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Shriek!
"You used 'Explosive Step.' Martial skill proficiency increased slightly."
"You used 'Explosive Step.' Martial skill proficiency increased slightly."
"Just a little more."
Explosive Step!
Jiang Yan landed from the sky, then leaped out again, soaring fifty meters into the air.
The Azure Lord Eagle was no pushover either. Its enormous yet nimble body allowed it to circle continuously beneath an altitude of a hundred meters.
Even with Explosive Step, Jiang Yan found it difficult to get close.
Within the Combat Space, Jiang Yan practiced the movement martial skill "Explosive Step" again and again.
Now that he had advanced to Blood Coagulation and possessed Blade Momentum as part of his combat strength, killing a mid-stage second-rank Azure Lord Eagle should have been as easy as turning his hand. The only problem was—
He could not reach it.
The Azure Lord Eagle was extremely cunning. After seeing that Jiang Yan's strength far surpassed its own, it began flying higher into the sky, not allowing him to touch even a single feather.
"You used 'Explosive Step.' Martial skill proficiency increased slightly. Physique increased slightly."
"You used 'Explosive Step.' Martial skill proficiency increased slightly. Physique increased slightly."
"You used 'Explosive Step.' Martial skill proficiency increased slightly. Physique increased slightly."
Three hours later.
"You used 'Explosive Step' three hundred times. Martial skill proficiency increased significantly. Physique increased slightly."
"Congratulations. 'Explosive Step' has reached Subtlety."
Boom!
Jiang Yan stamped his foot, launching himself like a mortar shell. Defying gravity's restraints, he shot toward the Azure Lord Eagle at an unimaginable speed.
He held a brand-new Alloy Long Blade. Surging Blade Momentum gathered around it as he fiercely slashed a blade aura at the Azure Lord Eagle.
"Ding. You killed the Azure Lord Eagle and completed this challenge."
"Congratulations. You obtained the Blue Entry Wind Rider."
"Heaven Rewards Diligence activated. Congratulations. You obtained the Purple Entry Blade Bearer."
Jiang Yan crashed onto the ground, blasting up an airwave two zhang high around himself.
The Azure Lord Eagle's corpse fell moments later, transforming into fragments of data and vanishing.
Jiang Yan carefully examined his latest gains.
Wind Rider (Blue): You can remain suspended in the air briefly.
Blade Bearer (Purple): When using bladed weapons, your combat power increases by 20%. When holding a blade, you gain the passive skill Rebound.
Rebound: After successfully blocking an opponent's attack, you return the attack to them in its entirety. Cooldown: three seconds.
"Open the status panel."
Host: Jiang Yan Talent: Thick-Skinned Physique (Evolving) Realm: Early Blood Coagulation Martial Skills: (Unranked) "Basic Saber Technique" Perfected (Yellow Grade Low Rank) "Fierce Bull Strength" Perfected (Yellow Grade High Rank) "Explosive Step" Subtlety Traits: Heaven Rewards Diligence (Innate) Desperate Truth (Blue) Swiftness (Blue) Wind Rider (Blue) Blade Bearer (Purple)
"This time, my luck was pretty good. I actually got two Traits."
After thinking about it, Jiang Yan figured that killing the Azure Lord Eagle had dropped one Trait, while Heaven Rewards Diligence had guaranteed him another.
Perfect!
With Heaven Rewards Diligence, he did not need to worry about being so unlucky that no Traits would drop. A guaranteed reward every time—how about that?
Wind Rider allowed Jiang Yan to remain suspended in the air briefly. Combined with Explosive Step, it was practically the same as being able to fly. After all, only Mystic Mastery experts could comprehend heaven and earth and gain control over flight.
Yet he, a mere Blood Coagulation Realm martial artist, could accomplish this so effortlessly. How could anyone not envy that?
Then there was Blade Bearer, Jiang Yan's only Purple Trait. Its effects were even more heaven-defying.
A twenty-percent increase in combat power was utterly unreasonable, while the Rebound skill was practically unsolvable.
Hitting him was equivalent to hitting yourself. As long as Jiang Yan blocked the attack, the unlucky one would be the person attacking him.
In short, Jiang Yan was extremely satisfied with this harvest.
"Congratulations on killing the Azure Lord Eagle. The wild monster has automatically refreshed."
The light screen before Jiang Yan flashed, and an upright creature appeared before him.
Jiang Yan looked at the description above its head.
Void-Rending Weasel: Early third rank.
Description: An unfathomable spatial talent, as elusive as gods and ghosts.
"Begin the challenge?"
"Begin."
"You were killed. Thick-Skinned Physique increased slightly."
"You were killed. Thick-Skinned Physique increased slightly."
"You were killed. Thick-Skinned Physique increased slightly."
Jiang Yan continued fighting with a dark expression. Watching the Void-Rending Weasel dart and leap about, he did not know what to say.
He finally understood what "as elusive as gods and ghosts" meant in the spatial description.
That thing simply was not a creature from the same world as him. Its frequency was so terrifyingly fast that it resembled a vibrating rod. In the blink of an eye, it would appear behind you, then dig your heart out with its sharp claws.
An overclocked monster!
That was Jiang Yan's assessment of it.
Moreover, Jiang Yan discovered that Blue Star had no records of this creature at all. Otherwise, there was no way he would not have heard of something so absurdly powerful.
"Could it be from an alien civilization?"
An entire night passed.
"You were killed. Thick-Skinned Physique increased slightly."
"You were killed. Thick-Skinned Physique increased slightly."
"123."
"124."
"125."
Jiang Yan emerged from the Divine Martial Space with massive dark circles under his eyes.
That was right. He had been killed a full 125 times. The power of space was terrifying beyond belief. Jiang Yan could not even touch a hair on the Void-Rending Weasel, and each time, he was brutally slaughtered.
After two challenges, the creatures in the Combat Space had already surpassed the scope of Blue Star's Fierce Beasts. Ordinary third-rank creatures outside could never slaughter Jiang Yan so effortlessly.
Still, it was not as though he had gained nothing.
Jiang Yan looked at the talent section on his status panel.
Talent: Battle Saint Armor
Battle Saint Armor: Your body will be covered by a special Battle Robe.
Defense +100%
All other attributes +40%
When you are in battle, this effect can increase without limit during that battle.
Battle—exhilarating!
Jiang Yan immediately tested it, beginning to condense the Battle Saint Armor over his body.
Silver armor covered his body, while a dazzling golden cape draped down his back. Jiang Yan stood tall and straight, as though he had transformed into a war god charging into enemy ranks without yielding. Solemn Battle Intent spread from his body.
Feeling the inexhaustible power within his body, Jiang Yan was filled with heroic fervor. He even had the urge to charge into a Fierce Beast stronghold and fight a bloody battle for three days and three nights.
"Battle Saint Armor seems capable of stirring my emotions?"
Jiang Yan withdrew his talent. Sure enough, that heroic fervor vanished, making him even more certain of his earlier suspicion.
After returning from the Divine Martial Space, the sky outside was already bright.
Fully prepared, he headed straight into the Wilderness.
His strength had risen by a tremendous margin, and Jiang Yan became even more eager to improve himself through battle.
Three days later.
Jiang Yan opened the status panel.
Host: Jiang Yan Talent: Battle Saint Armor Realm: Blood Coagulation Mid Stage Martial Skills: (Unranked) "Basic Saber Technique" Perfected (Yellow Grade Low Rank) "Fierce Bull Strength" Perfected (Yellow Grade High Rank) "Explosive Step" Perfected Traits: Heaven Rewards Diligence (Innate) Desperate Truth (Blue) Swiftness (Blue) Wind Rider (Blue) Blade Bearer (Purple)
After casually slashing down a Fierce Beast, Jiang Yan saw a drone drifting through the sky.
He reacted quickly, hiding behind cover as he watched the drone gradually disappear from view.
"Why is there a drone here?"