Longing Beast

Zhu Jiusi stayed in his den, his gaze fixed on the mist outside the forest.

The Secret Realm Instance had ended, and Journey Survival had truly entered its proper track; there were monsters at night now.

Night had already fallen, and with the fifteenth of the month approaching, a full moon hung high in the sky.

Zhu Jiusi narrowed his eyes. The next moment, the thick fog was suddenly shattered by something, and a massive creature charged out.

Dense, coarse bristles and refined, understated tusks. What a breathtaking, peerless sow!

The pig began rubbing against a nearby tree the moment it rushed out, emitting continuous grunting sounds.

What a rutting Wild Boar!

Zhu Jiusi: "???"

Zhu Jiusi: "!!!"

Zhu Jiusi was immediately enraged! This damn thing was a "Longing Beast"!

That was the name given by the Path Seekers from the previous round.

The monster would hide in the mist, read the deepest desires in a Path Seeker's heart, and then manifest as that desire to lure them in for a sneak attack.

If one longed for a woman, it would transform into the perfect woman. If one longed for treasure, it would transform into an exquisite Gourd.

The most typical characteristic of a Longing Beast—under the moonlight, its shadow is pink!

Zhu Jiusi didn't care about being attacked by a monster. He would simply meet force with force.

But!

What was the meaning of transforming into a sow? Was it because he had been thinking of his best friend from his past life?

I, for one, do not want to have a relationship with a sow!

Zhu Jiusi leaped out of his nest, running toward the sow while grunting all the way, just like a boar that couldn't hold back anymore.

The sow twisted its body to welcome him, but the moment the boar drew near, it suddenly roared, using its head to flip the sow onto the ground.

The sow was stunned for a moment, then seemed to realize something; it rolled over, half-rose, and presented its rear to Zhu Jiusi.

Zhu Jiusi: "!!!"

Zhu Jiusi performed a short dash, lowered his head, and rammed with all his might. His half-foot-long tusks pierced the sow's lower abdomen. With an upward flick, he flipped the entire sow over and ripped its belly open.

Plop. A fox-like balloon creature fell out, its eyes filled with human-like shock. It turned to flee, but Zhu Jiusi caught up and stomped it into a pulp.

An irregular pink bead rolled out and settled on the ground.

The Scroll unfurled:

[Monster discovered, ready for naming.]

Just as Zhu Jiusi was about to name it, the Scroll suddenly flickered, and the message vanished.

[This beast has already been named by another.]

Someone in the chat area filled the screen with exclamation marks.

White Beard's Fist: "!!! Heaven has eyes! This is the first time I've seen food in Journey Survival, and there's a reward for naming a monster!"

He posted a picture. It was exactly the head of the fox-like creature that had been smashed to bits.

[Longing Beast, skilled in illusion.] A simple, concise description.

White Beard's Fist: "This thing has a brain, but not much of one. It turned into a big steamed bun and actually tried to mate with me..."

The chat area was immediately flooded with ellipses.

White Beard's Fist: "Everyone, the novice period is over; there are monsters at night now. If you can beat them, give it a try. If you win, you get to name them and receive a reward!"

Zhu Jiusi shrugged. A pity; someone had beaten him to it.

This was normal, though. It was impossible for all the good things to fall into his lap.

Besides, that name—could it be that the Path Seekers from the previous round were the ones who named it White Beard's Fist?

Zhu Jiusi decided to be generous and posted a picture of the bead to the chat area.

"If you smash a Longing Beast, it drops a bead, but I don't know what it's for."

White Beard's Fist: "Did the big shot encounter one too?"

Master of Cloud Stack Cave: "The message popped up on my Scroll asking me to name it, and then you snatched it first. Thumbs up."

White Beard's Fist sent a laughing-until-crying emoji. Being able to snatch it before a big shot felt great!

Just as they were talking, the chat area was suddenly spammed.

Sword Seven Doesn't Learn Sword: "Cultivation techniques cannot be passed on privately!"

Seven or eight consecutive messages contained the same content.

Immediately following this, an announcement arrived.

[Myriad World Announcement: In the Immortal Seeking Domain, District 66, Path Seeker "Sword Seven Doesn't Learn Sword" has deduced the Seventh Law. May all Path Seekers continue to strive!]

[Rule Seven: Techniques not of one's own creation may not be privately imparted.]

Sparrow: "Eh? It's not the Cave Master boss, but a big sister?"

Sword Seven Doesn't Learn Sword had helped him take down an Owl Monster once, so the two were acquainted.

Monkey Has Iron Rod: "Sister Seven is awesome, you've shattered the myth of the Cave Master boss!"

Orchid Pavilion Scholar: "Damn, how did you summarize this rule? What happens if one imparts techniques privately? I was planning on saving up money to buy secret manuals from the Cave Master!"

Sword Seven Doesn't Learn Sword: "There will be a Heavenly Tribulation."

Privately imparting techniques brings down a lightning tribulation!

Orchid Pavilion Scholar: "Damn, you can even dodge a Heavenly Tribulation?"

Was the gap between them really that large? They had met once in the Secret Realm; one came from a traditional martial arts sword background, the other from a special forces background. Although they hadn't fought, they had instinctively compared themselves to one another.

This woman actually had a way to deal with a Heavenly Tribulation?

Sword Seven Doesn't Learn Sword: "I cannot."

Orchid Pavilion Scholar: "? Then how did you survive?"

Sword Seven Doesn't Learn Sword: "Kill the person."

As long as she killed the person who bought the manual, then she hadn't sold the manual.

The chat area fell into a suffocating silence; the conversation had been killed dead!

They had only been in Journey Survival for half a month, so how had everyone become so decisive in killing, talking about murder as if it were nothing?

Mom, this place isn't for me. I want to go home...

Wait, no, Mom might be here too...

Zhu Jiusi offered his congratulations; this rule was also a fundamental law of Journey Survival.

But he couldn't have summarized it—no one bought secret manuals from him!

He didn't speak again. He returned to his nest and burrowed deeper inside.

A gust of wind blew by, and the tip of his nose felt a little cold.

He had to upgrade his nest as soon as possible. Journey Survival followed the lunar calendar. It was already the thirteenth day of the eighth month, and the chill of autumn was growing stronger.

In less than two months, snow would fall and winter would arrive.

Over the past two days, Zhu Jiusi had even noticed fine, dense fur beginning to grow on his body.

His Wild Boar instincts were starting to prepare for the winter.

His nest and food supplies both needed to keep up.

He didn't know if Wild Boars had the habit of putting on autumn fat, but regardless, his demand for food had increased significantly over the last two days.

He couldn't tell if it was because he had started cultivating or if it was just Wild Boar instinct.

Taking out a bottle of Moon Essence Dew, Zhu Jiusi tried his best to pull out the stopper, but to no avail.

A Wild Boar had no hands, and the bottle, only the size of a peanut, was impossible for Zhu Jiusi to grip despite all his efforts. The bottle was also incredibly sturdy; he couldn't even bite it open.

After struggling for half an hour, he resigned himself to his fate and opened the Scroll to select someone.

"Um... could you do me a favor?"

Sword Seven Doesn't Learn Sword: "Who am I killing?" She still owed Zhu Jiusi three favors.

Zhu Jiusi: "...I'm not killing anyone, just help me open a bottle stopper."

Sword Seven Doesn't Learn Sword: "?"

Zhu Jiusi: "I don't have hands..."

It took a long time for Sword Seven Doesn't Learn Sword to reply: "Send it over."

Zhu Jiusi immediately initiated a trade and sent the Moon Essence Dew over.

The Moon Essence Dew was too precious; there were few people in all of Journey Survival who didn't covet it. Sword Seven's icy temperament, however, made her trustworthy.

A moment later, a trade came in, and the Moon Essence Dew, with the stopper already removed, was returned to him.

Along with it came a dirty piece of tissue. Judging by the smell, it had been used to wipe the saliva off the mouth of the Moon Essence Dew bottle.

After all, Zhu Jiusi had been gnawing on it for quite a while.

Zhu Jiusi sent a smiley face: "Many thanks!"

Sword Seven Doesn't Learn Sword did not respond.

Zhu Jiusi didn't mind. He clamped the small bottle in his mouth, turned his face upward, and poured all the Moon Essence Dew into his throat.

It was cool and silky.

The contents of the bottle flowed down his throat and tongue the moment they entered his mouth.

His entire lower abdomen felt cool and refreshed, and this coolness seeped into his blood, flowing all the way up to his head.