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.

At almost the same moment, the mutated Blood Skeleton opened its gaping, hollow jaws and let out a howl. It exploded with Force, accompanied by its terrifying, tsunami-like qi and blood. It charged forward like a tank, crushing everything in its path.

Its pressure and momentum were mind-boggling.

"

Hmm?

The oppression is overwhelming. Even a Martial Saint would lose their will to fight. Its presence is undeniable, fitting for a monster with nearly a thousand qi and blood. It’s speed, however...."

The monster was slow! Far slower than Li Pin had anticipated!

Not just its speed, but even the Force behind its charge and its control over its qi and blood were lacking. They reminded Li Pin of the students back at the Astral Hall.

No, not even! At least the students at the Astral Hall could barely manage their qi and blood. This mutated Blood Skelton lacked even that much control.

It resembled an Astral Hall student who, despite not mastering their Force, forced themselves to absorb astral energy, achieving a formidable physique with over a hundred qi and blood. Because of this, despite the monstrous aura it exuded and the sonic booms that escaped resounded with each wave of its steel forks, its moves appeared riddled with flaws to Li Pin.

It was nothing more than an empty shell with a huge qi and blood value.

Despite that, this empty shell could generate violent airwaves that could seriously injure and send a Martial Saint flying with a swing of its steel fork. The steel fork didn’t even need to make direct contact.

Nevertheless, against Li Pin, this shockwave had no effect. He didn't even use the Celestial Sword Technique. Instead, he relied solely on his precise control over qi, blood, and the Celestial Magnetic Field, and shot forward like a cannonball, narrowly evading the Blood Skeleton's steel fork.

The tsunami-like airwaves clashed with his Aura Force and were instantly pierced through.

As they crossed, the Sword of Destiny, known for its armor-piercing power, struck the Blood Skeleton's shoulder blade.

Bang!

Sparks flew.

As the blade connected, Li Pin felt as though he had struck a solid steel plate with a divine weapon. The recoil rippled through his arm, vibrating down to his fingers gripping the sword.

If he had been holding an ordinary weapon forged from fine steel, it would’ve shattered under the impact without doing any substantial damage to the monster.

However, this was the Sword of Destiny....

Sizzle, sizzle!

In a shower of sparks, a massive gash burst open on the Blood Skeleton's shoulder blade, crimson bone fragments splattering everywhere.

"Looks tough on the outside, but it's hollow within," Li Pin muttered.

After the clash, he landed steadily, sliding along the ground for several meters and leaving two deep furrows in his wake.

After stabilizing himself, Li Pin didn’t intend to test the creature’s strength anymore.

Sparks of electricity crackled around him as he lunged forward again. The Sword of Destiny sliced through the air, wrapping him in a shroud of white mist. At its peak was the sharp tip of the blade.

The mutated Blood Skeleton reacted just in time and turned around with a roar. Before it could advance further, however, the blade had already pierced its ribcage. It stabbed into its chest and destroyed the eerie blue flame at its core.

Having completed his attacks, Li Pin swiftly retreated, putting dozens of meters between them before the creature's counterattack could land.

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!"