The Lesser Venom Wyrm moved like a blur as she pounced towards the Crushing Steel-Bone Crocodile, which was caught by complete surprise.

  The long grass and vegetation hid Sun Yuying's serpentine body, and the enormous crocodile, used to being unchallenged, found its thick armour-like hide being bitten into.

  Her fangs felt the dense flesh and tough scales, and she had to power through. Her Robust Jaws trait aided her, yet the crocodile skin was absurdly tough.

  Crushing Steel-Bone Crocodile roared as it shook its large body, and the Lesser Venom Wyrm knew the properties of her Venom had drastically changed compared to when she was a Snake. There was a reason her new species was feared.

  Strong acidic burning Venom dripped from her fangs as she continued to strain, to puncture the thick flesh and release her venom. The enormous crocodile raged, yet her grip was firm, and she managed to break through.

  Venom poured through her fangs, and the crocodilian Spirit Beast shook in anger. At that point, the beast began rolling, and whilst she did her best to coil around, to constrict the larger beast, the steel-bone-like spikes on its back began to sharpen and cut into her as the Lesser Venom Wyrm released in shock.

  Moving away, feeling the cuts in her flesh from the steel-like spikes that erupted from its skin, she came face to face with the Crushing Steel-Bone Crocodile, whose eyes looked at her with pure hatred.

  An invader has come, you look to take our territory? You look like the kin of the slain one, does the Tiger and Hawk lie? Betrayal!

  The ginormous crocodile's words were guttural and straightforward; it did not seem as intelligent as either the Spider or the Wyrm.

  That gave her an opportunity, as she utilised an instinctive ability of a Spirit Beast, to project her thoughts to provoke it.

  The Tiger and Hawk said you were the weakest, that your territory is mine to take, hiding in your little pond, a coward unwilling to prove your strength.

  Crushing Steel-Bone Crocodile rage appeared to grow dramatically as she replied. As intended, the Lesser Venom Wyrm began gradually moving further into land to bait the crocodile away from the body of water as the gigantic crocodile edged closer to her.

  I will show you who is weak! You will be a demonstration!

  Suddenly, the crocodile charged, moving surprisingly fast on the muddy bank for something so heavy and large.

  Sun Yuying sharply turned, using her superior agility and the crocodile's weakness to sharp turns, narrowly avoiding it.

  Crushing Steel-Bone Crocodile appeared undaunted as it continued its chase, and Sun Yuying was surprised by the beast as it was yet to slow from the heavy dose of venom.

  The Lesser Venom Wyrm wanted to bring the crocodile to an advantageous location. As the crocodile charged, its bone-crushing jaws snapping near her, she managed to drag it close enough when she saw an opportunity to spray its eyes with a spray of venom.

  Crushing Steel-Bone Crocodile roared in pain, and as it exposed its more vulnerable underbelly, luring the Lesser Venom Wyrm to sink her fangs into its flesh to discharge more venom.

  Yet as she did so, she felt the crocodile skin harden dramatically around her fangs; she found herself stuck and unable to dislodge herself, and at this point, the crocodile managed to latch onto a part of her long, serpentine body with its crushing jaws.

  The Lesser Venom Wyrm felt intense agonising pain as she felt the Crushing Steel-Bone Crocodile begin ripping and tearing her flesh as it shook her around intensely.

  She began releasing more and more venom into its bloodstream, as the two rolled and the crocodile tried to initiate a death roll to rip her body in half to pull her off.

  Their confrontation had already alerted the other crocodiles of the river. However, Sun Yuying was fortunate that they travelled far enough into the land that it was unfavourable to the crocodiles, and the intense aura of the Spirit Beasts kept them more subdued.

  Crushing Steel-Bone Crocodile armour like skin, darkened, gleaming, turning metallic, as it attempted to utilise Spirit Qi techniques to slay her swiftly, it was growing desperate, as spikes of metal flew, some of which penetrated her flesh, as she hissed in pain.

  The battle was life and death at this point, bitter and fearsome; she had never felt pushed this hard before and thought the crocodile would never die until it slowed and abruptly lost strength, its flesh and scales began melting from the inside, it body shutting down, as the varied effects of the the exceedingly toxic, potent venom had finally overwhelmed the high vitality and tank-like Crushing Steel-Bone Crocodile.

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  Feeling its grip weaken, Sun Yuying slithered away. She was injured, chunks of flesh ripped from her body as the bone-crushing jaws felt like they almost pulled her into pieces.

  The Lesser Venom Wyrm was fortunate that a conjunction of its potent traits and robust nature meant it could endure the ferocious bite of a beast famed for it; many other Spirit Beasts would have been slain in her place, even if they eventually overcame it.

  Turning her head, she noticed some ambitious, ferocious crocodiles had emerged, moving towards her aggressively.

  Sun Yuying scoffed as she released a venomous cloud towards one that neared melting its large head, proving far less resistant than the Crushing Steel-Bone Crocodile.

  As a Lesser Venom Wyrm, she can utilise her venom in a multitude of ways, and this clash allowed her to do so. She could release a breath attack like a venomous cloud.

  However, it was Qi-intensive, and she still felt that invading a target's bloodstream with venom was more applicable to her more durable targets, or perhaps that was instincts that carried over from being born a Common krait.

  Though for cowing the crocodiles, it was a good show of strength.

  The other crocodiles appeared subdued at that point; they had seen her slay their ruler after all, and she had just brutally slain another one of their larger brethren.

  Not at their strongest on land, they retreated into the water, watching her from its depths, yet none dared to approach her on land.

  Crocodiles were cautious predators; confronting a superior land predator at their strongest was not something they usually did.

  The Lesser Venom Wyrm decided to begin her consumption of the crocodile.

  She knew the beast was too hefty to take anywhere, yet did not want to waste its spiritually energy-rich flesh, so, utilising her strong senses, she cautiously began her consumption.

  You have partially consumed Peak First Realm, Refinement, Crushing Steel-Bone Crocodile, gaining +15 Spiritual Energy

  Compatible trait detected. Current progress: 1/5 in assimilating the trait Steel Bones from Crushing Steel-Bone Crocodile.

  Another trait?

  Steel bones? That seems useful.

  Sun Yuying desired the trait, yet knew there were not five more Crushing Steel-Bone Crocodiles to harvest it from.

  A strange thought then emerged as she turned her head to the slain crocodile.

  Though not a Spirit Beast, it resembled a species similar to the Crushing Steel-Bone Crocodile, and as she curiously began to devour the beast, she received a prompt from the system.

  You have consumed Crushing Iron-Bone Crocodile, gaining +4 Spiritual Energy

  Compatible trait detected. Current progress: 1/5 in assimilating the trait Iron Bones from Crushing Iron-Bone Crocodile.

  After a while, the system prompted again, to her surprise, and she received an answer to the problem.

  Detected a compatible, inferior trait to Steel Bones. Would you like to conjoin and assimilate a lower-ranked Steel Bones by merging with Iron Bones?

  Seeing a solution to her problem, Sun Yuying felt delighted; she had a good feeling that she could restore the rank to its previous strength anyway if she found the appropriate resources to supplement Steel Bones.

  She also felt a pang of pain at seeing the limited amount of Spiritual Energy she received from the Crushing Iron-Bone Crocodile despite its large size.

  It seemed in a similar theme to the Giant Hornet; she receives far less Spiritual Energy than she would have as a Common krait.

  Either way, she had more of the Crushing Steel-Bone Crocodile to consume. She then decided to utilise the core before aiming for the trait, Steel Bones.

  After all, she did not want to risk fate and decided to utilise it as swiftly as possible.

  You have partially consumed Peak First Realm, Refinement, Crushing Steel-Bone Crocodile, gaining +15 Spiritual Energy

  Shortly, the Lesser Venom Wyrm devoured much of the Crushing Steel-Bone Crocodile and found the core lodged in its chest cavity. It was a greyish silvery colour, and after retrieving the crystal, she hurriedly decided to find a place to consume it immediately.

  She could come back for the trait. First, she decided to max out her current Spiritual Energy units, as she felt it would significantly boost her strength and restore her to full strength after that fierce battle.

  The Lesser Venom Wyrm searched around until she found a spacious enough shelter to accommodate her, a natural area with dense vegetation and large fallen logs that covered her significantly enhanced size.

  There, she felt a core in her maw and felt the temptation to consume it. Now secure, she saw no reason to delay and did so.

  You have consumed Peak First Realm, Refinement, Crushing Steel-Bone Crocodile Spirit Core, gaining +800 Spiritual Energy.

  An intense wave of energy filled her, and as she thought, despite capping her spiritual energy units, the progress to her next possible evolution proved different this time.

  You have acquired 1000/1000 in excess Spiritual Energy, storing it for use.

  You have acquired enough Spiritual Energy to progress your cultivation. Your current cultivation, Low First Realm Refinement, can progress to Intermediate First Realm Refinement.

  Would you like to advance your cultivation?

  Sun Yuying saw no reason decline. After eating the majority of the flesh of the Crushing Steel-Bone Crocodile, she virtually met the requirements anyway; the core was overkill, and she has much excess energy.

  Now well sheltered and secure, she knew the increase in cultivation would bring about more advantageous changes.

  As she accepted that notification, she fell into a slumber as a new wave of power filled her body, as her ascension to the next minor rank in the First Realm went underway.