Dazhuang was feasting happily, and Lu Qing also felt the urge to eat and level up.
He headed deeper into the Peach Woods to see what else there was to eat.
...
The peaches were rich in energy, meaning even the herbivorous species here possessed considerable strength.
Third Grade Peach Worms were the absolute weakest creatures around.
Lu Qing hadn't even gone a single li before he encountered a meter-long iron-headed cricket.
'Race: Iron-Headed Cricket
Strength: Low Tier Sixth Grade'
Species were not all built the same.
Lu Qing had only reached a meter in length at the Seventh Grade, yet this iron-headed cricket was already that large at the Sixth Grade.The iron-headed cricket had a perfectly square head. Its two long antennae twitched continuously, and its broad, gleaming mouthparts hinted at a bite force that couldn't be underestimated.
Its two hind legs were roughly a meter long and startlingly thick, promising terrifying explosive power.
Its most prominent feature, however, was the iron armor on its head.
This armor was incredibly sturdy, extending straight from its head down over its upper body.
The iron-headed cricket seemed to have an extremely violent temper.
The moment it locked eyes with Lu Qing, its rage instantly boiled over.
"Motherfucker, die!"
The iron-headed cricket offered no other communication. After swearing, its hind legs erupted with tremendous power, catapulting it into a straight charge.
Lu Qing had already been ambushed by this exact move twice today.
The difference was that the iron-headed cricket's speed and power were vastly superior, bringing with them a far more intense crushing pressure.
In this charge, the iron-headed cricket used its iron head as a battering ram.
It was risking its life right from the start.
Was it just relying on its thick skull?
Lu Qing didn't dodge. Instead, he swung his Hidden Blade in a downward slash.
The opponent's charging momentum was massive, but Lu Qing's slash was equally heavy.
The Blade Leg collided with the iron head, producing a dull metallic clang.
Even with the immense weight of the strike combined with the cricket's surging momentum, the clash actually failed to break its defense!
Clearly, the iron-headed cricket's cranial defense was obscenely tough.
But Lu Qing had a follow-up move!
A literal follow-up strike!
The advantage of dual blades was now fully on display.
At the exact moment of their collision, his other Blade Leg thrust diagonally upward into the cricket's abdomen.
Its head was protected by iron armor that the Blade Leg couldn't pierce, but its abdomen had absolutely no protection at all!
The tip pierced straight through, carving out a massive through-and-through wound.
The repulsive force from their collision erupted, instantly sending them flying apart.
The iron-headed cricket hit the ground. Without even a glance at the gaping hole in its abdomen, it charged at him again.
It truly didn't fear death.
'I just gave you a single glance among the peach blossoms, and you're actually putting your life on the line...'
Lu Qing swung his Blade to block once more. Repeating the exact same maneuver, he plunged his Hidden Blade into its abdomen again.
This time, completely disregarding its wounds, the iron-headed cricket opened its mandibles and clamped its mouthparts fiercely onto Lu Qing's Blade Leg.
Its mandibles scraped and screeched against the Blade Leg, yet failed to inflict any real damage.
However, the iron-headed cricket didn't seem to care about dealing damage. It just stubbornly locked its jaws onto the sturdy Blade Leg while its hind legs pushed wildly against the ground, trying to flip Lu Qing over.
In a test of raw strength, Lu Qing held a distinct advantage. No matter how much the creature kicked and shoved, he remained entirely unmovable.
The iron-headed cricket, with its abdomen severely mangled, ultimately couldn't stop the rapid draining of its life force. Still, its frenzy didn't fade in the slightest.
"Die! I want you dead!"
Even as its physical strength waned, its temper only grew more violent.
Lu Qing was speechless!
What an absolute lunatic!
'I merely looked at it. Was there really a need for such a deep grudge? Or is this species just inherently psychotic?'
There was no point in trying to communicate with something like this.
Lu Qing pulled his Blade Leg horizontally, slicing the cricket cleanly in two.
Even as its breath gradually faded away, the iron-headed cricket's mouthparts remained stubbornly clamped onto Lu Qing's Blade Leg.
After prying its jaws open, Lu Qing began feasting on his experience pack.
'Flesh Value +0.1'
'Flesh Value +0.1'
Not bad. A bit of progress with every bite. It was a steady gain.
After devouring it entirely, the iron-headed cricket provided him with thirteen points of experience.
He had just finished when a Green Locust dropped from the sky. Without a word, it began to eat the iron armor that Lu Qing couldn't digest.
Its sharp mouthparts opened and closed like a ruthless chewing machine. In just a few bites, the sturdy iron armor became its next meal.
Lu Qing checked the Green Locust's status.
'Race: Green Locust
Strength: Low Tier Sixth Grade'
Sixth Grade.
The Green Locust had fierce mouthparts, but its defense was nothing special!
Dealing with fragile species was what Lu Qing did best!
He had come here to farm experience, so of course, he wouldn't show any misplaced mercy.
His Blade Leg lashed out swiftly, instantly piercing into the Green Locust's back.
In pain, the Green Locust's first reaction wasn't to counterattack, but to hop frantically in an attempt to flee.
Despite being only a meter long, this creature's physical strength surpassed even the iron-headed cricket's. Lu Qing's secondary legs, which he used to anchor himself, barely helped as his entire body was dragged along by its frantic leaps.
Lu Qing hurriedly used his other Blade Leg to hook onto a nearby rock.
The Green Locust's momentum was arrested.
Seizing the opportunity, Lu Qing used his Blade Leg to sever one of its thick hind legs.
With its leg chopped off, the Green Locust immediately began begging for mercy.
"I just ate some scraps you couldn't digest! There's no need for this! Let's not go this far..."
Talking too much might foster sympathy. Lu Qing was determined to be a cold-blooded killing machine, so he promptly sliced off its other thick leg without hesitation.
"I am the vanguard of the Locust Race Army! A horde of 300,000 is just a hundred li away..."
'Good heavens, even a locust knows how to threaten people now?'
'An army of 300,000? It can even count?'
"I don't care if it's your grandmother or your grandfather coming!"
He cleanly ended it with his Blade Leg and then began extracting its energy.
The Peach Woods truly lived up to expectations. He had only taken a few steps and already encountered two Sixth Grade beasts!
His experience bar had already filled by a tenth!
Given the abundance of resources in the Peach Woods, it was entirely possible to reach the Eighth Grade today!
Lu Qing was instantly invigorated.
...
Lu Qing had already ventured a dozen li into the woods.
Because he knew extremely powerful entities lurked within the Peach Woods before he even entered, he moved with utmost caution.
It was precisely this caution that allowed him to hear a sudden commotion.
After sneaking closer, he saw a group of animals engaged in a brawl.
It was a monkey and a swarm of Green Locusts.
The monkey was about a meter and a half tall and covered in golden fur. It was incredibly agile, yet visibly packed with raw power.
Moreover, it knew how to use weapons.
Rocks, wooden sticks, and even the severed legs of Green Locusts all became weapons in its hands.
Without making a sound, Lu Qing pulled up the Golden-Haired Monkey's status.
'Race: Golden-Haired Monkey
Strength: Low Tier Eighth Grade'
It was actually at the Eighth Grade!
Under normal circumstances, seeing a primate whose strength outclassed his own, he would have turned and fled without a second thought.
But the situation now was entirely different.
The Eighth Grade Golden-Haired Monkey was being besieged by a swarm of Green Locusts.
There were definitely no fewer than a hundred Green Locusts, and every single one of them was leaping at the monkey with suicidal ferocity.
Although they were only at the Sixth Grade, their terrifying bite force, explosive jumping power, and sheer numbers gradually pushed the Golden-Haired Monkey into a corner.
Lu Qing scurried up a tree, continuing to observe the battle through the gaps in the foliage.
...
The two sides went back and forth in an exceptionally intense brawl.
The Golden-Haired Monkey retreated as it fought. Its body was already riddled with wounds, and bright crimson blood dyed its golden fur red.
The Green Locusts had suffered even heavier casualties.
The ground was utterly littered with their corpses.
Yet, the survivors remained fiercely relentless.
Watching from the sidelines, Lu Qing couldn't help but wonder.
Why had the one he encountered earlier begged for mercy in terror, while this swarm fought with such fearless valor?
Did the Green Locust species receive some kind of 'courage' buff when swarming together?