Bio-engineered Dinosaur in the immortal world-Chapter 18: Familiar yet unknown Creature

Wei Long moved silently through the darkened forest, his Bioengineered Camouflage concealing his presence.

His golden reptilian eyes flickered with a strong sense of what would happen next if he went to what he believed that source of it all.

He had to go.

Even though Zou Fang warned him. Even though the creatures he encountered were twisted beyond reason.

It didn't matter.

Because floating before his vision was a system notification—

Ding!

Expose yourself to the Demonic Dao Path Essence.

This exposure is beneficial to the host.

The host is advised to go to where it originated.

Current Exposure: 21% / 100%

Wei Long's claws clenched.

This was an opportunity.

The Demonic Dao Essence might have been toxic to ordinary beasts for what he observed—

But he wasn't an ordinary beast.

He was Bioengineered.

His instinct whispered that this could make him stronger—And in a world of cultivators, old beings, and monstrous enemies, power was all that mattered.

Especially if his Bioengineered Dinosaur Instinct would continue to drag him into trouble in this cultivation world.

Wei Long wasn't a fool.

He needed power fast.

And so—He moved forward.

Heading straight toward the corrupted orb.

But—He wasn't alone.

Suddenly—

RUSTLE!

The undergrowth shook violently.

Then—a dark blur lunged from the shadows.

Wei Long's eyes snapped toward it.

A small beast—the size of a fox—but horrifyingly deformed.

One after another, they emerged.

Each more terrifying than the last.

A weasel-like creature scurried toward him.

But—its eyes were missing.

Only two gaping, empty sockets stared at Wei Long.

Black liquid dripped from them, sizzling upon contact with the ground.

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Its body was covered in writhing veins, pulsating unnaturally.

Yet—it moved as if it could see him perfectly.

Wei Long's tail whipped out.

CRACK!

The creature explodes upon impact.

Black mist rose from its remains.

Ding!

Exposure increased to 22% / 100%.

However, not long after, the trees above shook violently.

Then—a small, twitching creature dropped down from the branches.

It landed on all fours.

Wei Long's eyes narrowed.

A squirrel.

But—

It had no skin.

Its raw, red muscles were exposed, pulsating as if they had their own will.

Its jaws unhinged, revealing a gaping maw filled with rows of needle-like teeth.

Then—it screeched.

A noise so piercing it sent vibrations through the air.

Wei Long's pupils contracted.

Then—

SLASH!

His claws ripped through its body.

Blood sprayed—

But the blood turned into mist.

The same black mist as before.

Ding!

Exposure increased to 22.5% / 100%.

It seems there are more, a low, guttural growl echoed from the bushes.

Wei Long turned.

And then—another fox-like creature emerged.

But something was horribly wrong.

Its head was not that of a fox, instead—a massive centipede's head had replaced it.

Its mandibles twitched, clicking together with a sickening sound.

Dozens of tiny insect-like legs wriggled from its throat, moving independently.

Wei Long's tail lashed out.

BANG!

The creature was sent crashing into a tree.

It twitched violently—then went still.

Ding!

Exposure increased to 23% / 100%.

Realizing what is happening, Wei Long stared at the black mist rising from the corpses.

His claws flexed.

He had tested it.

Each of these small mutated beasts only raised his Demonic Dao Exposure by 0.5% or 1%.

That meant—

If he truly wanted to reach 100% quickly...

He had to go to the source.

His gaze lifted.

Up ahead—

Beyond the dark trees—

Where the corrupted orb was waiting.

Wei Long's mind was made up.

He would go.

Without hesitation.

Without stopping.

Without canceling his camouflage.

And so—

He melted into the darkness.

Silent.

Unseen.

Heading straight to where it could be.

Not long, Wei Long stopped at the mouth of the cave.

His reptilian eyes widened in shock.

What... is that thing?

Before him—

A horrifying abomination stood, its grotesque form twitching in the dim light.

It was unnatural, a mistake of creation—

A nightmare given flesh.

A true appearance of horror.

Its body was a hideous fusion of beasts, insects, and plants.

Its head was elongated, half-covered in patches of fur and insect-like scales, its jaw splitting open vertically to reveal a gaping maw filled with needle-thin teeth.

Two massive, insect wings jutted from its back, but their edges curled unnaturally, lined with thorn-like protrusions.

One arm was a scaled dragon's claw, blackened and oozing venom—the other was a massive paw, fur-covered, but the fur writhed like living tendrils.

Its legs were a monstrous mismatch—one was a bird's talon, sharp enough to pierce stone, while the other was a thick, reptilian turtle foot, each step crushing the ground beneath it.

Vines and flower-like growths coiled around its torso, blooming with eyeballs that swiveled independently, staring at Wei Long.

It was wrong.

It was disgusting.

And—

It was familiar.

Soon, something flashed on Wei Long's head.

Wait.

This thing—it looked like it was a combination of the creatures he captured last time.

The creatures he was planning to use as a distraction in case a cultivator found him here.

But—it wasn't like this before.

Wei Long's pupils contracted.

He quickly scanned its stats.

STATUS:

Name: Forest Glum

Main Dao Attributes: Terra Dao & Shadow Dao.

Other Dao Attributes: Gu, Verdant, and Venom.

Level: Twelve Mortal Beast.

Twelve?!

Wei Long froze.

This thing was higher level than him.

Much higher.

It was just there, still lying or whatever it was doing—it's not moving.

Ding!

A system notification flashed before his vision—

[WARNING!]

If the host fails to expose himself to the Demonic Dao Path Essence within 30 minutes, the Orb's effect will become untraceable.

Time Remaining: 30:00.

Wei Long's head felt like it was slammed on a hard concrete wall.

This means—if he didn't get to the Orb in time and expose himself near it, he would lose this opportunity forever.

He gritted his teeth.

He had two choices:

Fight the grotesque beast and force his way inside?

Or

Retreat and lose the chance to grow stronger?

His Bioengineered Instinct urged him—fight.

But—his rational mind hesitated.

The creature was stronger than him.

10 seconds passed.

20 seconds passed.

30 seconds passed.

Wei Long still hadn't moved.

The Forest Glum twitched, its many eyes blinking in different directions as if it knew he was there.

It was waiting.

Wei Long exhaled sharply.

His decision was made.

He had to fight.

Wei Long struck first.

His tail whipped out—BANG!

The creature blocked it.

Its reptilian claw clamped down on his tail, stopping it mid-air.

Wei Long's pupils shrank.

Shit!

He lunged, fangs bared, aiming for its exposed throat.

But—

SCHLICK!

A vine shot out from the beast's torso—

Impaling Wei Long's shoulder!

Blood splattered.

Wei Long roared, twisting his body violently.

His claws ripped through the vine, severing it.

But the severed vine morphed into a wriggling worm and tried to burrow into his flesh!

Wei Long's eyes flashed.

No, you don't!

His Bioengineered Body twitched, and his scales heated up—

SIZZLE!

The worm burned away, unable to pierce his radiation-infused flesh.

10 Minutes Passed – 20 Minutes Remaining

Wei Long was heavily injured.

His left leg was cut deeply by the creature's bird talons.

His chest was scraped open, exposing his ribs.

But the Forest Glum was also injured—its right wing was torn.

Its left arm was broken.

Yet—

It still stood, unyielding.

And—

It was blocking the cave entrance.

Wei Long panted heavily.

His vision swayed.

If this continued—

He wouldn't make it.

Wei Long's mind raced.

Should he—

Keep fighting?

Or

Abandon the Orb?

His golden eyes flickered with hesitation.

He had been backed down before so this is nothing new—however now, there was a time limit.

But—was this worth it?

The Forest Glum twitched, preparing another attack.

Wei Long's claws tensed.

He had to choose—

NOW.

And at that moment—he felt it.

A terror.

Wei Long's blood ran cold.

This fight—should he just leave and focus on self preservation and see another day?