Chapter 66

The Spirit Beast Mountain, though called a mountain, is actually a vast mountain range. This mountain range is very peculiar, with its north and south sides being exceptionally steep. Even if Jiang Yi wanted to climb up from the north or south, it would be extremely difficult. However, the east and west sides are much flatter, with undulating peaks, dense forests, and rugged terrain. Of course, those participating in the Blood Refinement wouldn't get lost; they just need to head straight for the highest peak in the center of the mountain range, where the top is the location of the Spirit Beast Academy.

"Is this a demon beast? It doesn't look any different from a wild animal."

Jiang Yi was currently lying on a towering tree, watching from a distance as six people were surrounding and attacking four demon beasts. These four demon beasts resembled wild boars, but their backs were covered with sharp spines, and they had two tusks protruding from their mouths.

In Jiang Yi's view, these wild boars were not as ferocious as the demon beasts in legends. They just relied on their tusks and spines to charge and attack. Their speed was only comparable to the Sixth Rank of the Cauldron Casting Realm, and the six young men and women could easily dodge and counterattack. If not for their thick skin and strong defense, they would have been killed long ago.

"Why don't these six people just kill them directly? One of them is at the Eighth Rank of the Cauldron Casting Realm. Why are they dawdling?"

Jiang Yi was puzzled, his gaze fixed on the strongest of the group, a young woman who was almost eighteen years old. Although she wasn't as stunning as Ji Tingyu, she was still quite beautiful. Her status and position were definitely the highest among the six. She wielded a fiery red longsword, darting left and right, leaving bloody marks on a wild boar demon beast, but she always retreated after a single strike, never daring to fully commit to a killing blow.

"Be careful!"

Suddenly, the young woman shouted, quickly retreating. The others immediately scattered in fear. Jiang Yi's senses heightened, focusing on the wild boar demon beasts. He knew the wild boars were about to use their demonic arts.

Sure enough!

The four large wild boars let out strange cries, and then the more than ten spines on their backs detached and transformed into arrows, shooting out in all directions. They were as fast as lightning, with astonishing power. A massive tree that three people could barely encircle was pierced through by a single spine...

Ferocious!

Seeing the countless ancient trees and stone peaks pierced through, Jiang Yi was inwardly alarmed. If one didn't know these wild boars were demon beasts and wasn't on guard against their spines, even a warrior at the Eighth or Ninth Rank of the Cauldron Casting Realm would be pierced and killed if hit by accident.

"Die!"

The six young men and women, having avoided the attack, now charged out like tigers descending from a mountain, easily slicing the weakened wild boar demon beasts to pieces with their combined efforts.

"Is that a token?"

Seeing the group dig out four finger-sized tokens from the abdomens of the four demon beasts, Jiang Yi became very curious. The tokens looked ordinary, with two being red, one yellow, and one green. Demon beasts couldn't naturally grow tokens; it was clear that the powerful mentors of the academy had placed them inside beforehand.

Seeing the group hand all the tokens to the young woman, Jiang Yi had a realization. It seemed these people were from the same family, and the others were here to assist the young woman in the Blood Refinement. All the tokens obtained from hunting demon beasts were given to the young woman, ensuring her success in the Blood Refinement.

"Let's get to work!"

Jiang Yi quietly retreated, circling around to the other side, and began searching for demon beasts.

However, he had entered the mountain too late. The eight hundred people had already dispersed into the forests. As he walked, he saw people everywhere, and many were engaged in battles with demon beasts. For an entire hour, he couldn't find a single demon beast that was alone.

However,

1000

After watching a few battles, he gained some understanding of the demon beasts. These demon beasts indeed had demonic arts, such as rhinos that could spew fire, earth dragons that could easily burrow underground, and hyenas that could release toxic mists, which greatly broadened his horizons.

"This won't do. There's only three days, and it will be more dangerous at night. I need to hurry."

Jiang Yi was secretly anxious. He decided not to search around anymore and instead sprinted straight toward the central, towering peak. Since everyone was searching nearby, there would be fewer people in the deeper parts of the mountain range.

After a half-hour of sprinting, the terrain became even more complex. Without the central peak towering into the clouds, he would have definitely gotten lost.

"There are fewer people. Hmm... there's movement ahead, it's a demon beast!"

Jiang Yi stopped in a stone forest. The path ahead was rugged and uneven. He had just entered a few dozen feet when he felt a bone-chilling cold emanating from a large stone peak to his left. He immediately retreated, and a green sword appeared from his sleeve. This was the Qingming Sword he had obtained from Ma Fei.

"What a huge snake."

The demon beast soon appeared, emerging from a cave in the stone peak. It was a massive python with a thick head, covered in dark brown scales, a triangular head, and blood-red eyes that inspired fear.

Jiang Yi had fought many people, but this was his first time fighting a demon beast. Although he knew these were all First Rank demon beasts with a maximum strength of the Ninth Rank of the Cauldron Casting Realm, otherwise the participants in the Blood Refinement would all die, his palms were still sweating.

"Black Essence Energy!"

He immediately gathered a strand of black essence energy to his eyes and retreated to the edge of the stone forest, waiting for the python demon beast to appear.

"Hisss!"

The python demon beast quickly emerged, its speed making Jiang Yi's jaw drop. Just by speed alone, this python had at least the strength of the Seventh Rank of the Cauldron Casting Realm, far faster than the wild boar demon beasts he had seen earlier.

"Whoosh!"

The python, about three zhang long, had just emerged from the stone forest when its tail, like a steel whip, lashed out at Jiang Yi with lightning speed. If Jiang Yi hadn't enhanced his vision with black essence energy, he would have only seen a black shadow and wouldn't have been able to see the movement clearly.

"Bang!"

He channeled his essence energy, leaped to the left, and kept his eyes fixed on the python's tail. He swung the Qingming Sword to the right.

"Boom!"

A powerful force pushed back, and Jiang Yi's left hand went numb as he was swept away, crashing to the ground. However, his eyes lit up. The python's physical defense was not strong, and he had almost severed its tail with that strike. If he continued, he could easily hunt this demon beast.

"Hisss!"

The python's tail, in pain, angrily spat out a few foul breaths, and its body quickly slithered toward Jiang Yi. Its tail, dripping with dark red blood, slashed down at Jiang Yi.

"Boom!"

Jiang Yi's reaction was so quick that he couldn't be hit. He rolled to the side, easily dodging. The massive snake tail struck the ground, causing a tremor and leaving a deep gash.

"Come on, beast, let me show you my strength!"

Jiang Yi sprang up from the ground, his body flashing as he continuously slashed with the Qingming Sword, relying on his abnormal reaction speed to dodge in advance.

Green light flashed, and blood spurted.

With each flash of Jiang Yi's body, the Qingming Sword left more and more wounds on the python. Jiang Yi was thrown back a few times, but he always used the Stone-Crushing Hand and the Qingming Sword to reduce the impact, avoiding hits to his head and chest. Although his hands were numb and bleeding, he was not seriously injured.

"Hisss!"

After half an incense stick, the python demon beast had over a dozen wounds, bleeding profusely. It seemed to realize it would be killed if this continued, and it angrily spat out a few foul breaths. Its massive head rose high, and its blood-red eyes suddenly lit up, shooting two red beams of light at Jiang Yi like lightning.

"Hehe, finally using demonic arts? I've been on guard!"

Jiang Yi's tense heart finally relaxed. From the battles he had seen, First Rank demon beasts only used demonic arts when their lives were in danger. Once they used demonic arts, their bodies became extremely weak. As long as he wasn't hit by the demonic arts, victory was within reach.

Jiang Yi had been on guard against the demon beast's demonic arts. Would he be hit?

Obviously not!

He rolled to the side in advance, narrowly avoiding the attack. The spot where he had been standing was hit by the red beams, instantly shattering a large rock into powder. The demonic arts were incredibly powerful...

"One token in hand!" Jiang Yi was secretly delighted, leaping up from the ground, ready to charge at the python demon beast.

However—

To his surprise, two figures from the stone peak were faster, rushing toward the python demon beast with the speed of the wind. They killed the python with a single strike of their weapons.

"Damn, trying to steal my token?"

Seeing the two people ignore him and quickly use their weapons to cut open the python's abdomen and dig out a black token, Jiang Yi's eyes turned cold.

He hadn't even started, and someone had already beaten him to it?