Preparations Before the Decisive Battle

Before long.

Lu Yun arrived at the riverbank. Then, with a leap, he plunged into the icy river.

He followed the tributary all the way toward the Cang River beyond the city.

The area near the riverbed was pitch-black, but his powerful vitality kept the chill outside his body.

Yet with a martial artist's keen eyesight, he could still make out the various animal remains scattered across the riverbed.

However, this river was merely a tributary and had long since been picked clean by countless people. It was not Lu Yun's goal.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea.

Lu Yun finally entered the broad Cang River.

The surging river water battered Lu Yun's body with wild force.

For a moment, the riverbed was nowhere to be seen, like the gaping maw of an abyss. It was rather unnerving.

What a deep river. It must be more than three hundred meters deep.

Lu Yun secretly marveled.

But that also meant the spiritual herbs on the riverbed were likely relatively well preserved.

Ordinary martial artists would not dare descend into such deep waters to gather spiritual herbs. From now on, this place would be his private territory alone.

He swiftly paddled with all four limbs and dived toward the riverbed.

Only after descending more than three hundred and twenty meters did he finally see the muddy riverbed.

Even he felt a tightness in his chest beneath the tremendous water pressure.

If Copper Skin Iron Bones had not already reached perfection, he truly might not have been able to withstand it.

Lu Yun swept his gaze around and could vaguely see an area roughly two hundred meters in radius.

Other than some rocks and shattered bones, there was nothing else on the riverbed.

He was in no hurry and slowly explored ahead.

After searching for nearly half an hour, he still found no abnormalities or spiritual herbs.

Just as Lu Yun was planning to search elsewhere, a violent commotion suddenly came from ahead.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The water all around him churned madly, as though something was fighting. Strands of blood scent rushed toward him.

He carefully swam forward along a trench in the riverbed.

When he reached a fork in the channel, the blood scent around him was more than ten times stronger than before, and he stopped.

Lu Yun looked up.

He saw two giant beasts locked in a savage struggle, fighting inseparably as blood flowed everywhere.

One was a crocodile-like mutated beast, while the other was a giant python as thick as a water barrel.

Both giant beasts were more than ten meters long, their Sha Qi terrifying.

However, the short-tailed crocodile clearly held the upper hand. Its huge maw, filled with sharp teeth, had clamped tightly onto the giant python's body. No matter how the python struggled or counterattacked, it could not break free.

The two giant beasts were roughly at the Bone Forging Realm's perfection. On land, Lu Yun naturally would not fear them.

But this was their home ground, and it would be difficult for him to kill them.

For now, he could only wait until they finished fighting and see whether he could pick up a bargain.

Lu Yun lay quietly against the riverbed like a seasoned hunter, waiting for the final moment.

After nearly half an hour.

The battle between the two mutated beasts finally reached its most critical point.

Awoo! Awoo!

The gigantic short-tailed crocodile bit into the black giant python's body, then twisted its head and tore hard.

Crack!

The giant python was severed cleanly in two at the waist. A shrill scream burst from its mouth, and an immense amount of blood dyed a large stretch of river water red.

As though sensing the breath of death, the giant python gathered all its remaining strength and suddenly bit down on the short-tailed crocodile's abdomen.

Splurt!

A massive gash instantly opened across the short-tailed crocodile's belly, exposing its internal organs.

The two sides had directly fought each other to mutual ruin.

Seeing that the giant crocodile was about to enjoy its spoils, Lu Yun knew the time was ripe.

He no longer hesitated. Kicking fiercely off the riverbed with both legs, he shot toward the giant crocodile.

Because of its severe injuries, the giant crocodile had no time to react before Lu Yun reached the area beneath its abdomen.

"Die."

He gripped the giant crocodile's tail tightly and yanked hard toward its belly with his right hand.

Splash!

A gash several meters long instantly split open across the giant crocodile's body, and even its intestines spilled out.

Awoo! Awoo!

The giant crocodile howled in agony and tried to bite Lu Yun, but it could never reach him.

Before long, the giant crocodile completely ceased breathing.

Phew...

Lu Yun slowly let out a breath, his heart still pounding wildly.

Hunting a giant beast at the bottom of a three-hundred-meter-deep river truly had not been easy.

If the giant python had not severely wounded it, he could never have succeeded.

He immediately stored both giant beasts in the panel space, then began exploring the surroundings.

Lu Yun thought that the two giant beasts could not possibly have fought without reason. There had to be some treasure nearby.

After searching for a while, he discovered a hidden cave one thousand meters to the northeast.

He parted the surrounding waterweed and looked inside. There were only a dozen or so spiritual herbs, along with an oval-shaped egg.

Damn, spiritual herbs and a spirit beast egg?

Lu Yun looked astonished.

He was not surprised to find spiritual herbs, but the spirit beast egg was something he had never expected.

This nest was clearly the giant python's nest. After the short-tailed crocodile discovered it, the two sides had fought fiercely.

In the end, however, he was the one who benefited.

Spirit beast eggs like this were rather valuable within the city. If their bloodline concentration was high enough, they would be worth an immeasurable fortune.

For ordinary martial artists, contracting a spirit beast was often no easy task.

Generally, it could only succeed when the mutated beast was still young. Whenever a spirit beast egg appeared at an auction, demand always far exceeded supply, drawing the pursuit of countless people.

This giant python's bloodline was likely not weak. If he could hatch and raise the spirit beast egg, it would be a great help in gathering spiritual materials from the deep sea in the future.

If he could later nurture it into a dragon-type creature, it would be even more astonishing.

The entire sea would become his hunting ground.

After carefully examining the surroundings and finding nothing unusual, Lu Yun immediately swam inside.

He gently held the spirit beast egg in his arms. Since it was a living thing, it could not be stored in the panel space.

Then, he placed his right hand on a blue spiritual herb inside the cave.

Discovered a mid-grade mortal-tier spiritual herb, Ice Spirit Grass. Absorb it?

"Absorb."

[Lifespan +1 month, Lifespan +1 month...]

Before long, all dozen or so spiritual herbs in the cave had been absorbed.

Afterward, Lu Yun held the spirit beast egg and slowly swam back toward the city.

After such a great harvest today, he no longer had any desire to continue exploring.

If anything happened to this beast egg, Lu Yun would be heartbroken to death.

The next morning, early.

Lu Yun summoned Ye Quan.

"Does your family have a secret method for contracting spirit beasts? I'll purchase it at market price."

He got straight to the point.

It would waste time to buy it himself. He might as well entrust the task to someone else.

"This thing isn't expensive. I'll go get it from the family's stronghold."

Ye Quan did not ask why, nor did he ask for Origin Stones. He simply turned and headed outside the barracks.

Less than an hour later.

Ye Quan returned, holding a yellowed manual in his hand.

"Here. What's the relationship between us? Consider this a gift for Brother Lu."

Ye Quan looked exceedingly generous.

This thing was worth fifty or sixty Origin Stones at most, but trading it for the favor of a Centurion was an absolute steal.

"You've put thought into this. Once the recruit period ends, I'll transfer you under my command. I'll look after you from then on."

Lu Yun smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

He wore an expression that said, Work hard. I have faith in you.

"Just watch my performance from now on."

Ye Quan immediately straightened his back, his face filled with delight.

After working at this for so long, he had finally gained the other man's recognition. It truly had not been easy.

From now on, he would have someone backing him. Who in the family would dare look down on him anymore? Thinking of this, Ye Quan's heart surged with excitement.