Entering the Magic Beast Mountain Range

Entering the Magic Beast Mountain Range.

Though it was early morning, the weather was already somewhat hot. Huo Yuhao and the other two walked along a forest path, the mountain woods' distinctive sweet, bloody scent drifting into their noses.

"Since we've entered the Magic Beast Mountain Range, your practical combat training can begin. I won't intervene unless your lives are in danger. And if you only encounter first-tier magic beasts, Yuhao, you're not allowed to step in either," Yao Chen said as he suddenly emerged from the Ancient Flame Ring.

Xiao Yi Xian was startled by the suddenly appearing soul body. "Ah! A ghost!"

Hearing that, Yao Chen revealed a sinister grin and used his spiritual power to simulate a face covered in blood. "Hehehe, I died such a miserable death. Little girl, be good and let me devour you!"

"Ah, don't eat me! I'm poisonous!" Xiao Yi Xian cried in terror, grabbing Huo Yuhao's hand and trying to run. "Brother Yuhao, run!"

Huo Yuhao was speechless. "Teacher, stop messing around."

"T-Teacher?"

"Hehe, I'm these two boys' teacher." Seeing that he had successfully frightened his target, Yao Chen dismissed the Simulation and smiled in satisfaction.

"Ah. Hello, Teacher!"

"Hehe!" Yao Chen chuckled. Sneaking a glance at Huo Yuhao's particularly amusing expression, he said, "You can call me that too."

Seeing this, Xiao Yan said unhappily, "This old man clearly drained my Dou Qi for a whole year before accepting me as his disciple!"

The sun gradually grew hotter, and the patches of light piercing through the canopy had become somewhat dazzling. Listening to the occasional beast roars around them, golden light flickered in Huo Yuhao's eyes. He had activated Spirit Probe long ago, constantly keeping watch over Xiao Yi Xian, who led the way at the front, and Xiao Yan, who lagged behind at a turtle's pace.

Yao Chen's earlier words—"I won't intervene unless your lives are in danger"—had truly made Huo Yuhao nervous. An image of a slovenly old man holding a chicken leg and carrying a wine gourd involuntarily surfaced in his mind. Thus, even after several hours of walking, Huo Yuhao did not dare relax. Suppressing the pain in his Spiritual Sea, he kept Spirit Probe fully active at all times.

"Achoo! Achoo!" Hidden away, Yao Chen sneezed several times in succession. Unaware that he had just suffered the most vicious insult of his life, he rubbed his nose and focused intently on his disciples.

"Hey, slow down, will you!"

As the forest temperature rose, sweat continuously ran down Xiao Yan's body. Due to the pressure of the Profound Heavy Ruler, every step he took sank deeply into the soil, and he gradually fell farther behind Huo Yuhao and Xiao Yi Xian.

"It's already noon. Let's rest for a while. If danger comes and we have no strength left, that'll be troublesome."

Huo Yuhao and Xiao Yi Xian stopped. When Xiao Yan finally shuffled over step by step, he flopped straight down in front of them. Looking at Xiao Yan sprawled on the ground, Xiao Yi Xian asked curiously, "Why are you carrying a coffin on your back?"

Xiao Yan did not answer. Other than breathing, his brain could no longer issue a second command.

Once his breathing had steadied, Huo Yuhao took out a Qi-Recovery Pill from his storage ring. After Xiao Yan swallowed it and regained his energy, he brought out a waterskin and some rations to share with everyone.

After briefly sensing Xiao Yan's recovered Dou Qi, Huo Yuhao said, "This Profound Heavy Ruler is indeed remarkable. Your cultivation should have been slow because of your cultivation method, but you've improved quite a bit now."

"You like it? Want to carry it?"

Looking at Xiao Yan's indignant face, Huo Yuhao teased, "I can carry it, but then you'll probably only be able to be the little brother from now on."

"Tch! As if."

Amid their constant laughter and chatter, they fully recovered. Just as they were about to set off, Huo Yuhao suddenly asked Xiao Yi Xian a question.

"Do the mercenaries of Green Mountain Town only take this one route into the mountains?"

"Of course not. Aside from us at Myriad Medicine Hall, who have a fixed route, the other mercenaries choose their paths at random. What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Huo Yuhao had no intention of explaining for now. He merely slowed his pace so Xiao Yan could keep up.

After their rest, Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian had both relaxed somewhat. Just as Xiao Yan was about to complain that the Magic Beast Mountain Range did not seem to have any magic beasts at all, the magic beast he had been eagerly waiting for appeared within Huo Yuhao's Spirit Probe.

This magic beast had only just reached the second tier. After considering it, Huo Yuhao felt that Xiao Yan would most likely have great difficulty handling it, so he took a one-meter-long single-handed sword from his ring.

After mastering Artifact Refining Art and purchasing plenty of metals and gemstones from the Mittel Auction House, Huo Yuhao had poured his full effort into crafting it. He had originally wanted to use those materials to create a second-grade Spirit Artifact, but the Qi-Gathering Spirit Inscription limited him, and he failed to reach that goal.

"Danger! A second-tier magic beast!" Hearing Huo Yuhao's warning, Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian stopped, nervously scanning their surroundings. Xiao Yan removed the Profound Heavy Ruler from his back, while Xiao Yi Xian also took out several medicine bottles.

Soon, rustling sounds arose all around them, making it impossible to tell which direction they came from. In their blind spot, a giant snake opened its jaws. Pale energy instantly gathered in its mouth before shooting toward the person in front. This was the innate ability it had comprehended upon reaching the second tier. Even an opponent of the same tier would be frozen into an ice block at once if struck by that beam of icy light.

Just as it thought it had succeeded, Huo Yuhao, its chosen target, seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. He swung his sword backward, sending out a blade arc that shattered the energy beam fired by the giant snake.

Since arriving on the Battle Qi Continent and training in the Magic Beast Mountain Range for a year, Huo Yuhao had encountered quite a few magic beasts. Though these creatures did not possess the absurd Soul Skills wielded by some soul beasts on Douluo Continent, they were no less treacherous. Even some low-tier magic beasts possessed considerable intelligence.

The magic beast before them was a Crimson Ice Serpent, an ice-attributed second-tier magic beast. Just as Huo Yuhao was about to act, Xiao Yan charged forward while swinging the Profound Heavy Ruler.

"You ice-attributed bastard, take this!"

The Crimson Ice Serpent's sure-kill strike had been blocked, making it wary. Just as it prepared to retreat, it saw a little bug that was merely a one-star Dou Zhe charging toward it. Enraged, it bit down on the Profound Heavy Ruler, then violently flung its upper body. Xiao Yan was sent flying into the air.

Huo Yuhao's expression changed. His feet struck the ground in rapid succession, producing a string of compressed-air explosions. In almost an instant, he appeared above the Crimson Ice Serpent's head. He mobilized his Dou Qi and poured it into the longsword before driving it down with all his strength. As Dou Qi flowed into it, the spirit inscriptions on the blade lit up. Heaven and Earth Origin Qi surged in, and an icy-blue blade shadow enveloped the sword, breaking through the Crimson Ice Serpent's scales and piercing its brain.

"Hiss—"

Xiao Yi Xian had not even thrown her medicine bottles before the battle was essentially over. Huo Yuhao leaped away from the snake's head and ignored the Crimson Ice Serpent as it raised itself upright and let out a dying wail. His spiritual power spread into the air, locking onto Xiao Yan's position as he shouted, "Teacher!"

"Move!"

Xiao Yan clutched the Profound Heavy Ruler with both hands, head down and feet up, as he plunged downward at terrifying speed. Seeing Huo Yuhao and Xiao Yi Xian dodge away from the Crimson Ice Serpent, Xiao Yan sighed in relief. Inspiration suddenly struck, and he activated the Qi Control Art, spinning his body at high speed like a drill as he bored straight toward the Crimson Ice Serpent.

Whirlwind Profound Heavy Ruler!

The dying Crimson Ice Serpent stood upright as Xiao Yan drilled through it from head to tail, its entire body instantly exploding into pieces.

After landing, Xiao Yan dropped to one knee, supporting himself with one hand on the Profound Heavy Ruler. Just as he was about to strike a cool pose, dizziness hit him, and a wicked force rose from his lower abdomen, rushing straight to his throat.

"Bleurgh!"

After confirming that Xiao Yan had not lost any arms or legs, Huo Yuhao finally let out a breath of relief. Then he rapped Xiao Yan sharply on the head and casually helped ease his dizziness.

"Ow!" After vomiting up all his breakfast, Xiao Yan said somewhat sheepishly, "Well... I really couldn't hold back. I won't be so impulsive next time!"

You still want there to be a next time! Huo Yuhao narrowed his eyes and took out a bottle of medicinal liquid from his storage ring, handing it to Xiao Yan.

"It calms the mind and restores Qi."

"You're out of Qi-Recovery Pills?" Xiao Yan asked doubtfully, but he did not think much of it. He took the bottle and poured it into his mouth.

"Did you see how cool that move of mine was just now?" Xiao Yan was about to show off when he suddenly clutched his stomach and rushed toward a nearby thicket.

"Huo Yuhao! Why are all your medicines like this?!"