31: The Gold-Eating Insect King? Crunch! Foundation Establishment complete!

Deep within the dark, abandoned mine tunnel, Gu Yang was sitting cross-legged, preparing to use the 5,000 "massive sum" of energy points he had just acquired for an epic upgrade.

However, just as he was about to click "Add Points."

Crack!

The ground beneath his feet suddenly collapsed without warning.

Gu Yang felt his feet lose purchase, and he plummeted downward along with the rubble and dust.

"The quality of this mine is way too shoddy, isn't it?"

Gu Yang complained, forcefully twisting his body in mid-air and landing steadily.

This was a natural karst cave located deeper within the mineral vein. The air was not only filled with rich Spiritual Qi but also permeated with a sharp, metallic Qi that stung the skin.

The walls of the cave were covered in golden crystal clusters that resembled sharp swords.

"This is... Companion Ore?"

Before Gu Yang could rejoice, an extremely dangerous aura instantly locked onto him.

Buzz buzz buzz—

Deep within the cave, two lantern-sized golden compound eyes lit up.

Immediately afterward, a ferocious, monstrous insect, the size of a water buffalo, covered in thick golden armor, and possessing a pair of massive serrated sickles for forelimbs, slowly crawled out.

Its mouthparts constantly opened and closed, emitting a clicking, metallic grinding sound. It was clearly angered by Gu Yang, the uninvited guest who had woken it from its slumber.

[Warning! Detected Tier 2 Peak Yao Beast (Foundation Establishment Stage Great Perfection) — Gold-Devouring Insect King!]

[Trait: Indestructible Carapace (Immune to attacks below the Foundation Establishment Stage), Peerlessly Sharp Dual Sickles (Can sever Medium Grade Magical Artifacts).]

"Tier 2 Peak? Foundation Establishment Great Perfection?"

Gu Yang licked his lips, his eyes instantly blazing with intensity, "This thing looks like... it has six times the protein of beef!"

"Hiss—"

The Insect King was enraged by Gu Yang's hungry gaze.

It kicked off with its hind legs, transforming into a streak of golden light that shot toward Gu Yang.

The massive sickle forelimbs brought a mournful sound of rushing wind as they crossed and slashed down, determined to slice this human into three pieces.

"Good timing!"

Gu Yang advanced instead of retreating, clenching his fists and slamming them toward the sickles.

Although he currently possessed a Mortal Physical Body, his battle instincts, honed through countless trials, remained.

Heavenly Devil Tiger Fist—Hard Clash!

CLANG!!!

A deafening roar erupted, sparks exploding like fireworks.

Gu Yang slid backward over ten meters, his feet plowing two deep trenches into the hard rock floor.

He looked down and saw two white marks on his fists, which were even throbbing faintly with pain.

"What a hard shell! What sharp blades!"

"As expected of something that grew up eating Spirit Stones, its hardness is much greater than that earthworm (Flood Dragon) in the Human Realm!"

The Insect King clearly hadn't expected this human, who lacked any Spiritual Qi fluctuations, to survive its strike. It roared and lunged again, moving faster than before.

Swish swish swish!

Blade shadows filled the air, enveloping Gu Yang. Every strike could shatter rock.

"With my current physical constitution, fighting a Foundation Establishment Peak opponent is still a bit strenuous."

Gu Yang relied on his nimble movement technique to dodge while roaring internally.

"System! Stop watching the show!"

"Add points for me! Deduce the 'Immortal Cultivation Version of Primordial Indestructible Golden Body'! I want to temper this flesh and blood into a true Magic Treasure!"

"5,000 points! All-in!"

[Command accepted! Cultivation Technique deduction and upgrade in progress...]

[Consuming energy points: 3,000 points!]

[Deduction successful! Primordial Indestructible Golden Body has advanced to — Yellow Rank Low Grade (Immortal Cultivation Version Entry Level)!]

[Remaining energy automatically converted into Physical Body reinforcement...]

Boom!

During the fight, Gu Yang's body suddenly erupted in a dazzling golden light.

The bones inside his body crackled and popped. His body, which had previously felt somewhat heavy due to gravity's suppression, now felt as if a massive burden had been lifted, becoming incredibly light.

A layer of delicate yet tenacious Spiritual Runes appeared on the surface of his skin, like a natural Spiritual Armor.

His internal organs furiously devoured the surrounding metallic Spiritual Qi, especially the energy from the fifty Spirit Stones he had just consumed, which completely erupted at this moment!

[Congratulations, Host! The Physical Body has broken through the Mortal Physical Body shackles!]

[Realm Breakthrough: Foundation Establishment Stage Body Cultivator (Early Stage)!]

[Divine Ability Unlocked: Extreme Dao Force Field (Range restored to 3 meters, Gravity Multiplier: 10 times)!]

"That's more like it."

Gu Yang abruptly stopped moving, no longer dodging.

At this moment, the Insect King's sharp sickles had already slashed down toward his head.

"Kneel!"

A golden light flashed in Gu Yang's eyes.

Divine Ability — Extreme Dao Force Field! 10x Gravity!

Buzz!

The Insect King felt its body suddenly sink, as if a massive mountain had appeared on its back. Its lightning-fast movements instantly became incredibly sluggish.

Its enormous body was actually pressed down by the gravity, causing its six legs to buckle, and it collapsed onto the ground!

"You enjoyed slashing just now, didn't you?"

Gu Yang took a step, instantly appearing on the Insect King's back.

His hands, like iron clamps, tightly gripped the seams of the Insect King's dorsal carapace. His muscles bulged, and the terrifying brute strength of a Foundation Establishment Stage Body Cultivator fully erupted.

"Now you get to taste what it's like to be disassembled!"

"Tear... open!!!"

Crack! Snap!

Accompanied by sickening cracking sounds and the Insect King's mournful screams.

The golden armor, reputed to be indestructible and difficult even for Medium Grade Magical Artifacts to damage, was forcibly ripped open by Gu Yang!

It was like prying open a massive King Crab with bare hands.

Revealing the tender white insect meat inside, which emitted a rich, strange fragrance.

"Gulp."

Gu Yang swallowed.

"This meat quality... is superb!"

He didn't stand on ceremony, immediately reaching out, tearing off a large piece of meat, and chewing it vigorously.

"Mmm! Tastes like chicken, crunchy! And the Spiritual Qi is even richer than Spirit Stones!"

The Insect King, not quite dead, watched in despair as this human feasted on its back. It never imagined that its final fate, as the tyrant of the mineral vein, would be to be eaten alive!

Half an hour later.

All that remained on the ground were an empty golden carapace and two sickles that were still sharp.

Gu Yang let out a satisfied burp, feeling the Qi and blood within him surging like a great river.

After eating a Foundation Establishment Stage Great Perfection Yao Beast, coupled with his earlier Breakthrough, although his Realm was still in the Foundation Establishment Early Stage, his Physical Body strength was already comparable to a High Grade Magical Artifact!

In other words, if he stood still and let an ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivator strike him, the opponent might not even be able to break his defense.

Gu Yang picked up the two door-sized sickles and swung them twice.

"Not bad. They're a bit light, but sharp enough. I'll make do with them for now."

He slung the sickles onto his back and climbed up along the collapsed opening.

He returned to the previous abandoned mine tunnel.

The Foreman was walking over, cursing and holding a whip: "Damn slave! Where did you run off to? If you don't submit today's quota, I'll..."

Before he could finish his sentence, he saw Gu Yang emerge from the darkness.

Gu Yang was currently radiating suffocating bloody killing intent, carrying two dripping giant sickles on his back, and had a suspicious piece of meat residue hanging from the corner of his mouth.

"You... you..."

The Foreman was so terrified that he dropped his whip.

Although he couldn't discern Gu Yang's cultivation, the fear stemming from biological instinct made his legs turn to jelly.

Gu Yang walked over, bent down, picked up the whip, and tugged at it in his hand.

Snap!

The tough beast-hide whip was instantly ripped apart.

He flashed an extremely "kind" smile and patted the Foreman's stiff cheek:

"Stop hitting people."

"Starting today, I call the shots in this mine area."

"Also, go fetch your Sect Master, or whatever he is."

"I'm hungry. I want to ask if his family has any more good food."