My path to immortality began with my posting to guard Dawancun.

Chapter 21 The End
it's over!
Looking ahead, at the crocodile demon lying limp and lifeless on the ground,
Shen Changchuan breathed a long sigh of relief.

My tense mind finally relaxed at this moment.

Despite Shen Changchuan's effortless command of the battle, seemingly manipulating the crocodile demon at will and preventing it from even touching him, he remained unfazed.

But in fact,

He was anything but relaxed during the battle.

Because of that crocodile demon's attack, it would have been better if it had missed.
But just one hit would be a devastating blow!
Shen Changchuan has neither defensive spells nor defensive magical artifacts.

The crocodile demon's strength and realm surpassed his own by a level, and the power of its innate magic was also unparalleled.

One careless

You could die on the spot!

Under such circumstances, he had to keep his mind on high alert and dared not relax for even a moment.

The mental and physical strain this would cause is simply unimaginable!

"I still lack some tricks up my sleeve."

"Although I managed to kill the crocodile demon thanks to the perfect combination of my spiritual vision and lightness techniques."

"However, the enemies we may encounter in the future may not be like those we face today, who are faster and more agile than we are today."

"If I encounter an enemy who is faster than me, or who possesses some kind of magic that can restrict my agility, then I'll be in big trouble!"

Despite slaying the crocodile demon despite being of a higher level, Shen Changchuan did not become complacent.

Instead, he carefully recalled the course of the battle.

Organize and reflect on the problems encountered.

"I need to learn more spells and master more techniques! Especially defensive spells or defensive artifacts, which is undoubtedly my biggest weakness."

"If I can improve my weaknesses, I will have a greater margin for error when fighting the enemy, as I will have more options."

"Anyway, I have a progress bar panel, which I can use to train until I reach 100% perfection. In addition, after the spell is perfected, it will also bring me a characteristic enhancement. This is my advantage!"

"Playing to one's strengths and avoiding one's weaknesses, and making the most of one's advantages, is the right way."

As Shen Changchuan gazed at the enormous crocodile demon's body before him, thoughts began to circulate in his mind.

I have a general idea in mind about how to improve my abilities in the future.

however,
Shen Changchuan quickly realized something.

That means the area around Dawan Village is a very remote region.

The cultivation forces here are extremely weak!

There aren't even any ordinary markets or neighborhoods here.

It seems unlikely that they will be able to obtain new spells or similar means in the vicinity!

"Ugh."

"Although the power struggles in the backyard of the Shen family compound are dangerous, if one can demonstrate some talent for cultivation, the cultivation methods and spells will not be a problem."

"Although Dawan Village is safer than the Shen Family Compound, it is still extremely difficult to obtain magical techniques."

"Truly, fortune and misfortune are intertwined!"

"I hope that after Wujiaji opens in two months, I can find some suitable ways to strengthen my business."

The thought of this cold reality...

Shen Changchuan couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

never mind,

There's no need to rush the reinforcement measures.
Let's improve our cultivation level first.

In any case, it's all about improving strength.

all the same.

"But then again, don't ordinary low- to mid-level demonic beasts usually only possess one innate spell? What's wrong with this crocodile demon?"

The thought of magic reminded Shen Changchuan of something else.
His gaze was fixed on the enormous body of the crocodile demon before him.

A look of doubt involuntarily appeared in his eyes.

A defensive spell that can petrify the body.
Water Arrow Technique: Spraying water jets as thick as buckets.

And then there was the dense barrage of arrows, like hidden weapons, that feinted attack before the escape.

These methods,

These were all used by the Crocodile Demon during the battle.

The magic that this monster possesses,

That seems a bit too much.

Some things don't make sense.

"Moreover, this guy seems a little too smart!"

Shen Changchuan recalled the battle just now,
The other party acted as if they were going to fight me to the death, but in the end it was just a feint before they turned around and ran away.

If it weren't for the perfect level of lightness technique that greatly improved Shen Changchuan's speed and agility, he probably would have been able to escape back into the river.

Such a level of intelligence,
This is not something that ordinary monsters can possess!
"Could this guy have some powerful bloodline inheritance, or some rare and precious material that can enlighten wisdom?"

Shen Changchuan had this idea in his mind.

His gaze drifted to a spot not far away.

The river, which had become turbid and rushed during the rainy season, now flowed quietly.

Shen Changchuan seemed to be deep in thought.

Perhaps I can take a look; maybe I'll find something else interesting.

Shen Changchuan thought to himself.

but,

He was cautious.
Having just fought a fierce battle, with more than half of his magical power depleted and in poor condition, it is not the best time to enter the river to investigate.

after all,

Since there is a crocodile demon in the river,
Who can be sure there isn't a second or third head?

Shen Changchuan is a calm and composed person and would not take such a risk so easily.

at least,

We'll have to wait a few days.
He needed to recover his strength and confirm that there were no other demonic beasts in the river before proceeding. Just as Shen Changchuan was pondering this,
Not far behind,
Han Qinhu had already led a group of patrol members from the village up carefully.

"Changchuan, how's it going? Is it resolved?"

Han Qinhu asked, his gaze fixed on the massive body of the crocodile demon entangled in a multitude of vines.
Even though the crocodile demon was lying there motionless,
Han Qinhu's eyes still held a trace of fear.

Clearly, the previous battle,
The terror of that crocodile demon left him with many traumas.

"Fortunately, we managed to take care of it before it entered the river, otherwise we would have been in trouble later."

Based on the intelligence this crocodile demon displayed during its final escape,

Shen Changchuan could foresee that if the other party escaped, it would inevitably cause great trouble for Dawancun in the future.

"Grandpa, are you and Uncle alright?"

Seeing that there was still a trace of blood at the corner of Han Qinhu's mouth
Shen Changchuan couldn't help but ask with concern.

"Don't worry, it's nothing serious. Most of the force was blocked by the iron shield. Da Yong and I shared the remaining small part, so we only suffered some internal injuries and will recover after some rest."

Han Qinhu waved his hand dismissively.

But then,

A series of coughs erupted, and Han Qinhu's face flushed red.

"Grandpa, please don't push yourself. Go and rest. Leave the rest to them."

"When the village chief of Zhao Family Village came to visit last time, he gave me a ginseng. I've already used the main root part during my cultivation, but there are still quite a few roots left. You and your uncle can use it to make tea later; it should help you recover quickly."

Shen Changchuan quickly helped Han Qinhu up.

Gently pat his back.

It's not that Shen Changchuan is stingy,

However, if ordinary people indiscriminately absorb spiritual energy, they may be unable to withstand its violent power, resulting in the complete rupture of their dantian meridians.

Although it is possible to successfully cultivate Qi in one fell swoop and cross the boundary between immortals and mortals to become a cultivator.

However, the former is clearly much more likely in terms of probability.

If you want to awaken your spiritual energy and embark on the path of cultivation, the best orthodox method is to take Qi-awakening pills or use spiritual foods such as spiritual rice porridge to guide your energy and temper your body until your body is tempered enough to withstand the refinement of spiritual energy.

Although the roots of the ginseng are part of the ginseng itself, they contain traces of spiritual energy.
However, because the main body was swallowed, the trace of spiritual energy contained within it has already dissipated and will not pose much of a threat.

On the contrary, because it had been nourished by spiritual energy, its medicinal potency was greatly enhanced.
For ordinary martial artists like Han Qinhu, this was an excellent tonic.

"Ahem, well, thank you very much, Changchuan!"

Han Qinhu coughed a few times.

After catching his breath, he thanked her.

"Grandpa, what are you saying? You are one of my closest relatives. If it weren't for your help, I'm afraid I would be in a complete mess managing Dawan Village."

"It's just that the spirit grain hasn't been harvested yet, otherwise I would have given you some spiritual enlightenment so you could become a cultivator."

Shen Changchuan spoke to him slowly and deliberately.

Upon hearing this, Han Qinhu felt a warmth in his heart, and couldn't help but feel a touch of emotion.

Throughout his life,
Perhaps the best decision she ever made was getting through to that steward of the Shen family and getting her daughter into the family.

Although getting caught up in the vortex of the Shen family may not be a good decision for the daughter.

But in this world, things are beyond our control, and where can we find anything that is perfect?
As long as the final result is good,
That's enough.

Han Qinhu glanced at the enormous crocodile demon's body not far away.

I couldn't help but feel a little emotional.

It seems my grandson's abilities have improved again.

Thinking back, I realized I had actually felt worried before.

I couldn't help but blush a little.

How could my grandson, a prodigy with the potential to become an immortal, be unable to even defeat a single demon beast?
later,
Just follow your grandson's decision.

With the help of the ordinary villagers and strong men, the crocodile demon's corpse was quickly carried to the courtyard halfway up the mountain.

Simultaneously,

Those who died in battle were all given proper care and support.

The houses that collapsed during the battle were all repaired.

All the funeral arrangements were resolved.

Dawancun gradually calmed down.

Time slipped away quietly during this process.
Five days passed in the blink of an eye.

Within these five days,
Shen Changchuan has also recovered to his peak condition.

During his life-or-death struggle with the crocodile demon, he also gained some insights and his cultivation level improved slightly, approaching the peak of the early stage of the fourth level of Qi Induction.

However, he was not in a hurry to break through.

Instead, they walk to the river every day.

Use the Spirit Eye technique to perceive the river that has become muddy and turbulent during the rainy season when the water volume has increased significantly.

For five consecutive days, the faint demonic aura that had permeated the river had completely dissipated.

There was no trace of demonic energy left.

"The wisp of demonic energy that had been rising has completely dissipated. It seems that there is only one crocodile demon left in the river!"

"It's time to go check it out. I hope I'm right."

Once it's confirmed that there is no danger,
Without much hesitation, Shen Changchuan jumped into the river and dived deep into the riverbed.

The dark, turbulent river severely limited visibility, making it difficult to see what was nearby.

But at this time,

The light of the Spirit Eye Technique shone in Shen Changchuan's pupils.

Relying on the enhanced perception and vision provided by his Spirit Eye Technique, Shen Changchuan easily saw objects eight or nine meters away through the murky river water.

then,

He began searching in the murky, dark river.

(End of this chapter)