Ah, the first update will be at five in the afternoon, and the second at eight. If there are any bonus updates, the time will follow the second one. I'm utterly dejected that I can't manage to get up by noon.

...

The Bloodtooth Tiger chewed a few times, then swallowed its meal, immediately grabbing the carcass of a seven or eight-meter-long venomous snake and stuffing it into its mouth, chewing with a loud "smack, smack." After swallowing it whole, it turned and padded over to a sheer cliff face behind it, where a clear pool nestled. The water was emerald green, the pebbles on the bottom distinct and beautiful.

The Bloodtooth Tiger drank like an ox, plunging its massive head into the water. The dried blood around its whiskers dissolved instantly, dyeing the pool crimson. It paid no mind, gulping down several mouthfuls with a deep "gurgle." Instantly, a wave of relief washed over it, its bones feeling as though they were being massaged by countless slender hands, and its spirit soared.

The Bloodtooth Tiger knew the water in this pool possessed a miraculous effect; every drink brought immense comfort and dispelled fatigue. That was why it had chosen this peak to claim as its lair.

"Hmph, hmph," the Bloodtooth Tiger seethed inwardly, grinding its teeth. "Next time, I’ll bring a few strong allies. I swear I’ll kill you, you detestable human!" Just then, the ground trembled ever so slightly. The Three-Eyed Wolves, Bloodthirsty Rats, and other monsters didn't notice, but the Bloodtooth Tiger sensed it immediately. Its heart lurched, and it scrambled to its feet, craning its neck to peer into the distance.

With its vision, it instantly spotted a blood-red, towering Bloodtooth Tiger moving slowly along a mountain path several li away, heading in this direction. It was startled, then mused, "Why does this tiger look so familiar? Wait a moment..." Its gaze sharpened, and it saw a tiny silhouette walking beside the other tiger. Looking closer, it discerned a human figure, slender and well-proportioned, clad in furs. Every movement carried an aura of sharp killing intent.

"It's him!" The Bloodtooth Tiger’s pupils contracted. It recognized the black-haired man as the despicable human who had killed three of its brothers and blinded one of its eyes back then. A tremor ran through it as it wondered, "Has he been tracking me all this time and finally found this place?" Then, it looked at the Bloodtooth Tiger walking behind the man, feeling a flicker of doubt. "Why isn't this tiger eating him?"

"Boss," Xiao Hei suddenly transmitted telepathically while walking ahead, "there's a Bloodtooth Tiger on a nearby mountain."

Ye Chen nodded. "Hubei Province hasn't been fully developed yet. Monsters are everywhere. Those with cognitive abilities developed to human intelligence often recruit lesser monsters and set themselves up as kings. It’s not surprising."

"But, it's walking toward us. I wonder if we’ve intruded on its territory."

"Oh?" Ye Chen's brow rose, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He opened the Rune Space and the Silver Mechanical Warrior strode out, positioning itself protectively in front of him. For a mere few-hundred-level Bloodtooth Tiger, he didn't feel the need to enter Superman Mode.

"Life forms are approaching ahead. Shall I eliminate them?" the Silver Mechanical Warrior inquired.

"Kill," Ye Chen’s voice was icy.

As the words fell, the Silver Mechanical Warrior immediately charged out, drawing the massive metal axe lodged on its back, and rushed forward. Not far away, the one-eyed Bloodtooth Tiger saw Ye Chen suddenly open a colossal space, instantly recalling their first encounter. A chill ran down its spine. Then, it witnessed the terrifying speed of the Silver Mechanical Warrior charging toward it. Its heart leaped, and the viciousness on its face dissolved into sheer terror. Without a second thought, it spun around and fled.

"I swear..." the Bloodtooth Tiger wailed internally. "This son of a—he actually has such a powerful helper!" While thinking this, it bolted, its form like the wind, vanishing from Shennongjia in the blink of an eye and speeding into the distance.

"Boss, it ran away," Xiao Hei reported.

"If you can't catch it, don't chase," Ye Chen waved his hand. That Bloodtooth Tiger was cunning enough to flee the moment it saw the Silver Mechanical Warrior, widening the distance. To pursue it would cost too much energy; it wasn't worth it.

"Let's deal with the main task first."

Once the Silver Mechanical Warrior returned to the Rune Space, Ye Chen closed the portal. He leaped onto the back of the Bloodtooth Tiger. "Let's go check out the lair of that other Bloodtooth Tiger. These monsters aren't weak in intelligence; their lairs might hold something special."

"En," Xiao Hei nodded, guiding Ye Chen toward the area where the one-eyed Bloodtooth Tiger had been resting before.

Not far away, beside a stretch of asphalt road, the one-eyed Bloodtooth Tiger breathed a sigh of relief as the pursuers did not come after it. Then, it erupted in curses: "I damn it all..."

"Damn it, I almost died again, that bastard!" the Bloodtooth Tiger shrieked inwardly. "When I get stronger, I'll have my revenge!" With that, it shook its massive head, cast a wary glance behind it, and then fled into the distance, muttering, "This Tiger Lord isn't to be trifled with! Just you wait!"

...

Ye Chen, seated on the Bloodtooth Tiger's back, arrived at the lair previously occupied by the one-eyed Bloodtooth Tiger. He observed that many trees in the forest were snapped, deep paw prints were imprinted on the ground, along with tracks from many other monsters. At the highest point was a level clearing, beside which stood a steep rock face. Below it was a pool of clear water, and next to that, a small ditch through which much of the crimson pool water flowed away.

Ye Chen moved, leaping down from the tiger's head onto the clearing. He saw three or four corpses on the ground—all were evolved creatures. He drew his Blood-Red Warblade and carved off the claws, teeth, and hide of these monsters, storing them in the Rune Space. He then extended his hands, channeling his vital energy to absorb the life essence from the monsters' bodies, feeling his internal strength increase and become more robust.

He turned to look at the pool. He saw Bloodtooth Tiger tracks by the edge, and the air was thick with a fishy stench, clearly indicating a monster had rested here, leaving its scent behind.

His eyes flashed. He walked to the pool's edge, channeled his vital energy to envelop his hands, and plunged them into the water. He felt the water was icy cold; even with his physique, it felt chilling, suggesting the temperature was well below zero. Yet, it had not frozen!

Ye Chen paused, then wet his fingertip and dipped it slightly—a minimal amount. Even if the water were poisonous, he could likely resist it for a moment. He tasted it: sweet, with a faint, delicate fragrance. The flavor was intensely familiar. After a moment of deep thought, something clicked, and his body shook with an almost uncontrollable, ecstatic realization. "Could this be Earth Spirit Spring Water?"

Earth Spirit Spring Water—a divine fluid that enhances physique, ranking among the top three mutated water sources. At the 1H1 level, an ordinary person taking one sip could reach level 10. At the 1H2 level, another sip could turn them into a level 20 powerhouse.

In his past life, Ye Chen had found a bowl-sized piece of Earth Spring Water beside a mutated cactus monster in a desert. Because of that, he remembered this taste. This divine water was miraculous; even under scorching sunlight or exposure to ordinary flames, it would not evaporate.

Now, it was the fourth month, and this pool of Earth Spring Water had reached the 1H4 level.

An ordinary person drinking a single mouthful would become a level 40 powerhouse.

Ye Chen's heart hammered against his ribs. Even with his self-control, he couldn't help but be flushed with excitement. Looking at the depth and area of the pool, he wondered how many level 40 experts it could nurture. After all, even in the Huaxia Base City, there were only about a hundred generals, half of whom were Major Generals around level 20.

Hoo.

Ye Chen let out a long breath, quickly regaining his composure. His mind was like still water, undisturbed by external gains or losses. Having reached the first stage of the Sage Mindset, he could now release Ethereal Qi to convert ordinary creatures into his subordinates.

"No wonder," Ye Chen's eyes gleamed. "In my previous life, that 'Emperor-level' expert didn't rely solely on the immense wealth hidden in this region's ruins. They truly relied on this pool of Earth Spirit Spring Water. But because this item is too precious, if it were ever revealed, all the strong practitioners in the world would swarm here, fighting ruthlessly over this water."

Ye Chen knew the power of the Earth Spirit Spring. If news got out, it would drive everyone insane. During the 4th month of the Dark Era, anyone who drank just one sip could reach level 40, and their level would increase by 10 every subsequent month. This mutated water’s effect was truly heaven-defying.

However, Ye Chen knew he was incredibly lucky. Even searching the entire globe, it would be hard to find a second such large pool of Earth Spirit Spring Water. Under the virus, many creatures mutated, giving rise to some terrifying monsters, but also generating many treasures. Ye Chen had heard of someone who ate a mutated Vermilion Bird Fruit and instantly transformed from a mere soldier into a super-expert surpassing the Ten Great Superman Warriors.

"I wonder if there’s a spring eye in this Earth Spirit Spring. If there is, it would be inexhaustible," Ye Chen thought excitedly. Still, he didn't venture underground to investigate. If he damaged the geological soil layer and buried the spring eye, it would be catastrophic. He would wait until he found some powerful detection instruments from the ruins before checking later.

"Boss, why are you so happy?" Xiao Hei asked curiously.

Ye Chen’s mood was excellent. He opened the Rune Space and let the Black Scuttler bugs crawl out. "Each of you can drink one sip of the pool water. Remember, only one sip. Don't drink any more!"

"Got it," Xiao Hei muttered, then extended a black tentacle, fine as a hair, from the Bloodtooth Tiger's ear and dipped it into the pool, absorbing a small amount before retracting it. The rest of the Black Scuttler bugs followed suit. Before Ye Chen could say anything, he heard Xiao Hei’s astonished voice. "What’s going on? I only feel incredibly hot all over, and my physique has already reached level 40!"

"Me too."

"So hot."

The voices of many Black Scuttler bugs chimed in. Ye Chen chuckled. "Don't speak of what happened here. Get back inside now. I'll find stronger monster corpses for you later."

"Yes, Boss," many Black Scuttler bugs communicated among themselves as they filed back into the Rune Space, all shocked and excited. With the intelligence these bugs possessed, they knew Ye Chen had found a treasure, which meant they would have powerful monster corpses to consume, eliminating the need to slowly digest base matter to increase their levels. But, conversely, it also meant Ye Chen’s strength was growing, and their chances of escape were shrinking...

Ye Chen was internally pleased, though he didn't show it on his face. He mused, "That 1H4 level Bloodtooth Tiger had too powerful a physique for this spring water to have much effect; it only felt comfortable. But when we first got the Rune Space, that Golden Bean was merely common food for the Green Rune People, yet for us, it was a supreme treasure!"