CHAPTER 41: CHAPTER 41: UNINHABITED REALM_1

After a hearty meal, he enjoyed the breeze by the water for a while, then put the grill and other items back into his Universe Bag. Staggering slightly from the alcohol, he returned to his room in the Guard Cave for a good sleep.

As for the incident with the foolish large rat during his barbecue, he considered it a routine anecdote and soon forgot about it.

For the next three days, Shen Mo maintained a disciplined routine.

He spent his mornings practicing Alchemy, his afternoons crafting talismans, and his evenings training in ’Rushing Thunder,’ a Lightness magic designed to increase his agility.

One day, when he had some free time, he took out the last three pounds of Double-headed Silver Ring Python neck meat and prepared another barbecue.

Once I finish this, there will be no more to snack on.

Shen Mo skewered the meat onto bamboo sticks while sprinkling his homemade barbecue marinade over it.

When he had slain the Double-headed Silver Ring Python in the Zhao Family’s Spirit Field, he had used a Li Fire Talisman.

The flames from the Li Fire Talisman were so intense they had scorched the massive Double-headed Python until no part of its body remained uncharred.

After meticulously dissecting the charred corpse, he had managed to salvage ten pounds of meat untouched by the flames.

Now, after a few barbecues, these ten pounds of python meat were also consumed.

Although the python meat is finished, I still have a lot of barbecue marinade left. I can still have barbecues with other meats.

As he flipped the golden-roasted python meat, Shen Mo pondered.

When he last visited the Market and finalized the recipe for his marinade, he had purchased the ingredients in bulk, ensuring he would not run out for at least a year.

Although the Guard Cave had no reserves of meat from demonic beasts like the Double-headed Python, the Riverside Sect frequently sent supplies. The most common among these was Red-browed Deer meat.

The Red-browed Deer is one of the most common types of low-class demonic beasts.

Its meat is tender and tastes good. Most importantly, the yield is extremely high, so many people hunt it for sale.

There are even cultivators who clear land to breed Red-browed Deer, much like mortals raise livestock, specifically for food.

However, no matter how good the Red-browed Deer tasted, it was, after all, a low-class demonic beast. In terms of flavor and the amount of Mana it contained, it was difficult to compare it with the Double-headed Silver Ring Python.

While he was pondering, this batch of roasted meat was mostly cooked.

The aroma permeated the air, whetting one’s appetite.

Shen Mo wrapped the roasted python meat in a lotus leaf, placed it on the table, and was about to eat.

Suddenly, with a WHOOSH, a dark shadow darted from afar and leaped onto the table.

"What’s going on?"

Shen Mo stared blankly at the dark shadow, his face etched with surprise.

This dark shadow turned out to be the same large rat that had stolen his barbecue by the riverbank three days ago!

I’ve just started, and you’ve already sniffed your way here?

This wasn’t just outrageous; it was beyond outrageous!

It was important to know that the Guard Cave at the Dark Crystal Mine was protected by Prohibitions established by Formation masters from the Riverside Sect.

Normally, one needed a Token to pass through the Prohibition. Without one, direct entry into the cave mansion was impossible.

Unless one used brute force to attack the Prohibition and forcibly enter. However, if that happened, the slightest disturbance in the Prohibition would alert Shen Mo and Guo Zhao, the disciples holding the cave mansion’s Tokens, and they would immediately sense that something was amiss.

Shen Mo couldn’t figure it out. How did you get in?

How could this large rat, with so many Prohibitions in place, move about so freely and appear here so brazenly, as if it were an unguarded place?

Confronted by Shen Mo’s scrutinizing, doubtful gaze, the large rat showed no concern.

Its mung-bean-sized eyes could only focus on the enticingly barbecued python meat on the table.

"SQUEAK! SQUEAK! SQUEAK!"

It stood on its hind legs and squeaked at Shen Mo a few times, seemingly urging him to share the meat.

But Shen Mo didn’t oblige at that moment.

So, it boldly scurried to the barbecued python meat, tore off a small piece with its teeth, and began to gobble it down.

It seemed utterly captivated by the secret barbecue flavor Shen Mo had brought from Earth.

Its chubby cheeks bulged and twitched as it chewed the python meat, its large eyes curving into crescents.

It seemed to derive endless joy from the delicious meat.

Shen Mo let it be, not stopping it. Primarily, he was busy opening the Destiny Panel and activating his special Monster Identify Destiny.

This large rat... it doesn’t seem like a regular Gold-devouring Rat. I must take a look!

When the Monster Identify Destiny was activated, a luminous screen of information instantly appeared before his eyes.

[Monster Identify: Library]

[Silver Ring Demon Snake][Double-headed Silver Ring Python][Stone Spirit]

[Gold-devouring Rat][Red-browed Deer][Spirit Storage Rat]

Spirit Storage Rat? Shen Mo’s eyebrows rose. So, the large rat before me isn’t a common Gold-devouring Rat after all! Let’s check its information!

With a thought, he communicated with the Identify Library to view detailed information about the Spirit Storage Rat.

[You are attempting to view information on the Class I high-grade demonic beast, the Spirit Storage Rat. This will consume one Lower Grade Spirit Stone.]

Shen Mo quickly retrieved a Lower Grade Spirit Stone from his robes and offered it.

BUZZ!

A golden light flashed. The Mana from the Spirit Stone was completely absorbed by the Identify Library, and the stone crumbled into dust.

Simultaneously, information about the Spirit Storage Rat appeared before Shen Mo.

[Demonic Beast: Spirit Storage Rat]

[Realm: Class I Peak.]

[Summary: This beast, although it mingles with Gold-devouring Rats, is not ordinary. It possesses a trace of an ancient lineage’s bloodline and has a fondness for meat. Due to its atavistic bloodline, it possesses the Skill (Hiding), can ignore Prohibition Arrays, and is adept at finding various treasures.]

[Weakness: ???]

This large rat actually possesses a trace of an ancient lineage’s bloodline and can ignore Prohibition Arrays! No wonder it broke into my Guard Cave so easily!

After reading this, Shen Mo finally understood. His gaze towards the large rat changed.

"SQUEAK! SQUEAK!" Perhaps sensing Shen Mo’s gaze, the Spirit Storage Rat, which was feasting on the grilled meat, suddenly froze. Its mung-bean-sized eyes stared nervously at Shen Mo, seemingly afraid he would chase it away.

"Don’t worry." A warm smile spread across Shen Mo’s face. "Eat your fill. Today, it’s my treat."

This was the first time he had encountered an exotic beast possessing a Skill. After a moment of contemplation, ideas began to form in his mind, and he generously offered all the remaining grilled meat to it.

"If you’re not full, there’s more here. It’s all for you," he said, pushing the plate of grilled meat towards the Spirit Storage Rat.

The Spirit Storage Rat paused, slightly taken aback, then became overjoyed. It pulled all the grilled meat towards itself and began to feast joyfully once more.

Shen Mo stood to the side, watching it devour the meat ravenously, his smile growing wider.

This little fellow is quite interesting!