After cleaving the Martial Arts Third Layer Martial Artist in two with a single strike, Zhaang Ye rolled without hesitation, dropping behind the Mammoth to coordinate an attack on the remaining two Martial Artists.

The Mammoth’s weaknesses were its back and its rear. The two Martial Artists were clearly seasoned fighters, as they immediately identified the Mammoth’s weak spots and dodged behind it to attack.

The only defensive weapon the Mammoth had for its rear was its tail. Although its tail was agile and powerful, it couldn’t fend off attacks from two Martial Arts Third Layer masters at once. By the time Zhaang Ye had slain his opponent, the Mammoth had already taken a sword to its rump. The cut wasn’t deep, but it sent the beast into a furious rage.

"GRRR!"

Though only a beast, the Mammoth was quite intelligent. After being cut, it realized its rear was the enemy’s main target and was impossible to defend. Since it couldn’t defend, it decided not to. Relying on its thick, tough hide, it suddenly reversed, pressing toward the two Martial Arts Third Layer masters like a moving wall.

The expressions of the two Martial Arts Third Layer masters changed slightly, and they hastily retreated. The Mammoth was dozens of feet tall and weighed as much as a mountain. If they were knocked to the ground and trampled, they would be as good as dead, if not worse.

THUD! THUD!

As the two Martial Arts Third Layer masters retreated, the body of the expert Zhaang Ye had slain finally fell from the sky, landing on the ground with two loud thuds.

Seeing the body fall, the two Martial Arts Third Layer Martial Artists were stunned. The lean, middle-aged man who had been sliced in two was named Lin Li, the strongest of the three. His sudden death sent a jolt of panic through the two masters.

Seizing the split second they were distracted, Zhaang Ye unleashed his Gentle Wind Slash with full force. His saber flashed as he struck at one of the Martial Arts Third Layer Martial Artists.

This Martial Artist was at the Early Stage of Martial Arts Third Layer, but he was already heavily injured, which hindered his performance. On top of that, Zhaang Ye’s timing was perfect, striking in the exact instant the man’s concentration wavered.

Distracted and injured, he was suddenly faced with a killing move like the Gentle Wind Slash. Despite being a powerful Martial Arts Third Layer Martial Artist, he had no time to dodge. He instinctively flinched, and with a soft HISS, Zhaang Ye’s Thick-Backed Saber sliced through his heart, leaving a deep gash and stealing his life.

In a duel between Martial Artists, it was kill or be killed. The world was just that cruel.

Having killed two Martial Arts Third Layer masters in a row, Zhaang Ye was now exposed to his remaining opponent. Seeing his companions slain one after another by Zhaang Ye, the last Martial Artist’s eyes turned red with rage. "You brat! You killed them! Now you die!"

SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH! A bow appeared in the man’s hands, and he instantly fired three arrows at Zhaang Ye. Each arrow was as fast as lightning. They flew out in a triangular formation, locking down the space above, to the left, and to the right of Zhaang Ye, leaving him no room to dodge!

’Damn it, this guy is an Archery master!’ Zhaang Ye thought in alarm. With no time to think, his Thick-Backed Saber instantly transformed into a Blade Net to shield his body.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Zhaang Ye barely managed to block two of the arrows. The third grazed his face as it flew past. The feeling of being so close to death was something Zhaang Ye would never forget.

After firing three arrows, the Martial Artist immediately reached for another arrow from the Quiver on his back. But just then, the Mammoth turned around. Its long trunk cut a long shadow through the air, whipping toward the Martial Artist like a giant Long Whip!

The force of the Mammoth’s swinging trunk was unimaginable, kicking up a howling wind. The terrified Martial Artist tried to retreat, but how could he be fast enough? The Mammoth’s trunk miraculously extended by over ten feet, deftly coiling around him. Then, as if eating a dumpling, it tossed the Martial Artist into its massive mouth.

CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH... A moment later, the sound of shattering bones came from the Mammoth’s mouth.

Watching the Mammoth relish its human meal, Zhaang Ye’s scalp tingled. He cursed, "You beast! Would it kill you not to eat people?!" 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

The Mammoth let out two "GRRR"s, pointed its trunk at the corpse on the ground, and gestured for a moment. Then, it picked up half the body and presented it to Zhaang Ye.

Zhaang Ye understood its meaning and frantically waved his hands. "Are you offering me... a piece? Uh... no thanks. You can keep it for yourself."

He had only taken two steps when he suddenly heard a long cry from the top of the small hill. Two figures shot down from the hilltop like goshawks. "Brat! Long-haired Elephant! You actually killed three of my men! I’ll kill you both and make you join my subordinates in death!"

It turned out these two had been on the hill, waiting for a Spirit Elixir to mature. They hadn’t expected that before they could even get their hands on it, the men they’d sent down would all be killed by Zhaang Ye and the Mammoth.

Killing them was one thing, but what was most infuriating was that this Mammoth had swallowed a living person whole. How could the two of them tolerate that? They immediately abandoned the Spirit Elixir and flew down, intending to kill Zhaang Ye and the Mammoth first and foremost.

These two were a cut above the previous three in strength. The one who had shouted from the air, in particular, descended with the force of a collapsing mountain. His power was immense. Though he was still dozens of feet from the ground, Zhaang Ye could already feel the profound aura of death.

Zhaang Ye knew these two were at least at the Martial Arts Third Layer Middle Stage. The one who had shouted from the air was likely even at the Late-stage Martial Arts Third Layer. A direct confrontation would be certain death for him. He immediately shouted to the Mammoth, "Big guy, it’s up to you!"

The Mammoth let out a proud trumpeting cry and stomped its massive leg heavily on the ground. Several large boulders on the ground instantly shot into the sky toward the two Martial Artists.

As the two Martial Artists reeled in shock, the Mammoth suddenly snorted a few times from its long trunk, sending sand and stones flying. The sheer force of the blast was no less than that of two Martial Arts Third Layer masters.

The Mammoth’s counterattack was ferocious, but the two men were, after all, masters at the Martial Arts Third Layer Middle Stage. They snorted, and with a few palm strikes each, they actually blasted away all the stones and dust.

Its move broken, the Mammoth remained unfazed. Its long trunk instantly transformed into a Long Whip, lashing out heavily toward the two men.

The Mammoth’s trunk was agile enough to pick up a tiny needle, yet powerful enough to shatter stone tablets. Its attack range was also astonishingly large. With this combination of immense power and dexterity, the Mammoth managed to completely suppress two Martial Arts Third Layer masters with just its trunk, preventing them from escaping.

’A perfect chance!’ Zhaang Ye was overjoyed to see the two Martial Arts Third Layer masters pinned down by the Mammoth. He quickly leaped onto the hill and began to search.

The hilltop was a chaotic mess, strewn with more than a dozen corpses lying haphazardly. In the middle of the bodies was a sky-blue stone, and upon this stone grew three vermilion-colored stalks of grass, each about four inches tall.

"Jade Red Grass!" Seeing the three small plants, Zhaang Ye couldn’t help but cry out.

Jade Red Grass was a well-known Mutated Medicine. It grew one inch every ten years, was the color of red jade, and was very juicy. When consumed by a Martial Artist, it had the effect of Washing the Marrow, a benefit far superior to that of a Body Tempering Pill. Zhaang Ye was currently at the Peak of Martial Arts Second Layer. With this Jade Red Grass, breaking through to the Martial Arts Third Layer would be within his grasp!

(A new week has begun. If you have any Recommendation Tickets, please toss one or two this way.)