The sun's rays bathed the earth, spreading through the thirty-meter-tall Ancient Tree with its branches and leaves draping down like a magnificent canopy.
If someone could observe closely, they would see all the sunlight trickling down being gradually absorbed into the branches and leaves.
...
Name: Gu Qingyang
Essence: Ancient Tree
Lifespan: 10/1000
Level: First Tier Low Grade (71/500)
Innate Divine Techniques: Death Root (First Tier), Vigorous Growth (First Tier), Spiritual Energy Affinity (First Tier), Ancient Tree Talent (First Tier)
...
Gu Qingyang glanced at his own panel, and the Evolution Value silently climbed from sixty directly to seventy-one.
"In ten days, the divine talent of Vigorous Growth has given me an extra ten Evolution Points, while the divine talent of Spiritual Energy Affinity only increased it by one point.
It seems like it's due to the lack of rich Spiritual Qi in this area!"
Even so.
But with Spiritual Energy Affinity, it can still contribute three Evolution Points in a month.
Accumulated over time, it is a considerable number.
Unfortunately.
In a month, almost no Fierce Beasts have stepped into Gu Qingyang's territory, leaving no way to hunt and devour the Fierce Beasts.
However—
Gu Qingyang was not in a hurry.
Sometimes, the absence of Fierce Beasts is a good thing, giving him a chance for stable development.
Of course.
If weaker Fierce Beasts come, that would be even better.
...
Several days later.
An unusual rustle came from the bushes, as a familiar rabbit cautiously stepped into Gu Qingyang's territory. Its blood-red eyes looked at the Ancient Tree ahead, completely unaware of the impending danger.
Suddenly.
Roots buried deep in the ground burst forth, piercing the rabbit in an instant with the speed of lightning. The rabbit had no chance to react, and its flesh was drained completely.
The remaining carcass, like before, was dragged into the soil by Gu Qingyang without leaving a trace.
"Devoured a Zero-Tier Fierce Beast, gained five Evolution Points!"
Upon receiving the alert.
Gu Qingyang's heart slightly trembled.
"It seems that after my breakthrough, devouring Fierce Beasts of a lower tier yields fewer Evolution Points.
Right now, I've just broken through to First Tier Low Grade, and the Evolution Points from a Zero-Tier Fierce Beast have already halved. As I continue to break through, I'm afraid Zero-Tier Fierce Beasts won't provide any Evolution Points at all!"
Though disappointing, Gu Qingyang quickly accepted this reality.
The five-point increase in Evolution Points made him feel a subtle yet real enhancement in his strength.
The changes in the number of Evolution Points are not empty data.
With every increase in Evolution Points, Gu Qingyang's strength truly grows until reaching the peak of the current stage, when the enhancement will stop.
After that.
It's the breakthrough in realm.
...
"Whoosh!"
Roots burst out of the ground, alerting a Fierce Beast akin to a tiger that instinctively dodged to the side. But before it could feel relieved, several more roots surged up from the soil.
The sudden turn of events caught the tiger Fierce Beast off guard, and its body was penetrated by several roots, with its thick fur offering no defense.
Soon.
The tiger Fierce Beast's flesh disappeared entirely.
"Devoured a First Tier Low Grade Fierce Beast, gained one hundred Evolution Points!"
Information surfaced in Gu Qingyang's mind, and upon looking at the panel again, a hundred Evolution Points had silently appeared.
The increase of one hundred Evolution Points made him feel his trunk became sturdier, his roots tougher, and more powerful.
"The complete instant-kill of a First Tier Low Grade Fierce Beast is likely due to the Ancient Tree Talent, allowing my strength to surpass Fierce Beasts of the same tier significantly.
However, I don't know if I can successfully kill a First Tier Mid-Grade Fierce Beast!"
Gu Qingyang pondered.
He thought of that black bear.
Currently, devouring a First Tier Low Grade Fierce Beast grants a gain of one hundred Evolution Points, so a black bear in its prime would certainly provide many more.
With a hundred Evolution Points in his account.
The earth returned to peace, and the overturned soil was carefully smoothed out by Gu Qingyang using his roots, leaving no traces.
...
Since devouring the tiger Fierce Beast, the territory where Gu Qingyang resided returned to tranquility.
One day.
Gu Qingyang woke up suddenly from his slumber, as an immensely powerful aura descended from the sky, instinctively causing a bout of trepidation, as if some terrifying being appeared.
Immediately after.
A shadow descended upon the earth.
Through his leaves, Gu Qingyang saw an extraordinarily powerful Divine Eagle soaring across, its body hundreds of meters in size, with wings spread wide as if capable of blocking out the sky and the sun.
The golden feathers shimmered with a sacred brilliance under the sunlight.
The overwhelming pressure made Gu Qingyang tremble uncontrollably, his leaves barely perceptibly shaking.
Fortunately.
The appearance of the Golden Feathered Divine Eagle was sudden, and its departure was equally abrupt.
Almost in the blink of an eye, it vanished from Gu Qingyang's sight.
Long after, the oppressive pressure slowly dissipated.
Suppressing the shock within, Gu Qingyang recalled the scene he just witnessed, with the majestic form of the Divine Eagle seemingly etched deeply into his memory.
"A Tier-2 Fierce Beast?"
"No... This Fierce Beast is definitely not just Tier-2; it might be Tier-3, or even higher!"
This was the most powerful Fierce Beast aura Gu Qingyang had encountered in ten years, and just that aura made him lose any urge to resist.
Such a high-level Fierce Beast is not something Tier 1 could compare to, and even Tier 2 Fierce Beasts seemed inferior to the Golden Feathered Divine Eagle in Gu Qingyang's view.
As for whether the Golden Feathered Divine Eagle was at Tier-3 or higher, that remained unknown.
After all, such levels were too high for Gu Qingyang to touch at this moment.
"Since this mountain range has a Fierce Beast like the Golden Feathered Divine Eagle, there are surely others of equal strength, and the Golden Feathered Divine Eagle might not even be the strongest of them all.
Currently, I have just stepped into First Tier; my strength is ultimately still too weak!"
Gu Qingyang sighed inwardly.
The ability to instantly kill First Tier Low Grade Fierce Beasts was far from enough to establish himself in the mountain range; only continuous breakthroughs could ensure his survival.
At this time.
Perhaps startled by the Golden Feathered Divine Eagle, several Fierce Beasts rushed into Gu Qingyang's territory.
Some had faint auras, qualifying only as Zero-Tier Fierce Beasts, while others had powerful auras, clearly having reached the First Tier.
But whether Zero-Tier or First Tier, the moment these Fierce Beasts stepped into the territory, countless roots erupted from the ground, instantly piercing through the bodies of the Fierce Beasts with lightning speed.
In an instant.
One by one, the Fierce Beasts wailed and fell, with no room for resistance, being devoured entirely.