It really was an incredible sight, Liu Yanjiang was a monster, a comprehension of 40 was enormous compared to any other person he'd saw the stats of before.
Not only that but she had peak mortal rank array knowledge, and peak Mastery of the bloody dragons steps, she was unbelievably skilled that's for sure.
Tai Bàoli: "well we should probably be on our way, since we both have a couple days left we don't need to exactly rush. But I'd like to try and finish this mission either today or tomorrow I don't like camping out much."
Tai Bàoli spoke with Liu Yanjiang as they made there way through the inner sect and left the secret realm using their mission and disciple tokens as identification to be able to descend the mountain.
Liu Yanjiang: "Yes, we can finish it pretty quick as long as nothing absurd happens, I want to get back to my peak too, I'm learning a ton about arrays I didn't know about previously!"
Thus the two swiftly made there way down and Into the forest. Of course the two had casual conversations along the way and during their travels but nothing of major significance.
Upon arrival into the outer layer of the forest they quickly tried to tread deeper within while still staying relatively cautious of there surroundings, even though the outer edge theoretically shouldn't be that dangerous to them, they still had some sort of common sense to stay alert.
Surprisingly through what the two assumed as luck they'd easily arrive closer to the middle section of the forest without worry or trouble. In fact they hadn't seen a Dao Beast along the way at all which was quite surprising. But they assumed it was simply because the Two-Headed Armoured Mantis had probably scared off or eaten most of the lower ranking Dao Beast.
Unbeknownst to the two however the truth was much crueler.
The two would be unable to track or find any markings or tracks or proof that the Two-Headed Armoured Mantis was within this section of the forest for multiple hours. Annoying the two quite a bit, they really didn't want to have to camp out over night.
Eventually however the two finally witnessed what seemed like a struggle between two Dao Beasts, this being the first sign of Dao Beasts they'd caught the entire time they thoroughly investigated.
It seemed like a rather one-sided altercation with bits and pieces of similar looking bloodied meat bits strewn about a slightly open field within the forest. The two assumed the Two-Headed Armoured Mantis had caught and eviscerated it's prey.
Eventually the two found a small trail of blood leading out of the field and slightly deeper into the forest.
Both Tai Bàoli and Liu Yanjiang were quite suspicious about what was going on. They'd question whether they should follow the blood to where it was leading.
Liu Yanjiang: "I'm concerned. The Two-Headed Armoured Mantis might be stronger then we expect, if it's eaten most of the prey leading up to this area, and seemingly dominates in it's fights maybe it is slightly above our experience right now."
Tai Bàoli: "Well...maybe...I still think even if it is a slightly stronger then usual we could take it, you're quite strong"
That and inwardly Tai Bàoli remembered the mission screen told him it was an "extremely hard" mission not impossible, and the mission still had a decent payout. Normally for near impossible tasks the system would shoo him away from doing them.
Liu Yanjiang: "Well.....ok...if you say so."
Liu Yanjiang gripped the hilt of her sword ever so slightly tighter anxious about the battle ahead. She was skilled and trained by both her clan and the sect but she was also still a child. She had fought plenty of Dao Beasts during her monthly missions prior or even with training from her father, but something just seemed off about this situation to her.
The two then ventured further into the forest following the blood trail until eventually finding a large burrow that seemingly turned into a cave of something kind. The two though anxious had already steeled themselves earlier, nodding at each other they gripped there respective weapons and ventured further into the burrow/cave.
Slowly traversing along it seemed this cave was slightly longer and bigger then expected eventually opening up into a large circular dark room, Tai Bàoli being at the Dao Condensing stage body refinement and Liu Yanjiang being at Tempering Marrow meant they could both see slightly within the pitch black room there enhanced senses coming in handy.
Additionally through turbid breathes Liu Yanjiang was seemingly chanting something and drawing on the ground in the dirt in front of her using her blades sheathe. She was experienced with arrays so Tai Bàoli thought she was doing something related to setting up some form of array. Which of course she was.
After she finished chanting and drawing the Qi essence within the cave fluctuated slightly and seemingly sucked towards the array symbol drawn on the ground before bursting outwards with a warm light. Now the entire large cave they had stepped into had lit up for the two to see even better.
Which.....was both a blessing and a curse..... Because though they could both see faintly within the dark with their enhanced senses from the refinement levels. It wasn't actually perfect vision akin to daylight. They could make out the shape of the room and slight obstacles but not specifics things really.
However with their new found light they could see the horror laid out in the room ahead of them.
Multiple drained husks of Daos Beasts were mangled up and partially strewn about and eaten. Blood littered the ground and walls.
They had smelled the stench of decay on their arrival before entering the cave but they knew it was probably the home the Two-Headed Armoured Mantis so they assumed there'd be carcasses, but not nearly this many. It numbered over a dozen easily.
Both Tai Bàoli and Liu Yanjiang were caught off guard by their newly lit up surroundings. However Liu Yanjiang was the first to gasp and point in a direction at something, Tai Bàoli following her pointed direction looked over and saw something that also made him start sweating...
This wasn't the home of the Two-Headed Armoured Mantis, in fact none of the creatures in here were killed by the Two-Headed Armoured Mantis, why? Because the drained husks of a body of the Two-Headed Armoured Mantis was mangled and left in a pile near the other corpses.
Both Tai Bàoli and Liu Yanjiang instantly focused up and started persciparing heavily. Something had killed their mission target. Which meant there was a Dao Beast even stronger then the Two-Headed Armoured Mantis alive in this section of the forest and they were in it's lair...
Both quickly looked at each other and nodded instantly turning to begin sprinting out of the cave. However once they both turned around they realized the severity of there mistake....
Tai Bàoli's system was the first to respond as the shock of what was in front of them was occuring. A new mission had popped up in the corner of Tai Bàoli's vision.
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-URGENT UPDATE-
-Outside System Mission Detected-
- Original Mission-(Defeat Dao Beast: 2 Headed Armoured Mantis ) {No Longer Achievable}
-Original Mission Outline-(Defeat Dao Beast: 2 Headed Armoured Mantis in the middle section of Tianjin Forest){No Longer Achievable}
-Mission Difficulty-(Extremely Hard)
-Experience Payout- 20 Experience {Not Available}
-New Dual Outcome Mission Detected-
-Mission + Mission Outline-(Survive And Escape Or Defeat Dao Beast: 1000 Legged 2 Ton Centipede)
-Mission Difficulty-(Survive: Extremely Hard, Defeat Dao Beast: Indeterminate)
-Experience Payout-(Survive: 30 Experience, Defeat Dao Beast: 100 Experience)
-----------
-------------------
-Dao Beast Information-
-Host-(Tian Kwaqu)
-Cultivation Stage-(Body Refining 9/9, Palace Creation)
-Strength-(29.5)(+10 From Special Bloodline)
-Dexterity-(35)
-Comprehension-(30)
-Bloodline-(1000 Legged Centipede, Great Hundred Ton Millennium Centipede)
-------------------
The huge Dao Beast blocked their only escape route directly. Both Tai Bàoli and Liu Yanjiang glancing at each other momentarily whole focusing came to the same conclusion..... They were going to have to fight here. Even if it was only going to be for a moment to try and escape they were still going to need to fight this thing.
Liu Yanjiang was a step quicker, Tai Bàoli still grasping the systems response and thinking about what to do at the same time.
Liu Yanjiang sprinted forth in a zig zag manner slight bloody red talon like Qi imprints being left behind her footsteps momentarily she'd quickly arrive before large Centipede Dao Beast, slashing out with her long silver and red Katana which she usually kept within a beautiful gold and red sheathe. A faint tremor of Qi was felt as her blade slashed through the air a small hum echoing within the cave.
SWOOSH...
The blade had seemingly missed..... The centipede having contorted it's enormous body in an unsightly way to avoid the first slash, however Liu Yanjiang clearly prepared for this, she knew something was off about this whole scenario and had been mentally preparing herself for a difficult fight.
She swiftly flipped up into the air trying to carry some of the momentum of the blades slash into a new strike downwards at the contorted body of the Dao Beast.