Chapter 168 - 97: Taihang Mountain Range Stronghold
Even if fragmented techniques or low-tier skills with limited applications occasionally surfaced, their prices were exorbitant, and they weren’t guaranteed to fit his own Martial Dao path.
He urgently needed two core combat techniques right now.
One, a powerful spear technique compatible with his Heart-Fire Spiritual Essence.
And another, a nimble and swift Body Technique for preserving his life and pursuing enemies.
’Since I have the chance to get free access to the Provincial Education Bureau’s top-tier resource library...’
Lin Yi’s mind raced, and in an instant, he had weighed his options.
’Go!’
’Why shouldn’t I go?’
’I’ll just treat it as a supply run to the Provincial City!’
’Besides, as long as nothing goes wrong with the Mosquito Avatar, it doesn’t matter where I do my Cultivation.’
"Alright, so when do we leave?"
Lin Yi nodded, his tone returning to normal.
"Excellent! That’s the spirit!" Chen Zhenguo laughed upon seeing Lin Yi finally agree. "I’ll send you the detailed arrangements and the meeting point later. Use the next two days to get yourself in top shape and build up your energy!"
"Mm," Lin Yi acknowledged, then said, "Principal, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head back to my Cultivation."
"Off you go. Prepare well!" Chen Zhenguo said with a smile and a wave.
Without further delay, Lin Yi waved to the principal.
He then bent low, pushed off with his feet, and shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, hurtling toward his home in the tenement building.
He was so fast that he kicked up a small gust of wind on the cold winter street, causing passersby to turn and stare.
He ran with an air of urgency.
How could he not be?
Just moments ago, during his conversation, the Mosquito Avatar had reached the Taihang Mountain Range. Using its powerful Tracking skill, it had successfully locked onto the trail of a First Grade Demon Beast!
Everything was in place.
All that was needed was for his real body to be prepared.
Then, he could activate the Bloodsucking Skill and begin the feedback process for his Bone Tempering!
Lin Yi rushed into the tenement housing complex at top speed.
He shoved open his front door, slamming it shut behind him with a BANG.
He casually leaned his alloy longspear against the old sofa.
He didn’t even bother to take off his shoes.
He walked straight to the slightly empty patch of floor in the center of the living room.
He sat down cross-legged and formed a strange yet steady Seal Technique with his hands—
It was the opening stance for the Bone Tempering Skill.
’Time to begin!’
Lin Yi took a deep breath, instantly banished all distracting thoughts, and focused his mind inward.
「At the same moment.」
「Deep within the Taihang Mountain Range.」
The piercing mountain wind scraped across the bare, rocky ridges like a knife, letting out an eerie howl.
Amidst a jumble of rocks on a shaded foothill,
a giant python as thick as a water bucket and covered entirely in green scales was gliding along, its movements slow and bizarre.
Its triangular head flicked out its scarlet tongue from time to time, its cold, vertical pupils scanning the desolate environment.
In the dead of winter, ordinary snakes would have already burrowed underground to hibernate.
This great green-scaled snake, however, showed no signs of hibernation. On the contrary, it seemed exceptionally active, its body exuding a faint, ferocious aura.
Clearly, it had transcended the realm of ordinary creatures and evolved into a savage Demon Beast—the Green-Scaled Demon Python!
About ten meters above this fearsome demon python,
the completely invisible Mosquito Avatar waited like a patient, top-tier hunter. Its compound eyes, flashing with an imperceptible cold light, were locked on the moving prey below.
It hovered weightlessly, making not a single sound as it merged with the biting mountain wind.
Until Lin Yi returned to his home in the tenement complex and was ready for his Bone Tempering—
BUZZ!
An extremely faint whir of beating wings sounded, almost completely masked by the wind.
The Mosquito Avatar burst from stillness into motion.
As if shot from a catapult by an unseen force, it dove at a near-vertical angle toward the oblivious, colossal green shadow below!
It moved with the speed of lightning!
𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢
However,
at that very moment,
the Green-Scaled Demon Python below reacted as if it had foreseen the attack. Its upper body shot up, and its gaping maw snapped toward the Mosquito Avatar.
SWOOSH!
The Mosquito Avatar banked sharply in midair, tracing an arc to narrowly evade the demon python’s attack.
Still, the demon python’s sudden attack surprised Lin Yi.
’This demon python can actually sense the Mosquito Avatar while it’s invisible?’
’The Mosquito Avatar can completely conceal its Demon Qi and is optically invisible. Even an average Third or Fourth-Grade Martial Artist would have difficulty detecting it.’
’And yet this demon python, only at the First Grade Realm, had seen through the stealth?’
’Is it because of heat?’
’Creatures like snakes have heat-sensing organs that can detect the infrared radiation emitted by living beings.’
’Perhaps that’s how the Mosquito Avatar was exposed.’
’If that’s the case...’
’Then I’ll just force a breakthrough!’
Using its superior flight speed, the Mosquito Avatar flew circles around the demon python like a persistent pest.
The demon python was simply too massive. Despite its agile movements, how could it possibly defend itself from every direction at once?
Finally,
the Mosquito Avatar landed on the relatively vulnerable area on the back of the Green-Scaled Demon Python’s neck. Its long, hard proboscis pierced unimpeded through scales that even an ordinary sword could barely scratch!
PSST!
The faint sound of the puncture was swallowed by the wind.
Then, the skills activated!
[Blood Sucking]!
[Paralysis]!
The dual effects took hold instantly!
The Green-Scaled Demon Python’s huge body suddenly stiffened!
It didn’t feel the sharp pain it had expected.
But it could clearly feel the very source of its survival and power—its Demon Beast Qi and Blood—being frantically drained away by an irresistible, terrifying suction!
"HISS! ROAR!!"
The demon python let out a shriek mixed with pain and rage, its enormous body suddenly beginning to twist and roll wildly!
It was trying to shake off and crush the invisible Demon on its back!
BOOM! BANG! CRACK!