The academy’s qualifying competition’s main purpose was to select contestants for the Grand Four-City Contest a month later. What was really deserving of people’s attention wasn’t Li Jiye, the Tier 2 martial artist, but the exchange of moves between Tier 3 advanced-level martial artists.
After receiving a batch of potions issued as rewards by the academy, Li Jiye returned to further train his body in his dormitory.
The main rewards consisted of a bottle of Tier 3 body-building potion, as well as other Tier 2 agility and strength potions that simply didn’t interest him.
Tier 3 body-building potions were usually used for Tier 2 advanced-level martial artists who wanted to make the final stretch to reach Tier 3. Having already noticed the effect of the potion on martial artists in the Demonic Beast Mountain Range, Li Jiye was naturally overjoyed at this point.
He adjusted his state and drained the potion in one gulp. When burning pain rose in his abdomen, his eyes shone even brighter.
By the time he came out of seclusion, Li Jiye’s strength had improved tremendously, but his physique was still rather lacking.
“Although I currently have three elemental skills and a Knife Mastery one, I always feel so powerless against advanced-level martial artists… I think I’ll have to find a way to improve my strength in the Demonic Beast Mountain Range…”
Thinking of this, he immediately found Teacher Daphne and proposed to go to the Demonic Beast Mountain Range alone for training.
This wasn’t the first time he had filed such a request. Now, Daphne had an even deeper understanding of his strength. On the second day, Li Jiye packed up his bags and left for Glimmer City.
Within a short while, he entered deep into the Demonic Beast Mountain Range from Glimmer City. He walked around the hinterlands routinely and suddenly felt a familiar aura near him.
“It’s you? Your injury has all healed!”
Overwhelmed with astonishment, Li Jiye saw the Unicorn he had previously rescued emerge from the woods.
The Unicorn now looked extremely energetic, and its previous weakness and fatigue had all but vanished. Upon hearing Li Jiye, it immediately nodded its huge head. The spiraling five-color horn on its forehead even faintly exuded a soft brilliance.
Reaching out tentatively, Li Jiye stroked the smooth back of the Unicorn. He secretly felt impressed with the Unicorn’s Divine Affinity that managed to heal such a serious injury in just half a month.
“You want me to follow you?”
Just when he wanted to reminisce with the Unicorn, he saw it raise its head and then gallop off towards the dense forest. Li Jiye originally thought the Unicorn was leaving after only coming to see him, but it stopped at the edge of the forest and turned back to look at him. Immediately, Li Jiye realized that the Unicorn must want him to follow it.
Li Jiye quickly matched up to the Unicorn’s pace. Their elemental energies condensed at the same time as they ran wildly through the Demonic Beast Mountain Range. Only when the surrounding scenery gradually changed from a jungle to a slightly barren swamp did they finally ease their pace.
The Unicorn marched forward and turned its pale golden eyes towards the depths of the swamp. At this moment, Li Jiye could actually see both desire and disgust in its eyes.
“There’s something here? You want me to find it for you?”
Nodding slightly, the Unicorn took its first step towards the depths of the swamp. Li Jiye followed it closely, and they soon stepped into the dimly-lit deep swamp.
Here, the vines were dense, and the surrounding air was filled with an inexplicable stench. Li Jiye frowned slightly and instinctively knew that there was more to this place.
The Unicorn suddenly let out a soft cry at this moment. It turned its head to look at Li Jiye and then pointed with its horn to the long knife at his waist.
“There’s danger ahead?”
The Unicorn tapped on the ground with its hoof and then walked into the area in front of Li Jiye that was blocked by dense vines.
Unsheathing his long knife, Li Jiye swung it in his hands to cut off the vines. He summoned Shadow Wind Steps and walked forward with the turquoise glow active on his feet. If there was danger ahead, he would be able to react immediately.
Once he cut off the vines in front, a peculiar strong fishy smell came out.
Walking deeper inside, Li Jiye saw a faint scarlet glow in the air. In the depths of the swamp, a pool of blood several tens of feet wide appeared in front of him, and his pupils immediately shrank. He subconsciously raised the long knife in his hand.
However, the Unicorn shook its head slowly.
Thuk-thuk-thuk…
The Wind Element winding up in Li Jiye’s hand gradually calmed down, and he looked at the Unicorn, doubtful. It raised its five-colored horn and pointed towards the edge of the blood pool.
“Huh… What’s that?” Li Jiye widened his eyes.
At the edge of the blood pool was a kind of Zoysia[1] with a pink halo constantly glowing from it. Even though it was quite far away, Li Jiye could still sense the strong elemental energy circulating in the air. He knew by intuition that this spiritual plant was definitely an advanced-level potion ingredient.
“A pink Zoysia accompanied by a blood pool… It’s the Tier 3 ingredient, Blood Ganoderma!”
He finally recalled the introduction for this plant, which he had read about in a book before. The Blood Ganoderma in front of him was a potion ingredient with powerful body-building effects, usually used to create advanced-level body-building potions.
However, due to its potent medicinal properties, some of its effects could be realized even if taken directly, or ground and then boiled into a medicinal solution.
Turning back to the Unicorn, he saw it raising its head continuously, as if urging him to pick up the Blood Ganoderma.
“Okay…”
Summoning turquoise light on his legs, Li Jiye rushed towards the edge of the blood pool with a cyclone under his feet. However, just when he was about to reach out and touch the Blood Ganoderma, the originally calm and tranquil blood pool suddenly surged into a huge wave with a pungent fishy smell.
Standing at the side, when the Unicorn saw this scene, it raised its five-colored horn and shot a holy white light towards the blood pool.
At this point, Li Jiye had a panoramic view of everything. He flew forward like an arrow glowing in turquoise light. Taking advantage of the entanglement between the Unicorn and the blood pool, he quickly grabbed the Blood Ganoderma and stuffed it into his storage bag.
The roaring blood waves bubbled even more within the next second.
The blood then suddenly burst upwards, followed by a giant python exuding crystal beads of blood.
The giant python glared at Li Jiye. Knowing that Li Jiye had stolen the Blood Ganoderma, its slit eyes were almost visibly angry.
[1] Zoysia – low-growing grass commonly used for lawns.