BXBX NOVEL Chapter 111: Cactus Fiend Worm
Secret techniques usually consist of three things; basic movement set, breathing technique, and, importantly, Qi flow.
The goal is to replicate Qi flow directly as they fight; as the Qi moves in a specific way, it triggers certain effects.
Alex hasn't been able to clearly discern how it really works, but he feels it's like people doing a normal punch, where blood moves, supplying oxygen to the muscles, allowing them to work harder.
Combined with the right motion and stance, it will make sure the energy produced effectively releases in the punch.
A proper breathing technique will then help regulate the oxygen, making sure the amount is not too much or too small; this helps maintain the muscles to give the best result.
As for the secret technique, they just add Qi flow to it, but the problem is not like blood flow that happens automatically in the human body; Qi is a foreign object.
Through the cultivation path, cultivators try their best to adapt their bodies, turning the Qi into a part of them.
This means the outcome from the secret technique happens when Qi is following a certain pathway. However, the pathway is different from normal blood flow; Alex has compared and tested it, and he was sure of this result.
'I need to experiment more, but does this mean there are other pathways in the human body?
Then how about awakeners and mana? Is this also related to how people become awakeners after adapting to mana?'
Alex's instinct told him he was going in the right direction, but his eyebrows raised into a frown when he saw what happened on the map.
He quickly took out his Ember Shift hammer and said, "Prepare to fight."
Everyone didn't waste time; they already knew Alex wouldn't joke about this. They took out their weapons.
Elly took out two sleek handguns resembling Desert Eagle guns, while Quartz had a normal longsword with a big shield.
The shield was almost as tall as her body; it was a big tower shield specially ordered for her use. Olivia also changed her posture, preparing to move at any time.
Seeing Alex's eyes focused on the cavern entrance, the rest of them also followed.
Swosh! From inside, Zold, his hair standing up like spikes with his body crackling with electricity, jumped out. He screamed, "Run! It's not the monster we target; it's not worth it to face them."
He then landed on the ground and wasted no time changing angles to escape. Alex and the others frowned, but they didn't waste time and followed Zold. They knew there should be a reason for Zold to say that.
As they put some distance, Alex turned his gaze to the back, curious about what kind of monster could make Zold's face, which usually never changed, turn into that. What he saw made him not know whether he should laugh or cry.
There were many cactus moving out from the cave, but they were not walking; they were slithering like snakes. From the tips, their maws opened into four distinct sections, each lined up with a row of razor-sharp teeth.
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Cactus Fiend Worm
Power Level: 6.0
Lifeforce: 65/87
Abilities:
Regeneration: Exhibits an extraordinary ability to regenerate its body, even after sustaining severe damage or having its head cut off.
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'Fuck, of all enemies, it's Cactus Fiend Worm!' Alex cursed in his mind.
They are quite rare enemies to meet in this dungeon, but based on the number of dots on the map, Alex knew they just disturbed their nest.
This monster cannot be differentiated from a normal cactus except by attacking them or someone that has a similar ability like Alex's detection of lifeforce. This made Alex realize why Zold at first moved past all the monsters and then decided to escape.
A Cactus Fiend Worm will stay alive even after its head is cut off; the only way to kill them is by bringing them to ashes, which would waste a lot of their time.
Alex looked forward, then back for a moment. Based on the map, there were 22 worms to fight. He wanted to catch some of them and test the ability of his current army.
He didn't bring them all since Alex doesn't believe in strength in numbers; he prefers quality.
There were three high Goblins, 1 wolf rider, 4 Goblin archers, and 6 Goblin warriors he brought with him everywhere.
He then sent a message to Emily, 'Move first without me; I want to test my force. At that time, you guys should check out other locations so we don't waste time.'
'But brother! You cannot just go alone.
They are Cactus Fiend Worms, and we, the Suzaku guild, have rules; never leave someone alone to face the enemy! We need to set an example!' Emily replied.
'I will stay with him; you guys go first,' Olivia chimed in the discussion.
They had tuned the frequencies on their brain implant to do group chats to make things easier for them to talk with each other.
Zold chooses to scream before telling them how dangerous the situation is; he doesn't know Alex can use fire since he hasn't used it yet.
He only knows Alex fights using a hammer, so their only choice will be using explosives when fighting against the worm. But even if he knows about this, Zold would choose the same, but with less panic since, for him, killing the worm will be inefficient.
'You are our party healer; what if something happened? Healers always move with the group with the most people. Same with me, a tanker; either Emily or Zold goes with him,' Quartz replied.
Hearing Quartz's suggestion, Olivia cursed in her mind, but she didn't say anything; she just wanted some time alone with Alex.