65: Former enemies, today's food!
In the waters ahead, the undercurrents were turbulent.
The dark riverbed, filled with jagged strange rocks and dense reefs, formed a natural zone of death.
Li Qing's massive Turtle body, like a moving ink-colored reef, slowly intruded into this forbidden zone.
The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi here was much denser than in other waters.
A heavy, tyrannical, and blood-scented aura, like a physical dark cloud, shrouded the entire area.
This was the majesty of the riverbed's true overlord, built upon countless skeletons.
Rumble!
Deep in the riverbed, it seemed as if some gargantuan creature had turned over in its sleep.
The entire water area trembled because of it.
An extremely violent will, like a red-hot branding iron, instantly locked onto Li Qing.
Who is it?
Who dares to intrude into my territory!
Who dares to challenge my authority!
Silt churned as a hideous, giant shadow slowly emerged from a deep lair.
It was a giant crocodile over five meters long!
Its entire body was covered in pitch-black scales, each shimmering with a cold, hard luster.
A giant maw slowly opened and closed, filled with dagger-like fangs that were terrifyingly sharp, seemingly able to tear through steel with ease.
[Iron-Toothed Crocodile (Third Tier Fierce Beast - Early Stage)]
[Extremely ferocious, excels at ambushes, teeth can easily tear through steel]
It stared fixedly at the intruding Li Qing.
This Turtle was truly audacious!
To dare to come to its territory!
The look in its eyes was first the violent rage of an overlord being provoked.
But then, a hint of confusion surfaced.
This aura... seemed somewhat familiar.
In the next instant, a buried memory was awakened.
It's him!
It was that little Turtle from not long ago, who had been hunted by it until there was no way to heaven and no door into the earth, finally fleeing in panic!
The Iron-Toothed Crocodile's eyes were instantly filled with profound shock.
It even thought its perception was mistaken!
How could this be?!
How could that little thing from back then become so huge in such a short period of time?!
However, the shock only lasted for a moment before being replaced by an extreme surge of greed.
It had long felt that the little Turtle's flesh was extraordinary, containing a strange energy that even it craved.
It thought it had missed out, but it didn't expect that today, he would deliver himself to the door!
This was simply a blood meal bestowed by the heavens!
"Roar!"
The Iron-Toothed Crocodile let out a dull roar, and its thick limbs slammed against the riverbed!
Its massive body turned into a streak of black lightning tearing through the water, charging madly toward Li Qing!
The river water was instantly pushed aside, forming a straight white water line.
It opened its bloody maw and launched its famous hunting technique.
Death Roll!
It wanted to use its invincible fangs to crush this stupid Turtle along with its shell!
Facing this world-destroying strike, Li Qing's cold beast pupils held only a frosty indifference.
Former enemy, today's food.
I will use your flesh to test the taste of a Third Tier Fierce Beast!
With a thought.
[Mysterious Armor]!
Buzz!
Upon his heavy and ancient Turtle shell, a layer of dark and profound light instantly rippled.
An ancient, heavy aura spread out with a bang.
The next moment.
BOOM!!!
The Iron-Toothed Crocodile's full-strength bite landed solidly on Li Qing's Turtle shell.
"Crack!"
A deafening crisp sound vibrated through the water!
The Iron-Toothed Crocodile felt an unimaginable and terrifying counter-shock force travel through its teeth and instantly throughout its entire skeleton.
Its iron teeth, which had dominated the riverbed for years and could easily bite through refined iron, actually snapped into several pieces upon contact!
Intense pain swept through its nerves like a tide!
It let go in sheer horror, its giant body tumbling back wretchedly due to momentum and the terrifying reaction force.
How is this possible?!
Why is this Turtle's shell so hard?!
The Iron-Toothed Crocodile's mind went blank, leaving only incomprehensible fear.
Just then, a cold, emotionless will enveloped it like a deity.
"Now, it's my turn."
Li Qing's mind moved slightly.
[Mystic Water Manipulation]!
In an instant, the originally turbulent river water around the Iron-Toothed Crocodile seemed to freeze in time, solidifying in a flash.
The water flow turned into an invisible cage, carrying tens of thousands of pounds of force, squeezing its body tightly from all directions, making every inch of its flesh bear mountain-like pressure.
It was like an insect trapped in amber, unable to move!
Before it could even react to this bizarre Divine Ability.
[Earth Vein Sensing], link!
Buzz~
The ground of the riverbed shook violently.
Countless silt and rocks, controlled by an invisible great force, churned up and turned into several hideous earth dragons, roaring as they coiled around the Iron-Toothed Crocodile's limbs and body!
Water Imprisonment!
Earth Binding!
Under the absolute suppression of the dual innate Divine Abilities, this riverbed overlord completely lost all ability to resist.
It could only let out desperate and angry roars, watching helplessly as that ink-colored mountain of death slowly swam toward it.
Li Qing came before it.
Amidst the Iron-Toothed Crocodile's look of extreme terror, he opened his Turtle mouth.
"Crack!"
A crisp sound of shattering.
The Iron-Toothed Crocodile's hard head was easily crushed.
[Ding! Killed Third Tier Fierce Beast - Early Stage Iron-Toothed Crocodile, evolution value +200!]
[Obtained ferocious beast essence blood x1!]
The System's notification sounded in Li Qing's consciousness.
Not bad.
A Third Tier Early Stage Fierce Beast is worth 200 points.
Li Qing's heart was calm; now was the time to enjoy the spoils of war.
He began to devour the Iron-Toothed Crocodile's body, bite by bite.
Dense and pure energy dissolved within his body.
[Ding! Devoured Iron-Toothed Crocodile flesh, evolution value +15!]
[Ding! Devoured Iron-Toothed Crocodile flesh, evolution value +18!]
...The evolution value began to skyrocket.
[evolution value: 1104.9/50000]
A sense of unprecedented satisfaction rose in Li Qing's heart.
Efficiency!
This is true efficiency!
A single Third Tier Fierce Beast provides evolution value equivalent to thousands of ordinary fish and shrimp he hunted before.
This battle also completely proved that within this Qiu River, he had already joined the ranks of the overlords!
According to the intelligence from his subordinate, the Third Tier Fierce Beast Four-Clawed Black Python, the strongest in this Great River was only at the Third Tier Peak.
As for Fourth-tier Ferocious Beasts, they were only legends; no one had ever truly seen one.
The former forbidden zone had now become his hunting ground.
Former fears had now become his rations.
This kind of reversal in strength and the pleasure of dominating everything made his state of mind incredibly joyful.
He continued to devour the Iron-Toothed Crocodile's flesh.
Every bite was accompanied by the powerful pulse of evolution value.
Until the massive body was completely devoured.
[evolution value: 1184.9/50000]
Li Qing slowly wagged his tail.
The undercurrents of the riverbed churned because of his movement.
From the initial five hundred-plus evolution value to the current nearly one thousand two hundred points.
In a single night, it had more than doubled.
Facts proved it.
Hiding in the Immortal Cave was not as good as taking the initiative to attack.
Hunting stronger existences was the fastest way to grow.
His perception spread out again, like invisible tentacles, reaching toward the darker and more unknown depths of the river.
There, it seemed even stronger auras were stirring.