Breakthrough! King Pangolin!

Three days later.

In a passage five or six meters beneath the ground on the northern outskirts of the Cambyun Mountain Range.

Lu Changsheng looked at the corpses of six ground rats before him, his expression somewhat grim.

For the past three days, he had been hunted relentlessly by swarms of ground rats. He killed batch after batch, yet they seemed endless.

Even his speed of searching for spiritual herbs had been affected.

By today, he had only gathered another four or five fifty-year spiritual herbs.

Not only that, but these ground rats were growing larger and larger.

After exploring for several days, Lu Changsheng suspected that there were likely quite a few of these ground rat swarms throughout the mountain range's outskirts.

There were probably many Rat King-level beings as well.

Though he had yet to encounter one himself.

In response, Lu Changsheng had no choice but to change his plans.

He had originally intended to stockpile the spiritual herbs to break through the Iron Cloth Shirt, but now he had to focus on strengthening this Exotic Beast avatar first.

Otherwise, if he encountered a siege by numerous Rat Kings, things would likely become quite dangerous.

Lu Changsheng then laid out the spiritual herbs he had gathered over the past few days in the underground cavern.

A large pile of spiritual herbs was heaped together.

The entire underground space was instantly filled with a fragrant aroma.

"Absorb."

With a thought, all the spiritual herbs in the cave vanished.

Then, the Source Energy Points on the Attribute Panel rose sharply.

Source Energy Points: 24.

Looking at what he had gained over the past few days, Lu Changsheng was quite pleased.

His desperate digging had not been in vain.

He brought up the Attribute Panel and directly added five points in succession to the plus sign behind his level.

"Bzzz..."

The pangolin's body rapidly swelled at an astonishing rate, growing roughly twice as large in just moments.

A faint black gleam radiated from the scales covering its body, and its defense rose dramatically.

Bound Exotic Beast: King Pangolin.

Level: 10.

Quality: Red.

Skills: Burrowing—Excellent, Armor Enhancement—Excellent.

Source Energy Points: 19.

Remarks: The king among pangolins. It contains a trace of miraculous bloodline power and possesses a natural suppressive force over ordinary pangolins.

The Attribute Panel had changed enormously. After rising five levels in a row, the pangolin had become Beast King-level.

Its overall abilities had surged by another great margin.

Even its quality had turned red.

He swung his sharp claws forcefully several times, leaving afterimages even in the air. Its speed had increased greatly.

"So strong."

Lu Changsheng was overjoyed.

These points had truly been well spent. The increase in strength was obvious.

Even if he encountered an attack from a rat tide, he could rely on his Beast King armor and sharp claws to carve a path through the encirclement.

After this point allocation, he guessed that every ten levels likely marked a major transformation, while every five levels brought a minor one.

By the time of the next major transformation, a new bloodline would probably awaken. After evolving multiple times, it might even become some terrifying existence.

Just then, a crisp notification sounded.

Exotic Beast has reached Beast King-level. Skill awakening in progress.

At the same time, a warm current emerged from deep within his body.

A moment later, he looked at the panel again and saw that a new skill had appeared.

Skill: Underwater Breathing—Ordinary.

Description: Upon activation, consumes some stamina to allow long-term underwater breathing. Duration: half a shichen.

Lu Changsheng's expression shifted slightly at the sight.

This was another divine skill. Through his explorations over the past few days, he had discovered quite a few underground rivers, but since he was not adept in water, he could only detour around them.

There were plenty of spiritual herbs beneath the water as well. It would be a terrible waste to give them up for nothing.

With this skill, his search efficiency would rise by another level.

Moreover, if he encountered a powerful enemy, he could hide in the water. It was extremely convenient.

With that thought, he no longer hesitated and hurriedly added one point to Underwater Breathing.

Skill: Underwater Breathing—Excellent.

Source Energy Points: 17.

Description: Upon activation, consumes a small amount of stamina to maintain underwater breathing. Duration: one shichen.

After this upgrade, not only had the stamina consumption been greatly reduced, but the duration had also doubled.

One shichen was enough to accomplish many things underwater.

If he continued improving it in the future, he might be able to travel beneath the water indefinitely. By then, even the boundless seabed would become his hunting ground.

He looked forward to that day.

Next, Lu Changsheng once again embarked on his treasure-hunting journey.

One day later.

In a cavern roughly two meters underground on the outskirts of the Cambyun Mountain Range.

"Detected one hundred-year Solomon's Seal. Collect?"

Hearing the familiar voice again, Lu Changsheng was delighted.

"Collect."

He answered silently.

Several breaths later, the hundred-year Solomon's Seal before him had vanished.

Over the past day, he had been killing the pursuing ground rats while gathering spiritual herbs, working tirelessly.

Besides this hundred-year Solomon's Seal, he had also collected three medicinal herbs around fifty years old. The harvest was fairly good.

However, these ground rats clung to him like ghosts that refused to disperse, greatly irritating him.

Furthermore, the ground rats coming after him were growing bigger and bigger, and he had even slain several Rat Kings.

"Rustle..."

Just as Lu Changsheng was preparing to leave, a violent commotion suddenly came from ahead.

He focused his eyes and saw that the cavern was packed densely with an army of ground rats, like a surging tide that made his scalp tingle.

"Not good. I've been blocked in here."

His heart tightened at the sight.

After he had slaughtered so many of their kind, they had clearly come prepared.

The instinctive intelligence of these Exotic Beasts could not be underestimated.

"Kill."

Lu Changsheng no longer hesitated and immediately charged toward the side.

He did not dare linger in battle. He only wanted to find a safe place to hide first.

Even ants could bite an elephant to death. This army of ground rats was simply too numerous; if his stamina ran out, he would be in grave danger.

Besides, killing these Exotic Beasts brought him no benefits.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

In an instant, Lu Changsheng crashed into the army of ground rats.

"Screech! Screech! Screech!"

Large numbers of ground rats were sent tumbling in all directions by the impact, their cries ringing out one after another.

Lu Changsheng then raised his sharp claws, like two steel blades, and swung them rapidly ahead.

One ground rat after another was sliced in half beneath his claws, and blood instantly dyed the entire cavern red.

Quite a few ground rats also leaped onto Lu Changsheng from the sides.

They gnawed desperately at his armor with their teeth, producing piercing shrieks.

Lu Changsheng ignored them, using his two sharp claws to rapidly push through to the side.

With his current Beast King-level scales, even these elite ground rats found it difficult to break his defenses. He could hold out for some time even amid the rat army.

As long as his stamina was not exhausted, he could deal with them for now.

As time passed.

The underground battle continued without end.

Lu Changsheng fought until his eyes turned red, charging forward with fierce courage as he searched for a way out.

The ground rats, meanwhile, feared no death, coming wave after wave.

Gradually, Lu Changsheng began to feel a trace of exhaustion.

"Screech! Screech! Screech!"

At that moment, five enormous ground rats charged toward Lu Changsheng with ferocious momentum.

"Five Rat Kings attacking together!"

Lu Changsheng's expression tightened.

From the looks of it, they would not rest until one side was dead.

Even if he broke through to the surface, they would certainly pursue him there.

And there were many high-level Exotic Beasts in the Cambyun Mountain Range as well. Things might become even more dangerous.

Thus, he did not choose to rush to the surface right away.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

While Lu Changsheng was considering his options, the Rat Kings suddenly pounced onto him.

"Get lost."

Lu Changsheng's gaze turned cold as he swung his claws, sending several Rat Kings before him flying away.

With his Beast King-level strength, these Rat Kings were still far inferior to him.

Even with their numerical advantage, they could not overpower him in strength.

After knocking several Rat Kings aside, he continued charging forward without regard for anything else.

With every step he took, several ground rats died.

The cavern was filled with the stench of blood.

A vast number of ground rats continued their relentless pursuit as the two sides battled all the way.

After an entire shichen had passed.

Even Lu Changsheng's Beast King physique sensed a trace of danger.

Anxiety rose in his heart.

"Add points."

At this point, Lu Changsheng no longer hesitated and began raising the pangolin's level.

"Bzzz..."

As a warm current surged from deep within his body, his spirits were instantly roused, and all his previous exhaustion was swept away.

His entire body recovered its full vigor.

Not only that, his strength had clearly increased by more than twenty percent.

Even his scale defense and sharp claw attack power had risen considerably.

He looked at the panel.

Bound Exotic Beast: King Pangolin.

Level: 11.

Quality: Red.

Skills: Armor Enhancement—Excellent, Burrowing—Excellent, Underwater Breathing—Excellent.

Source Energy Points: 7.

This upgrade had actually consumed a full ten Source Energy Points.

That surprised him greatly.

Yet with this improvement, it felt as if some unknown existence within his body had awakened, and even his muscles tingled slightly.

It was as though some kind of chain had been unlocked.

He guessed that the Beast King might need another ten upgrades before it could fully awaken.

"Kill."

Lu Changsheng cast aside his thoughts and charged into the rat tide ahead.

With his body restored, he became incomparably fierce once more. Even the Rat Kings could not stop him in the slightest.