Chapter 41: A Desperate Gamble!

The Book of Knowledge clearly stated:
“Golden Lance Shrimp, Skywalking Realm, low-intelligence beast.”
Distinct from demons and demon clans, this was a beast—one without any real intelligence.

Shrimp? Lu Wu recalled a record he had read in the Classic of Erya in his previous life.
Sea prawns that grew to enormous size were called “shrimp.”
According to Han Dynasty records, such shrimp reached ten feet in length; their antennae could be crafted into hairpins, and they were as precious as tortoiseshell and coral—living gemstones.
Records from pre-Qin times noted that these shrimp could reach twenty feet, their antennae usable as canes.

But the monstrous creature before him exceeded thirty feet in length, and its golden antennae looked just like two massive lances.

Lu Wu retreated to a safe distance and carefully examined the Book of Knowledge.
The Book functioned in this way: if one felt no curiosity, it would only display basic information; if questions arose, it would reveal more.
“Golden Lance Shrimp: unmatched in flavor, its flesh is tender and juicy. The antennae of a wild Golden Lance Shrimp are top-tier materials for forging spears.”

Lu Wu retreated quickly, but the Golden Lance Shrimp pursued relentlessly.
Never had Lu Wu imagined he would one day be hunted by a giant lobster.

This creature had the true appearance of a lobster, not the clawed variety, and against Lu Wu, a Skywalking Realm beast had no need for pincers; just those two swirling golden antennae were enough to keep him at bay.
Their hardness far surpassed that of any coffin nails he had forged thus far.
If struck by them, he would be pulverized.

As he retreated, Lu Wu pondered, “So fast.”
Compared to practitioners at the Qi Gathering Realm, he possessed an overwhelming speed advantage.
But against a Skywalking Realm beast, he was outmatched.

As the beast drew ever closer, Lu Wu evaded with remarkable agility, dodging the golden lances, and unleashed a full-power strike—without entering explosive state: “Sword of the Celestial Void!”

The sword, driven by his mosquito-like proboscis and carrying one of the coffin nails, unleashed the nail’s terrifying blood aura to the fullest.
But it was not the nail’s inherent evil and murderous aura; the Celestial Void Sword refined it into a pure and potent force.

If his opponent had even a modicum of intelligence, it would have been terrified by this aura.
But this was a low-intelligence beast, not a true member of the demon clan.

The Golden Lance Shrimp met the blow with its hardened exoskeleton.
With a thunderous crash, it was sent flying.

But the strike could not truly injure it; the Golden Lance Shrimp rolled upright again, its many swimming legs clattering, sending riverbank pebbles flying.

Lu Wu was incensed: “Still coming?”

Overhead, the bard Bingbing fiddled with her Eagle Eye Recorder. “Didn’t they say fifty times Xuan-grade zoom? Why can’t I get a clear shot?”

“That must be the insect-type prodigy from the Celestial Void Palace, Lu Wu.”

“Incredible—he can actually go toe-to-toe with a Skywalking Realm beast.”

“Lucky he’s an insect, small in size. If he were any bigger, the Golden Lance would have skewered him by now.”

“Let’s see what he’s really capable of.”

Lu Wu kept retreating, but the Golden Lance Shrimp pressed on. He was no match for its speed.
He changed direction; so did the Golden Lance Shrimp. He lacked its agility.
He attacked, but the beast’s hide was too thick—his blows were ineffective.
He tried to defend… but that was impossible. The beast had one move: to lash out with its antennae. If struck, he’d be split open. All he could do was dodge with everything he had.

After a long exchange, Lu Wu suddenly took to the air.

The Golden Lance Shrimp raised all its front legs, aiming to snatch him, but Lu Wu twisted sharply in midair, tumbling past its hind legs.

The coffin nail, wielding the Soaring Dragon Sword Technique, slashed through.

A crisp snap—one tip of the Golden Lance Shrimp’s leg broke off. Unbalanced, the beast toppled.

Lu Wu rapidly scanned his mimicked creatures, searching for a solution.
Found nothing—except that the myna bird he had recently imitated gave him an opportunity for venting.

The myna’s mimicry activated, and Lu Wu, in his insect form, spoke in human words: “Enough is enough! Are you looking for death?!”

In the sky, Bingbing was astonished to hear Lu Wu speak: “Amazing—he’s learned to talk in insect form?”

At that moment, Lu Wu decided to try his explosive state.

“Explosive State!”

In this form, wielding the Soaring Dragon Sword or Celestial Void Sword was taxing—the speed was almost too much to handle.

Still, he managed to strike.

With such a powerful boost, the sword’s aura was visible to the naked eye.

Overhead, Bingbing exclaimed, “What a sword! A genius of the sword indeed!”

In the next instant, in explosive state, Lu Wu drove the sword with his mouth and pierced straight through the Golden Lance Shrimp’s body!

Yet, after being impaled, the Golden Lance Shrimp showed little sign of injury—the wound was too small. However, the Book of Knowledge quickly updated with the beast’s anatomy.

Lu Wu glanced at it—turns out, for lobsters, the brain is useless, with no memory or faculties for thought.
The body is driven entirely by a neural network.

To kill it with a single blow, he had to pierce the heart.

The heart of the Golden Lance Shrimp lay just behind its head and abdomen, directly beneath a black marking.

Ten seconds of explosive state—seven had already elapsed as Lu Wu consulted the Book of Knowledge. He spun and struck again!

After this, there would be little chance to attack—his soul’s will was focused to the utmost.

This strike was even mightier than the first!

With a sharp whistle, the Golden Lance Shrimp’s blood surged, and it toppled over, lifeless.

“How interesting, how very interesting.”

Lu Wu heard a voice and grew wary. The myna’s mimicry activated: “Who’s there?”

Aboard her metallic beast, the bard Bingbing descended from the sky. “How about selling me this Golden Lance Shrimp? It’s been ages since I’ve tasted such fine lobster.”

Lu Wu eyed the beautiful woman before him. “Who are you? You’re not from Celestial Void Palace, are you?”

“I am a bard,” Bingbing replied, knowing that disciples of the Celestial Void Palace were unfamiliar with the outside world. She got straight to the point: “I want this Golden Lance Shrimp, and I’d like to post the battle footage on the forum. What do you say?”

Lu Wu was taken aback—a forum?!
There’s a forum in this world? The kind I’m thinking of?

“How much are you offering?” Lu Wu asked.

Bingbing replied, “Wild Golden Lance Shrimp, Skywalking Realm—how about ten thousand Holy Capital coins?”

Lu Wu pressed, “Is that the market price? Do you have a mobile device? Could you look it up for me?”

Bingbing raised an eyebrow. “You seem very knowledgeable about the outside world. Not common for someone from Celestial Void Palace.”

She shook her head, “But there’s no signal here for mobile devices.”

Lu Wu said, “I want those golden lances; you can have the rest.”

Bingbing smiled, “Though the golden lances are suitable for forging spears, they’re better suited for spirit artifacts. Nowadays, people don’t make spears from biological materials anymore, but from synthetic metals.”

“Alloys?” Lu Wu mused. “Ah, then I’ll keep the golden lances.”

Fit for spirit artifacts? Just perfect!
Lu Wu had always imagined equipping all six of his legs with spirit artifacts—now the chance had come.

Bingbing nodded, “Alright. Few use the golden lances these days anyway. The shrimp meat alone for ten thousand Holy Capital coins won’t make a profit, but since it’s wild, it’ll do. Deal.”

She produced a card. “A card for ten thousand Holy Capital coins. Here you go.”

Lu Wu accepted it. “By the way, I need to collect some shrimp blood.”

Bingbing handed him a jar. “Shrimp blood isn’t tasty, and it’s fishy. It’s yours.”

Lu Wu watched as this woman called Bingbing, with a flick of her dagger, sliced effortlessly through the Golden Lance Shrimp’s exoskeleton—her cultivation was definitely extraordinary.

After collecting the golden lances and shrimp blood, Lu Wu said, “I’ll take my leave now.”

Bingbing smiled, “When you reach Tianning City, you should visit Windrider Academy.”

“Windrider Academy? Tianning City?” Lu Wu replied, “I’m heading to the Holy Capital. I’ve heard that’s the true center of the outside world.”

“The center? That’s true,” Bingbing chuckled. “But you’re going to the Holy Capital now? To be a vagrant?”

“With your talent, you can join Windrider Academy in Tianning City. Once you reach the later stage of the Skywalking Realm, you can take the advanced academy exams and enter the Holy Capital as a student.”

Lu Wu’s soul frowned in contemplation.
What was the outside world really like? He was completely in the dark.

But this woman, he decided, was trustworthy.

With her strength, if she’d wanted to harm him, he’d already be dead.
She must be acting out of goodwill.

“Alright. Once this battle is over, I’ll head to Windrider Academy in Tianning City.”