Chapter Sixteen: This Qilin Arm Really Ruins My Clothes

The warm spring wind swept down from Mount Wushan, causing the wild grasses on the plain to sway and undulate, revealing a peculiar scene: one man facing off against a dozen or so toads.

Though absurd in appearance, this situation posed real danger for Yu Ge. The mutant toads’ tongues were sharp and swift, and their toxins induced hallucinations, making them even harder to deal with—especially since he was now surrounded. If it were only a single toad, Yu Ge would have felt no fear even without his Kirin Arm, but numbers had transformed the threat; facing more than ten was no trivial matter. His expression grew grave.

Pairs of emotionless eyes, hidden between folds of skin, stared out at the world—and at Yu Ge, trapped at the center—exerting immense pressure upon him. Yu Ge’s gaze flashed coldly as he swept his eyes around his attackers. His palm moved directly to the black iron dagger at his waist; he had practiced with it often, and his aim was now precise.

With a swift motion, a cold gleam shot forth—Yu Ge struck first. The black iron dagger darted from his sleeve, streaking toward the lead toad with a burst of icy light. The old toad let out a strange cry and quickly hopped aside, avoiding the blow.

Having drawn the old toad’s attention, Yu Ge’s mind stirred. Suddenly, a layer of fine, neat scales appeared on his right forearm, and as they emerged, his arm visibly swelled. The speed was astonishing, the transformation uncanny. Soon, his enlarged right arm stretched his once-loose sleeve tightly, muscles tense, and the Deathblade in his grip—which had felt weighty before—now seemed light as air. He wielded it effortlessly.

With the Kirin Arm activated, his strength surged. In a flash, his blade swept coldly through the air, tearing a nearby mutant toad cleanly in two before it could even scream. Yet his deadly strike failed to intimidate the remaining toads; instead, it seemed to ignite their bloodlust, and they charged at him in unison.

Tongues whipped through the air like blood-red blades, coloring the sky with a peculiar, grisly hue. Yu Ge released his left hand, wielding the blade single-handedly to maximize his strength, moving with practiced ease. Amid the mutant toads, he cut through them as a wolf among sheep, leaving behind streaks of glaring crimson.

He moved nimbly, his blade rising and falling, dispatching the besieging mutant toads one by one, the grass by the roadside stained with blood. Witnessing their companions fall in such a suicidal assault, the remaining toads finally felt fear; their movements slowed as terror gripped their hearts.

Some began to break formation, scattering in all directions.

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Now, to Yu Ge, these fleeing toads were nothing more than walking progress—there was no way he would let them escape. The Kirin Arm’s duration was limited, so he bit his lip and sped up, swinging the blade at a dizzying rate. He struck down the last mutant toad by his side, the intricate patterns on the blade now shrouded in a misty veil of blood.

The surviving toads were thoroughly terrified; the old lead toad tried to slip away, hiding among the others. Yu Ge’s eyes were sharp—he kicked the fallen black iron dagger from the grass and chased after the old toad, hurling his blade as he closed to within a few meters.

The dagger’s unique properties boosted its speed, at least doubling it. Combined with the Kirin Arm’s immense strength, the throw nearly doubled again; the blade flashed like lightning, landing between the old toad’s legs in the blink of an eye.

A shrill, agonized scream rang out. The other mutant toads trembled, visibly stunned, then scattered in every direction.

Yu Ge ignored the stragglers. He strode forward and gave the convulsing, foam-mouthed old toad a finishing blow, ensuring its death. This old toad seemed to possess some intelligence, rallying allies and seeking reinforcements to attack him. Yet, its limited cunning had only granted Yu Ge a bounty of progress.

He scanned the area; the scattered mutant toads had vanished into the boundless wilds, beyond sight. Yu Ge could only let them go, and at that moment, the Kirin Arm’s time expired.

The scales faded from his wrist, his arm returning to normal, though his sleeve—torn apart by his movements—hung in tatters.

This Kirin Arm is hell on clothing, Yu Ge mused, gazing at his ruined sleeve.

Still, the gains from using it were considerable.

Achievement: "Slay the Demons"

Completion Criteria: With monsters rampant in the world, it is your duty to slay them. Kill any monster ten times. Progress: 10/10.

Reward: Unknown. Available to claim.

Seeing this, Yu Ge’s spirits soared—this was his greatest achievement yet, and the reward promised to be substantial.

He drew a deep breath and clicked to claim it.

"Achievement 'Slay the Demons' completed. Reward: Yang Body, First Stage."

Instantly, the stellar core in his mind blazed with radiant light, which then merged into his body. A familiar warmth surged through him, coursing through his limbs and bones—Yu Ge felt every cell come alive.

He felt as though he were soaking in a hot spring.

His muscles compressed and refined before rising, visibly pronounced.

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A surge of power began to grow throughout his body.

This phase lasted only a few seconds, but the entire process felt miraculous. When the warmth faded, Yu Ge examined himself: not only were his arm muscles slightly raised, but his chest and abdomen now bore clear muscular contours.

Touching them, he could distinctly sense the strength within.

Such a transformation had been unimaginable before!

Yu Ge flexed his fist—the power flooding him made him feel as though he could kill a bull with his bare hands.

He checked his information panel:

Host: Yu Ge

Spirit: 56%
Strength: 152%
Constitution: 145%
Agility: 160%
Cultivation: Yang Body, First Stage
Assessment: A pitiable and weak creature.

He noticed an added cultivation category, and the data had dramatically changed: aside from Spirit, the other three attributes had soared by a hundred points. No wonder his body felt so changed—his strength was now unmatched.

He felt that, even without the Kirin Arm, he could easily dispatch the troublesome mountain spirit from before with just a few strikes.

Against the agile mutant toads, eliminating one would now require barely any effort.

No wonder Zhao Ziming, after forging his muscles, could casually hoist a three-hundred-pound stone lock as if it were a toy. Ordinary people were at 50%, but Yu Ge’s strength was now triple that.

At the muscle-forging stage, three hundred pounds was likely nothing at all.