Fighting a Second-Order Beast

When Yang Lingtian took out the alchemy furnace, those eight men immediately knew he had a Space Ring—a clear sign of extraordinary status.

Not one of them owned a Space Ring.

Anyone who could wear a Space Ring was someone of no ordinary standing.

The eight men were tasked with searching for specific spirit herbs, while Yang Lingtian began lighting the furnace to refine Beast Origin Pills.

Around him lay various spirit herbs, each releasing a unique medicinal fragrance.

He then placed these herbs into the alchemy furnace, steadily controlling the heat.

Seeing such a masterful alchemy technique, the eight men grew even more impressed with Yang Lingtian.

To be so young and already an alchemist was rare enough.

Still, they assumed he was merely a First-Rank Alchemist, never imagining he was a Tier 3 Alchemist.

If they had realized he was a Tier 3 Alchemist, they would have been utterly stunned.

After all, none of the nearby cities had a Tier 3 Alchemist.

As time passed, the spirit herbs inside the furnace began to undergo a wondrous transformation.

They gradually fused and condensed, forming translucent spirit pills—these were the initial shape of the finished product.

After several hours of refinement, the process was finally complete.

A full five pills were formed—five Tier 3 Spirit Pills.

But they were Beast Origin Pills, highly effective for beasts but of little use to humans.

Otherwise, a single Tier 3 Spirit Pill would be extremely valuable even in Tianchen City, only obtainable through auctions.

The unique fragrance of the Beast Origin Pill soon attracted the Second-Order Beast.

It roared: "So fragrant! I can feel immense energy within. Eating this will definitely help me break through in cultivation."

"Human boy, bring it here. Let me try its effects."

Yang Lingtian replied in beast tongue: "Brother Beast, don't rush. Let me tell you some precautions."

"This pill has extremely strong medicinal properties. You can't eat it all at once."

"Take it one pill at a time. Refine one fully before taking the next."

"Got it, got it!" the Second-Order Beast roared impatiently.

It took a full five days for the beast to refine all five Beast Origin Pills.

It was during the refinement of the last pill that the Second-Order Initial Stage beast successfully broke through to Second-Order Mid-Stage.

After breaking through, the beast roared wildly, celebrating its success.

Then it went straight to confront its rival.

Yang Lingtian smoothly collected all the spirit herbs in the area into his Space Ring.

With these herbs, he no longer needed to buy ingredients from the True Elixir Pavilion.

He could refine large quantities of pills himself—and then his cultivation would skyrocket!

Of course, refining those pills would also take a great deal of time.

It seemed Yang Lingtian was not only of extraordinary status but also highly capable.

The eight men began to consider pledging allegiance to him.

One of them asked fawningly: "Young Master Yang, do you need any underlings?"

Yang Lingtian saw through their intentions and replied with a disdainful smile: "Not for now."

"When you prove useful to me, I might take you in. I don't accept useless people."

Inside the Chen Manor, Chen Zhengqing was anxiously waiting for news from below.

Yang Lingtian had been missing for six or seven days without returning home.

A week ago, after leaving the Weapon Workshop, Yang Lingtian had gone straight to the Monster Beast Mountain Range without telling anyone.

After much inquiry, Chen Zhengqing learned that someone had seen him leave the city, but no one knew where he went.

He also found out that Yang Lingtian had forged a Spirit Sword—a fact he found hard to believe.

When had his foster son become a First-Rank Artifact Refiner? He, the foster father, had no idea.

The news came from the Weapon Workshop, and everyone there claimed to have seen it with their own eyes.

But since Chen Zhengqing hadn't witnessed it himself, he was only half-convinced.

"Someone! Go search outside the city!"

"Spread the word throughout Tianchen City: anyone who knows of Yang Lingtian's whereabouts and reports it—if the information is verified—will be rewarded with 100 Low-grade Spirit Stones."

"If someone finds him and brings him back, the reward will be 1,000 Low-grade Spirit Stones."

Meanwhile, the rumor that Yang Lingtian was a First-Rank Artifact Refiner began spreading through Tianchen City. Most who heard it refused to believe it.

"What? That useless waste from the Chen family's adopted son is a First-Rank Artifact Refiner?"

"Impossible, absolutely impossible. How could an eighteen-year-old become a First-Rank Artifact Refiner?"

"This must be a lie the Chen Family made up to whitewash that wastrel!"

"I think so too. Not long ago, one of the Chen Family's First-Rank Artifact Refiners just died."

"Now they're spreading word of another one—just to steady people's nerves."

"If that good-for-nothing waste could be a First-Rank Artifact Refiner, then the sun would rise from the west."

The entire city scoffed at the rumor.

Still, they knew Yang Lingtian really had gone missing; otherwise, the Chen Family wouldn't have made such a big fuss searching for him.

From this move alone, it was clear Chen Zhengqing truly valued Yang Lingtian.

He'd only been gone a week, and already they were this anxious.

By now, Yang Lingtian had parted ways with those eight people.

After leaving that blessed spot, the system's voice rang in his mind.

[Congratulations, Host, on completing the mission. As a reward, you receive the Movement Skill: Flowing Cloud Wind Movement, First Layer.]

A martial skill technique suddenly appeared in Yang Lingtian's mind—and to his surprise, it was a Movement Martial Skill.

The First Layer of Flowing Cloud Wind Movement was equivalent to a Yellow-grade Top-tier Martial Skill, extremely rare.

Martial skills themselves were uncommon, and Movement Martial Skills were even rarer.

Even most Golden Core experts had never encountered a Movement Martial Skill; for someone at the Qi Refining Stage to possess one was exceptionally rare.

The system's rewards were always useful, always top-notch.

If he mastered this movement technique, he could walk as lightly and gracefully as drifting clouds, with extremely high speed and agility.

If he ran into someone stronger than him, he could just run away, leaving the enemy helpless and fuming—satisfying as hell.

It not only boosted his flexibility in battle but also served as a lifesaving escape technique.

Yang Lingtian smiled in satisfaction.

Since the mission was complete, he decided to return to Tianchen City and cultivate this martial skill as soon as possible.

Early the next morning, Yang Lingtian, who had been sitting cross-legged in cultivation, slowly opened his eyes.

Although his absorption of Heaven and Earth spiritual energy was incredibly fast while circulating the Chaos Dao Divine Art—almost matching the speed of a Golden Core expert—

most of that spiritual energy was snatched away by the Chaos Bead in his Dantian.

Very little could be absorbed by his own Dantian.

Otherwise, a single night of cultivation would have let him break through from Qi Refining Level 7 to Qi Refining Level 8.

He didn't know whether obtaining this Chaos Bead was a blessing or a curse.

But what comforted him was that after the spiritual energy entered his Dantian, it seemed influenced by the Chaos Bead.

The spiritual energy converted into Spiritual Power became much purer.

Though he was only at Qi Refining Level 7, the purity of the Spiritual Power in his Dantian was no worse than that of someone at Qi Refining Level 8.

Yang Lingtian got up and headed toward Tianchen City. After walking for a while—

suddenly, the roar of a demon beast came from afar. The weeds ahead shook violently, and a beast a full meter tall appeared before him.

And Yang Lingtian understood the beast's roar—it startled him.

It meant: "Kid, I've finally found you. This aura is right."

It looked like a wild boar, except it had a pair of long tusks and a single horn on its forehead.

Yang Lingtian's expression instantly turned serious. This was a Second-Order Mid-Stage demon beast, though it seemed injured.

Still, it was something he couldn't fight.

Yang Lingtian replied in beast tongue: "May I ask your name?"

"You seem furious—what business do you have with me?"

Soon, the Unicorn Demon Beast reached Yang Lingtian.

Hearing Yang Lingtian speak beast tongue, it paused in surprise.

"My name is Pi Dan. That Dala guy was right—you human ants really do know our language."

As soon as he heard "Pi Dan," Yang Lingtian suddenly remembered: wasn't the mate of that demon beast from yesterday stolen by a beast named Pi Dan?

Yang Lingtian sensed trouble!

Clearly, Pi Dan had lost that fight, and now he was coming to make trouble for Yang Lingtian.

"That's right, I'm fluent in your beast language. So, do you have business with me?" Yang Lingtian asked calmly, still composed.

Pi Dan looked at Yang Lingtian and replied, "You knowing our beast language—that's extremely rare."

"I was going to eat you, but I've changed my mind. I'll take you as my slave instead, and you can refine pills for me."

Yang Lingtian frowned. A slave? And a slave to a demon beast?

He cursed inwardly: "Screw you, you ugly beast, dreaming big."

"Wanting me as a slave? A strong man like me would never be anyone's slave."

But it was a Second-Order Beast after all—he probably couldn't beat it yet, so he held back the harsh words.

So Yang Lingtian grinned and said, "Slave? Not happening. Never in this life."

"But hey, refining a few pills for you? That's negotiable."

Hearing this, the Unicorn Demon Beast flew into a rage and roared, "What? You won't be my slave? Then die!"

Looks like this unicorn beast had a nasty temper—fierce and impatient, no room for bargaining.

Well, fair enough—having just snatched a woman only to have her taken back, its mood was bound to be foul.

With a furious roar, the Unicorn Demon Beast lunged straight at Yang Lingtian, moving so fast he couldn't react before being sent flying.

This was a Second-Order Mid-Stage Beast, on par with a human Foundation Establishment Middle Stage expert.

Luckily, the beast wasn't trying to kill him just yet—it held back its strength.

Otherwise, that single blow would have left him dead or gravely wounded.

It seemed intent on beating him into submission.

Sprawled on the ground, Yang Lingtian was startled: "Damn, that strong? And it ambushed me? This beast's got some tricks!"

He cursed in beast tongue: "Ambush! You actually ambushed me, an eighteen-year-old kid!"

"You beast, you've pissed me off. Now I'm getting serious."

With that, Yang Lingtian drew his Spirit Sword, his aura surging, and directly executed the final move of the Hundred Shadow Cold Sword—Hundred Swords Convergence—striking at the Unicorn Demon Beast.