"How are you able to use the Spiritual sense which only Bronze realm cultivators and above could use." Ballock asked with ecstasy.
If it was a skill, he knew Blood wouldn't mind teaching him.
Even when Blood scattered the head of the dummy he didn't dare believe he was in the Bronze realm because if he was, he would have been the first to know.
"Hehehe! Sorry, I also didn't know previously, not until we entered the forest" Blood replied as he retracted it and spread it at once to the peak.
It covered from 10 meters, then 20 until it stopped at 50-meter radius.
"It covered 50-meter radius around me, isn't this equivalent to the coverage of a Bronze realm cultivator?" he asked, this range really left him puzzled.
"It seemed the blood-like energy really worked wonders on you." Ballock stated in a calm tone,
"I heard only peak Bronze realm cultivator could cover this range and you covered it while still in the Iron realm. Wouldn't those cultivators kill themselves it they came to know." the phenomenon was puzzling.
"Yeah, they probably will." Blood admitted earnestly.
Ballock, "__"
The Spiritual Sense is an innate, active skill of all cultivators equipped the instant they stepped into the Bronze realm. It's an advanced surveillance sense which scan an environment showing what could be overlooked. Of course, some things could escape the Spiritual sense detection.
Blood hadn't told Ballock about the Blood Book, neither was he planning to. He couldn't possibly start recounting some tales. Furthermore, he was in the middle of an upgrade kind of mission, unlocking it was of priority…
The moment he spread his Spiritual sense he detected a beast within its range.
Analyzing the beast further, he recognized it as the Blue-fang Toad, crouching on the grass. It must have noticed their presence which made it waited silently, obviously laying for a catch.
Blood alerted Ballock and pretended he wasn't aware of its play and tried getting closer to it, since his attack might not hit the beast precisely.
Just as they reached 10 meters from the beast, it lashed out all of a sudden with its tongue sticking out. Its speed was incredible at least to Ballock who had managed to advance his cultivation base to the sixth stage of the Iron realm.
However, Blood thought the beast was a little slow, he could see its movements clearly. It made a mistake by leaping in his direction but before he could do anything, Ballock had intercepted it as he cuts at the beast.
The Blue-fang Toad felt a tingling sensation from the bloodlike veins covering the blade, it adjusted its speed enabling it to evade the slash.
The moment it landed on the wet grass, a jet of liquid shot out from its mouth which reached Ballock in no time. Tensed, he swung his sword at the substance cleaving it in two halves.
But what happened next was unnerving, at least to Ballock.
It seemed the substance had a corroding effect, and he could see his sword being corroded slowly under the effects of the unusual liquid.
Under both of their gaze, the beast reprised its action. However, this time there was a blue hue emitted from its forelimb. It also became a little faster than before.
It launched itself and was already in close contact with Ballock.
Blue-fang Toads are solo beasts that roamed the forest on their own and their attacks are mainly close ranged with fewer long-ranged skills. They love combating at close-range and only when pushed to a corner would they rely on long-range attacks.
The Blue-fang Toad swung his forelimb, the blue hue pulsated and surged forward, and was on the verge of coming in contact with Ballock…
Blood moved. He had predicted the outcome of the second brawl. He felt nothing in the face of the beast and its energy attacks were like child's play in front of him.
He felt incredulous at his own assumption!
Blood extended his hand dispelling the energy. The beast was still in the air, without caution he grasped at it and in no time held it by the head and watched as it dandled in his hand.
Ballock didn't let it go just like that as he lodged the thin tip of the sword in its left eye.
"Arrgh."
The beast's painful moans could be heard.
The Blue-fang Toad was a stage 7 beast of the Iron realm and could have maintained that stage for a few months or years possibly, but Ballock recently increased his cultivation base to the sixth stage of the Iron realm.
He needed to practice more to get used to his energy and also allow it to stabilize.
The bloodlike vein energy might have some effect Ballock wasn't aware of as he saw the fearful look on the beast a moment ago. It seemed he couldn't utilize it to the fullest yet.
Blood shook his head at Ballock's maliciousness and threw him a 'are you supposed to do that' look.
He smashed the Blue-fang Toad heavily on the ground and planted it with a storm of his feet. He had practiced it countless times especially against primitive beasts.
"Tell me if that's an angelic method of killing beasts." Ballock retorted at Blood's finishing blow.
Blood sighed since it now became instinctive for him to do this.
They watched as the beast twists on the ground as blood wet the place.
He heard an addictive ding, which confirmed the position to the beast.
[Iron Realm Stage 7 Blue-fang Toad killed]
[500 Exp Obtained]
[Mutation Exp: 110/1000]
Blood relaxed his muscles before a smile blossom on his face which irked Ballock as he felt displeased.
A low-stage cultivator couldn't compare to a mid-stage cultivator, not to talk of beasts of the peak-stages, since beasts are naturally stronger than human cultivators of same stage.
"You are turning this into a competition, right? You're on your own from now on. Let's see how long you sustain that smile of yours!" Ballock stormed off, as he cuts through the grass.
Blood raised his hands to explain himself that it was just a misunderstanding, but he was long gone, far off in the distance.
Blood had a rueful smile as he shook his head slightly. He was at it again.
He shrugged his shoulders as his mind went back to the glowing notification. He didn't know why he was given 500 Exp this time around since he got 600 for killing a stage 6 Cobra.
He assumed it might be related to his increase in cultivation.
He facepalmed as he had almost forgotten about his livid buddy. He rushed through the footed grass, going in pursuit. The direction Ballock took leads deep into the forest. He wouldn't forget to complete his self-quest along the way.
___
Balin along with his entourage were not in a good mood since the last month after their encounter with the Whip Princess. Their life had been ever since problematic as the Whip Princess wouldn't let them go so easily and they had to foot the bill for the decapitated inn.
Paying the charge was nothing to him since he had the Shaffa clan behind him, but the princess also placed an ultimatum. Energy crystals were just like water to major clans or tribes since they trade with it every single day.
They had thought it would be easily settled not until they heard her obnoxious claim.
Since then, their life had never been good.
"After we find the last item in the Blue-fang Toad territory, we can finally rest and keep our heads high." One of the mercenaries said. His was tired as he walked in a slow pace.
"Didn't know the Whip Princess could be so vicious using us as fetchers." said a man begrudgingly, who had many large scar marks on his face. He was the right-hand man of their leader, Hamizz. His name was Gabon.
They've heard so much about the Whip Princess but didn't think she could be so foreboding…