[At 10:00 PM, in the area of the fourth mountain behind Cloud Mist Mountain, a third-grade Moonshadow Grass is about to mature. Moonshadow Grass serves as the main ingredient for various third-grade pills and an auxiliary ingredient for several fourth-grade herbs. It is also used in the refinement of some fifth-grade pills. Consuming it directly can enhance a cultivator's sensitivity to the energy of heaven and earth for three days when practicing under moonlight.]
[At 10:30 PM, a late second-grade Magical Beast, the Howling Moon Wolf, and a mid second-grade Magical Beast, the Earth Barbarian Bear, fought over the Moonshadow Grass, resulting in mutual severe injuries. Both died half an hour later, and their bodies became food for a late first-grade Magical Beast, the Cloud Mist Eagle, a quarter of an hour after their deaths. The Moonshadow Grass was also devoured by the Cloud Mist Eagle.]
Gu Han was no stranger to such opportunities and intelligence.
Over the past ten days, the opportunities he received daily were all of this type.
Within the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm, he had already transplanted ten relatively rare first-grade herbs and natural treasures, seven second-grade herbs, seven first-grade Magic Cores, and one second-grade wind-attribute Magic Core.
Perhaps because he was cultivating at the peak of the third mountain and had no immediate plans to leave the core area of Cloud Mist Mountain, the opportunities were confined to the same region, leading to severe homogenization.
If he were within the sect, he would likely receive opportunities related to people, pills, or cultivation techniques.
This made him feel that the Black Tortoise shell was rigid and not very intelligent.
Today, he was prepared to harvest spiritual herbs or Magical Beast corpses along with Magic Cores.
But he hadn't expected it to be a third-grade Moonshadow Grass and the chance to scavenge the corpses of two second-grade Magical Beasts.
"Continue cultivating."
After a brief moment of surprise, Gu Han immersed himself in cultivation once again.
It wasn't until the moon was dark and the wind high outside that he opened his eyes, changed into a set of black clothes, and began descending the mountain, heading toward the location indicated by the opportunity.
"If there's a chance, I must find a movement Dou Skill or a body-lightening Dou Skill."
While traveling, Gu Han became aware of his current weakness: his speed was a disadvantage.
The direct disciples of the Cloud Mist Sect had always cultivated wind-attribute Dou Qi. Although the Cloud Mist Sect recruited all talented disciples within the Jia Ma Empire, they were most adept at nurturing wind-attribute Dou Qi cultivators. The sect's cultivation environment, along with most techniques, Dou Skills, and resources, were biased toward the wind attribute.
Speed had always been an advantage for Cloud Mist Sect disciples. With this disparity, he would be at a disadvantage.
"Roar!"
While lost in thought, Gu Han arrived about ten zhang away from the location indicated by the opportunity. From a distance, he saw a brown bear, towering like a small hill, standing off against a wolf with silver fur that shimmered peculiarly under the moonlight.
It was the Howling Moon Wolf and the Earth Barbarian Bear. Five zhang to their north was a spiritual herb, entirely silver, absorbing the moonlight's essence and standing out among a patch of weeds.
Confirming the location was correct, Gu Han focused his mind and returned to the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm.
During this time, his strength had increased, and his soul power had improved slightly as well. The mystic realm space had also grown to about four meters in length, width, and height.
While inside the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm, he could be fully aware of the situation within a four-meter radius outside, somewhat similar to the divine sense externalization that only a Dou Spirit could possess.
However, a Dou Spirit could perceive their surroundings within a certain range at all times, whereas he could only achieve this by focusing his senses while inside the mystic realm.
Even so, it was surprising enough, greatly enhancing his survival and stealth capabilities in the wild.
"The fight is over."
Gu Han, who was sitting cross-legged in cultivation, slightly furrowed his brows as he sensed the diminishing commotion from outside.
The Black Tortoise Shell could peek into celestial secrets to foresee opportunities in advance, so naturally, grasping the timing on the Dou Qi Continent was a trivial matter.
Gu Han verified it and found that it was precisely the time mentioned in the intelligence when the Howling Moon Wolf and the Earth Barbarian Bear would be locked in a mutually destructive struggle, with half an hour left until their deaths.
"If they aren't dead yet, they might still have the ability to counterattack."
"Second-tier magical beasts are equivalent to human Dou Masters. The Howling Moon Wolf is comparable to a seven to nine-star Dou Master, while the Earth Barbarian Bear is comparable to a four to six-star Dou Master."
"Keep waiting."
Gu Han was extremely patient, quietly waiting inside the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm for half an hour before emerging.
A quarter of an hour, or fifteen minutes later, a late first-tier magical beast, the Cloud Mist Eagle, would appear. He needed to resolve the matter before then.
Arriving near the Moonshadow Grass, Gu Han frowned slightly.
In a large pit not far away, the Howling Moon Wolf and the Earth Barbarian Bear lay in a gruesome and bloody state, a sight that was nauseating.
The latter had its neck bitten through, with a significant amount of blood spilled—clearly a fatal wound.
The former had a sunken head and a crippled leg, likely the result of a counterattack.
"Mystic Yin Finger!"
After plucking the Moonshadow Grass and storing it in the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm, Gu Han positioned himself between the Howling Moon Wolf and the Earth Barbarian Bear.
He first pierced the Earth Barbarian Bear's head with a finger, the chilling cold freezing a layer of the flesh upon contact, preventing any blood from staining his finger.
After a slight stir, he felt something hard.
This Earth Barbarian Bear had a magic core—a second-tier earth-attribute magic core.
"Lucky."
Retrieving the magic core, Gu Han casually stored the Earth Barbarian Bear's corpse in the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm.
He could improve his meals over the next few days and taste bear paws.
Next, Gu Han repeated the process, finding a magic core inside the Howling Moon Wolf as well.
A second-tier wind-attribute magic core!
This was quite a substantial gain.
The Earth Barbarian Bear's gallbladder could be sold as a second-tier medicinal ingredient, and its fur, flesh, and blood could also be sold.
The Howling Moon Wolf's pelt was highly valuable on the market, and its claws and teeth could be used to craft weapons capable of channeling Dou Qi.
After collecting all the spoils, Gu Han retraced his steps back to the third peak. The chilling wind there accelerated his cultivation speed, and he found it irresistible.
"Hmm?"
Just as he reached the foot of the fourth mountain, a sharp whistling sound suddenly erupted behind him.
The speed was so fast that Gu Han only felt a wave of danger enveloping him. His hair stood on end, his blood seemed to freeze, and he had no time to react.
At the critical moment, the Qi Cyclone in his dantian rapidly circulated along the Mystic Ice Force pathway, and with a thought, he entered the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm.
"Phew!"
With the danger averted, Gu Han felt as if he could hear his own heartbeat.
A surge of killing intent rose within him, and he immediately closed his eyes to sense the situation outside with his mind.
"Wind Nether Snake!"
At the spot where he had just been, Gu Han saw a wrist-thick, ten-foot-long green venomous snake with horn-like protruding ears.
This was the Wind Nether Snake, quite common around Cloud Mist Mountain. A wind-attribute magical beast, it was known for its exceptional stealth and speed. Though its combat strength wasn't particularly high, it excelled at ambushes, and many Cloud Mist Sect disciples training in the rear mountains often fell victim to its sneak attacks.
"Late first-tier, equivalent to a seven to nine-star Dou Practitioner."
Gu Han narrowed his eyes, his killing intent intensifying.
First-tier magical beasts weren't very intelligent, and even if their strength surpassed his, he could handle them.
After a moment's thought, he willed the still-warm corpse of the Earth Barbarian Bear to be thrown outside.
Thud!
The bulky corpse landed on the ground.
"Hiss!"
The Wind Nether Snake was startled, quickly darting to the side, its vertical pupils filled with vigilance.
Seeing the suddenly appearing Earth Barbarian Bear corpse, confusion flickered in its eyes.
The ambushing human suddenly vanished, and the second-tier Magical Beast Earth Barbarian Bear's corpse abruptly appeared.
What exactly was going on?
The Wind Nether Snake's limited brain worked frantically.
But when its forked tongue caught the scent of blood from the Earth Barbarian Bear's corpse, its scant reason was overwhelmed by desire.
Just as it couldn't resist opening its mouth to bite the Earth Barbarian Bear, Gu Han's figure suddenly materialized, his ice-cold finger pointing forward.
"Die!"