Chapter 440: Exotic Beast

It was only when the monster approached that Liang Yu finally got a clear look at it, and he involuntarily blurted out, “This monster looks like a deer, has a white tail, hooves like a horse, front legs like human hands, and possesses four horns.”

Based on the monster’s appearance, Liang Yu immediately recognized its true identity.

Ju Ru!!!

Its image in ancient Chinese mythology was exactly as he had just described.

No, after Ju Ru got closer, Liang Yu noticed a problem.

This Ju Ru was not like the one in myths and legends; instead, it was surrounded by black mist, its body was dilapidated, rotting all over, and the stench grew increasingly intense as Ju Ru approached.

The eight to nine-meter-tall Ju Ru quickly arrived in front of Liang Yu.

Liang Yu endured the pungent stench, placing his hand on his waist, ready to summon his weapon, the Aurora Sword, at any moment.

This mutated Ju Ru opened its gaping maw, letting out a deafening roar, while its body’s foul odor permeated the air, and its front leg slammed down towards Liang Yu.

Liang Yu agilely dodged to the side, simultaneously summoning the Aurora Sword and swinging it to hack at Ju Ru’s front leg, which resembled a human hand.

However, beneath Ju Ru’s decaying flesh were bones as hard as iron; the Aurora Sword only produced a few sparks upon impact.

This attack only caused Ju Ru a moment of pain, but it used its human-like front leg to fiercely sweep at Liang Yu again.

Liang Yu then summoned the Aurora Shield to block in front of him, but he was still sent flying by the force, crashing heavily into a nearby dilapidated wall.

Although this blow didn’t injure Liang Yu, it was the first time he, wearing the Emperor Armor, felt pain. It truly lived up to its reputation as a strange beast from the classic of mountains and seas; it certainly had some power.

As Liang Yu stood up from the ground, the triumphant Ju Ru, dragging its putrid body, lunged at him again, its foul stench instantly enveloping him.

Just as Ju Ru’s front leg was about to strike again, Liang Yu suddenly noticed a faint blue light flickering within the black mist on Ju Ru’s abdomen.

When Ju Ru reached him, Liang Yu instantly activated his Emperor Magnetic Field and teleported behind Ju Ru.

He then continuously unleashed sword energy light blades from the Aurora Sword towards the area emitting the blue light.

As the sword energy light blades pierced through Ju Ru’s body and struck the blue light.

With a “crack,” the location of the blue light shattered, and Ju Ru’s massive body trembled violently, letting out a desperate roar.

Seeing this, Liang Yu thought he had hit the opponent’s vital point and killed it with one blow.

He watched as Ju Ru’s massive body began to emit a nauseating putrid stench, the process of decay unfolding like an unstoppable nightmare.

It revealed skin beneath, full of pus and rotting flesh; the decayed meat gradually became soft and mushy, peeling off in chunks and falling to the ground with dull thuds, splashing out pools of foul-smelling fluid.

Ju Ru’s limbs began to twist and deform, as if countless invisible hands were forcefully pulling at it.

As time passed, its internal organs also slowly began to ooze out from its ruptured abdomen; these organs had been so ravaged by bacteria that they were unrecognizable, sticky and intertwined, emitting a pungent odor that made the surrounding air feel heavy and turbid.

Slowly, the muscle tissue also continued to melt away, leaving only some barely connected tendons.

Finally, these tendons also buckled under the strain, breaking one by one.

The once mighty Ju Ru, consumed by decay, completely lost its life, leaving behind only a stark white skeleton, standing isolated in its original spot.

???

Liang Yu felt that something wasn’t quite right; if it were truly over, it shouldn’t be this kind of scene.

At the very least, Ju Ru had not been turned into a card by him, which meant the opponent was very likely still alive.

Suddenly recalling the unknown blue glowing object inside the opponent’s body that he had destroyed, Liang Yu realized that object might have been the key to sustaining its decaying body.

It was because that object was supporting it that its flesh was still struggling; now, he had destroyed it with one sword strike.

The skeleton of Ju Ru seemed to confirm Liang Yu’s conjecture.

In that silent space, a strange aura permeated the air.

Black mist continuously gathered towards Ju Ru’s skeleton, drifting slowly like agile and evil phantoms; every movement of the black mist seemed to speak of mysterious and terrifying power, all proving that the opponent was still alive.

The black mist was so thick it seemed tangible, carrying a chilling coldness, gradually enveloping the skeleton layer by layer.

Gradually, Ju Ru’s skeleton began to move again under the shroud of black mist.

First, a finger bone trembled slightly, causing the connected wrist bone to emit a faint “click-clack” sound, a sound like a demon’s whisper in the silence.

Then, the bones of the arm slowly began to lift, causing the shoulder bones to twist as well, as if breaking free from long-held restraints.

As the skeleton’s movements grew larger, the black mist also surged, as if infused with vitality.

It continuously wrapped and coiled around the skeleton, seemingly assisting in the revival of this ancient and evil body.

Ribs rose and fell one by one, as if breathing the turbid air in this strange space.

The bones of the legs pushed forcefully against the ground, attempting to support the entire body.

For a moment, the sound of bones grinding echoed through the space, dull and horrifying, sending shivers down one’s spine.

“What the f***!!!”

Liang Yu looked at the ‘resurrected’ Ju Ru, realizing he seemed to have triggered the opponent’s second phase.

However, at the same time, he also felt a surge of eagerness. According to his understanding, there were a total of four hundred and ninety-six strange beasts in the classic of mountains and seas.

This Ju Ru in front of him was the first one he had subdued!

He wanted to turn all four hundred and ninety-six of these strange beasts into demon sealing talismans and create a true classic of mountains and seas!

At this moment, Liang Yu moved like lightning, the Aurora Sword in his hand shining with dazzling light.

While Ju Ru was still unaware and confused, he had already launched a fierce attack.

He wielded the Aurora Sword impenetrably, and streaks of sword energy light blades, like a surging torrent, shot towards Ju Ru.

The sword energy light blades whistled through the air, emitting a sharp whooshing sound, as if to tear this space apart.

Each light blade contained astonishing power, flashing with a chilling gleam, like deadly blades from the netherworld.

Ju Ru only then realized the danger, its massive body wanting to dodge but appearing somewhat sluggish.

Facing the sword energy light blades that came like a downpour, Ju Ru merely extended its front limbs, and countless black mists, like surging waves, blocked in front of it.

These black mists seemed to possess life, rolling and surging, enveloping the sword energy light blades upon contact.