The Ascension of Contracted Spirits

Chapter 159 - 124: Rare Insect Species, Mud Blade Mantis!_1

In their ears, they could not even hear the fluttering sounds of Insect Fond Spirits’ wings.

The chilly night and the cold moonlight lightly fell, following the dispersed mist.

Li Jingming and Su Mei left their hiding spot, walking stiffly towards Ye Hanjun.

Standing still, they gazed ahead with their dazed expressions filled with complexity.

The Giant Duck Beast... was truly dead!

Lying in a puddle of blood, the lower half of its body had submerged into the mire.

The upper half of its body was marred by eye-catching slash wounds; not a single bit of its fur remained intact. Its body was filled with bloody gaping wounds, the white bone of the beast visible everywhere.

The locations of what seemed to be the fatal injuries—its split open neck, its broken spine, its shattered heart—were countless, as many as four or five.

Presumably, even as a fond spirit of the Savage, regardless of its extreme vitality, such severe damage that it had sustained meant it could not have survived.

As the wild wind subsided and the yellow sand dispersed, apart from the lingering warmth in its carcass, unimaginable horror seemed to be reflected in its eyes that would not close in death.

Perhaps even it did not expect to die in such a gruesome, pitiful form, at the hand of a clay-cast spirit.

"Master."

Huazhu floated next to Lord Han, manipulating the flow of wind.

At this moment, the dispersed mist had not yet re-congregated, and moonlight shone overhead. It seemed as though the wizard’s hat, black as pitch, was coated with a layer of silver-grey.

The golden hair that danced with the wind was fluffy, light, and soft.

Gazing at it intently, every strand seemed to be a spirit possessing sentient life, making one want to reach out to touch and experience the supreme silkiness.

Yet, if one’s gaze falls on the witch’s face, the slightly childish features already bore the outlines of transcendent beauty.

She was like a proud snow plum blooming alone in a still mountain valley, her beautiful eyes looking around, full of understated composure and elegance.

Killing the Giant Duck Beast... was it that easy?

It seemed that one’s true strength consisted of absolute self-confidence, the root source of Huazhu’s bearing when she stood alone against the three in the training hall!

Li Jingming and Su Mei’s regard for Huazhu was one of even greater admiration.

"Not bad. Truly worthy of being the ’Unique and Unmatched Technique’ that surpasses all limits."

Ye Hanjun showed a faint smile, having had the advantage in a perilous fight and using up stamina, followed by the ’Mad Sand Dance’, responsible for securing the final kill.

Although the weakness of Huazhu’s frail physical body was still extremely apparent.

Yet she possessed the devastating power of attacking spells, durable, protective spells, swift, agile stances, refined and deft shifts.

With a clay body, there were very few fond spirits that could compete against her.

The Giant Duck Beast, refused to admit defeat right to the point of death...

It was like a stepping stone, witnessing Huazhu giving it her all for the first time.

Such magnificent posture, such thrilling achievement, it could only be the beginning of the rise to fame for the ’Sandstorm’ clan.

"Rip—"

Ye Hanjun slowly cut off the Giant Duck Beast’s neck with the Blood-Sucking Dagger.

The valuable part of the Giant Duck Beast was actually its fur, which could be used to make high-quality clothing.

Regrettably, these were too damaged from the battle to be of any use.

However, roasted duck neck was still quite delicious when slow-cooked over a small fire, making it ideal for a quick snack.

"It’s almost dawn, let’s rest here and find a place to rest."

Ye Hanjun recalled Huazhu as Li Jingming and Su Mei complied, quietly following Master Han’s steps.

...

Finding a place in the Yellow Mud Swamp to rest for the night was not easy.

With the night deepening, there were even more dangerous predators out than during the day, ready to collide head-on if they were not careful.

Even with Ye Hanjun’s rich experience and strong perception, they were forced into a few battles.

Naturally, they did not encounter the Rainbow Light Fetus.

The wild Clay Body spirits posed no unbearable risk to the team members, they merely slowed their travel pace.

Finally, the three of them took refuge inside a rock tree that had died many years ago.

Ye Hanjun dozed in his clothes, maintaining his usual rest mode, able to recover energy, while staying alert to imminent danger.

Su Mei and Li Jingming spent their first night in the marsh.

The number of monsters wandering around was more than in the trial area.

They were too nervous to relax and could not sleep soundly all night.

To ensure that their next move was not affected, Ye Hanjun let them rest until noon.

"Sizzle..."

The fire had been lit and countless pieces of duck neck were slowly smoking and roasting.

With the rising temperature, the hovering mist faded slightly.

The penetration of a little sunshine also caused the spirits residing in the Yellow Mud Swamp to briefly lose their liveliness, all then enjoying a lazy afternoon.

"It smells so good..."

A groggy Su Mei, rubbing her sleepy eyes, crawled out from inside the rock tree.

Then she saw that a recently awakened Li Jingming was tidying up his equipment, whilst Master Han was patiently roasting some sort of meat over a bonfire.

"Gurgle..."

With an embarrassing sound, her stomach started to rumble.

Ye Hanjun timely handed over several roasted duck necks to them both.

"Crunch, crunch."

Biting into the roasted duck neck, the crispy skin met her taste buds welcome, and the spicy aromatic flavors soaked into her nostrils.

Both Su Mei and Li Jingming’s eyes lit up and they subconsciously quickened their chewing speed.

"Master Han, the food you prepare... is really delicious!"

"Although it’s not a magical gourmet meal that triggers special effects, the flavor is truly impeccable!"

With her mouth full, Su Mei continued to relish the taste of the meat. She did not realize it had been swallowed until she spat out the bone, looking full of satisfaction and amazement.

"The art of cooking is one of the few pleasures I never tire of."