NABC Chapter 337: Mutate
Chapter 337: Mutate
Chapter 337: Mutate
"That's indeed a mutated lord-level creature," Li Pin remarked.
He briefly sensed the creature's qi and blood. It was far stronger than the Ghoul King from the Black Gold Mine.
However, this didn’t mean it was stronger than a Top-Tier Astral Cultivator and had reached the level of a Master Astral Cultivator.
From the Top-Tier Astral Cultivator stage onward, Astral Cultivators and demonic creatures evolved in two different directions: one focused on increasing qi and blood to enhance physical strength, and the other concentrated more on astral energy and the use of Atomic Will.
For instance, a Master Astral Cultivator typically had qi and blood around six to seven hundred. Yet, by relying on their immense mental spirit and the fusion of their will with Atomic Will, they could unleash combat power that surpassed creatures with qi and blood in the thousands.
Li Pin himself was a prime example of this.
During his first battle with the Ghoul King, he had a qi and blood of less than two hundred. Yet, he had slain the Ghoul King, whose qi and blood was over five hundred. This demonstrated the difference in their evolutionary paths.
The beast’s qi and blood had to have reached at least several hundred. It might even be close to a thousand. No wonder even Yue Ya, strong as he was, had to hide cautiously on the side, not daring to make a move.
"The qi and blood route of evolution enhances life force, power, and defense. However, the attack methods are limited and predictable. Comparing fighting these demonic creatures to facing Astral Cultivators is like the difference between battling an NPC and a player."
This was the perfect opportunity for him to test the sharpness of his sword.
With that thought, Li Pin raised his hand. "Step back."
Yue Ya, Yue Ying, and Xing Hui had complete faith in him. Upon hearing his words, they immediately moved away from the area without hesitation.
"Go further," Li Pin added.
With the Celestial Assassination Technique at his disposal, his battlefield was no longer limited to mere dozens or hundreds of meters—it now spanned kilometers.
Not to mention, a single movement from a creature whose qi and blood had nearly reached a thousand could easily flatten cities and devastate land.
Xing Hui and the others, seeing how cautious Li Pin was, retreated even further. Their admiration for him only deepened.
Once they had moved far enough away, Li Pin gripped his sword and slowly advanced.
Before he even got within a hundred meters of the mutated Blood Skeleton, the creature sensed him. It turned its head to face him.
The creature was three meters tall and had blood-red bones, jagged spikes, and hollowed eyes. Just its gaze alone could send chills racing down anyone’s spin.
That was only counting the horrifying look of the creature itself. These monsters had an innate intimidating effect on other lifeforms.
A wave of fear surged through Li Pin.
It was like watching a horror movie where the camera suddenly zooms in on the monster's face. The shock and terror were enough to make the scalp tingle and the mind go blank, leaving the one looking paralyzed.
"Terrifying," Li Pin remarked.
Li Pin acknowledged the monster’s terrifying nature, but his movements remained swift and steady.
As the Celestial Magnetic Field within him surged, his feet seemed to have been equipped with magnetic catapults. He shot forward like a streak of light, accompanied by bursts of electricity.@@@@
Bang!
The Blood Skeleton's frenzied strike smashed into the ground. The earth cracked open at visible speed and resulted in a crater several meters wide.
Debris flew in all directions. Some of them struck Li Pin like bullets. The Celestial Magnetic Field surrounding him flickered and crackled under the impact.
If an ordinary person had been within at most thirty meters of the monster, they would’ve been perforated, leaving them with no chance at survival.
After this desperate attack, the blue flame in the Blood Skeleton's chest became unstable. Its silent scream resonated as the flame spiraled out of control, engulfing the monster in a blaze.
"It's still just a Skeleton Demon," said Li Pin. "Breaking the balance of its spiritual core will kill it all the same."
At that moment, Yue Ying and the others, who had been watching from afar, rushed over.
As they watched the Blood Skeleton turn to ash within seconds under the blue flames, they couldn't help but feel a sense of dread.
"What terrifying power..." Yue Ya muttered.
"An empty shell," Li Pin replied. "Its physical strength is far superior to a regular Blood Skeleton, but there isn’t much improvement in other aspects. If you can withstand its power, break through the Force of its attacks, and penetrate its defenses, it's not much harder to deal with than a normal Blood Skeleton."
He paused briefly. "A Top-Tier Astral Cultivator with a good natal spirit weapon could probably handle it."
A Top-Tier Astral Cultivator could handle it....
Yue Ya, Yue Ying, and Xing Hui exchanged speechless looks, the corners of their mouths twitching slightly.
The sect master is so casually dismissive of Top-Tier Astral Cultivators....
Even in massive entities like the Six Extremities, Top-Tier Astral Cultivators were akin to governors. In the land of Great Moon, they could rule over millions of people, practically like kings.
A creature that only Top-Tier Astral Cultivators could combat—if it were allowed to escape from the Ancient Beastfolk Battlefield and wreak havoc unchecked... It could easily wipe out entire nations.
Li Pin stepped forward, searching through the ashes of the mutated Blood Skeleton.
There were a few Astral Crystals. Unfortunately, none of them could be considered high grade. He also found some Black and Yellow Crystals, useful for crafting items like Black Crystal Rings and Yellow Crystal Necklaces.
While not a particularly good harvest, it was better than nothing.
Just as Li Pin thought this was all he was getting, he sensed something. He quickly uncovered a gemstone from the ashes of the charred mutated Blood Skeleton.
It was a peculiar gem, bronze in color and etched with blood-red runes.
The moment Li Pin's palm touched the gemstone, he felt a silent wave of energy seep into him.
This energy’s absorption was extremely subtle, so subtle that if Li Pin hadn't possessed absolute control over himself, it would've been almost impossible to detect it.
In fact... as Li Pin carefully examined the energy's influence, he vaguely realized that it provided a unique enhancement. This enhancement was similar to the optimization he had experienced during the Foundation Building Chapter of his Innate Qi-Refining technique.
Xing Hui seemed to have noticed it as well and couldn't help but exclaim, "This is a Golden Gemstone!"