C111 Mutated Demonic Beast

At that moment, Huangfu Fei's gaze was drawn to a cave nestled deep within the valley. He voiced his suspicion, "Could he have spotted us and taken refuge in that cave?"

Qiu Wanli cast a glance at the cave and remarked coolly, "That's the lair of the Plague Rats. If he's gone inside, he might not make it out alive."

"Plague Rats!"

Huangfu Fei nodded in agreement. Qiu Wanli was correct—a single tribe of Plague Rats numbered in the tens of thousands, each carrying a deadly plague. Anyone less powerful than a Battle King would meet their end upon encountering them, given their fierce aggression. Even Huangfu Fei felt a chill at the thought of hundreds swarming him. The Purple Lightning Bird's advantages would be nullified in the confines of the cave. Without question, Ning Qi's fate would be sealed if he had ventured inside.

"Senior, perhaps we should split up to search?" Huangfu Fei proposed.

Qiu Wanli gave him a wry smile and said, "We're better off sticking together."

With that, they resumed their flight southward, continuing their search for Ning Qi.

Deep within the cave, Ning Qi wielded the Dragon Slaying Blade in his right hand, while his left hand radiated the Dragon Devourer Hellfire, serving as a makeshift torch. The eerie white-blue flames of the Dragon Devourer Hellfire cast a glow around him, illuminating the area for thirty feet.

The entrance to the cave seemed small, but as Ning Qi ventured further, he discovered the interior was surprisingly spacious. The walls were studded with jagged stones that carved out deep grooves. Moisture seeped from the walls, dripping to the ground and trickling into the serpentine channels that meandered past his feet.

The deeper Ning Qi delved, the more intense the stench and the squeaking became.

Suddenly, a pair of green eyes emerged from the wall, fixing an icy stare on Ning Qi.

In an instant, Ning Qi's Dragon Devourer Hellfire flared to life, flooding the cave with light. That's when he saw a sight that sent shivers down his spine.

He was encircled by hundreds, maybe thousands, of Plague Rats, but these were no ordinary vermin.

They had foot-long bodies, grayish-black skin, sinister green eyes, and pronounced fangs—traits similar to the Plague Rats Ning Qi knew of. Yet, there was something distinctly different about them. Ning Qi noticed that each one had a pair of fleshy wings sprouting from its back!

At first glance, the pair of fleshy wings appeared strikingly similar to the colossal dragon wings Ning Qi had encountered before!

When did Plague Rats start sprouting wings?

Unable to contain itself, a Plague Rat emitted a piercing screech and lunged at Ning Qi. Its wings unfurled in an instant—not merely for show, but clearly functional.

Ning Qi wasted no time, executing the Five Tiger Broken Door Blade technique. With a heart-wrenching scream, the Plague Rat was cleaved in two, its green blood and entrails spilling onto the ground. Its mouth continued to gape and snap shut, refusing to die instantly.

The system chimed in with notifications.

"Facing the mutated Demonic Beast 'Plague Dragon Rat,' your Dragon Slaying Battle Power's damage is increased by 50%. (For a fighter, it's 30%, with an additional 10% for a significant level increase)."

"The Dragon Slaying Blade's effect is triggered, boosting damage by an additional 30%."

"Your strike resulted in a critical hit, inflicting a total of 5,000 damage!"

"Congratulations on successfully slaying the Third Rank Low-grade Demonic Beast 'Plague Dragon Rat,' earning 600 experience points."

"Congratulations, you've earned 1 Dragon Slaying Coin."

"Such meager experience points?" Ning Qi was momentarily taken aback, but his elation soared with the final system prompt, the quantity of experience points quickly forgotten.

This was a first for him. To slay a Third Rank low-grade Demonic Beast and receive a Dragon Slaying Coin without the need for a Gambling Gift Bag? Was it due to its status as a mutated Demonic Beast? Its name had evolved from Plague Rat to Plague Dragon Rat—perhaps its lineage was tinged with the blood of the Dragon Clan?

Ning Qi could conceive of no other explanation.

He promptly examined the attributes of one of the Plague Dragon Rats.

Demonic Beast: Plague Dragon Rat - Mutated.

Rank: Low Third Rank.

HP: 1,500.

Traits: Possesses wings as resilient and mighty as those of a dragon, yet its mouth harbors the deadly poison of the plague—a malevolent little creature.

"It's a mutated Demonic Beast indeed! Could a dragon have possibly violated your queen?" Ning Qi mused with a touch of dark humor. As he watched his companion fall, the remaining Plague Dragon Rats lunged at him in a frenzy.

The stench intensified exponentially, nearly knocking Ning Qi unconscious. He quickly held his breath and concentrated, uncertain whether his Dragon Slaying Battle Power was immune to the venomous bite of the Plague Dragon Rats. With no time to hesitate, he unleashed the full force of his Five Tiger Broken Door Blade, cutting down the onslaught of creatures. Simultaneously, his left palm delivered the pure Yang energy of the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms, pulverizing the Plague Dragon Rats in an instant.

"If they carry the bloodline of the Dragon Clan, could the Dragon Devourer Hellfire absorb their souls?" he pondered. Unleashing several tendrils of the Dragon Devourer Hellfire, he watched as the Plague Dragon Rats touched the flames and let out agonizing screams before being reduced to ash. Amidst the destruction, Ning Qi noticed a fist-sized green orb absorbed by the flames.

"Fantastic!" Ning Qi exclaimed with a triumphant laugh. He continued to strategically deploy the Dragon Devourer Hellfire, ensuring he remained unscathed by the Plague Dragon Rats' bites.

"Congratulations to the Host for successfully slaying the mutated Demonic Beast, the Plague Dragon Rat. You've earned 600 experience points."

"Congratulations to the Host for acquiring 1 Dragon Slaying Coin."

The system notifications chimed incessantly.

"Congratulations to the Host for advancing to a Six Star Grand Battle Master!"

Following the defeat of dozens of Plague Dragon Rats, Ning Qi achieved a new level of mastery.

With the Dragon Slaying Coins accumulating in the Dragon Slaying Shop, fatigue was the furthest thing from Ning Qi's mind as he wielded the Dragon Slaying Blade with fervor.

The Plague Dragon Rats were relentless, heedless of their own demise. For every one that fell, two more took its place, pressing forward in a relentless tide.

An hour later, Ning Qi had lost count of the number of Plague Dragon Rats he had dispatched. There was no time to browse the Dragon Slaying Shop; a moment's distraction could mean a lethal bite. Physical attacks were of no concern to him; it was the virulent poison in the Plague Dragon Rats' mouths he feared. Without certainty that his Dragon Slaying Battle Power could withstand their venom, he dared not let his guard down.

At that moment, Ning Qi had seized the opportunity to press his back against the wall. This strategic position meant he only had to confront the onslaught before him without concern for any threats from behind.

"Dragon Devourer Hellfire!"

"Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms!"

"Five Tiger Broken Door Blade!"

Ning Qi fought with the ferocity of a War God. Each of his blows was lethal enough to fell at least three Plague Dragon Rats. The system's prompts in his mind intertwined with the piercing shrieks of the Plague Dragon Rats, creating a macabre symphony of carnage.

As the battle wore on, Ning Qi could sense his Dragon Slaying Battle Power dwindling. Exhaustion crept into his muscles, and there were several close calls where the Plague Dragon Rats nearly sank their teeth into his neck.