Chapter 65: First-grade Strange Beast

Facts prove that even with a goalkeeper, one can still score a goal.

Boom!

The massive wolf head slammed into the ground, emitting a muffled thud.

One sword strike.

Lu Li only unleashed one strike, not even bothering to employ the Five Mountains Sword Momentum.

Relying solely on his understanding of the Dugu Nine Swords, he slew this Strange Beast.

This Strange Beast should also be a Liehua Wolf.

Moreover, its grade is the same as the one Jiang Yinuo slew just moments ago—both are First Grade.

It is only natural that Jiang Yinuo could easily slay a Strange Beast.

After all, her cultivation realm is set there, and she has also awakened her Sword Spirit.

If others knew that Lu Li could slay a First Grade Strange Beast with a single strike while still in the Initial Realm, their jaws would likely drop to the floor.

Lu Li's sword strike was not particularly stunning.

To onlookers, it might even seem like a coincidence, because the scene just now looked as if Lu Li had simply struck a pose, and then the Liehua Wolf had collided with Lu Li's sword on its own.

But Lu Li knew it was no coincidence; he had seen through the flaw of this Strange Beast.

Facing that terrifying, blood-red maw and those sharp, dancing claws and fangs, Lu Li felt no fear; instead, he spotted seventeen flaws at a single glance.

Among them, six were fatal, and eleven could cause crippling injuries.

Dugu Nine Swords—every strike is a critical hit.

It is just that some critical hits double the damage, while others multiply it by twenty.

Such exquisite sword technique was truly a bit overkill for this Liehua Wolf.

"You say you're a carnivore and don't even eat Spirit Cleansing Grass, so why must you insist on stopping me from taking it? Is it really the case that every heaven-sent treasure must have a guardian beside it?"

Lu Li carefully confirmed there was no more danger in the vicinity before bending down to pluck a stalk of Spirit Cleansing Grass.

There are rules for harvesting Spirit Cleansing Grass; one cannot pull it up by the roots, but must cut it, just like harvesting chives.

This way, the Spirit Cleansing Grass can continue to grow, making it convenient to harvest again in the future, crop after crop.

After putting the Spirit Cleansing Grass away, Lu Li headed back to rendezvous with Jiang Yinuo.

As for the materials on the Liehua Wolf's carcass, Lu Li did not collect them.

Mainly, his Storage Bag is too small and has limited functionality; putting a stalk of Spirit Cleansing Grass inside is the priority.

"Once I break through to the First Realm, I should be able to obtain a slightly higher-grade Storage Bag."

A moment later, Lu Li had returned to the Moonlight Tower group.

After this interval, Jiang Yinuo and the others had also finished most of their harvesting.

Seeing Lu Li return, Jiang Yinuo stepped forward and said, "Senior Brother Lu, did you have any harvest?"

Lu Li said, "I was lucky; I found three stalks of First-grade Spirit Cleansing Grass inside, but I only took one.

Just follow this small path all the way in; if your Moonlight Tower needs any in the future, you can go over and try your luck."

"Mm."

Jiang Yinuo nodded, her gaze scanning Lu Li, and upon discovering he was uninjured and that there wasn't even a bloodstain on his green robes, she finally set her mind at ease.

"There are still over a dozen stalks of Spirit Cleansing Grass here; I will send a signal to Zhou Tai."

In truth, it is extremely rare to encounter such a large quantity of Spirit Cleansing Grass in the dark forest.

Usually, Spirit Cleansing Grass grows in isolated clusters of three or four, scattered across various locations.

To obtain a sufficient harvest, one must bravely explore hidden paths that no one has walked before.

Just as Jiang Yinuo was forming a Sword Formula with her hands, preparing to launch the signal,

a green, sword-shaped pattern suddenly exploded in the western sky.

Lu Li frowned; that was the distress signal for when the Qingyang Sword Hall encountered a crisis.

Zhou Tai and the others were in danger!

"I'll go take a look."

Lu Li lifted his feet and left.

Although Zhou Tai is his "little hater," they are fellow disciples after all; since the other party sent an emergency signal, he should help if he can.

Jiang Yinuo said, "They must have encountered a Strange Beast; I will go too."

Her expression turned stern, and she turned back to say to the junior brothers and sisters of Moonlight Tower, "Everyone, follow me closely; do not act on your own, or you will be in mortal danger."

This scene was completely different from the little sister who used to play around him in Lu Li's memory.

In three years, she had already assumed the image of a Senior Sister.

Having just experienced the Liehua Wolf incident, the disciples dared not be careless and followed closely behind.

Right ahead!

Lu Li and Jiang Yinuo stopped abruptly.

Before them lay a secluded valley with lush grass, where a small path led in from the outside and began to penetrate deeper.

Clearly, this was a very fertile treasure land.

Usually, such treasure lands indeed have a high probability of producing Spirit Cleansing Grass.

And at this moment, this fertile soil was splattered with spots of blood.

A green flame accompanied by sword light slashed down violently.

Zhou Tai was employing the Blazing Sun Sword Technique, currently battling two Strange Beasts.

His sword technique could no longer be considered weak; it seemed he had already reached the Major Accomplishment realm.

But even so, he was still no match for the two Strange Beasts.

Roar!

With a deafening roar, the Strange Beast lunged forward, its terrifying sharp claws swiping directly at the green flames Zhou Tai had slashed out.

Bang!

Zhou Tai's figure was sent flying backward.

Another Strange Beast followed up in an instant, opening its blood-stained maw to bite down.

The two Strange Beasts coordinated perfectly, giving Zhou Tai no time to react at all.

A seamless pincer attack.

Swish!

A crimson Flying Sword suddenly shot out from behind Zhou Tai; sensing the danger, the Strange Beast twisted its body violently in mid-air and actually dodged Jiang Yinuo's Flying Sword.

"Huh? It actually dodged my Flying Sword?"

Clearly, Jiang Yinuo was somewhat surprised by this, then said in a deep voice: "No, it's a First-Order Demon Beast."

Zhou Tai's figure retreated sharply, and he said sternly: "It's a Demon Beast Scorpion Tiger."

Lu Li and Jiang Yinuo's expressions immediately turned grave; it was a Demon Beast, not a Strange Beast.

As mentioned before, Demon Beasts are even more terrifying existences than Strange Beasts—they are demonized Strange Beasts.

They have tougher skin and thicker flesh, and are even more bloodthirsty, cruel, and obsessed with slaughter.

Furthermore, Demon Beasts can rely on devouring to increase their own strength.

This fertile, lush land had already been sprinkled with blood and severed limbs.

Clearly, several disciples of the Qingyang Sword Hall had already been devoured by these two Demon Beasts!

Disciples who possess Spirit Qi but have not officially stepped onto the path of cultivation can already be considered delicious treats for Demon Beasts.

It was already very difficult for Zhou Tai to deal with one Demon Beast of the same realm alone, let alone two.

And Demon Beasts can fight while devouring!

Those disciples Zhou Tai brought were undoubtedly takeout delivered to their door!

"Senior Sister Jiang, please take the remaining Qingyang disciples and leave!

I will hold them off."

Zhou Tai said through gritted teeth.

In other cultivation worlds, perhaps cultivators might engage in deceit and treachery, upholding the philosophy that "if one does not look out for oneself, heaven and earth will destroy them."

For example, a certain cultivator surnamed Han would likely have run away long ago.

But it is different on the Tianxuan Continent.

Here, the Demon race and practitioners have been at war for thousands of years.

The Demon race wants the fertile soil of the human world, while practitioners must guard their own land and protect humanity from becoming food in the mouths of the Demon race.

In Anyang Prefecture, it has always been relatively peaceful.

That is because on the battlefield a thousand miles away, there are people using their lives to hold back the Demon race for them.

How can there be peaceful times? It is because someone is carrying the burden forward for you.

Therefore, many people have not even seen the Demon race, but in their hearts, there is already an inseparable hatred for them.

And capable practitioners, when encountering lurking Demon races, will all choose to protect their weaker companions.

Because when they were weak, they were protected in the same way.

Zhou Tai knew he would die, but he still chose to do this.

Jiang Yinuo gritted her teeth and said: "Hold on, I will return as fast as I can.

Senior Brother Lu, you leave too."

But just at this moment, Lu Li's figure suddenly walked forward.

In his eyes, fighting spirit was soaring.

Demon Beasts, he had long wanted to kill them.