The Path to Immortality: Starting with an Analysis of Basic Concepts

Chapter 438 Mythical Beasts: White Water Stream Monsters (Please Subscribe)

Andrei instinctively turned his head to look, his pupils dilated instantly, and he couldn't look away.

The old horse neighed and gave birth to a strange ball of flesh.

The surface of the fleshy mass was covered with veins, but that wasn't what shocked him. What shocked him was the magic flowing within those veins.

Although the magic isn't powerful, it is still magic—

For some unknown reason, Andrei's expression suddenly changed. He took off his robe and covered the fleshy mass with it, releasing his "life energy" to conceal the surrounding magical aura.

Suddenly, he looked up and around. The light was like a bear or a tiger, so frightening that Mrs. Arya and the three Monte siblings forgot to scream.

Seeing that no one was around his rented house, Andrei suppressed his murderous intent. He carefully picked up the ball of flesh, stood up, glanced at the lifeless old steed, paused for a moment, and said in a deep voice, "Don't kill it. After recruiting serfs tomorrow, bury it in the 'Iris' territory."

After saying that, he turned and went into the room.

Lady Arya and the three Monte siblings looked at each other in bewilderment.

Lady Arya's frugality led her to selectively forget the horrifying, gleaming ball of flesh produced by the old nag. She pursed her lips and muttered, "Such good meat! It would have been good for nourishing Monte and the others. And that leather suit... just burying it like that is such a waste—"

She chose to forget selectively, but the three Monte siblings did not. Upon hearing this, they subconsciously took two steps back and shook their heads repeatedly.

Although they didn't know why their father had brought that horrific ball of flesh back into the house, it was so disgusting, just like the deformed creature described by the wanderers, that they dared not eat the flesh of the old, worn-out horse that had given birth to it.

Lady Arya frowned as she smelled the pervasive stench of blood in the air, then put her hands on her hips and directed her three siblings to clean up the bloodstains.

Just as they were packing up.

The smell of blood attracted the shop owner, Mrs. Lima, as well as some tenants and neighbors.

When I saw the old, worn-out horse lying in a pool of blood.

The expressions on everyone's faces varied.

Lady Arya cleverly criticized her husband, Sir Andrei, for being greedy and buying an old, worn-out horse for fifty "copper nars," which would now be a burden on his hands—

The incident was characterized as the old horse dying from a bloody explosion.

Lady Lima and the others had no doubts. Due to Sir Andrei's status, they dared not say anything more. They offered a few symbolic words of comfort and then dispersed.

at this time.

Inside the house.

Knight Andrei examined the ball of flesh, looking it over carefully before gently touching it. His face was filled with unbelievable ecstasy, and his mouth opened and closed, emitting a sound only he could hear.

"It's not a magical beast, it's actually a legendary 'phantasmal beast'—"

"Only by accidentally swallowing an 'Elf Cocoon' and coincidentally nurturing a cub, is there even the slightest possibility of giving birth to a 'Phantom Beast' possessing some of the power of an 'Elf'—"

Knight Andrei was so engrossed in ecstasy that he didn't notice a pair of tiny, dark eyes watching him and the "phantom beast."

"Mythical Beasts—"

I heard a new title again.

However, he wasn't too concerned about that. What concerned him was that this thing called "Phantom Beast" contained nearly a hundred "Spiritual Origins" while it was still inside the old horse's belly.

But its emergence caused its value to double.

More importantly, in his perception, although it was weak, it was gathering the thin "magic power" that was drifting between heaven and earth.

"A mythical beast, huh? Interesting—"

Zhu Yu suppressed the urge to analyze it and withdrew his thoughts.

Since he can't escape anyway, we can test him again after Andrei leaves.

After his initial ecstasy, Knight Andrei looked at the "phantom beast" before him, a beast that could be ridden, and hesitated for a few moments before drawing his "charcoal steel greatsword" and gently running his palm across it.

A bloody gash immediately opened, and gushing blood splattered down.

Amazingly, when blood falls onto the "flesh ball," it is absorbed as quickly as a sponge.

Accompanied by the infusion of blood.

The magic flowing through the veins on the surface of the fleshy ball gradually subsided, making it look less ferocious. It throbbed like a heart, and faintly, some childish "hissing" came from it.

You can see it if you get close.

Inside the fleshy mass, a dark shadow was writhing and struggling, as if trying to break through the mass and emerge.

When Knight Andrei sensed a faint connection with the flesh ball, his face immediately turned bright red with excitement. If he weren't deep in the bustling street, he would have roared to the sky.

He, "Andrei," is the man of destiny.

First, he obtained the "Spirit Insects," the foundation upon which nobles depend for survival, and then he acquired the "Phantom Beasts," becoming a "Phantom Beast Knight." This was enough to level the gap between him and those great nobles with long-standing traditions and powerful knightly techniques.

After that.

Only the "Dragon Knight" was someone he looked up to.

As Andrei was lost in thought, he suddenly felt a mysterious aura surge into his body. Its heat was like magma, and wherever it passed, the burning sensation made the veins on his forehead bulge, and he couldn't help but scream.

"ah--"

The outer room.

Lady Arya, who was busy cleaning up the bloodstains and incessantly lecturing the three Monte siblings about her life philosophies, heard screams coming from inside the house. Her expression changed drastically, and she dropped her tools and ran inside.

Monte's expression changed drastically. He threw down a warning not to follow him in and quickly walked inside.

And then he barged into the room.

I saw my father sitting cross-legged on the bed, his face ruddy, talking to my mother. There seemed to be nothing wrong with him.

But then his own light fell on his father's hair.

The long, black-gray hair that symbolized the people of "Black Rock Fortress" was gone, replaced by a head of vibrant, unrestrained blue hair.

And there was the scent of my father.

As a peak-level trainee knight, Monte could vaguely sense the volcanic energy emanating from his father's body, which was more than ten times stronger than any aura he had sensed before.

As if remembering something, he exclaimed with delight, "Father, you've broken through to the High-Rank Knight level?!"

Andrei turned to look at his eldest son, nodded slightly, thought for a moment, and said, "Monte, now that your physique has been sufficiently developed, do you want your father to buy you a 'magical crop' to condense 'life energy' and become a knight?"

"Should we wait until the first blooming 'Iris' magical crop in the 'Iris' territory gathers 'life energy' and becomes a knight? —"

Monte was overjoyed. He had long wanted to become a true knight and blurted out that he wanted his father to buy a "magical crop." But before he could speak, his mother Arya's rough voice rang out.

"Monte's future is to carry on the 'Iris' family legacy, so of course he needs to use the magical 'Iris' crop to gather 'life energy.'"

Andrei paused, looking at his wife's somewhat evasive eyes. He immediately understood what she meant. Speechless, he shook his head, looked at Monte who was scratching his head, and said in an unquestionable tone, "That's it."

"The way of a knight lies in diligence. You have been traveling these days and have neglected your training. Go out and train your younger siblings."

"Yes, Father."

Monte chuckled, nodded, and turned to leave.

Andrei looked at Aria this time and sneered, "You haven't even become a noblewoman yet, but you're already acting like one."

Arya's eyes widened, and she was about to say something when she felt a rough, large hand on her waist. Her face flushed red, and she quickly reached out to press it away, saying in embarrassment and annoyance, "Andrei, the children—"

"Weren't you worried? Don't say anything, it'll be quick—"

Bed and wooden box.

Zhu Yu couldn't bear to watch, and shut down his hearing and senses, recalling what had just happened, his eyes thoughtful.

"The fact that a mythical beast can fuse with a knight is quite interesting—"

A thought subtly stirred within me.

Establish an analytical model for the fusion of Andrei and the mythical beast.

Seeing that the message couldn't be resolved, he wasn't in a hurry. He slowly gathered information, knowing that sooner or later he would be able to learn about the "Way of the Knight" of this "Spirit Ruins".

Perhaps it's because of a series of good fortunes.

Or perhaps it's to kill the monster as quickly as possible and obtain "magic sand".

Andrei bought a hundred healthy slaves, five draft horses, simple herbs, and some land reclamation equipment in one go, completely depleting his family's savings.

After purchasing serfs.

The family then embarked on a journey to reclaim the wasteland.

After many twists and turns and seven days, Andrei's family arrived in the wild region, three hundred miles away from "Lock City".

Andrei did not act rashly, but instead allowed the serfs to rest on the spot.

Through a simple meal.

Andrei donned his armor and drew his sword, instructing his eldest son, Monte, to take good care of his mother, younger siblings, and serfs. Amidst the worried gazes of his wife and children, he stepped into the unknown wilderness.

Wild and untamed regions.

Simply put, it's an uninhabited wilderness, teeming with wild animals, poisonous insects, miasma, and terrifying monsters.

The Kingdom of Habau has existed for thousands of years and has never stopped expanding outwards, resulting in some fertile lands that are easy to cultivate having already been occupied by others.

Andrei initially chose the Thorn Forest direction, where there were many poisonous insects and miasma, but few magical beasts. If he worked hard, he could eventually carve out a knight's territory in one or two decades.

You can obtain a "Phantom Beast" and become a "Phantom Beast Knight".

His ambitions were no longer satisfied with this, and after careful consideration, he chose to go to "Baishuijian" to reclaim wasteland.

The land here is fertile and the water sources are abundant.

It is extremely suitable for development as territory.

However, there are also more magical beasts living here. It is said that a powerful group of magical beasts exists in the deepest part of White Water Ravine.

We passed through a windbreak forest that stretched for several miles.

Andrei's view suddenly broadened, revealing a vast plain covered in lush green grass. A winding river meandered across the plain, stretching into the depths of the wilderness.

It is evident that various wild animals inhabit the grasslands, some leisurely grazing on tender grass, others hunting prey.

Andrei crouched down and examined the land. Looking at the fertile, black soil that seemed to drip with oil, the thought of occupying this place and developing it into "territory" immediately arose in his mind.

He made a rough estimate.

This plain is large enough to open up two "Knight's Territories", and in the future, all that is needed is to cut out an outward passage to enable interactive trade with the kingdom.

A smile appeared on Andrei's lips, but as he walked, the smile soon froze on his face.

He stood atop a high mound.

The rising smoke in the distance clearly indicated that he was not the first person to come here.

Andrei's eyes narrowed involuntarily. He gripped the "charcoal steel greatsword" at his waist, paused, and strode toward the source of the smoke.

When it is close at hand.

A bustling scene of land reclamation came into view.

He glanced at them and saw that there were as many as three hundred serfs clearing land, along with a dozen or so wearing leather armor, and a knight wearing half-steel armor like himself, guarding the area.

Andrei frowned, his eyes filled with hesitation.

He did become a "Phantom Beast Knight," but the "Phantom Beast" was only newly born, and the power it granted him was limited.

If we can kill him completely, that would be fine. But if he escapes, not to mention the future troubles, once he establishes the "Iris" family, he will probably be ostracized by other border nobles.

Just then.

A scream rang out, and he quickly snapped out of his daze. Looking closely, he saw that for some unknown reason, the serfs who were clearing the land had suddenly panicked, and the knight was also leading a dozen guards toward the source of the scream.

He tiptoed to a high ground.

They immediately understood where the screams came from and why the serfs were in such a panic.

In the distance, on a piece of reclaimed land, a black raccoon cat the size of a calf sat on a serf covered in blood and whose life was unknown, licking its paws.

Its dark pupils and the faint black smoke swirling around it clearly indicated that it was a true "monster beast".

"Lower-rank magical beast, Black Cat—"

Information about him flashed through Andrei's mind, and his pupils contracted.

Lower-ranking monsters also vary; some, like the snot beast, are so weak that even a low-ranking knight can easily kill them.

The "Mystic Cat" is incredibly powerful, with ghostly speed and claws as sharp as "magical tools." In addition, it possesses the innate magic "stealth." All these features combined make it a top-tier assassin.

Only powerful "Earth Knights" who have awakened their spiritual awareness.

Only then can it be easily killed.

Just as Andrei was thinking this, the black cat suddenly disappeared from his sight. When he saw it again, it was already standing on the head of the "knight".

Blood flowed down, and the man had no power to resist. He fell from his horse with a thud, convulsed a few times, and died.

"Lord Kendun——"

The dozen or so guards stared at the scene in disbelief. When they came to their senses, they prepared to flee on their steeds without the slightest hesitation.

But the usually obedient nag suddenly neighed and collapsed to the ground.

The guards tumbled to the ground in a disheveled state, and immediately felt something step on their heads. They felt a sharp pain, and then their consciousness went dark.

"hiss--"

As Andrei watched the "Black Cat" flash by, killing all the knights and guards in just a few breaths, he couldn't help but gasp. Just as he was about to leave, he saw a pair of dark eyes looking over.

I don't know if it's just my imagination.

He actually saw a hint of mockery in those dark eyes.

"run--"

Without the slightest hesitation, Andrei channeled his life energy to stimulate his body and turned to flee.

Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced behind him and saw the "black cat" leisurely licking its paws, and he immediately felt relieved.

But then he felt a blur before his eyes and lost sight of the "Black Cat". After running a hundred meters, he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his arm.

Andrei instinctively drew his "Carbon Steel Greatsword" from his waist and slashed at the air to his left.

clang--

A sound like metal clashing rang out, the air distorted, and the figure of "Black Cat" appeared. It seemed surprised that Andrei had discovered it, took two steps back, and slowly walked around him.

Fine beads of cold sweat appeared on Andrei's forehead. Looking at the cracked tiger's mouth from which blood flowed, the dim blue light of the "Carbon Steel Greatsword," and the silent "Phantom Beast," his mouth suddenly felt bitter.

When he saw the "Black Cat" disappear, his heart skipped a beat.

"It's over——"

And at this time.

A small head with black horns popped out from his chest, looking down with a human-like, playful expression, his mouth slightly open.

next moment.

A faint "roar" sound, as faint as a mosquito's buzz, rang out.

But to the "Mystic Cat" that had been hiding at Andre's feet, it was deafening. The dragon's might, filled with destructive energy, instantly disrupted the magic within its body, and its innate "magic" was thrown into disarray.

His body stiffened, revealing his form.

Andrei was startled by the sudden appearance of the "mysterious cat." His body, honed by countless hammer blows, instinctively raised his sword and slashed down.

A flash of blue light.

Blood splattered as the "Mysterious Cat's" head rolled off.

Andrei stared blankly at the headless black cat at his feet, then at the blood-dripping "Carbon Steel Greatsword," and was stunned.

"Dead—dead?"