Chapter 68: Hunting Demonic Beasts
Two months later.
Cloudmist Mountain Range.
Within the dim and damp forest, under the silent surroundings, a figure slowly emerged.
It was none other than Lin Chang’an, who had just dispelled his Invisibility Technique.
“Right now, no one would expect that I, who just broke through to the Ninth Level of Qi Refinement, would venture deep into the Cloudmist Mountain Range alone.”
Lin Chang’an nodded to himself. There were too many cultivators in Tianxuan City preparing for Foundation Establishment. It was possible someone was secretly watching, waiting to strike and steal from him when he was vulnerable.
If he waited until he reached the Great Perfection of the Ninth Level of Qi Refinement, there might be even more people eyeing him. Therefore, he had created a diversion, using secluded cultivation as an excuse to sneak out in secret.
This was his best opportunity.
No one would think that he would take such a risk just after his breakthrough.
What gave Lin Chang’an the confidence, ultimately, were formations, magical tools, and the fact that he lacked neither spirit stones nor resources.
The Cloudmist Mountain Range was home to many demonic beasts, especially since the spiritual energy from the spiritual vein in Tianxuan City constantly attracted them.
“Finding a second-rank demonic beast also requires skill. Fortunately, my time with the Beast-Hunting Squad wasn’t wasted.”
With a leap, he landed on the trunk of an ancient tree. Lin Chang’an calmly watched the scene ahead.
When he first ventured into the Cloudmist Mountain Range, there were still traces of human cultivators. Most appeared in groups of three to five in Beast-Hunting Squads. But after pressing deeper, he had not seen another human cultivator for ten days straight.
“Powerful demonic beasts have their own territories and a strong territorial instinct. With my current strength, I should target a second-rank demonic beast that is either weak or recently fought in a territorial battle.”
At that moment, Lin Chang’an raised his head and quietly gazed into the distance. When a chorus of insect chirps rang out, a smile appeared on his face.
“This season… after waiting a whole month, the wait has finally paid off.”
Deep in the forest, a pair of Ironback Mantis demonic beasts were mating, with the male emitting bursts of insect chirps.
This was a rare insect-type demonic beast, even more terrifying in strength than typical demonic beasts.
The female mantis was even more robust. In both strength and size, the male Ironback Mantis could not compare.
…
Boom!
As a large tree collapsed, a male Ironback Mantis, the size of a yellow ox, fled in panic, slashing down countless ancient trees along the way with its sharp forelimbs.
It looked far more emaciated than when it first entered the female’s territory. One of its forelimbs was missing, and two of its hind legs were gone as well.
Seeing this scene from afar, Lin Chang’an could not help but reveal a look of delight.
“This time, luck is on my side. The male Ironback Mantis actually made it out alive.”
During mating, the female Ironback Mantis, driven by hunger and instinct, would often devour the male. Of course, this wasn’t always the case.
Sometimes, if a strong female mantis had access to energy-restoring spirit fruits or spirit grasses within its territory, such things wouldn’t happen.
But typically, the male Ironback Mantis would sever its own limbs to offer to the female to replenish her energy in order to survive.
In simple terms, only by paying a satisfactory mating fee could it escape alive.
“Looks like this one was a fat beast… it let this male escape.”
From a distance, watching the panicked Ironback Mantis flee, Lin Chang’an gripped his Bamboo Sword with a solemn expression. Scattered all around him were the corpses of low-ranked demonic beasts.
The scent of blood lingered in the air. The Ironback Mantis, having just emerged from a fierce battle and in urgent need of replenishment, seemed to sense something and flew quickly in his direction.
“Dumb beast, this time it’s up to you to lure this Ironback Mantis in.”
With a slap on his Spirit Beast Pouch, the Azure-Horned Bull appeared. Its beast instincts sensed the terrifying aura of the approaching demonic beast and immediately widened its copper bell-sized eyes.
Its eyes vividly showed fear and grievance.
Lin Chang’an slapped the bull’s head and said irritably, “You dumb beast, I’ve spent so many spirit stones raising you over the years. It’s not like I’m sending you to your death.”
Using the Beast-Taming Token, Lin Chang’an continuously conveyed his intent. Although the Azure-Horned Bull understood, its four hooves still trembled uncontrollably.
As if to say, “I’ve only just reached the late stage of the First Rank, and you’re asking me to bait a second-rank demonic beast? That’s too much.”
“You dumb beast, don’t worry.”
Lin Chang’an scolded with a laugh. After raising it for so many years, he had developed feelings for it. Not to mention, it had consumed so many spirit grasses. After all that effort to raise it to late-stage First Rank, he couldn’t bear to let it die so easily.
He attached two Premium-grade First-rank Goldlight Talismans to the Azure-Horned Bull’s body—enough to preserve its life at a critical moment.
...
This was a small mountain valley. After bursts of piercing insect chirps rang out, the Ironback Mantis appeared in the sky above.
Upon seeing the corpses of three low-ranked demonic beasts, the weakened Ironback Mantis no longer hesitated and immediately moved forward to devour them.
From a hidden spot in the distance, Lin Chang’an saw this and couldn’t help but take a deep breath.
With the Perfect Realm Breath Concealment Technique, his aura was completely hidden. Coupled with the fact that this second-rank demonic beast was weak and injured, it naturally didn’t notice him.
“Moo!”
A trembling bovine cry echoed through the air, and in an instant, the Ironback Mantis lifted its head, revealing a chillingly terrifying insect gaze.
Terrified, the Azure-Horned Bull widened its eyes, and its four trembling hooves couldn't care about anything else as it turned and fled.
“Moo! Moo! Moo! Moo...”
The anxious mooing echoed continuously, and it was the first time Lin Chang’an realized a bull could cry without pausing for breath.
Just as the terrifying Ironback Mantis behind revealed its blade-like forelimbs, the Premium-grade First-rank Goldlight Talismans on the Azure-Horned Bull's body flared with golden light.
Seeing this scene from the bushes, Lin Chang’an’s expression turned sharp.
“Now’s the time!”
【Wood Armor Spirit-Binding Formation · Activate】
With a heavy slap on the formation plate hidden underground, five other concealed formation plates and flags around the valley instantly flashed with green light.
In the blink of an eye, a green light screen formed a formation barrier, sealing the area entirely.
At the same time, the Ironback Mantis’s aura completely vanished, which caused the massive female Ironback Mantis deep within the forest to lift its head, sensing something.
But in the next moment, its eyes turned cold. Without hesitation, it turned cleanly and swiftly returned to the cave within its territory.
The transaction between the two had already been completed. The other party held no further value.
The cold nature of insect-type demonic beasts was always like this.
...
Inside the Wood Armor Spirit-Binding Formation.
“Moo! Moo!”
The Azure-Horned Bull cried out in terror, as if it had encountered a ferocious beast.
Inside the formation, countless terrifying vines rapidly grew and coiled around the Ironback Mantis, causing it to let out sharp, ear-piercing insect screeches.
“You dumb beast, what are you scared of?”
Lin Chang’an glared. With the beast’s natural sensitivity and innate fear of high-ranked demonic beasts, its behavior as bait was only possible because it had been raised from young as a spirit beast.
Otherwise, an ordinary demonic beast would have fled without a trace upon sensing such a high-ranked threat.
Now, entangled in countless vines, the Ironback Mantis shrieked frantically. With only one forelimb remaining, it slashed wildly at the vines wrapped around its body.
It spread its wings to escape, only to be blocked by the formation barrier, crashing into it with loud bangs.
“We can’t let this beast keep crashing into the barrier.”
From a hidden corner of the formation, Lin Chang’an looked on grimly.
Although the formation was still stable, such impacts consumed a tremendous amount of its energy.
With a flick of his hand, five Premium-grade First-rank Talismans with a fiery glow were thrown out.
In an instant, the Ironback Mantis was engulfed in flames, screeching in agony.
More importantly, its thin, transparent wings, as delicate as cicada wings, were directly burned through by the fire-based talismans, causing it to crash to the ground.
The Ironback Mantis's agonized screeches echoed as its form was quickly swallowed by the vines.
Although the Ironback Mantis was extremely fast and its forelimbs were terrifyingly sharp—cutting through vines like slicing grass—in the face of the endless vines and sudden sneak attacks from Fireball Talismans...
Having just escaped from the female mantis and already severely weakened and injured, it now found itself trapped within a formation.
Under the endless barrage, even its tail had sustained injuries.
Its horrifying green blood splattered everywhere.