INSTANT KILL 006:03-A FIGHT

Grinning, Guo Shier said to himself, “Crazy. Hehe! The reality of the bout is finally sinking in.”After a long pause, the experts from the West Rune Sect woke up and began to break the pressure.

“Nanshan Grandpa, there’s no need to save my face. Hit them hard!” he then shouted in a voice that was sharp and thin. Even the West Rune Sect’s loud shouting couldn’t conceal his voice.

Huo Bao and the others also followed, refueling the cheers.

Qi Nanshan bent his knees and adjusted his stance, ready to meet the enemy. The shouting and yelling around him gradually subsided.

His concentration drowned out the noise. He knew that he shouldn’t get too excited when fighting, as it might affect his performance. He’s been through countless battles. This experience has long been deeply engraved into his heart.

***

Xiong Pa roared loudly and was suddenly surrounded by brownish-yellow glow.

Instantly, a Phantom of a Marked Bear appeared on his body, commencing the enlarging and strengthening of his physique. His bones crackled loudly as he transformed. Suddenly, he became larger and sturdier. This was West Rune Sect’s unique skill: Beast Soul Empowerment.

Xiong Pa is a Beast Warrior Grandmaster. His Soul Beast is able to take form—unlike Beast Warrior Masters who can only form a beast armor.

“Xiong Pi!” Qi Nanshan shouted to Xiong Pa’s brother. “Let’s go!”

“Fine! Since you want to die, we will fulfill your wishes!” Xiong Pi angrily replied, then roared. The Phantom of a Marked Bear also emerged on his body and transformed his physique.

The brothers were now empowered by the souls of two Marked Bears. Although they were not as powerful as a Marked Bear, they could borrow a portion of a Marked Bear’s strength.

Guo Shier has seen a Marked Bear in the Secret Realm. But Xiong Pa and Xiong Pi’s was not the same.

“Whoa, two bears!” he exclaimed. “Master, what is this Marked Bear?”

Luo Jie squinted his eyes and looked, then replied, “This is not the same Marked Bear in the Secret Realm. It could be a local Marked Bear from the grasslands. I don’t know what the power is.”

Ying Mo knew more about the matter and chimed in. “One is a black Marked Bear, and the other is a brown Marked Bear. The brown Marked Bear has great strength and excellent defensive power. The black Marked Bear is fast. Can you see the set of Rune Devices on their wrists? That’s a Rune Device made with a Marked Bear’s claws. Its power should be pretty good. “

With Xiong Pi’s explosive roar, his body was filled with the strength of the soul of the Brown Marked Bear. He rushed up first.

In battles, he’s always the one to rush to the front. The plan was simple: He needed to tie up Qi Nanshan so that Xiong Pa could have an opportunity to attack.

Xiong Pi’s running caused a light tremor similar to a real Marked Bear. An ordinary Marked Warrior Grandmaster was already hard to deal with. What more if it was empowered by a Marked Bear?

Qi Nanshan didn’t take out any weapons and waited quietly with both hands empty. As Xiong Pi closed in, he began to position his body to strike calmly, like an arrow waiting to be released.

When there were only five to six meters between them, Xiong Pi roared again and got ready to pounce.

Qi Nanshan smelled Xiong Pi’s stench. He knew right away that he was aiming for a bear hug!

If caught by Xiong Pi, Qi Nanshan could be in danger.

Bang! Bang!

Two punches broke open the two Bear Claws aimed at him. Then, Qi Nanshan hit Xiong Pi sideways with a body slam. There was a loud bang. Xiong Pi felt like he was bumped by pure steel. There was a sharp pain in his chest.

He couldn’t undo the enormous power and was unable to control his body, so he flew back and crashed away to the ground.

Xiong Pa suddenly rushed over.

Qi Nanshan was in a very festive mood when he smashed Xiong Pi away. He couldn’t help but cry out as he sped up and rushed to Xiong Pi to give him a flying kick to the head.

If his foot connects, Xiong Pi may be completely finished, he thought.

Just then, Xiong Pa sprang over and swung his Bear Claws towards Qi Nanshan’s calf. The Bear’s Claws were flashing with a yellow brilliance. Obviously, Xiong Pa resorted to body strengthening.

Qi Nanshan’s brows slightly narrowed as he quickly retracted his kicking foot and angled a punch towards the back of the bear’s paw.

Xiong Pa harrumphed. He twisted his paw upwards to meet with Qi Nanshan’s fist, and five yellow rays turned upwards. He was confident that he could crush Qi Nanshan’s fist.

His eyes were red. He stood up and tried to initiate another bear hug. As long as he can cling to Qi Nanshan, the battle will be over.

But Qi Nanshan was trying figure out how hard his fist has become. He grunted and suddenly accelerated his fist to mercilessly hit Xiong Pa’s bear claws. At the moment of contact, his fist flashed with rune marks that immediately disappeared without a trace.

Bang! Kacha!

Xiong Pa uttered an earthshaking howl. Not only were the bear claws destroyed—his fingers were all broken.

After Qi Nanshan smashed Xiong Pa’s hand, he quickly retreated. Xiong Pi—who was aiming for a sudden bear hug—only found empty air.

Qi Nanshan suddenly appeared while Xiong Pi’s arms were still crossed into a hug. With arm like an iron bar, Qi Nanshan swept his arms from the side and aimed for Xiong Pi’s head. Xiong Pi shrieked and put out a cross arm block. At the moment of contact, Xiong Pi knew it was bad. He had never seen a Marked Warrior Grandmaster with such huge strength.

Xiong Pi’s hard arms were snapped broken and couldn’t stop Qi Nanshan’s fist, which was aiming for his head. He was terrified. Since he was taller than Qi Nanshan, though, he was able to stiffen up and move his shoulder to protect his face.

Boom!

With a large explosion, Xiong Pi flew out. The bones on his shoulder were all broken. He then fainted without a word.

Seeing this, Xiong Pa felt confused. He howled and rushed up.

Qi Nanshan slightly shook his head, lifted a foot to kick, and kicked Xiong Pa on his chest. Xiong Pa flew up and over. He now stood motionless on the ground

The fight didn’t last more than a minute. The Xiong Pa brothers couldn’t support each other.

Qi Nanshan’s strength was overwhelming. It was not a match at all.

***

Zizi Rong yelled, “Stop! We throw in the towel!”

Is this a joke? The brothers were his only two Grandmaster Level followers. If Qi Nanshan refused the motion to stop the fight, he was really going to cry.

Qi Nanshan hasn’t even warmed up yet. He hasn’t used his full strength.

Feeling a bit upset, he started yelling, “Qi Nanshan of the North Rune Sect would like to consult with West Rune Sect masters. Who else is willing to go for it?”

He wasn’t satisfied so he simply challenged everybody from the whole West Rune Sect.

***

Xiong Pi woke up. He and his brother were horrified. They looked at each other while they retreated. After this fight, they had both lost their confidence.

Guo Shier cried out, “Nanshan Grandpa, you are the most handsome!”

Luo Jie smiled. “You little pony fart.”

Qi Nanshan waved to the direction of Guo Shier then asked, “Is anyone else willing to be my next match?”

The masters of the West Rune Sect were visibly livid. They didn’t expect the North Rune Sect to challenge them on their home turf.

No one was daring to fight. It was an embarrassing to the extreme.

***

Suddenly, a big man stepped into the training ground. Although he had a white beard and many wrinkles, there were still sparkles in his eyes.

With a steel Rune Rod in his hand, he walked slowly to the front of Qi Nanshan.

The people from West Rune Sect got excited.

“It’s Liu Changfeng! Elder Liu came forward!” someone yelled.

Guo Shier whispered, “Master, who’s Liu Changfeng?

“He’s a Beast Warrior Grandmaster from West Rune Sect,” Luo Jie explained. “Rumor has it that he’s on the top three from the Inner Sect, with amazing fighting power. Haha! I did not expect Da-Shan to make him come out.”

***

“Qi Nanshan, you’re really good,” Liu Changfeng said. “But There’s no place for you in the West Rune Sect.”

Qi Nanshan also knew who Liu Changfeng was. If he hadn’t advanced, their strength would be the same. But after his baptism at the altar, Qi Nanshan was now far stronger. Still, Liu Changfeng is a worthy opponent. He could thoroughly test the effects of his advancement by fighting him.

“Very good, Liu Changfeng,” Qi Nanshan replied. “Bring it on!”

He didn’t want any more nonsense. It was time to play again. But he did not dare be careless.

***

Liu Changfeng roared. His body emitted a red glow, and a Phantom of a Tiger appeared on it.

“A Marked Giant Blood Tooth Tiger. Amazing fella!” Luo Jie exclaimed. “This Marked Beast has not been seen in the grasslands for a long time. Maybe he got it when he was young.

“This Marked Beast soul is very rare, he continued. “What’s even rarer is that he doesn’t seem to rely on the soul of the Marked Beast.”

Puzzled, Guo Shier asked, “Why?”

“Because he’s using a weapon instead of using the Beast’s skill to attack,” Luo Jie responded.

Guo Shier smiled, “Oh, understood! I see. Focus on the use of weapons and not the use of beast skill. Haha! This Liu Changfeng is fantastic!”

Luo Jie knew this disciple was not the same as the rest.

***

Qi Nanshan was stable as a mountain as he took out his own Rune Rod. “Let’s go!” he declared while observing the behavior of the other Grandmaster.

“Eat my stick!” Liu Changfeng yelled back. He roared like a tiger and started to move as fast as one.

His Rune Rod was glowing as it went straight to Qi Nanshan.

Qi Nanshan took this opportunity to test his body strength. With his full power and speed, he swung his own Rune Rod. It swept through the air and made an explosive crackling sound followed by a sharp burst.

The sound made everyone’s ears numb.

Liu Changfeng’s heart suddenly jumped. He screeched to a stop and put up his Rune Rod to block Qi Nanshan’s attack—just in time.

Bang!

All the spectators couldn’t help but take a step back. This loud noise shook them to their core.

The fingers on Liu Changfeng’s right hand broke like the cracked teeth of the Tiger’s mouth. He could no longer hold onto his Rune Rod.

His pure steel Rune Rod even got bent into a 90-degree angle and flew up onto the sky.

He stared stupidly—that was all he could do. Even his Rune Rod couldn’t get close to Qi Nanshan!

He decided to jerk sideways and take out a second stick with his other hand, but it was smashed away again.

Seeing that Qi Nanshan was still aiming at him with his Rune Rod, he stretched his hand into his waist a pouch, and a huge Rune Shield emerged.

(Note: I’m assuming that pouch is a rune pouch with extended space, and what he took out was a Rune Shield and not a Glyph Shield since he’s just a Beast/Marked Warrior and not an Artificer.)

Liu Changfeng held his body against the Rune Shield, basically wearing it. He was banking on the strength of his body plus the empowerment of the Marked Beast’s soul.

Qi Nanshan sneered as his strikes smashed the shield with a bang. Liu Changfeng felt a severe shock with every hit. He grinded his teeth and cried out. Every blow reverberated through the shield and into his body.

Qi Nanshan laughed as he continuously smashed on the Rune Shield.

Liu Changfeng spit blood out with every hit. He has been unable to retreat and can only move forward. He was just listening to Qi Nanshan’s shouting.

Qi Nanshan finally focused and fiercely smashed his Rune Rod down.

Boom!

Blood spurted out of Liu Changfeng’s mouth as his Rune Shield tore apart.

Breaking the Rune Shield showed an opportunity, but Qi Nanshan didn’t rush. Without notice, he let go of the Rune Rod in his hand. He lifted both his hands and motioned to Liu Changfeng to continue the fight.

He wanted to fight Liu Chengfeng with his bare hands.

INSTANT KILL 006:03-B FIGHT

“Liu Changfeng’s strength is very strong,” Luo Jie commented. “If Da-Shan did not advance, the two would be evenly matched.”“Grandpa Nanshan is really fierce. Now he wants to fight the Beast Warrior Grandmaster with his bare hands!” Guo Shier marveled out loud.

Beast Warrior Grandmasters like Liu Changfeng were empowered by the Marked Beast’s soul. Their strength could increase by least by 30% percent. Nevertheless, Qi Nanshan still had the upper hand.

As Qi Nanshan sprang out to attack, Liu Changfeng shouted. “Wa… wait!”

The crowd fell silent.

Liu Changfeng coughed out another mouthful of blood. “I lost!” he sadly said, then turned around and went.

He was clearly humiliated.

Seeing this, Qi Nanshan felt joy and regret at the same time. He knew in his heart that with his present strength, no Beast Warrior Grandmaster in the West Rune Sect could match him.

***

The North Rune Sect started celebrating. They had long been overpowered by the men of the West Rune Sect, especially in the martial arts profession. The West Rune Sect always held a great advantage because of they are enhanced with a Marked Beast’s soul. Their strength was at least 30% higher.

But this time was different. Qi Nanshan shot them down. He manhandled the best men of the West Rune Sect, who all found themselves with no strength to fight back. One person managed to defeat three Beast Warrior Grandmasters one after another!

This contest was a huge victory for the North Rune Sect.

It caused enormous embarrassment in the West Rune City.

Now, they all knew that the North Rune Gate had a very powerful master

***

Unless the Master called, Guo Shier stayed indoors. For three days, he almost never went out. He was determined to stay in the cabin all day long, either practicing or reading. He didn’t care about anything else.

On the third day, Chen Hong came in with a glass of water and asked, “Shier, are you reading again?”

“What do you mean?” Guo Shier replied, sensing that the question had another meaning.
He took the hot water and clutched it with his cold hands. “Little Hong, what’s the matter?”

Chen Hong laughed, “Hee hee, I know I can’t hide anything from you! Shier, let’s go shopping. For three days, I haven’t gone out. All day long I’m stuck in this small courtyard. I’m bored to death.”

“Go by yourself,” Guo Shier replied. “I have books to read.”

Chen Hong bitterly smiled. “Shier, if you’re not going to… who will dare to go out?”

Guo Shier realized that there were others waiting outside the room. “Everybody come in. Don’t hide outside!” he snapped.

Huo Bao and rest entered one by one, all of them with a look of anticipation.

Guo Shier sighed. “Fine, fine. All right. I’ll go. Shi-tou, go find Uncle Ying Mo and Uncle Luo and ask them to go with us.”

Everybody cheered.

“I knew it!” Huo Bao said. “As long as Little Hong suggests it…”

Guo Shier looked at him with murderous eyes.

Huo Bao got scared and suddenly changed the topic. “l’lI…I’ll go inform Uncle Ying Mo…” he said, then quickly ran away.

Chen Hong blushed but remained calm. “I’m going to find Uncle Luo,” she uttered softly.

“Shi-tou, since they’re going to inform the uncles, you go find the person in charge here,” Guo Shier ordered. “Let him find a guide for us.”

Hong Shi also turned and went out.

Guo Shier put on a big fur robe, a pair of big fur boots, and a big fur hat. He was fully armed for the cold. The temperature had been dropping further day by day, but he was growing more used to the climate here.

Soon, Ying Mo and Luo Zhan came in.

“Shier, you’re going out today?” Ying Mo asked, smiling.

“It’s getting stuffy in this room. Let’s go out for a walk. I want to drop by the markets. There might be something unique. I’ll buy some as giveaway gifts.”

“Before we go out, I should remind you. Bring your own weapons! Haha!” Ying Mo exclaimed. “There could be a fight at any time. In the West Rune Sect, you cannot refuse a fight.”

“The battle between Qi Nanshan and the Grandmasters from West Rune Sect is the talk of the whole town,” said Luo. “Once we go out, everybody will be eyeing us because we are from the North Rune Sect. It’s an honor.”

“Er, does that mean that as soon as we get out, we’re going to fight?” asked Guo Shier.

“Yes!” Ying Mo said.

Guo Shier smiled. “But even if everybody in the West Rune Sect combined all their efforts, they’re all still farts! Haha!”

“Well technically, that’s not going to happen,” Ying Mo explained. “A fight is usually a one-on-one battle between fighters of the same level, unless you challenge someone of a higher level.”

“What if you kill?” Guo Shier probed further.

Ying Mo replied, “Someone will collect your corpse when you die… so be careful when you fight. Once you know you have lost, throw in the towel immediately. There’s no shame in that. People here don’t laugh at losers. They know that no one will win forever.”

“Fine, I got it,” he said.

Guo Shier thought of the previous battles of Qi Nanshan. The people from the West Rune Sect—once they found out they couldn’t win—immediately admitted defeat. There was no hesitation.

He suddenly thought of a problem. “But Uncle Ying Mo, if someone comes to challenge me, can I get Uncle to fight for me?” he asked.

Ying Mo could not help but laugh. This little guy can be lazy.

“You have to fight your own battles,” he explained. “You can’t refuse.”

Guo Shier couldn’t help but curse. “What the fuck is this rule? What if a Beast Warrior Grandmaster challenges me? How do I fight?”

“Don’t listen to elder Ying,” Luo Zhan chimed in. “challenges are generally of the same profession and level. It’s not all messed up.”

Chen Bing also joined the conversation. “But it’s a team battle, haha! We will be invincible!”

“Of course!” Ying Mo agreed. “With two Grandmasters, we’ll turn any team that dares to challenge us into ashes.”

“Great,” Guo Shier declared. “Let’s get going. But wait—I don’t want to go too far into the West Rune City. Why don’t we just hang out in the Inner Sect market? There should be a lot of good stuff. I hope there will be no fighting. I’m a civilized man, after all.”

“A ‘civilized’ man? What does that mean?” Ying Mo quipped, never having heard of that word.

Guo Shier laughed. “It is the opposite of barbarians.”

Luo Zhan was also confused. “Barbarian…that sounds like someone powerful. Is that right?”

“Then I like the barbarians! I don’t like civilized people,” said Ying Mo.

Luo Zhan and the four children also agreed.

Guo Shier was outnumbered. “Let’s just go, you bunch of barbarians!” he said helplessly.

“I’m a barbarian. Haha! I am a barbarian…” Huo Bao excitedly chanted.

Guo Shier was speechless. He rolled his eyes. “Find me a carriage. It’s such a cold day. I don’t want to ride. The carriage is more comfortable.”

Ying Mo and Luo Zhan smiled slyly. This little ancestor* was afraid of the cold. They really couldn’t understand how he survived the journey through the grasslands where the snowy weather was much harsher than the city.

(*Note: My Chinese friend says that the term “ancestor” as used here depicts a level or status and has nothing to do with bloodline. It means something higher than an Elder and lower than a King/Patriarch. If you think otherwise, let me know in the comments.)

***

“Here it is!” Guo Shier came down from the carriage. He was charge of the team. Six of them are dependent on him.

There were several big markets in the Inner Sect. They were no different than the ones in North Rune Sect. They had specialized services for the West Rune Sect and Inner Sect disciples. Outer Sect disciples could not access this area without a special permission. And although the markets were open to ordinary West Rune City people, they usually weren’t interested enough to visit.

Guo Shier looked up and saw a large stone archway saying ‘Beast Plaza.’

His mouth dropped. “Holy shit! Who named this place? He’s too talented!”

“What is wrong? Beast Plaza is the most famous open market in the Inner Door,” Ying Mo said, confused.

“Ah, do you know any Rouge Street*?” Guo Shier said back.

“I’ve never heard of any Rogue Street,” Ying Mo replied.

(*Note: This might mean a ‘black market’ location.)

Guo Shier sighed, exasperated. “Alas, I have no common language with you. Let’s go… Let’s go in to be beasts.”

Ying Mo has been wandering on grassland and never thought the word ‘beast’ to mean anything bad.

“Good! We’ll be beasts. Hehe!” he said.

In the West Rune Sect, the word ‘beast’ was just a common word. After all, the West Rune Sect’s professional system was built on the basis of beasts.

***

The whole group walked into Beast Plaza.

Guo Shier, lazily following Ying Mo, asked, “Uncle, what are the characteristics of Beast Plaza?”

“The market usually sells animals,” Ying Mo explained. “With good luck, we can see a living Marked Beast. Hehe! But according to your classification, the Marked Beasts here are only at rank 1 to 2. We won’t see any rank 7 Marked Beast here.”

Guo Shier laughed. “Rank 7 Marked Beast? Hehe! Uncle, you’re joking! A Rank 7 Marked Beast can absolutely exterminate the whole Inner Sect. That’s an overkill.”

There wasn’t much foot traffic in the Beast Plaza. Their group got a lot of attention; many inner sect disciples looked at them eagerly as they passed, as though they were watching a group of rare animals.

Guo Shier chuckled. “They seem very friendly. Hehe!”

“It’s normal,” Ying Mo said with no surprise. “Your Grandpa Nanshan beat three Beast Warrior Grandmasters in one breath. They have the highest respect towards the North Rune Sect now.”

Luo Zhan faintly chimed in. “You don’t have to be afraid. We don’t want to stir up trouble. But if they dare challenge us, strike hard and fast so they won’t dare to challenge us again.”

Their group continued walking.

“Uncle Ying Mo, which one is the biggest shop in Beast Plaza?” asked Guo Shier.

“You should be able to see it. It’s just around the corner. Can you see the sign? That’s the one.”

“The Beast Pavilion!” Guo Shier said in awe when he saw what Ying Mo was referring to. In his previous world, the word ‘beast’ was a derogatory word. Here, it was openly used for a sign.

Though the Beast Pavilion sign was very big, the entrance was very small. This was to maintain the climate within.

Ying Mo and Luo Zhan went in first and opened the thick leather beast curtain. Then, Guo Shier stepped in in, followed by the four children.

Guo Shier laughed. “Wow. There’s quite a crowd in here.”

The inside of the shop was brightly lit. There were a lot of guests. The people inside eyed their group with piercing glares.

“Hey, aren’t you people from the North Rune Sect? Why are you here?” A woman said, curiously looking at their group. She eyed them without fear.

This woman was obviously a professional because she had two Beast Warrior Master followers.

Women professionals were rare, especially in the West Rune Sect and North Rune Sect. On the other hand, there were quite a lot of female professionals in the South Rune Sect and East Rune Sect.

“Are we not allowed to come here?” Guo Shier asked.

Suddenly, a little girl came down from upstairs and called on the woman. “Elder Sister! I found something good! Get it for me!”

“Little Yun, come here,” the woman replied.

When the little girl saw Guo Shier and his group, a look of astonishment took over her face.

She hurriedly walked to the woman’s side, and whispered, “Who are they?”

Translator: Glasses TangGu
Editor: M

INSTANT KILL 006:03-A FIGHT

Grinning, Guo Shier said to himself, “Crazy. Hehe! The reality of the bout is finally sinking in.”After a long pause, the experts from the West Rune Sect woke up and began to break the pressure.

“Nanshan Grandpa, there’s no need to save my face. Hit them hard!” he then shouted in a voice that was sharp and thin. Even the West Rune Sect’s loud shouting couldn’t conceal his voice.

Huo Bao and the others also followed, refueling the cheers.

Qi Nanshan bent his knees and adjusted his stance, ready to meet the enemy. The shouting and yelling around him gradually subsided.

His concentration drowned out the noise. He knew that he shouldn’t get too excited when fighting, as it might affect his performance. He’s been through countless battles. This experience has long been deeply engraved into his heart.

***

Xiong Pa roared loudly and was suddenly surrounded by brownish-yellow glow.

Instantly, a Phantom of a Marked Bear appeared on his body, commencing the enlarging and strengthening of his physique. His bones crackled loudly as he transformed. Suddenly, he became larger and sturdier. This was West Rune Sect’s unique skill: Beast Soul Empowerment.

Xiong Pa is a Beast Warrior Grandmaster. His Soul Beast is able to take form—unlike Beast Warrior Masters who can only form a beast armor.

“Xiong Pi!” Qi Nanshan shouted to Xiong Pa’s brother. “Let’s go!”

“Fine! Since you want to die, we will fulfill your wishes!” Xiong Pi angrily replied, then roared. The Phantom of a Marked Bear also emerged on his body and transformed his physique.

The brothers were now empowered by the souls of two Marked Bears. Although they were not as powerful as a Marked Bear, they could borrow a portion of a Marked Bear’s strength.

Guo Shier has seen a Marked Bear in the Secret Realm. But Xiong Pa and Xiong Pi’s was not the same.

“Whoa, two bears!” he exclaimed. “Master, what is this Marked Bear?”

Luo Jie squinted his eyes and looked, then replied, “This is not the same Marked Bear in the Secret Realm. It could be a local Marked Bear from the grasslands. I don’t know what the power is.”

Ying Mo knew more about the matter and chimed in. “One is a black Marked Bear, and the other is a brown Marked Bear. The brown Marked Bear has great strength and excellent defensive power. The black Marked Bear is fast. Can you see the set of Rune Devices on their wrists? That’s a Rune Device made with a Marked Bear’s claws. Its power should be pretty good. “

With Xiong Pi’s explosive roar, his body was filled with the strength of the soul of the Brown Marked Bear. He rushed up first.

In battles, he’s always the one to rush to the front. The plan was simple: He needed to tie up Qi Nanshan so that Xiong Pa could have an opportunity to attack.

Xiong Pi’s running caused a light tremor similar to a real Marked Bear. An ordinary Marked Warrior Grandmaster was already hard to deal with. What more if it was empowered by a Marked Bear?

Qi Nanshan didn’t take out any weapons and waited quietly with both hands empty. As Xiong Pi closed in, he began to position his body to strike calmly, like an arrow waiting to be released.

When there were only five to six meters between them, Xiong Pi roared again and got ready to pounce.

Qi Nanshan smelled Xiong Pi’s stench. He knew right away that he was aiming for a bear hug!

If caught by Xiong Pi, Qi Nanshan could be in danger.

Bang! Bang!

Two punches broke open the two Bear Claws aimed at him. Then, Qi Nanshan hit Xiong Pi sideways with a body slam. There was a loud bang. Xiong Pi felt like he was bumped by pure steel. There was a sharp pain in his chest.

He couldn’t undo the enormous power and was unable to control his body, so he flew back and crashed away to the ground.

Xiong Pa suddenly rushed over.

Qi Nanshan was in a very festive mood when he smashed Xiong Pi away. He couldn’t help but cry out as he sped up and rushed to Xiong Pi to give him a flying kick to the head.

If his foot connects, Xiong Pi may be completely finished, he thought.

Just then, Xiong Pa sprang over and swung his Bear Claws towards Qi Nanshan’s calf. The Bear’s Claws were flashing with a yellow brilliance. Obviously, Xiong Pa resorted to body strengthening.

Qi Nanshan’s brows slightly narrowed as he quickly retracted his kicking foot and angled a punch towards the back of the bear’s paw.

Xiong Pa harrumphed. He twisted his paw upwards to meet with Qi Nanshan’s fist, and five yellow rays turned upwards. He was confident that he could crush Qi Nanshan’s fist.

His eyes were red. He stood up and tried to initiate another bear hug. As long as he can cling to Qi Nanshan, the battle will be over.

But Qi Nanshan was trying figure out how hard his fist has become. He grunted and suddenly accelerated his fist to mercilessly hit Xiong Pa’s bear claws. At the moment of contact, his fist flashed with rune marks that immediately disappeared without a trace.

Bang! Kacha!

Xiong Pa uttered an earthshaking howl. Not only were the bear claws destroyed—his fingers were all broken.

After Qi Nanshan smashed Xiong Pa’s hand, he quickly retreated. Xiong Pi—who was aiming for a sudden bear hug—only found empty air.

Qi Nanshan suddenly appeared while Xiong Pi’s arms were still crossed into a hug. With arm like an iron bar, Qi Nanshan swept his arms from the side and aimed for Xiong Pi’s head. Xiong Pi shrieked and put out a cross arm block. At the moment of contact, Xiong Pi knew it was bad. He had never seen a Marked Warrior Grandmaster with such huge strength.

Xiong Pi’s hard arms were snapped broken and couldn’t stop Qi Nanshan’s fist, which was aiming for his head. He was terrified. Since he was taller than Qi Nanshan, though, he was able to stiffen up and move his shoulder to protect his face.

Boom!

With a large explosion, Xiong Pi flew out. The bones on his shoulder were all broken. He then fainted without a word.

Seeing this, Xiong Pa felt confused. He howled and rushed up.

Qi Nanshan slightly shook his head, lifted a foot to kick, and kicked Xiong Pa on his chest. Xiong Pa flew up and over. He now stood motionless on the ground

The fight didn’t last more than a minute. The Xiong Pa brothers couldn’t support each other.

Qi Nanshan’s strength was overwhelming. It was not a match at all.

***

Zizi Rong yelled, “Stop! We throw in the towel!”

Is this a joke? The brothers were his only two Grandmaster Level followers. If Qi Nanshan refused the motion to stop the fight, he was really going to cry.

Qi Nanshan hasn’t even warmed up yet. He hasn’t used his full strength.

Feeling a bit upset, he started yelling, “Qi Nanshan of the North Rune Sect would like to consult with West Rune Sect masters. Who else is willing to go for it?”

He wasn’t satisfied so he simply challenged everybody from the whole West Rune Sect.

***

Xiong Pi woke up. He and his brother were horrified. They looked at each other while they retreated. After this fight, they had both lost their confidence.

Guo Shier cried out, “Nanshan Grandpa, you are the most handsome!”

Luo Jie smiled. “You little pony fart.”

Qi Nanshan waved to the direction of Guo Shier then asked, “Is anyone else willing to be my next match?”

The masters of the West Rune Sect were visibly livid. They didn’t expect the North Rune Sect to challenge them on their home turf.

No one was daring to fight. It was an embarrassing to the extreme.

***

Suddenly, a big man stepped into the training ground. Although he had a white beard and many wrinkles, there were still sparkles in his eyes.

With a steel Rune Rod in his hand, he walked slowly to the front of Qi Nanshan.

The people from West Rune Sect got excited.

“It’s Liu Changfeng! Elder Liu came forward!” someone yelled.

Guo Shier whispered, “Master, who’s Liu Changfeng?

“He’s a Beast Warrior Grandmaster from West Rune Sect,” Luo Jie explained. “Rumor has it that he’s on the top three from the Inner Sect, with amazing fighting power. Haha! I did not expect Da-Shan to make him come out.”

***

“Qi Nanshan, you’re really good,” Liu Changfeng said. “But There’s no place for you in the West Rune Sect.”

Qi Nanshan also knew who Liu Changfeng was. If he hadn’t advanced, their strength would be the same. But after his baptism at the altar, Qi Nanshan was now far stronger. Still, Liu Changfeng is a worthy opponent. He could thoroughly test the effects of his advancement by fighting him.

“Very good, Liu Changfeng,” Qi Nanshan replied. “Bring it on!”

He didn’t want any more nonsense. It was time to play again. But he did not dare be careless.

***

Liu Changfeng roared. His body emitted a red glow, and a Phantom of a Tiger appeared on it.

“A Marked Giant Blood Tooth Tiger. Amazing fella!” Luo Jie exclaimed. “This Marked Beast has not been seen in the grasslands for a long time. Maybe he got it when he was young.

“This Marked Beast soul is very rare, he continued. “What’s even rarer is that he doesn’t seem to rely on the soul of the Marked Beast.”

Puzzled, Guo Shier asked, “Why?”

“Because he’s using a weapon instead of using the Beast’s skill to attack,” Luo Jie responded.

Guo Shier smiled, “Oh, understood! I see. Focus on the use of weapons and not the use of beast skill. Haha! This Liu Changfeng is fantastic!”

Luo Jie knew this disciple was not the same as the rest.

***

Qi Nanshan was stable as a mountain as he took out his own Rune Rod. “Let’s go!” he declared while observing the behavior of the other Grandmaster.

“Eat my stick!” Liu Changfeng yelled back. He roared like a tiger and started to move as fast as one.

His Rune Rod was glowing as it went straight to Qi Nanshan.

Qi Nanshan took this opportunity to test his body strength. With his full power and speed, he swung his own Rune Rod. It swept through the air and made an explosive crackling sound followed by a sharp burst.

The sound made everyone’s ears numb.

Liu Changfeng’s heart suddenly jumped. He screeched to a stop and put up his Rune Rod to block Qi Nanshan’s attack—just in time.

Bang!

All the spectators couldn’t help but take a step back. This loud noise shook them to their core.

The fingers on Liu Changfeng’s right hand broke like the cracked teeth of the Tiger’s mouth. He could no longer hold onto his Rune Rod.

His pure steel Rune Rod even got bent into a 90-degree angle and flew up onto the sky.

He stared stupidly—that was all he could do. Even his Rune Rod couldn’t get close to Qi Nanshan!

He decided to jerk sideways and take out a second stick with his other hand, but it was smashed away again.

Seeing that Qi Nanshan was still aiming at him with his Rune Rod, he stretched his hand into his waist a pouch, and a huge Rune Shield emerged.

(Note: I’m assuming that pouch is a rune pouch with extended space, and what he took out was a Rune Shield and not a Glyph Shield since he’s just a Beast/Marked Warrior and not an Artificer.)

Liu Changfeng held his body against the Rune Shield, basically wearing it. He was banking on the strength of his body plus the empowerment of the Marked Beast’s soul.

Qi Nanshan sneered as his strikes smashed the shield with a bang. Liu Changfeng felt a severe shock with every hit. He grinded his teeth and cried out. Every blow reverberated through the shield and into his body.

Qi Nanshan laughed as he continuously smashed on the Rune Shield.

Liu Changfeng spit blood out with every hit. He has been unable to retreat and can only move forward. He was just listening to Qi Nanshan’s shouting.

Qi Nanshan finally focused and fiercely smashed his Rune Rod down.

Boom!

Blood spurted out of Liu Changfeng’s mouth as his Rune Shield tore apart.

Breaking the Rune Shield showed an opportunity, but Qi Nanshan didn’t rush. Without notice, he let go of the Rune Rod in his hand. He lifted both his hands and motioned to Liu Changfeng to continue the fight.

He wanted to fight Liu Chengfeng with his bare hands.

INSTANT KILL 006:03-B FIGHT

“Liu Changfeng’s strength is very strong,” Luo Jie commented. “If Da-Shan did not advance, the two would be evenly matched.”“Grandpa Nanshan is really fierce. Now he wants to fight the Beast Warrior Grandmaster with his bare hands!” Guo Shier marveled out loud.

Beast Warrior Grandmasters like Liu Changfeng were empowered by the Marked Beast’s soul. Their strength could increase by least by 30% percent. Nevertheless, Qi Nanshan still had the upper hand.

As Qi Nanshan sprang out to attack, Liu Changfeng shouted. “Wa… wait!”

The crowd fell silent.

Liu Changfeng coughed out another mouthful of blood. “I lost!” he sadly said, then turned around and went.

He was clearly humiliated.

Seeing this, Qi Nanshan felt joy and regret at the same time. He knew in his heart that with his present strength, no Beast Warrior Grandmaster in the West Rune Sect could match him.

***

The North Rune Sect started celebrating. They had long been overpowered by the men of the West Rune Sect, especially in the martial arts profession. The West Rune Sect always held a great advantage because of they are enhanced with a Marked Beast’s soul. Their strength was at least 30% higher.

But this time was different. Qi Nanshan shot them down. He manhandled the best men of the West Rune Sect, who all found themselves with no strength to fight back. One person managed to defeat three Beast Warrior Grandmasters one after another!

This contest was a huge victory for the North Rune Sect.

It caused enormous embarrassment in the West Rune City.

Now, they all knew that the North Rune Gate had a very powerful master

***

Unless the Master called, Guo Shier stayed indoors. For three days, he almost never went out. He was determined to stay in the cabin all day long, either practicing or reading. He didn’t care about anything else.

On the third day, Chen Hong came in with a glass of water and asked, “Shier, are you reading again?”

“What do you mean?” Guo Shier replied, sensing that the question had another meaning.He took the hot water and clutched it with his cold hands. “Little Hong, what’s the matter?”

Chen Hong laughed, “Hee hee, I know I can’t hide anything from you! Shier, let’s go shopping. For three days, I haven’t gone out. All day long I’m stuck in this small courtyard. I’m bored to death.”

“Go by yourself,” Guo Shier replied. “I have books to read.”

Chen Hong bitterly smiled. “Shier, if you’re not going to… who will dare to go out?”

Guo Shier realized that there were others waiting outside the room. “Everybody come in. Don’t hide outside!” he snapped.

Huo Bao and rest entered one by one, all of them with a look of anticipation.

Guo Shier sighed. “Fine, fine. All right. I’ll go. Shi-tou, go find Uncle Ying Mo and Uncle Luo and ask them to go with us.”

Everybody cheered.

“I knew it!” Huo Bao said. “As long as Little Hong suggests it…”

Guo Shier looked at him with murderous eyes.

Huo Bao got scared and suddenly changed the topic. “l’lI…I’ll go inform Uncle Ying Mo…” he said, then quickly ran away.

Chen Hong blushed but remained calm. “I’m going to find Uncle Luo,” she uttered softly.

“Shi-tou, since they’re going to inform the uncles, you go find the person in charge here,” Guo Shier ordered. “Let him find a guide for us.”

Hong Shi also turned and went out.

Guo Shier put on a big fur robe, a pair of big fur boots, and a big fur hat. He was fully armed for the cold. The temperature had been dropping further day by day, but he was growing more used to the climate here.

Soon, Ying Mo and Luo Zhan came in.

“Shier, you’re going out today?” Ying Mo asked, smiling.

“It’s getting stuffy in this room. Let’s go out for a walk. I want to drop by the markets. There might be something unique. I’ll buy some as giveaway gifts.”

“Before we go out, I should remind you. Bring your own weapons! Haha!” Ying Mo exclaimed. “There could be a fight at any time. In the West Rune Sect, you cannot refuse a fight.”

“The battle between Qi Nanshan and the Grandmasters from West Rune Sect is the talk of the whole town,” said Luo. “Once we go out, everybody will be eyeing us because we are from the North Rune Sect. It’s an honor.”

“Er, does that mean that as soon as we get out, we’re going to fight?” asked Guo Shier.

“Yes!” Ying Mo said.

Guo Shier smiled. “But even if everybody in the West Rune Sect combined all their efforts, they’re all still farts! Haha!”

“Well technically, that’s not going to happen,” Ying Mo explained. “A fight is usually a one-on-one battle between fighters of the same level, unless you challenge someone of a higher level.”

“What if you kill?” Guo Shier probed further.

Ying Mo replied, “Someone will collect your corpse when you die… so be careful when you fight. Once you know you have lost, throw in the towel immediately. There’s no shame in that. People here don’t laugh at losers. They know that no one will win forever.”

“Fine, I got it,” he said.

Guo Shier thought of the previous battles of Qi Nanshan. The people from the West Rune Sect—once they found out they couldn’t win—immediately admitted defeat. There was no hesitation.

He suddenly thought of a problem. “But Uncle Ying Mo, if someone comes to challenge me, can I get Uncle to fight for me?” he asked.

Ying Mo could not help but laugh. This little guy can be lazy.

“You have to fight your own battles,” he explained. “You can’t refuse.”

Guo Shier couldn’t help but curse. “What the fuck is this rule? What if a Beast Warrior Grandmaster challenges me? How do I fight?”

“Don’t listen to elder Ying,” Luo Zhan chimed in. “challenges are generally of the same profession and level. It’s not all messed up.”

Chen Bing also joined the conversation. “But it’s a team battle, haha! We will be invincible!”

“Of course!” Ying Mo agreed. “With two Grandmasters, we’ll turn any team that dares to challenge us into ashes.”

“Great,” Guo Shier declared. “Let’s get going. But wait—I don’t want to go too far into the West Rune City. Why don’t we just hang out in the Inner Sect market? There should be a lot of good stuff. I hope there will be no fighting. I’m a civilized man, after all.”

“A ‘civilized’ man? What does that mean?” Ying Mo quipped, never having heard of that word.

Guo Shier laughed. “It is the opposite of barbarians.”

Luo Zhan was also confused. “Barbarian…that sounds like someone powerful. Is that right?”

“Then I like the barbarians! I don’t like civilized people,” said Ying Mo.

Luo Zhan and the four children also agreed.

Guo Shier was outnumbered. “Let’s just go, you bunch of barbarians!” he said helplessly.

“I’m a barbarian. Haha! I am a barbarian…” Huo Bao excitedly chanted.

Guo Shier was speechless. He rolled his eyes. “Find me a carriage. It’s such a cold day. I don’t want to ride. The carriage is more comfortable.”

Ying Mo and Luo Zhan smiled slyly. This little ancestor* was afraid of the cold. They really couldn’t understand how he survived the journey through the grasslands where the snowy weather was much harsher than the city.

(*Note: My Chinese friend says that the term “ancestor” as used here depicts a level or status and has nothing to do with bloodline. It means something higher than an Elder and lower than a King/Patriarch. If you think otherwise, let me know in the comments.)

***

“Here it is!” Guo Shier came down from the carriage. He was charge of the team. Six of them are dependent on him.

There were several big markets in the Inner Sect. They were no different than the ones in North Rune Sect. They had specialized services for the West Rune Sect and Inner Sect disciples. Outer Sect disciples could not access this area without a special permission. And although the markets were open to ordinary West Rune City people, they usually weren’t interested enough to visit.

Guo Shier looked up and saw a large stone archway saying ‘Beast Plaza.’

His mouth dropped. “Holy shit! Who named this place? He’s too talented!”

“What is wrong? Beast Plaza is the most famous open market in the Inner Door,” Ying Mo said, confused.

“Ah, do you know any Rouge Street*?” Guo Shier said back.

“I’ve never heard of any Rogue Street,” Ying Mo replied.

(*Note: This might mean a ‘black market’ location.)

Guo Shier sighed, exasperated. “Alas, I have no common language with you. Let’s go… Let’s go in to be beasts.”

Ying Mo has been wandering on grassland and never thought the word ‘beast’ to mean anything bad.

“Good! We’ll be beasts. Hehe!” he said.

In the West Rune Sect, the word ‘beast’ was just a common word. After all, the West Rune Sect’s professional system was built on the basis of beasts.

***

The whole group walked into Beast Plaza.

Guo Shier, lazily following Ying Mo, asked, “Uncle, what are the characteristics of Beast Plaza?”

“The market usually sells animals,” Ying Mo explained. “With good luck, we can see a living Marked Beast. Hehe! But according to your classification, the Marked Beasts here are only at rank 1 to 2. We won’t see any rank 7 Marked Beast here.”

Guo Shier laughed. “Rank 7 Marked Beast? Hehe! Uncle, you’re joking! A Rank 7 Marked Beast can absolutely exterminate the whole Inner Sect. That’s an overkill.”

There wasn’t much foot traffic in the Beast Plaza. Their group got a lot of attention; many inner sect disciples looked at them eagerly as they passed, as though they were watching a group of rare animals.

Guo Shier chuckled. “They seem very friendly. Hehe!”

“It’s normal,” Ying Mo said with no surprise. “Your Grandpa Nanshan beat three Beast Warrior Grandmasters in one breath. They have the highest respect towards the North Rune Sect now.”

Luo Zhan faintly chimed in. “You don’t have to be afraid. We don’t want to stir up trouble. But if they dare challenge us, strike hard and fast so they won’t dare to challenge us again.”

Their group continued walking.

“Uncle Ying Mo, which one is the biggest shop in Beast Plaza?” asked Guo Shier.

“You should be able to see it. It’s just around the corner. Can you see the sign? That’s the one.”

“The Beast Pavilion!” Guo Shier said in awe when he saw what Ying Mo was referring to. In his previous world, the word ‘beast’ was a derogatory word. Here, it was openly used for a sign.

Though the Beast Pavilion sign was very big, the entrance was very small. This was to maintain the climate within.

Ying Mo and Luo Zhan went in first and opened the thick leather beast curtain. Then, Guo Shier stepped in in, followed by the four children.

Guo Shier laughed. “Wow. There’s quite a crowd in here.”

The inside of the shop was brightly lit. There were a lot of guests. The people inside eyed their group with piercing glares.

“Hey, aren’t you people from the North Rune Sect? Why are you here?” A woman said, curiously looking at their group. She eyed them without fear.

This woman was obviously a professional because she had two Beast Warrior Master followers.

Women professionals were rare, especially in the West Rune Sect and North Rune Sect. On the other hand, there were quite a lot of female professionals in the South Rune Sect and East Rune Sect.

“Are we not allowed to come here?” Guo Shier asked.

Suddenly, a little girl came down from upstairs and called on the woman. “Elder Sister! I found something good! Get it for me!”

“Little Yun, come here,” the woman replied.

When the little girl saw Guo Shier and his group, a look of astonishment took over her face.

She hurriedly walked to the woman’s side, and whispered, “Who are they?”

Translator: Glasses TangGu

Editor: M