One Week Later…
Aethryon had grown far more confident in his strength.
For the past week, he had moved deeper into the 100-Year Spirit Beast region of the Beginner Forest. This was no longer the outer hunting grounds where weak creatures wandered carelessly. Here, every spirit beast had survived for decades, and many were ruthless predators.
But for Aethryon…
this had become his new hunting ground.
Hidden among thick grass and twisted roots, his crimson scales shimmered faintly under the forest's filtered sunlight. His body, now longer and thicker than before, moved with controlled precision. Every muscle in his body was tense and ready.
Suddenly
A rustling sound echoed through the bushes ahead.
A massive 70-year Fang Boar burst out of the undergrowth, its tusks gleaming like curved daggers. Its small red eyes locked onto Aethryon as it snorted aggressively.
The boar charged.
The ground trembled under its heavy steps as it rushed forward like a battering ram.
But Aethryon did not retreat.
Instead, his body suddenly twisted sideways with incredible speed. The boar's tusks barely missed him as he slithered past its flank.
In the next instant
Strike.
Aethryon's body snapped forward like a whip. His fangs sank deep into the boar's neck.
Venom surged into the beast's bloodstream.
But this was no ordinary poison anymore.
The Ignition Venom burned as it spread, scorching the creature's flesh from within.
The boar let out a horrifying scream and began thrashing wildly, smashing trees and tearing up the ground.
Aethryon had already retreated.
He calmly watched from a safe distance as the poison and flames devoured the beast from the inside.
Within seconds, the Fang Boar collapsed.
Dead.
But that was only the beginning of his hunt.
Later that same day, Aethryon encountered an 85-year Stoneback Lizard basking on a rock. Its thick armored hide had deflected countless attacks from other predators.
Not today.
Aethryon lunged forward, striking its exposed eye before the creature could react. His tail whipped around, injecting venom again and again as the lizard struggled helplessly.
Moments later, the giant reptile lay motionless.
By the end of the week, Aethryon had fought and devoured numerous spirit beasts.
Even the weakest among them had been at least 70 years old.
And every single one of them had been crushed by him.
Aethryon coiled himself comfortably on top of a large rock.
Like a predator that had just finished a successful hunt, he rested calmly under the sunlight. His crimson scales glimmered faintly in the light while the warmth of his recent battles still lingered in his muscles.
After a moment of quiet, he gave a command in his mind.
"Open System Panel."
The transparent screen appeared immediately in front of him.
Aethryon looked directly at the line that interested him the most.
[System Points: 148.5]
The small serpent's tail flicked with satisfaction.
Over the past week, as the strength of the creatures he hunted increased, the points he gained had risen proportionally. In the past, he had spent hours hunting simple rats.
Now, a single 70–100 year spirit beast could earn him far more points.
The thought made Aethryon's eyes gleam slightly.
"So I'm on the right path."
Then he issued another command.
"Open System Shop."
The panel instantly shifted, revealing the shop interface.
Aethryon immediately scrolled to the ability he had been thinking about for weeks.
[Poison Hunger (Passive)]
Absorbs consumed poisons to continuously evolve the host's venom and make it increasingly lethal.
Price: 100 System Points
Aethryon didn't hesitate for even a moment.
He tapped the purchase command with his tail.
[100 System Points deducted]
A strange sensation instantly spread throughout his body.
It felt as if the venom glands within him had suddenly awakened.
Aethryon remained still for a few seconds.
Then he flicked his tongue out and tasted the air.
"…This is interesting."
Now, the scent of poison in the surroundings felt far more attractive than before.
Aethryon didn't wait long to test his new ability.
He pulled the corpse of the 82-Year Swamp Frog he had stored beside him. The frog's skin was dark green and sticky, releasing a faint poisonous scent into the air.
Aethryon flicked his tongue, tasting the air.
Before, this smell would have meant nothing more than ordinary prey.
But now…
it felt far more tempting.
Without hesitation, the small serpent sank his fangs into the frog's body and began devouring it slowly. The toxic essence within the frog flowed into his body.
For several minutes, Aethryon continued eating in silence.
For several minutes, Aethryon continued eating in silence.
After about ten minutes, the system's voice echoed in his mind.
[Poison Hunger activated: 0.1]
A new line appeared on the panel.
[Fire Venom → Corrosive Venom: 0.1 / 100]
Aethryon's eyes gleamed slightly.
At that moment, another notification appeared.
[82-Year Swamp Frog consumed: +1.5 System Points]
Aethryon lightly flicked his tail.
"So that's how it works."
Now…
every poisonous prey he consumed would slowly strengthen his venom.
Aethryon looked at his remaining points and began calculating calmly.
He still had 50 System Points left.
For a moment, he considered buying poisonous spiritual plants from the System Shop. However, after checking the prices again, he quickly abandoned that idea.
With this amount of points, he could only buy about five 1-year poisonous spiritual herbs.
That kind of improvement would barely make any noticeable difference.
Aethryon flicked his tail thoughtfully.
"Not worth it."
In the end, he decided to invest the points directly into cultivation instead.
Without hesitation, he spent 48 System Points.
The system notification immediately appeared.
[Congratulations, Host. You have advanced to a 73-Year Crimson Venom Datura.]
At that moment, Aethryon felt a familiar wave of power surge through his body.
His muscles tightened, his bones strengthened, and his entire body grew once more.
The transformation didn't take long.
When it ended, Aethryon had grown even larger.
His body had now reached one full meter in length.
At this size, he was already comparable to an ordinary 100-Year Datura Snake.
And yet…
Aethryon was only 73 years old.
Aethryon welcomed this improvement with great satisfaction.
Feeling his new strength was truly a pleasant sensation. His muscles were stronger, his movements heavier but far more controlled.
He looked at the system panel once again.
His combat power had now reached the equivalent of a 153-Year Spirit Beast.
According to the human cultivation system, that was roughly equal to a Level 22–23 Spirit Grandmaster.
Aethryon comfortably rested his tail on the rock beneath him.
"Not bad."
He had hunted almost nonstop over the past week.
Now, he deserved some rest.
The small serpent slowly closed his eyes and soon drifted into a deep sleep.
…
At the same time, six figures appeared at the entrance of the Beginner Forest.
They were the men sent by Lu Hao.
Each of them carried heavy weapons, and their equipment clearly marked them as experienced Spirit Masters.
Even the weakest among them was at least a Level 25 Spirit Grandmaster.
The leader of the group was a large man carrying a massive sword on his shoulder.
He glanced around the forest and grumbled.
"Sending six people just to find a rat…"
He shook his head.
"Lord Lu must really love his son."
The man beside him chuckled.
"Maybe. But…"
He shrugged.
"If a simple Iron-Biting Rat really did it, that thing has probably already been eaten by another spirit beast."
A third man rested his spear on his shoulder.
"Still, let's be careful."
Then he added half-jokingly, half-seriously:
"What if there really is a killer rat?"
The others laughed.
The group began walking deeper into the Beginner Forest.
But none of them realized…
the thing they were looking for wasn't a rat.
And that creature was currently just a few kilometers away…
sleeping peacefully.