Chapter 91: Shocked Lin Qingyu! Collecting Magical Beast Materials!
"It actually healed?"
Lin Qingyu gasped softly, her beautiful eyes widening into circles.
This injury was far from being as simple as it looked.
It was an injury she sustained before encountering the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape, inflicted by a Level 20 Gold-rank magical beast.
A layer of extremely troublesome earth elemental energy clung to it.
That elemental power was like gangrene eating into bone, deeply rooted within her wound.
It continuously ravaged her flesh, hindering all natural recovery.
She had downed two bottles of intermediate health potionin a row earlier, yet the healing speed was pitifully slow.
By her estimate, without ten days to half a month, this injury wouldn't heal properly at all.
Yet now...
With just a single Slow Heal cast by Lu Li, the wound was actually starting to mend?
This was simply unbelievable!
"Lu Li, what... what level are you now?"
Lin Qingyu looked up at Lu Li, who was right before her, asking with utter shock.
Seeing that Lin Qingyu's condition had improved significantly, Lu Li finally released the hand supporting her.
This simple, considerate gesture subtly deepened Lin Qingyu's fondness for him even further.
Lu Li himself didn't notice this and spoke up:
"Level 22."
"That high?!"
Lin Qingyu's eyes went wide, her face full of shock.
When they first entered the mountains two months ago, Lu Li was only Level 13.
In a mere 57 days, he had leveled up nine times?
Such speed was simply mind-boggling!
"Yeah."
Lu Li nodded, making no effort to hide it:
"I have the Divine Blessing bonus. Every time I kill a monster, I receive doubled experience."
"Still, this is way too exaggerated..."
Lin Qingyu was still in disbelief.
She had pushed herself to the limit hunting monsters over the past two months, yet she had only advanced from Level 13 to Level 19.
Yet Lu Li had rocketed straight to Level 22!
"Among our batch of freshmen, you're probably leveling faster than anyone else."
Lin Qingyu sighed with emotion.
Then, suddenly remembering something, her pretty big eyes turned to Lu Li:
"Oh right, Lu Li, that Silver-Backed Demonic Ape's lair is not far from here!"
"For a monster of that caliber, its lair probably holds plenty of good stuff!"
"How about we go check it out?"
"Oh?"
Hearing this, Lu Li's eyes lit up as well.
A Level 25 Diamond-rank monster's lair might truly contain treasures.
"Sure."
He nodded, then looked back at Lin Qingyu:
"Rest for a bit first, though. Once you're mostly recovered, we'll head over."
"Okay!"
Lin Qingyu nodded obediently, offering no objection.
That Slow Heal just now...
Although it had initiated the healing process, her mana was still far from fully restored.
Moving out recklessly now would only make her a burden to Lu Li if danger arose.
Lin Qingyu pulled a bottle of intermediate mana potionfrom her tactical backpack, threw her head back, and downed it.
Then she produced her final half-bottle of health potion, sipping it slowly.
Having finished, she leaned back against a tree trunk and closed her eyes to regulate her breathing.
Lu Li sat cross-legged opposite her, closing his eyes to rest.
Quietness settled between the two once again.
All that broke the silence was the distant, occasional roar of magical beasts and the rustling breeze through the canopy.
More than ten minutes later.
Lin Qingyu slowly opened her eyes.
Her injuries were mostly healed.
Her mana had also recovered to around seventy percent.
In this state, handling ordinary monsters would be more than manageable.
Subconsciously, she glanced across at Lu Li.
Lu Li was sitting cross-legged, eyes softly closed, his breathing long and steady.
He was clearly meditating.
Sunlight filtered through the layered canopy, casting dappled, shimmering specks of light across his frame.
A few specks of beast blood stained his face, yet he didn't look disheveled in the slightest.
Instead, it added a feral charm to his already chiseled features.
Above his closed eyes, his lashes were unexpectedly long.
A straight bridge to his nose, his lips cleanly contoured.
Combined with the faint, ethereal layer of golden holy light enveloping him,
he looked so handsome that it was impossible to look away.
Lin Qingyu had never scrutinized a man so closely and unreservedly before.
Yet right now, she found her gaze thoroughly ensnared, unable to tear itself away.
Just as she was caught in a daze, Lu Li slowly opened his eyes.
Their gazes met.
Lin Qingyu started in surprise, hastily averting her eyes to change the subject:
"Y-You're awake..."
"How is your recovery?"
Lu Li appeared unperturbed, merely assuming she hadn't rested enough.
Seeing that Lu Li hadn't noticed anything unusual, Lin Qingyu inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
She stood up and rotated her shoulder:
"Pretty much good, all healed."
Even as she said it, she couldn't help marveling:
"The effect of your Slow Heal is way too absurd. You might as well just call it Rapid Heal."
She raised her left arm and moved her shoulder.
The wound there had fully closed up.
The regenerated skin was smooth as pristine silk, without leaving even a trace of a scar.
Were it not for her torn clothes, she would have doubted whether she had been injured at all.
"That's good," Lu Li nodded.
He was already Level 22, with his average four-dimensional base attributes exceeding 400 points.
Combined with the boost from his S+ talent,
the potency of 'Slow Heal' had reached an utterly abnormal level.
Mending a minor injury like this was child's play.
"Wait a moment longer; let me harvest the spoils first,"
Lu Li instructed.
A Level 25 Diamond-rank Silver-Backed Demonic Apewas packed with treasure from head to toe.
Seeing that Lin Qingyu had recovered, he wasn't in a hurry to leave and prepared to harvest the monster materials.
"The flesh and blood of a Diamond-rank monster are top-tier ingredients for brewing advanced potions and cooking.
The fur, bones, fangs, claws, and even the monster core inside this Silver-Backed Demonic Ape are all worth a small fortune."
Lu Li calculated rapidly in his mind.
With a flick of his wrist, he produced a sharp alloy dagger from his space ring.
Approaching the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape, he crouched down and began dismembering it with practiced skill.
Over these nearly two months, he had slain four to five hundred monsters, if not more.
Otherwise, he couldn't have completed the system's achievement quest and unlocked the Monster Huntertalent.
He was exceptionally adept at processing carcasses and stripping spoils.
"I'll help you."
Seeing this, Lin Qingyu hurried forward to lend a hand.
The two labored for more than twenty full minutes before stripping every valuable part from the colossal beast.
The demonic ape's sinews, fangs, and bone plates were categorized and put away one by one.
The silver fur along its spine in particular
was prime material for crafting inner armor, and Lin Qingyugathered every single strand without leaving one behind.
"Whew, finally done."
Lu Li exhaled a long breath, and Lin Qingyu smiled beside him:
"These materials will be enough to trade for a ton of academic credits."
"True, but I can't carry everything. I'll have to discard some."
Looking at the pile of spoils before him, Lu Li shook his head.
His space ring was only 2 cubic meters in capacity.
After holding the loot accumulated from previous monster hunts, barely any room remained.
Regarding the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape's meat,
he only intended to take a small portion, reluctantly abandoning the rest.
Chapter 92: Demonic Ape's Lair! Struck It Rich!
"No worries, let me help you store them."
Lin Qingyu said as she raised her left hand.
On her slender, fair finger, a silver ring glimmered faintly under the sunlight.
"I have a space ring too."
She smiled gently, then squatted down and lightly waved her fair hand.
From the pile of spoils on the ground, several large chunks of demonic ape flesh vanished.
They were stowed into her space ring.
"How large is your space ring's capacity?"
Lu Li couldn't help asking curiously at the sight.
This demonic ape was a full four meters tall and over eight meters long.
Just those chunks of flesh were more than five meters long—nowhere near what his own space ring could hold.
"Ten cubic meters."
Lin Qingyu replied, "My father gave it to me before I came to the imperial capital, saying that when away from home, one always needs something to carry things."
The corner of Lu Li's mouth twitched slightly.
Giving away a ten-cubic-meter space ring just like that.
Sure enough, anyone who could get into Imperial Capital University came from no ordinary background.
With that, Lu Li also gathered up the remaining scraps of demonic ape materials.
He then looked toward Lin Qingyu and said,
"Let's go. Lead me to the demonic ape's lair."
"Okay."
Lin Qingyu nodded.
One after the other, the two headed deep into the dense forest.
As they walked, Lin Qingyu spoke in a soft voice,
"Lu Li, thank you for saving my life just now. I will remember this favor."
"It was nothing, don't mention it," Lu Li smiled.
"No."
Lin Qingyu shook her head instead.
Standing there, her posture was as straight as a sword.
Though her black hair was slightly disheveled, it did not diminish her cool beauty in the slightest.
Her cool, beautiful eyes gazed steadily at Lu Li as her red lips parted:
"To you, it might have been trivial, but to me, it was saving my life."
Her voice was cool and pleasant, fully revealing her aloof, mature, elegant aura.
It was a unique charm suspended between youthful maidenhood and maturity.
"So, if you ever need anything in the future, just tell me."
Lu Li originally wanted to say something to brush it off casually.
Yet, meeting her earnest gaze, he ultimately swallowed his words.
"All right, I'll keep that in mind," he nodded.
"Mm."
Only then did Lin Qingyu show a stunningly radiant smile of satisfaction.
The two continued forward, and after about ten minutes, a hidden cave appeared before their eyes.
The entrance was mostly concealed by thick vines.
Had Lin Qingyu not been leading the way, it really would not have been easy for Lu Li to find it anytime soon.
"Here it is," Lin Qingyu said in a low voice.
Lu Li nodded, and the two pushed aside the vines and stepped inside.
The interior was considerably drier than the outside.
The light was dim, and the air was thick with a pungent animal stench.
Lu Li casually summoned some light elements, and a soft golden light illuminated the cave brightly.
"There really is something!"
His gaze swept across the cave, and a spark of excitement lit up his eyes.
In the corner against the cave wall, quite a few glittering items lay scattered.
There were fist-sized magic crystal stones, as well as ores gleaming with a metallic sheen.
"This Silver-Backed Demonic Ape actually hoarded so many treasures!"
Lu Li walked forward and casually picked up a magic crystal stone.
[magic crystal stone] (Grade B Material): A crystal containing pure energy, can be used for equipment enhancement, alchemy, and potion-making.
"Grade B material, not bad."
He nodded, then picked up a piece of dark silver ore.
[Silver-Veined Iron Essence] (Grade B+ Material): A rare ore unique to the Longji Mountains, an excellent material for forging Epic equipment.
"Good stuff!"
The smile on Lu Li's face grew wider.
His hands didn't stop as he swiftly stashed those ores and crystals into his bag.
Lin Qingyu helped at his side, picking up the treasures scattered across the ground one by one.
"Huh?"
Suddenly, Lin Qingyu's eyes landed on a few inconspicuous weeds.
Those plants were emerald green throughout, with slender leaves.
They looked almost identical to the wild weeds found everywhere in the corners of this cave.
Had she not taken a second look, she probably would have dismissed them as trash.
Lin Qingyu squatted down, parting the weeds with her slender, fair fingers, her beautiful eyes widening slightly:
"Is this... youlan grass?"
She looked up at Lu Li, her pretty face displaying an unmistakable sense of pleasant surprise:
"This is a Grade B+ spirit plant! It's one of the primary ingredients for brewing advanced mana potions."
"It looks almost identical to regular weeds, so most people easily overlook it."
Lin Qingyu grew increasingly confident as she spoke.
Her cool eyes held a rare trace of playful pride:
"If I hadn't happened to see a record of it in an illustrated guide to spirit plants, I probably would have missed it too."
Hearing this, Lu Li glanced over at those "weeds" on the ground.
In truth, he had already used Divine Appraisal Techniqueto see through everything inside the cave long ago.
He had known about those stalks of youlan grass the moment he stepped through the entrance.
Yet seeing the slightly smug look on Lin Qingyu's fair, pretty face, he didn't burst her bubble.
This Sword Maiden was usually as cold as frost.
Since she rarely showed such a lively side, he naturally couldn't bear to spoil her mood.
"I see. Good thing you're here, or we really would have missed it."
Lu Li smiled and played along with her words.
"Of course."
The corners of Lin Qingyu's mouth curled up slightly.
She then crouched on the ground and nimbly harvested every single stalk of youlan grass.
Her technique was indeed skilled, plucking each stalk up cleanly with its roots intact.
A clump of damp soil still clung to the root systems, ensuring none of their medicinal efficacy would be lost.
"Here."
Lin Qingyu handed the harvested youlan grass to Lu Li.
"Thanks."
Lu Li nodded and smiled:
"I'll bring these spirit plants back for Senior Sister Shen.
She's a Pharmacist, so she'll definitely love them."
"Senior Sister Shen?" Lin Qingyu was taken aback.
"Shen Moli, a senior sister from our Support Academy," Lu Li explained.
"Mm, that works too."
Lin Qingyu nodded without asking further.
Soon, the two completely looted every valuable thing inside the cave.
Magic crystals, spirit plants, and a few unidentified beast bone materials—they took it all.
Lu Li originally intended to share a portion of it with Lin Qingyu.
Who would have thought that Lin Qingyu refused to take anything at all.
"You saved my life, how could I possibly take your things?"
Lin Qingyu's tone was resolute, leaving no room for discussion.
Since she put it that way, Lu Li didn't insist further and took it all.
He made a rough estimate: these magic crystals and ores were worth at least two million yanlong coins in total!
Safe to say, this was quite the fortune!
"Looks like hunting these high-level monsters is where the real profit is."
Lu Li rejoiced inwardly.
Before this, it wasn't as if he hadn't killed monsters.
Yet whenever he found their dens, all he got was worthless junk.
A harvest this bountiful was a first.
Following that, he and Lin Qingyu swept through the place once more, making sure all valuable items had been taken.
Only then did they turn and walk toward the cave exit.
However, the very moment they stepped out of the cave—
"ROAR——!!!!"
An utterly furious roar exploded like sudden thunder!
On the open ground outside the cave, a colossal behemoth was glaring death at them.
Chapter 93 Level 27 monster! I will lure it away!
That was a terrifying demonic ape that was a full circle larger than the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape from just now!
Its entire body was covered in black fur that stood on end like steel needles.
The silver fur on its back gleamed with a cold metallic luster under the sunlight.
It was on all fours, and its shoulder height reached a full five meters.
On its two forearms, which were as thick as mountain pillars, its muscles were knotted and bulging, harboring explosive power.
As for its eyes, they were blood-red, staring fixedly in the direction of the cave entrance.
When it saw the empty cave behind Lu Li and Lin Qingyu,
an extremely tyrannical killing intent pressed down overwhelmingly like a physical substance!
"There is actually another Silver-Backed Demonic Ape?"
Lin Qingyu's expression changed slightly.
She never expected that there would actually be two Silver-Backed Demonic Apes!
A sweep of Appraisal, and the information she obtained made her somewhat despairing:
"It is actually a Level 27 Silver-Backed Demonic Ape, and it is even a male?!"
Level 27 and Level 25 might look like a difference of only two levels,
but once reaching the level above Level 20, every level difference meant a world of difference in strength!
What was more, the one before them was a male!
Its body was larger, its strength was greater, and its speed was faster.
Even its defense was several tiers higher than the female's!
"This should be the mate of the demonic ape from just now."
Lu Li frowned and swept it with Divine Appraisal Technique.
[Name]: Silver-Backed Demonic Ape (Male)
[Level]: 27
[Quality]: Diamond
[Four-Dimensional Attributes]: Strength: 580, Physique: 610, Agility: 450, Wisdom: 210
"The four-dimensional attributes exceed 580, and the physique even breaks 600..."
Lu Li pondered inwardly.
The information he saw with Divine Appraisal Techniquewas even more, allowing him to clearly understand this demonic ape's terrifying nature.
Even he might not necessarily be able to handle it.
Thinking of this, Lu Li said directly,
"I will lure it away, you escape first."
Lin Qingyu was stunned: "What did you say?"
Lu Li did not answer.
He directly took out a large piece of demonic ape flesh from the space ring and raised it high.
"Damn demonic ape!"
He mustered all his strength and roared toward that male Silver-Backed Demonic Ape:
"Your wife was killed by me! If you want revenge, come find me!"
As his voice fell, the golden divine light around Lu Lisurged drastically.
His entire person transformed into a golden stream of light, violently shooting toward the depths of the dense forest!
"Roar——!!!"
The male Silver-Backed Demonic Ape let out an earth-shattering roar.
That sound contained towering fury and sorrow.
Its massive body suddenly leaped up.
On all fours, it chased after Lu Li like a chariot!
"Lu Li!!"
Lin Qingyu cried out involuntarily, but that golden figure
had already disappeared into the depths of the dense forest along with that enraged demonic ape.
"Rumble——!"
The loud crashes of trees breaking continuously came over, and the entire mountain forest trembled in that terrifying chase.
Lin Qingyu stood in place, her expression gradually turning pale.
That was a Level 27 Diamond-grade monster.
No matter how strong Lu Li was, he definitely couldn't handle it!
If luck was on their side and Lu Li's sprinting speed was fast enough, perhaps he could still shake it off.
If luck was bad and he couldn't shake it off, then what awaited Lu Li would surely be death!
And based on the speed the Silver-Backed Demonic Apeshowed just now, the probability of shaking it off was extremely low!
Thinking of this, an unprecedented sense of remorse surged into Lin Qingyu's heart.
"It's all my fault. If I had known earlier, I wouldn't have brought Lu Li here..."
But very soon, a trace of resolve flashed in her eyes.
"No! I cannot let him face danger alone!"
Lin Qingyu gritted her teeth.
She strode out with her round, slender legs and chased in the direction Lu Li had left.
...
In the distance, within the shadow of a tree branch,
that Concealed Blade Assassin witnessed this scene from beginning to end.
Watching the backs of the two leaving one after another, he slowly withdrew the half-unsheathed dagger in his hand.
"These two are quite loyal to each other."
He muttered to himself, a rare trace of approval surfacing in his cold eyes.
"However, this kid has truly huge guts.
A Level 22 Paladin actually dares to alone lure away a Level 27 male Silver-Backed Demonic Ape."
Before his voice fell,
his figure had already melted back into the darkness, silently following behind.
...
"Swish——"
Lu Li drove his speed to the absolute limit.
His nimble posture was like a golden stream of light in the dense forest.
Every landing point precisely stepped between tree trunks and rocks.
Behind him, that male Silver-Backed Demonic Ape had long since been thoroughly enraged.
On all fours, it was like an out-of-control heavy chariot.
Wherever it passed, ancient trees as thick as a hug were forcefully broken by impact.
Flying gravel splashed everywhere, and the entire mountain forest shivered rustlingly in its roars.
"It's about time."
Lu Li looked back and swept a glance, estimating that he had lured the demonic ape far enough away.
Only then did he suddenly stop his steps and turn around.
He took a deep breath, and the golden divine light inside his pupils suddenly lit up.
"Guardian Blessing!"
"Divine Blessing!"
"Weapon Blessing!"
"Courage Blessing!"
One buff skill after another was cast upon him as if they cost nothing.
Golden divine light, silver-white blessing runes—
they lit up layer upon layer around his body, illuminating him as if a god of war had descended!
Following closely, his left hand suddenly clenched in front of his chest.
"Sanctuary!"
"Boom——!!!"
Pure golden divine light burst forth with him as the center, instantly enveloping the dense forest within a radius of a hundred meters completely.
High in the air,
holy pillars of light, falling golden feathers, and solemn gates of light emerged one by one.
By the time all buffs were fully stacked, Lu Li's entire person was shrouded in dense golden light.
Viewed from afar, he was just like a deity descending to the mortal world.
He subconsciously swept a glance at his attribute panel, the corners of his mouth involuntarily curling up slightly.
His average four-dimensional attributes had already reached a terrifying 700 points!
"700 points..."
Lu Li felt the power within his body that was so surging it was almost overflowing, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
However, this was still not his entire trump card.
He still had a true trump card.
The Divine Radiance State of the Holy Radiance Immortal Body!
Once the Divine Radiance State was activated, he could borrow a portion of the divine power of the Angel Bloodline within his body, and his strength could be raised by another tier!
However, looking at the demonic ape roaring and charging before him, Lu Li gently shook his head.
"With my current state, it is already enough."
He slowly raised his head, staring directly at the behemoth that had already rushed close.
"Roar——!!!!"
The male Silver-Backed Demonic Ape's scarlet eyes locked onto Lu Li tightly.
Its two forearms, as thick as mountain pillars, were raised high, carrying the force of ten thousand jun, smashing down straight toward his head!
This single strike was enough to smash a boulder into smithereens!
However, Lu Li merely gave a gentle smile.
"Too slow."
The tips of his feet tapped, and his figure sidestepped out like a phantom.
That punch, which was enough to split mountains and shatter rocks, narrowly brushed past the hem of his clothing and slammed into the ground.
"Boom——!"
The earth cracked, soil splashed everywhere, and a deep pit several meters in diameter abruptly appeared!
But Lu Li had already appeared at the demonic ape's side.
"Pure White Blade!"
A white cross light blade precisely slashed at the joint of the demonic ape's right leg.
"Pfft——!"
Fresh blood splattered!
"Roar!!"
Feeling the pain, the demonic ape backhanded a claw sweeping horizontally over.
Lu Li lowered his figure, passing through its armpit like a swimming fish, and backhanded with another axe strike.
Chapter 94: Hammer of Penitence! Is he even human?
"Pfft——!"
The axe blade tore a gruesome bloody gash across the ribs of the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape.
Just like that, Lu Li shuttled back and forth through the frenzied attacks of the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape like a slippery loach.
Every single attack from the Silver-Backed Demonic Apecarried terrifying destructive power.
Yet, its massive body appeared incomparably clumsy before Lu Li.
Lu Li's agility attribute had reached an extremely terrifying degree.
With various blessings bestowed upon him, his figure was so fast it was almost invisible.
The more furious the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape became, the fiercer its attacks grew, and the larger its flaws became.
And after every dodge, Lu Li would leave a new wound on its body.
In just a short moment, on the massive body of the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape...
It was already covered in dozens of wounds of varying sizes, and piping-hot fresh blood dyed its entire coat of black fur a brilliant red.
"It's time to give you something big."
A cold glint flashed in Lu Li's eyes as his figure suddenly leaped backward.
"Chain Lightning!"
He raised a finger and pointed.
Boom——!!!
A brilliant golden lightning bolt burst forth from his fingertips!
As thick as an arm and carrying a destructive might, the lightning slammed fiercely into the chest of the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape!
"Sizzle——!"
Thunderlight exploded, and the flesh on the chest of the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape was instantly blasted into a charred state, revealing chilling white bones!
Immediately afterwards, the lightning crazily ricocheted inside the body of the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape!
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Several consecutive thunder explosions detonated on the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape!
The Silver-Backed Demonic Ape let out a shrill scream, its massive body stumbling backward.
But before it could steady itself, Lu Li's second attack had already arrived.
"Light Feather Storm!"
Myriads of golden light feathers surged out from Lu Li's palms.
Like a golden storm, they swept toward the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape!
"Chi chi chi——!"
Every single light feather was like a sharp blade.
Carving wounds deep enough to see bone one after another onto the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape!
Fresh blood scattered like rain!
In the blink of an eye, the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape was almost swallowed by the golden storm!
"Roar——!!!"
A shrill roar resounded through the entire mountain forest.
By the time the Light Feather Storm dissipated, the massive body of the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape was already covered in scars.
The black fur on its body had been almost entirely shaved off, exposing the rolled-up flesh underneath.
Yet even so, it actually hadn't fallen down yet!
"As expected of a Level 27 Diamond-tier monster, its vitality is truly tenacious."
Lu Li furrowed his brow slightly.
With injuries like these, if it were an ordinary monster, it would have died countless times over long ago.
Yet this Silver-Backed Demonic Ape before him had forcefully held on by virtue of its terrifying vitality.
"Roar!!"
The Silver-Backed Demonic Ape raised its head and let out a roar that was furious to the extreme.
The next moment, every single strand of silver hair on its body stood on end!
An aura tyrannical to the extreme violently erupted from within its body!
Its eyes completely turned blood-red.
Its originally massive body actually expanded by another circle!
Its muscles knotted and bulged, and blue veins writhed frantically under its skin like earthworms!
"It's berserk?"
Lu Li narrowed his eyes.
The Silver-Backed Demonic Ape entering berserk mode—this was its final burst after being driven to a desperate situation!
After going berserk, the four-dimensional attributes of the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape would surge comprehensively.
But its rationality would also be completely lost, leaving only the most primitive combat instincts.
"Boom!"
The Silver-Backed Demonic Ape moved!
After going berserk, its speed was frighteningly fast!
Almost in an instant, it rushed in front of Lu Li!
That pillar-thick fist, carrying a piercing sonic boom, slammed fiercely toward Lu Li's head!
"So fast!"
Lu Li's pupils constricted as his figure rapidly retreated.
But the reaction speed of the berserk Silver-Backed Demonic Ape had also improved by more than one notch!
Its other claw had already sealed off Lu Li's retreat path!
"Boom——!"
With nowhere left to dodge, Lu Li had no choice but to raise his battle axe and block it head-on.
A terrifying colossal force came over, blasting his entire person flying backward!
"Thud! Thud! Thud!"
Lu Li plowed two deep gullies on the ground with his feet before barely steadying his figure.
"Such formidable strength..."
Shaking his numb arms, he himself hadn't suffered much damage.
His physique attribute was simply too high, and he had epic-tier equipment protecting him.
This Silver-Backed Demonic Ape couldn't even break his defense.
"However, it ends here."
Lu Li raised his head, staring straight at the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape roaring as it rushed over once more.
Within his dual pupils, the golden holy light was unprecedentedly brilliant.
"Let you witness the fruits of my labor over these past two months."
His figure abruptly retreated sharply, while his left hand lifted high with five fingers spread wide.
"Hammer of Penitence!"
With a low shout, the colors of the heavens and earth suddenly changed!
In the void, countless streams of golden holy light converged frantically.
In the blink of an eye, they condensed into a holy light battle hammer spanning dozens of meters long!
The battle hammer was constructed entirely from the purest holy light.
Countless ancient runes were inscribed on the hammer body, exuding a terrifying, suffocating might!
The entire mountain forest was illuminated into a golden hue!
"Die!"
Lu Li's left hand suddenly pressed downward!
Boom——!!!
The holy light battle hammer smashed down with a bang, like the descent of divine punishment!
"Boom——!!!!"
At this moment, the heavens and earth lost their color!
The brilliant golden light swept in all directions like a tsunami!
The entire mountain forest trembled violently under this terrifying strike!
And right at this moment, a bedraggled cyan figure finally rushed out from the dense forest.
It was precisely Lin Qingyu!
She had chased all the way following that terrifying commotion.
The moment she rushed out of the bushes, she saw a scene she would never forget in her life.
That unimaginably huge holy light battle hammer...
Was carrying earth-shattering might as it crashed down violently!
"Roar——!!"
The Silver-Backed Demonic Ape let out its final roar, crossing its arms in an attempt to block it.
Yet before such terrifying holy light, its resistance was like a praying mantis trying to stop a chariot!
"Rumble——!!!!"
The holy light battle hammer fell, and the mountain-like massive body of the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape was actually smashed directly into the ground!
Golden light splashed everywhere, and flesh and blood flew!
It didn't even have time to let out a scream before it was blasted into pieces by the holy light battle hammer!
By the time the golden light dissipated...
In place, there remained only a huge deep pit dozens of meters in diameter!
At the bottom of the pit, that once-haughty Level 27 Diamond-tier Silver-Backed Demonic Ape no longer had any breath of life.
"This..."
Lin Qingyu opened her mouth wide, her entire person freezing in place.
She looked at the figure standing holding an axe.
Then she looked at the dead-as-a-doornail Silver-Backed Demonic Ape inside the deep pit, her beautiful eyes filled with incredulous shock.
"With a single hammer... it was killed?"
Lin Qingyu murmured to herself, her voice trembling slightly.
This was a Level 27 Diamond-tier monster!
Still a Level 27 Diamond-tier monster whose four-dimensional attributes had fully surged while in a berserk state!
It was actually smashed to death by Lu Li with a single hammer?!
"This is too exaggerated..."
Lin Qingyu blankly gazed at Lu Li, unable to speak for a long while.
Meanwhile, in the distance, within the shadow of a tree canopy.
That Shadow Assassin at this moment had also completely fallen into a daze.
He stared fixedly at the corpse of the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape in the huge deep pit.
And then looked at the figure standing holding an axe in the arena.
His mouth opened and closed, but not a single word could be said.
"What the fuck..."
After a long time, he finally squeezed a sentence out from his throat:
"Is this kid really human?"
Chapter 95: You're Exposed! A Stunning Figure!
[Ding! You have slain a Level 27 Diamond-tier monster, Silver-Backed Demonic Ape!]
[EXP +5,200 (Doubled by max-level Divine Favor)!]
"5,200 EXP, not bad."
Looking at the corpse of the Silver-Backed Demonic Ape in the deep pit, Lu Li let out a long breath.
He casually cast Slow Heal on himself to recover some stamina.
That barrage of skills just now had drained most of the holy light power in his body.
Fortunately, his Intelligence stat was high enough, and Child of Light along with Angel Bloodline granted a massive reduction in skill mana cost.
Otherwise, that hammer strike alone would have been enough to leave an ordinary Level 22 class holder completely exhausted on the spot.
A soft green glow flowed across Lu Li, and his fatigue receded rapidly like an ebbing tide.
Only then did Lin Qingyu walk over on her shapely, slender legs, exclaiming in wonder:
"To be able to slay a Level 27 male Diamond-tier monster... your strength is simply incredible."
Her voice remained cool and pleasant, yet beneath it lay a tremor of unconcealed shock.
A Level 27 Diamond-tier monster in a berserk state had actually been obliterated by Lu Li with a single hammer strike.
If word of this got out, let alone Imperial University, the entire freshman circle of Yanlong Country would be shaken.
"That was pretty much my limit as well."
Lu Li gave a modest smile, then prepared to gather the spoils of battle.
A Level 27 Diamond-tier monster was something he definitely couldn't let go to waste.
"I'll help you."
Seeing this, Lin Qingyu quickly stepped forward to assist.
It truly lived up to being a Level 27 monster.
The flesh and hide on its body possessed incredible Resilience.
Even though both Lu Li and Lin Qingyu possessed strength far exceeding others of their level,
dismantling such a thick-skinned, rough-fleshed behemoth was still exceptionally arduous.
It took the two of them a full two hours or more to finish processing all the materials.
The demonic ape's tendons, sharp fangs, and bone fragments were sorted and stored away one by one.
Even the silver back fur was collected without a single strand left behind.
These were all tangible course credits and yanlong coins.
Of course, the vast majority of the materials were stored in Lin Qingyu's space ring.
Lu Li only kept some of the prime essences.
By this time, it was almost six in the evening.
The sky was gradually growing dark.
Nighttime in the Longji Mountains was far more dangerous than the day.
All kinds of nocturnal high-tier monsters would begin to stir during this time.
Lu Li looked up at the sky, his brow furrowing slightly:
"We need to find a place to spend the night first."
"Let's head back to the demonic ape's cave,"
Lin Qingyu suggested. "We've already cleared that place out, so it should be relatively safe for now."
"Yeah, let's go."
Lu Li nodded.
Just as the two were about to leave,
"Rumble!!"
Suddenly, a roll of muffled thunder detonated across the horizon!
Immediately after, raindrops the size of beans plummeted from the sky without warning.
In the blink of an eye, they connected into sheets, turning into a torrential downpour!
"Oh no! It's raining!"
Although Lu Li and Lin Qingyu reacted extremely swiftly,
one channeling the light element and the other summoning wind to immediately erect protective elemental barriers,
it happened too suddenly, and the downpour struck with too much fury.
Both of them were still drenched to the bone.
"At least we finished harvesting the materials.
Let's go. Head back to the demonic ape's cave to rest first."
Caring little about anything else at this point, Lu Li plunged into the curtain of rain with Lin Qingyu.
"Rumble—!"
The thunder in the sky grew increasingly dense.
The torrential rain poured like a deluge, shrouding the entire Longji Mountains in a vast white haze of moisture.
The muddy mountain trail became exceptionally slick.
Fortunately, neither of them was weak, so their speed wasn't significantly hindered.
Moving swiftly all the way, Lu Li and Lin Qingyu quickly returned to the cave.
Pushing aside the vines at the entrance, they slipped inside.
Outside, wind and rain raged together, but inside the cave was dry and warm, like another world entirely.
"Holy Light!"
With a thought, Lu Li directly gathered the light element.
It condensed into a golden orb of light to serve as a light source, hovering in midair within the cave.
The gentle golden light instantly illuminated the entire cavern brightly.
Near the entrance, the curtain of rain outside could still be faintly seen hanging like a drape.
The rocky walls blocked out most of the thunder and rain, making the sounds seem muffled and distant.
"Phew, soaked to the bone. Let's start a fire first."
Lu Li exhaled softly.
The night rain of the Longji Mountains was bone-chillingly cold.
Even with his constitution, wearing such drenched clothes was unavoidably uncomfortable.
He quickly turned around, preparing to kindle a fire.
But as soon as he turned, he froze for a moment.
Lin Qingyu stood gracefully not far in front of him.
Earlier in the dense forest, the light had been dim, so nothing had been apparent.
Now with illumination, he finally noticed.
Right now, Lin Qingyu was completely drenched from head to toe.
Her teal martial outfit had already been tattered and torn from the previous battle.
Now soaked through by the rain, it clung tightly to her body like a second layer of skin.
It outlined her tall, slender, and exquisite figure to perfection.
The lapel of her robe was slightly parted.
Having been saturated with rain, the thin fabric had turned virtually translucent.
Clinging tightly to her skin, it traced out the breathtakingly full contour of her chest.
Plump and rounded, tightly wrapped in the drenched fabric.
It rose and fell gently with her breaths.
The astonishing curve of its undulation threatened to burst open the already damaged lapel.
Rainwater trickled slowly down her slender neck, disappearing into that deep cleavage.
Lu Li was momentarily stunned.
Previously, he had only felt that Shen Chuyou was well-endowed.
Yet he hadn't expected Lin Qingyu to be just as impressive!
In fact, with Lin Qingyu's slender, tall build paired with such voluptuous curves,
it carried an even greater visual impact.
It was a beauty entirely different from Shen Chuyou's.
Shen Chuyou was the ultimate contrast of a voluptuous figure against a cool, detached countenance.
Whereas Lin Qingyu possessed the rich, alluring charm of a statuesque mature beauty.
"What's wrong?"
Lin Qingyu hadn't realized yet, subconsciously raising a hand to touch her face:
"Is there something on my face?"
Lu Li snapped out of his daze, pointed at Lin Qingyu, and reminded her:
"You're exposed."
"Huh?"
Lin Qingyu froze for a second.
She looked down along Lu Li's gaze.
With that single glance, her entire body stiffened.
The collar, which had already been damaged during the fight, had long lost any ability to conceal after being soaked in the rain.
A large expanse of snow-white, delicate skin was exposed to the open air.
What made her even more mortified and flustered was that
the drenched cloth clinging to her skin practically revealed everything with sheer clarity...
Lin Qingyu
"Y-You—!"
Only now did Lin Qingyu fully realize her embarrassing state.
Her fair, cold, and striking face flushed with a visible blush.
Subconsciously crossing her arms over her chest, she whipped around.
Yet turning around only exposed her perky buttocks, wrapped tightly by the wet clothes, completely to Lu Li's view.
The rounded, pert curves were delineated in every detail by the drenched outfit.
"Seems like that exposes even more..."
Lu Li gave a dry cough and reminded her again.
Hearing this, Lin Qingyu wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
As the esteemed Sword Maiden, when had she ever been in such an embarrassing state before a man?
Yet at that moment, possessed by some strange impulse, she cast a glance back at Lu Li.
Only to see that far from being embarrassed, he appeared utterly composed.
In fact, he was examining her soaked appearance with considerable interest.
His gaze was completely candid, carrying an air of pure appreciation.
As if admiring a fine work of art.
Without the slightest bit of lewdness or evasion.