The End

It was over!

Gazing at the Crocodile Demon that lay limp and lifeless on the ground just a short distance ahead, Shen Changchuan let out a long sigh of relief, his heart finally loosening from the taut state it had been held in.

Do not be fooled by how Shen Changchuan had appeared to be moving with ease during the battle, seemingly playing the Crocodile Demon in the palm of his hand and denying it even a single chance to touch him. In reality, he had not been relaxed in the slightest throughout the entire ordeal.

Because the Crocodile Demon's attacks—if they missed, it was fine, but a single hit would mean a grievous injury! Shen Changchuan possessed neither defensive spells nor defensive magical artifacts. Since the Crocodile Demon's cultivation realm was a full level higher than his own, the power of its innate spells was incomparably formidable. One moment of carelessness, and he could have died on the spot!

Under such circumstances, his focus had to remain razor-sharp, without a single shred of slack. Consequently, the toll on his mental energy had been unimaginable.

My arsenal is ultimately still too limited.

Although I managed to slay this Crocodile Demon by relying on the coordination of my perfected Spirit Eye Technique and Light Body Technique, future enemies may not necessarily be like today's opponent, whose speed and agility were suppressed by me.

Once I encounter an enemy faster than me, or one who masters spells capable of restricting movement and agility, I will be in deep trouble!

Having slain the Crocodile Demon while punching above his weight class, Shen Changchuan did not become arrogant or lose his head. Instead, he carefully recalled the process of the battle, organizing and reflecting on the problems he had encountered.

I need to learn more spells and master more methods! Defensive spells or defensive magical artifacts, in particular, are undoubtedly my greatest weakness.

If I can shore up my weaknesses, I will have a much greater margin for error when fighting enemies.

In any case, I have the Progress Bar Panel; I can use it to cultivate until I reach 100% perfection. Furthermore, once a spell reaches perfection, it grants me a trait enhancement—this is where my advantage lies!

Playing to my strengths and shoring up my weaknesses is the true path.

Shen Changchuan looked at the massive body of the Crocodile Demon before him, his thoughts wandering as he formed a rough plan for how to improve his strength in the future.

However, Shen Changchuan soon realized one thing: the area around Dawan Village was extremely remote. The influence of the cultivation world here was incredibly weak! There were not even any ordinary markets here; it seemed highly unlikely that he would be able to acquire new spells or similar resources in the vicinity.

"Sigh."

"While the power struggles in the backyard of the Shen Family Estate are dangerous, if one can demonstrate some aptitude for cultivation, access to cultivation methods and spells is not an issue."

"Yet, while this Dawan Village is safer than the Shen Family Estate, acquiring spells and techniques is impossibly difficult."

"Truly, fortune hides in misfortune, and misfortune hides in fortune!"

"I hope that when the Wu Family Market opens in two months, I can scavenge some methods to reinforce my capabilities."

Thinking of this cold reality, Shen Changchuan could not help but heave a long sigh. Forget it; he could not rush the acquisition of reinforcements, so he would focus on raising his cultivation realm first. After all, both were improvements to his strength; they were one and the same.

"But then again, don't ordinary low-to-mid-tier demonic beasts usually only master one innate spell? What is the situation with this Crocodile Demon?"

As soon as he thought of spells, Shen Changchuan's mind made a connection. He looked at the massive body of the Crocodile Demon before him, a look of confusion inevitably appearing in his eyes.

A defensive spell capable of turning the body to stone, a Water Arrow technique that spat out water jets as thick as a bucket, and that dense barrage of arrows—like a sky full of hidden weapons—used as a feint before fleeing.

These were all methods the Crocodile Demon had employed during the battle.

The number of spells this demonic beast had mastered seemed a bit excessive.

It was somewhat contrary to reason.

Moreover, this creature seems a bit too intelligent!

Shen Changchuan recalled the recent fight, where the opponent had acted as if it were desperate to risk its life against him, only to pull a feint at the very end and turn to run.

If not for his mastery-level Light Body Technique providing a significant boost to his speed and agility, he might truly have let it escape back into the river.

This level of intelligence was not something an ordinary demonic beast could possess!

Could it be that this creature has some powerful bloodline inheritance, or perhaps it consumed some heaven-sent treasure capable of enlightening its wisdom?

Such a thought sprouted within Shen Changchuan's mind.

He cast his gaze toward the distance, where the river, having become turbid and surging under the rainy season, flowed silently.

Shen Changchuan was lost in thought.

Perhaps I could go and investigate; there might be other gains to be found.

Shen Changchuan muttered to himself.

However, he was a cautious man. Having just endured a major battle, more than half of his internal mana was depleted, and he was in poor condition—hardly the best time to venture into the river for an investigation.

After all, since there was one Crocodile Demon in the river, who could be certain there wasn't a second or a third?

Shen Changchuan had a steady temperament and would not take such risks lightly.

At the very least, he would have to wait a few days until his condition recovered and he could confirm there were no other demonic beasts in the river.

Just as Shen Changchuan was pondering this, Han Qinhu approached cautiously from not far behind, leading a group of patrol members from the village.

"Changchuan, how is it? Has it been dealt with?"

Han Qinhu asked, his gaze fixed on the Crocodile Demon's massive corpse, which was bound by a tangle of vines. Even though the beast lay there motionless, a trace of fear remained in Han Qinhu's eyes.

Clearly, the terror of the Crocodile Demon during the previous battle had left him with quite a few shadows.

"It's fine. In the end, I managed to finish it off before it could reach the river; otherwise, we would have had trouble in the future."

Given the intelligence the Crocodile Demon had displayed during its final escape, Shen Changchuan could foresee that if it had gotten away, it would have inevitably become a major problem for Dawan Village.

"Grandfather, are you and Uncle Dayong alright?"

Seeing a trace of blood still lingering at the corner of Han Qinhu's mouth, Shen Changchuan asked with concern.

"Don't worry, it's nothing serious. Most of the force was blocked by the Iron Shield, and Dayong and I only shared the small remainder, so we just suffered some internal injuries. We'll be fine after resting for a few days."

Han Qinhu waved his hand dismissively.

But immediately afterward, a series of coughs erupted, and Han Qinhu's face flushed a deep, unhealthy red.

"Grandfather, please don't push yourself; go and rest. Leave the rest to them to handle."

"When Village Chief Zhao from Zhao Family Village came to visit last time, he brought a Spirit Ginseng. I already used the main root while cultivating, but there are still plenty of rootlets left. Take them with Uncle later to brew some tea; it should help your bodies recover as quickly as possible."

Shen Changchuan hurriedly supported Han Qinhu, gently patting his back.

It was not that Shen Changchuan was stingy, but rather that if a mortal were to ingest spiritual energy recklessly, they might suffer from ruptured meridians and a shattered dantian, unable to withstand the violent power of the energy.

Although there was a slim chance of successfully inducing Qi in one go, crossing the boundary between mortal and immortal to become a cultivator, the probability of the former outcome was significantly higher.

To awaken one's spirit and induce Qi, embarking on the path of cultivation, the orthodox method is best: consuming a Qi-Inducing Pill or using spirit food like Spirit Rice Porridge to induce Qi and temper the body until it is refined enough to withstand the transformation of spiritual energy.

Although the rootlets of the Spirit Ginseng were part of the plant and contained a trace of spiritual energy, the main body had already been consumed, causing the internal spiritual energy to dissipate and pose little threat.

Instead, because they had been nourished by spiritual energy, their medicinal potency had greatly increased, making them an excellent tonic for mortal martial artists like Han Qinhu and the others.

"Cough, cough... well then, many thanks, Changchuan!" Han Qinhu coughed a few times, caught his breath, and spoke his thanks.

"Grandfather, what are you saying? You are one of my closest kin. If not for your help, I fear the management of Dawan Village would have been a complete mess for me."

"It is only because the Spirit Grain has yet to be harvested; otherwise, I would have found a way to help you awaken your spirit and induce Qi to become a cultivator first," Shen Changchuan said softly as they conversed.

Hearing this, Han Qinhu felt a warmth in his heart and could not help but feel a touch of emotion.

In his entire life, the most correct decision he had ever made was likely finding a way to connect with that Shen Clan steward back then, allowing his daughter to enter the Shen Clan.

Although for his daughter, falling into the vortex of the Shen Clan might not have been a good decision, in this world, things are not always up to one's own will; where can one find a perfect outcome?

As long as the final result was good, that was enough.

Han Qinhu glanced at the massive corpse of the Crocodile Demon not far away, feeling a sense of awe in his heart.

His grandson's strength seemed to have improved once again. Thinking back to how he had felt worried earlier, he could not help but blush.

His grandson was a natural-born genius with the potential for immortality; how could he possibly fail to deal with a single demonic beast?

From now on, it would be enough to simply follow his grandson's decisions.

Under the efforts of the mortal martial artists in the village, the body of the Crocodile Demon was quickly carried to the Half-Mountain Courtyard.

At the same time, the aftermath for those who died in battle was handled one by one. The houses that had collapsed due to the collateral damage of the fight were also repaired. All the various aftermaths were resolved, and Dawan Village gradually calmed down.

Time slipped away quietly during this process, and in the blink of an eye, five days had passed.

Within these five days, Shen Changchuan had already restored himself to his peak state. During the life-and-death struggle with the Crocodile Demon, he had gained vague insights, and his cultivation had subtly improved, now approaching the peak of the early fourth level of Qi Induction.

However, he was not in a hurry to break through. Instead, he walked to the riverbank every day, using his Spirit Eye Technique to observe the river, which had become muddy and surging due to the increased water volume during the rainy season.

For five consecutive days, the faint demonic aura that had originally permeated the river had completely dissipated. There was not a shred of demonic aura remaining.

The trace of demonic aura that had been rising earlier dissipated entirely; it seemed the Crocodile Demon was the only beast in the river.

"It is time to go and see. I hope my guess is correct."

Having confirmed there was no more danger, Shen Changchuan did not hesitate, leaping directly into the river and diving toward the depths of the riverbed.

In the murky, turbulent water, his field of vision was severely compressed, making it difficult to see what lay nearby.

However, at this moment, the glow of the Spirit Eye Technique ignited within Shen Changchuan's pupils.

Relying on the heightened perception and vision granted by the Spirit Eye Technique, Shen Changchuan easily peered through the turbid water to see objects eight or nine meters away.

Thus, he began his search amidst the murky, dim waters of the river.