Eagle's Nest

Name: Chu Kuang

Race: Human

Life Level: Level 8

Realm: Internal and External Unity, Mysterious Iron Body, Mighty Realm

Cultivation Techniques: Basic External Martial Arts—Mastery 1/3, Basic Internal Martial Arts—Mastery 1/3, Iron Armor Technique—Mastery, Iron Bell Shield—Mastery, Bronze Armor Technique—Nascent Stage 97%

Martial Skills: Basic Fist Technique—Mastery 0/3, Basic Spear Technique—Mastery 0/3, Mountain Suppressing Fist—Major Accomplishment 23%, Gold-Splitting Spear—Major Accomplishment 99%

Movement Techniques: Basic Movement Technique—Mastery 0/3, Blood Battle in All Directions—Major Accomplishment 99%, Thousand Jun Formation Breaker—Major Accomplishment 99%

Looking at the panel before him, Chu Kuang took a deep breath.

During this Dark Domain Expedition, Chu Kuang had gone through a life-and-death battle. His internal martial arts proficiency had soared through the tempering of battle, and with the aid of the Vermillion Fruit's medicinal power, he had directly leaped into the Mastery Stage.

Gold-Splitting Spear, Blood Battle in All Directions, and Thousand Jun Formation Breaker had all reached the limit of Major Accomplishment. They were only one step away from breaking through to the Mastery Stage.

Even the Bronze Armor Technique, which would have taken a month to reach the Minor Accomplishment Stage in the outside world, was now only one final step away from the Minor Accomplishment Stage.

"If the three major martial skills, including Gold-Splitting Spear, reach Mastery, with the boost from the golden trait, my strength will definitely undergo a qualitative transformation."

"Poisonous Snake only obtained two Vermillion Fruits. Even if his Intermediate Internal Martial Arts breaks through to Mastery, his Life Level cannot quickly reach Level 9. It will most likely only be around Level 8.8."

"Moreover, Uncle Li's desperate slash left a wound on his left hand. His strength must be at a low point right now."

Chu Kuang continued calculating in his mind, assessing whether he stood a chance if he faced Poisonous Snake.

After a moment, he shook his head slightly. "If my three major martial skills reach Mastery, I would indeed have the ability to fight him head-on. But right now, I simply don't have the time to break through to Mastery."

"Unless I break through in battle."

Chu Kuang murmured, a wary expression appearing between his brows.

In battle, under the immense pressure between life and death, the chance of breaking through a bottleneck could indeed increase greatly.

But Poisonous Snake was an experienced Apprentice Level martial artist who had mastered a movement technique and weapon martial arts. Before Chu Kuang's three major martial skills reached Mastery, fighting him fiercely would be far too dangerous. He might very well be killed before he could break through.

"Meeting him head-on is unwise, unless I can further weaken him."

Chu Kuang pondered inwardly. He rose and looked toward the Crimson Blood Eagles flying across the sky in the distance, a ripple passing through his gaze.

"Compared to him, my only advantage is that my defense is somewhat stronger. Every other ability I have falls far short of his."

"Fortunately, since he wants to hunt me down, there is a chance I can lead him by the nose."

Chu Kuang muttered inwardly. Then he circulated his cultivation at full force, absorbing the source energy in the air to restore his internal strength. After a while, when he felt that much of his internal strength had recovered, he immediately began carefully moving through Phoenix Valley.

Phoenix Valley lay amid a stretch of rolling hills and forests, where many ancient trees grew. Chu Kuang concealed his aura and moved through them, and for the time being, the Crimson Blood Eagles in the sky did not discover him.

Yet to avoid being pursued, he could only travel on foot. His speed was nearly no different from that of an ordinary person, and it would likely take quite some time to leave Phoenix Valley.

Moreover, there were Source Energy Fierce Beasts along the way, which caused Chu Kuang no small amount of trouble.

Fortunately, the Source Energy Fierce Beasts here were not strong. Most were only Level 7 or so, low-level Beast Soldiers. Evidently, the stronger Source Energy Fierce Beasts had all been driven away by these Crimson Blood Eagles.

After wandering for a long time, Chu Kuang realized that the source energy around him had gradually become increasingly dense.

"The source energy is getting denser and denser."

Chu Kuang murmured, but wariness appeared in his eyes.

The denser the source energy, the better the cultivation conditions. Such places were often more likely to give birth to Source Energy Spring Eyes, or even all kinds of rare source energy treasures.

But a Source Energy Spring Eye was an excellent cultivation ground, so it would certainly be guarded by Source Energy Fierce Beasts.

Furthermore, this was not an abandoned place like the abandoned Dark Domain. The fierce beasts capable of occupying a Source Energy Spring Eye were likely at least Level 8, and there might well be more than one.

With that thought, Chu Kuang immediately restrained his internal strength to the utmost. Fortunately, after his internal and external martial arts reached Mastery, his ability to conceal his aura had become even more astonishing.

He cautiously walked forward and, before he knew it, arrived before a valley.

It was a valley surrounded by mountains on all four sides. At its center was a Source Energy Spring Eye over ten feet in diameter. The source energy concentration beside that spring eye was several times greater than elsewhere.

Moreover, a considerable amount of Source Energy Treasure Liquid flowed within the Source Energy Spring Eye.

"So much Source Energy Treasure Liquid."

Chu Kuang was delighted. There were at least four portions of Source Energy Treasure Liquid in that spring eye, with a market price likely exceeding four hundred thousand Federal Coins.

Yet even as he was astonished, Chu Kuang revealed a wary expression. Three enormous nests stood beside the Source Energy Spring Eye, each occupied by a pair of Crimson Blood Eagles.

There were three female and three male Crimson Blood Eagles. Their average level was slightly above Level 8, while the strongest one had a wingspan of more than thirty feet. Its Life Level had likely reached Level 9.

Of course, what astonished Chu Kuang the most was that the largest nest contained two eggs covered in faint feather-like patterns.

Crimson Blood Eagle eggs could hatch Crimson Blood Eagle chicks. These were fierce birds whose adult Life Level reached Level 8, equivalent to Apprentice Level martial artists among humans who had mastered Basic External and Internal Martial Arts.

With the methods of human civilization, the chance of raising one to the Mortal Transformation Realm was no less than forty percent.

A single Crimson Blood Eagle egg could even attract the interest of Mortal Transformation Realm martial artists and could sell for at least five hundred thousand Federal Coins.

"Crimson Blood Eagle eggs are extremely valuable."

"Three pairs of Crimson Blood Eagles: five mid-level Beast Soldiers and one high-level Beast Soldier. Even an elite squad with an average Life Level above Level 8 would likely struggle to take them down."

Chu Kuang pondered inwardly. He knew that with his strength, there was no way he could take down these Crimson Blood Eagles.

However, after giving it some thought, he quickly formed a plan. He went to one side of the valley and began digging a cave into the mountainside.

With his Level 8 Life Level and nearly thirteen tons of raw strength, he was practically a human-shaped excavator.

Before long, he had dug out a cave more than three hundred feet deep, barely large enough for one person to pass through.

After successfully digging the cave, he gouged fissures into the mountainside at the entrance, ensuring that he could collapse the cave with a single blow. Only then did he slowly rise and make his way to the edge of the valley.

"Judging by the time, with Poisonous Snake's abilities, he should be catching up soon."

Chu Kuang lay prone on the slope, looking at the three nests in the valley. Only after confirming once more that the Crimson Blood Eagle eggs were still there did he rise and head into the distance.

After crossing a hill, he was finally caught up by Poisonous Snake.

"Kid, you run pretty fast."

The moment he caught up to Chu Kuang, killing intent filled Poisonous Snake's eyes. With a flick of his sleeve, he activated his sword art, and Green Snake in Sleeve shot through the air toward Chu Kuang's throat.