Ultimately, it was too inexperienced!
The Strange Monster, though powerful, clearly lacked intelligence, being a low-level fiend.
Shen Changqing paced back and forth in the courtyard, his purpose to find the item the adversary was truly possessing.
The previous skirmish had already made that thing grow apprehensive. Without absolute certainty, or unless there was no other choice, it would definitely not make a move.
Similarly, if the adversary chose to act, it would prove one thing: he had become a threat to it.
Initially, as Shen Changqing walked all around the yard, he couldn't be one hundred percent sure where the Strange Monster had possessed something. But after having walked in almost every direction, the thing still showed no sign of movement.
As for the remaining areas, if one were to ask which was the most conspicuous, it would be the tree in the middle of the yard.
Its branches and leaves were lush and should have been verdant green. At this time of year, it was not yet autumn, so it was even more unlikely for all the tree's leaves to be withered and yellow.
The only explanation for the leaves turning yellow would be some external factor causing such a condition.
Strange Monsters are extremely yin and cold. For any living being, that essence is a deadly toxin.
Therefore, this explained why a tree that should have been full of life was exhibiting such an abnormal phenomenon.
Of course, Shen Changqing was not completely certain. It was just a speculation in his mind.
Now, the Strange Monster's inability to restrain itself from attacking undoubtedly confirmed this conjecture.
Eighth level of Pure Yang Technique! Fifteenth level of Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training!
In an instant, Shen Changqing elevated his strength to an unprecedented peak, smashing out two palms with the speed of thunder.
His palms were crimson red, like red-hot branding irons!
Iron Sand Palm!
BOOM—AHH—
Two pale hands seemed to encounter a terrifying attack, instantly dissipating like smoke as a sharp, ear-piercing scream echoed through the courtyard.
It was clear that this palm strike had injured the Strange Monster.
As the adversary retreated, Shen Changqing took a quick step forward. His veins bulged on his hands like writhing serpents as he gripped his long knife and fiercely chopped down on the large tree before him.
SWISH!!
The long knife was sharp and, combined with unparalleled force, sank deep into the tree trunk.
Due to the trunk's thickness, Shen Changqing couldn't sever it with one stroke.
As he drew out the long knife, pitch-black blood gushed from the wound in the trunk like a fountain. A pungent stench assailed him as another piercing scream rose.
Immediately after, the tree's roots abruptly shot up from the ground, thrusting at Shen Changqing like arrows.
Their speed was so great they created the sound of tearing air.
Facing such an assault, Shen Changqing's expression turned fierce. He had no intention of turning to defend, instead gripping the long knife with both hands and striking down hard on the tree trunk once more.
SPLAT— BANG!
The roots tore through the air and struck Shen Changqing's body. Even with the fifteenth level of Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training, he couldn't completely defend against such an injury.
His skin cracked, and his flesh was punctured. Blood flowed down from the wounds.
At the same time, the long knife had already chopped fiercely into the original wound on the trunk.
The nearly severed trunk, having sustained such an attack, finally reached its limit.
CRACK!
The large tree snapped completely in two. Its lush branches and leaves, along with the thick trunk, fell to the ground, causing a considerable noise.
Just as the trunk broke, a shrill scream erupted.
The source of the sound was no longer from around the courtyard but from the break in the trunk, from which a large amount of dark blood also spewed.
A blurry, ethereal shadow floated up from the break, attempting to flee into the distance.
Shen Changqing, naturally, would not let it escape.
He took one step forward. His long knife, imbued with Pure Yang True Qi, slashed out and directly struck the blurry, ethereal shadow.
RIP!
With a sound like tearing fabric, the blurry, ethereal shadow emitted a final shriek before completely dissipating into nothing.
As the Strange Monster vanished, a frigid aura climbed the long knife and quickly entered Shen Changqing's hands via its hilt.
That familiar sensation made him smile.
Name: Shen Changqing
Force: Great Qin's Demon Suppression Division
Position: Junior Demon Hunter
Martial Arts: Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training (Level 15, upgradable), Pure Yang Technique (Level 8, upgradable), Seven Kills Blade Technique (Level 2), Iron Sand Palm (Level 2)
Slaughter Value: 15
Sure enough, to obtain more Slaughter Value, I have to take action myself!
Seeing the fifteen points of Slaughter Value on the panel, a smile emerged on Shen Changqing's face.
He had wandered around the Demon-Subduing Prison for so long, and the total Slaughter Value he had obtained didn't even exceed twenty points.
Now, just by killing a single Ghostly Level Fiend, he had gained fifteen points of Slaughter Value.
From this, it was evident that personally killing Strange Monsters granted more Slaughter Value.
Regarding the Slaughter Value from the Demon-Subduing Prison, Shen Changqing suspected it was what lingered on the remnants of Demon Evils. In reality, a large amount of Slaughter Value had likely already dissipated when the Demon Evils were slain.
As for the specific source of the Slaughter Value, what was it exactly? He still couldn't be one hundred percent certain.
Perhaps—it's equivalent to the energy contained within the bodies of Strange Monsters!
Fifteen points of Slaughter Value! In Shen Changqing's view, this could considerably enhance his strength.
By now, his wounds had stopped bleeding; the fifteenth level of Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training provided him with powerful self-healing abilities.
Looking at the two Cultivation Techniques on the panel, Shen Changqing fell into deep thought.
Fifteen points of Slaughter Value seemed like a lot, but how to use them for maximum effect was the question.
The fifteenth level of Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training played a significant role in killing this Strange Monster; otherwise, I would have fallen at Zhang Long's hands.
But the Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training can only be described as a Martial Art for taking hits.
Despite its astounding defensive capability, its effectiveness against powerful Strange Monsters is limited.
Conversely, the Pure Yang Technique has a considerable restraining effect on Strange Monsters—
Shen Changqing recalled the recent battle: when facing the Strange Monster's assault, even with the fifteenth level of Thirteen Taibao Horizontal Training, his defense had still been breached.
What truly forced the Strange Monster to hesitate before attacking was clearly the effect of his Pure Yang True Qi.
The best defense is a good offense!
Since that's the case, I might as well upgrade the Pure Yang Technique.
Having made his decision, Shen Changqing focused his mind directly on the panel.
With a thought, five points of Slaughter Value were consumed, and the Pure Yang Technique instantly advanced from the original eighth level to the ninth level.
Ninth level Pure Yang Technique!
A current of True Qi, nearly twice as strong as before, suddenly surged up from his Dantian, sweeping through his entire body in an instant—
RUMBLE!!
The powerful True Qi surged and roiled like a raging river.