"Ten minutes have passed."
Li Yun noted the time as he finished his meal and looked into the distance towards the forest.
"Why isn't it here yet?"
He thought, feeling a bit anxious. He had prepared everything and executed every step of his plan meticulously, and if it failed now, it would be a depressing outcome for him.
"I hope everything works out."
Li Yun prayed to the transmigration god and waited.
Dhump! Dhump! Dhump!
Not long after, he suddenly heard the sound of something heavy running towards him from afar.
"It's here, and it's alone! Even the gods are helping me this time." Li Yun exclaimed, turning his attention toward the direction of the thumping sounds.
In the distance, he noticed a cloud of dust swirling toward him, kicking up the dirt and debris in its path. At its center, something moved—small at first, but a bright red flash across its body caught his eye.
As the dust storm crept closer, the shape became clearer. It was a beast, quick and nimble, its red markings flickering like fire.
But what unsettled him the most was how it seemed to grow with every second, its size steadily increasing as if feeding on the very air around it, turning from something small and swift into a much larger and more threatening figure.
"Time to play the final act." Li Yun smiled and took out the jade bottle containing the mutated Three Petal Lotus Pill.
Jumping down from the boulder, he landed lightly and made his way back to the spot where he had dropped the pill earlier. Without hesitation, he drew his sword and carefully sliced off a small portion—roughly one-tenth of the pill. The blade made a clean cut, and he set the smaller piece aside on the ground.
With quick, practiced movements, he slipped the remaining larger portion into a jade bottle, sealing it tightly. His eyes lingered for a moment on the small chunk left behind, as if making sure everything was in place before continuing.
"That will do."
Li Yun nodded to himself and walked back to the boulder, waiting patiently.
Before long, Li Yun could make out the distinct features of the beast charging toward him. It was massive, about the size of an elephant, but with the bulky frame of a hippopotamus.
Its thick, leathery skin gleamed under the harsh light, and arcs of red lightning crackled violently across its body, illuminating its muscular form with each surge.
The beast's eyes glowed with an intense, wild energy, and every thunderous step it took shook the ground beneath it, sending tremors through the earth as it closed in on him.
"Is that a Lightning Hippophant?"
Li Yun was surprised. He had read about it in his mother's compendium on wilderness creatures, which included details about various beasts and natural treasures.
He knew of the Lightning Hippophant. These beasts were rare and known for their thick skin. Their hide was so tough that even a 9th-level Qi Training Realm martial artist would have a hard time penetrating it.
However, this trait was more of a curse than a blessing. Because of their thick skin, Lightning Hippophants were hunted by martial artists worldwide, leading to a sharp decline in their population in recent years.
Though the thick skin protected the beast from harm, it also had a significant weakness. Only the skin on its upper body was as tough as the stories claimed. The skin underneath, particularly around its belly and chest, was its vulnerability. These areas were so thin that even a 3rd-level Qi Training Realm martial artist could kill the beast if they struck the right spot.
"Oh well, it's good I prepared anyway." Li Yun shrugged, waiting for the beast to get closer to the bait he had set a moment ago.
"Huh?" At that moment, Li Yun noticed a figure behind the dust cloud kicked up by the Lightning Hippophant. The figure was running towards him, chasing the beast.
"Is that Lie Hua?"
Li Yun recognized the face of the figure. Knowing her strength, he deduced that the person chasing the Lightning Hippophant could only be Lie Hua.
He frowned as she closed in. He hadn't accounted for her or anyone else when making his plan, and considering her strength, he feared all the hard work he had put in would go to waste because of her.
"If it were anyone else, I could handle it, but Lie Hua is very strong…"
Li Yun pondered grimly. His mind raced with various thoughts, trying to find a solution to the sudden problem. No idea came to him that could counter a 4th-level Qi Training Realm genius with a superior 5-star grade bone frame.
Time continued to pass as he considered his options. If Lie Hua decided to interfere, his plan might fail. Her interest in the core of the 5th-level Qi Training Realm beast was likely, and based on her pursuit of the creature, he doubted she'd back down.
"Li Yun!"
Lie Hua's shout snapped him out of his thoughts. She wasn't far from him now, and the beast was almost at the spot he had prepared.
'Sigh… Let's stick to the plan.'
Seeing the beast so close to the bait, Li Yun decided to proceed. He needed to secure the beast's core before worrying about her interference.
After some more time, the Lightning Hippophant finally reached the spot where Li Yun had placed the bait. It began rooting around the ground as if searching for something.
A minute passed, and the beast stopped moving.
"Come on, do it."
Li Yun's breathing became tense. His palms sweated, and anxiety gripped him. If the beast didn't take the bait, and with Lie Hua closing in, it could turn into the worst-case scenario.
The Lightning Hippophant found the piece of the pill Li Yun had left. It began sniffing it like a dog.
Li Yun watched the giant beast intently, not blinking.
The beast extended its long tongue.
Li Yun's eyes widened.
The creature swept the pill into its mouth and swallowed it.
Li Yun jumped up in excitement.
"I did it!"
He clenched his fists, feeling a wave of relief. It had been a tense moment, but in the end, everything had worked out.