With his Early Earth Immortal cultivation, combined with Soul-Devouring Dark Light, an uncanny divine ability that struck directly at the soul, Li Su's hunting in this region became unstoppable.
He was exceedingly cautious, specifically targeting lone Fierce Beasts with low intelligence and strength below the Spirit Refining Returning to Emptiness realm.
These Fierce Beasts possessed nothing but brute strength and vicious evil energy, lacking effective defenses against attacks targeting the soul.
The bamboo leaves stirred slightly, and dark light flashed.
Before those Fierce Beasts could even understand what had happened, their soul cores were pierced through and devoured by the Soul-Devouring Dark Light. Their massive bodies crashed to the ground, becoming nourishment for Li Su's growth.
[Absorbed a Spirit Refining Returning to Emptiness Beast Soul. Evolution Points +3] [Absorbed a peak Qi Refining and Spirit Transformation Beast Soul. Evolution Points +1.5] [Absorbed...]
The system notifications became more frequent.
The rate at which he accumulated Evolution Points was far beyond what it had been when he absorbed scraps of remnant souls.
After every successful hunt, Li Su would swiftly use his bamboo roots to absorb the Blood Qi Essence remaining in the beast carcass—though the conversion efficiency was far lower than that of souls—then carefully drag the body underground and bury it, erasing all traces as best he could to avoid drawing stronger beings.
At the same time, his use of Soul-Devouring Dark Light became increasingly proficient.
From initially producing obvious energy fluctuations, it gradually became obscure and concealed;
From straightforward attacks, it evolved to slightly twisting its trajectory and even splitting into extremely fine threads to strike multiple weak targets at once—though its power would decrease.
His precise control over his divine sense also improved rapidly through repeated practice.
His Evolution Points steadily increased: 35... 42... 50...
The Earth Vein Spiritual Milk within that ground fissure was an opportunity that could only be encountered by chance. He searched several more times afterward but failed to find a second drop. Instead, the Evil Energy Centipede woke once, frightening him into immediately withdrawing and leaving him too scared to investigate further for a long while.
He also continued "stealing" the Earth Essence Stones around the roots of the Purple-Black Strange Plant. The largest one had already grown dim, while the smaller ones had even crumbled into powder.
The strange plant seemed never to have discovered the cause. It merely became increasingly agitated, and the area over which its roots writhed expanded considerably, making Li Su's thefts even more difficult.
The risks were accumulating, while the resources were dwindling.
Li Su realized that he likely could not remain in this region much longer.
He had to complete his evolution as soon as possible, then consider relocating.
However, just as the Evolution Points he had accumulated reached 68, not far from the 100 points required for evolution, an accident occurred.
That day, he had just successfully killed a rhinoceros-like Fierce Beast with Soul-Devouring Dark Light. As usual, he was scanning his surroundings with his divine sense, alert for any potential danger.
Suddenly, he sensed an extremely faint yet exceptionally muffled tremor coming from deep within the earth!
This tremor had not come from the running of some Fierce Beast, but from... deeper within that ground fissure!
Immediately afterward, the Yin Sha Qi that had been steadily billowing from the fissure suddenly became violent!
Its concentration surged sharply, even forming gray-black Sha Qi Cyclones that howled out of the fissure, sending sand and stones flying for hundreds of yards around!
Woooo—woooo—
A deep, oppressive hiss, as though it came from beneath the Nine Underworlds, faintly traveled up through the ground, sending a bone-piercing chill through Li Su's divine sense!
That Evil Energy Centipede! It seemed to have become extraordinarily frenzied and restless! It was darting madly through the depths underground, throwing the Sha Qi of the earth veins into utter chaos!
What had happened?
Li Su's heart tightened. He immediately concealed every trace of his aura with all his strength. Even the luster of his eighty-foot bamboo body dimmed, as though he had truly become an ordinary dead bamboo stalk.
Yet his divine sense cautiously extended toward the ground fissure, attempting to determine the situation.
The Sha Qi erupting from the fissure grew denser and denser, its color even beginning to take on a strange dark-red tint.
The hissing from underground also became louder and louder, filled with pain and... a trace of fear?
Could there be something beneath the earth that even that terrifying Evil Energy Centipede feared?
Rumble!!!
A tremendous boom came from underground! The entire earth shook violently! Even Li Su, hundreds of yards away, felt his bamboo body tremble wildly, while the soil beneath his roots seemed ready to overturn!
At the fissure, vast sections of the rock walls collapsed, exposing an even deeper, incomparably dark cave entrance!
Even colder and purer, yet also more violent Sha Qi surged skyward like an erupting geyser!
Vaguely, Li Su's divine sense caught sight of something deep within that Dark Cave Entrance—a fleeting... heart-stopping, cold and emotionless... Giant Pupil Shadow?
That single brief glimpse, and the pressure and ancient aura contained within that pupil shadow, struck Li Su's divine sense like a heavy blow, as though it were about to freeze and tear apart!
He groaned inwardly—though bamboo could make no sound—and abruptly withdrew his divine sense. His bamboo body swayed violently, and fine frost-like cracks actually appeared across the surface of his black-jade bamboo stalk!
How terrifying! What kind of existence was that?! Its strength definitely far surpassed an Earth Immortal, perhaps even exceeding the realm of a Heavenly Immortal!
The Evil Energy Centipede's hissing turned into shrill screams, then rapidly faded into the distance, as if it were fleeing that underground region in panic!
The erupting Sha Qi gradually calmed somewhat, but that newly revealed Dark Cave Entrance resembled a giant maw ready to devour anything that approached, radiating an aura that made one shudder.
Li Su was still shaken.
In that moment just now, he had truly sensed the breath of death!
If he had not been far enough away, and if that being's main target had not seemingly been someone else, then a single glance alone might have been enough to destroy both his body and soul!
He could not stay in this region any longer! He had to leave immediately!
The underground disturbance and the awakening of that unknown, terrifying existence had turned this place into a true death zone!
He glanced at his Evolution Points: 68/100. He still needed 32 more.
What should he do? Should he immediately risk one final frenzied hunt to gather enough Evolution Points before leaving? Or should he abandon everything and relocate at once?
Just as he weighed the pros and cons, his mind stretched taut, several objects were suddenly carried out of the newly revealed Dark Cave Entrance along with the surging Sha Qi.
They were several fist-sized Strange Crystals, pitch-black throughout yet glittering with countless points of light like stars!
They gave off energy fluctuations even purer than Earth Vein Spiritual Milk, yet far gentler, and even contained a trace of... Innate aura?
[Detected an extremely high-energy reaction! Contains trace amounts of Innate Star Evil Energy and Taiyin Essence! Extremely rare! Can greatly increase Evolution Points! Has a chance of improving innate foundation!]
The system notification rang out with unprecedented urgency!
An opportunity! Another tremendous opportunity! But behind this opportunity lay the cold gaze of that terrifying existence within the deep cave entrance!
Leave? Or gamble everything?
Before you continue