42: Waiting for a rabbit to run into a tree stump

The bright moonlight shone down on the deep Black Water Pool, coating the ink-colored water surface with a layer of silver luster.

The Black Water Profound Serpent coiled on the reef in the center of the pool, its thick snake tail impatiently slapping the water surface, causing splashes that shimmered with scattered silver light under the moonlight.

“Hiss—”

As its scarlet tongue flickered in and out, a rare, human-like trace of irritation appeared in the Black Water Profound Serpent's cold, vertical pupils.

Looking up at the bright moon in the night sky, it suddenly realized a fact that made its head nearly explode.

That damned human was getting stronger at an absurd speed!

Ten days ago, he was still a small Dou Practitioner chased until he fled in panic, yet now he dared to stand hundreds of feet away and provoke it precisely.

When he used the Roaming Cloud Steps, his speed was more than thirty percent faster than before, and what was more terrifying was that yesterday, when the brat avoided the poisonous mist, the Dou Qi shield on his body could actually last for three breaths without being completely corroded!

The Black Water Profound Serpent suddenly felt an inexplicable chill, recalling the hateful human standing on the distant cliff this morning, holding a roasted wild rabbit that was golden brown and dripping oil.

That aroma was simply... Wait, no!

Now was not the time to think about that!

“If this continues, I might capsize in the gutter!”

Its thick snake tail violently shattered a piece of reef, and the Black Water Profound Serpent made a major decision.

It slowly swam toward the bottom of the pool, where, in the darkness untouched by moonlight, three qi nurturing fruit plants emitted a faint green glow.

Its slender snake tail nimbly wrapped around the fruit stalks, and the moment they were uprooted, the millennium-old silt at the bottom of the pool violently surged, turning the entire pool ink-black with murky sludge.

“This great lord is done playing with you!”

The Black Water Profound Serpent took one last look at this old lair where it had lived for five years, then plunged without hesitation into the underground river at the bottom of the pool that led deep into the mountain range. Its thick body crushed the gravel on the riverbed, startling a school of small silver-scaled fish into scattering.

Before entering the underground river, it deliberately used its tail to mess up the tracks on the shore, and then spat out a mouthful of poisonous mist to conceal its aura.

The next morning, Jiang Donghua arrived at the old spot, humming a little tune.

He had specially prepared a plump pheasant today, marinated overnight with special spices.

“Big Long Worm! Time to wake up and eat breakfast!”

There was no response.

There were only subtle ripples as the morning breeze blew across the water surface.

Jiang Donghua raised an eyebrow and walked fifty more zhang forward.

“What's wrong? Tired from chasing yesterday?”

He picked up a cobblestone, flicked his wrist, and the stone traced a perfect parabola.

“Plop.”

The sound of it landing in the center of the pool.

The ripples spread out circle after circle, eventually returning to calm.

“Something's not right.”

The Heaven Burning Art quietly circulated, and a faint layer of crimson Dou Qi appeared on Jiang Donghua's body surface.

He cautiously approached the edge of the pool, and when he pushed aside the last clump of reeds, the sight before him made his eyes widen instantly.

The pool water was extremely murky; the originally clear surface now floated with a large amount of silt.

What shocked him the most was that the three qi nurturing fruit plants, along with the reefs they were rooted in, had vanished, leaving only three startling large pits.

On the damp mud of the bank, a serpentine track half a zhang wide was clearly visible, extending deep into the mountain range.

“What the heck?!”

Jiang Donghua was so angry that he kicked the roasted pheasant in his hand flying.

“That beast ran away with my qi nurturing fruit?!”

Jiang Donghua stood by the Black Water Pool, his expression constantly shifting.

There was only stagnant, murky water left; he couldn't even see a single fish.

“This beast!”

He fiercely punched the nearby rock. With a loud boom, the hard stone was actually shattered into pieces by the strike.

The strength of a Four-Star Dou Practitioner was fully displayed, but what good was it now?

“A hundred thousand gold coins!”

Jiang Donghua squatted down, gritting his teeth, and fiercely clenched a handful of damp soil.

If those three qi nurturing fruit were taken to the auction house, they would be worth at least a hundred thousand gold coins, not to mention that if they were refined into medicinal pills, their value would multiply several times over.

The soil rustled down through his fingers, just like his shattered dream of getting rich.

“It certainly ran fast.”

Jiang Donghua stood up and looked around.

Over the past ten days, he had come to this Black Water Pool every day, engaging in a battle of wits and courage with that Black Water Profound Serpent.

Although he was chased away miserably every time, the thrill of walking the line between life and death made his cultivation speed more than thirty percent faster than usual!

Now, his opponent was gone, and the fun was gone too.

“Four-Star Dou Practitioner!”

Jiang Donghua felt the surging Dou Qi within his body, and a wry smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

If it were normally, breaking through one star in ten days would make him so happy he would have to find a few dissolute friends and have a big drink.

But now?

There wasn't even a witness.

[Host: Jiang Donghua]

[Realm: Four-Star Dou Practitioner (0 / 4000)]

[Main Cultivation Method: Heaven Burning Art (profound rank mid-level)]

[afk Income]

Clone 1: 5 points / hour

Clone 2: 5 points / hour

[Current Total Income: 10 points / hour]

“Even a snake would be good.”

He looked at the calm water surface, suddenly missing the furious Black Water Profound Serpent.

At least every time that beast chased him out, it would let out an earth-shaking roar; the momentum and the pressure were so stimulating!

Now, the pool was silent, without even a splash.

“Coward!”

Jiang Donghua angrily kicked the gravel on the bank and turned to leave.

His figure was stretched long under the sun, appearing particularly lonely.

Jiang Donghua returned to his cave, lay down on the stone bed, and stared blankly at the ceiling.

“At this rate, it will take 16 days of afk to break through to Five-Star Dou Zhe.”

He counted on his fingers and immediately felt bored.

“No, I need to find some fun for myself!”

Since the afk system automatically cultivates, he could totally go out and wander around!

Thus, Jiang Donghua packed his bag, grabbed a few pieces of dry food, and left while humming a tune.

“Magical beasts, your Grandpa Jiang is here!”

Jiang Donghua wandered outside the cave for an entire day but didn't even see a single magical beast hair.

“Tsk, the prestige of the Black Water Profound Serpent is truly immense.”

He kicked the pebbles at his feet, feeling a little depressed.

He had originally thought that since the Black Water Profound Serpent had run away, the nearby magical beasts would flock here.

“But there isn't even one beast coming to drink water?!”

He squatted by the Black Water Pool, staring blankly at the murky surface.

“Are these magical beasts' noses that bad? They can't smell that the Black Water Profound Serpent is gone even ten miles away?”

Jiang Donghua sighed, stood up, and patted the dust off his backside.

“Forget it. The afk system is still running anyway. I'll just wait slowly!”

In a flash, ten days passed.

Jiang Donghua lay bored in the cave, legs crossed, a blade of grass stem dangling from his mouth.

[Host: Jiang Donghua]

[Realm: Four-Star Dou Practitioner (2788 / 4000)]

[Main Cultivation Method: Heaven Burning Art (profound rank mid-level)]

[afk Income]

Clone 1: 5 points / hour

Clone 2: 5 points / hour

[Current Total Income: 10 points / hour]

“A few more days of afk, and I'll be able to break through to Five-Star Dou Zhe.”

He yawned and rolled over.

During these ten days, he went to the Black Water Pool once every day, but unfortunately...

“There still wasn't a single ghost shadow!”

However, he hadn't been completely without gain.

“At least this place is quiet, suitable for sleeping.”

Another seven days passed.

[Ding!]

[Congratulations to the host for breaking through to Five-Star Dou Zhe!]

Jiang Donghua suddenly sprang up from the stone bed, clenched his fist, and felt the surging Dou Qi within his body.

“I finally broke through!”

He grinned, preparing to go out and stretch his muscles and bones.

“Boom!”

Suddenly, a loud noise came from afar!

Jiang Donghua froze, then his eyes lit up.

“Movement?!”

Without a word, he grabbed his long sword and rushed out.

By the Black Water Pool.

A massive Iron-Backed Azure Wolf was lowering its head to drink water, and behind it...

Over a dozen magical beasts were slowly approaching!

Jiang Donghua hid behind a tree, a slow smile curving his lips.

“Finally, I waited for it!”

Jiang Donghua squatted on a treetop, squinting as he observed the pack of Iron-Backed Azure Wolves.

“Tsk, three Four-Star, five Three-Star, and the rest are all Two-Star.”

He counted on his fingers. If he were to fight head-on, he, a Five-Star Dou Zhe, wouldn't necessarily lose, but the problem was that these beasts were too cohesive!

The most troublesome thing about wolf-type magical beasts was their vindictiveness. If he killed one today, he might have to face the pursuit of the entire wolf pack tomorrow.

“It's not worth it.”

Jiang Donghua rubbed his chin, then suddenly grinned.

“Why don't I learn from that Big Long Worm?”

For the next few days, Jiang Donghua squatted in the reeds, a grass stem dangling from his mouth, staring boredly at the calm Black Water Pool.

The dozen or so Iron-Backed Azure Wolves finished drinking, shook their fur, and slowly left, giving him no chance to strike the entire time.

“Tsk, a bunch of cowards.”

He spat out the grass stem and stretched. He had finally figured things out these past few days.

The remaining prestige of the Black Water Profound Serpent was too strong. Low-level magical beasts didn't dare to linger; they drank water as if they were thieves, running away immediately after finishing.

As for the Three-Star and Four-Star magical beasts...

“Every single one is cunning to the extreme. The slightest sign of trouble, and they immediately howl and scatter.”

Jiang Donghua sighed and slowly walked back to the cave.

Waiting by the stump for a rabbit?

He hadn't even caught rabbit fur!

“Splash—”

The communication between magical beasts was always interconnected; at least they knew the Black Water Profound Serpent of this Black Water Pool had gone somewhere unknown.

More and more magical beasts dared to go there for a drink.

By the Black Water Pool, there was finally movement.

A sturdy Ironclad Mountain Boar swaggered to the edge of the pool and began drinking water with snorting sounds.

Jiang Donghua instantly became alert!

“It's here!”

“Wait a minute!”

He squinted his eyes, observing carefully.

This boar...

“Five-Star Dou Zhe level, thick skin and rough flesh, but low intelligence.”

“Most importantly, it's alone!”

The corner of Jiang Donghua's mouth slowly curled up.

“Finally, I waited for a suitable one!”

He crept over silently.