Divine Talisman Grandmaster

C20 – Vicious Beast!

Despite Lu Lixing’s exhaustion and the weakness that pervaded his entire body, he knew he couldn’t linger in this place. With great effort, he rose from the ground and retrieved his alloy dagger from the belly of the lifeless grey wolf. Without a backward glance, he headed north.

After trudging nearly a hundred meters, Lu Lixing could no longer keep going. He collapsed to the ground, pulled out some water from his backpack, and took a couple of sips. Ripping a strip of cloth from his clothing, he dampened it with water and meticulously cleaned the blood from his face.

It wasn’t that Lu Lixing was particularly fastidious; rather, he was aware that the scent of blood could attract other predators. In his current state, another encounter with a wild beast could prove fatal.

Once he had taken care of himself, Lu Lixing leaned against a tree trunk to consider his next move. Given his condition, the smartest strategy would be to find a safe haven and wait out the seven days. Yet, if he chose to merely survive, passing the test would hold no real value. He wouldn’t gain anything from it. After all, he had ventured into Cloud Dragon Mountain not just to survive, but to grow stronger.

With his purpose clear, Lu Lixing resolved to engage in relentless combat.

As he steeled himself for a battle to the end, a sudden noise caught his attention, and a foul odor assaulted his nostrils. His face contorted in alarm, and almost instinctively, his hand shot up, driving the alloy dagger deep into the tree trunk overhead. In the same instant, he rolled away from the looming threat of the large tree.

Scrambling to his feet, Lu Lixing eyed the python impaled on the tree trunk by his dagger. The creature was over two meters long and as thick as an arm. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he realized how close he had come to death; a moment slower and the python would have clamped onto his throat, draining his life away.

“This is truly a thrill,” he muttered to himself.

For Lu Lixing, this was a first—a series of life-threatening encounters within mere minutes, and this was just the start of a seven-day ordeal!

Though he had narrowly escaped the python’s deadly bite, the ordeal had been a profound learning experience. He had come to a sudden and vital realization: the role of perception was critical for survival in the wilderness.

Just moments ago, Lu Lixing’s ability to precisely pinpoint the python’s location and stab it with his dagger was due to his heightened perception kicking in at that critical juncture, allowing him to anticipate its movements. This intuitive response was something Lu Lixing had once experienced during his fight with Yuwen Ba.

“Senior sister is right; it’s only through life-and-death battles that I can grow rapidly.”

Lu Lixing exhaled deeply. If he could adeptly harness his perception, his upcoming seven-day journey through Cloud Dragon Mountain might prove to be much smoother.

By the bank of a crystal-clear stream, a shirtless Lu Lixing crouched, cleaning a plump fish. Nearby, a bonfire crackled, drying a damp shirt.

He threaded the fish onto a branch and propped it over the fire, grinning. Settling down, he began to hum a tune, content and at ease.

Now on his sixth day in Cloud Dragon Mountain, Lu Lixing’s experience was vastly improved from his first day.

Over these six days, Lu Lixing had faced at least four encounters with wild beasts daily. Sometimes these were abrupt confrontations, other times nocturnal ambushes. In each crisis, Lu Lixing cleverly leveraged his perception to skillfully outmaneuver the beasts and emerge victorious.

Though brief, these six days had seen Lu Lixing’s growth skyrocket. He had transformed from a naive youth with untapped strength to someone who could adeptly wield his skills and power in battle, thanks to the perilous Cloud Dragon Mountain.

Lu Lixing had come to a profound realization: the number of Runes he possessed and the extent of his Brain Domain’s development did not define his strength. True combat prowess was the sole measure of one’s might.

And now, Lu Lixing could feel himself moving in the right direction!

As Lu Lixing was about to savor his perfectly roasted fish, a chilling roar erupted from the forest’s depths, and a formidable presence was closing in fast!

Sensing the approaching force, Lu Lixing’s expression turned grave. He sprang to his feet, ready to evade the source of the aura, but before he could act, a hulking figure burst into view with a wild ferocity.

Standing before Lu Lixing was a colossal black bear, towering at three meters tall. Its massive frame resembled a small mountain, marred with dozens of gory wounds. The bear’s ferocity was heightened by the loss of one eye, now just a blurred, bloody cavity.

As Lu Lixing stared at the imposing creature, a wave of unease washed over him. He had been navigating Cloud Dragon Mountain for six days, yet this was his first encounter with such an intimidating beast.

“I definitely can’t take on this black bear!”

Despite the bear’s battered state, Lu Lixing knew he was no match for it. The bear might not have been at its prime, but it could easily overpower and kill him. This was no ordinary wild beast; it was a bear on the brink of being a Vicious Beast, capable of slaying a Qi Refining Stage cultivator with ease.

Lu Lixing had no intention of tangling with such a formidable opponent. He was set on fleeing, but the bear seemed determined not to let him go. The glare from its sole remaining eye sent chills down his spine as it charged at him with a terrifying roar.

The bear’s size was immense, yet its movements were surprisingly swift. It swung its muscular arms with brutal force, aiming a deadly blow at Lu Lixing.

Lu Lixing felt a searing pain graze his cheek even before the bear’s paw could reach him. A direct hit would have undoubtedly reduced him to a pulp.

In a split-second decision, Lu Lixing leapt to the side, darting into the nearby underbrush. He used the dense foliage as a shield, swiftly making his escape. Only a fool would stay and risk a deadly confrontation with the black bear.

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