C12 Snatch the Hundredyear Blood Ginseng

After confirming the Crimson Wolf King's demise, Ling Yunfan approached the gasping middle-aged man and inquired, "How are you holding up, brother? I'll take you down the mountain to find help immediately."

"Thank you so much, Young Hero, for your assistance," the man gasped, "but I'm afraid I'm not going to last much longer. I have one more favor to ask. In return, I'll reveal the location of a Hundred-year Blood Ginseng of Profound Rank High Level." As Ling Yunfan moved to lift him, the man quickly interjected to stop him.

At this revelation, Ling Yunfan's heart raced with excitement. He then discreetly examined the man's condition and discovered the truth in his words—the man was indeed on death's door. Abandoning the idea of a mountain descent, Ling Yunfan said, "Tell me what you need. If it's within my power, I'll certainly help."

"Ten miles east, deep in the forest, there's a cave where the Hundred-year Blood Ginseng grows. Guarding it is a Blood Armor Scorpion on the cusp of evolving into a Rank Two Demonic Beast, waiting for the ginseng to ripen to aid its advancement. We foolishly challenged it and paid the price," the man explained with a mix of excitement and regret.

No sooner had he finished his tale than his breath ceased.

Ling Yunfan respectfully buried the middle-aged man in the earth.

"So, the Blood Armor Scorpion is on the brink of a breakthrough," Ling Yunfan pondered, looking eastward. "Its power must be beyond Body Refining Level Eight but not quite at Level Nine. With my Flaming Fist and Cold Water Sword, I should be able to handle it."

Despite the peril, the allure of the Profound Rank High Level Hundred-year Blood Ginseng was irresistible. Without further hesitation, Ling Yunfan hastened toward the location disclosed by the man.

Time was of the essence. If the Blood Armor Scorpion completed its evolution, it would be out of his league. A Rank Two Demonic Beast, even at its weakest, wielded the might of Essence Gathering Level Four, and Ling Yunfan, a mere Body Refining Level Seven warrior, stood no chance in direct combat. His only option was to strike before the scorpion's transformation was complete, or the opportunity would be lost forever.

In no time at all, Ling Yunfan had raced to a slightly gloomy cave some ten miles away. Standing at the entrance, he hesitated, peering inside with a slight furrow of his brow. "The energy inside is fluctuating; the beast hasn't fully transformed. That's fortunate," he mused to himself.

Resolved to claim the Hundred-year Blood Ginseng, Ling Yunfan shook off any lingering doubts and strode into the cave. It was smaller than he expected, roughly the size of two average rooms put together, with a dim red glow emanating from the depths and a demonic presence wafting through the air.

"Well, well, what do we have here? You dare to lay a hand on my prize? That's quite impolite," Ling Yunfan remarked upon encountering a massive scorpion clad in blood-red armor, its eyes greedily fixed on the ginseng radiating a soft, bloody light. Without hesitation, he drew his Cold Water Sword and pointed it at the creature.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh...

Clang, clang, clang...

In the ensuing battle against the formidable Blood Armor Scorpion, Ling Yunfan, despite his Divine Devil Bloodline, found himself locked in a fierce struggle. Without resorting to his Flaming Fist, he was forced into a defensive stance, parrying blows with his sword but unable to counterattack.

"This is getting me nowhere. If I don't find a way to end this quickly, I'll be the one to fall, especially if other demonic beasts are drawn here," Ling Yunfan thought, drenched in sweat. Each block against the scorpion's onslaught sent waves of pain through his body, presenting a dire challenge.

For the moment, Ling Yunfan had no choice but to keep up the exhausting fight with the Blood Armor Scorpion, waiting for an opening to unleash his Flaming Fist and bring the battle to a decisive end.

Puchi... Puchi...

As the fight wore on, Ling Yunfan, who should have been holding his own, began to suffer under the scorpion's relentless blades. Blood spurted from fresh wounds; what started as occasional hits soon left him riddled with injuries. Meanwhile, the Blood Armor Scorpion itself was struggling with internal turmoil, its spiritual force in disarray as it neared its evolution into a Rank Two Demonic Beast, rendering it unable to maneuver smoothly.

This led to a significant decline in its strength.

Sure enough, shortly after Ling Yunfan had been repelled, his armor began to show hairline fractures. The aura emanating from him grew increasingly erratic and feeble, to the point where he couldn't muster another attack.

Recognizing his opportunity, Ling Yunfan wasted no time. With a determined flare, he unleashed the Flaming Fist, channeling every ounce of his strength into a blow aimed at the prone Blood Armor Scorpion.

Bang!

The Flaming Fist connected with the already cracked armor of the Blood Armor Scorpion, shattering it completely. The creature's massive form was engulfed in flames and hurled through the air.

"This isn't over yet. Take my final strike!"

Puchi.

Ling Yunfan was relentless. As the Blood Armor Scorpion was still airborne, he drew his Cold Water Sword and, summoning all his remaining power, hurled it. The blade speared through the scorpion's colossal body, ensuring its total annihilation.

Puchi.

With the Blood Armor Scorpion defeated, Ling Yunfan coughed up a mouthful of blood, his body ravaged by the confrontation.

At that moment, Ling Yunfan was on the brink of collapse, but he was acutely aware that he couldn't afford to fall—not yet. His efforts would be for naught if he succumbed now. So, he resolved to gather the spoils of battle and make his exit from this perilous place before allowing himself to succumb to exhaustion.

Once he had secured the valuable materials and the Hundred-year Blood Ginseng from the Blood Armor Scorpion, he promptly vacated the area.

"This place is unsafe. I must use up the rest of the ointment quickly. Hopefully, it will aid in healing my wounds. Falling here would spell disaster." After putting some distance between himself and the battlefield, Ling Yunfan acknowledged the severity of his injuries and paused to apply the last of the ointment to the more grievous wounds.

The Healing Ointment, crafted from Human Level Medicine Pills, offered modest healing at best. Its effects were minimal on the gravely wounded Ling Yunfan, but it was just enough to stave off the threat of losing consciousness.

As dusk began to settle, Ling Yunfan felt a slight improvement in his condition, his injuries slowly mending.

"It's a real shame I destroyed the Blood Armor; there goes my chance to make a hefty profit. Now, I'll have to focus on cultivating and hunting down Rank One demonic beasts." Ling Yunfan sighed as he gazed at the shattered pieces of the Blood Armor in his sack.