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Chapter 1177: Chapter 1057: Playing a Trick_2
This way, efficiency improved significantly.
Over nearly two months, Li Zhirui had killed around one hundred sixty Fierce Sha Beasts—this was already a large number.
Moreover, a month ago, with the decreasing number of Fierce Sha Beasts, he ventured much deeper into the battlefield.
Of course, the process was not entirely smooth; Li Zhirui occasionally encountered other cultivators.
However, upon seeing the menacing and fierce aura of Li Zhirui, most decided not to engage with him. After all, compared to fellow cultivators, Fierce Sha Beasts were much easier to kill.
On several occasions, he encountered Demon Cultivators, and they immediately resolved to attack when they noticed him.
For Demon Cultivators, killing a cultivator provides far more resources for cultivation.
Furthermore, most Demon Cultivators were unaware that killing Fierce Sha Beasts could earn virtue!
This information was extracted during the interrogation of a Demon Cultivator that Li Zhirui had subdued.
The major factions of the Demonic Tao had deliberately kept this tidbit secret, instead driving masses of Demon Cultivators into the battlefield.
Li Zhirui avoided unnecessary entanglements with Demon Cultivators; the only two times he fought were either due to running into a heavily injured Demon Cultivator—an opportunity too good to miss—or capturing one in the Void Refinement Realm.
Both encounters were resolved quickly. If not, Li Zhirui would have directly retreated into his magical space instead of wasting time.
"The Demonic Tao truly devours people outright!"
But isn’t the Immortal Tao the same? Their methods are just more discreet.
"This area should be cleared of Fierce Sha Beasts. Should I venture deeper?"
Li Zhirui hovered in mid-air, hesitating.
The Fierce Sha Beast in this region was already difficult to handle. If he advanced further, stronger ones would definitely appear—perhaps even beyond his ability.
At that point, killing one would come at a significant cost.
This made Li Zhirui uncertain about whether to stay and continue earning virtue or leave the battlefield entirely and head north towards home.
"Let me test the strength of those Fierce Sha Beasts ahead first." Li Zhirui was reluctant to leave so quickly.
After making up his mind, he stealthily flew forward. Soon, he arrived at a place where the Yin Sha Evil Qi was denser.
Surprisingly, the number of Fierce Sha Beasts was far fewer than expected—less than the regions Li Zhirui had previously explored.
"Looks like someone has already cleared out the Fierce Sha Beasts before I got here." Li Zhirui frowned.
Indeed, for cultivators in the Void Refinement and Integration Realms, their progression starts at the outskirts, advancing step by step into the battlefield, while stronger cultivators head directly to its depths.
Given his late arrival, he might get lucky and find a few stragglers, but bad luck could mean encountering none at all.
Li Zhirui belonged somewhere in the middle category. After searching for a while, he finally found a Fierce Sha Beast.
Roar!
This Fierce Sha Beast was larger and more ferocious than any he had seen before. As soon as it spotted Li Zhirui, it charged at him without hesitation.
Li Zhirui’s eyes revealed a trace of gravity; the beast’s strength far exceeded his expectations. To defeat it, he would have to exert his full effort.
So be it; let’s try!
If all went as expected, this would be the final Fierce Sha Beast Li Zhirui would kill before leaving this man-eating place.
Boom—— 𝔫𝖔𝔳𝖕𝖚𝔟.𝔠𝔬𝖒
Li Zhirui expended a massive amount of Mana, summoning clusters of thunderclouds. In an instant, thunder roared, and dazzling bolts of Thunder Light struck down, engulfing the Fierce Sha Beast entirely.
Roar!
The Fierce Sha Beast howled in agony, letting out a string of miserable cries.
Its loud noise indicated its wounds weren’t as severe as hoped.
Fortunately, copious amounts of Purification Spiritual Light entered its body, countering the Yin Evil and severing the beast’s ability to absorb external black energy for recovery.
Soon, the Mana sustaining the Thunder Pool was exhausted, causing the storm to gradually dissipate.
The Fierce Sha Beast, battered by Purification Spiritual Lightning for so long, looked extremely battered but was not gravely injured.
"Quite tenacious!" Li Zhirui couldn’t help but exclaim.
But since this was the final Fierce Sha Beast he intended to fight, it had to be exterminated—not doing so would waste this cultivation trial!
Determined to secure a perfect conclusion, Li Zhirui pulled out all stops. After exhausting nearly all his Mana, replenishing some midway, he painstakingly managed to kill it.
Boom!
The massive Fierce Sha Beast collapsed lifelessly to the ground like a small hill, smashing into the earth and quickly transforming into black aura that dissipated.
Clap clap clap——
Suddenly, the sound of applause echoed from nearby as a cultivator emerged slowly, smiling and praising: "Fellow Daoist, impressive methods—capable of killing a Fierce Sha Beast comparable to Mahayana strength with Void Integration cultivation!"
"You’re the truly capable one, hiding for so long without me noticing."
Li Zhirui’s expression showed a hint of vigilance; with his Mana depleted, reduced to less than twenty percent, he stood no chance against this mysterious cultivator.
"Hahaha, Fellow Daoist was so engrossed in battle, other matters naturally escaped your attention." The cultivator wore a constant, warm smile, appearing harmless.
But Li Zhirui wasn’t fooled by appearances. His long-latent Spirit Sense flared violently upon seeing this individual, warning him that this was an exceedingly dangerous figure best avoided at all costs.
"I have urgent business to attend to; excuse me!"
With that, Li Zhirui transformed into Spirit Light and fled toward the distance.
"No need to leave so hastily; I have a matter to request your aid with, Fellow Daoist." The man continued smiling while speaking.
Despite the distance between them and Li Zhirui using Escape Skill, the cultivator suddenly appeared right in front of him.
"I lack the capability; I fear I won’t be of help in your matter." Li Zhirui maintained a calm facade while inwardly preparing to enter his magical space, watching the other man intently.
"Don’t worry, Fellow Daoist. Help isn’t needed; I merely need to borrow your head!"
The cultivator’s grin turned cruel as he launched a sudden attack on Li Zhirui.
"Damn it! You’re a Mahayana Cultivator! Why bully those weaker?!"
Only when the man attacked did Li Zhirui discern his true cultivation level, furiously cursing inwardly. Why wasn’t this Mahayana Cultivator advancing to kill Fierce Sha Beasts deeper inside instead of lingering here?
"Bully the weak?"
The man chuckled and replied: "Fellow Daoist, you’ve proven yourself on par with Mahayana by killing that Fierce Sha Beast—this isn’t bullying."
Li Zhirui’s face darkened upon hearing this.
Even if the Fierce Sha Beast possessed Mahayana-equivalent strength, it lacked Spiritual Intelligence—how could that compare to a Mahayana Cultivator?
If Li Zhirui had ample Mana, he might even attempt to fight, seeking firsthand experience of Mahayana strength under pressure.
But that was impossible now!
With only twenty percent Mana remaining, Li Zhirui couldn’t prevail against even an Integration Cultivator, let alone a Mahayana one.
His only option was to escape!
Unless truly cornered, Li Zhirui would never enter his magical space in front of others. Instead, he would try to shake them off before slipping inside.
This time, that was his intention. However, in his current state, shaking off the other was impossible.
The Mahayana Cultivator toyed with him like a cat with a mouse, cornering and pursuing but refusing to land a decisive blow. Every time Li Zhirui narrowly evaded and survived, the cultivator seemed gleeful.
This left Li Zhirui disgruntled and frustrated, but he was powerless against superior skills.
Eventually, battered and helpless, he was forced to flee into his magical space right before the cultivator’s eyes.
