Mythical Cultivation

Wu Ming hadn't expected to see such a scene upon entering the secret realm. He was now in a desolate wilderness, surrounded by endless, unknown, nearly human-high plants and various low bushes. Whenever a breeze blew, he could hear a rustling sound, the sound of the grass swaying in the wind, which sounded somewhat bleak and desolate.

The air here was filled with a decaying smell, leaving one feeling oppressive and uneasy. Wu Ming walked cautiously, the ground beneath his feet so dry it made a crunching sound. He looked up to see the sky thick with dark clouds, adding a touch of mystery to the wasteland.

There seemed to be no sign of life in this wasteland. Wu Ming couldn't help but wonder what this secret place was, and why was it so desolate? He began to search for clues, hoping to find a way out.

Unbeknownst to him, a centipede-like creature in the underbrush stared intently at Wu Ming. Its eyes gleamed with a hint of cruelty, as if ready to attack him at any moment. Wu Ming observed his surroundings, cautiously raising his basalt shield to guard against any unexpected situation. However, as Wu Ming concentrated on his surroundings, he was unaware that he was inching closer to danger.

Suddenly, a golden centipede sprinted out of the brush, its target the unsuspecting Wu Ming! Despite his extreme caution, Wu Ming was unable to evade the ferocious attack. The moment the centipede launched its attack, Wu Ming keenly sensed a hint of danger. However, the two were too close, leaving Wu Ming with no time to react. He could only watch helplessly as the golden figure crashed into the basalt shield like lightning.

Fortunately, the defensive capability of the basalt shield was truly outstanding, which allowed Wu Ming to escape by chance.

Only then did Wu Ming see clearly what had attacked him: a golden centipede! This centipede was completely different from the common centipede monsters he'd seen outside. Its entire body shone with a dazzling golden light, as if it had traveled from ancient times. Wu Ming was startled, realizing he might have encountered an extremely rare and powerful ancient monster. According to the books he'd read in the Sutra Library, Wu Ming had found a monster called the Golden-backed Centipede. This monster had been extinct for thousands of years, but he hadn't expected to encounter it today in this secret realm.

It is said that in ancient times, the golden-backed centipede was loved by many insect-controlling monks. This monster has a higher IQ than other insect species and is easier to cooperate with its master. Moreover, this monster has unparalleled defense and high attack.

Seeing its sneak attack fail, the golden centipede showed no sign of retreating, instead launching another attack. A brilliant golden light blazed towards Wu Ming at astonishing speed, like a bolt of lightning streaking through the sky. Simultaneously, the surrounding vegetation was impacted by the powerful force of the golden centipede's movement, its path mercilessly slicing through the surrounding vegetation, leaving deep scars. These marks, as clear as the slashes of a knife or an axe, instilled a sense of awe at the golden centipede's power.

Seeing this, Wu Ming unleashed his unique skill—the Golden Light Sword—without hesitation. He formed a spell with his hands and muttered something, and the Golden Light Sword instantly transformed into a dazzling ray of light, hurtling towards the golden centipede.

The two collided with a deafening roar of metal clashing with stone. Surprisingly, the golden sword barely left a scratch on the centipede's back. Although Wu Ming hadn't used all his strength, he had already exerted 70% to 80% of it, yet he couldn't even break the centipede's carapace.

Faced with such a resilient defense, Wu Ming knew he had to give it his all. He quickly sheathed his Golden Light Sword and simultaneously summoned two even more powerful magical instruments: the Blood-Weeping Whip and the Mountain-River Inkstone. These top-grade instruments consumed a significant amount of True Essence. At Wu Ming's current strength, he could only launch three or four attacks before his True Essence was depleted. Therefore, he rarely used them. However, at this moment, the Golden-Backed Centipede's defense was too formidable, forcing him to use the Blood-Weeping Whip.

Driven by Wu Ming's will, the Mountain and River Inkstone appeared above the Golden-backed Centipede's head in the blink of an eye, emanating a powerful aura that effectively suppressed its speed. Immediately afterwards, the Blood-Weeping Whip shot out like a gust of wind, aiming directly at the Golden-backed Centipede. Unfortunately, the Golden-backed Centipede struggled vigorously, successfully breaking free from the Mountain and River Inkstone's suppression, causing the Blood-Weeping Whip's attack to miss.

However, the Blood-Weeping Whip was no ordinary magical weapon. Although its initial attack missed its target, the blood poison it imparted successfully affected the enemy, temporarily slowing their thinking. In that fleeting moment, Shanhe Yan quickly adjusted his direction and pressed down on the Golden-Backed Centipede once again. This time, the Golden-Backed Centipede was completely unable to withstand Shanhe Yan's might and was pinned to the spot, unable to move.

At the same time, the Bloodthirsty Whip seized the opportunity and coiled around the Golden-backed Centipede like a spirit snake, tightly binding it. After this series of incredibly swift attacks, Wu Ming's inner essence had been largely depleted, but fortunately, he had finally managed to defeat the powerful Golden-backed Centipede.

The trapped golden-backed centipede was now powerless to resist, helpless at the mercy of his opponent. Wu Ming mercilessly wielded his Golden Light Sword, piercing it through the centipede's mouth and then exiting through its tail, completely piercing its body. With this fatal blow, the golden-backed centipede finally died.

After defeating the Golden-backed Centipede, Wu Ming didn't hesitate to collect its corpse. He then stepped onto the Golden Light Sword and quickly flew away. After all, the fierce battle had undoubtedly attracted the attention of the surrounding demonic beasts and even the cultivators who had entered the secret realm. Wu Ming was in poor condition. If he encountered the enemy again, he might not be able to fight again. Therefore, he decided to seize this opportunity to move the battlefield.

Unexpectedly, less than an hour after Wu Ming left, three figures, riding flying swords, sped towards him like meteors, arriving at the spot where Wu Ming and the Golden-backed Centipede had just fought. The three of them had come to take advantage of the situation, but upon seeing that the battle was already over and no trace of cultivators or demonic beasts were to be found, they reluctantly left.

Fortunately, Wu Ming left early and was now several miles away. Wu Ming hid in a corner of a rock, then took a recovery pill and began to recover his true energy.