Chapter 512 - 248: Encountering a Mutated Blood Scythe Demon Mantis, Gaining a Powerful Talent, and an Unexpected Encounter with a Giant Spirit Martial Artist

Jiang Che arrived at the Black Mist Wood once again.

This time, he bypassed the outer edges and went deep into its heart, specifically targeting Exotic Beasts with powerful auras.

PFFT!

With a soft sound, a Ghost-faced Demon Spider—perched on an ancient tree, its body covered in ghost-face patterns and emanating the aura of the Fifth Layer Peak of the True Master Realm—had its head pierced by Jiang Che’s Finger Wind before it could even spit its venomous web.

Jiang Che skillfully captured its Soul and sealed it.

He sent his Divine Thought into the Jade Talisman.

[Beast Soul: Ghost-faced Demon Spider (Fifth Layer Peak of True Master Realm)]

[Spirit Attachment Ability: Spider Silk Entanglement. The user can spit out tenacious and sticky spider silk to bind an enemy’s movements. The silk’s strength is tied to the user’s True Qi.]

’A control-type Ability, huh...’

Jiang Che nodded slightly.

’It’s better than that Leopard that could only create afterimages. If I run into an enemy with a nimble Body Technique, using this silk to restrain them might be surprisingly effective.’

’But that’s about it.’

For someone like him, who possessed an absolute advantage in speed and strength, this kind of control measure wasn’t essential.

Besides, the thought of shooting out spider silk just by extending his hand...

’...Spider-Man?’

Jiang Che couldn’t help but crack a smile.

He continued on.

Before long, he encountered a Furious Fire Ape, its body entirely crimson and its arms hanging past its knees.

The beast was an Exotic Beast at the Early-stage Sixth Layer of the True Master Realm. It possessed immense strength and an extremely violent temper. The moment it saw him, it threw a heavy, flaming punch.

Jiang Che didn’t dodge or evade, meeting its attack with a punch of his own.

BANG!

The arm bone the ape prided itself on shattered instantly. Its massive body flew backward, snapping several black ironwood trees before it died on the spot.

He captured its Soul and inspected it.

[Beast Soul: Furious Fire Ape (Early-stage Sixth Layer of True Master Realm)]

[Spirit Attachment Ability: Blood Boiling. After entering a combat state, as rage accumulates, it slightly increases attack power and pain tolerance.]

’A passive enhancement type...’

Jiang Che curled his lip.

’The boost is too small, and it needs to build up rage—it’s too slow to get going. It’s far worse than my Blood Burning Secret Technique.’

He had captured two in a row, and while both were stronger than the previous Iron-backed Demon Pig, the improvement was limited. They were still rather underwhelming.

Before he knew it, all but one of the Jade Talismans in his hand were filled with various Beast Souls; the last one had only two empty slots remaining.

He looked at the sky and felt it was getting late.

’Looks like this is all for today.’

Jiang Che stopped, feeling a slight sense of regret.

’The Black Mist Wood may be vast, but finding an Extreme-Grade Beast Soul that’s truly impressive—one that could bring about a qualitative change—really comes down to luck.’

’Forget it. I’ll take these back for now. If nothing better turns up, I’ll just have to pick the best of a bad bunch and make do.’

Having made up his mind, Jiang Che turned to leave the deep region of the woods.

However, the very instant he turned to take a step...

HMM—

The True: All-Seeing Eye triggered passively!

A warning vision flashed in his mind.

In a moment, a blinding crimson light would strike him from behind!

Jiang Che’s steps halted abruptly. He whipped around, his gaze locking onto a patch of dark, dense forest to his left.

In his normal vision, there was nothing there, not even the sound of wind.

But under the Insight of his True: All-Seeing Eye, an extremely blurry, translucent figure that blended almost perfectly with its surroundings was leaping rapidly through the treetops!

Its two forelimbs were a pair of massive, meter-long Blood Scythes!

’This is...’

Jiang Che’s pupils contracted. Song Yuan’s warning instantly came to mind.

’The Blood Scythe Demon Mantis at the Sixth Layer Peak of the True Master Realm!’

His muscles tensed, and his instinct screamed at him to evade the attack.

But after taking just one step, he stopped.

’Maybe... I should test it?’

A bold thought suddenly surfaced from the depths of his mind.

Although his True: All-Seeing Eye had given him a warning...

...the sense of crisis wasn’t actually that strong.

Even without using any of his trump cards...

...he was confident he could defeat it.

’The reason Senior Brother Song told me to run is because he’s judging from the perspective of an ordinary True Master Realm Martial Artist.’

’In their eyes, this Blood Scythe Demon Mantis is a glass cannon—high attack, low defense, and incredibly fast. If you can’t react in time, it’s truly a one-hit-kill nightmare.’

’But... that applies to others.’

Fighting spirit blazed in Jiang Che’s eyes.

’I have the True: All-Seeing Eye, which can see through anything. Its stealth is useless against me!’

’And this is a perfect chance to test out the Blood Burning Secret Technique...’

Besides, and more importantly, the Blood Scythe Demon Mantis’s defining traits were its ultimate attack and ultimate defense penetration!

Wasn’t that exactly the kind of offensive power Jiang Che was currently lacking?

If he could capture its Soul and perform a Spirit Attachment...

...wouldn’t his attack power skyrocket?

The more Jiang Che thought about it, the more excited he became.

’Avoid its attack?’

’Sorry...’

’...but I’ll be taking this Extreme-Grade Beast Soul for myself!’

Facing the stealthily approaching Blood Scythe Demon Mantis, Jiang Che made a grasping motion with his right hand as the Myriad Phenomena True Qi within him began to surge wildly!

Blood Burning Secret Technique, activate!

In the next instant, the blood in his veins began to boil as if it were ignited oil!

A ferocious power flooded his entire body. His skin turned crimson, and visible waves of heat radiated from him.

VMM!

At the same time, the air seemed to be torn apart in an instant!

In the vision of the True: All-Seeing Eye, the once-blurry red light suddenly condensed, transforming into a bolt of bloody lightning that shot straight for Jiang Che’s throat!

Fast!

Unbelievably fast!

This was the explosive power of the Sixth Layer Peak of the True Master Realm!

However, facing the giant Blood Scythe that could sever metal, Jiang Che advanced instead of retreating. Forming his right hand into a claw and covering it with a thick layer of gray Myriad Phenomena True Qi, he thrust it forward in a vicious grab!