In that instant, Jiang Jichen felt a piercing chill on his neck.

Clearly, this strike was aimed at his neck, intending to behead him.

This strike felt familiar to Jiang Jichen!

Wasn’t this the same blade that had taken the head of the Noble Family Leader’s disciple?

’Fuck, so it’s the slim youth!’

’What a ruthless strike. What a stunning strike.’

’But using it on me seems a bit much, doesn’t it?’

Any other Spirit Cultivator at the Innate Sixth Layer would have surely died.

But Jiang Jichen was no ordinary person. His Body Refining Realm alone surpassed the slim youth’s Cultivation at the Innate Fourth Realm. How could a mere strike like this possibly harm his physical body?

However, even if Jiang Jichen wasn’t afraid of the strike, there was no way he would let it land on his neck!

He countered at the last second, using Illusory Indeterminacy to barely dodge the attack. However, the Blade Intent was unexpectedly relentless. One strike flowed into the next, the rapid transformations catching Jiang Jichen by surprise.

And again, it was aimed straight for Jiang Jichen’s neck.

’He’s trying to behead me again?’ Even after dodging the first strike, Jiang Jichen felt a lingering chill on his neck. He vividly remembered how his opponent had previously decapitated two people, each with a single blow!

’Is it the nature of his Blade Intent, or does this guy just enjoy beheadings?’ A shiver ran down Jiang Jichen’s spine.

’If his opponent’s Cultivation Realm were higher, this kind of Blade Intent would be absolutely terrifying. No ordinary person could possibly block it!’

But after dodging the first strike, Jiang Jichen suddenly planted his feet. As the large machete swung toward him again, he casually extended two fingers.

THWACK!

The thick blade was clamped firmly between them, unable to move another inch. The relentless Blade Intent came to an abrupt halt.

The best way to counter such a Blade Intent was to overwhelm it with brute force. But how many people in the world possessed a body and strength comparable to Jiang Jichen’s?

Even with his formidable body and strength, Jiang Jichen’s frame trembled slightly the moment he caught the blade. A terrifying amount of force was channeled through his feet and into the earth.

BOOM!

The ground in a ten-meter radius around his feet cracked and splintered. Moreover, a faint gash had appeared on his fingers.

’What terrifying power!’

Now, Jiang Jichen stood face-to-face with the slim youth. In the flickering firelight, he saw a flash of surprise in his opponent’s otherwise indifferent eyes. He clearly hadn’t expected to find Jiang Jichen here.

"Hey, kid, you’re a little impulsive," Jiang Jichen said shamelessly. "I’m the man who saved your big brother’s life. Is this any way to treat your great benefactor?"

What he said wasn’t entirely wrong. If he hadn’t killed everyone else, the Totem Youth would have stood no chance of survival. Now, at least, he was still breathing.

’Then again,’ he thought, ’remembering how the slim youth dragged the Totem Youth away like a corpse, he’s probably dead by now even if he survived the initial fight!’

The slim youth finally withdrew his heavy large machete. Without a word, he walked over to the campfire.

Only then did Jiang Jichen get a chance to look. He saw the Totem Youth lying beside the fire. To his astonishment, not only was the youth not dead, but his aura even seemed a little stronger than before.

’He survived even that? How can he possess such a powerful Power of Life!’

Jiang Jichen was left speechless. While this tenacious Life Force couldn’t compare to his own Undying Scripture, it was still incredibly formidable.

His gaze shifted to the area beside the Totem Youth, where he saw the carcasses of several beasts—they were all Innate Sixth Layer Profound Beasts!

’He really is tough,’ Jiang Jichen thought. ’To kill several Innate Sixth Layer Profound Beasts with a Cultivation at only the Innate Fourth Realm.’

The Inner Cores of these Profound Beasts had been extracted and placed upon the Totem Youth’s body.

Just then, Jiang Jichen noticed something astonishing.

The motionless Totem Youth was actually absorbing the power from the Spirit Beast Inner Cores automatically. The process was slow, but he was gradually recovering.

’No wonder he isn’t dead and his life force has even grown stronger,’ Jiang Jichen mused. ’To think he can absorb Spirit Beast Inner Cores on his own like this... his bloodline is truly extraordinary. As expected of the Barbarian Spirit Clan.’

In addition, a large piece of beast meat was roasting over the fire. It was golden-brown and glistening with fat, its mouthwatering aroma wafting through the air.

Jiang Jichen hadn’t eaten proper food in a long time, having subsisted entirely on Spirit Pills. The sudden aroma made his stomach rumble, and his appetite flared.

He brazenly sat down by the fire. The slim youth immediately eyed him with vigilance, his hand tightening around the hilt of his large machete. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Jiang Jichen acted as if he hadn’t noticed, his eyes fixed on the roasting meat. "Kid," he said, "looks like I misunderstood you. So you were roasting this to repay your benefactor after all! Very thoughtful. Well then, don’t mind if I do!"

After speaking, Jiang Jichen took out a sharp knife, swiftly carved off a slice of meat, and began to wolf it down.

The slim youth sat to one side. Though he still held his large machete, his grip had loosened. He simply watched quietly as Jiang Jichen ate.

Jiang Jichen had a knack for making himself at home. He guessed the slim youth wasn’t one for conversation, so he paid his silence no mind.

His knife flashed, carving the roast into slices of uniform size and thickness. He then took a Jade Bowl from his Storage Bag and added some seasonings. The aroma that drifted out was even more tantalizing.