Longevity: Starting with an infant's innate growth potential

Chapter 54 Taming the Rock Rat (Please read further with monthly votes and recommendations)

The next morning, Zhou Ling left the camp.

We proceeded quickly along yesterday's familiar route.

More than an hour later, they arrived at the border of the inner mountain.

Along the way, we occasionally saw some early and mid-stage Tier 1 monsters.

Using the [Crisis Response] ability, Zhou Ling sensed a slight presence of a monster nearby and immediately avoided it.

······.

Once inside the mountainous area, Zhou Ling slowed down.

Today, the weather is a bit gloomy, even though it's past 9 AM.

However, the fog in the sky had not yet dissipated, and in some places, the dense jungle and intertwined vines created a dark and gloomy atmosphere.

It was as if some terrifying monster was lurking there, sending a chill down one's spine for no reason.

[A late-stage Black Claw Bear is ahead; Crisis Response +1]

Seeing the prompt on the panel, Zhou Ling hurriedly turned around and walked towards the hillside on his left.

Upon entering the inner mountain, the monsters encountered were significantly stronger, mostly at the mid-to-late stage of the first tier.

He avoided it altogether.

As they continued on their journey, a sudden flash of inspiration struck Zhou Ling.

"Late-stage Tier 1 Fireweed!"

He quickly spotted a late-stage, first-tier Fire Cloud Grass in the grass a few feet away.

[Fireweed discovered, treasure hunt in the mountains +1]

After confirming that there was no danger around, Zhou Ling swung his Fire Pattern Sword, cut down the surrounding vines, and picked the Fire Cloud Grass.

The Fireweed in the late stage of Tier 1 is much larger and its leaves are much bigger than those in the mid stage of Tier 1, and its color is also more fiery red.

After carefully wiping the soil off the roots, Zhou Ling put it into a storage bag.

Given the current situation, Zhou Ling dared not speed up.

The fog has not completely dissipated, so you need to be able to find your way around to avoid getting lost.

Since he couldn't speed things up much in a short time anyway, he decided to search for medicinal herbs as he went.

Although the inner mountains are more risky, their resources are indeed far more abundant than those in the outer mountains.

Moreover, if you're lucky, you might find the Condensing Essence Grass, so you don't necessarily need to go to Nine Leaf Valley.

An hour later.

Since that time he harvested the late-stage first-tier Fire Cloud Grass, Zhou Ling has obtained several more late-stage first-tier spiritual herbs with the help of [Searching for Treasures in the Mountains].

These six or seven first-tier spiritual herbs are of good quality. Even if we can't find the Condensing Essence Grass, staying in the mountains for a few more days will yield enough spiritual herbs to hire a second-grade alchemist to refine a Nourishing Meridian Pill.

Such a achievement greatly encouraged Zhou Ling.

······.

In a lush, wooded canyon.

[Ahead lies a mid-stage injured Rock Rat. Crisis Response +1]

[Found a Tier 1 late-stage Golden Sun Ginseng, Treasure Hunt +1]

"Golden Yang Ginseng!"

Looking at the prompts on the panel, Zhou Ling's eyes narrowed slightly. Golden Sun Ginseng was a highly nourishing substance and a main ingredient for refining many first-grade high-quality pills, so it was quite expensive.

Based on the clues, this rock rat seems to be near the Golden Sun Ginseng.

"However, being a mid-stage first-tier cultivator and injured, I am fully capable of handling it."

After careful analysis, Zhou Ling decided to give it a try; a single Golden Sun Ginseng was worth the risk.

Of course, with the help of [Sword Control], this Rock Rat might not pose any threat to me.

soon.

On the vine-covered rock wall, he saw a golden ginseng with some golden spots on its surface.

Below the rock wall, a large rock rat, about the size of a house cat and looking like a gray rock, was struggling to climb up the rock wall.

If it weren't constantly moving, it would look exactly like a rock.

However, his speed seemed unusually slow, and his breathing was heavy.

Just as the warning had indicated, it was an injured rock rat, preparing to devour the Golden Sun Ginseng. Zhou Ling cautiously crept closer.

After approaching within four or five zhang, he immediately activated the Azure Gang Sword Technique, channeling his internal mana into the Fire Pattern Sword, and simultaneously activating his [Sword Control] talent.

The Fire Pattern Sword then flew out of his hand.

Having continuously used his sword to slay demonic beasts over the past two days, he was very confident in his sword-wielding attacks.

A streak of flame, as swift as lightning, instantly traversed four or five zhang (approximately 10-15 meters) and struck the stone rat's back with tremendous force, unleashing a blinding burst of firelight.

"I got it!"

Zhou Ling was overjoyed.

With a thought, he sheathed his Fire Pattern Sword and walked forward, preparing to check if he had killed the Stone Rock Rat.

At this moment, the rock rat that had been hit and fallen to the ground suddenly sprang up, its eyes quickly turning to Zhou Ling, blood dripping from its mouth, revealing its fangs, and letting out a hiss.

They adopted an aggressive stance.

However, it did not launch an attack.

Zhou Ling was taken aback. The Fire Pattern Sword was a low-grade first-order magic sword. Combined with his Azure Gang Sword Technique, its power was no less than that of a mid-grade first-order spell.

But the lightning-fast attack just now only left a shallow wound on the rock rat's back.

"This rock rat's defense is incredibly strong!"

Zhou Ling was surprised.

He held the two Thunderfire Pearls tightly in his hand.

The rock rat seemed to sense danger and turned to flee.

Seeing the rock rat flee on its own initiative, Zhou Ling breathed a sigh of relief. It would be perfect if he could take down the Golden Sun Ginseng without bloodshed.

However, he couldn't be careless, and immediately roared, "Where do you think you're going!"

Roar!
[Lion's Roar] and [Beast's Intimidation] are activated simultaneously.

The rock rat froze for a moment, then lay down on the spot.

Trembling all over.

[You exerted your power on a Stone Rock Rat, Beast Power +1, Stone Rock Rat's Spiritual Imprint +1]

[You roar at a Stonerat, Lion's Roar +1]

Looking at the trembling Stone Rock Rat, Zhou Ling was surprised. He hadn't expected that the combination of [Beast Pressure] and [Lion's Roar] would have such an unexpected effect.

But the rock rat seemed to be struggling to break free from the suppression of the [monster's aura].

It let out a hiss and flailed its limbs frantically, as if trying to escape through the hole it had dug.

Zhou Ling shouted again.

Anyway, we escaped unharmed, so let's just consider it a test of how effective this [monster's pressure] is.

[You exerted your power on a Stone Rock Rat, Beast Power +1, Stone Rock Rat's Spiritual Imprint +1]

[You roar at a Stonerat, Lion's Roar +1]

This time, the rock rat completely collapsed to the ground, its limbs no longer struggling, as if submitting, bowing its head obediently to Zhou Ling.

Zhou Ling carefully observed the rock rat, and felt as if a strange energy had appeared in his sea of ​​consciousness.

It's certain that this energy comes from the rock rat in front of us.

"I didn't expect to subdue this mid-stage Tier 1 Rock Rat so easily?"

Zhou Ling still found it hard to believe.

If the [Demon Beast Pressure] is so effective, then all my caution and care along the way has been for nothing.

However, he quickly shook his head, probably because the rock rat was injured.

Only the [Demonic Beast Pressure] can produce such an effect.

If they were to face an uninjured Rock Rat, the situation might be quite different.

Seeing that the rock rat seemed to be injured, Zhou Ling put down the medicine basket, took out a stalk of ground blue flower, and threw it to the rat.

This ground blue flower is a mid-grade first-level spiritual medicine that can heal injuries and is effective against both demonic beasts and human cultivators.

"Jiji!"

The rock rat squeaked twice, then nimbly grabbed the ground blue flower with its front paws and began to gnaw on it.

(End of this chapter)