Chapter 42: Coming to Aid

“The flesh of this bipedal king is the most fragrant; I mustn't let it get away.”

It squinted, watching the bipedal creatures in the distance hurriedly gather, pointing their bright flames at it, a cold smile forming in its heart.

“First, deplete their stamina. Once those bipedal creatures scatter, I can eat their king.”

It cautiously accelerated, weaving through the snow-covered forest, watching the bipedal creatures grow increasingly panicked, their formation becoming more disorganized. It was extremely satisfied.

Ever since it ate the injured white deer, its mind had grown clearer. With this increasing clarity, it had evaded several encirclements by the patterned bipedal creatures, finally abandoning its pack and stumbling its way to this place.

It had dealt with many of these bipedal creatures and knew well that their kings often spat black mist and threw dark green bone swords. Pressing too closely would only result in injury.

It was necessary to press them slowly, attacking occasionally to gradually exhaust their methods before devouring them.

“These bipedal creatures have no patterns on them; I wonder what species they are.”

It casually leaped over an incoming long staff, ducked to avoid a flying arrow, and then bit down on a bipedal creature's arm, crushing it completely. It thought maliciously:

“If my children hadn't all been killed by that other bipedal creature, I wouldn't have to act personally!”

Remembering being chased across seven mountains by that patterned bipedal creature, and how its injured vitality and magic had yet to recover, a hint of coldness entered its emerald eyes.

These unpatterned bipedal creatures seemed much weaker. The golden light they emitted wasn't very powerful, but it was incessant and annoying.

The mountain forest was especially quiet on a winter night. Much snow had accumulated in the woods; a touch would send snowflakes rustling down, and occasionally a crackling sound indicated snow breaking a branch.

“Whoosh!”

Li Xiangping shot a glittering golden arrow, watching the wolf duck to avoid it before it bit off a militiaman's arm. Without changing his expression, he notched another arrow and fired, forcing back the giant wolf as it prepared to pounce on the next militiaman.

Watching the militiaman fall to the ground, screaming as blood splattered, painting a vivid red flower on the pure white snow, the other militiamen shivered. Their long staffs waved weakly in their hands. Beside them, Chen Erniu, with a grim expression, picked up the injured man, wrapped his wound haphazardly with clothing, and then carried him on his shoulder to catch up with the group.

“How much further to Lijing Mountain!”

Li Xiangping shouted, stepping through the snow, one foot sinking deeper than the other, and asked Chen Erniu loudly.

“Another fifteen minutes!”

Chen Erniu immediately understood. He handed the militiaman on his back to others, looked into the distance, and replied loudly.

Hearing that they were gradually approaching Lijing Mountain, the militiamen felt considerably more settled. They gnashed their teeth, staring at the monster, praying that the next one to be pounced upon wouldn't be themselves.

“Just lure this monster into the mountains and ambush it! If we can't kill it today, then let it kill us here and now. You, you, and you – your families, your women and children, will all become blood sacrifices for this monster!”

Li Xiangping wiped the blood from his face. With little spiritual energy left in his dantian, he looked at the terrified militiamen beside him and roared in a deep voice.

At his words, the militiamen exchanged glances, their expressions firming considerably. One by one, they re-raised their leaden arms, pointing their torches and staffs at the monster.

“Roar––––”

The monster licked the blood from its silver-grey claws. Looking at the torches and staffs pointed at it, it seemed to grow impatient. It stamped its foot, accelerating its attacks, and bit down on several militiamen in quick succession.

“Crack!”

A whip cracked in the air, and a glowing, emerald vine whip lashed straight out. The monster was caught off guard, its waist immediately lacerated, leaving a bleeding gash.

“Awooo––––”

The monster howled loudly, retreating several steps, its eyes glaring fiercely at the man in brocade robes holding the long whip.

“Patriarch!”

Upon seeing the vine whip, Wan Tiancang immediately breathed a sigh of relief, a heavy weight lifted from his heart, and a look of joy appeared on his face.

Wan Xiaohua's attack had landed, but he didn't pursue. His face was momentarily pale, and he stood in place, regulating his breath for a few moments before color slowly returned to his cheeks.

Having received Wan Tiancang's letter, Wan Xiaohua had hurried to Lichuan Pass from the Wan family, using three successive Divine Movement spells. Then, he used the magic artifact to repel the monster. Even with his peak Jade Wheel cultivation, he was somewhat breathless, needing several moments of regulated breathing to recover.

“What a tough monster.”

Wan Xiaohua looked at the shallow wound on the monster's back and involuntarily gasped, speaking with a grim expression:

“Mortals, leave first.”

His vine whip was originally a Qi Cultivation stage artifact. Using it with his peak Jade Wheel cultivation consumed a considerable amount of energy, enough to split stone tablets. Yet, it only left a shallow gash on the monster's back. Although he had acted hastily, it demonstrated the monster's incredible physical toughness.

Li Xiangping waved his hand. Chen Erniu immediately called to the militiamen, who, carrying the injured, walked through the snow towards Lijing Village to the west.

Watching the man and beast face off in the snow, Li Xiangping called out loudly:

“Patriarch Wan, if you find it difficult to defeat this monster, head southwest! My Lijing Mountain has a protective formation. Even if you can't deal with this monster, you can escape with your life!”

Wan Xiaohua cast a low glance at Li Xiangping and said softly:

“Understood.”

He raised the long whip in his hand, which whistled as it lashed out, aiming for the monster's waist.

“Awooo––”

The monster subtly twisted its waist, dodging the vine whip. In two steps, it closed the distance with Wan Xiaohua, pouncing towards him.

A foul wind rushed towards him, but Wan Xiaohua remained composed. He performed a hand seal, and a small, white jade shield materialized out of thin air. Although it shattered with a single strike from the monster's paw, Wan Xiaohua used that moment to widen the gap.

The monster lightly stomped on the ground and pounced at Wan Xiaohua again. Wan Xiaohua's eyes lit up, and he thought to himself:

“Good opportunity!”

The vine whip in his hand immediately burst with bright white light, lashing towards the wolf's waist. However, the monster did not dodge. A glint of cunning flashed in its eyes as it opened its maw, spewing forth a torrent of dark breath directly at Wan Xiaohua's face.

“Damn it! What a cunning beast!”

Wan Xiaohua cursed inwardly, forced to release the vine whip from his hand and retreat repeatedly.

The monster, having taken a direct hit from Wan Xiaohua's whip, let out a low growl. It pawed at the vine whip on the ground, then stepped on it as it gazed at Wan Xiaohua, its emerald eyes watching him coldly.

“What a cunning monster...”

Wan Xiaohua looked at the silver-grey giant wolf, a bitter smile curving his lips. His Wan family's territory didn't border Dali Mountain, and they had little experience fighting monsters, let alone one of the Jade Wheel cultivation level.

The monster scraped its hind paw, burying the vine whip in the snow. Then, it ran towards Wan Xiaohua through the shallow snow. He quickly formed hand seals and cast a spell, and the small white jade shield reappeared before him.

However, black energy surged around the monster's four limbs. It leapt into the air, shattering the white jade shield with a single strike, and its fangs aimed for Wan Xiaohua's neck.