Cultivation: I Can Solidify Equipment Attributes

Chapter 68: Chapter 67: Tier One Top Grade Demon Beast

They were still heading toward West Gully.

Halfway there, the Spirit Detecting Disc suddenly gave a violent shudder.

The Spiritual Light on its surface instantly flared into chaos. A wave of power, far stronger than anything they had previously encountered, pressed down on them from ahead.

Li Yuan stopped in his tracks, his brows furrowing immediately.

"There’s something up ahead. More than one."

He Shou had already turned to look at him.

"How far?"

"Thirty zhang out. The Spiritual Qi is clashing chaotically. It looks like a fight."

At his words, everyone halted.

He Shou didn’t charge forward immediately, instead lowering his voice.

"Let’s sneak over and take a look first."

The six of them crept forward, using the scattered rocks and low slopes for cover. It wasn’t long before they heard a commotion.

First came a muffled crash, followed by the sound of exploding Magic. A little further ahead, their view opened up, and the battlefield was revealed.

Ahead was another guard squad.

They were facing two Demon Beasts.

One was enormous, covered in greenish-black scales. Its spine was ridged and high, and a short, thick horn grew from its forehead. It was a Split-horned Lizard, its aura already at Tier One Top Grade.

The other was smaller but more vicious—a gray-backed Wind Wolf of Tier One Middle Grade, constantly circling on the flank.

Every time the Split-horned Lizard raised its head, an earthen-yellow Spiritual Light gathered in its mouth, and it would spit out either stone spikes or earth bombs. The Wind Wolf was faster; it opened its mouth to spew Wind Blades, specifically targeting the edges of shields and people’s legs.

The other squad was clearly at a disadvantage.

But they weren’t completely helpless.

The blade-wielding Cultivator at the front was holding his ground desperately, his green shield having already shuddered three times from the impact of earth bombs. Two people behind him were taking turns casting Magic. One used ice arrows, the other the Wood Vine Skill, forcefully keeping the Wind Wolf from getting too close. Another team member was crouched to the side, obviously injured in the leg, but still throwing Talismans.

He Shou only needed a couple of glances before speaking in a low voice.

"We can help."

Li Yuan nodded as well.

Both Demon Beasts were strong, but this wasn’t the kind of fight that would drag them down to their deaths if they intervened. The other squad could still hold on. As long as they struck from the flank and pinned down one beast, they could turn the situation around.

"Target the Wind Wolf first," Li Yuan said. "It’s fast. Leaving it be will be trouble."

"Right." He Shou turned back and lowered his voice. "Han Shi, you take the front. Zhou Qing and Xu Shun, you’re with me to pressure the Wind Wolf. Li Yuan, find an opening to hit it first. Liu Cheng, don’t rush in blindly; watch for a chance to support."

The group acknowledged with a sound and cut in directly from the side.

Li Yuan was the first to act.

He instantly cast the Fire Arrow Skill.

FWOOSH!

The projectile shot past the edge of a slanted rock and struck the gray-backed Wind Wolf squarely on its hind leg. A gash instantly split open on the wolf’s leg. Its body faltered, and its lunge toward the blade-wielding Cultivator was thrown into momentary disarray.

"Someone’s here!" someone from the other squad shouted.

He Shou had already charged forward with Han Shi.

Han Shi raised his shield to block. An earthen-yellow Spiritual Light flared, deflecting two incoming Wind Blades. The light quickly dimmed, and his face instantly flushed red from the strain.

Zhou Qing sent three Willow Leaf Shuttles flying in succession, while Xu Shun raised his staff and released a cloud of icy mist, forcing the gray-backed Wind Wolf from its position.

The Split-horned Lizard on the other side reacted quickly, too. It lowered its head, and the earthen-yellow Spiritual Light in its mouth grew intensely bright.

Three stone spikes erupted from the ground, aiming straight for Han Shi’s feet.

Han Shi’s expression changed. He sidestepped abruptly, but one of the spikes still grazed his shield, sending a numbing vibration up his arm.

Li Yuan ignored the lizard and continued launching his Fire Arrow Skill.

A second, a third, a fourth.

The fiery glints almost formed a continuous line, aimed specifically where the gray-backed Wind Wolf would land. The wolf was naturally fast, but with the [Precision] enhancement, every one of Li Yuan’s strikes was incredibly accurate, either blocking its path or forcing it to change direction.

After a few volleys, the gray-backed Wind Wolf’s rhythm was completely broken.

He Shou seized the opportunity. His Dharma Blade swung in a bright arc, slashing right where its shoulder met its neck. Zhou Qing’s Willow Leaf Shuttle followed, embedding itself in the wolf’s flank and drawing a spray of blood.

The gray-backed Wind Wolf cried out in pain and turned to flee.

With a burst of fire at his feet, Li Yuan used the Fire Escape Skill to shoot forward, raising a hand to launch another fire arrow.

A line of fire flashed past, embedding itself directly in the wolf’s eye.

The gray-backed Wind Wolf let out a wretched howl. As it turned its head, another fire arrow pierced its throat.

[Precision (White) Permanence Condition Met]

[Make Permanent?]

Li Yuan’s movements paused for a fraction of a second. With a thought, he confirmed it.

[Permanence Successful]

[Precision (White) Has Become a Permanent Entry]

[Equipment Consumed]

The moment the gray-backed Wind Wolf fell, the Split-horned Lizard went berserk. It whipped its tail, sending rocks flying everywhere.

"Back!"

He Shou yelled.

The blade-wielding Cultivator from the other squad also seized the chance, slashing at the side of the Split-horned Lizard’s neck, but only managed to break through half a layer of scales.

"This beast’s hide is thick!" the man cursed.

Li Yuan had already moved to the side, a Fireball rapidly compressing in his palm.

The moment the Fireball formed, Li Yuan flung it.

BANG!

The Fireball struck the base of the Split-horned Lizard’s foreleg. The resulting blast of fire peeled back a layer of its scales. The Split-horned Lizard cried out in pain, turned its head, and spat an earthen-yellow orb of light toward Li Yuan.

Li Yuan sidestepped, activating his Fire Escape Skill again, and instantly shifted sideways.

The orb of light slammed into the spot where he had just been standing, sending shrapnel and dirt flying everywhere.

The next moment, the blade-wielding Cultivator from the other squad pressed in from the front, his blade striking the side of the Split-horned Lizard’s head twice in succession. He Shou also closed in and added a strike of his own, specifically aiming for the joint of its foreleg.

"Fellow cultivator, again!" that man shouted.

He didn’t need to ask. A second Fireball had already formed in Li Yuan’s hands.

This time, he didn’t aim for the head or the back. He smashed it right at the base of the leg where the scales had been blasted loose.

Another muffled THUD.

The Split-horned Lizard’s foreleg buckled violently, its entire body slumping to one side.

Xu Shun’s ice arrows, Zhou Qing’s Willow Leaf Shuttles, and the other squad’s Wood Vine Skill all descended at nearly the same time, pinning it to the spot.

Li Yuan raised his hand, fingers together, and the Fire Arrow Skill shot forth immediately after.

The line of fire drilled straight through the cracked seam in its scales.

The Split-horned Lizard’s body shuddered. It let out a low, guttural roar and tried to struggle, but He Shou and the blade-wielding Cultivator had already struck simultaneously from the left and right, their blades hacking into the sides of its neck.

Blood gushed out.

The Split-horned Lizard struggled a few more times before finally collapsing with a thunderous crash.

Only then did the battlefield fall silent.

From the other squad, someone plopped right down on the ground, gasping for air. The one with the injured leg also propped himself up against a rock to stand, his face deathly pale.

He Shou scanned the surroundings to confirm there were no new threats before sheathing his blade.

The blade-wielding Cultivator wiped the blood from his face and walked over.

The man was in his thirties, with a dark complexion and an old scar on his left eyebrow. His aura was that of the Qi Refining Fifth Level, about the same as Li Yuan’s.

He first cupped his fist to He Shou.

"Thanks. A little later and we would have been in serious trouble."

He Shou waved his hand dismissively.

"We just happened to make it in time."

The man’s gaze then fell on Li Yuan, lingering for a moment.

It was obvious to everyone who had contributed the most in that fight.

First taking out the Wind Wolf, then twice piercing the Split-horned Lizard’s tough hide, and finally that fire arrow that drilled right through the crack—no one could have missed it.

"This fellow cultivator looks unfamiliar. Were you just transferred over?" he asked.

"Li Yuan," Li Yuan stated his name.

"Zhao Heng." The man nodded, then added, "I owe you one for this. If you need help with anything in the future, don’t hesitate to ask."

Li Yuan didn’t stand on ceremony and took him up on it immediately.

"Actually, there is something."

Zhao Heng was taken aback for a second, then he chuckled.

"Go ahead."

"I’m learning Talisman crafting and want to learn how to make a few more types of Talismans. If you have any connections, I’d appreciate an introduction."

After hearing him out, Zhao Heng didn’t refuse.

"That’s not difficult. I happen to know someone who can draw several practical Talismans. Things are hectic right now, but once this period is over, I’ll come find you."

"Alright," Li Yuan nodded.

With that settled, the two teams began to butcher the Demon Beasts.

Both the gray-backed Wind Wolf and the Split-horned Lizard were valuable, especially the Top Grade Split-horned Lizard. Its horn, hide, tendons, and bones—every part could be sold. The meat, of course, wasn’t wasted either and was divided according to the rules.

Li Yuan received another large portion this time.

By the time he returned to his quarters, the sky had already grown dark.