The enormous toad, locked onto by a menacing aura, revealed a flicker of panic in its eyes, but it refused to sit idly by and await its fate.
With a determined heave, it lifted its scythe into a defensive stance and unleashed its mighty Whip Tongue skill. A pale green energy coated its long tongue, amplifying its strike significantly.
But in the next moment, the toad understood the bitter truth of what it meant to pit flesh against a blade.
Xu Que's sword, infused with relentless killing intent, paid no heed to its defenses, unleashing a strike designed to cleave the heavens. He had intended to unleash his most powerful blow, and this oversized target was too tempting not to seize the chance.
The Heaven-Cleaving Strike, bolstered by his sword intent and imbued with an aura of inevitable death, cut forth in an instant. The toad's prized scythe shattered under the force of the sword aura, barely lasting a fraction of a second.
Next to fall was its massive tongue.
As the blade sliced through its tongue, the toad's eyes bulged in sheer disbelief, struggling to process that its once-impenetrable defenses had been so effortlessly pierced. Despair filled its gaze as the sword aura wrapped around its body, splitting it cleanly down the middle from the center of its head.
With a sickening splatter, the toad's severed halves convulsed, as if wishing to utter a dying curse.
Xu Que sheathed his sword, exhaling heavily at the sight of the scattered light spheres on the ground.
"Good thing I was prepared," he muttered, collapsing onto the ground. "Now, there's just that three-headed dog left." He stared fixedly in one direction as he quickly rested, readying himself to review the fourteen spoils he had gathered.
As he assessed the items dropped by eight slain beasts, Xu Que couldn't help but twitch in frustration. Despite his expectations, the collection of D-grade equipment left him speechless.
**[Item: Cloud Essence Scythe D-Grade (Unique)]**
**[Quality: Fine (Blue)]**
**[Passive: Boosts physical attack partially while reducing stamina substantially upon equipping.]**
**[Note: Crafted from a special spirit ore, this weapon is rough in finish but has high durability.]**
**[Item: Cloud Essence Greatsword D-Grade (Unique)]**
...
Xu Que shook his head, bewildered. Who would even consider using such gear? The mediocre attack strength might be acceptable, but the severe stamina reduction was absurd.
The Cloud Essence Demon's Edge he had wielded previously was leagues above these weapons, with far less stamina reduction. Resolving not to dwell on the crude weaponry, he thought to simply put them up in the trading hall; weapons, after all, were scarce, and someone might pay a good price.
**[Item: Thick Hide Inner Armor B-Grade (Unique)]**
**[Quality: Excellent (Purple)]**
**[Passive: Adds slight defense, granting a Thick Hide effect upon impact (charges every 5 hours).]**
Seeing it was inner armor, Xu Que immediately equipped it. Inner armor of any grade was valuable, a true lifeline in battle.
**[Item: Mist Boots B-Grade (Unique)]**
**[Quality: Excellent (Purple)]**
**[Passive: Enhances movement speed and grants a double-jump effect. Attacks have a chance to trigger Gale Effect.]**
"These boots are a gem!" Xu Que swapped out his **[Jungle Rider Boots]** without hesitation.
**[Item: Load-Bearing Ring C-Grade]**
**[Quality: Excellent (Purple)]**
**[Active: Increases strength by 30% for 15 seconds (recharges in 120 minutes)]**
**[Passive: Reduces equipped item weight by 50%]**
The ring's attributes immediately reminded him of Qi Shan. With it, Qi Shan could become a powerhouse of brute force—an ideal match for any heavy-hammer-wielding, armored fighter.
He pocketed the ring and turned to the last three items.
**[Item: Vital Slime A-Grade]**
**[Quality: Epic (Gold)]**
**[Material: Slime from a Ghost Toad boss, highly adhesive, suitable for forging and alchemy.]**
**[Item: Giant Toad Bone C-Grade]**
**[Quality: Excellent (Purple)]**
**[Material: Jawbone from a Ghost Toad boss, ideal for forging and alchemy.]**
**[Item: Anchor Key B-Grade]**
**[Quality: Excellent (Purple)]**
**[Note: Unlocks a hidden realm in a specified spatial location. Use with caution as dangers and encounters are unknown.]**
Xu Que had little interest in the first two materials, but the anchor key made his pulse quicken with excitement. A doorway to an A-grade dimension promised untold rewards.
Examining his inventory of three anchor keys, he drew the A-grade key, closing his eyes to sense its tethered location. Golden threads of light drifted toward the pitch-black depths of the marshlands, where he could just make out the final boss's lair.
"Damn, please don't let this be some dead-end," Xu Que grumbled.
Seeing the stone door remained sealed, he settled cross-legged to cultivate. The platform's aura was thick, though not as potent as the spirit energy amassed in the chamber below—drained from every slain beast.
**Outside, in the Harbor District of Devil's City.**
The scene had become a veritable inferno, the aftermath of battle strewn with the corpses of bear-men and twin-tailed scorpions, with a few dead blackbirds scattered in the distance.
Qi Shan approached a team of ten warriors with a grin. "Holding up all right?"
"No… this is it," gasped Yue Gang, waving his hand in defeat.
"I love it when you say you can't go on," Qi Shan replied, his smile broadening as he tossed a black garbage bag into the dimensional rift.
The warriors stared daggers at Qi Shan, their ire barely contained. Despite their exhaustion, this brute kept tossing in trash.
With a shimmer, the rift closed, and Qi Shan chuckled. "Good luck, everyone!"
"Curse you, you fat pig!" Yue Yun growled, surging forward.
Before he reached Qi Shan, however, the rift opened again, and dozens of bear-men charged out.
"Yue Yun, fall back and defend!" Yue Xiaoqin commanded.
As the group of ten met the wave of monsters, six twin-tailed scorpions crawled from the rift behind them.
Watching from a distance, Qi Shan's face darkened. He'd hoped the monster surge might abate, but the flow had only increased. In a flash, a blackbird swooped down at Yue Qing.
"Damn!" Qi Shan leapt forward, hurling his war hammer to intercept. The hammer struck true, sending the bird sprawling.
Without a second thought, Qi Shan rushed to the downed bird, gripping its neck and snapping it with a fierce twist.
As he fled the chaos with the bird's corpse, the Yue family team could only grit their teeth in fury.
They had met plenty of fiends, but none quite like Qi Shan—irritating, insufferable, and yet inexplicably invulnerable to reprimand.