The Snipe and the Clam Fight, Tooth for Tooth

[At the fourth quarter of the Hai Hour, in the area around the fourth mountain of the mountain range behind Misty Cloud Mountain, a Third-Order Herb, Moon Shadow Grass, would soon mature. Moon Shadow Grass was the main ingredient in many Third-Tier Pills and an auxiliary ingredient in many Fourth-Order Herbs. It was also used in refining some Fifth-Grade Pills. Consuming it directly allowed cultivators to increase their sensitivity to Heaven and Earth Energy for three days when cultivating under moonlight.]

[At the fifth quarter of the Hai Hour, a Second-Order Late Stage Magical Beast, the Howling Moon Wolf, and a Second-Order Mid Stage Magical Beast, the Earth Savage Bear, would both be badly wounded while fighting over the Moon Shadow Grass. They would die half an hour later. A quarter of an hour after that, their corpses would become food for a First Order Late Stage Magical Beast, the Misty Cloud Eagle, which would also devour the Moon Shadow Grass.]

Gu Han was no stranger to Opportunity intelligence like this.

Over the past ten days, the Opportunity predictions he received every day had all been of this type.

Within the Xuanwu Secret Realm, he had already transplanted ten relatively rare First-Order Herbs and Heavenly Material Earthly Treasures, seven Second-Order Herbs, seven First-Order Magical Cores, and one Second-Order Wind Attribute Magical Core.

Perhaps because he was cultivating atop Third Mountain and did not plan to leave the core area of Misty Cloud Mountain anytime soon, the Opportunities were confined to the same region, resulting in severe homogeneity.

If he had been within the sect, he would most likely have received Opportunity predictions related to people, pills, and cultivation techniques.

It made him feel that this Mysterious Turtle Shell was rather rigid in its intelligence.

Today, he had also prepared himself to harvest spirit herbs or Magical Beast corpses and Magical Cores.

But he had not expected it to be Third-Order Moon Shadow Grass, along with the chance to pick up the corpses of two Second-Order Magical Beasts.

"Continue cultivating."

After a brief moment of surprise, Gu Han threw himself back into cultivation.

Only when the outside world had become dark and windy beneath the moonless sky did he open his eyes. After changing into a set of black clothes, he began descending the mountain toward the location indicated by the Opportunity.

"When I get the chance, I need to find a movement Dou Technique or a lightness Dou Technique."

As he hurried along, Gu Han realized one of his current shortcomings: speed was his weakness.

The direct line of the Misty Cloud Sect had always cultivated Wind Attribute Dou Qi. Thus, although the Misty Cloud Sect recruited all talented disciples within the Jia Ma Empire, it was best at nurturing Wind Attribute Dou Qi cultivators. The sect's cultivation environment, most of its cultivation techniques and Dou Techniques, and its resources all leaned toward the Wind Attribute.

Speed had always been an advantage of Misty Cloud Sect disciples. With one side gaining while the other lost, he would be at a disadvantage.

"Roar!"

While considering this, Gu Han arrived ten zhang away from the place indicated by the Opportunity. From afar, he saw a brown bear over a zhang tall, like a small hill, confronting a wolf whose silver fur glowed strangely beneath the moonlight.

It was the Howling Moon Wolf and the Earth Savage Bear. Five zhang north of them stood a wholly silver spirit herb, absorbing moonlight and rising above a patch of weeds.

After confirming that the location was correct, Gu Han willed himself back into the Xuanwu Secret Realm.

During this period, as his strength increased, his Soul Power had also improved somewhat. The secret realm's space had grown to roughly four meters in length, width, and height.

While within the Xuanwu Secret Realm, he could clearly perceive everything within four meters outside, somewhat like the external divine sense that only Dou Lings possessed.

But a Dou Ling could sense everything within a certain range around them at all times, whereas he could only accomplish this by concentrating while in the secret realm.

Still, this was enough to delight anyone. It could greatly enhance his ability to survive in the wilderness, conceal himself, and move stealthily.

"The battle is over."

Gu Han, who had been cultivating cross-legged, slightly furrowed his brow. He sensed that the commotion outside had quieted.

The Black Tortoise Shell could spy upon heavenly secrets and discover Opportunities in advance, so keeping track of the time on the Dou Qi Continent was naturally effortless.

Gu Han verified it and found that it was precisely the time mentioned in the intelligence, when the Howling Moon Wolf and Earth Savage Bear had both been severely wounded. There was still half an hour until their deaths.

"If they aren't dead, they may still be capable of a final counterattack."

"Second-Order Magical Beasts are equivalent to human Dou Masters. The Howling Moon Wolf rivals Seven-Star to Nine-Star Dou Masters, while the Earth Savage Bear rivals Four Star to Six-star Dou Masters."

"I'll keep waiting."

Gu Han was extremely patient. He waited quietly in the Xuanwu Secret Realm for half an hour before emerging.

In another quarter of an hour—fifteen minutes—a First Order Late Stage Magical Beast, the Misty Cloud Eagle, would appear. He only needed to settle everything before then.

When he arrived near the Moon Shadow Grass, Gu Han frowned slightly.

This was because, in a large pit not far away, the Howling Moon Wolf and Earth Savage Bear had died miserably. The bloody sight was enough to make one nauseous.

The latter's neck had been bitten through, and a great deal of blood had flowed out. It was clearly the fatal wound.

The former's head was caved in, and one of its legs was crippled. It had likely suffered a counterattack.

"Mysterious Yin Finger!"

After plucking the Moon Shadow Grass and storing it in the Xuanwu Secret Realm, Gu Han stepped between the Howling Moon Wolf and the Earth Savage Bear.

He first pierced the Earth Savage Bear's head with a finger. The cold energy froze a layer of flesh and blood upon contact, preventing any blood from staining his finger.

After stirring it around slightly, he felt something hard.

This Earth Savage Bear had a Magical Core—a Second-Order Earth Attribute Magical Core.

"Not bad luck."

After taking out the Magical Core, Gu Han casually stored the Earth Savage Bear's corpse in the Xuanwu Secret Realm as well.

Over the next few days, he could improve his meals and taste bear paw.

Gu Han then repeated the process and found a Magical Core within the Howling Moon Wolf as well.

A Second-Order Wind Attribute Magical Core!

This was quite a substantial gain.

The Earth Savage Bear's gallbladder could be sold as a Second-Order medicinal ingredient, and its fur, flesh, and blood could all be sold as well.

The Howling Moon Wolf's pelt was highly valuable on the market, while its claws and teeth could be used to forge weapons capable of carrying Dou Qi.

After taking all his gains, Gu Han returned along the original route toward Third Peak. Cultivation was faster beneath the Yin Wind, and he could not get enough of it.

"Hmm?"

Just as he reached the foot of Fourth Mountain, the sound of something slicing through the air suddenly rang out behind him.

It was incredibly fast. Gu Han only felt danger envelop him, his body hair standing on end and his blood freezing. He had no time to react.

At that critical moment, the Qi Vortex in his Dantian rapidly circulated along the route of the Mysterious Ice Force. With a thought, he entered the Xuanwu Secret Realm.

"Whoosh!"

The danger was gone, and Gu Han could hear his own heartbeat.

Killing intent rose in his heart. He immediately closed his eyes and carefully sensed the situation outside.

"Wind Nether Snake!"

At the spot where he had stood before entering, Gu Han saw a green venomous snake over a zhang long and as thick as a wrist. It had horn-like ears atop its head that flared outward.

This was the Wind Nether Snake, one of the more common Magical Beasts around Misty Cloud Mountain. It was a Wind Attribute Magical Beast, famed for its concealment and extreme speed. Its combat strength itself was not particularly formidable, but it excelled at sneak attacks. Many Misty Cloud Sect disciples who came to train in the mountain range behind the sect were often ambushed by them.

"First Order Late Stage, equivalent to a Seven-Star to Nine-Star Dou Practitioner."

Gu Han narrowed his eyes, and his killing intent intensified.

First-Order Magical Beasts were not very intelligent. Even if it was stronger than him, he could still deal with it.

After thinking briefly, he willed the still-warm corpse of the Earth Savage Bear out.

Bang!

The heavy corpse crashed onto the ground.

"Hiss!"

The Wind Nether Snake was startled and quickly darted aside, its vertical pupils filled with vigilance.

At the sudden appearance of the Earth Savage Bear's corpse, confusion surfaced in its eyes.

The human it had ambushed had suddenly vanished, while the corpse of this Second-Order Magical Beast, the Earth Savage Bear, had suddenly appeared.

What exactly was going on?

The Wind Nether Snake's limited brain worked furiously.

But when its tongue caught the scent of blood from the Earth Savage Bear's body, what little rationality it possessed was consumed by desire.

Just as it could not resist opening its jaws and biting into the Earth Savage Bear, Gu Han's figure abruptly appeared, his frost-laden finger stabbing forward.

"Die!"