Chapter Twenty-One: In Fact, I Owe You My Thanks
The entire journey was smooth and unobstructed, and Sword and Sleepy Worm soon reached the entrance of Wind Spirit Valley.
Yet, somewhat “unexpectedly,” there were “people” welcoming them on either side.
“Ding! Second-tier, superior-grade mutant Spirit-Hunting Beast Lord detected, excellent quality, level 14.”
“Ding! Second-tier, mid-grade Spirit-Hunting Beast detected, excellent quality, level 13.”
...
“Big brother, another wave of origin and experience incoming.”
“Haha, little brother, you’ve finally wised up!”
Sleepy Worm hurriedly flattered him, “Hehe, following the big brother is the way to go.”
At that moment, over thirty Spirit-Hunting Beasts, carrying origin and experience, were guarding the valley entrance, while more than twenty others had circled around to encircle them.
“Lord, they’re coming.”
The Spirit-Hunting Beast Lord’s gaze was gloomy. “Hmm, anyone who dares offend us Spirit-Hunting Beasts, no matter who they are, will meet only death!”
Just then, an 11th-level Spirit-Hunting Beast, trembling, walked up to the level 14 Lord.
“Lord, it’s that black iron sword that wiped out our brothers in Shadow Canyon.”
“What?! Then old and new scores shall be settled together! Little brother, I will avenge you!”
At this moment, Qin Chuan still didn’t know that someone was out for his life in the name of brotherly revenge, and he was leisurely “sitting” atop Sleepy Worm’s back.
“Stop right there!”
A Spirit-Hunting Beast that Qin Chuan had let escape earlier now stood twenty meters ahead, blocking his path with a fierce posture.
Truth be told, this creature was quite afraid of dying, which was why it stood so far away.
“Oh, we meet again. Are Spirit-Hunting Beasts always this enthusiastic?” Qin Chuan asked with a smile, always courteous to those who delivered themselves as prey.
“Bah! Has your spirit core gone bad?”
“Can’t you see we’re here to kill you?”
“Do you think we’re here to welcome you?”
“Who do you think you are? Just a worthless iron sword!”
The Spirit-Hunting Beast rattled off a string of mockery, venting the anger from earlier.
Qin Chuan jumped off Sleepy Worm’s back, still smiling. “Hehe, honestly, I really should thank you.”
“Thank me? I’m here to kill you, and you thank me? You must be truly dumb! Haha!”
“But it makes sense. If you weren’t dumb, why would you let us go so easily?”
The Spirit-Hunting Beast stared at Qin Chuan’s true form, the black iron sword, as if watching a fool—until the sword suddenly shot towards him.
“Chiu!”
Qin Chuan unleashed a swift strike, no longer interested in wasting words.
“Mother, here it comes again! How can it attack from so far away?!”
Moments ago, the Spirit-Hunting Beast had been arrogant, but now deeply regretted not standing even farther away, frightened and desperately fleeing.
But could it escape?
“Pfft!”
The black iron sword pierced the Spirit-Hunting Beast cleanly and swiftly.
“Ding! Killed level 13 Spirit-Hunting Beast, gained 600 experience points, over-level kill bonus 100% experience, congratulations, host receives 1200 experience points.”
“Hehe, in the end, you still belong to me!”
Qin Chuan’s flawless kill left all the Spirit-Hunting Beasts shocked and furious.
“This guy dares act so arrogant even when surrounded, he doesn’t take us seriously at all!”
“We Spirit-Hunting Beasts are a great tribe—how can we endure such humiliation and contempt?”
“Kill him! He must die!”
...
The herd didn’t wait for the Lord’s command; claws flashed as they leaped and swarmed in from all directions.
“Ouwah wah wah!”
A chorus of beastly cries echoed at the entrance to Wind Spirit Valley.
“Big brother, take care, little brother’s retreating!”
Sleepy Worm, seeing the dense swarm of Spirit-Hunting Beasts, gulped in terror, burrowed underground, and escaped.
Meanwhile, Qin Chuan’s true form, the black iron sword, vibrated with excitement, barely able to contain itself.
“Haha, another wave of origin and experience incoming!”
Qin Chuan returned to his original spot, skill refreshed.
“Chiu, chiu, chiu!”
“Ah, ah, ah!”
“Ding! Killed level 13 Spirit-Hunting Beast, gained 600 experience points, over-level kill bonus 100% experience, congratulations, host receives 1200 experience points.”
...
Qin Chuan entered rapid-fire mode, shooting as if at living targets. No matter how the beasts tried to dodge, none escaped his lock-on.
“What on earth is happening?”
“Stop talking, close in! That guy’s a ranged attacker—once we’re up close, it’ll be easy!”
“Yes, once we’re close, we’ll tear him apart!”
“Ouwah wah wah!”
...
The Spirit-Hunting Beasts were ferocious. After a dozen were slain, they only grew more savage, relying on their numbers to finally close in on the black iron sword.
But the outcome was nothing like they expected; it was simply suicide.
Qin Chuan’s lips curled in a slight smile as he activated Ghost Twitch mode, combining movement, basic attacks, and slow effects, reveling in the thrill.
“Ding! Killed level 13 Spirit-Hunting Beast, gained 600 experience points, over-level kill bonus 100% experience, congratulations, host receives 1200 experience points.”
...
Moments later, more than half the beasts were dead—a massacre. Finally, the level 14 Lord could no longer sit still.
“Brothers, retreat!”
The Lord roared, rushing to the battlefield to rescue the retreating beasts.
“Damn! I haven’t finished harvesting all the origin and experience yet!”
Qin Chuan, feeling disgruntled, quickly dispatched a few more, but in the end, about ten managed to escape.
The Lord, rushing to the field, was even more frustrated and furious, forced to watch his subordinates slaughtered in an instant, helpless to intervene.
Qin Chuan’s speed was so incredible that the Lord began to question whether the black iron sword was truly a ranged attacker.
“Devour origin!”
“Ding! Devour successful, gained 130 evolution points.”
...
“Hmm, not bad—forty-seven in one go, delightful!”
Before the Lord arrived, Qin Chuan had devoured all the origin energy in a single sweep.
Even in his busy state, Qin Chuan took a moment to check his attribute panel, feeling utterly pleased.
Evolution points: 23030/51200
Experience: 57000/409600
Rage: 100/100
“Aha, rage is just full.”
The Lord had now reached ten meters ahead, ferociously lunging at Qin Chuan.
The Lord’s leaps were formidable; with one leap, it advanced five meters, with two, it was right upon Qin Chuan.
“Shadow Double Claws!”
“Blink!”
Qin Chuan didn’t hesitate, instantly blinking four meters away.
This creature’s sharpness was extreme, and there was no need to risk a direct clash.
After dodging, Qin Chuan repositioned skillfully and struck with a basic sword attack.
“Hmph! Do you think I’m the same as them?”
The Lord sneered, activating the second phase of Shadow Double Claws—Rush!
Rush: forcibly advances three meters forward and launches Shadow Double Claws again.
This second phase rush was usually a powerful skill, but Qin Chuan, alert, immediately vacated his previous spot.
With Shadow Double Claws missing, the rush advanced three meters but did no harm, and it narrowly avoided Qin Chuan’s attack as well.
“Oh, impressive!”
For the first time, Qin Chuan’s attack missed, but he wasn’t anxious. Though his basic strike failed, his rage was still intact.