Plop plop...

Small raindrops fell on Ye Mo's head one after the other at intermittent intervals.

When he opened his eyes, the centipede wandering on his ruined face quickly scurried away in panic.

He grunted deeply as he used his hands to support his body with difficulty, the rocks on his back falling on both sides.

"My injuries are too severe, the healing pill that was usually so effective could only preserve my life while i was unconscious..." Ye Mo could see the blood on his clothes and feel his broken bones with each movements.

He slowly dragged his wounded body towards a tree, using the trunk as support to seat down leaving a trail of blood mixed with the dry pool he was laying on being washed away by the intensifying rain.

"I can't stay here indefinitely, my Qi recovered by half so i must have been out for one day and two nights at least. I have to quickly heal and leave this place."

Ye Mo popped another healing pill in his mouth and cultivated using the qi absorption of the Nine Revolutions Fiend Body.

Now that his situation was stabilised the healing pill finally showed a recovery effect, coupled with the qi absorbed in his body, Ye Mo could feel himself slowly recuperate.

New skin grew out on his face and slowly joined the old creating irregular claw marks all over, although he was still disfigured it was much better than his previous frightening appearance. With time and proper treatment, those scars would disappear as well.

However the rate of recovery of his body was minor and he would need at least the whole day just to be able to move properly.

"So it was all a trap... Wei Leng knew there were rank 3 beasts in this jungle and sent me to my death. This story about hunting here or the cave of pure iridescent iron was just bullshit." Ye Mo lamented.

From Wei Leng's story, he was a mortal hunting in the jungle when he found the cave, but how could it be possible with rank 3 beasts living in the surroundings when even Ye Mo barely survived?

It was impossible, just flesh devourer sleeping plant could easily kill a mortal if they attacked.

Moreover blood beasts were very territorial creatures, once you set a foot on their domain they would immediately attack. That's what happened to Ye Mo when he was chased by the ape and that's what happened to the ape when he was confronted by the fire bird.

"He probably prepared this fake map from the start, in case he was in danger he could use it as a bargaining chip. Not only he would be able to save his life, he would also send his assailant to his death. A flawless plan and i have been played like a fool!" Ye Mo was infuriated.

When he thought of his current situation, what has transpired became evident. At the time he carefully observed Wei Leng's expressions, fully listening to his story, waiting for a small loophole to uncover his lies but in the end he didn't find anything. Now that he realized he has been tricked he was truly enraged!

But soon he quickly calmed down and returned to his cold disposition. What happened was already fixed in the past there was no use setting his emotions ablaze over it. Better dealing with the situation at hand.

Ye Mo always had a cold blooded nature but it was even more true since he started cultivating a demonic technique.

True demonic cultivators always had to cover their tracks and remain hidden, not only were they hunted down by righteous forces, they would also engage in killing among each others for benefits. Being an ennemy of all, you couldn't survive as an impulsive idiot.

Big heavy raindrops fell perpetually and the earth quickly turned into mud. Although Ye Mo was sitting under a tree, its foliage couldn't completely protect him and after some time he was drenched from head to toe.

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But he paid it no mind as he was immersed in his reflexions. From time to time he would swallow another healing pill and continued cultivating.

As he completely focused on his recovery he also had a lot of time to think.

He incessantly replayed the story in his head. From the instant he met Wei Leng to the moment he stepped in the jungle until his current position.

What mistake did i make? What lesson should i learn from this? Did i miss something?

Ye Mo was indignant.

He was unwilling!

If he really was tricked then he won't allow it to happen again.

Time passed and scenes flashed in his mind continously, each words spoken resounded in his head.

Everything turned in his mind again and again.

And at some point, Ye Mo's eyes brightened.

The shadows of doubts were dispelled.

A flash of understanding!

At this instant everything became clear.

"It wasn't a ploy from Wei Leng. From the start i had a weird feeling because beside the flesh devourer sleeping plants everything i met were ordinary animals and bugs. There were no blood beasts at all. It was because i was in the territory of a rank 3 beasts, from blood beasts to cultivators theses territorial creatures don't accept anyone in their home. That's why since i have set a foot in their domain, the ape chased me all the way back to the fire bird terrain."

"However it still had flesh devourer sleeping plants inside the territory, that's because as plants they are just seen as a part of the vegetation for the ape and since they live most of the time underground they wouldn't even be seen in the first place. That's the same for Wei Leng, as a mortal he was just an ant, insignificant, a part of the nature like the animals living there. Would you go out of your way to kill an ant? There was no reason to do so."

"But concerning myself, i am a cultivator. I have clear Qi fluctuations that can easily be sensed by rank 3 beasts. In this case, if Wei Leng is an ant, im comparable to a mosquitoe. Although im of no real danger as well i am a bother buzzing around all the time and if i tried, with my battle skills i could still cause him an unpleasant itch. Such an eyesore, it was better to crush immediately once spotted and be done with it."

"As for flesh devourer sleeping plants, they don't attack if you don't walk right above their position, if you know well about these plants then there's multiple ways to avoid them no matter if you are a mortal or a cultivator. For mortal hunters to come here it means they should roughly know the terrain and their dangers and due to their frail composition they would be much more careful than a cultivator. Not only they would easily know the position of the flesh devorer sleeping plants but there would be no reason to go in their area since the few beasts that pass by would quickly get devored."

The fact he was in a rank 3 beast territory almost killed him but also saved his life. If there were many blood beasts living in the surroudings he would have been devored while unconscious but here he rest in peace, only bugs approaching him.

Ye Mo reviewed all the clues he had so far and was sure he touched on the truth.

Afterall why would Wei Leng create a fake map and trick people in the first place. Those that took part in the Tiger Martial institute recruitment were filled with expectations and were willing to pursue a bright future. They would not think of their death at all.

Even if they did so, to create such a sheme it would take someone extremely cunning and desperate.

Does Wei Leng fit this description? Cunning was debatable but desperate? He was part of a good team and had Ren Xue Tu, a powerful 5th layer cultivator from a good family, he had high chances to pass the first phase.

Once in the tournament the trick with the map held no meaning, he couldn't just pull it out in front of everyone and ask his opponent to forfeit. Not only the map would be seized but he would still get disqualified.

Moreover, even if he wasn't able to join the Tiger Martial institute he had a good cultivation technique that could last him several years

Ye Mo smirked, "The cave of pure iridescent iron should be real as well then."

With a peaceful mind he cultivated a day and a night, recuperating to the best of his abilities.

At the first lights of dawn, Ye Mo rose up.

The rain has stopped but dark grey clouds lingered sending a morose atmosphere.

"I am good to go around and use my battle skills but internal injuries remain. I will have to deal with it later or it could impact my cultivation."

Ye Mo moved towards the site of battle between the two rank 3 beasts.

When he reached the place, what welcomed him was a scene of devastation. A barren land, the few trees standing were burnt black, no vegetation, broken boulders and small craters littering the ground all around the enormous one created from the explosion back then.

As he examined the surroundings he found tugs of wet black fur mixed with blood sending a disgusting smell and a curved sharp claw almost half his size.

He knew the rain did its job as he would certainly have found pools of blood and lingering flames on the area if he came a day earlier.

"None of them died or there would be clear traces about it but they sustained deep injuries. Ultimately they are rank 3 beasts, rather than giving to their rage fighting to the death they both retreated and went deep in their respective territory showing their superior wisdom over ordinary blood beasts."

"Yet to retreat they should have been both severely injured, none of them would bother with me at this point even if i intrude their territory. This is the law of the jungle, they have to heal and recover their strenght to be able to defend themselves or they might be killed and have their place taken by another beast."

Ye Mo concluded in his heart.

The world was harsh to every living beings, humans and beasts alike.

He was relieved but at the same time he thought it was a pity. His cultivation of the Nine Revolutions Fiend body has been stagnating for a while now; If he could use it on one of these rank 3 beasts the enormous energy he would garner would immediately make him breakthrough the second revolution.

The beasts should be in a very bad state, it was a great occasion if only he was stronger.

"The Nine Revolutions Fiend body is the most effective against humans but it doesn't matter in this case, there's such a gap between my current cultivation and these beasts that absorbing their blood would directly propel my body refining technique to a new level!"

The problem was how achieving such a feat? Ye Mo was only at the 5th layer of the Qi Gathering realm, even if the Wrathful Black Ape or the fire bird were on the brink of death they could still kill him effortlessly.

Ye Mo started retracing his steps as he kept in thought.

He could feel there was an opportunity at hand but to grasp it, it was difficult and depended on the person's resourcefulness.

"Considering they are severely wounded, it would require at the minimum a Foundation Establishment realm cultivator with good offensive methods to make some damages but i have no ally. What i have instead..."

The corners of his mouth raised slightly.

He left the zone of battle and engulfed himself in the woods, his silhouette blending with the shadows as he moved towards Azure Water City with an evil glint in his eyes.