I Can See Your Combat Power
Chapter 1739 - 177: The Advancing War Beast

Chapter 1739: Chapter 177: The Advancing War Beast

Different perspectives yield different views; what is sweet honey to one may well be toxic arsenic to another.

No matter how dismissive the elderly flowered-robed figure might be of Cao Lie’s research, the seven clan leaders in Kanglong Hall from Long Valley were genuinely intrigued.

Martial arts have thrived for a millennium, and among the Three Realms Holy Land, Beast Taming Sect most definitely has the deepest involvement in worldly affairs, with stations spread across every city in Xiehe and ranches spanning several continents.

However, this kind of mundane expansion does not change the vulnerability of the Beast Taming Sect’s disciples when they lose their battle beasts.

More importantly, among the seven branches of the Beast Taming Sect, the Naked Sect has significantly surpassed the other six in martial arts research.

The fundamental reason for this gap is that the other six branches conduct cross-species research, each and every result requiring hundreds to thousands of repeated observations and experiments, while the Naked Sect receives precise feedback directly from their experimental subjects.

This disparity in approaches naturally leads to a huge difference in efficiency, and the emergence of Cao Lie provides the other six branches a chance to change the situation.

More importantly, they see the future of the Beast Taming Sect in Cao Lie’s research.

Although the Three Realms Holy Land are branches of the same tree, competition in martial arts has never ceased, and it seems like Buddha’s Country and Divine Court intend to leave the Beast Taming Sect behind.

In recent years, more cultivators in Buddha’s Country have achieved the Bodhisattva Fruit Position, and Divine Court has even created a powerful weapon like the Void Divine Hall.

It seems only the Beast Taming Sect is marking time, but now with the emergence of Cao Lie, this gap can be filled.

Perceiving the intentions of everyone, after letting Shi Sanke display his uniqueness, Cao Lie began to make demands to Long Valley.

"I need as many Dragon Controlling Masters, Beast Feeding Officers, and Breeding Specialists as possible, along with bones of king beasts, various Dragon Beasts, high-grade Corpse Refining tools; the specific numbers will be listed by me, and you will have them sent to Luyang."

"Additionally, send some martial arts researchers from the Naked Sect. If we want this research to achieve its maximum effect, we need to start designing Spirit Arts and secret techniques to enhance the combat strength of Dragon Beasts. This is a huge project, so the more researchers the better, and this needs to be arranged soon. I want to see a list before I leave."

"Furthermore, ordinary Dragon Beasts obviously cannot bear the soul of a Human King, so I need some king beasts for research, preferably from the Dragon Clan. Please arrange this as soon as possible, clan leader."

Cao Lie said with a smile, "If the clan leader thinks this is too much, then I will take my research to Buddha’s Country or Divine Court. I believe with their generosity, even if I double my requests, they will gladly agree."

...

Luyang City

Lu Zhongyan and Fu Yuanshan felt utterly hopeless. Although warriors are always prepared to die in battle, becoming a wild beast was never on any warrior’s list.

Over two years, their sense of humanity has become increasingly blurred, while the wild nature of beasts has grown stronger.

Seeing skin ripped and flesh exposed on a criminal prisoner, the saliva secreted in their mouth seemed to remind them of the deliciousness of flesh;

Seeing an unguarded prison guard facing away, they felt an impulse to pounce and shred him apart;

Even passing by a female beast in the animal enclosure provoked a reaction.

These emotions, too shameful to speak of and even unbearable to face directly, made them deeply aware that they were becoming increasingly distant from their human identity.

And each time they realized they were more similar to Dragon Beasts, Lu Zhongyan and Fu Yuanshan hated Cao Lie even more.

After all, the one who turned them into this neither-human-nor-ghost state was that demon clad in human skin; they truly couldn’t understand how Shi Sanke could abandon his dignity, willingly serving his enemy like a dog of a falconer.

It seems that over the past two years they had been forgotten by Cao Lie, as if the warden truly magnanimously gave them time to consider slowly. In these two years, he hadn’t come to train them at all, only Shi Sanke would come to persuade them every now and then.

But towards this traitor, the two naturally wouldn’t give him a good reception, so the persuasion often turned into a battle.

Initially relying on their absolute numerical advantage, Lu Zhongyan and Fu Yuanshan could easily drive Shi Sanke away without much effort.

However, as time passed, the battles became increasingly difficult, shifting from an absolute advantage to evenly matched, and then to merely relying on the formidable vitality of the Dragon Beasts to desperately hold on.

The fighting strength of Shi Sanke changed every few days; towards the later stages, it only took a meeting or two to knock them down.

The power gained from forsaking one’s dignity and conscience was indeed terrifying, but this was not what Lu Zhongyan and Fu Yuanshan wanted. Despite being beaten down repeatedly, they would still struggle to their feet to attack, as if they preferred to die at the hands of a former classmate.

But Shi Sanke, self-proclaimed as the first Dragon Beast under Cao Lie, would not oblige them. Even though the two were obstinately unyielding, they were still valuable experimental tools.

"A bit of mud can’t support a wall."

After one final unsuccessful persuasion, the cold Dragon Beast left without returning to the stalactite cave.

Perhaps in Shi Sanke’s view, these two former companions had given up on themselves, but only Lu Zhongyan and Fu Yuanshan knew in their hearts that they had never given up hope. It’s just that the path of becoming a lackey for an enemy was not something they’d consider.

In the stalactite cave, the two Dragon Beasts, with their tough and sharp claws, kept scratching on the ground, occasionally issuing low growls.

These two Dragon Beasts, unlearned in human speech, still found a way to communicate, and on the darkest corner of the cave’s floor, they had a grand plan.

And their meticulous waiting finally brought them an opportunity, with both Cao Lie and Shi Sanke not in Luyang. Their patient pretense over the two years had made the guards accustomed to the two meandering Dragon Beasts, so it was time to unleash all the pent-up fury.

As usual, Lu Zhongyan and Fu Yuanshan strolled leisurely to the town’s center to bask in the sun, and the jailer, accustomed to the two Dragon Beasts appearing on time, suspected nothing.

It was only when he saw the two Dragon Beasts nearing the city walls that he loudly reminded them: "Hey, don’t go too far, come back, the sunlight is better here."

The two years of hidden disguise led the guards of Luyang City to believe that they had been completely tamed by Great Commander Cao, akin to watchdogs guarding a house.

Therefore, the jailer was not afraid, believing that a tamed house dog would not bite. Seeing that the two Dragon Beasts hadn’t turned around yet, the guard on the watchtower directly jumped down, intending to drive them back.

He ran in front of the two Dragon Beasts, then pointed towards the city and yelled, "Go back, hurry back! Um, what are these eyes, wait, why are you baring your teeth, no, no, don’t do it!"

The guard’s dying screams before being torn apart alarmed the other posts in Luyang City, but upon seeing the two Dragon Beasts, the guards, who should have immediately sounded the alarm, hesitated.

After all, in their eyes, the two Dragon Beasts were the warden’s battle beasts, equivalent to high-level combat forces of Luyang City.

Killing the guard might just be because they missed their master too much, so they went berserk?

Just as the old saying goes, the strongest fortress is often breached from within. Seizing the opportunity when the watchtower guards were distracted, the two Dragon Beasts rose with the wind and flew out of the city.

This carefully planned escape, which had been two years in the making, went unusually smoothly.

And the targets of Lu Zhongyan and Fu Yuanshan were very clear; from the beginning, they didn’t believe that only Cao Lie in this world could help them reclaim their lives, although they were just self-taught individuals without much exposure to the greater world.

But they stubbornly believed, if there was someone in the world who could save them, it could only be their beloved Dean!