"Ding! Quest 'Conquer the Spirit Serpent' completed. Received one Earth-grade martial skill summon."
Hearing the System's voice, a joyful smile tugged at Luo Ren's lips. This time, it was truly a godsend. His martial skills were severely lacking. However, this was a random summon, and if it summoned a martial skill requiring a different spirit root type, he currently had no way to use it.
"Start the summon," Luo Ren said through gritted teeth, praying for a Water-attribute martial skill. His Profound Water spiritual energy still had no opportunity to be utilized.
"Ding! Commencing random Earth-grade martial skill summon: 15, 14, 13… 3… 2… 1."
"Ding! Congratulations to Host for receiving the Mid-grade Earth-grade martial skill [Mother Earth's Funeral]. Temporarily stored in System space."
"Another Earth-attribute martial skill?" Luo Ren sighed in relief. Although it wasn't a Water-attribute martial skill, Earth-attribute was still good. At least he could use this attribute for now.
With a thought, a jade token filled with Earth spiritual energy appeared in his hand. Luo Ren, familiar with the process, immediately dripped blood onto it to acknowledge it as his, and the martial skill's information flooded his mind.
Mother Earth's Funeral Grade: Mid-grade Earth-grade Origin: One of the famous martial skills created by the Five Elements Great Emperor in his youth. Effect: Powerful destructive force. Can form sand coffins and tombs to crush and bury enemies alive.
"What a domineering martial skill!" Luo Ren took a deep breath. Mother Earth's Funeral had two forms of attack: the first crushed enemies, and the second directly buried them alive.
"Indeed, not bad. The Five Elements Great Emperor was an ancient existence. He possessed five types of spirit roots corresponding to the five elements. In his era, no one dared to contend with him," Kim Nhi rarely praised anyone so highly.
"Five types of spirit roots?"
Luo Ren took a deep breath. Luo Yu, with only two spirit roots, was already the Luo Clan's foremost genius. Yan Ruoxue also possessed two spirit roots and was qualified to become a Saintess. The Five Elements Great Emperor, possessing five types, was nothing short of a supreme heaven's chosen. Such terrifying talent made Luo Ren click his tongue in admiration.
"Beast Martial Heavenly Venerate, Ages Empress, Five Elements Great Emperor, White Moon Clan…"
Luo Ren silently memorized these terrifying names. He knew that at his current level, he was too far away to encounter them. These names did not exist on the Ice Heaven Continent, meaning they existed in other planes. This universe was too vast; the place he lived was just a grain of sand in an endless desert.
"How exhilarating! This endless world, sooner or later, I, Luo Ren, will conquer every corner, hahaha!"
Luo Ren laughed heartily, his blood boiling with excitement. He increased his speed, eager to find demonic beasts to practice his new martial skill.
"No wonder he's the one the System chose," Kim Nhi whispered admiringly, looking at Luo Ren's unrestrained and heroic figure.
Encounter in the Forest
Another month passed. Luo Ren was now trying to find his way out of the forest. The White Moon Soul-Stealing Eyegleamed with silver light, extending Luo Ren's vision to 200 miles. He traversed countless forests and cliffs. Finally, in the late afternoon, Luo Ren saw a plume of smoke rising high into the sky. A joyful expression appeared on his face as he quickly approached.
A group of people sat around a fire, the fragrant smell of roasted animal meat emanating from it. Clearly, the group was preparing dinner in the middle of the forest. This group consisted of five people: three men and two women. Based on their complete equipment and weapons strapped to their backs, it was clear they had entered the forest for the purpose of hunting demonic beasts.
Luo Ren had no intention of hiding, so the group immediately spotted him. They abruptly stood up, looking at him warily. However, they soon realized that standing before them was a young man, and they all breathed a sigh of relief. Luo Ren even noticed a hint of disdain in the eyes of two young men in the group.
"Fellow Daoists, I have lost my way in the forest. I wonder if I may impose upon you?" Luo Ren asked politely, subtly observing the group.
"Lost your way, kid? Do you know where this is?" A middle-aged man with a goatee frowned and asked. The aura he emitted indicated he was a cultivator at Complete Foundation Establishment, and also the strongest person in this group.
"I see this guy looking dirty, and his eye is so strange. He must not be a good person!" A young man, about 20 years old, wearing a blue long robe, looked at Luo Ren with slightly sharp, disdainful eyes. This person's cultivation was Complete Qi Condensation.
Luo Ren then remembered that he was still wearing the gray servant clothes of the Luo Clan. Two months of training in the forest had left them somewhat tattered and indeed a bit dirty. He feigned a harmless, honest look and said:
"I truly am lost. I originally only intended to train on the outskirts of the forest, but unexpectedly I unintentionally ventured a bit too deep. It's quite embarrassing to say, but I hope you all can help me."
"Uncle Cat! Our Green Cat Mercenary Group can help him. Just tell him to pay the reward," one of the two young women in the group suggested to the goatee-wearing man. She occasionally glanced at Luo Ren's empty left eye, feeling a bit sorry for him.
Luo Ren looked at her with grateful eyes. She was a young girl wearing a simple robe, about 14 or 15 years old, with short, raven-black hair, an oval face, small pink lips, large watery eyes, and subtly budding breasts. She was a delicate and lovely little beauty, with Late-stage Qi Condensation cultivation, close to breaking through to Complete Qi Condensation.
"Sister Tinh Nhi is inexperienced and easily deceived. I see this person's eye is so strange, and he's completely unknown. It's best not to bother with him," another young man in the group, tall and thin, wearing black clothes, frowned and said. His eyes occasionally glanced at Tinh Nhi's face with a greedy expression. His cultivation was the same as the young man in blue, also Complete Qi Condensation.
"I think Tinh Nhi is right. Our Green Cat Mercenary Group doesn't mind helping others as long as they pay enough," the remaining young woman in the group said casually. This was a woman around 25 years old. She wore a fiery red outfit, had a full figure, ample breasts, and a seductive, fiery red mouth. Her face was incredibly charming, and she had Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation.
Luo Ren noticed that most female cultivators he encountered were beautiful. The natural conditions on the Ice Heaven Continent were cool and pleasant, and spiritual energy nourished the body, making their skin incredibly smooth. As long as they weren't born too unsightly, most had above-average looks.
"You guys…" The two young men in the group were slightly annoyed, but the middle-aged man with the goatee interrupted them. He stared at Luo Ren and said: "I can take you out of Forest of Trees, but the condition is that you must be able to pay the reward."
"No problem. What do you all wish for?" Luo Ren asked calmly. Based on their conversation, he knew some specific information: this forest was called Forest of Trees, and this group was likely a mercenary group that took paid jobs.
Luo Ren knew there were two types of mercenaries: the first type was a long-standing group that operated together with strict discipline, and the second type consisted of individuals who temporarily collaborated to complete missions.
Based on the small number of members and the somewhat disharmonious state of the group, he guessed this was likely the second case.
"Twenty low-grade spirit stones will do," the goatee-wearing man stated the reward amount. The other four did not object.
"Alright," Luo Ren nodded. Spirit stones were a type of resource that contained spiritual qi, and cultivators of any attribute could absorb them for cultivation.
Spirit stones were divided into four types: low-grade, mid-grade, high-grade, and peak-grade.
Although Luo Ren didn't have any spirit stones, he had collected the corpses of various demonic beasts he had killed during this time, especially the Stage Three Blazing Flame Bird, which was currently stored inside his Spirit Realm Pearl. The corpse of a Stage Three demonic beast was very valuable. After getting out, he could directly use it as payment for them, which wasn't bad.
"Looking at you, I don't know if you even have spirit stones. I need to check first," the young man in the blue long robe said, looking at Luo Ren with a disdainful expression.
"As far as I know, you mercenaries only receive payment after the job is done?" Luo Ren frowned. This guy was taking advantage of the situation. Luo Ren was not a pushover.
"Alright, you can pay the reward after we're done," the middle-aged man reconciled, looking disapprovingly at the young man in blue. This guy was deliberately causing trouble, making him, as the team leader, a bit annoyed.
"I also don't believe he dares not to pay," the other young man in black said coldly.
"I wonder if you all have anything else to do? Or will you immediately take me out of the Forest of Trees?" Luo Ren ignored the two men, asking the other three.
"Traveling at night in the forest is very dangerous. This time, we took a mission to hunt a Stage Two Late-stage demonic beast, and we've successfully completed it. After tonight, we'll leave the Forest of Trees, and we'll take you with us then," the young woman named Tinh Nhi said with a hint of pride. Clearly, hunting a Stage Two demonic beast excited her quite a bit.
Luo Ren inwardly found the little girl's innocence a bit amusing. On the outside, he appeared very impressed. He was currently using the Immortal Proliferation Scripture to regulate his aura to appear as only a Mid-stage Qi Condensation cultivator.
"Thank you all for your help," Luo Ren smiled gently, looking at Tinh Nhi and the young woman in red, thanking them for agreeing to help him.
"Hehe, no need to be so polite. But little brother, you're only a Mid-stage Qi Condensation cultivator and you managed to penetrate this deep alone. Your luck is truly not bad," the charming young woman in red chuckled.
"Alright, kid, come eat. You must be hungry," the goatee-wearing man motioned for everyone to sit down around the campfire.
"My name is Diep Tinh, everyone usually calls me Tinh Nhi. What's your name? Your eye is really strange," Tinh Nhi sat next to Luo Ren and asked curiously.
"My name is Little Nan. My eye has been like this since birth," Luo Ren said with a slight smile. This girl was so pure it was endearing, completely without any hidden motives.
"Is that so? This is Uncle Cat, that older brother in blue is Yang Li, the one in black is Tran Lam, and this is Sister Hong Lien."
Tinh Nhi cheerfully introduced everyone to Luo Ren, while speaking and gnawing on roasted rabbit meat, her small lips glistening with grease, looking incredibly alluring.
"Little Nan, have you been lost in the forest for long?"
Hong Lien licked her tempting lips and asked softly, drawing the attention of the others. Within the Forest of Trees there were Stage Three demonic beasts, equivalent to Core Formation cultivators. If their group encountered one, they could only desperately flee, yet this young man could safely find them.
"Only a few days. My luck was good; I haven't encountered any demonic beasts," Luo Ren calmly explained. This woman named Hong Lien was extremely cunning, always trying to probe him.
"Hmph, truly dog-shit luck," Tran Lam said with a cold laugh, to which Yang Li nodded in agreement.
Luo Ren ignored him and continued to gnaw on the meat. Suddenly, his brow furrowed, and he looked into the distance.
Hong Lien, secretly observing Luo Ren, caught his expression. A strange glint flashed in her seductive eyes, and a mysterious smile played on her lips.
A few breaths later…
Thump-thump.
Footsteps grew closer. A group of people calmly approached, causing Uncle Cat and the two young men to tense up and jump to their feet.