!"
"The leader's dosage each time is at least over a hundred jin!"
...
Xia Chuan, Luo Yuan, Yuan Cheng, Yue Feng, all the hunting team members, how could they not be excited at this moment?
According to Gao Yu's explanation, the larger the dosage, the greater the improvement, and correspondingly, the higher the potential. After breaking through to the Warmth Realm, the strength would inevitably be stronger.
"No wonder when we asked earlier if the leader had broken through, he didn't say anything!"
Recalling how Xia Hong had remained silent when faced with their questions after defeating Yuwen Hu, Luo Yuan now suddenly understood.
Xia Hong simply hadn't broken through to the Warmth Realm.
Not just him, Xia Chuan nearby, and a few others who reacted quickly, immediately remembered as well.
He hasn't broken through yet, but his strength is already on par with Yuwen Hu.
Then once he breaks through, how strong will the leader's strength become?
They all turned to look at Xia Hong, their eyes full of reverence and fervor.
If that's what everyone else was thinking, how much more so for Xia Hong himself, the person involved.
An upper-grade Battle Physique has a limit of only one hundred thousand jin.
But his current strength was already close to seventy thousand jin, and that was only at 31% progress!
Conservatively estimating, once he completes the skin membrane reshaping stage, his base strength could be increased to at least one hundred fifty thousand jin. After doubling upon breakthrough, that would be three hundred thousand jin.
Three manes' strength!
One mane more than an upper-grade Battle Physique.
So what kind of Battle Physique did that make him?
Above upper grade, could there be a supreme grade, or an even more powerful constitution...
Xia Hong suppressed his excitement and also stifled his desire to inquire further. After calming his mood, he gave Xia Chuan and the others a "don't spread this" look.
Everyone, receiving his glance, immediately understood and put away their excited expressions, their faces all calming down.
This Gao Yu, no matter how polite, was ultimately just a stranger of unknown origin to the camp.
Moreover, his strength was much greater than theirs.
Even though they had the Wooden Dummies as a backup, they still needed to retain some degree of wariness.
"Although I have never set foot in these Twin Dragon Mountains, I have scouted them a few times. They span east to west for at least two to three hundred li. Never mind Frost Beasts, I'm afraid there are plenty of Abominations within. Brother Gao, able to traverse them alone, surely your strength must far exceed ordinary people. The Warmth Realm..."
Xia Hong didn't finish his sentence, the last three words spoken with some hesitation. Simultaneously, the look he raised to Gao Yu also showed obvious doubt.
Based on the current activity area of Great Xia, it was clearly impossible for a single Warmth Realm practitioner to cross over two hundred li of the Twin Dragon Mountains from the east side to the west.
This Gao Yu either had hidden strength or wasn't telling the truth!
As Xia Hong's expression changed, Xia Chuan, Luo Yuan, and others immediately reacted, all turning to stare intently at Gao Yu, their expressions gradually becoming vigilant.
Facing the group's doubtful looks, Gao Yu remained silent for a moment, then forced a bitter smile and said, "Alright, alright, it seems I can't hide it. I might as well be straightforward."
Pausing at this point, Gao Yu turned to face the group, directly unbuttoned his upper garment, and exposed his chest.
"Hiss..."
Xia Hong, including everyone else, couldn't help but suck in a cold breath.
Gao Yu's exposed chest was actually covered with countless fine cracks.
Like shattered pottery or cracked earth after a drought, the bright red flesh exposed between those cracks was very distinct, a truly horrifying sight.
It was hard to believe that Gao Yu, who had been smiling lightly and conversing gently with them, carried such terrifying and dreadful injuries on his body.
"Was this done by an Abomination?"
Xia Hong frowned slightly as he asked.
Such injuries were clearly not something a Frost Beast or a human could inflict.
Gao Yu turned around, his back to the group facing the direction of the Smelting Furnace, first put his clothes back on, then turned back to sit down, nodding lightly at Xia Hong:
"Correct, it was an intermediate-level Fierce Abomination..."
After saying this, he paused before continuing to explain:
"Ten days ago, I left the village to hunt in the Twin Dragon Mountains. Originally, my hunting area was at most within ten li of the outer perimeter of the mountains. But I had bad luck that day; not long after entering, I encountered an Abomination.
That Abomination could not only control many Frost Beasts simultaneously but also shoot evil rays that fragmented a person's body. I was carelessly hit, and then it chased me all the way. In my panic, I lost my way and accidentally crossed the Twin Dragon Mountains to this side.
As Gao Yu's words fell, everyone, including Xia Hong, stood up with a start, turned to look at the sky above the valley, and then looked back at Gao Yu, their eyes filled with anger.
"Don't worry, don't worry, I shook off that Abomination midway. The four Frost Beasts it controlled have already been killed by me. It won't follow me here. Please, everyone, rest assured!"
Even though Gao Yu explained quickly, the expressions on Xia Chuan and the others' faces still didn't relax; they just all turned to look at Xia Hong.
Xia Hong, currently looking at Gao Yu with a deep frown, was extremely annoyed inside.
Sure enough, strangers never bring anything good!
A refugee, and one chased here by an intermediate-level Abomination no less.
Gao Yu made it sound good, saying the Abomination wouldn't follow, but could he guarantee it?
A Wood Puppet Abomination that hadn't even advanced to intermediate level had nearly wiped out all the humans in Redwood Ridge.
If a genuine intermediate-level Abomination were really attracted, that would be disastrous?
Just the two abilities of simultaneously controlling multiple Frost Beasts and shooting evil rays that fragment bodies were enough to cause huge trouble for Great Xia. How could Xia Hong not be furious?
If it weren't for Gao Yu's immense strength, plus his polite attitude from start to finish and the fact that he didn't intentionally hide things, Xia Hong would probably be cursing and driving him away right now.
Seeing the expressions on everyone's faces, Gao Yu obviously also realized he was no longer welcome. After pondering for a long time, he finally showed a trace of helplessness, cupped his hands towards Xia Hong, and said:
"Brother Xia, this matter is indeed my fault. But right now I'm injured and unfamiliar with the surroundings. I only ask to stay at Great Xia for five days. Once my injuries have mostly recovered, I'll leave immediately. How about it?"
Even though Gao Yu's tone carried a hint of pleading, Xia Chuan and the others immediately shook their heads, their faces showing refusal.
Xia Hong, however, remained silent without speaking.
Seeing this, Gao Yu knew there was still hope and immediately added:
"Of course, if that Abomination really comes during this time, I won't just leave. I will definitely stay and stand together with Brother Xia!"
Xia Hong's brow furrowed slightly as he looked at Gao Yu, his mind buzzing even more.
This person's appearance was far too mysterious;
To be honest, even now, he didn't completely believe Gao Yu's story.
But the problem was, this person really didn't seem bad, and his attitude wasn't problematic.
Although his account still had holes, it was barely plausible.
Being chased by an Abomination, panicking and fleeing here, having such serious injuries – that could explain why he was initially evasive and unwilling to explain clearly.
After all, Gao Yu was a stranger to Great Xia, and Great Xia was equally strange to him. They had their guard up, so naturally he had his too.
The main issue was, five days was a bit long...
Remembering the potential big trouble following behind the other party, a trouble that might even be watching the Great Xia base from above the valley right now, Xia Hong pondered for a long time. Finally, he took a deep breath and said:
"Two days. We'll shelter you for two days at most. Once the time is up, you leave. Although our Great Xia camp is small, it still has over a thousand people. I hope Brother Gao will understand!"
Xia Hong didn't consider himself a particularly warm-hearted person, but he truly couldn't bring himself to refuse help to someone in dire straits.
Judging by the injury on Gao Yu's chest, forget five days; without special treatment, it probably wouldn't heal even in ten days or half a month. He likely didn't actually intend to stay in the camp to recuperate; he just wanted a place to rest.
If that was the case, then two days would be enough!
Sure enough, upon hearing "two days," a smile immediately appeared on Gao Yu's face.
"Thank you, Brother Xia! I am extremely grateful. I will definitely leave after two days!"
"No need for thanks, it's just a small effort."
Xia Hong waved his hand casually, then called for Shi Ping and instructed him to arrange a room for Gao Yu on the first floor.
Letting him stay in the camp for two days was indeed a small effort, requiring no real sacrifice. Moreover, the other party had gifted four mid-tier Frost Beasts. If you didn't consider the intermediate Abomination, he was definitely coming out ahead.
After instructing Shi Ping, he led Xia Chuan and the others directly up to the second floor.
Shi Ping led the cheerfully smiling Gao Yu to an empty room, politely reminded him of a few things to note, then turned and left immediately.
Left alone in the room, as soon as Shi Ping was gone, the cheerful expression on Gao Yu's face was replaced by shrewdness, a glint of sharpness appearing in his eyes. After a moment's thought, he lowered his head and chuckled softly twice:
"This weak Great Xia actually has such a divine object? Interesting, interesting..."
...
"Leader, isn't it inappropriate to let that man stay for two days?"
As soon as they reached the second floor, Xia Chuan couldn't wait to speak.
Luo Yuan and the others also nodded one after another, clearly agreeing with Xia Chuan.
"That person's appearance is indeed a bit mysterious. The materials of his clothes and weapons are all unfamiliar to us. A Warmth Realm practitioner crossing the Twin Dragon Mountains, and with such severe injuries... the more I think about it, the more something feels off."
"Even if his origins are unknown, if what he said is true, it could likely attract an intermediate Abomination; if it's false, then he has ulterior motives. Whether true or false, we shouldn't be sheltering him."
"He only mentioned Shenwu Village, didn't give any specifics..."
Everyone nodded after hearing Xia Chuan and Luo Yuan's words.
Only when Yuan Cheng spoke last did everyone turn to look at him, their expressions turning somewhat strange, including Xia Hong's.
"Right, rashly inquiring about another camp's situation is inappropriate!"
Yuan Cheng gave an embarrassed laugh, clearly realizing the problem with his own statement.
Xia Hong looked back at the group, not rushing to speak. Instead, he first felt a sense of appreciation for everyone's vigilance.
He had thought only he didn't fully trust that Gao Yu.
It seemed Xia Chuan, Luo Yuan, and the others felt the same.
"There are indeed problems, but his strength is right there. A direct refusal isn't feasible either. We don't know how much his injuries affect his combat power. If we really try to drive him away, what if he refuses to leave? Or if he leaves but holds a grudge and causes trouble for the camp? What then?"
Xia Hong didn't try to reason with everyone; he just calmly laid out the facts.
Hearing this, everyone was first stunned, then fell silent and lowered their heads.
"Even with the five Wooden Dummies, I'm not confident I can defeat him. So rather than saying sheltering him was my decision, it's more accurate to say it was decided by me, you all, and the camp's current strength combined."
Hearing Xia Hong's increasingly blunt words, the cheeks of Xia Chuan and the other seventeen grew slightly warm, and a sense of shame rose in their hearts.
Xia Hong's meaning was very clear.
It was that Great Xia Camp's current strength didn't have the qualification to refuse him.
Forcibly refusing might incur a price they likely couldn't bear.
The camp's current strength didn't just refer to Xia Hong alone.
These seventeen people represented the highest combat power Great Xia currently possessed.
But after personally witnessing and participating in Xia Hong's fight with Yuwen Hu, all seventeen knew clearly that facing a Warmth Realm expert, they were practically useless.
After all, the iron-tipped arrows they shot from ten-stone bows couldn't even penetrate Yuwen Hu's flesh, let alone get close enough to use blades.
In terms of speed, strength, and reaction time, a Warmth Realm expert was enough to instantly kill them.
"It's good that you can question me, but when considering matters, the disparity in strength must be factored in. I'd like to drive him away, but my strength doesn't permit it..."
Pausing here, Xia Hong's expression turned slightly grim as he continued:
"His polite attitude is just a choice. Given his strength, even if he weren't polite, we couldn't do anything about it!"
Xia Chuan and the others first nodded, then clenched their fists inside their sleeves. Their desire for power surged to its peak once again.
This situation, where they knew the other party was problematic but didn't dare refuse, was truly uncomfortable. It felt like everything was under someone else's control.
"Remember, strength is the foundation for making any decision."
"Yes, Leader!"
Seeing that Xia Chuan and the others all responded in low, serious voices, Xia Hong finally nodded. He led them all the way to the Camp Supplies Office.
"Greetings, Leader! Greetings, esteemed ones!"
Tong Xinglong and the other two responsible for processing prey saluted Xia Hong and the others, then immediately led them into the slaughtering area.
On the slaughtering ground, seven large Frost Beast corpses were being processed.
Xia Hong directly bypassed the three Snow Manes and Magic Goats in front and headed straight for the four unfamiliar Frost Beasts at the back, his eyes full of surprise.
"These four were just sent up by Shi Ping's orders. He said these two are called Blaze Stone Tigers, and the other two are called Frost Lightning Apes and Azure Thunder Roars respectively. I've never seen them before. Did the leader's team just hunt them tonight?"
Tong Xinglong obviously didn't know about the guest yet, assuming the four prey were all brought back by Xia Hong's team.
Xia Chuan and the others immediately stepped forward to explain to Tong Xinglong.
Xia Hong, however, focused on examining the four never-before-seen Frost Beasts. All four were about ten meters long, indeed the size of mid-tier Frost Beasts.
The Blaze Stone Tiger had a black body surface, but its fur was fiery red. Its four claws were sharp and thick, indicating immense power at a glance.
The Frost Lightning Ape had a blue body surface, covered in short, curly black bristles, its muscles bulging. Its chest area looked like it was equipped with four extremely hard armored plates.
The last one, the Azure Thunder Roar, resembled a lion in shape, but its skin had a blue-green glow, and the fur covering its body was also blue-green. Two three-meter-long fangs protruded from either side of its bloody maw, a rather terrifying sight.
Their appearance was secondary. Xia Hong scanned the four prey one by one, his gaze gradually turning grave.
Not a single wound could be seen on the bodies of the four prey. All of them had a round sword hole on their foreheads.
Xia Hong walked to the forehead of one Blaze Stone Tiger, drew his Ceremonial Saber, aligned it with the sword hole, and thrust downward.
The saber's 1.5-meter blade length instantly sank completely, leaving only the hilt exposed.
Xia Hong moved it left and right slightly, detecting that the intracranial flesh of the Blaze Stone Tiger had been completely pulverized. His expression immediately froze.
"Leader?"
"What's the situation?"
...
Xia Chuan and the others, noticing the change in Xia Hong's expression, immediately gathered around.
Without Xia Hong needing to speak, seeing the wound on the Blaze Stone Tiger, Xia Chuan and the others instantly understood. They then checked the wounds on the other three Frost Beasts one after another, and their expressions immediately became the same as Xia Hong's.
Just from the wounds, even if it wasn't a one-hit kill, the simplicity with which Gao Yu had hunted these four Frost Beasts was likely far beyond their imagination.
The other party had also mentioned earlier that these four Frost Beasts were controlled by an Abomination.
If he was telling the truth, that meant he could kill four mid-tier Frost Beasts so easily while simultaneously escaping from the Abomination.
"This Gao Yu's strength is probably far beyond our imagination..."
Hearing Xia Chuan's words, Xia Hong's brow furrowed sharply. After pondering for a long time, he faced the group and spoke in a heavy voice:
"Coincidentally, the matter with Mirror Immortal Camp isn't finished yet. For these two days, the hunting team, gathering team, lumberjack team – all camp outdoor activities will stop. No one is allowed to go outside.
Take advantage of this time to inspect the area around the valley, especially above it. Xia Chuan, you personally lead the team to check. Replenish the Concentrated Fire Oil where needed. Report any abnormalities to me immediately.
Also, quietly spread the word: during these two days, no one is to interact with that Gao Yu. Especially the children, keep a close eye on them!"
"Yes, Leader!"
This Gao Yu definitely had problems.
It's unknown whether he killed these four Frost Beasts before he was injured or after.
If it was the former, then it's still somewhat acceptable;
If it was the latter...
A tremor passed through Xia Hong's eyes, and a shadow fell over his heart.
"Hurry up and drain the blood from these seven Frost Beasts, then deliver it to my room!"
After giving Xia Chuan the order, Xia Hong immediately turned and went up to the third floor.
Xia Chuan instructed Tong Xinglong to handle it quickly, then stayed behind, exchanging looks with Luo Yuan and the others. Their expressions gradually grew worried.
"Let's intensify our cultivation. With insufficient strength, danger is everywhere!"
After saying this, Luo Yuan was the first to turn and leave.
"We can't rely on the leader for everything. We need to put in more effort."
Yuan Cheng also spoke gravely, then left second.
The others, though silent, followed closely, returning to their rooms, obviously going to seize the time for cultivation.