This left her extremely surprised. Although the medicinal effects of the Red Blood Vine are indeed better for male martial artists than for female ones, it shouldn’t have caused such a dramatic change in James Carter. Could it be that his constitution is different from ordinary people?

This isn’t strange. James Carter comes from a humble, commoner background and has rarely used expensive body-tempering herbs, so he hasn’t developed much resistance to them in his body—this is also known as “herb resistance.”

Since James Carter seldom used herbs, once he took a seventh-grade Red Blood Vine, the effects were naturally very pronounced.

On the other hand, Charles Black was born in the Eastern Lai Royal Mansion and didn’t train diligently, mainly relying on taking body-tempering herbs from a young age, including many high-grade ones. Once a certain body-tempering herb is taken, “herb resistance” gradually accumulates. The more one takes, the greater the “herb resistance” in the body, and the less effective it becomes when taken again in the future.

In the past, James Carter had accumulated quite a few blood and meridian bruises from intense training in the “Wave-Slaying Technique,” many of which were hidden throughout his muscles, bones, and blood vessels. This time, the Red Blood Vine cleared away most of those bruises, making him look naturally energetic and radiant.

……

Late at night.

All sorts of strange hissing cries echoed from time to time on the deserted island.

If you looked farther away, you could vaguely see scattered campfires dotting different parts of the island. There were quite a few martial artists who had escaped from the sunken sea ship to this island. In the dead of night, no one dared to wander around.

By the moonlight in the sky, James Carter could faintly see the situation outside the spiritwood fence of the cave camp.

Both of them leaned against the inner wall of the cave, taking turns keeping watch, but neither truly slept. With sea demon beasts possibly appearing near the cave at any moment, they couldn’t really relax.

James Carter didn’t dare to sleep deeply, gripping the Azure Edge Sword in his right hand, half-asleep and half-awake as he watched the cave entrance.

“Crack!”

A faint sound came from outside the cave.

A squat, large crab appeared outside the spiritwood fence of the cave, its eyes swiveling as it raised a pair of pincers, seemingly puzzled by the spiritwood fence.

“A juvenile demon crab!”

James Carter jolted awake, flipping up. “So fast, it’s already found us!?”

Chapter 11: Targeted by the Juvenile Demon Crab

The campfire inside the camp was still burning, casting the shadow of the juvenile demon crab outside the spiritwood fence in stark relief.

“Damn, it’s that juvenile demon crab again! One of its little crab legs was cut off by my ‘Double Wave Slash’—there’s no mistake!”

James Carter thought to himself that this was bad.

He didn’t act rashly, hiding his figure in the shadows inside the cave.

The juvenile demon crab was still hesitating and pacing in front of the spiritwood fence, showing no intention of charging it yet.

At this moment, Charles Black had also woken up.

James Carter made a hand gesture to Charles Black, slowly drawing the Azure Edge Sword, preparing to act.

Charles Black nodded.

James Carter looked toward the juvenile demon crab.

What he hoped for most was that it would leave on its own. Facing this mysterious and powerful juvenile demon crab, along with its strange water demon arts, made even a mid-level martial artist like him feel a bit apprehensive.

Unless forced, James Carter didn’t want to fight it lightly.

The juvenile demon crab circled outside the spiritwood fence for a while, growing impatient when it couldn’t get into the cave.

It suddenly swung its golden pincers, smashing them hard against the spiritwood fence.

“Bang!”

A loud crash.

A small section of the sturdy spiritwood fence immediately caved in, splintering off some tiny wood chips.

However, even with the juvenile demon crab’s several hundred pounds of strength, it couldn’t easily break through the spiritwood fence.

Without dozens of strikes, it would be impossible to smash open a hole big enough for it to get through.

“Damn, it’s started breaking the spiritwood fence!”

James Carter was startled.

The hard-won spiritwood fence couldn’t be destroyed by this juvenile demon crab, or he wouldn’t even have a safe place to sleep.

“Take action!”

He suddenly leapt up, rushing to the inside of the spiritwood fence, gripping the Azure Edge Sword with both hands, turning into a cold flash as he slashed at the juvenile demon crab.

There were gaps in the spiritwood fence; the several-foot-long body of the juvenile demon crab couldn’t get in, but it was enough for James Carter to strike it with the Azure Edge Sword.

“Wave-Cleaving Slash—!”

A fierce and swift slash landed hard on the juvenile demon crab’s cold, golden-glinting pincer.

James Carter was full of fighting spirit, having just absorbed the blazing medicinal power of the Red Blood Vine. His body was burning with energy, and he needed an outlet for his strength. Since the juvenile demon crab had started attacking the fence, he didn’t hesitate to strike back.

Charles Black followed closely, drawing her sword, Ink Plum, and stabbing swiftly at the crab’s joints.

But her sword was directly deflected by the crab’s shell.

“No good! I can’t hurt it. My sword technique is too nimble, not powerful enough to break its shell!”

Charles Black looked anxious.

“It’s fine, I can hurt it!”

James Carter said coldly.

The juvenile demon crab, having taken a hit, felt pain and quickly retreated several yards, moving away from the spiritwood fence.

It recognized James Carter as its “enemy,” shrieked angrily a few times, and then charged at the spiritwood fence again, trying to smash it open and fight James Carter inside.

“Bang!”