Whether it was Fatal Blow advancing to intermediate level, letting him wield a longsword and unleash Blade Blade Blazing Fire, or Swordsmanship Proficiency advancing into Master Swordsmanship Proficiency, each had qualitatively boosted Lu Chen's strength.
Yet as he felt all this, Lu Chen showed little joy.
"This world is far too dangerous. A weapon once held by a powerful figure years ago turned into an evil spirit because of something, and it was enough to leave me in such a miserable state. How terrifying must the children and weapons of those great figures be?"
"Moreover, the powerful figure I met this time had a rather good temperament. Whether or not it was because of him, I received some rewards because of my connection to him."
"But even he has not ended this dangerous world. That can only mean there are dangerous existences in this world capable of contending with that White-Robed Swordsman, perhaps even defeating him."
"And when the White-Robed Swordsman is in a good mood, he can reward me. Naturally, when he is in a bad mood, he can crush me to death as well. That is still the kind-hearted White-Robed Swordsman. If I encounter other evil spirits, my life and death will rest upon a single thought from those beings."
"I will never allow others to decide whether I live or die so casually."
Others saw the increase in strength from this opportunity, but Lu Chen saw only the inability to control his own fate. He did not want to become someone who could be casually crushed to death.
"My fate can only be held in my own hands."
Thus, after sorting through his gains and resting for half an hour, Lu Chen took up his sword and headed out again.
"My lord, are you going out?"
"Wait for me at home."
Leaving behind those words, Lu Chen glanced at the sun overhead and hurried toward West Mountain.
"I still cannot afford to slack off!"
Striding forward, Lu Chen entered West Mountain, Barbarian Bull Village's hunting grounds, once more after a little over half an hour.
This time, however, Lu Chen did not wander about aimlessly. After sweeping his gaze across the surroundings, he quickly headed in one direction.
Another half hour later, Lu Chen nodded as he looked at the somewhat empty and silent valley.
"According to Uncle Da Zhuang, that Barbarian Beast is nearby."
Barbarian Beasts differed from ordinary wild animals. Their meat was more nourishing, and many of the shaman's hot soups required Barbarian Beast blood and bones.
Yet such richly nourishing Barbarian Beasts rarely made it onto the Barbarians' dining tables.
There was no helping it. Humanity was not the only master of this world. Aside from evil spirits, Barbarian Beasts were also a major threat to humans.
When encountering a Barbarian Beast in the wild, most of the time it was not humans hunting the Barbarian Beast—it was the Barbarian Beast eating humans.
Indeed, wherever Barbarian Beasts roamed, ordinary Barbarians did not dare approach. Even if they did, they hunted only in large groups.
What made Lu Chen feel even more damned was that although the village had organized large-scale hunts, the Barbarian Beasts possessed intelligence as well. Whenever humans mobilized in great numbers, they would flee.
Thus, in Lu Chen's memories, there had not been many occasions when Barbarian Beasts were hunted. Every successful hunt made the village celebrate as though it were New Year.
But this time, Lu Chen had entered a Barbarian Beast's territory alone.
When there were many people, Barbarian Beasts would run. But when there was only one person, most Barbarian Beasts would take the initiative to attack humans.
"I am not fast, and I cannot attack from afar. So long as a beast is even a little clever, I cannot catch it. But Barbarian Beasts are different. As long as I enter their territory, they will come looking for me themselves. That means I do not need to worry about my prey escaping."
Under such circumstances, Lu Chen truly did not need to worry about the prey getting away. But who was the prey was another matter entirely.
Still, Lu Chen had already prepared himself mentally.
"Isn't it just a fight? Come on, Fire Ox!"
Lu Chen did not hold back the final "Come on!" Instead, he threw back his head and roared.
His roar was like thunder, spreading far into the mountains.
It was a provocation, a naked provocation toward the overlord of this region.
Such provocation naturally enraged the Barbarian Beast here.
"Moo~~~~"
Amid a loud bellow, a Fire Ox covered in crimson fur and standing over two meters tall charged into Lu Chen's sight from afar.
As he looked at the Barbarian Beast, a savage grin rose on Lu Chen's lips.
"Sure enough, this is the fastest way to find a Barbarian Beast."
Powerful Barbarian Beasts were indeed not difficult to find, but the difficult part had always been how to kill them.
No Barbarian Beast was easy to deal with.
At the same time, contrary to some people's impressions, when facing Barbarian Beasts, humans were the ones launching sneak attacks most of the time.
After all, compared to wild beasts—or rather, Barbarian Beasts—the human body was not strong.
Therefore, humans relied on traps, bows and arrows, ambushes, and all manner of methods to hunt.
But that was how others did things. Lu Chen was human, yet he was different.
"Humans use bows, traps, and ambushes because their bodies are inferior to those of wild beasts. Only by using such methods can they obtain prey."
"But I am different. I have no hunting skills. All I have is abundant vitality and blood, and a powerful body."
"For me, lying in wait and launching a sneak attack is the worst approach. What I am strongest at is clashing head-on."
With those thoughts in mind, Lu Chen looked at the Barbarian Beast, a bloodthirsty smile appearing on his lips.
The fiery-red Barbarian Bull across from him lowered its head as well. It was not submitting, but preparing to attack. It had already aimed its savage horns at Lu Chen.
Then, with an angry roar, it stamped its four hooves and charged violently toward Lu Chen.
As the Barbarian Bull charged, Lu Chen could actually feel the earth trembling beneath him. From that alone, one could imagine the might of its Barbarian Bull Charge.
And its terror did not end there.
Boom!!!
As it charged, the crimson fur covering its body grew increasingly dazzling. Finally, it flashed fiercely before bursting completely into flames.
At that point, the Barbarian Bull before him had become a true Fire Ox, wreathed in raging flames as it charged toward Lu Chen like an out-of-control tank.
Even more terrifyingly, after bursting into flames, the Barbarian Bull's speed suddenly rose by an entire level.
That sudden increase in speed was enough to throw all an enemy's plans into disarray.
"I can't dodge it."
Feeling the Barbarian Bull's abruptly increased speed, Lu Chen understood that he could not evade it.
"Still, your sudden acceleration is indeed impressive—but I never intended to dodge in the first place!"
Facing the charging Barbarian Bull, Lu Chen had no intention of evading. He merely drew a deep breath, raised the longsword in his hand high, and gathered all his strength.
At that moment, with all his strength condensed at one point, Lu Chen's muscles bulged and blue veins stood out viciously. Everything about him made him seem like Asura, enough to inspire fear in anyone who saw him.
Just like that, the charging Barbarian Bull and Lu Chen, who had gathered all his strength, collided head-on.
Just as the Barbarian Bull's savage horns were about to reach him, Lu Chen's raised longsword slashed down fiercely.
"Come on, just like this! Whoever has greater strength wins!"
With a roar, Lu Chen unleashed his strongest slash.
With a thunderous boom, a violent explosion erupted from the point of impact. Even the air shook from the sound of their collision.
But Lu Chen had no mind to pay attention to any of that.
At the instant of impact, Lu Chen felt as though he had been struck by a speeding vehicle. In an instant, an astonishing force came crashing down upon him.
But Lu Chen was no longer the same as before. That force was indeed tyrannical, yet his feet sank deeply into the ground as he forcibly endured it without being sent flying.
Though he himself was not thrown into the air, Lu Chen's legs plowed two long furrows across the ground, each six or seven meters long.
At the same time, the impact coursed through his entire body. Lu Chen felt sore all over, while both arms went numb in waves. Blood even gushed from the tiger's mouths of the hands gripping his sword.
Not to mention that as the Barbarian Bull charged, the flames on its body had been scorching Lu Chen's flesh.
Still, although those injuries were severe, Lu Chen endured them through sheer force with his Constitution of 44.
Before you continue