44: Slaying a peak fighter

Jiang Donghua moved like the wind, with Dou Qi circulating under his feet as he executed Roaming Cloud Steps, traversing the forest as if on flat ground.

More than two months of high-intensity combat had sharpened his senses to an extreme degree; not even the slightest unusual aura could escape his detection.

Suddenly, he paused, his gaze, sharp as lightning, fixed on a towering ancient tree ahead.

The tree trunk was thick, its bark cracked like dragon scales.

And on a branch about three zhang high from the ground, a herb, entirely green, was growing, its leaves as crystal clear as jade, faintly glowing with a light cyan halo.

"Azure Spirit Body Tempering Grass?"

A glint flashed in Jiang Donghua's eyes, and the corners of his mouth curved slightly upwards.

This herb was extremely rare, one of the main ingredients for refining Body Tempering Pills; even if consumed directly, it could strengthen bones and muscles, enhancing physical body strength.

In an auction house, a complete Azure Spirit Body Tempering Grass could fetch at least a thousand gold coins!

"Good luck."

He whispered, then leaped, Dou Qi bursting forth from his feet, and he soared into the air like a swallow, landing steadily on the tree trunk.

However, just as he reached out to pluck it...

"Hiss--!"

A black shadow suddenly shot out from the depths of the tree canopy, fast as lightning, striking directly at Jiang Donghua's throat!

Jiang Donghua's pupils constricted; his reaction was incredibly swift, his body sharply leaning back, while simultaneously, his right hand instantly condensed a Blazing Flame Palm, crimson Dou Qi erupting like a fierce fire!

"Bang!"

The black shadow was slapped away, hitting the tree trunk with a sharp hiss.

Jiang Donghua looked closely; it was a venomous snake, entirely black with scales glinting with metallic luster, as thick as an arm, now flicking its scarlet tongue, staring at him with a chilling gaze.

"Black-Scaled Ironline Snake?" Jiang Donghua sneered.

"No wonder this herb grew to this point; so you, beast, were guarding it."

The Black-Scaled Ironline Snake, a first-order four-to-five-star magical beast, possessed extreme speed and potent venom; even a Dou Master expert bitten by it would die within half an hour if not detoxified in time!

"Too bad, you can't stop me."

Battle intent surged in Jiang Donghua's eyes; he flipped his right hand, a short blade already in his palm.

The Black-Scaled Ironline Snake seemed to sense the threat, coiling its body, its head raised, ready to launch a fatal strike at any moment.

"Swish--!"

The snake's shadow, like lightning, struck again!

Jiang Donghua's figure flickered, Roaming Cloud Steps pushed to its limit, and he narrowly dodged sideways at the critical moment, while the short blade flashed with cold light, accurately slashing at the snake's body!

"Pfft!"

Blood splattered; the Black-Scaled Ironline Snake was cut into two pieces by the blade, its head still writhing wildly on the ground, fangs bared menacingly.

Jiang Donghua snorted, stomped on the snake's head to ensure it was thoroughly dead, then turned and carefully plucked the Azure Spirit Body Tempering Grass.

As the herb came into his hand, a cool medicinal fragrance wafted over him, subtly invigorating the Dou Qi within his body.

"Good stuff!"

He nodded with satisfaction, placing the herb into his storage bag.

However, just as he was about to leave, he suddenly frowned, his gaze sweeping towards the depths of the dense forest.

"Something's not right."

His senses told him that this area seemed unusually quiet.

"Rustle, rustle--"

A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, but besides that, there was no other sound of magical beasts.

Was he overthinking it?

Jiang Donghua stared at the Azure Spirit Body Tempering Grass in his hand, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes.

"Anyway, it's suitable for a Dou Practitioner's body tempering; it'd be a waste not to eat it!"

He unhesitatingly stuffed the entire herb into his mouth, clenching his teeth and chewing it fiercely!

"Crunch--"

The herb's juice exploded in his mouth, a spicy yet fragrant medicinal power instantly surging through his limbs and bones!

Jiang Donghua grunted, feeling the Dou Qi in his body churn like boiling water, and a stinging pain in his muscles and bones, as if countless tiny blades were scraping them.

"Hiss... that's potent!"

He gritted his teeth and let out a low growl, veins bulging on his forehead, but his gaze grew even sharper.

He was already accustomed to this kind of body-tempering pain.

Two months of life-or-death combat had made his endurance far surpass that of ordinary people.

After just a few breaths, the medicinal power gradually stabilized, and he clearly felt his physical body strength had increased by another notch!

"Not bad; with a few more stalks, I might even directly break through to Eight-Star Dou Zhe!"

Jiang Donghua grinned, his battle intent growing even stronger.

However, just as he was about to delve deeper...

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The ground suddenly trembled, and trees in the distance consecutively toppled, as if some colossal creature was charging through!

Jiang Donghua's eyes narrowed; he instantly entered a combat state, gripping his long sword tightly, Dou Qi circulating throughout his body.

"Roar--!!!"

An earth-shattering roar erupted, a fierce wind swept through, and leaves flew everywhere!

The next moment, a giant bear, its size like a small mountain, burst from the dense forest, its crimson beast eyes locked onto Jiang Donghua!

Earth Tyrant Bear!

A peak first-order magical beast, its strength comparable to a Nine-star Dou Zhe!

Its entire body was covered in thick, dark brown fur, each strand as hard as a steel needle, its four limbs as thick as stone pillars, and its sharp claws gleamed with a chilling light, capable of tearing rock with a single swipe!

Most terrifyingly, its innate ability, "Earthquake," once activated, would instantly crack the ground within a three to five zhang radius, causing enemies to lose balance and become lambs to the slaughter!

"Heh, so it's you?"

"Did that last sword strike not teach you a lesson?"

Jiang Donghua sneered, not a trace of fear in his eyes, but rather, surging battle intent!

The Earth Tyrant Bear let out a low growl, its breath snorting like thunder, clearly enraged.

It had dominated this area for a long time, and no human had ever dared to provoke it like this!

Only this human in front of him had, last time, made it feel a life-or-death threat.

Such an existence must not be allowed to live, otherwise, it would eventually die by his hand.

Strike first, or suffer later!

"Boom--!"

Without any further ado, the fierce bear suddenly stood upright, raised its claws high, and then slammed them fiercely into the ground!

"Earthquake!"

"Crack--!"

The ground instantly cracked, and a terrifying shockwave spread like a tide, the ground beneath Jiang Donghua's feet suddenly collapsing!

"Roaming Cloud Steps!"

Jiang Donghua was prepared; his figure, like a ghost, soared into the air, Dou Qi erupting from his feet, actually using the collapsing ground to leap into mid-air at the moment of collapse!

"Blazing Flame Palm!"

His right palm was crimson like a hot iron, scorching Dou Qi condensed into a giant flaming palm, striking down from the air towards the fierce bear's head!

"Bang--!"

The fierce bear roared in pain, but the palm only singed a tuft of its fur, causing no substantial damage!

"Thick skin and tough flesh; as expected, it's troublesome!"

Jiang Donghua's expression was grave; after landing, he quickly distanced himself.

The fierce bear was utterly enraged, dropping to all fours, charging like a war chariot, breaking trees in its path!

Jiang Donghua, however, curved his lips into a cold smile.

"A beast is a beast; no matter how strong, it only knows brute force!"

His figure flashed, Roaming Cloud Steps pushed to its limit, actually dodging sideways at the moment of the fierce bear's charge, while the short blade flashed with cold light, fiercely stabbing into the fierce bear's flank!

"Pfft!"

The blade entered flesh, blood splattered!

"Roar--!"

The fierce bear roared in pain, turning and sweeping with a claw!

Jiang Donghua had anticipated this, his figure retreating like a willow catkin, while simultaneously, with a backhand, he delivered another Blazing Flame Palm, accurately striking the fierce bear's wound!

"Hiss--!"

A burnt smell permeated the air; the fierce bear's wound was charred and bloody!

"Again!"

Jiang Donghua's battle intent soared; he moved like a leopard, constantly leaving wounds on the fierce bear's body.

Although the fierce bear possessed immense strength, its speed was far inferior to Jiang Donghua's, and coupled with excessive blood loss, its movements gradually slowed.

Finally, after half a quarter-hour of entanglement...

"Die!"

Jiang Donghua seized a moment of the fierce bear's stumble, his figure like lightning, the short blade piercing directly into the fierce bear's throat!

"Pfft--!"

The blade pierced through its throat, blood gushing like a spring!

The fierce bear's massive body crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Jiang Donghua panted heavily, shook the blood from his blade, and sneered:

"Peak first-order? Nothing more than that!"

He squatted down, skillfully dissecting the fierce bear's head and extracting an earthy yellow demonic core, purer than the previous Ironclad Mountain Boar's.

"Good stuff, worth at least eight hundred gold coins!"

However, just as he was about to leave, his ears twitched, and he suddenly looked up towards the depths of the dense forest.

"Rustle, rustle--"

Leaves rustled softly; it seemed something was approaching.

And, not just one!

Jiang Donghua's eyes turned cold; he slowly tightened his grip on his long sword.