The Terror of High-grade Spirit Beasts

Liu Bai's monster-hunting journey through the Black Nether Abyss had not gone as smoothly as he had imagined.

Setting aside the fact that the Spirit Beasts living here were exceedingly ferocious, the most important thing was that many of them existed in groups. Even low-grade Spirit Beasts became an exponentially greater threat once their numbers rose. Many were so dangerous that even Divine Soul Realm cultivators could only flee upon encountering them.

Of course, the most important thing was that if they could not end a battle quickly in this primeval forest and became entangled, they would face endless attacks from Spirit Beasts. At that point, their group would have no choice but to flee for their lives.

"Looks like this Black Nether Abyss monster-farming plan is going bankrupt. We can only wait until the academy organizes a trip to the Northern Spirit Plains in the future."

After once again avoiding a group of mid-grade Spirit Beasts, Green Rock Lions, under Liu Jingshan's lead, Liu Bai could only sigh inwardly.

The Northern Spirit Plains were a stretch of wilderness located northwest of the Northern Spirit Realm, likewise a region ruled by Spirit Beasts.

However, compared to the Black Nether Abyss, it was much safer there. Thus, Northern Spirit Academy used it as the place where it organized annual cultivation and training expeditions for its students.

"Be careful. We've entered the territory of high-grade Spirit Beasts..."

As Liu Bai pondered, Liu Zong's voice suddenly sounded beside his ear.

They had already left the primeval forest and arrived in a bare ravine-filled mountain region that looked somewhat like the Dragon Ridge Maze.

Liu Bai quietly surveyed the area and discovered that the surrounding rocks and ground were all an eerie black. Even the air seemed to carry a peculiar stench...

"According to the information we obtained, this ravine is the territory of a high-grade Spirit Beast, the Jade Scale Scorpion. The Jade Scale Scorpion ranks one hundred eighty-second on the Earth Ranking of the Myriad Beast Record. It is an exceptionally powerful Spirit Beast. If I can obtain its Spirit Beast Core, my strength will improve enormously!"

Liu Zong moved closer and explained to Liu Bai.

Liu Bai nodded upon hearing this. No wonder they had been moving so quickly this time. They had already chosen a target.

Still, he really was curious what this "Jade Scale Scorpion" looked like...

Thus, the Liu Domain party quietly waited on a hillside for nearly two hours. As the sun was about to set, a cloud of jade-green mist suddenly began spreading rapidly from within the ravine.

"Careful, the Jade Scale Scorpion is coming out!"

Liu Jingshan lowered his voice as he warned everyone.

Liu Bai immediately looked down and saw a massive jade-green scorpion seven or eight meters long rush out from a ravine. It then scuttled swiftly along the mountain gully, seemingly either searching for prey or patrolling its territory.

The most eye-catching feature of the giant scorpion was the jade-green tip of its tail. It glimmered with green light amid the poisonous green mist, releasing a foul odor.

"Stay here and protect the young master properly. Do not reveal yourselves." Liu Jingshan secretly instructed the others. He then gave Liu Bai a look telling him to behave before charging out.

Liu Zong also rushed out close behind him.

Liu Bai silently watched everything unfold. Naturally, he would not foolishly go looking for death. A battle of this level was not something a weakling like him could meddle in.

Boom!

Powerful spiritual energy erupted from Liu Jingshan's body atop the ridge like a volcanic eruption.

The spiritual energy howled through the sky and transformed into a massive black two-headed hound behind him. A fierce and savage aura radiated from its body.

The Two-Headed Demonic Hound, ranked ninety-eighth on the Earth Ranking of the Myriad Beast Record!

Though it had only barely reached the threshold of a Heavenly Beast, its power was still far beyond what a Jade Scale Scorpion could compare to.

Clearly, determined to end the battle swiftly, Liu Jingshan had unleashed a thunderous strike from the very start.

He stepped upon the sky and rotated both palms. Spiritual energy from all around surged toward him, transforming beneath his hands into flames and black raging wind.

Breathing wind and fire was precisely the Two-Headed Demonic Hound's ability. Liu Jingshan had refined its core, so he could naturally wield both abilities now.

Wind Fire Spirit Wave!

Liu Jingshan struck out with both palms. Black flames twisted beneath one palm like a massive fire python, while black wind condensed beneath the other, directly forming a black storm hundreds of meters wide.

Even Liu Bai was alarmed by such a terrifying sight.

This was the first time since his transmigration that he had truly witnessed the battle of powerful cultivators. Every gesture could shake heaven and earth.

And this was only a spectacle created by a cultivator's own spiritual energy. Once one reached the Heaven Fusion Realm, one could begin drawing upon the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. The scenes then would be even more magnificent!

As expected of a high-level fantasy world like the Great Thousand World. Even low-level cultivators could unleash such formidable attacks.

While Liu Bai marveled inwardly, the Jade Scale Scorpion had already been terrified.

Its first reaction was to flee...

Unfortunately, before it could make a move, the violent wind and blazing fire had already reached its head. Seeing that it had no chance of escape, the Spirit Beast's savage nature immediately erupted. The scorpion hook on its tail shone with dark green light as it stabbed straight toward Liu Jingshan.

It actually intended to perish together with him!

"Hmph!"

Liu Jingshan snorted coldly and swept one hand back. The black fire python immediately spun around and blocked the Jade Scale Scorpion's tail hook, while the hundred-meter black storm swept through the entire ravine and directly hurled the Jade Scale Scorpion into the sky, leaving it unable to control its body for the moment.

Sky Splitting Spear!

At that very moment, Liu Zong, who had been waiting for some time, hurled the long spear in his hand like an arrow.

Containing the full force of his strike, the spear pierced straight through the Jade Scale Scorpion as it fell freely through the air. Without any surprise, it heavily wounded the high-grade Spirit Beast.

Boom!

The ground shook and the mountains trembled. A mountain wall was directly smashed apart by the falling Jade Scale Scorpion. Already heavily wounded, it became directly near death after suffering such a violent impact.

Father and son, Liu Jingshan and Liu Zong, both let out long sighs of relief at the sight. Though the battle had seemed brief, any mistake in the coordination between them could have allowed the creature to escape.

If it had truly hidden inside its underground nest, then no matter how powerful Liu Jingshan was, he would not dare pursue it within. Their hunt would then have ended in failure.

The two came to the edge of the massive pit that had been smashed into the ground. Looking at the Jade Scale Scorpion at the bottom, nearly reduced to a mass of mangled flesh, Liu Jingshan said, "Zong'er, go finish it."

Liu Zong nodded, took out a glowing longsword from his Mustard Seed Bracelet, and prepared to go down and kill the Jade Scale Scorpion that was barely clinging to life.

"Second Uncle, wait!"

A voice quickly rang out. Then Liu Bai hurried over under the protection of five guards.

"Second Uncle, how about letting me do it this time?" Liu Bai asked with a grin.

This monster-farming trip had been on the verge of failure. Now that he had suddenly encountered such a boss monster, Liu Bai would never forgive himself if he missed this chance.

"Uh, sure." Although Liu Zong did not know why his nephew had such a request, he did not refuse.

After all, it made no difference to the Spirit Beast Core who killed it. This was unlike the rules for some soul beast's soul ring.

Seeing his second uncle agree, Liu Bai immediately beamed. Then, amid everyone's puzzled gazes, he took the Spirit Sword from his uncle's hand, walked to the Jade Scale Scorpion, and thrust out his sword...

Perhaps it was a final struggle before death. When Liu Bai's sword pierced into the Jade Scale Scorpion's head, its body actually jerked violently.

Unfortunately, not only had all of its legs been broken, even the scorpion hook on its tail had snapped off. Thus, even if it wanted to drag someone down with it before dying, it could not do so.

That was why Liu Zong had agreed to let Liu Bai act. There was simply no danger whatsoever.

Ding! Congratulations, player, for killing the high-grade Spirit Beast Jade Scale Scorpion by level-skipping. You have obtained 3000 Experience Points and 5 Beast Soul Points.

Hearing the pleasant notification, the smile on Liu Bai's face deepened even further.

The next moment, crimson spiritual light emerged from his hand and covered his palm. Only then did he pick up the Spirit Beast Core condensed outside the Jade Scale Scorpion's body and hand it to his second uncle, Liu Zong.

Looking at the Jade Scale Scorpion Core in his hand, which contained a miniature jade-green scorpion, Liu Zong was also filled with excitement.

Unfortunately, this was not a suitable place to absorb the core. He could only suppress the excitement in his heart before returning to his father, Liu Jingshan.

"Alright, it's getting late. We can only leave after daybreak tomorrow. You all, tidy up and find a safe place nearby to spend the night," Liu Jingshan instructed.

This entire area had been the Jade Scale Scorpion's territory, so neither low-grade Spirit Beasts nor other high-grade Spirit Beasts would approach. Though the Jade Scale Scorpion had now been killed by them, as long as its aura had not completely dissipated, this place would remain safe. It was perfect for them to spend the night.

After the sun completely sank behind the mountains, darkness suddenly blanketed heaven and earth. The bright moon hung high in the sky, casting a wash of moonlight over the ravines.

At the entrance of a cave, a bonfire blazed brightly.

Liu Bai sat by the fire, eating a roasted leg of meat. His second uncle, Liu Zong, was currently inside the cave fusing with the Spirit Beast Core, while his grandfather, Liu Jingshan, watched over him nearby.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Liu Bai opened his status panel once more.

Player: Liu Bai

Realm: Spirit Movement Realm Mid-stage

Spirit Veins: None

Cultivation Method: Blazing Sun Art (Second Layer 0/400)

Skills:

Mortal Grade High Rank Wind Breaking Finger (Great Accomplishment); Spirit Grade Low Rank Blazing Step (Initiation 0/100); Spirit-grade High-tier Great Sun Sea Burning Palm (Not Initiated 0/200)

Experience Points: 3080

Beast Soul Points: 11

Killing a high-grade Spirit Beast had sent his Experience Points soaring!

His first choice for improvement was naturally his cultivation, since cultivation was still the most important thing at this stage...

Raising the Blazing Sun Art to the third layer required four hundred Experience Points, and raising it to the fourth layer required eight hundred. However, further upgrades would immediately exceed two thousand, because the fifth layer was already the Spirit Wheel Realm. Thus, the required Experience Points took a huge leap as well.

For now, I'll raise the Blazing Sun Art to the fourth layer, then use what remains to improve Blazing Step. And the Great Sun Sea Burning Palm should be initiated as well, so it can serve as my final trump card.

After a round of upgrades, Liu Bai's status became:

Player: Liu Bai

Realm: Spirit Movement Realm Peak

Spirit Veins: None

Cultivation Method: Blazing Sun Art (Fourth Layer 0/2000)

Skills:

Mortal Grade High Rank Wind Breaking Finger (Great Accomplishment); Spirit Grade Low Rank Blazing Step (Great Accomplishment 0/1500); Spirit-grade High-tier Great Sun Sea Burning Palm (Minor Accomplishment 0/1200)

Experience Points: 880

Beast Soul Points: 11

In an instant, the spiritual energy within Liu Bai's body multiplied several times over, directly reaching the level of Spirit Movement Realm Peak. Such a disturbance naturally could not escape the notice of those around him. One after another, they widened their eyes at Liu Bai as though they had seen a ghost.

"Old Wu, look at the young master... Did he break through?" A middle-aged man in black armor stared wide-eyed as he poked the companion beside him with a carrot-thick finger, his face full of disbelief.

The man called Old Wu looked like a scholar dressed in green robes. He held an iron-ribbed folding fan and narrowed his eyes as well.

"Enough. Don't make such a fuss. The young master's talent is exceptional, and he experienced a great battle today. What is strange about gaining some insight? Don't meddle..."

Well, the most important part of that speech was only the last four words. Everything else was nonsense.

If killing a Spirit Beast could directly allow someone to break through two minor realms, then old fellows like them, who had fought and killed for more than ten years, should all be Supremes by now instead of still struggling within the Spirit Wheel Realm.

However, the armored middle-aged man understood the meaning behind the green-robed scholar's words. He immediately fell silent alongside the others.

The firelight flickered, dyeing Liu Bai's face orange-red.

After adapting to his suddenly increased strength, Liu Bai began absorbing all the spiritual energy circulation routes for the Great Sun Sea Burning Palm that had been forced into his mind by the system upgrade.

This Spirit-grade High-tier Attack Spiritual Art had now reached Minor Accomplishment. He could be considered capable of initially unleashing its power.

However, the information in his mind told him that fully unleashing all the power of the Great Sun Sea Burning Palm at Minor Accomplishment required an extremely terrifying amount of spiritual energy. Even at Spirit Movement Realm Peak, he could unleash at most three palms.

After three palms, his spiritual energy would be exhausted. Not only would he lose the ability to move, he might also damage the meridians within his body. Therefore, he absolutely could not allow himself to fall into such a situation.

It looks like learning Spirit Arrays is imperative!

The level of the Blazing Sun Art meant that the density and amplification of his spiritual energy could not be too high. This also limited how many times he could use higher-level Attack Spiritual Arts. Therefore, if he wanted to hunt monsters more easily, Spirit Arrays were the best choice.

"A First-Grade Spirit Array can unleash attacks comparable to the Spirit Wheel Realm, while a Second-Grade Spirit Array can even contend with the Divine Soul Realm. Their power is even stronger than the Spirit-grade High-tier Great Sun Sea Burning Palm. More importantly, arrays do not have such harsh cultivation requirements. Everything depends on one's talent..."

Was that even a problem for someone like him, who could directly allocate points to level up?

At that thought, a smile appeared on Liu Bai's face. Illuminated by the firelight, he looked exceptionally handsome, with even a faint touch of mystery...