Slaying a Monster Beast

Chapter 15: Slaying a Monster Beast

"Got it, Lei Dong. I'll remember." Without hesitation, Lei Dong accepted the forty Spirit Stones and tucked them into his Storage Belt. His expression solemn and earnest, he said nothing more.

In this way, Chen Ge and Wei Hua found themselves admiring him all the more. They were both born into prominent households, had grown up surrounded by influence, and had seen much of the world. They had some eye for character, too, and sensed that Lei Dong was no ordinary person. That was why they were willing to place such a heavy bet on him. Besides, both Chen Ge and Wei Hua knew how investment worked: once you spotted a promising prospect, you had to think long-term and invest heavily before they made their name. Otherwise, if Lei Dong ever truly rose to prominence, he wouldn't even spare a glance at a mere forty Spirit Stones. Of course, they would rather have invested in Ding Wanyan, but she was beyond their reach, and they had no standing to do so.

The three of them chatted about their cultivation insights as they traveled, and two days passed in the blink of an eye.

The terrain ahead was riddled with gullies, and the road had long since vanished, so they sent the carriage back to the city. After walking a while longer, they were attacked by several wild beasts. Though they managed to fend them off in a somewhat ragged fashion, the encounter made it clear that danger had begun. They formed up and cautiously pressed onward.

Lei Dong's Ghost Soldier, armed with a sword and shield, floated at the front, circling left and right as it scouted the way. Lei Dong himself walked in the middle beside Chen Ge, each of them gripping a Magic Tool and staying alert. Wei Hua brought up the rear. After all, he knew the Profound Yin Shield, which gave him better odds of surviving than the others.

With the Ghost Soldier scouting ahead, they spotted ordinary beasts early. They either drove them off or killed them, and were not attacked again.

After walking for half a day, the terrain grew increasingly treacherous. Weeds towered over their heads, and every so often, a several-zhang-wide ravine opened beneath their feet. Fortunately, all three were at the Qi Refining Stage first layer, so crossing them posed little difficulty. Chen Ge occasionally took out the map to check their location. Dust veiled his face, but he smiled. "We're only seven or eight li from our target. Let's keep pushing."

Suddenly, the Ghost Soldier, ten or so zhang ahead, let out a sharp, low Ghost Howl. Connected to the Ghost Soldier in both heart and soul, Lei Dong immediately realized it had spotted an enemy. This was completely different from the ordinary beasts they had encountered before. The howl was both urgent and deep; the enemy it had found was clearly at least as strong as the Ghost Soldier.

"Careful. We've got a powerful enemy." As soon as Lei Dong spoke, a giant snake as thick as a barrel shot out of the weeds and earth ahead. Its tail lashed, sending its upper body soaring three or four zhang into the air. Its head was as large as a millstone, its fangs bared as it lunged at the Ghost Soldier floating above.

The Ghost Soldier was already equivalent to a Qi Refining Stage first-layer cultivator in strength, and its innate ability to fly made it elusive and nimble. It had been ready for the giant snake's attack. With a flicker, it dodged the bite, then turned and swung its sword at the snake's head. The snake had missed its strike, and its head was still momentarily suspended in place when the blade hit.

Unfortunately, the Ghost Soldier's sword was not solid. It was formed from Soul Force. At a higher level, it would naturally be formidable, but for now, it merely scraped off a layer of skin and a few scales.

"What a beast. That's a Monster Beast!" Chen Ge exclaimed, but he wasn't afraid. Judging by the pressure and aura the giant snake gave off, it was only a little stronger than them. It should be a Demon Snake at the Qi Refining Second Layer. One-on-one, taking it down would be difficult. But there were four of them here now, giving them a considerable advantage.

"Wei Hua, move up and help the Ghost Soldier hold the Demon Snake. Lei Dong and I will attack." As soon as Chen Ge finished speaking, Wei Hua charged forward, while the Ink Green Small Sword shot toward the giant snake's neck.

Before Chen Ge could give the order, Lei Dong had already prepared his Ink Green Small Sword. With a flick of his hand, it shot out. Chen Ge, meanwhile, rushed a few steps forward before beginning to chant and cast a Netherflame Bullet.

Whoosh, whoosh—the Small Swords launched by Lei Dong and Wei Hua both missed. But under their control, though they were not especially nimble, the swords spun through the air and swept back toward the giant snake. The snake had not expected this move. Caught off guard, it took both strikes.

Unfortunately, the Ink Green Small Swords issued by the sect were merely meant to help new disciples practice controlling them, and their power was poor. They could deal with ordinary wild beasts, but against this Qi Refining Second Layer giant snake, they were somewhat lacking. They only managed to cut an inch or two into its flesh.

Even so, pain and injury made the giant snake's eyes gleam with a savage, unearthly light. Its tail snapped, and it lunged at the nearest target, Wei Hua. But it had forgotten that the Ghost Soldier was no pushover. With a hiss, its body turned blood-red, and it swung its blade viciously into the snake's neck. The Ghost Soldier's strike, boosted by a thirty percent increase in damage, was now no weaker than the strength of a Qi Refining Second Layer cultivator. The blade cut several inches deep.

Hiss! The giant snake shrieked in pain. It forgot about Wei Hua and turned to bite the Ghost Soldier instead. Chen Ge had clearly grown much more practiced with the Netherflame Bullet than before; in just two or three breaths, it was ready.

The fist-sized Netherflame Bullet, trailing a long, ghostly green flame, shot forward at great speed and struck the giant snake.

Boom! How could the Netherflame Bullet's power compare to the Ink Green Small Swords and the Ghost Soldier's blade? The explosion tore a gaping hole in the snake's body, and scattered sparks of Nether Fire clung to its scales, burning with a faint glow. Only now did the wretched Monster Beast realize it had kicked an iron plate. In agony, it rolled across the ground, trying to put out the flames. But Nether Fire burned Soul Force; even jumping into water could hardly extinguish it. How could a few rolls on the ground make it disappear?

Would Lei Dong and the others let it run rampant? Each of them controlled an Ink Green Small Sword and attacked the giant snake fiercely, strike after strike, building momentum. The Ghost Soldier, its Bloodthirsty Art active, was no weakling either. It seized every chance to land a blow, each one cutting to the bone.

After struggling for a while, the giant snake realized things were going badly and began to flee at full speed. But the others had no intention of letting it go. After all, killing a Monster Beast at the Qi Refining Second Layer would be a small fortune for them. Even a swarm of ants could gnaw an elephant to death, and besides, the three of them and the Ghost Soldier were each only a little weaker than the giant snake. They pursued it for just two li before it collapsed on the ground, twitching. Its body was covered in cuts from swords and blades, but the gaping hole torn open by the Netherflame Bullet was the most lethal. As the giant snake died, the fiercely burning Nether Fire gradually faded and went out.

All three of them, Lei Dong included, were thrilled. This was the first time in their lives they had killed a Monster Beast, and it was even at the Qi Refining Second Layer. They just didn't know whether this giant snake was the one mentioned in the mission. But even if it wasn't, it didn't matter. They had found the fight quite easy, and felt that if another Monster Beast showed up, they would kill it too.

The Ghost Soldier's strength also earned Chen Ge and Wei Hua's praise. Although Wei Hua could have used the Profound Yin Shield to hold off the Demon Snake for a while, his life would still have been in danger. The Ghost Soldier, on the other hand, feared nothing and moved with extraordinary agility. It was the ideal meat shield.

Without another word, the three began harvesting their spoils. The most valuable part of a Monster Beast was, of course, its inner core. This inner core was different from the Golden Core in the Golden Core Path. Like a human's dantian, it was where the Monster Beast breathed in Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy and gathered power, making it an excellent material for refining pills. Though the inner core of a Monster Beast at the Qi Refining Second Layer was low-grade, it was still worth at least two Spirit Stones.

Its hide, tailbone, and gallbladder could also serve as materials for refining weapons, though they weren't worth much. All together, the spoils should be worth around three Spirit Stones.

They planned to take everything back first, sell it, and then split the money. Though each of them would get no more than one Spirit Stone, one Spirit Stone was already very valuable to cultivators of their level. Chen Ge and Wei Hua had both brought some from home, but they had not come by them easily.

As for the Snake Meat and blood, everyone took some Snake Meat for food, and the Ghost Soldier consumed the rest of the blood and meat. Unlike humans, who could cultivate through a Cultivation Method and make rapid progress, Ghost Soldiers like this one needed more than the passive nourishment of the Soul Nurturing Pagoda to advance. They also had to keep absorbing blood and flesh. The flesh and blood of a Monster Beast at the Qi Refining Stage second layer were a great tonic for it. Before long, the giant snake had been carved up by the group and vanished without a trace.

After devouring and absorbing the blood and flesh, the Ghost Soldier's spirit, which had been flagging from the Bloodthirsty Art, recovered completely. Its transparent body seemed to have grown denser, and it looked a little more imposing.