Chapter 39: Advanced Corpse Beast

With a “smack,” the steel shovel struck the Corpse Beast’s thigh, sending the monster flying sideways.

“Xuehui, now!” Ding Longyun chuckled.

With her previous experience, Xu Xuehui was no longer afraid of these Corpse Beasts. She immediately grabbed the hammer and ran toward the monster that Ding Longyun had knocked down.

Su Li also moved to attack. Like Ding Longyun, he only attacked the Corpse Beasts’ limbs, leaving the final, fatal blow to Xu Xuehui.

Although these were all low-level Corpse Beasts, there was a hierarchy of strength among them. The weaker ones were easily crushed and slow-moving, while the stronger ones were almost a match for Level 1 Spiritual Source Beasts. But against the current Su Li and Ding Longyun, they were still no match and were easily knocked down, with the final strike reserved for Xu Xuehui.

Xu Xuehui quickly killed five Corpse Beasts, gaining five Spiritual Sources. She now only needed four more Spiritual Sources to advance again and become a Level 2 Spiritual Source Wielder.

Just as Ding Longyun knocked down the sixth Corpse Beast that had climbed onto the roof, a dark shadow flashed toward him. Another Corpse Beast pulled itself up the rope and leaped onto the roof.

This Corpse Beast was incredibly fast, completely unlike the previous six. Ding Longyun was startled and instinctively retreated, but the monster was already mid-air, kicking him solidly in the chest.

With a muffled groan, Ding Longyun was sent flying backward. Su Li was surprised. He raised the iron rod in his hand and slammed it down toward the monster.

The vertical eye-like fine lines appeared between Su Li’s eyebrows; he activated the “Peering Rune.” He sensed there was something unusual about this Corpse Beast.

Just as Su Li’s iron rod was about to strike the Corpse Beast’s head, the monster’s chest suddenly split open. From the split, a pale arm shot out. The arm lifted and shielded its head. Su Li’s iron rod struck the pale arm squarely.

At the same moment, a message appeared in Su Li’s mind, containing information about the Corpse Beast before him.

“Name: Advanced Corpse Beast. A powerful Corpse Beast evolved from a Low-Level Corpse Beast. Possesses a certain level of intelligence in addition to the instincts of a Low-Level Corpse Beast. Each Advanced Corpse Beast possesses one unique special ability acquired through evolution, and has a certain probability of evolving into a Higher Intelligence Being: Undead.”

Su Li had seen countless Corpse Beasts over the past few days and knew they were slowly evolving, just like him. But now, he had finally seen the first one to evolve to the Advanced level. Compared to ordinary Corpse Beasts, the Advanced Corpse Beast before him had significantly increased strength, speed, and reaction time, and it possessed a special ability.

An arm had grown out of its chest. This arm was clearly a weapon. Su Li’s iron rod struck it but failed to break it.

In his astonishment, Su Li remembered Xu Xuehui’s earlier warning that a Corpse Beast below had three hands.

It seemed that after choosing to enhance her eyes, she had acquired a specialized, unusual ability.

The third arm protruding from the Advanced Corpse Beast’s chest blocked Su Li’s iron rod. The creature then reversed its grip and seized the iron rod, attempting to wrest it away.

A strong tug pulled on the rod. Su Li didn’t fight for the iron rod. Instead, he released it, used the momentum to rapidly close the distance to the Advanced Corpse Beast, clenched his left hand into a fist, and swung forward.

The four Gluttony Fangs extended from the back of his hand. If this punch connected, the four Gluttony Fangs would shear off its head.

On the other side, the fallen Ding Longyun had already gotten to his feet. A look of irritation was on his face. He had been too careless, thinking it was just an ordinary Corpse Beast and dropping his guard. He hadn’t realized its speed was so high until it was too late, which was why the Advanced Corpse Beast had kicked him down.

Just then, Xu Xuehui, who had finished killing the sixth Corpse Beast, looked up. She saw Su Li swinging his left fist, activating his “Gluttony Fangs” to strike the Advanced Corpse Beast. She opened her mouth and suddenly shouted, “Watch out!”

Hearing her warning, Su Li’s heart tensed. He saw that the Advanced Corpse Beast’s reaction was not much slower than his own. The third arm extending from its chest released the iron rod it was gripping and suddenly lunged toward Su Li’s face.

The arm growing from the Advanced Corpse Beast’s chest was longer than Su Li’s arm. It could grab Su Li’s face before Su Li’s “Gluttony Fangs” could strike it.

“This thing!”

The Advanced Corpse Beast possessed enormous strength, and that third arm had stopped an iron rod. Su Li dared not let it hit his face. He immediately changed his attack. He suppressed his left arm, and the four “Gluttony Fangs” sliced into the pale arm the monster had extended.

The incredibly sharp “Gluttony Fangs” failed to completely sever the arm, only cutting through the shallow surface skin. On the other side, Ding Longyun had rushed up, gripping the steel shovel with both hands and aiming a strike at the Advanced Corpse Beast’s head.

The Advanced Corpse Beast’s third arm had just been cut by Su Li’s “Gluttony Fangs” and couldn’t be used to block Ding Longyun’s attack. It could only tilt its head to the side. The steel shovel passed close to the monster’s cheek, scraping away a large piece of flesh and exposing the bone beneath. It then struck the monster’s left shoulder, instantly followed by the sound of breaking bone. The Advanced Corpse Beast’s left shoulder collapsed.

Su Li seized the opportunity to kick the monster hard in the abdomen. The Advanced Corpse Beast was sent flying backward.

Ding Longyun let out a shout and swung the blood-stained steel shovel, bringing it down hard again.

The Advanced Corpse Beast possessed a degree of intelligence, unlike the low-level monsters that blindly charged. It quickly rolled across the ground after being struck, causing Ding Longyun’s next two strikes to miss.

Its third attempt was blocked by the creature’s third arm. It seized the steel shovel, pulled it back hard, and used the resulting momentum to propel itself back to its feet.

Ding Longyun grunted, struggling with both arms to pull the steel shovel back. Just then, Su Li silently appeared behind the Advanced Corpse Beast and struck it accurately with the iron rod.

The Advanced Corpse Beast suddenly froze. A soft “thwack” sounded in its head. Its skull collapsed inward, and a mixture of red and white matter spilled out from the indentation.

The iron rod strike was instantly fatal. It had completely destroyed the Advanced Corpse Beast’s head. A Spiritual Source appeared and instantly flew into Su Li’s body.

“Level 2 Spiritual Source Wielder: Spiritual Source 7/20”

Having gained a Spiritual Source, Su Li watched the Advanced Corpse Beast crash heavily to the ground, and he let out a long breath.

This type of Advanced Corpse Beast was indeed terrifying. It would have been extremely difficult to kill it in a one-on-one fight.

With the Advanced Corpse Beast killed, no new Corpse Beasts appeared for the moment, but sounds continued to emerge from below.

(End of Chapter)