C27 Third Grade Vicious Beast!

Over the last three days in the offshoots of the Mountain Range of Devilish Beasts, Luo Chen had slain numerous first and second grade Vicious Beasts, all the while not neglecting to enhance his cultivation base and combat techniques with spiritual energy.

Luo Chen had ascended to the rank of a fourth grade Martial Master, and his mastery of Crane Shadow Fascination Tracing and Dichroic Shadow Sword had reached unparalleled heights. His combat prowess had improved by leaps and bounds since his initial foray into the mountain range.

Confidently, Luo Chen could declare that if he were to face Lei Laosan again, he would vanquish him within three strikes, without the struggle that had ensued during their previous encounter.

After closing his Stats Window, Luo Chen leapt from the tree and muttered to himself, "I've been out here for a few days now. It's time to return to the Luo Family for a visit."

With that thought, Luo Chen wasted no more time. He activated his Crane Shadow Fascination Tracing technique and swiftly made his way toward the periphery of the mountain range.

He hadn't gone far when a deep, resonant beastly roar caught his attention, bringing him to a halt.

"That sound? It sounds like Vicious Beasts are locked in battle!"

A sense of anticipation stirred within Luo Chen. He was nearing the deeper reaches of the mountain range, where second grade Vicious Beasts were common and third grade Vicious Beasts lurked.

The sheer intensity of the clash suggested that it could be a battle between third grade Vicious Beasts.

"I'll check it out. If it's truly a third grade Vicious Beast, then I'll seize the opportunity," Luo Chen murmured, licking his dry lips as a gleam of excitement flashed in his eyes.

He wondered if his recent advancement in cultivation was to blame, as the spiritual energy gained from slaying first grade Vicious Beasts now seemed meager.

While killing second grade Vicious Beasts did yield some spiritual energy, it was still less than satisfactory.

Thus, unless he engaged in a widespread culling of first and second grade Vicious Beasts, pursuing them for spiritual energy was no longer worthwhile for Luo Chen—it would be a futile endeavor.

At present, it appeared that two third-grade Vicious Beasts were locked in combat. Regardless of the outcome, Luo Chen saw an opportunity to strike. Should he manage to slay a third-grade Vicious Beast during this fray—even if only a gravely wounded one—he stood to gain a substantial amount of spiritual energy.

But the benefits of defeating a third-grade Vicious Beast extended beyond mere spiritual energy; the rewards were far greater.

With this in mind, Luo Chen wasted no more time. He activated his Crane Shadow Fascination Tracing technique to its fullest and hastened toward the commotion.

As he neared the source of the noise, Luo Chen slowed his approach, concealing himself with care. He then leapt onto a large tree and peered down at the scene below.

A clearing, roughly twenty Zhang in disarray, lay before him. Trees lay splintered and scattered on the ground where two similar-looking Vicious Beasts grappled, their claws and fangs relentlessly tearing at each other's armored scales.

"Ah, Ironspine Beasts," Luo Chen realized, as recognition dawned in his eyes.

Ironspine Beasts were among the more common third-grade Vicious Beasts, known for their moderate attack power but exceptionally strong scale armor—so robust that it rivaled that of some fourth-grade beasts. Yet, their notoriety stemmed not from their armor but from their bloodthirsty and belligerent nature. Once an Ironspine Beast set its sights on a target, whether kin or not, it would relentlessly attack.

This explained the fierce brawl unfolding between the two beasts.

"This could be tricky," Luo Chen murmured to himself, a hint of resignation in his tone.

Given the formidable defense and offense of the Ironspine Beasts, it was likely they could fight until exhaustion without inflicting serious harm on one another. Luo Chen had no intention of idly waiting for a victor to emerge from this duel.