Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon

Xie Hongling chuckled, covering her mouth. Her laughter, like tinkling bells, drifted through the woods, but her fingertips, clutching the small white porcelain bottle of "Seven Absolute Soul Chasing Poison," were slick with sweat. Her feigned ease couldn't hide the panic in her heart, and even the meager internal energy circulating in her fingertips trembled.

Lin Zhao had already calmed his mind, his finger resting on the trigger of the Internal Energy Armor Piercing Crossbow, his knuckles white with tension.

The crossbow bolt, coated with Seven Absolute Soul Chasing Poison, lay quietly in the groove. Its arrowhead gleamed with a dark green sheen, and fine silver threads were wrapped around its shaft—these were "Silk Wrapping Arrows," specifically designed to conduct internal energy and enhance armor-piercing power.

The two hid behind knee-high wild jujube bushes, their forms concealed by the branches and leaves. Xie Hongling's heartbeat grew louder, like a drum, completely devoid of the composure she had when handling poison earlier.

Suddenly, a roar like a thunderclap shattered the valley, hurting their eardrums and making the very ground beneath them tremble. The surrounding air was violently disturbed.

Lin Zhao and Xie Hongling tensed simultaneously.

In the distant pine forest, tree trunks as thick as bowls swayed violently. Startled birds flapped their wings and soared into the sky. Even the usually elusive mountain goats and wild rabbits desperately scrambled into rock crevices. As for the ferocious mountain wolves, they were all tucking their tails and fleeing towards the valley's exit. Under the pressure of this Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon, all living creatures in the valley trembled, a fear stemming from their bloodline.

Even Lin Zhao, an Entering Martial Master who had cultivated the "Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique" to the fourth level, felt a tightness in his chest, a chill creeping up from the soles of his feet.

Is this the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon that can clash head-on with Grandmaster Warriors of the Heavenly Gang Realm?

It truly lives up to its reputation!

Deep within the pine forest, Zhao Zhong was leading his men in a desperate flight.

He was once a Garrison instructor, his "Iron Shirt" technique honed to perfection. Now, with his internal energy surging into his feet, he stomped on the ground, causing it to crumble.

Behind them, a beast as large as a small mountain was charging recklessly. Pine trees as thick as bowls snapped with a single collision, and boulders half a person's height were flung far away, creating craters half a meter deep upon impact.

This Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon stood three Zhang tall at the shoulder and was about ten Zhang long from head to tail. Its body was covered in overlapping Mystic Iron scales, each the size of a palm, their edges gleaming coldly. It resembled an ancient crocodile from the river, but was hundreds of times more ferocious. Every movement produced a metallic clanging sound as its scales rubbed together, numbing the ears. Even ordinary internal energy attacks would rebound upon striking it.

Its four limbs were as thick as old locust trees, covered in wrinkled, thick skin comparable to the Mystic Iron Mountain Pattern Armor worn by soldiers. Its steps could leave deep pits in the ground, and the claws on its toes gleamed with a cold light, capable of scratching five deep grooves into rock with a single swipe.

Li Cangying had already abandoned his horse. No matter how fast his horse ran, it couldn't match the short-burst explosive power of the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon.

Fortunately, his "Green Falcon Wind Chasing Steps" was a second-rate martial art for agility. Now, with his arms stretched straight back and his feet moving as if on wind-fire wheels, internal energy flowed through his leg meridians, making him even faster than an ordinary swift horse. He had temporarily evaded pursuit, but his face was flushed red, indicating a massive expenditure of internal energy.

Seeing that he couldn't catch Li Cangying, the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon's bell-like eyes rolled, and it abruptly turned its head, charging towards the slower Zhao Zhong.

"Zhou Xuanwu! Now!" Zhao Zhong roared, channeling internal energy into his palms and grabbing onto a nearby ancient elm tree as thick as two people embracing. His fingers dug directly into the trunk, using the leverage to climb.

Just as he reached a branch, the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon slammed into it. The old elm tree snapped in half with a "crack," splinters flying everywhere. An imprint of its scales was left on the broken trunk.

Zhao Zhong used the momentum of the falling tree to leap to another tree, narrowly escaping. He stumbled a couple of steps upon landing, a trickle of blood appearing at the corner of his mouth—the impact had sent his internal energy into turmoil.

Zhou Xuanwu, a Shield Warrior, gripped his Bincheng Iron Great Shield, his throat tightening. His "Black Tortoise Iron Wall Technique" was already known for its defense, and he wore fifty pounds of Mystic Iron Mountain Pattern Armor. Yet, standing before this monstrous beast, his knees still trembled uncontrollably.

He had heard storytellers describe the ferocity of the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon and thought it was an exaggeration. Now, he realized those stories had been too conservative!

Heavens, even a Grandmaster Warrior of the Heavenly Gang Realm would need internal energy weapons to face this thing head-on! Zhou Xuanwu's heart pounded with fear, but there was no room for retreat. Gritting his teeth, he channeled internal energy into his arms and charged like a wild bull, swinging his Bincheng Iron Armor Piercing Axe towards the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon's rear—the thinnest part of its scales.

"Clang!"

The crisp sound of metal striking metal made Zhou Xuanwu's tiger mouth go numb. The Bincheng Iron Armor Piercing Axe was flung far away, and a small chip appeared on its blade.

Looking at the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon's scales, there wasn't even a white mark. Instead, Zhou Xuanwu's internal energy was thrown into disarray, and his arms felt sore and numb.

"Stop wasting your effort!" Zhao Zhong shouted urgently from the tree. "Besides Lin Zhao's Internal Energy Armor Piercing Crossbow, only a Grandmaster Warrior of the Heavenly Gang Realm can channel internal energy into their weapons to break its Mystic Iron scales!"

The Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon became even angrier, turning around abruptly. On its flank, a hideous wound was still oozing blood. The wound was as thick as a bowl, the surrounding scales shattered, revealing bone. It was clearly injured by an internal energy weapon wielded by a Grandmaster Warrior of the Heavenly Gang Realm.

However, dense granulation tissue was already forming around the wound's edges, visibly shrinking and healing at an astonishing rate. Nourished by its potent blood, its self-healing ability far surpassed that of ordinary beings.

"Li Cangying! Cover me!" Zhou Xuanwu roared, turning to flee. He poured all his internal energy into his legs, but his speed was still significantly reduced.

The Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon pushed off with its hind legs and leaped, its massive body tracing an arc through the air as it pursued Zhou Xuanwu.

Li Cangying glanced back, his soul nearly flying out of his body. He quickly pulled out the Internal Energy Short Spear from his waist—his trump card, which he usually hesitated to use.

He poured all his strength into the spear, throwing it at the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon. The spear hit the scales with a "thud," not even leaving a dent, and was instead flung back, falling to the ground with a "clang." The spearhead was bent.

The three low-level Entering Martial Masters circled the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon like annoying flies. Although they couldn't injure it, they managed to confuse it.

This beast had recently fought a Grandmaster Warrior of the Heavenly Gang Realm. Although it had severely wounded and driven the opponent away, it had also sustained injuries. Now, being entangled for so long, its temper flared even more. Its bell-like eyes were bloodshot, and its roars grew louder.

Soon, it caught up with the slowest runner, Zhou Xuanwu.

Before Zhou Xuanwu could raise his shield, the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon opened its gaping maw—its fangs, half a foot long, dripped with foul-smelling saliva—and bit him, shield and all.

"Crunch—"

The Bincheng Iron Great Shield deformed under the pressure, its rivets flying off with a piercing screech of twisting metal.

Zhou Xuanwu's screams echoed from within the beast's mouth, chillingly horrific, mixed with the muffled thuds of his internal energy collapsing.

He tried to swing his Bincheng Iron Armor Piercing Axe, but his arm was pinned by the beast's fangs, rendering him immobile. He could only watch helplessly as his Mystic Iron Mountain Pattern Armor was pierced by the fangs.

After a moment, the shield fell to the ground with a "clang," followed by a crisp "crack." The Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon violently shook its head, biting Zhou Xuanwu in half. His bloody upper body was spat onto the ground, intestines spilling out. He made gurgling sounds for a while before finally expiring, his Mystic Iron Mountain Pattern Armor stained red.

The Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon seemed to find the human flesh unappetizing. It stuck out its tongue and charged towards Li Cangying, its speed even faster than before.

Zhao Zhong, perched in the tree, felt his heart turn to ice. The only meat shield is gone just like that?

He gripped the tree trunk tightly, his knuckles white, his internal energy almost unstable.

Li Cangying was terrified. The internal energy in his dantian was almost depleted, and his legs felt like lead. Every step he took made his knees feel like they would shatter.

The Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon behind him was closing in. The foul-smelling wind blew on the back of his neck, and he could clearly hear the sound of its scales rubbing together.

"Lin Zhao, you damn idiot, shoot already! My internal energy is almost gone, I can't hold on!" Li Cangying cursed, his voice trembling. Tears were about to stream down his face—he didn't want to end up like Zhou Xuanwu.

On the high slope, Xie Hongling's earlier smile was gone. Her face was as pale as paper, and her lips trembled.

She tugged on Lin Zhao's sleeve, her voice trembling, "Brother Rakshasa, let's run! This Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon is too fierce, we can't stop it! Its scales are so tough that even an Internal Energy Short Spear can't penetrate them, and an Armor Piercing Crossbow might not be effective!"

Before Lin Zhao could speak, Xie Hongling had already pushed her Phantom Step to its limit, staggering as she ran towards the valley exit—she was truly scared. If she stayed any longer, she'd lose her life here.

Her poison skills were only good enough for low-level Entering Martial Masters; against a fierce beast like the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon, they weren't even enough to fill its teeth.

Lin Zhao glanced at her retreating back, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "A bunch of useless trash, as expected, unreliable. They only know how to run when it matters."

He didn't move, his gaze fixed on the distance between the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon and Li Cangying—three thousand meters, one thousand meters, four hundred meters… The effective range of the Internal Energy Armor Piercing Crossbow was reached, but he was still waiting.

The beast's Mystic Iron scales were too thick. If he shot from too far, even with poison-tipped arrows, he feared he wouldn't pierce a vital spot, wasting their only chance.

"Three hundred meters! Two hundred meters!" Li Cangying's speed slowed, his legs giving out, and he almost fell. Just as the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon's claws were about to strike his back, the stench from its maw even filled his nostrils.

The moment the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon's gaping maw was about to bite Li Cangying, Lin Zhao pulled the trigger of the Internal Energy Divine Machine Crossbow.

"Whoosh—"

The Silk Wrapping Armor Piercing Arrow, coated with Seven Absolute Soul Chasing Poison, whistled through the air. Its shaft, wrapped in a faint halo of internal energy, shot like a black lightning bolt directly towards the back of the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon's skull, just behind its left eye—its most vulnerable point where the Mystic Iron scales were thinnest.

"Thwack!"

The crisp sound of the crossbow bolt piercing the scales was exceptionally clear. The fletching at the arrow's tail sank completely into the beast's head, and dark green blood surged out along the shaft, along with bits of flesh.

The Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon let out a piercing roar, its massive body shaking violently. It was clearly severely wounded—it had been so focused on chasing Li Cangying that it hadn't noticed a highly skilled archer with condensed internal energy hidden on the high slope.

But it didn't die; instead, it was completely enraged.

Its bell-like eyes were bloodshot. It stomped the ground, cracking the hard rock, and crushed the terrified Li Cangying, who had frozen in fear, into a pulp. Blood and bone fragments splattered everywhere.

Then, it turned its head, its eyes red, dragging its bleeding head, and charged towards Lin Zhao on the high slope. Each step shook the ground, causing debris to fall, and flattened the bushes along its path.

Lin Zhao frowned, tightening his grip on the Armor Piercing Crossbow. "The Mystic Iron scales are this tough? It didn't die even when hit in a vital spot?"

He didn't move his feet.

The moment he shot the first arrow, his left hand had already gripped the cocking rope of the Divine Machine Crossbow. The muscles in his right arm bulged, and internal energy flowed down his arm. With a "click," he loaded a second, heavier armor-piercing arrow into the groove—this arrow shaft was made of thousand-year-old iron pear wood, three fen thicker than ordinary crossbow bolts, and its arrowhead was coated with "Bone Corroding Water" that could corrode scales.

Xie Hongling, far away, hid behind a massive gray-green rock, her fingertips digging into the stone crevices, her knuckles turning white. Even the internal energy for her Phantom Step was about to become unstable.

The roars of the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon grew louder, accompanied by the sound of rolling stones. She didn't even dare to breathe.

Li Cangying's screams from earlier still echoed in her ears; they were clearly the sounds of someone completely dead.

She secretly calculated: she was only twenty-seven years old, and her poison skills were quite well-known in the martial world. If she could find a Heavenly Gang Realm Grandmaster Warrior or a martial arts school master to ally with, she would not only have a stable cultivation path in the future but could also purchase "Dragon Blood Ointment" for body tempering. It was much better than fighting fierce beasts in the wilderness.

Just then, the foul wind from the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon reached the foot of the high slope.

The beast still had the crossbow bolt stuck in its head, and black blood dripped from its Mystic Iron scales. With every step it took, the high slope trembled slightly, and foul saliva dripped from the corners of its mouth.

Lin Zhao's eyes narrowed, and he pulled the trigger again. The armor-piercing crossbow bolt shot like a black lightning bolt directly towards the joint of the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon's front leg—though the scales there were thick, they connected to the tendons, which were crucial for its movement.

"Squelch—"

The crossbow bolt pierced the overlapping scales and embedded itself deeply into the bone of the joint. The Bone Corroding Water immediately took effect, and dark green corrosive marks spread along the wound.

The Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon let out a cry of pain, its front leg suddenly weakened, and it crashed to the ground with a "boom." Its massive body rolled twice, crushing several clumps of bushes and creating a shallow pit in the ground.

It struggled to get up, but the broken bone pierced its flesh, and every slight movement caused it to roar in pain. The muscles beneath its Mystic Iron scales twitched.

Lin Zhao didn't stop. He channeled internal energy into the Armor Piercing Crossbow again, and with a "click," loaded the third arrow, this time aiming for the joint of its hind leg.

With a "whoosh," the arrowhead once again sank into the flesh. The Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon's hind leg weakened further, and it collapsed completely onto the ground. It could only thrash its tail futilely, panting with a guttural hiss, a small puddle of black blood forming on the ground.

"I've broken all four limbs, let's see how you move now," Lin Zhao said coldly. He then took out the Cold Iron Rawhide Bow from his waist, nocked a poison-tipped feathered arrow, and channeled internal energy into the arrow shaft through his fingers. With a "咻," he shot it towards the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon's right eye—the arrowhead precisely entered the eye socket, and black blood immediately poured out. The beast's roar instantly weakened, leaving only a faint whimper.

After a while, the Seven Absolute Soul Chasing Poison prepared by Xie Hongling began to take effect.

The Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon convulsed, the muscles beneath its Mystic Iron scales trembled uncontrollably, its breathing grew weaker, and finally, its massive body stiffened, completely motionless, with only blood slowly flowing.

Zhao Zhong slid down from a pine tree, holding Zhou Xuanwu's Bincheng Iron Armor Piercing Axe. After infusing his palm with internal energy, he stabilized himself and quickly ran to the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon.

He first stabbed the beast's eye twice with the axe. Sparks flew as the axe blade struck the scales. After confirming the beast was completely dead, he collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily, but his eyes gleamed with wild joy.

The scales of this Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon could be used to forge Mystic Iron scales, offering three times the defense of ordinary Mountain Pattern Armor; its bones could be boiled into "Body Tempering Bone Glue," a treasure for low-level Warriors to break through to Entering Martial Master; even its claws could be made into Armor Piercing Cones, plus that coconut-sized Dragon Yuan—this Dragon Yuan could aid in condensing internal energy and was worth a hundred taels of silver per liang on the Black Market, easily fetching at least thirty thousand taels!

With this money, he could not only buy enough "Spirit Condensing Grass" to break through to the low-level Entering Martial Master realm but also ask someone to find him a leisurely post at the Garrison, so he wouldn't have to risk his life like this anymore.

As for the deaths of Zhou Xuanwu and Li Cangying, he didn't care at all—it was better they were dead, fewer people to share the spoils, and he'd get an extra thirty percent!

Seeing that the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon was completely dead, Xie Hongling finally activated her Phantom Step and walked over, swaying her hips. A charming smile reappeared on her face, and she held a small porcelain bottle containing poison between her fingertips.

Lin Zhao also put away his Rawhide Bow and walked forward slowly, the Cold Iron Frost Condensing Sword still sheathed at his waist, his palm constantly enveloped in a layer of internal energy—he had been wary of these two for a long time.

"Brother Rakshasa, your divine archery skills were a great help today. Otherwise, we would have all become food for this beast." Zhao Zhong smiled until his face was full of wrinkles. He got up and took out more than a dozen thumb-sized white porcelain bottles from his pack. "I'll take the Dragon Yuan, and we'll split it as agreed—you get forty percent, I get thirty percent, and Scarlet Spider gets thirty percent, how about it?"

He squatted in front of the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon's mouth, used his Internal Energy Short Sword to pry open its teeth, endured the stench, and reached into its throat to retrieve a coconut-sized gland.

A clear, warm, subtle fragrance instantly spread—it was a highly pure Dragon Yuan, its surface still glistening.

Zhao Zhong carefully squeezed the Dragon Yuan from the gland into the porcelain bottles. After pouring it all, he saw there were only fifteen bottles—five fewer than he had estimated. At thirty percent, after Xie Hongling and Lin Zhao took their shares, he wouldn't have much left.

He turned his back, his expression immediately darkening. If there had been twenty bottles, he could have generously given Lin Zhao a few, but now there were only fifteen… He gritted his teeth, reaching for the Internal Energy Short Sword at his waist, his mind made up: why not just eliminate them? These fifteen bottles of Dragon Saliva Fragrance, along with the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon's scales and bones, would all be his!

When he turned back, the smile on Zhao Zhong's face had turned ferocious. He suddenly thrust the Internal Energy Short Sword in his hand towards Lin Zhao's neck, the sword tip wrapped in a faint layer of internal energy: "Hongling! Make your move! His internal energy just ran out, this is his weak point!"

Xie Hongling was prepared. She took out a Cold Iron Dagger coated with "Blood Sealing Death Powder" from her sleeve. Using the swiftness of Phantom Step, she silently moved behind Lin Zhao and stabbed directly at his back—she had prepared two doses of this poison. Even a high-level Entering Martial Master would not survive for more than three breaths if poisoned, let alone Lin Zhao, who was merely a low-level Entering Martial Master with condensed internal energy.

Lin Zhao, however, seemed to have expected this.

He had already noticed that Zhao Zhong and Xie Hongling were old partners. They kept exchanging glances while dividing the spoils earlier. How could he, an outsider, not be wary when he got involved?

He had deliberately waited for the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon to get close before shooting, intending to use the beast's mouth to eliminate Li Cangying, who was the fastest. Now that only two Martial Masters remained, he wasn't afraid at all.

"Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique, Mystic Dragon Strength, activate!"

Lin Zhao's dantian surged, his muscles tensed instantly, and a layer of dark golden internal energy flowed through his entire body, forming a thin layer of qi shield on his skin.

He leaped up more than a person's height, easily dodging Zhao Zhong's short sword. At the same time, he reached into his robes and pulled out a bag of Saltpeter Eye Irritant Powder. With a surge of internal energy, the powder scattered like mist towards Xie Hongling behind him.

"Ah! My eyes!" Xie Hongling was caught off guard. The saltpeter powder blinded her, and she screamed in pain as she retreated. Her short dagger fell to the ground, and her internal energy instantly became chaotic.

As Lin Zhao landed, he had already drawn the Cold Iron Frost Condensing Sword from his waist. Internal energy flowed along the sword, and a cold light appeared on the blade. He slashed towards Xie Hongling, "Take this, Three Talents Slash!"

The sword light was like silk, carrying a fierce internal force, slashing directly at Xie Hongling's shoulder.

Xie Hongling quickly raised her arm to block, but how could her qi-infused arm guard withstand the Cold Iron Sword?

With a crisp "clang," the arm guard was split into two. The sword's momentum did not diminish, and it directly sliced her into four pieces. Blood mixed with internal organs splattered everywhere, and she didn't even have time to finish screaming.

Seeing Xie Hongling die instantly, Zhao Zhong's heart turned cold. He swung his sword and stabbed at Lin Zhao's lower abdomen again, his moves three points faster than before—he was desperate.

But Lin Zhao didn't dodge or evade. He formed a claw with his left hand and grabbed the sword body directly. The Mystic Dragon Strength in his palm condensed into a qi shield, and the iron sword couldn't penetrate even a bit. Instead, it was vibrated by the qi shield, making his hand slightly numb.

"Too weak!" Lin Zhao sneered. With a forceful grip, his Mystic Dragon Strength erupted, and the sword body deformed slightly. "You dare to plot against me with such pathetic skills?"

He kicked Zhao Zhong in the lower abdomen, and the Mystic Dragon Strength surged into the opponent's dantian through his sole. With a "bang," Zhao Zhong was kicked flying, crashing into a pine tree. He spat out a mouthful of blood, and his internal energy instantly dispersed.

Ignoring the pain, he scrambled up and ran towards the valley exit, still clutching those fifteen bottles of Dragon Essence—as long as he escaped and found a place to break through, he could return for revenge!

"Trying to run?" A cold glint flashed in Lin Zhao's eyes. He took out the Cold Iron Rawhide Bow, poured internal energy into it again, nocked an arrow, and pulled the bowstring back to a full moon.

"Swoosh swoosh swoosh!"

Three poisoned arrows were shot in succession. The arrows were wrapped in Mystic Dragon Strength, chasing after Zhao Zhong's back like soul-snatching ropes.

The first arrow pierced his shoulder blade and embedded itself in the tree trunk. The second arrow pinned his knee bend, causing him to fall directly. The third arrow pierced his neck directly, the arrowhead emerging from his Adam's apple, trailing a stream of black blood that splattered on the ground.

Zhao Zhong staggered and turned around, his eyes filled with unwillingness. He opened his mouth but couldn't make a sound. Blood flowed continuously from the corners of his mouth, and finally, he fell to the ground with a "thump," completely lifeless. The porcelain bottles in his arms rolled everywhere.

Lin Zhao walked forward, drew the Black-tipped Dagger from his waist, and cut off Zhao Zhong's head, casually tossing it beside the corpse of the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon. "You forgot, when facing a sharpshooter who is an Entering Martial Master, never turn your back and run." He looked down at the porcelain bottles on the ground, bent over, picked them up, and stuffed them into his own pack—these fifteen bottles of Pangolin Dragon Essence, along with the scales and bones of the Mystic Armored Pangolin Dragon, were now all his.