Chapter 100: Iron-eating Armored Lizard
As the four insect tamers broke through their growth stages, the second-order insect master’s experience increased by a small chunk.
At the same time, Su Yan could also feel the reinforcement of his physical bone structure brought by the characteristic insect bone armor body, as well as the improvement of the armor body’s defense.
The stronger the insect tamer’s insects, the stronger the feedback to the body’s changes.
“The skeletons of the Iron-Eating Armored Lizards are manageable. Although a first-order perfection feral beast is very strong, it’s not impossible to deal with. But this second-order feral beast blood marrow.”
Su Yan frowned slightly. Gold-silver marrow and red blood crystals were all manageable. Although they were precious special metals, they could be found on the market if one wanted to collect them.
But second-order feral beast blood marrow had to be extracted from second-order feral beasts. Their strength was equivalent to that of a true intent realm martial artist, and there were not many such beasts in the Yunling Mountain Range.
With Su Yan’s current strength, he might not be able to take one down.
“Marrow-Sucking Leech. If I remember correctly, this should be a first-order mid-grade exotic insect feral beast, and it’s not easy to get either.”
Although the Marrow-Sucking Leech was not that strong, it was relatively stealthy. If it were easy to find, Su Yan would have tried to form a contract with it long ago.
Of course, this would be under the premise of proper resource supply. Otherwise, one more exotic insect would mean one more mouth to feed, which would be troublesome.
“I’ll gather the materials for the Jade Beetle’s metamorphosis first. As for the second-order feral beast blood marrow, I’ll see if I can buy it.”
The White Bone Poison Centipede and the Red Armored Mad Scorpion had both advanced further, but it was hard to say if they could deal with a second-order feral beast when combined.
Su Yan found Yang Kun and the others, and they had received gifts from Su Yan.
They were initially hesitant and did not dare to eat them.
They even planned to hide the pills and pretend to have taken them to deceive Su Yan.
However, with Ding Meng as an example, he had already taken the Blood-Strengthening Pills refined by Su Yan and knew about Su Yan’s pill refining skills.
This time, seeing Su Yan distributing pills again, they didn’t think they were meant to harm them.
Moreover, Yang Kun and the others had personally witnessed Su Yan refining pills, so they also swallowed them this time with hesitation.
The Five Aggregates Pill and the True Essence Pill were taken together to nourish the five organs and increase true essence.
It was only then that they realized that the quality of these pills was also top-notch.
After a period of cultivation, all five of them made progress.
This also made them more convinced of Su Yan in their hearts.
Perhaps following Su Yan was not such a bad thing.
“Lord.”
The five stood respectfully before Su Yan, with Ding Meng and Wang Cang showing the most obvious increase in their aura.
Among the five, the brothers Jiao Yang Sou, Yang Kun, and Yang Lun, were originally at the great accomplishment stage of the Spirit Nurturing Realm. Although the pills were effective, they were not enough to produce immediate results.
Cai Peng was slightly weaker, also possessing the strength of the minor accomplishment stage of the Spirit Nurturing Realm.
Only Ding Meng and Wang Cang were weaker, having previously been at the beginner stage of the Spirit Nurturing Realm. However, after a long period of tempering, they now had the strength of minor accomplishment.
“Help me find clues for some things: gold-silver marrow, red blood crystal, marrow-sucking leech, iron-eating armored lizard, and second-order feral beast blood marrow.”
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After Su Yan said this, even the usually steady brothers Jiao Yang Sou and Yang Kun looked troubled.
“Lord, second-order feral beast blood marrow is in high demand and short supply in Yun Cang Town, and we may not be able to find any news. Moreover, these items are not cheap, and we will likely need some time to gather them.”
He had tried to be as tactful as possible, implicitly revealing that they were currently short on money.
Su Yan had ransacked their treasury clean within a few days and also asked them to prepare first-order metal and many spirit herbs.
Some of these items were looted, while others were bought with their savings.
Although they still had some money and provisions left, to buy all the items mentioned above would likely cost tens of thousands of taels of silver, which they could not come up with immediately.
Not to mention, the second-order feral beast blood marrow was not only used for refining medicine; even consuming it alone was beneficial for breaking through to the True Intent Realm, making it something that was in high demand but short supply.
“First, find the news. As for the silver…”
Su Yan paused for a moment, seeming to think he had squeezed them too hard recently.
“First, find the news, and then sell the pills.”
He still needed to squeeze them, but he couldn’t push them to their deaths. Su Yan knew the difference between feeding them well once and feeding them a little all the time.
As for Cai Peng and the others, they were relieved to receive Su Yan’s permission and split up, dispersing to various junctions of the desolate mountains to engage in risk-free business.
Su Yan controlled a few of his insect tamers and went down the mountain. In a mountain hollow, he released the Blood Locust.
Half of the five thousand insect eggs stored in the Insect Realm Space immediately hatched, and over two thousand Blood Bees hatched and rushed into the dense forest, directly initiating a hunt.
The Blood Bees were not strong, and they had difficulty suppressing feral beasts with tough hides.
However, Su Yan’s purpose in releasing them was not this, but to collect a large amount of essence.
Su Yan ordered the Blood Locust to take charge, leading the swarming Blood Bees to wreak havoc.
After absorbing a large amount of blood, some of it was converted to the Blood Locust to replenish their consumption, while the other part was converted into essence and directly used as materials for Su Yan’s pill refining.
Su Yan found a spot to refine pills, processing this beast blood essence into Blood-Strengthening Pills one by one.
In just two or three days, he had refined a batch of Blood-Strengthening Pills.
News came from the foot of the mountain that Hundred Herbs Hall had bought a batch of inner armor and weapons from Tian Feng Weapon Shop, stating they were for their guards’ self-defense.
But it was obvious to everyone that Hundred Herbs Hall was determined to obtain the guardian rights of Ancient Forest Mountain this time.
It was said that the person in charge of the defense had been changed to the Head Shopkeeper of Hundred Herbs Hall, Zhang Tianhong, a grandmaster of the True Intent Realm Great Accomplishment stage of the Heart Monkey.
Little Mountain Association had withdrawn most of their people, seemingly not participating in the competition for Ancient Forest Mountain.
Each faction had its own activities, but things were still relatively stable.
Ding Meng and Jiao Yang Sou returned, each bringing what Su Yan had requested, and most of the silver in the village had been spent.
These included Gold-Silver Marrow, Red Blood Crystal, and one Marrow-Sucking Leech.
The items were placed before Su Yan. The Gold-Silver Marrow was in a jar, flowing like tribute, emitting a faint golden light, and was more viscous. The palm-sized jar weighed one jin.
This material appeared soft, but when incorporated into soft armor, its enhancement to strength was considered top-grade among various metals.
The Red Blood Crystal was as crimson as blood. Although it was an ore, it exuded the smell of fresh blood, as if countless blood had converged into one.
As for the Marrow-Sucking Leech, it was as long as an arm and as thick as a palm, completely black, with scarlet blood stripes on both sides. It appeared boneless and soft-bodied.
However, if it attached itself to a spine, it could bite through the spine in one go, sucking blood and marrow, causing unbearable pain.
“Not bad, where did you find this Marrow-Sucking Leech?”
Su Yan looked at Jiao Yang Sou Yang Kun and nodded slightly.
The Marrow-Sucking Leech was kept in a tin can with only an opening, the lid locked, evidently a specially made container.
“The Third Boss of Tianhe Gang, Sha Yufeng, has always been brutal. This Marrow-Sucking Leech is something he raises and uses to punish those who defy him, letting them suffer for days without dying, torturing them alive. I have some dealings with him and traded for it using the True Essence Pills you gave me, plus 1000 taels of silver.”
The “Pay Extra” Layman, Jiao Yang Sou.
Although Jiao Yang Sou’s strength had been stuck at the great accomplishment stage of the Spirit Nurturing Realm for many years, and his true intent phantom could never reach the step of transforming the form into reality and becoming a True Intent Realm martial artist.
However, his years of operation and connections with various forces were definitely not shallow.
For something like the Marrow-Sucking Leech, if Su Yan had to find it himself, it would likely take a month or two, and it would also depend on luck.
“Here are two more bottles of True Essence Pills. Polish your cultivation to perfection. If you perform well, it’s not impossible to help you break through to the True Intent Realm.”
Su Yan threw two bottles of True Essence Pills to Jiao Yang Sou Yang Kun, casually drawing a pie in the sky.
Su Yan himself was not yet in the True Intent Realm, and Jiao Yang Sou knew this.
However, upon hearing this, his body couldn’t help but tremble slightly, his heart stirred, and a glimmer of hope arose.
“Thank you, Lord.”
Jiao Yang Sou and the others retreated. Su Yan had the Jade Beetle and the Blood Locust swallow their respective molting materials. Although not yet fully successful.
But after swallowing the molting materials, the aura and accumulated energy of both of them had significantly increased.
Another day passed, and this time Wang Cang brought good news. Eight Directions Trading Company had sold them the whereabouts of an Iron-Eating Armored Lizard.
“Three months ago, someone entered the mountains and discovered a first-order perfection Iron-Eating Armored Lizard in Qionfeng Mountain.”
Three months?
Su Yan frowned slightly. Three months was not a short time.
Whether the Iron-Eating Armored Lizard was still there after such a long period was truly uncertain.
Seeing him frown, Wang Cang explained, “Iron-Eating Armored Lizards are unlike other feral beasts. Their tough armor can only be overcome by two or three Spirit Nurturing Realm martial artists. Apart from their armor, they have almost no other use, so few people specifically hunt them.”
Hunting was not like a martial artist duel where one had to fight to the death.
Hunting was for obtaining materials and sufficient profit. Fighting with feral beasts of the same realm could result in injury or even death with just one misstep.
Under such circumstances, the risk and reward were not proportional.
Therefore, during hunts, apart from those with astonishing skills and sufficient confidence, few martial artists hunted alone.
When increasing the number of hunters, martial artists often chose feral beasts that were more cost-effective as hunting targets.
Preferably, they would be feral beasts that were valuable all over.
And among all feral beasts, there were two types that were undoubtedly the most troublesome.
Those with copper skin and iron bones and fierce temperaments.
Those that were poisonous all over and lived in harsh environments.
Both of these would increase the danger of hunting, and if coupled with low value, who would risk it?
Unfortunately, the Iron-Eating Armored Lizard was the former, with its copper skin and iron bones, ordinary sword cuts and blade slashes could hardly cause a fatal threat.
Yet, its strength was formidable, and it had torn apart countless martial artists.
Such a tough bone might not have anyone willing to deal with it.
“Lord, do you need us to go together?”
Wang Cang and the others dared not guarantee they could take down a first-order perfection Iron-Eating Armored Lizard alone, let alone search for its traces.
“You continue to collect supplies. I will go myself.”
After finally finding traces, Su Yan did not want to wait slowly for Wang Cang and the others to search.
Let alone whether they could find it or not, being stuck in the metamorphosis stage for too long would delay Su Yan’s own time.
Su Yan summoned the Blood Locust. Its wings vibrated with a buzzing sound, and Su Yan jumped onto it. Soon, he was out of Grindstone Mountain.
Having roamed the Yunling Mountain Range for many days, Su Yan was extremely familiar with the various areas of the desolate mountain region.
Although it was already evening, he quickly identified the direction of Qionfeng Mountain and flew towards it at a low altitude.
After leaving Grindstone Mountain, he immediately entered the forest to travel.
While traveling in the sky was fast, it also made one easy to be targeted.
He was just a small Spirit Nurturing Realm martial artist and could not withstand too many people coveting him, so he had to sneak into the village without drawing attention.
Traveling through the forest for about two hours, Su Yan arrived at Qionfeng Mountain.
The mountain rocks were abrupt, and the lonely moon hung high.
Qionfeng Mountain’s terrain was not pleasant. Although there were trees, they were not lush. Sparse ancient trees resembled ghosts, and more so, abrupt mountain rocks and pits.
This mountain was named after a type of Qiong Jade that could warm Qi and Blood and promote the birth of True Essence. Various factions fought over it and flocked to it.
In the end, it turned Qionfeng Mountain into its current state.
As Su Yan stepped into Qionfeng Mountain, he vaguely heard the sound of wolf howls coming from the mountain.
“I wonder how many pits were dug in the past to mine jade, which conveniently became nests for feral beasts.”
Su Yan muttered to himself and then released the Blood Locust.
As soon as the Blood Locust appeared, a large swarm of buzzing Blood Bees emerged around it, like a blood mist.
“Go!”
Su Yan gave the order, and under the control of the Blood Locust, a large number of Blood Bees spread out, beginning a carpet-like search across the entire Qionfeng Mountain.
Under the moonlight, the Blood Bees, like a smeared blood mist, searched along the mountainside.
This search startled many beasts in the mountains.
Su Yan found a high cliff that slanted towards the sky, climbed onto it, and sat there quietly, carefully observing the areas where movement occurred.
Qionfeng Mountain was so vast, and the Iron-Eating Armored Lizard was discovered by chance three months ago.
Whether it was still here now was truly uncertain.
Time passed bit by bit. After about an hour, the moon in the sky hung high and became brighter and brighter.
The Blood Bees explored in the forest, and because they startled many feral beasts, these beasts instinctively attacked the Blood Bees that approached them.
The losses were quite significant for a while. After searching only half of the mountain, the number of Blood Bees lost reached four to five hundred.
Although they were not precious, the fact that the bodies of the Blood Bees could not be recovered was a pity for these resources.
Suddenly, a series of urgent wolf howls arose from a sunken valley not far from Su Yan.
“Roar!”
Accompanied by the wolf howls, a low growl with a tearing sensation echoed in the valley.
The Blood Bees quickly flew back, Su Yan’s eyes moved, and he suddenly stood up and quickly rushed in the direction of the sound.
The Blood Bees could not transmit accurate information, but such a commotion clearly indicated that a first-order perfection feral beast was fighting over there.
Su Yan moved extremely fast, his figure rushing forward, like a faint, flickering ghost under the moonlight.
After entering the Spirit Nurturing Realm, with his physical body aided by True Essence, his strength, defense, and coordination ability had all greatly improved.
He reached the valley over a thousand meters away in a short time.
The roaring wolf howls continued to sound, with a strong sense of threat.
Led by the Wolf King, seventeen or eighteen Desolate Mountain Wolves were intently staring at a giant monster swaggering and shaking its head and body in front of them.
The monster was covered in hard armor, from head to tail, except for a few thorns, its entire body was covered in dark green scales.
“Iron-Eating Armored Lizard!”
Su Yan recognized the Iron-Eating Armored Lizard at a glance, while the Wolf King opposite became even more cautious.
The Iron-Eating Armored Lizard showed no fear and strode forward. Suddenly, it opened its blood-red maw and roared at the Wolf King. Its cold beast eyes fell on the giant Green Rock Ox next to the wolves.
The Green Rock Ox had already been killed by the wolf pack, its belly ripped open, and the smell of blood slowly spread around.
This scene was no less than an invitation for powerful feral beasts to come and enjoy the food.
The Wolf King paused, immediately blocking the Iron-Eating Armored Lizard and the food, baring its fangs, extremely sharp, attempting to scare away the Iron-Eating Armored Lizard.
The Iron-Eating Armored Lizard opposite suddenly lit up with certain patterns on its body, then it charged forward fiercely, pouncing into the wolf pack.
In an instant, the wolf pack began to fight the Iron-Eating Armored Lizard.
