Originally, a praying mantis would molt once every one to two weeks.
However, Wei Ping's praying mantis avatar, due to its practice of the "Golden Mantis Refining Technique", which generated a stimulating and accelerating heat flow, needed to molt almost every seven days, except for the last time.
Moreover, the avatar had an astonishing appetite, consuming food weighing more than its own body weight almost every day.
Especially after arriving in Qingshan Town, the avatar's size increased, so Wei Ping had to spend a lot of time catching insects in the mountains to serve as food, which was a very troublesome thing.
Fortunately, a few steps outside of Qingshan Town was a mountainous forest where insects were abundant, and food was sufficient.
Inside the room, the praying mantis avatar hung upside down again, motionless, as if asleep.
At this point, after experiencing the eighth molt, the praying mantis avatar not only increased in size again but also grew a small, pocket-sized wing on its back, which could not cover the entire back.
Because of this small wing, also known as a "wing bud," Wei Ping knew that once the praying mantis avatar molted again, it would grow complete wings and complete metamorphosis.
Time flew by quickly, and after two or three hours, the praying mantis avatar finally began to metamorphose.
The metamorphosis of the praying mantis was not significantly different from its previous molts.
The only difference was that this time, the praying mantis not only increased in size again but also finally had complete wings that slowly opened with time.
After nearly an hour, the praying mantis avatar finally completed its metamorphosis.
At this point, its body was over one foot in size, (more than thirty centimeters) resembling a giant among praying mantises.
Its arms were slender, and the sawtooth-like edges on its scythe-like arms were not only sharp but also eye-catching.
Once caught between the scythe-like arms of the praying mantis avatar, the prey would be held in place by the serrated edges and continuously injured and bleeding.
"It finally metamorphosed! With this, the praying mantis avatar also has flying abilities! Let me try!"
With a gleeful chuckle, Wei Ping began to manipulate the avatar to flap its wings.
"Squeak, squeak, squeak~"
The flapping of its wings made a sound as the praying mantis avatar flew up from the table and hovered above the ceiling beams.
"Huh? The flying ability of the praying mantis avatar seems to be much better than that of an ordinary mantis!" Wei Ping was pleasantly surprised.
As far as he knew, although ordinary mantises had the ability to fly, they were not good at it and could only fly short distances.
But his praying mantis avatar, perhaps due to practicing the "Golden Praying Mantis Body Refining Technique," had not only a strong physique but also more powerful wings, making it able to fly for a while before stopping.
Moreover, its movements were much quieter, increasing its stealthiness.
After the surprise, Wei Ping once again opened the panel.
After more than half a month of practice, the parameters had already changed.
Name: Wei Ping
Realm: Refining Tendons Realm
Techniques:
Golden Praying Mantis Body Refining Technique (compatibility: 23%. Progress: 1st level, 8%)
Shadowless Blade Technique (compatibility: 10%. Progress: learning 1%)
Avatar: Praying Mantis
Number of avatars that can be condensed: 0
Overall, there wasn't much change in Wei Ping's data, with only a 5-point increase in cultivation progress. However, the affinity for the Gold Mantis Refining Technique increased by 4 points, all thanks to the molt of the Mantis Avatar.
Previously, each molt of the Mantis Avatar only increased affinity by one or two points. But this time, the avatar's molt resulted in a 4-point increase for Wei Ping, which shows that there is a huge difference between the Mantis Avatar before and after its metamorphosis.
Afterward, Wei Ping opened the data of the Mantis Avatar.
Avatar: Big Blade Mantis
Cultivation Realm: First Tier Monster Beast
Techniques:
Gold Mantis Refining Technique (Affinity: 55%. Cultivation Progress: First Layer 12%)
Shadowless Blade Technique (Affinity: 53%. Cultivation Progress: Learning 1%)
When he saw the changes in the avatar's column and cultivation realm column, Wei Ping was stunned on the spot.
"The Mantis Avatar has transformed into the monster beast 'Big Blade Mantis'?"
It took Wei Ping a while to react.
It seems that the Mantis Avatar's metamorphosis was not simple at all.
Wei Ping's Mantis Avatar was originally just an ordinary insect mantis. But after this period of cultivation, it actually turned into a monster beast!
Unlike the classification of martial artist's realm, the strength of the demonic beasts is classified by grades, and the higher the grade, the stronger the strength. A first-grade demonic beast is equivalent in strength to a human martial artist at the Tendons Refinement realm, a second-grade demonic beast is equivalent to a martial artist at the Organs Refinement realm, a third-grade demonic beast is at the Flesh Refinement realm, and a fourth-grade demonic beast is at the Bone Refinement realm...
As for the improvement in the two techniques' compatibility, it was within Wei Ping's expectations.
While admiring the slender figure and sharp blade arms of his praying mantis avatar, Wei Ping also felt a little melancholy.
Because the avatar was now too big, if it were kept in the room all the time, it would inevitably be discovered. Moreover, it could be predicted that the avatar's appetite would increase substantially with its size.
In that case, if Wei Ping wanted to catch insects to feed it again, the workload would be considerable, and it would inevitably attract other people's attention.
"It seems that I can only release the praying mantis avatar into the Big Qing Mountain!" Wei Ping made a decision.
"Let's go!"
Without hesitation, Wei Ping reabsorbed the praying mantis avatar into his body and opened the door, leaving the small town.
Fifteen minutes later, Wei Ping arrived at a continuous mountain range covered with flowers, grass, and vegetation that seemed to have no end in sight.
The Big Qing Mountain was a vast mountain range that extended hundreds of miles and was boundless. According to rumors, there were even demonic beasts living in the deepest part of the Big Qing Mountain, but whether that was true or not was unknown.
After finding a dense forest, Wei Ping confirmed that there was no one around and released the praying mantis avatar.
Flapping its wings, the praying mantis avatar found a large tree and landed on its branches, hiding its green body among the leaves, making it difficult to find if one didn't look carefully.
"Hiss hiss hiss~"
At that moment, a giant lizard, almost two feet long and thicker than an adult's arm, poked its head out from a tree. Its tongue kept flicking in and out, as it had been attracted by the sound of flapping insect wings.
The lizard had excellent vision and quickly spotted the mantis avatar hiding among the leaves. It began to approach slowly.
"A lizard?" Wei Ping raised an eyebrow but did not intervene. Although the mantis avatar was smaller than the lizard, it had cultivated its skills and broken free from the limitations of its species, becoming a first-order monster. It couldn't be treated as an ordinary mantis.
The lizard wanted to prey on the mantis avatar, but it didn't know that the mantis avatar had also set its sights on it.
As the huge lizard drew nearer, the mantis avatar folded its two long and sharp blade arms, swaying its body slightly, but keeping its two eyes fixed firmly on its opponent.
Suddenly, the lizard felt it was time to strike. Its tongue shot out like a spring and attacked the mantis avatar.
However, the mantis avatar was faster with its blade arms than the lizard's tongue.
When the lizard's tongue came out, the mantis avatar suddenly struck with lightning speed, quickly advancing forward.
Swish! Swish!
The mantis avatar's attack speed was too fast, even for the naked eye to see!
With the first strike, the mantis avatar immobilized the lizard's tongue, thwarting its attack.
Then, with the second strike, the mantis avatar chopped down on the lizard's mouth. The serrations on the blade arms pierced the lizard's flesh, preventing its upper and lower lips from closing.
Immediately, the mantis avatar began to devour the lizard. Its mouth parts opened and closed, and it bit a small gap in the lizard's lower lip.
The lizard writhed in pain and struggled fiercely, but its tongue and mouth were firmly held by the mantis avatar, and it couldn't move at all.
Although the lizard was larger than the mantis avatar, it was no match for the mantis avatar in terms of strength.
Because the praying mantis avatar is not an ordinary mantis, but a demon beast!
On the other hand, this lizard is just an ordinary lizard, only a little larger in size.
No matter how the lizard struggles, it is difficult to break free.
Who can stop the praying mantis with its martial arts skills?
Soon, the lizard could not move anymore.
Because half of its cheek and the flesh above its mouth were quickly devoured by the praying mantis avatar, revealing its white bones.
Moreover, because the praying mantis avatar had just undergone a transformation and consumed too much energy, it was now extremely hungry.
Before long, the lizard was swallowed up by more than half.
At this point, the praying mantis avatar's originally shriveled abdomen finally swelled up, and even sagged slightly due to the excess in its stomach.
Then, the praying mantis avatar began to carefully groom its blade arms with great care and caution.
"Elegant! Really damn elegant!" Wei Ping exclaimed.
One second, the praying mantis avatar was gobbling up food, and the next it seemed to have become a gentleman.
"Putting the praying mantis avatar in the Big Qing Mountain for safekeeping should be okay!"
After his exclamation, Wei Ping felt much more at ease.
Before this, he was a little worried that the praying mantis avatar would be eaten by other animals, which would have made him cry.
Because the praying mantis avatar was the main force of his cultivation, if he lost it, his cultivation speed would be greatly reduced.
But now that the praying mantis avatar has become a first-order demon beast, its strength is not weaker than Wei Ping's true form, even surpassing it. Therefore, there is no need to worry anymore.
Who should be worried about him are the animals in Big Qing Mountain!
"Now that the praying mantis avatar has completed its transformation and become a first-order demon beast, it's time to practice the 'Shadowless Blade Art'!"
Wei Ping made a decision in his heart.