Killing

The Crimson Fireball came crashing down at breakneck speed, terrifying the Lizard Monster Beast out of its wits.

Clearly, it had not noticed how its enemy had appeared.

Yet in its haste, it could no longer evade.

Fortunately, it was a Water Attribute First-grade Low-tier Demonic Beast!

"Pfft!"

The Lizard Monster Beast opened its savage maw, blue light gleaming within as Monster Power gathered. Then, a condensed Blue Water Pillar shot forth, tearing through the air and viciously colliding with the Crimson Fireball falling from above.

Bang!

Water and fire met in midair, erupting with a sharp crack.

But in the next instant, the Blue Water Pillar that the Lizard Monster Beast had been so proud of began to hiss beneath the fireball's scorching heat, before completely evaporating away.

The Crimson Fireball, barely half the size of a fist, merely dimmed and shrank by a circle, yet still descended with seemingly undiminished force.

At the sight, fear surfaced in the lizard's eyes. It spat out another Blue Water Pillar at the incoming fireball, then rolled across the ground, clearly placing no hopes on that water pillar being able to stop it.

At its peak, perhaps it could have done so.

But now, it only wanted to avoid the fireball, regain its footing, and flee like oil beneath its feet.

Bang!

The shrunken fireball collided with another Blue Water Pillar and extinguished it. Yet the fireball itself shrank to the size of a red date before exploding into lingering flames that swept toward the Lizard Monster Beast rolling aside.

Though injured, the Lizard Monster Beast was still fairly nimble in the face of death. It narrowly avoided the incoming flames, shot a resentful glance at Qi Chuan, who had appeared not far away, then moved its feet, intending to slip away.

Not far away, Qi Chuan watched this unfold, sighed, and swiftly formed hand seals.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The ground around the Lizard Monster Beast suddenly exploded. Thick Vines, as wide as arms, burst from the earth and grew wildly, swaying like tentacles as they wrapped toward it from tricky angles.

Then, a handful of talismans appeared in Qi Chuan's palm. Driven by Spell Power, the talismans ignited in midair. Five thumb-sized Mana Water Arrows silently appeared, ripping through the air as they shot toward the Lizard Monster Beast.

The Lizard Monster Beast, which had been about to flee, was caught by the sudden thick Vines. Not only could it not break free, but the Vines tightened further and further, leaving it utterly panicked.

In its current state, it could not even unleash a Blue Water Pillar.

At last, beneath its terrified gaze, the five thumb-sized Mana Water Arrows above all plunged into the savage wound on its back, exploding within. Blood splattered everywhere as it let out a miserable scream.

Tap. Tap.

Qi Chuan stepped forward, slowly approaching the Lizard Monster Beast.

The savage wound on its back had expanded again, stretching all the way to its neck.

The Lizard Monster Beast screamed and struggled, but the more it struggled, the larger its wound became and the more blood it lost. Before long, it was taking in less air than it breathed out.

After its movements had completely ceased, Qi Chuan waited for some time before stepping forward. Looking at the Monster Beast Corpse, several yards in length, he stroked the smooth, icy scales on the lizard's head, curiosity showing in his eyes.

This was his first time personally coming into contact with a true demonic beast. The feeling was quite strange.

But why had this demonic beast been so weak?

Qi Chuan turned to look at the Spirit Herbs in the Spirit Field that had been ravaged. He wondered whether the value of this Monster Beast Corpse could compensate for them.

Still, no matter what, he had resolved a threat that had invaded this peak and gained a batch of Monster Beast Materials as well. That was extremely good.

Afterward, Qi Chuan cleaned up the scene, carried the Monster Beast Corpse to a storeroom specifically meant for storing items, locked the door, and returned to his room to sleep.

Perhaps because he had gotten some exercise, he slept exceptionally well that night.

The next day, Second Master returned.

Qi Chuan told him about the matter.

Upon hearing it, Qi Baicang wore an incredulous expression and hurried to the storeroom. Only after seeing the Monster Beast Corpse lying within did he truly believe it.

"It really is a demonic beast. When did it sneak in?"

Over all these years, Qi Baicang himself had not killed many demonic beasts.

Demonic beasts were powerful. Even the weakest First-grade Low-tier Demonic Beast possessed strength equivalent to the Early Qi Refining Stage. Qi Baicang himself was only at the Qi Refining Third Layer, and even when facing a First-grade Low-tier Demonic Beast, he had to be extremely cautious.

Yet now, his own Junior had killed one?

"Just last night. It ate quite a few of your Spirit Herbs, Second Master. There was a rather large wound on its back, and it was already severely injured. That was why it was relatively easy for me to deal with," Qi Chuan said.

"Tsk, this is a Blue Lizard Monster. Among First-grade Low-tier Demonic Beasts, it can be considered an Outstanding Person. And judging by its size, it was already fully grown. Under normal circumstances, even a cultivator at the Qi Refining Third Layer would find it difficult to deal with."

"Good thing it was severely injured this time. Otherwise, with me absent, you would have been in some danger."

Qi Baicang spoke with lingering fear on his face.

"Second Master, this is Qi Feng Valley. All the wild demonic beasts in the valley have been cleared out, and only a small number of demonic beasts raised by the Lineage remain. How could this Blue Lizard Monster have appeared here?" Qi Chuan asked in confusion.

"Perhaps it has something to do with the turmoil outside?"

Qi Baicang said indifferently, "Even the Xiao Family, a Foundation Establishment Great Clan, was destroyed. If a Lizard Monster Beast living in the Wilderness Mountains encountered some crisis and fled the mountains, that would not be anything strange."

"Still, during my mission in the clan this time, I heard that the matter of the Secret Realm was likely nearing its end. The opportunities within the Secret Realm should all fall into the hands of the Wind Moon Sect. By then, this turbulent situation should settle down again, shouldn't it?"

"I see." Qi Chuan nodded.

Put that way, in a sense, this Lizard Monster Beast could be said to have been indirectly brought to him by that Secret Realm.

As for the opportunities in the Secret Realm all falling into the Wind Moon Sect's hands, he felt that had nothing to do with him. He only felt safer knowing that the turbulent situation would calm down.

After all, the one that had accidentally invaded this peak this time was a First-grade Low-tier Demonic Beast. What if there was a next time, and it was stronger?

Casting aside these thoughts, Qi Chuan looked at the Lizard Monster Beast Corpse before him and asked, "Then what should we do with this Monster Corpse?"

Qi Baicang said, "My suggestion is to sell it to the Lineage. Demonic beasts that one kills by accident, even if they are killed within the clan, naturally belong to the killer. The Lineage will not take them, but you can sell them to the Lineage. The Lineage will generally buy them and offer a fair price."

"Besides, we have no way to process this Monster Beast Corpse ourselves, and it is difficult to preserve. We cannot eat that much meat, and we have no use for Monster Beast Materials for the time being."

"Moreover, this demonic beast is so large. Even if it is sold as meat, it should be worth quite a few Spirit Stones. You can exchange them for some Elixirs."

"If I am not mistaken, you have already reached the Qi Refining Second Layer, right?"

As he spoke, Qi Baicang smiled at Qi Chuan.

Qi Chuan nodded and admitted it.

Qi Baicang could not help but sigh in admiration. "I guessed as much. Even a severely injured adult Blue Lizard Monster, if it could sneak in here, still had some strength remaining. It was not something a Qi Refining First Layer Cultivator could easily deal with. The Qi Refining Second Layer made it somewhat possible."

"It is only that your cultivation speed is far faster than I imagined."

Although advancing from the Qi Refining First Layer to the Qi Refining Second Layer was relatively easy, that was only by comparison. For Qi Chuan, with his Eighth-grade Spiritual Root, to advance to the Qi Refining Second Layer within a year was still extremely rare and greatly surprised him.

Yet when he recalled that Qi Chuan had successfully advanced to the Qi Refining First Layer in a single month and was highly compatible with the Evergreen Art, it was not entirely incomprehensible.

"However, after breaking through to the Qi Refining Second Layer, continuing to advance requires accumulating even more Spell Power. With this Monster Beast Corpse, you can exchange it for some Elixirs, and your future cultivation will be easier."