C26 Jackal

Gazing upon the shattered weapons strewn about, Jiang Xiaofan felt a pang in his gut—what a waste of fine war weapons! The entire Jiang family couldn't muster up such an array of Profound Level weapons, much less those of the Earth Level. If only he had arrived a day sooner, he might have been able to alter this grim tableau and, at the very least, claim a piece of the action for himself.

Right then, the grotesque black pig took notice of Jiang Xiaofan. It lumbered around, fixing him with a glare from its beady eyes before snarling, "Kid! You dare interrupt my serene slumber? Your end comes today!" With that, the creature rose to its feet, its form contorting and expanding rapidly. In a mere moment, it had ballooned to over the height of a man, its fur thickening, its visage growing more menacing by the second.

"Hiccup—Though I don't normally consume humans, today I'll make an exception!" it proclaimed. The beast then yawned open its massive maw, revealing saw-like teeth glistening with a chilling light. Jiang Xiaofan couldn't help but shudder as he spotted half a sword hilt lodged between those fearsome fangs. So that's why the weapons were in ruins—it devoured them! If it could gnaw through metal, Jiang Xiaofan's own flesh would be like tofu in comparison.

Jiang Xiaofan could sense a formidable presence emanating from the creature, indicating it possessed the might of the Profound Martial Stage. In a head-to-head battle, given his current state, he doubted he could emerge victorious.

"Ding!"

"System Prompt: Congratulations, you have successfully triggered the mission to tame the jackal (Difficulty: S)."

Jiang Xiaofan was dumbfounded. He had been plotting his escape, and now this blasted system had sprung a mission on him! Observing the jackal's fierce demeanor, a spark of inspiration struck him. Brute force was futile; he'd have to outwit the beast. After all, it was just an animal—surely it couldn't outsmart him.

With a sly grin, Jiang Xiaofan bowed with a fist in palm toward the creature. "Might you be the renowned Godly Beast Jackal?"

A gleam of intelligence flashed in the black pig's eyes as it softened its menacing look. "I didn't expect you to recognize who I am. Well, in that case, I'll spare your life."

"Is it truly the Godly Beast Jackal? No wonder you possess such an imposing presence!" Jiang Xiaofan exclaimed with apparent admiration.

But inwardly, he was scoffing, "Yeah right, you freak!"

The jackal eyed Jiang Xiaofan for a moment, its beady eyes swiveling before it spoke, "Seeing as you hold me in such high regard, I'll grant you an opportunity to prove yourself. Follow me!"

With that, the jackal reverted to its original size, and Jiang Xiaofan trailed behind it into a new tunnel. Observing the jackal's silhouette ahead, he couldn't help but feel a surge of relief. If he could actually tame this creature, he'd return to the Jiang family with a significant boost in confidence, especially since the jackal's power was at the Profound Martial Stage.

They passed through several chambers, each identical to the last, littered with fragments of shattered weapons. Jiang Xiaofan wondered just how many treasures this unsightly creature had hoarded.

Before long, the jackal led Jiang Xiaofan deeper underground. The armory above was merely a distraction; the true tomb lay below.

The stone corridor they traversed was lined with disabled traps, arrows, and toxic darts embedded deeply into the walls, their fresh marks betraying the jackal's perilous journey through the gauntlet of mechanisms.

Now, the jackal proceeded with caution, glancing nervously about to avoid any missed traps. It had narrowly escaped death in this very passage days earlier, managing to heal by consuming the weapons and absorbing their spiritual essence.

They reached a spacious chamber centered around a stone sarcophagus, the likely resting place of the tomb's master.

Jiang Xiaofan paused as the jackal halted, then pointed at the coffin and back at himself, seeking confirmation, "You're suggesting that I should...?"

The jackal nodded and let out a sly chuckle. "This is the tomb of Henzhu, an Immortal Rank Refiner. The funerary items are definitely not limited to those Earth Level and Profound Level weapons outside. There's a good chance we'll find some real treasures inside. How about we split them fifty-fifty?"

Jiang Xiaofan eyed the jackal's earnest look with suspicion. He could have guessed it was bad news without even using his leg hair to think!

Why would anyone willingly share a treasure found in a coffin unless they were a fool or up to no good? Jiang Xiaofan was certain it was the latter.

Despite sensing the danger, his goal was to win over the jackal, and the allure of the coffin's contents was too strong to ignore.

A heap of Profound and Earth Level weapons had been laid to rest far from the body, but the items kept close in death were undoubtedly of great value.

Jiang Xiaofan stepped forward, while the jackal's excitement was palpable, thrilled to have someone else take the risks for it.

Jiang Xiaofan might not have realized who Henzhu truly was. Had he known that Henzhu was the most formidable refiner in the Spirit Brilliance Realm, with a rank surpassing Heaven Rank to reach Immortal Rank, and a cultivation level at the Martial King Stage, he might have thought twice.

The dangers lurking within Henzhu's coffin were not to be underestimated, certainly not something the jackal would dare to face alone.

As the sole survivor of his tribe, the jackal's top priority was self-preservation—how else could he seek his revenge?

Panting heavily, Jiang Xiaofan cautiously extended his hand and placed it atop the coffin lid. Instantly, a surge of immense power coursed through his arm and into his body, jolting his meridians.

Staggering back, he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Jiang Xiaofan's brow furrowed. He recalled a passage from the Hundred Refining Divine Scripture—

Atop Kunwu Mountain, a stone left by the Chaos Heavens absorbed the essence of the sun and moon, the spiritual forces of the earth and sky. Its celestial power was so immense it could seize the creative forces of nature, leaving the immortals in awe. They placed it in their treasury and spent a century forging it into a stone coffin, rumored to possess the extraordinary ability to nurture the flesh.

Nourishing the physical body!

Such a treasure exists?

Nourishing the body doesn't have much impact in the early stages of cultivation, but at higher levels, cultivators often find their physical form struggling to keep pace with their martial advancements. Many fail to break through to stronger realms due to the limitations of their bodies, and some even lose their lives to the heavens before they can grasp the Great Dao.

The Medicine King Scripture records only five pills capable of nurturing the body, four of which have been lost to time. The sole remaining one is a Ninth Grade Heaven Pill, highlighting the sheer luxury of bodily nourishment!

And this stone coffin possesses such power!

Henzhu truly has a gift, having acquired such a treasure. Jiang Xiaofan's eyes gleamed with excitement. His interest in the coffin's secret treasure had waned; now, he coveted the stone coffin itself!

The jackal observed Jiang Xiaofan's quivering silhouette and let out a soft sigh. Empathy welled up within it. As a divine beast at the Profound Martial Stage, even it dared not touch the stone coffin, let alone expect a mere Spirit Martial Early Stage youth like Jiang Xiaofan to open it—it was pure fantasy.

"Kid, maybe you should..."

Before the jackal could finish its cautionary words, Jiang Xiaofan let out a shout. A surge of energy erupted from him, his Martial Qi skyrocketing. His fists, engulfed in a maelstrom of power, slammed into the stone coffin!

Watching Jiang Xiaofan's reckless actions, the jackal was taken aback and murmured, "This guy's lost his mind!"

With the Battle Martial Body and Divine Tiger Boxing, even at the Spirit Martial Early Stage, Jiang Xiaofan could instantaneously vanquish adversaries in the Late Stage or even at the Peak.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

His fists pummeled the coffin lid with the ferocity of a thunderclap, forcing it open to reveal a slit about two fingers wide.

Jiang Xiaofan's predicament was far from ideal. The recoil from the stone coffin sent him hurtling backward, but the jackal, shifting its form, caught him with its supple body.

"Kid, are you okay?"

He looked at Jiang Xiaofan's ashen face with compassion. Despite his efforts to harden his heart, willing to go to any lengths for vengeance, his innate kindness was a stumbling block, preventing him from attaining true strength.

Jiang Xiaofan coughed up blood, his weakness profound. He now regretted not preparing any medicine for internal injuries, which would have been invaluable at this moment.

Had Jiang Xiaofan not still been suffering from the aftereffects of the Black Mystic Herb Pill, a single dose might have been enough to shatter the coffin.

The jackal, observing Jiang Xiaofan leaning against it, couldn't fathom whether the boy was recklessly naive or just inherently greedy to dare strike the power-infused stone coffin.

At this moment, Jiang Xiaofan's mind was singularly focused: he was determined to possess the stone coffin, for it promised to aid his cultivation.

He needed to grow stronger.

Only the powerful can dictate their own destiny, while the weak cannot even govern their own lives, let alone protect anything.

Jiang Xiaofan's eyes hardened with resolve as he clutched his chest and slowly rose to his feet.

Initially, the jackal had sneered at Jiang Xiaofan's avarice. Yet, witnessing the unwavering determination in the boy's eyes sent a shiver through its frame.

That look...

Wasn't it the same one that once belonged to him? The look of someone who had been powerless to protect his tribe and lived solely for revenge.

Could this frail youth share a similar past?

The jackal reassessed the boy before it. This not-yet-grown child bore scars of all sizes – knife wounds, lash marks, bruises – and these were just the ones visible on his bare arms. There were likely many more hidden away.

At such a tender age, a human child should be basking in the carefree embrace of their parents, perhaps even starting a family. But this child seemed to have endured hardships most never face.

The jackal, with nearly a century of life behind it, watched Jiang Xiaofan struggle to his feet with the tender, sympathetic gaze of an elder.

That frail figure appeared as though it could shoulder the weight of the cosmos itself.

"Kid, cease your efforts. This is beyond what you can handle," the jackal eventually said, his voice carrying a mix of gravity and warmth.

Jiang Xiaofan flashed a grin. "In this world, the only one who can make me concede defeat is myself!"