Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Frost-Bearded Tundra Rabbit

The early autumn air in the Northern Territory carried a dry chill, as low bushes and yellowing grass swayed gently in the wind. Several warhorses quickly swept past.

With magical beasts like the Frost-Bearded Tundra Rabbit, which aren’t highly aggressive but extremely fast, having too many people would more likely startle them.

Therefore, Louis only brought seven knights for this hunt.

To these knights, a distance of five kilometers was just a few minutes’ journey.

Before long, under Louis’s lead, they arrived at the location indicated by the intelligence.

“There’s a magical beast over there!” The elite knight at the front suddenly stopped and whispered, “Gray-brown fur, bluish-gray fruit… It’s Frost-Bearded Tundra Rabbits, at least three of them!”

Upon hearing this, Louis immediately waved his hand: “Stop.”

The group promptly reined in their horses and tied them behind some bushes, then dismounted silently.

“Don’t make a sound,” Louis whispered, “These rabbits have extremely sharp hearing.”

Thus, the seven knights moved as stealthily and steadily as leopards, quickly arriving behind some rocks situated at a higher ground.

Louis crouched down, placing a hand on a rock, his gaze peering through a gap towards the distance.

There, amidst the not yet withered grasses of the hills, three gray-brown Frost-Bearded Tundra Rabbits were foraging cautiously.

Their short ears perked up, hind legs lightly kicking the ground, with short legs covered in thick pads, moving soundlessly through the dry, cold, and hard earth.

However, the most attention-grabbing feature was the three clusters of “Ice Moss Fruit” hanging from their backs, emitting a faint bluish-gray glow, gently quivering in the early autumn sunlight.

“Mature rabbits… carrying fruit,” Louis whispered, a trace of excitement flashing in his eyes, “Thank nature for its bounty.”

The Ice Moss Fruit could enhance the knight’s energy, presenting a providential opportunity for someone on the verge of a breakthrough, like him.

However, the alertness of the Frost-Bearded Tundra Rabbit far exceeded that of ordinary beasts.

They never moved in a straight line, instead, preferring to move slowly against the wind to sniff out danger in advance.

They also avoided sunlit areas, hiding in the sparse shadows of grass or behind rocks.

Even the rustling of a single leaf could startle them into fleeing at top speed.

This made the hunt more of a test of patience than of courage.

“Rushing in recklessly will definitely end up in failure.” Louis whispered, “Prepare the bait trail.”

“Yes!”

The knights took out pre-prepared “Cloud Moss Powder” from their pouches.

This was a processed moss spice, highly favored by some herbivorous magical beasts, including the Frost-Bearded Tundra Rabbit.

Louis always carried some for moments like this.

The knights scattered a winding feeding trail along the direction where the three rabbits were moving.

This feeding line ultimately led to a slightly sunken natural depression.

Dense thickets surrounded that spot, concealing people, making it an ideal ambush site.

“Group up, lurking around the depression, and wait for them to approach,” Louis instructed.

The rest was just waiting, as time slowly passed until the sun hung low in the sky.

Just as expected, the Frost-Bearded Tundra Rabbits were slowly drawn forward, cautiously sniffing the moss scent lingering on the ground, occasionally using their forepaws to stir some fallen grass.

“Finally moving, get ready.” Louis’s eyes sparkled.

Three, two, one.

“Now!”

The hunting net flew out swiftly from all directions, blocking the rabbits’ escape routes.

Immediately following, several Silver Light Flying Needles flashed through the air, “puff, puff,” embedding into the rabbits’ spines.

The prey initially attempted to struggle and leap, but the paralyzing agent quickly took effect, causing them to weaken and collapse on the spot.

“Caught all of them!” Louis let out a breath of relief.

Although it took more time, the harvest was definitely worthwhile.

Three Frost-Bearded Tundra Rabbits, nine clusters of Ice Moss Fruit.

Louis stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the bluish-gray Ice Moss Fruit on the rabbits’ backs.

The fruit appeared like some kind of frost-formed berry, with a color almost like ice crystals, and a thin layer of white frost on the surface.

However, in reality, they were attached to flesh, clearly not a plant structure, but a manifestation of the unique energy within the magical beasts.

“While they are called fruit, they are more like a growth of flesh.”

He reached out to touch one of the clusters, finding it icy yet resilient, as if harboring a faint, pulsing energy.

“Truly a mystical thing…”

The energy of this Ice Moss Fruit is incredibly concentrated, akin to the fuse for an explosive for a knight facing a bottleneck.

“Take them back to the camp and have the cooks prepare a stew.” Louis ordered.

“Yes!” One knight immediately retreated with the spoils.

Soon, night fell, with only the sound of the crackling fire remaining in the camp.

“Rabbit stew is ready!”

Louis sat cross-legged inside the tent, accepting the steaming rabbit stew from the cook.

The soup was almost ice blue, shimmering with a faint light under the fire, tiny bits of Ice Moss Fruit floating on the surface.

Tilting his head down for a smell, there was an exotic fragrance somewhere between frost and herb, faintly intertwined with a hint of the wild beast’s blood scent, yet not unpleasant.

He took a gentle sip, the broth dissolving instantly upon touching his tongue, bearing a slight, sweet aftertaste.

But in the next instant, the cold transformed into heat, a surge of energy flooding from his throat to his limbs like a tidal wave!

Louis’s eyes sharpened, hastily downing the entire bowl, then quickly seated himself cross-legged, placing the wooden bowl beside him, and closed his eyes to execute the “Tidal Breathing Technique.”

At this moment, his internal fighting energy was pushed by tides, continuously expanding, surging, and crashing against the final barrier preventing him from entering the realm of the Elite Knight.

One wave, two waves, three waves…

The energy inside became increasingly intense, the bones emitting light tremors, and his muscles pulsated as if burning.

Suddenly, an invisible gate was forcefully breached!

“Boom!”

The internal fighting energy surged out like a deluge, rushing from his heart through his veins.

Breakthrough! Junior Elite Knight!

Louis opened his eyes softly, exhaling a breath of white air as his breathing slowly stabilized.

Sweat drenched his clothes, as if he had been thoroughly cleansed, renewed from the inside out.

The energy within became more consolidated, with the fighting energy faintly surfacing in waves just under his skin.

“Finally broke through…so this is the world of the Elite Knight.”

It was an indescribable feeling of lightness.

Louis felt as if shedding a heavy burden, even his breathing became smoother.

Whereas before, practicing his fighting energy required concentration, calibration, and exhalation in unison to maintain the cycle,

Now, whenever he desired, his fighting energy would circulate autonomously, like tides.

Even standing still, he could feel the power quietly flowing, nourishing his bones and flesh.

However, the most delightful surprise was not the breakthrough itself.

It was that at the moment of breakthrough, a long-dormant ability within was finally awakened by the surging fighting energy.

“Is this the awakening of the bloodline?!” Louis murmured excitedly.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep