pappabearbooks Chapter 401 - 367: Growth! The Giant in the Cave! Are You Using Me as a Javelin?
Chapter 401 - 367: Growth! The Giant in the Cave! Are You Using Me as a Javelin?
On the side, Shang Ruyi heard the topic of discussion among the people.He was as calm inside as he appeared on the outside.
He had no grudge against Meng Chuan, nor was he someone who couldn’t stand others doing well.
Besides... both he and Meng Chuan had cooperation agreements with Vast Sea.
Strictly speaking, they were colleagues...
Coming back to his senses, he didn’t care about the heat on his lips.
Seeing the potatoes roasted to a Maillard reaction, he sprinkled a handful of chili powder.
Shang Ruyi took a bite, and a look of satisfaction appeared on his face.
He was truly born an orphan at the bottom.
During the time when his Martial Arts talent hadn’t shown, and he struggled to make ends meet, he survived on things like potatoes, corn, and sweet potatoes.
At this moment, he didn’t forget his roots...
"Hong’er, you have to work hard. Meng Chuan has already risen like a great bird riding the wind, and will surely be the one to uphold the Xingyi Sect’s legacy in the future.
And you still have the talent to uphold the Tiger Form banner. Don’t care about momentary wins or losses, stay undeterred and unyielding, to live up to the title of the ’Fierce Tiger King.’"
Upon hearing his master’s words, Motohiko nodded heavily, half-understanding.
Since being refused to team up by She Yu, he has thoroughly experienced the "warmth and coldness of human relationships" in these days.
Growth often happens in such an instant, and Motohiko clenched his fists and made a silent vow:
"I will surely practice diligently and one day make the title of Fierce Tiger King truly deserved!"
...
Time passed slowly.
On the second day of the trial, Meng Chuan led the group to explore three areas near the camp, hunting countless Celestial Demons, with great harvests.
On the statistics panel, his combat achievements had reached [588] points.
At the same time, yesterday’s combat achievement rankings were also tallied, temporarily placing second among the four schools.
As for the first place, Meng Chuan guessed it wasn’t the previous top from the other three schools, but Eastern United University’s ’Inverted Sword · Chen Xuan’.
The gap between the Six Orifices Transformation and the early Dual Restrictions mainly lies in the use of ’Momentum’, and the gap in other aspects of Qi Blood was not significant.
Chen Xuan’s Third Grade treasured sword was incredibly sharp.
In the Yellow Sand 011 zone, no Celestial Demon could withstand the power of this sword.
Chen Xuan himself had the strength to wield it. Giving a Divine Weapon to a child wouldn’t make much difference.
This point, Meng Chuan could not envy.
Grandmaster Level True Martial weapons are absurdly expensive, sometimes appearing at Martial Arts Association auctions, nearly all over ten figures.
The items sold are often unconventional weapons like whips, umbrellas, fans, and daggers.
Meng Chuan hadn’t seen Third Grade swords, knives, spears, or Fist Blades at the auction.
However, the Third Grade was enough for him at the moment.
As he headed toward the next area, Meng Chuan pondered:
"I suppose the other started hunting alone right away, so if I hunt alone tomorrow, it won’t be hard to catch up."
...
Inside the camp.
The following day, Meng Chuan had only slept for four hours, but his energy had completely recovered.
In the coming days, he planned to camp in the wild.
Sleeping once every two to three days would suffice, leaving more time for hunting.
When sleeping, he could release the Dragon Demon for warning.
He still had the Tao Heart guarding inside, even if both internal and external warnings failed by chance.
There was no Celestial Demon in this Demon Nest that could kill him instantly, so he could be at ease.
After emptying his backpack, Meng Chuan happened to set off with the people from Yong’an.
Over the past couple of days, Meng Chuan noticed that none of the trial students from Northern United University held back in their efforts.
There was no trace of the cowards afraid to die that General Yang had mentioned.
Each of them wished to kill more Celestial Demons to earn more combat achievements.
It seemed the situation in the other three schools was the same. This was the quality of United University students.
They lived up to the name of the Great Chu stationed in all directions, the special United Martial Arts University.
Chatting with everyone while walking, Meng Chuan noticed She Yu was also leading a team and glanced at him without saying anything.
Combat achievements speak for themselves, and if anyone still disagrees, they could settle it outside later.
Shang Ruyi and Yang Zhuo repeatedly emphasized that fighting among humans wasn’t allowed in the Demon Nest, and Meng Chuan understood the rules.
As they stepped out of the camp, the people from Yong’an were all smiling as they stared at Xu Qingfeng’s head.
Meng Chuan saw Xu Qingfeng’s head bandaged, as he had been stung by a sand scorpion the day before.
Although he had already taken antidote and anti-inflammatory medicine, the swelling was still frightening.
"Be careful from now on; if not for A-Long bringing antidotes, I’d worry you’d be done for..."
Meng Chuan couldn’t help but caution him.
Since entering the ranks of Martial Arts Family, this kid’s nature changed a lot, no longer so carefree, he couldn’t resist walking towards a combat achievement opportunity.
Xu Qingfeng nodded, his face still showing fear.
"I’ll be more cautious from now on..."
This was only a lower-rank sand scorpion. If it had been a middle-rank level toxin injected into his brain, he might already be dead.
Meng Chuan and Chu Yanlong walked at the front, and he whispered:
"Watch over Xu Qingfeng and take care of the few who just entered the ranks when I’m not around."
Chu Yanlong laughed:
"Don’t worry, we’re all friends."
He thought of something else and continued:
"Yesterday, I went hunting about fifty to sixty kilometers south of the camp in the New Moon Dunes and saw people from Southern United University.
They told me, seeing I was alone, that their school’s Six Orifices Transformation expert, ’Ink Feather Sword · Chen Ke,’ unfortunately died while hunting alone yesterday.
He encountered an extremely powerful Upper Rank Celestial Demon in a narrow path, and since there was no one to help, he barely managed to fire a flare.
But still, he couldn’t wait for the accompanying trial teacher to arrive, and no remains were left."
Meng Chuan was silent for a moment, then nodded.
"I understand what you mean. Don’t worry, I’ll be careful."
"Come back alive."
Chu Yanlong nudged his arm with his elbow.
Meng Chuan smiled and nudged him back.
"Don’t worry about me, you all stay safe too. See you at the end of the trial."
"See you at the end of the trial."
...
Two days after parting with everyone, today is the fourth day of the trial.
Meng Chuan has been advancing over a hundred kilometers with relentless slaughter, and now he has found a massive sand pit.
He stands outside the entrance, observing as the depths continually emit a strong chill and snoring sound.
Demonic Qi swirls around, dyeing the entrance black.
Obviously, a powerful Celestial Demon is slumbering inside.
In his perception, it’s undoubtedly of Upper Rank.
But this snoring... there’s a chance to take a risk!
Meng Chuan quietly activates the [Flower of Flesh], gathering his essence in his flesh to compress his body to a 70% level.
He suddenly shrinks quite a bit, his muscles once as high as mountains now streamlined.
With the compression of his body, his energy, essence, and spirit are deeply hidden within, making him hard to detect.
Plus, with the [Thousand Illusions Thousand Faces]mask he’s wearing, his presence greatly diminishes.
He slowly makes his way to the top of the sand pit, sending his senses as threads into the depths.
After a while, Meng Chuan suddenly frowns.
His perception reports the sound of rushing water deep inside.
Did this thing... dig through an underground river while burrowing?
Regaining his focus, he probes deeper a moment later.
After retrieving his senses for the second time, Meng Chuan feels like leaving...
Slick... damp... its size is incredibly large!
He sits down, slowly recalling:
"Based on the feedback, it’s likely that the big creature sleeping inside is a [Nether Anaconda].
This snake-form Celestial Demon usually hibernates inside the ground, goes out for a hunt once, then sleeps for half a month.
It possesses immense strength, is covered in impenetrable scales, can control sandstorms with Demonic Qi, can spray corrosive sand mist from its mouth, and has a pair of fangs that can release hallucinogenic venom.
Once the anaconda grows into a flood dragon, it becomes a Great Demon..."
This is recorded in the [Demon Nest Manual]as arguably the strongest solid form of Celestial Demon species under the yellow sand phenomena.
[Nether Anacondas mostly sleep in their lairs, unless with a concerted large-scale assault by top-tier experts, avoid provoking them rashly.]
Meng Chuan repeatedly ponders whether to take it on.
Thinking it over, he tightens his expression and makes up his mind.
"This thing is strong in every aspect except speed.
If I hit it hard, if I can’t kill it, I’ll use various effects to spar with it."
This Nether Anaconda is worth at least seventy to eighty military merits, equivalent to hunting several dozen Middle Rank Celestial Demons.
Moreover, it carries a "Dragon Pearl," and there might be other treasures inside its lair. The reward is too great.
Having encountered it, not trying would be to abandon such an opportunity lightly.
If it does ensnare me, at worst I’ll activate my brutal power form, and after the fight, I can rest and recover in its lair.
After making up his mind, Meng Chuan steps cautiously into the cave.
With his hands tightly gripping the Tiger Soul, he slowly approaches.
A few minutes later, he reaches the bottom of the cave, within less than a hundred meters of this giant creature.
The bellows-like breathing is as loud as thunder, causing sand and stones to fall from the shaking walls on both sides.
Meng Chuan squints, targets the big snake’s eyes, and slowly raises his hand...
His spine stretches like a dragon, his waist and abdomen exerting force like a spring unleashing, Meng Chuan uses the Tiger Soul as a spear at his side, his right arm’s tendons protruding, he takes a deep breath...
The Nether Anaconda seems to sense something, its nostrils twitch like black holes, and its train-like body trembles slightly as if it is about to wake.
Meng Chuan no longer hesitates, his purple-black True Qi surges to envelop the Tiger Soul.
Though there’s no wind in the cave, waves arise, as his right arm pulled back to his ear bursts with immense power. With a fierce step of his right foot forward, like a meteor streaking past, he forcefully hurls the Tiger Soul spear!
The spear tip flickers with terrifying cold light, under the Demon Seed True Qi’s enhancement, it pierces into the Nether Anaconda’s right eye in less than 0.01 seconds like a black bolt of lightning!
These kinds of Celestial Demon creatures either have very small brains or don’t have brain tissue at all.
Whether the Nether Anaconda has one, Meng Chuan doesn’t know.
But spearing the eye is precise, with no chance of error, conducive to the subsequent combat.
Splurt...
The entire Tiger Soul buries into the huge snake’s eye, its immense force instantly piercing through the lower jaw and sliding out, leaving bits of eye tissue and mucus splattered on the ground.
Its mission complete, Meng Chuan has already turned and dashed several hundred meters away the moment he threw it.
Hiss——!
With its eye blinded instantly, the Nether Anaconda stiffens into a rod-like shape, feeling a heart-wrenching pain!
Then it bows down, the Demonic Qi enveloping its body like a dark cloud above, smashing heavily into the ground, kicking up a black wave extending several hundred meters, making Meng Chuan, who is facing away, stumble.
As the Demonic Qi touches, Meng Chuan’s hair stands on end! Official source ıs ????????????????????✶????????????????✶????????????
"This big guy is indeed formidable..."
Swoosh!
A slippery sound akin to flying close to the ground chases him from behind like a ghost.
Meng Chuan’s heart spirit tightens, he just keeps running.
Get out of the cave first, then deal with it in an open space.
A yellow light mass forms in the Nether Anaconda’s mouth and suddenly sways its head to spit it out.
While its body is slow, the speed of this corrosive sand mist is not slow at all!
Meng Chuan glances back, startled to find the yellow, ominous energy rushing towards him.
No way to avoid it, he has to gather a black membrane on his back...
Thud, Meng Chuan stumbles with his feet.
His heart spirit trembles, his whole body goes limp.