C21 The Hundred Beast Slash and the Bursting Seed Card.

The Death Bell Beetle carcasses held no valuable materials.

The group casually discarded them on the ground and pressed on with their journey.

Over ten minutes later, the Jeep pulled to a stop in a forest more than five hundred meters from Knell Valley.

Kong Qian retrieved a camouflage tarp from the trunk and draped it over the vehicle.

Then, they set off toward Knell Valley together.

Since the Beastmaster Association had issued the insect extermination mission, Knell Valley had seen a daily influx of adventurers.

Xie Yang noticed many groups along the way, typically consisting of four or five members.

Solo travelers like him were a rarity; he encountered just one.

A lanky man in his thirties.

"That's Hardie, a bronze-ranked Beastmaster. He's got quite a reputation among adventurers," Tung Yaying murmured, catching Xie Yang's inquisitive look.

Xie Yang nodded in understanding.

It made sense why Hardie would venture alone.

Even a bronze-ranked Beastmaster who had advanced through a lower-tier assessment would have a pet with at least third-rank strength.

Xie Yang swiftly shifted his attention back to Kong Qian and the others.

"We should part ways here. Thanks for all your help!"

Kong Qian and the rest waved off his gratitude with a flurry of polite dismissals.

After exchanging pleasantries, they went their separate ways, leaving Xie Yang to stride into Knell Valley by himself.

Watching him depart, Moo Zhen exclaimed,

"I've truly witnessed what it means to be a genius today!"

"How amazing it would be if Xie Yang joined our squad," he mused.

Kong Qian chuckled and shook his head, "Don't get your hopes up. A genius like him is bound for great things. Why would he join our squad?"

Yin Xuan and Tung Yaying nodded in agreement.

Tung Yaying sighed with a tinge of regret, "What a shame. If only I were a few years younger, or Xie Yang a few years older, I'd definitely pursue him. It's rare to find someone so young with both potential and good looks."

The three men present simultaneously rolled their eyes.

She had a soft spot for handsome men, it seemed.

Upon entering Knell Valley, Xie Yang didn't pause. He headed straight for the heart of the valley.

The Death Bell Beetles near the entrance had been nearly wiped out, with only a few stragglers left. He had no intention of wasting time on them.

His target was a substantial swarm of insects.

Shortly thereafter, Xie Yang encountered a group of Death Bell Beetles, just as he had hoped. There were roughly seventy to eighty of them.

Upon spotting him, the Death Bell Beetles charged with ferocity, their scarlet eyes gleaming with a brutal light.

Without any command from Xie Yang, the Ice Crystal Soul emitted a soft cry and surged forward, launching an ice spike.

It followed up with a blast of Ice Breathing.

With these two abilities deployed, the swarm's numbers were halved in an instant.

Xie Yang joined the fray.

His silver-gray Soul Power formed into a razor-sharp arrow, streaking towards a Death Bell Beetle.

This was the Soul Arrow!

The targeted Death Bell Beetle didn't even have a chance to cry out before its head was impaled by the Soul Arrow. It convulsed violently, then dropped dead.

"The power of this skill is impressive," Xie Yang noted with satisfaction.

A single Soul Arrow, requiring just ten points of Soul Power, could take down a first-rank, sixth-layer ferocious beast. The strength was formidable.

"Now for the Soul Power Impact!"

Xie Yang extended his hand, palm open.

With a mere thought, the silver-gray Soul Power coalesced into a spiraling shockwave, barreling towards the insect horde and detonating amidst them.

In a flash, seven or eight Death Bell Beetles were shredded.

"Excellent!" Xie Yang exclaimed, pleased.

Though it didn't match the might of the Ice Crystal Soul's icicle or Ice Breathing, the Soul Technique was potent in its own right.

This was, after all, a Beastmaster's Soul Technique, not to be compared with that of a pet.

"The only downside is the substantial consumption of Soul Power—50 points."

Luckily, Xie Yang had an ample reserve of Soul Power.

Another apprentice Beastmaster might deplete their Soul Power after just five or six uses of the Soul Power Impact.

As Xie Yang pondered this, a familiar alert resonated in his mind.

He had achieved a milestone.

Hundred Beast Slash: You've cumulatively slain 100 ferocious beasts. By completing this achievement, you're entitled to 300 achievement points and a Bursting Seed Card (achievement complete, reward pending collection).

"Hundred Beast Slash?"

Xie Yang was taken aback for a moment.

"This achievement looks similar to those for Soul Techniques and pet skills. If I take down a thousand and then ten thousand ferocious beasts, will I unlock the Thousand Beast Slash and Ten Thousand Beast Slash achievements?"

He mulled over the idea.

Regardless, it was a pleasant surprise.

He quickly claimed his reward.

Bursting Seed Card: A card imbued with mysterious power. It can temporarily elevate a pet's strength to new heights. Once used, you can boost any pet's level at will. The effect lasts for 30 minutes without any adverse effects.

"Nice find!"

Xie Yang's eyes sparkled.

The Bursting Seed Card was clearly a formidable item.

Applied to the Ice Crystal Soul, it could boost its level to the first layer of the fourth rank!

Though the boost would only last 30 minutes, if used strategically, it could be a lifesaver in a pinch.

Xie Yang pocketed the Bursting Seed Card with glee.

By then, the Ice Crystal Soul had finished off the remaining Death Bell Beetles.

Without pausing for a break, Xie Yang pressed on with the Ice Crystal Soul, scouring for more insect swarms.

Driven to complete the achievement and reap the rewards, his enthusiasm was unflagging.

Half an hour later, Xie Yang dispatched the third insect swarm.

He opened the Pet panel and scrutinized it. The Ice Crystal Soul's Growth Point had risen to 87%.

"After slaying over three hundred Death Bell Beetles, it gained just 3% in Growth Points. That's terribly inefficient."

"Is it because the Death Bell Beetles are too weak, offering too little experience for the Ice Crystal Soul?"

Xie Yang pondered the situation.

At this rate, it would likely take two days for the Ice Crystal Soul's Growth Point to hit 100%.

Starting from 0%, it would need at least half a month to max out.

"That's rather slow."

Xie Yang murmured, yet soon after, he chuckled and shook his head.

Typically, a Beastmaster would take years to mature a pet fully.

Even with the aid of treasures to expedite growth, it could still take several months, if not half a year.

Xie Yang had the advantage of the system, allowing him to achieve his goal in less than half a month.

Yet, he still found the pace excruciatingly slow. He couldn't help but want more.

"I'll pace myself. Besides, I still need to gather more evolutionary materials," he reasoned.

With the Ice Crystal Soul in tow, Xie Yang sought out a hidden spot to recuperate.

The continuous battles had taken their toll on the Ice Crystal Soul, leaving it weary.

His Soul Power had been significantly depleted.

It was prudent to rest and recover before resuming the hunt.

Roughly an hour later, Xie Yang's Soul Power was largely replenished. As he prepared to resume his hunt, a cacophony of noise reached him from the distance.

The sounds were a chaotic blend of footsteps and shouts.

Curious, Xie Yang leapt onto a nearby rock for a better view.

He spotted a group of adventurers in a frenzied dash towards him.

Their expressions were etched with panic, as though a monstrous creature was in pursuit.

"What's going on?" Xie Yang whispered to himself, a hint of concern in his voice.

His confusion was short-lived, however.

Hot on the heels of the fleeing adventurers, a horde of monsters burst forth.

A swarm of Death Bell Beetles!

The sight of the teeming Death Bell Beetles was nothing short of overwhelming.