My Mosquito Clones Are on a Killing Spree

Chapter 21: Chapter 16: Spiritual Essence

The foul air was stagnant, thick as ink. Only the cone of light from a flashlight cut through the gloom, casting a flickering, uneasy shadow on the slick pipe walls.

Lin Yi numbly wielded his knife, deftly slicing the tail from a large rat that had just been drained dry. He shook off the viscous, dark blood before tossing the tail into his third and final waterproof backpack.

The backpack was already bulging and heavy.

The rat tails, packed densely inside, were a cold testament to hours of silent slaughter—and his primary source of income for the near future.

The Mosquito Avatar continued to search the area for prey. It leaked not a single trace of Demon Qi and was optically invisible, like an unseen Ghost.

Just then!

BZZZT!

Within the Mosquito Avatar’s shared field of perception, on the tracking map that displayed life-forms as heat signatures, an exceptionally bright red dot flared to life. It burned like a small torch at the far end of a deeper, branching tunnel ahead, one reeking of heavy decay!

The intensity of its glow was far greater than any of the Martial Apprentice Level rat demons he had hunted before!

The life force it emanated was dense and fiery, tinged with a savage and chaotic aura.

[Tracking LV3] provided clear feedback—

The target’s Qi and Blood was abundant, its energy level far exceeding that of a Martial Disciple!

A First Grade Demon Beast!

Lin Yi’s pupils suddenly contracted. His heart seemed to stop for a moment, then began to pound violently!

’After searching high and low!’

He snapped his head up, his gaze like lightning, piercing through the murky darkness to lock onto the entrance of that side tunnel.

”Finally... I found it!”

An astonishing glint instantly lit up Lin Yi’s eyes. All his fatigue and frustration were swept away, replaced by intense excitement and a cold killing intent!

A thought flashed through his mind!

The Mosquito Avatar hovering before him activated [Concealment LV1] at full power!

Its immense Demon Qi vanished without a trace. The optical camouflage on its massive, metallic body intensified, causing it to dissolve completely into the darkness, becoming a phantom that barely stirred the air.

The next moment.

This invisible reaper shot silently into the depths of the side tunnel, swift as an arrow from a bow.

Lin Yi himself didn’t follow. Instead, he found a hidden corner and took cover.

Although his Qi and Blood was approaching 10.0, he still wasn’t a true Martial Artist.

’It’s best if I stay out of a fight between First Grade Demon Beasts.’

’The last thing I need is to get swatted and seriously injured by one of its claws.’

’The Mosquito Avatar only just evolved to First Grade. I wonder if it’s any match for that Demon Beast?!’

Lin Yi couldn’t help but worry for his avatar.

But giving up the hunt was out of the question.

’Besides, the Mosquito Avatar can turn invisible. If it can’t win, it can just run away.’

Through the Mosquito Avatar’s shared vision, Lin Yi clearly ”saw” the target.

It was a giant rat, its size comparable to a large dog!

It was crouched atop a mountain of carcasses—a mix of various animals and possibly even human remains. Its body was covered in stiff, dark-red fur, as if it had been soaked in gore.

Its body was abnormally bloated, as if it had overeaten. Thick, blue-black blood vessels bulged and twisted under its fur, like writhing earthworms.

Most terrifying of all was its head. Its eyes were blood-red, filled with primal madness and savagery. Dark brown scraps of flesh clung to the corners of its mouth, and two sharp, dagger-like fangs jutted from its lips, dripping with foul-smelling saliva.

’It really is a First Grade rat demon!’

’And it looks like it just finished a massacre and a huge meal!’

’This place is probably its nest, where it stores food and digests its prey!’

The Mosquito Avatar didn’t hesitate for a moment. The [Concealment] skill allowed it to perfectly evade the rat demon’s frenzied but dull senses.

Its movements were incredibly fast. It precisely circled to the back of the rat demon’s relatively vulnerable neck, then plunged its steel-needle-like proboscis inside.

[Paralysis LV2] activated!

A potent neurotoxin, stronger than before, surged through the savage, drill-like proboscis as it stabbed deep!

SKREEE!!!!

A shriek sharp enough to pierce eardrums, filled with intense pain and fury, suddenly exploded in the narrow side tunnel!

’Too bad. The Paralysis Skill’s Level isn’t high enough to numb the pain of the steel-like proboscis, and a Demon Beast’s awareness of its own body is much stronger than a normal animal’s.’

’If the Paralysis Skill was a few levels higher,’ Lin Yi thought, ’the Mosquito Avatar could have probably drained it dry without it ever noticing!’

The paralysis toxin didn’t have much of an effect. Moreover, the intense, stabbing pain and the sudden attack instantly ignited the rat demon’s ferocity!

Its massive body suddenly jolted, like an enraged truck, and it spun around with a gust of foul air!

However, the Mosquito Avatar was faster!

After a successful strike, it did not linger. The agility granted by [Flight LV3] allowed it to move sideways like a phantom, narrowly avoiding the giant rat’s claw swipe that tore through the air!

This time, it didn’t choose the back of the neck. Instead, it dove directly for the rat demon’s left eye, which was bloodshot with rage!

SQUELCH!

Like a hot knife through butter!

Its proboscis, now harder and sharper after evolving, was accelerated by its flight. It pierced through the fragile membrane of the eyeball without any resistance and buried itself deep inside!

Blood Sucking (Once Limit-Broken)—Activate!!!

It was no longer a simple plunder of Qi and Blood!

A violent, unparalleled, bone-chilling suction force erupted within the rat demon’s skull the moment the proboscis pierced it!

GURRAAAGH—!!!

The rat demon let out an unprecedented, bloodcurdling scream, so shrill it sounded warped.

The pain this time was far greater than before!

It wasn’t just the loss of Qi and Blood. Something deeper, as if its very life Origin and fragments of its soul, was being madly torn and devoured by that terrifying proboscis!

Its huge body convulsed and thrashed wildly. Its iron-whip-like tail flailed about, slamming against the pipe walls with dull thuds, causing rubble and sludge to rain down.

Its scarlet eyes filled with an uncomprehending terror that stemmed from the depths of its soul!

[Qi and Blood +0.1!]

[Qi and Blood +0.1!]

[Qi and Blood +0.1!]

[Mosquito Avatar Experience Points +1!]

The long-awaited feedback of Qi and Blood had finally begun again.

A massive amount of incredibly pure Qi and Blood surged madly into Lin Yi’s body through a mysterious connection!

BOOM!

Lin Yi felt his Dantian erupt like a lit barrel of dynamite. The violent torrent of energy instantly shattered the formless membrane!

[Qi and Blood]: 10.0!

HUMMM!

His muscles and bones chimed in unison!

An invisible wave of air suddenly spread out from Lin Yi, sending ripples through the sewage at his feet!

It felt as if countless tiny electrical currents were zipping under his skin. His muscle fibers tore and reformed, growing tougher. His five senses sharpened instantly, to the point where he could clearly hear the flow of sewage deep within the sewer!

The limit of a Martial Disciple!

’I did it!’

Just then, a system prompt sounded!

[Origin substance detected: Spiritual Essence ’Spiritual Nose’! Absorb?]

’Absorb!’ Lin Yi roared inwardly.

The Mosquito Avatar’s limit-broken Bloodsucking Skill showed its power for the first time!

’It finally absorbed something other than Qi and Blood.’

[Absorption successful!]

[Obtained: Spiritual Essence ’Spiritual Nose’!]

At that moment, Lin Yi felt a mysterious energy transfer from the Mosquito Avatar to his own body through their invisible connection.

The next moment, Lin Yi’s nose started to feel a bit itchy.

Immediately after, his sense of smell seemed to increase more than tenfold in an instant. He could now clearly smell the sewer’s foul stench, which had previously been blocked by his gas mask.

’So this is the legendary Spiritual Essence? A one-in-a-million constitution? It doesn’t seem all that amazing!’

Feeling the changes in his body, Lin Yi was somewhat dissatisfied.

’Is this Spiritual Nose Spirit Essence just too useless?’