Chapter 8: Monster-modified Technique (Please Collect!)

Ni Qiu is a demon beast that has just entered the first stage, early period.

But this giant salamander only left a tooth mark on it without subduing it, clearly also just having entered the first stage.

After forming a judgment, Yunhe lightly swept his claw.

A huge turtle shell appeared before Ni Qiu.

The giant salamander opposite then noticed this turtle half the size of a grinding disk, and instantly realized it was a helper summoned by Ni Qiu.

However, it sensed little threat from Yunhe's body, and could barely detect any demonic aura, so it felt no fear whatsoever.

Wah-wah—

It wailed like a baby from its mouth, its limbs flailing flexibly, accompanied by the swaying of its thick tail, as it lunged at Yunhe.

Among demon beasts, especially low-ranking ones, the most commonly used and practical combat method is melee.

Whoever is stronger, whoever has more power, is the formidable one.

Yet Yunhe stayed unhurried, lightly swaying his short tail behind him.

Huh?

Yunhe, attempting to control the water flow, suddenly froze a bit.

Whoosh—

As his tail flicked, a streak of water suddenly swirled and condensed, like a drawn arrow, shooting forth.

Although it was in the water, the arrow formed from this water flow was exceptionally distinct, with no intention of merging with the surrounding water.

Pfft!!

The giant salamander lunging forward suddenly burst into a bloom of blood.

Its rough brown flesh seemed to provide no protection whatsoever.

The spurting blood dispersed along with the spiraling arrow, carried by the water flow that gradually scattered.

Suddenly attacked without warning, the giant salamander first froze, then a wave of pain surged forth.

Wah!! Wah!!

In pain, its body instantly curled up, looking at Yunhe with a hint of fear.

It didn't know what just happened, but its intuition told it that the water arrow came from the heavily armored turtle before it.

'Water Arrow Technique'

Actually, not only the giant salamander, but Yunhe himself was also quite surprised.

He is a water-attribute demon beast, and controlling water flow is instinctive.

So don't think that just because he usually paddles with light claw strokes, his speed in water is actually not slow.

It is precisely this understanding of water flow that makes his cultivator body highly proficient in mastering the 'Water Arrow Technique' spell.

He had merely wanted to mobilize some water flow to strike the giant salamander, thoroughly provoke it, and wait for an opportunity to counterattack.

After all, he is a turtle, and relying on his hard shell to defend then counterattack is the best fighting style.

Who would have known.

Perhaps it was because he was overly proficient in the 'Water Arrow Technique', proficient to the point of being heartbreaking.

Or perhaps his demonic power greatly increased, enhancing his control over water flow, or perhaps he gained a deeper understanding and perception of the water element.

In short, he unconsciously unleashed the 'Water Arrow Technique'!

Or rather, it was a demon-beast-modified 'Water Arrow Technique'.

Undoubtedly, the most shocked was Ni Qiu hiding behind Yunhe's back.

Having just become a first-stage early demon beast, it barely opened its limited spiritual awareness and widened its eyes.

Turtle, spell!

It had fought the giant salamander several times before, but each time ended up at a disadvantage, and those wounds on its body came from those encounters.

Yet it never expected that the giant salamander, which had repeatedly thwarted it, would not even give it a chance to move before Yunhe, merely flicking its tail and leaving such a large gap.

Moreover, recalling when they first met Yunhe, the other side flicked its tail and it merely got pushed back; Ni Qiu instantly felt convinced that it had been taken as a subordinate!

This is big brother!

Turtle brother!

When it looked at Yunhe again, its body slightly shrank.

All that could be seen was Yunhe continually flicking his tail, arrow after arrow striking the giant salamander, exchanging for blooming splendid blood flowers.

Most importantly, Yunhe's expression remained calm and composed, his gaze interested as he watched the giant salamander suffer, struggle, and eventually become frightened and shrink back.

How ruthless!

How terrifying!

'The 'Water Arrow Technique' is merely the simplest spell, cast by mobilizing heavenly and earthly spiritual energy through spiritual power, hand seals, and formula.'

Yunhe, pressing down on the giant salamander, had his thoughts racing.

'My demon-beast body is inherently a turtle, possessing far superior control over water-attribute spiritual energy compared to a cultivator body; thus, as long as I understand the essence of the 'Water Arrow Technique', being able to cast it is quite reasonable, huh.'

Demon beasts are not incapable of practicing spells.

However, for low-ranking demon beasts with just awakened spiritual awareness, learning spells is as difficult as increasing demonic power, far less practical than direct bodily combat.

But for high-ranking demon beasts, especially those possessing inherited cultivation methods, they disdain learning low-level spells, possessing stronger innate divine abilities and bodies forged day and night to rival cultivator magic treasures.

But for Yunhe, who is merely a first-stage early demon beast, a spell that can be cast at will has enormous utility.

A demon beast's body is stronger than a cultivator's; an ordinary early-stage Qi Refining cultivator, if hit by a 'Water Arrow Technique' without preparation, would not die but be crippled.

Yet this giant salamander merely had a hole torn in its body, yet remained vigorous and lively.

But a single 'Water Arrow Technique' wasn't enough, so Yunhe fired several more.

Isn't this?

While he tried and practiced, the giant salamander that had been fierce a moment ago was now on the brink of death, its body covered in gruesome wounds.

After roughly gauging how well the demon beast body had mastered the Water Arrow Technique.

Yunhe finally flung out a sharp water arrow.

He drove off the giant salamander that had dominated this vicinity.

From start to finish, he didn't move an inch, leaving the loach behind him filled with awe.

Having dealt with the giant salamander, Yunhe bit its huge body, signaling the loach to take the green-water snails and swim ashore, while he continued to ponder.

'If the cultivator body can learn new spells, can the demon beast body be demonically altered again?'

It's not impossible.

Soon after, Yunhe swam back to the shore, carrying the giant salamander in his mouth and climbed ashore.

The loach couldn't leave the water, so it placed a clutch of green-water snails of various sizes on the bank and honestly watched Yunhe come ashore.

Yunhe didn't hesitate about this inexplicably acquired little follower.

He directly tore off one of the giant salamander's hind legs and threw it into the water.

Seeing this, the loach was instantly delighted.

It happily bit down and kept nodding at Yunhe.

Communication between demon beasts is very direct, with no room for refusal or politeness.

Given its strength, it would be hard to get any advantage from that giant salamander, but now actually receiving a hind leg is a huge gain.

Yunhe opened his mouth, wanting to say something.

Only then did he realize he couldn't speak, nor could he convey too much complex information to the loach.

He figured even if he conveyed it, the loach might not understand.

He could only helplessly wave his claws.

Let it play by itself.

Seeing this, the loach wagged its tail, blew two bubbles, then bit the giant salamander's hind leg and eagerly dove toward the bottom.

'There are more demon beasts nearby than I imagined.'

He usually stays in one place and rarely goes out, so he only had a rough idea of how many demon beasts inhabit the area and what their strengths are.

He only knows.

In the west, about fifty shui away, lives a giant catfish occupying a fertile aquatic plant area.

And in the east, seventy to eighty hai away, lives a group of perch with extremely strong territorial instincts; Yunhe once nearly got chased after carelessly approaching them.

As for the distribution of solitary, inconspicuous first-stage low-level demon beasts, he truly doesn't know.

'So having a little follower isn't bad; at least I won't need to hunt in the future.'

At least they offered a clutch of green-water snails.

He accepted this little follower.

He threw the giant salamander onto the basking platform, not eating it right away, but crawled to the shore and looked at the clutch of green-water snails.

Creatures innately endowed with spiritual power are usually extraordinary, but their low intelligence makes them poor at cultivation; most become other demon beasts' meals before fully maturing.

'If a green-water snail could evade predators and accumulate spiritual power over decades,'

He shook his head.

It's a bit difficult.

He mobilized his demonic power, scooped up the clutch of green-water snails together with the lake water, and walked ashore.

He found a shady spot.

He began waving his claws.

In a few strokes he dug a small pit.

He packed the soil, laid a layer of dry leaves, then placed the clutch of green-water snails in the lake water.

To raise them.

It's not that he fantasized about raising these snails for decades; he simply wanted to raise them.

After all, these dozen-odd snails aren't enough to fill his teeth; they can occasionally be a snack, but making them a staple would indeed be hard on them.

He doesn't know how to raise green-water snails, but he'll try.

Who knows, it might succeed.

If it works, he'll have a steady supply of green-water snails to eat.

If not, eating them in time isn't a loss.

He has already decided to open a cave dwelling on Huanhu Dao.

In the future, if the chance arises, he might even be able to plant things on it, such as spiritual plants and spiritual rice.

Demon beasts, especially low-level ones, differ from humans mainly in intelligence, right?

If demon beasts could farm and practice silviculture.

Other demon beasts wouldn't.

'But I can.'

This is his advantage; Yunhe feels it's necessary to make use of it.

He crawled back to the basking platform, bit off a large chunk of giant salamander meat—meat, skin, and blood—and tossed it into the small pool of the green-water snails.

Snails mostly feed on microorganisms and humus in the soil, as well as floating aquatic plants, tender water plants, algae, etc.

Considering the green-water snail isn't an ordinary snail, with the mindset of 'since we've tried, we might as well go all the way,' and anyway this chunk of meat isn't a loss.

After doing that, he finally lay comfortably on the basking platform again and began eating the giant salamander meat.

I must say.

Although the meat of this giant salamander is somewhat inferior to that of the golden carp, it is far better than the fish I ate this morning.

The meat is firm yet not dry, fresh and delicious.

He ate most of it in one go.

Yunhe suddenly felt a surge of heat coursing through his body, and his demonic power became active.

He immediately hid the remaining giant salamander, dove into the water, and floated beside the bank.

His claws moved quickly.

Soon he dug a mud hole at the bank just big enough for it to hide in.

After barely ensuring concealment, he then shrank entirely into his shell.

He wholeheartedly operated the Source Refining Method.

New author, new book, seeking support—wuwuwu—asking for votes, monthly votes, recommendation votes!

(End of chapter)