Chapter 89

In the outskirts of the Ghost Forest, autumn insects chirped, leaves rustled in the wind, and a cold breeze swept through, exuding a sense of oppression and eeriness.

Suddenly, as if a gust of wind had blown by, the branches and leaves trembled violently.

In the next second, the branches and leaves exploded, and a massive gray figure burst out, galloping like a bulldozer at full throttle. The two large, exaggerated tusks tore through everything in their path, shredding and pulverizing all vegetation.

Just then, a man leaped out from the side, blocking the gray figure. Instantly, he assumed the posture of a goalkeeper catching a ball, his muscles bulging all over his body. Green scales rapidly covered his left hand, giving him a majestic and imposing presence.

Compared to the massive form of the tusker boar, this figure was much smaller, creating a stark contrast that seemed to suggest that even a slight collision would tear him into pieces!

As the tusker boar charged forward madly, even Yangguang, who was standing far to one side, felt a cold sweat break out.

Bang!

At the moment of impact, in a flash of lightning, Yangguang's hands grabbed the two exaggerated and fearsome tusks of the tusker boar. The powerful momentum instantly pushed him back four meters, his feet sinking into the ground, leaving deep grooves!

"Stop right there!" Yangguang let out a desperate shout, his arms bulging with muscle. On his other hand, which had no scales, a green light suddenly flashed. The edges of his feet, which were deeply embedded in the ground, suddenly emitted a wild force, and with a bang, two small pits exploded!

Yangguang roared again, and finally, the green light on his hand grew intense. Countless fine scales grew like grass after rain, quickly covering his other arm.

He had advanced to a Two-Star Awakened Being!

At the same time, Yangguang pressed down with both hands, gritting his teeth, and then flipped his hands over.

The ton-heavy tusker boar was instantly flipped to one side, its belly exposed.

"Pray!"

As Yangguang spoke, Pray, like a cheetah, leaped out from the side of the forest at high speed. The broken skillful greatsword in her hand hummed, as if infused with a powerful force.

The girl leaped into the air, and the broken skillful greatsword traced a perfect arc!

A cold light flashed across the tusker boar's belly, and the struggling boar suddenly fell silent, its four hooves ceasing to kick. The scene fell into a deathly silence.

Pray landed smoothly, not even glancing at the boar behind her. She flicked the blood off the broken skillful greatsword and then sheathed it on her back.

A drop of blood from the sword traced a beautiful arc and fell onto the boar's belly.

In the next second, with a rustling sound, a one-meter-long, jagged gash suddenly appeared on the boar's belly, and a large amount of flesh and organs exploded out. It was as if a bloody rain had fallen in the forest, and the air was filled with a thick, terrifying scent of blood.

At this moment, Xu Dong also emerged from his hiding place, praising with a grin, "You two are really fierce. Yangguang, your strength is incredible; you actually stopped the charging tusker boar. Yes, advancing to a Two-Star Awakened Being is a great achievement; Pray, your sword skills are becoming even sharper and more powerful. With one strike, you split the boar's belly, penetrating deep and shattering its internal organs..."

Xu Dong, while talking incessantly, skillfully began to process the materials. He first removed the tusker boar's two tusks, then skinned it, and soon rolled the hide into the smallest possible bundle, tying it with a rope and carrying it on his back. In the large bag on his back, there were already ten sets of tusker boar materials.

After taking down another tusker boar, the three set off again.

Soon, Xu Dong found an opportunity to return. He squatted beside the tusker boar's body, activating the Ancient Vines. When his arm was completely covered by the intricate arm armor made of tough vines, his innate skill "Devour" was activated!

The moment the skill was activated, his fingertips suddenly seemed to sprout like snakes, and five vines emerged. The vines, imbued with a sense of life, first wriggled over the boar's body, confirming that the organic matter was fresh, healthy, and rich in life energy. In the next second, with a soft hiss, the five vines pierced the boar's body.

The boar's body visibly lost its luster, and at the same time, the vines seemed to draw water, and a clear gulping sound could be heard as a large amount of life energy was absorbed through the vines.

When the life energy entered the arm armor through the five vine-tipped fingers, Xu Dong instantly felt a warm, nourishing flow rising through his veins, spreading throughout his body with the pulse of his arteries.

All his cells, like parched fields, greedily absorbed the energy.

His physical strength improved, bit by bit.

Slowly, but steadily!

Xu Dong constantly monitored the improvement of his flesh armor. After advancing to a Two-Star Awakened Being, his flesh armor strength broke the 200 mark. By using the Devour skill to absorb the life energy of ten tusker boars, his flesh armor strength increased by a full 20 points.

And this was just the first day!

The rate of improvement was like riding a rocket, leaving Xu Dong amazed!

Moreover, using the Devour skill not only strengthened his flesh armor but also enhanced his physical body!

His naked movement speed was almost on par with a One-Star Agile Awakened Being.

In his current state, even without activating his flesh armor, he could easily overpower a One-Star Awakened Being, as easily as eating a salad!

The process of devouring seemed slow, but it was actually astonishingly fast. In the blink of an eye, the boar's body, which had been like a small mountain, looked as if it had been exposed to the desert sun for a whole day, losing all its moisture and nutrients, leaving only a dry, hard lump.

The vines that had spread throughout the boar's body retracted, returning to his fingertips.

Returning to the group, Pray curiously asked, "Why do you always do this? What's going on?"

Yangguang, feeling particularly cheerful after advancing to a Two-Star Awakened Being, replied, "Why do you always ask this when he returns? What's your problem?"

Pray, feeling both angry and embarrassed, glared at him and sneered, "If you don't like it, come and fight me!"

Yangguang puffed out his chest, "Fine, let's fight. I guarantee you won't break through my defense."

"Can you stop this nonsense?" Xu Dong always felt powerless, "Yangguang, it's getting late. Let's find a campsite to rest. It's the first night, so we don't need to be overly cautious about Yang Shaostar and his group. However, we can't rule out attacks from other candidates."

Although the outermost part of the Ghost Forest was dangerous, it wasn't so perilous that three Two-Star Awakened Beings couldn't move. With proper preparation, spending a peaceful night wasn't difficult.

Soon, under Yangguang's guidance, the three found a suitable location and began setting up camp.

Xu Dong, meanwhile, started his practice of the Tiger Pounce technique.

Taking advantage of the twilight, Xu Dong stood in a nearby forest.

Since his battle with Yang Buji, his understanding of the first two forms of the Tiger Pounce technique had deepened. Yang Buji's Shadow Step and Double Strike had also left a deep impression on him.

Standing with his feet shoulder-width apart, Xu Dong closed his eyes and visualized a fierce tiger pouncing!

Suddenly, his eyes widened, and a tiger's might appeared, making his clothes flutter without any wind!

Roar!

He pushed off with both feet, like a fierce beast unleashing its power, with a fierce momentum. His five claws, like hooks, clawed the air!

Crack!

A large piece of bark was torn from a tree in front of him. Unlike before, the torn wood was as if it had been crushed by a blender, and then with a bang, it turned to powder.

The power was concentrated!

He performed the technique ten times in a row, each time with intense focus and concentration. His Tiger Pounce technique gradually took on a transcendent and natural quality.

With the comprehensive improvement of his physical strength, Xu Dong felt a surge of energy, his limbs strong and resilient. With each pounce and claw, he felt a long, deep breath from his chest and abdomen, expelling the impurities from his body, effectively refining his physique.

The life energy absorbed throughout the day was continuously integrated into his body during the practice of the Tiger Pounce. Even his flesh armor strength, which had been increasing, began to decrease slightly. At the same time, Xu Dong could clearly feel his body becoming stronger, and his overall physical condition slowly improving.

After practicing the Tiger Pounce until his hands were bloody, he had to take a break and use the Siphon Worm to recover.

Not far away, Yangguang, who was practicing, sensed that Xu Dong had stopped practicing the Tiger Pounce. For some reason, he felt a sense of relief.

However, not long after, the sound of tearing flesh came again, and Yangguang was taken aback, "No way, how can he practice again? Doesn't he get tired? Doesn't he get bored? What a freakish training maniac! I'm under so much pressure!"

Pray glanced at Yangguang and mocked, "Having good talent is great, but without a strong, persistent heart, even the best talent is useless. Compared to him, you are far behind!"

With that, Pray continued her own practice, absorbing the life energy floating in the air.

Yangguang's pride was once again hurt, but he gritted his teeth and also entered his training.

Tiger Crouch and Rip!

Xu Dong's claws slashed horizontally, easily tearing a large piece of wood from a sturdy tree. However, the force was slightly less, and the torn wood was fibrous, unlike the Tiger Pounce, where the force was concentrated and the wood was pulverized.

However, Xu Dong was not discouraged, as he understood the principle that a tall building rises from the ground. The cultivation of techniques and skills requires persistence and dedication. With diligent practice, he would eventually achieve perfection.

Just as the setting sun cannot resist the pull of the horizon, and a weary bird cannot resist the attraction of its nest.

Nightfall quietly descended upon the Ghost Forest. At night, it was the time for large predators to emerge.

Squawk!

Occasionally, the forest would echo with the shrill cries of strange birds.

Rustle!

Occasionally, the sounds of animals moving could be heard.

Compared to the Ghost Forest during the day, the Ghost Forest at night was ten to twenty times more dangerous!

Xu Dong, dragging his tired body, returned to the camp. Yangguang was sprinkling powder to repel snakes and insects, and Pray had already extinguished the campfire. Ten golden, fragrant, and greasy wild boar ribs were skewered beside the campfire.

The three silently ate without a word, and according to the previous arrangement, Yangguang took the first watch of the night.