Chapter 775

Chapter 775: Innate (Part 1)

The dense thicket shook violently, and a cloud-patterned leopard suddenly sprang out.

This leopard measured nearly two yards in length, with strong limbs and a sleek body. Its fur was a dark gray adorned with cloud-like patterns, allowing it to blend perfectly within the mist-covered mountain forest.

This sixth-level fierce beast was also a top assassin, and anyone targeted by it had almost no chance of escape.

In the deep mountain forest, martial artists below the innate level would be very lucky to escape with their lives when encountering a cloud-patterned leopard.

However, today, this powerful predator seemed like a startled rabbit, panicking and desperately trying to escape.

A quivering feathered arrow was lodged in its hindquarters, and fresh red blood continuously sprayed from the wound.

The blood splattered onto the green grass and vines, creating a scene that was shocking beyond description.

Swoosh!

In the next moment, a sharp arrow tore through the air, instantly closing the hundred paces and striking the leopard’s right hind leg!

Thud!

The sharp triangular arrowhead pierced through the tough leopard skin without resistance, mercilessly tearing into the flesh of the sixth-level fierce beast.

“Roar!”

The cloud-patterned leopard let out a painful cry, its body losing balance and crashing to the ground.

It rolled several times before finally getting back up, struggling to turn and face its relentless enemy, its crimson eyes filled with pain and despair.

This sixth-level fierce beast knew it could not escape.

The dignity of a top predator led it to abandon the idea of fleeing any longer and prepared to fight to the death with its opponent!

Only three breaths passed before Wang Chen, wielding a longbow, dashed out of the trees.

Seeing the cloud-patterned leopard poised for battle ahead, he smiled and said, “Why aren’t you running?”

The leopard stared fiercely at Wang Chen, releasing a low growl of anger from its throat as it lowered its body into a striking posture.

As a sixth-level fierce beast, it possessed considerable intelligence. While it could not understand human speech, it could sense Wang Chen’s disdainful attitude.

The leopard’s right hind leg uncontrollably twitched, the intense pain driving it almost to madness. All it could think about was sinking its fangs into Wang Chen’s throat and tearing this detested enemy to shreds.

It thought this way and acted immediately.

Whoosh!

The sixth-level fierce beast explosively leaped forward, instantly closing the distance to Wang Chen and striking at his throat with its paw!

The cloud-patterned leopard had the innate ability of speed and agility, allowing it to move through the forest faster than most fierce beasts and make stealthy attacks.

In a situation where it was forced to fight back, the leopard’s frontal assault was undoubtedly powerful!

Its limbs were highly advantageous, and its claws could tear through armor several inches thick; even innate strong fighters would think twice before facing such a blow.

Driven to the edge, the leopard’s desperate retaliation would unleash a terrifying force!

Yet, its attack speed was inevitably slowed by the injury to its hind leg.

This effect was undoubtedly deadly!

Swoosh!

The leopard’s paw swiped through the air.

In a moment of great urgency, Wang Chen’s figure ghosted forward, evading the cloud-patterned leopard’s counterattack by just three steps.

He released the longbow held in his left hand and drew the long knife from his waist with his right hand, aiming a downward slash at the leopard’s neck!

This cut was simple and unadorned, yet it gathered Wang Chen’s full strength, with true energy coursing through the blade, revealing an unspoken sharpness.

The cloud-patterned leopard brushed past him.

As it fell to the ground, its head and body suddenly separated, hot blood gushing from the severed neck.

The strong smell of blood instantly filled the air.

Wang Chen let out a long sigh and shook his head, looking at the long knife in his hand.

He saw a thumb-sized chip on the blade’s edge, and cracks spread across the body of the knife, clearly on the verge of breaking.

Wang Chen had been hunting in North Mountain for a month.

During this month, he hunted every three days, searching for higher-level fierce beasts residing in the deep mountains.

After killing them, he would bring them back to his Temporary Residence, skin them, extract the meat and bone marrow, and consume their essence to strengthen his body and internal energy!

The more fierce beasts Wang Chen killed, the higher his cultivation level rose.

Now, even a sixth-level cloud-patterned leopard could not withstand Wang Chen’s strike, becoming mere food ingredients.

However, this weapon could not endure frequent, high-intensity use, fulfilling its mission nonetheless.

Wang Chen carried the over one thousand pound cloud-patterned leopard back to a cave fifty miles away.

This modest cave was his ninth Temporary Residence.

Higher-level fierce beasts had their own territories, ranging from several dozen to hundreds of miles. Normally, they would not invade another’s domain to avoid a fight to the death.

But Wang Chen did not need to follow such rules; after killing a higher-level fierce beast, he would immediately relocate.

He searched for new prey.

Inside the cave, Wang Chen skinned the cloud-patterned leopard.

The skin of this sixth-level fierce beast was quite valuable, capable of fetching a high price in Chibi City. Since Wang Chen had only wounded its rear and hind legs, he could still extract a decent pelt by removing its head.

Thus, he did not waste it.

Next came the butchering.

Previously, Wang Chen had little experience in this field, but he was now a skilled practitioner.

Strips of meat filled with abundant Qi and blood hung on dried vines, placed over the roaring campfire.

Immediately afterward, Wang Chen extracted a complete spinal bone.

This spinal bone contained the essence of the cloud-patterned leopard; the blood marrow inside had strong medicinal properties, replenishing Qi and blood, and could be refined into martial arts true energy.

Wang Chen clearly sensed the presence of spiritual energy.

It was right within this leopard’s spinal bone!

The essence within the body of higher-level fierce beasts contained spiritual energy, the issue being the quantity.

After extracting this spiritual energy using his method, he poured it all into the Reincarnation Pearl.

Only this way could he sustain Elder Yao’s true spirit within the pearl and uphold the heavy responsibility of having his old grandpa with him!

Over the past month, Elder Yao had greatly helped Wang Chen.

As a Nascent Soul true immortal who had lived twelve lifetimes in this world, experiencing nearly three thousand years of time, his knowledge and experience were immensely rich, providing answers to any question—a true cultivation version of ChatGPT!

With Elder Yao’s guidance, Wang Chen was able to continuously hunt higher-level fierce beasts.

At the same time, he made rapid progress in his acquired cultivation!

After "feeding" the Reincarnation Pearl, Wang Chen began to enjoy today’s feast.

Chunks of roasted leopard meat filled his stomach, and he sucked the blood marrow from the spinal bone clean. The Wujixuan Skill operated within him, refining extremely pure true energy.

Until it filled his entire dantian!

At this moment, Wang Chen felt the opportunity for a breakthrough.

The chance to advance from acquired to innate was here!