Chapter 14

Chat Group.

*Ding... @everyone* "Work is here! A group dungeon in the Barbarian Mountain Range, looking for 3 heavy DPS! Join the party (1/6)" — Group Owner, Shi Heng. "...Group Owner, you're hilarious. You can't even play the game!" — Peerless Martial God, Xu Qi'an. "Speak normally!" +4 "Ning Yi, what does the Group Owner mean?" — Iron Sword of Mountains and Rivers, Lu Hongti. "Master, the Group Owner is looking for hired muscle." (Kissing emoji) — Unrivaled War God, Ning Yi. "Off topic! Off topic! Let's talk business!" — Peerless Martial God, Xu Qi'an. "Cough, cough! Basically, there’s a major opportunity here—the kind that makes you rich for three generations. Are you coming?" "Cut the crap!" +5 *Ding... The Group Owner has uploaded "Loot Drops from This Raid" and "Monster Levels."* "So you're saying there are three Universe-level ferocious beasts, Shi Village will take one, and then we four need to intercept the other two, which are severely wounded?" — Mental Power Master, Luo Feng. "Correct. Based on our standards, they should be at the Inscription Realm, more or less. Besides, you’ll get to pick up scraps, won't you? There are tons of Grotto-Heaven and Spirit Transformation Realm ferocious beasts dying all over the battlefield." — Shi Heng. "This dungeon sounds good! But a Venerable Realm Great Dragon is passing through the mountains! We have to make this a quick fight!" — Xu Qi'an. "Who’s coming?" "Ning Yi, I want to go and see for myself!" "I'll accompany you!" "You two are enough, are you bullying me for not having a wife?" "Hehe! Xu the Playboy is too much fun!" — Bai Yuekui. "I really want to see the wild jungle. Luo Feng, will you protect me?" — Xu Xin. "If you're going, wife, I'll definitely protect you!" — Luo Feng. "Next time there are benefits, I'm not calling you guys!" "Don't!" +6 "Xu the Playboy, you're fine taking on the Demon Ape alone, right?" "No problem! It’s just one wounded Inscription Realm ferocious beast. I’m at least a special Inscription-level fighter myself! Leave it to me!" "Luo Feng, you use your Golden Horned Beast form and work with Bai Yuekui to take down the Blazing Ox Demon. Your Earth clone can hold the line and help Xu Xin and the others clean up the battlefield." "No problem!" +5 "I'll pull you guys over when the time comes!"

Three days later, Shi Village. "Chief! Our village's hunting team heard the roar of the old Suanni from far away. It’s truly dying, probably within these next two days!" Shi Yunfeng couldn't make up his mind. Although Shi Village’s strength had greatly increased, they were still not enough to confront a Primordial Remnant in the depths of the mountain range. "Chief, let's just play it by ear! Besides, Little Tot is due for his five-year baptism soon!" Shi Heng played his trump card directly. "We have no choice but to take the risk. If things look bad, we’ll all retreat!" The Old Chief decided with a stern face. "Understood!" the young men replied.

After finishing their discussion with the Old Chief, Shi Heng dashed straight out of the village to the campsite and arranged for the group members to stay there. "Group Owner, the trees here are truly massive. No wonder the ferocious beasts you sent us are all the size of small mountains!" "Alright, no more nonsense. You guys get settled here and play it by ear! I’m heading back to the village first."

The next day. Shi Yunfeng took the lead, guiding Shi Heng, the other strong men, and Little Tot as they raced toward the site where the old Suanni was falling. "BOOM!" The ground shook. "Chief! The old Suanni collapsed the tomb!" A scout reported to the Old Chief. "Assemble the villagers!" The Old Chief ordered immediately. ... "Fast! Hurry up and charge!" After a long, frantic run, the Shi Village group neared the Suanni's crash site. "Old Chief, we can't go any further!" Shi Heng stopped the main force and added, "The old Suanni is causing too much of a stir. The entire mountain range knows about it. There might be traps; we have to wait and see." "Xiao Heng is right! Treasures are good, but you need your life to take them. I also feel something is off. Let's go to that mountain top and observe the situation first," the Old Chief said, leading the group to hide on a nearby peak.

Just like in the original, people from nearby villages and most of the ferocious beast remnants in the mountains appeared, staging a "mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind" scenario, one trick layered over another. The beast tide was overwhelming; even with foresight, the Shi Village group was caught in the aftermath. Everyone in Shi Village was much stronger now, but they became increasingly conspicuous in the tide. As it went on, the attacks from the beasts grew fiercer, almost resulting in casualties. Little Tot was anxious and furious, his eyes turning red as he used the Cyan-scaled Eagle Divine Technique without regard for the cost. Seeing that the situation had reached a boiling point, Shi Heng knew that if he didn't convince the village to retreat, they would become the primary target. He had to consider that the Demon Ape and the Ox Demon hadn't even shown up yet. Even if he fought with all his might, he would be crushed here. He turned to the Old Chief in the crowd and said, "Old Chief! We’re about to become the target of everyone! We must retreat and plan this out carefully!" The Old Chief knew the situation was untenable. Though he coveted the old Suanni’s remains, he needed his life to claim them. He shouted to the crowd, "Retreat!" At that moment, a long cry came from the clouds. It was indeed the Cyan-scaled Eagle, which had flown down to carry Little Tot, who had called out to it, toward the center of the battlefield. Little Tot turned back and said, "Chief Grandpa, Uncle, you guys go first!" Seeing this, Shi Heng could only sigh. *Emperor Huang! Grow!*

Now, it was time for the real oriole to take the stage! Ten miles away from the battlefield. "Chief, I’ll stay here to cover Little Tot and the others. You all retreat first!" Shi Heng said to the Old Chief. "Be careful, and make sure you bring Little Tot back!" The Old Chief gazed toward the battlefield with deep concern. "Don't worry, Chief! If anything happens, I’ll get Little Tot out first!" Shi Heng replied before turning back toward the jungle.

*Ding... @everyone* "Get ready, the old Suanni is about to go berserk!" Shi Heng said in the group chat. "Coming, we're approaching the core of the circle!" Luo Feng and the others sat inside an invisible fighter jet, hovering at an altitude of ten thousand meters. "Good! Remember, wait until the Cyan-scaled Eagle carries the old Suanni away before acting!" "No problem!" +6 "ROAR...!" Just as Shi Heng arrived at the side of the battlefield, he heard an earth-shattering roar that shook the mountains. All the beasts in the middle of the fight lowered their heads and fell to the ground in terror. *This Demon Ape is probably close to the Array Formation Realm!* "MOOO...!" The king beast's pressure surged again, shattering the trees and sending rocks flying. The Blazing Ox Demon had arrived. "Awoo...!" "Mooo...!" Before the two beasts could gather for a round of fighting, the old Suanni suddenly "came back to life," streaking toward them like golden lightning. With a tear and a claw, the old Suanni severely wounded both: the Demon Ape lost an arm, and the Ox Demon lost a horn. "Everyone, get ready. Follow the plan. The Demon Ape and the Blazing Ox Demon will flee toward the deep mountains. Xu Qi'an, kill the Demon Ape. Luo Feng and I will join forces to kill the Ox Demon. The rest of you, wait for the beasts to retreat and clear the battlefield!" "No problem!" +6

Shi Heng ignored the old Suanni wreaking havoc in the center and circled around the battlefield, charging toward the deep mountains at full speed. Xu Qi'an and the others were already waiting on the central axis, fifty miles away. "They're coming! The Ox Demon is fleeing toward your left! The Demon Ape is on the right!" Xu Xin and those with lower combat power, watching from the invisible jet, reported urgently in the chat. "Received!" Xu Qi'an kicked off the ground with force, instantly shattering the earth and trees. The power shook the mountains, even more intense than the Demon Ape in its prime. "Let's go too!" "BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!" "They’re here!" The Ox Demon was drenched in blood, fleeing and burning everything in its path. The flames around its body surged toward the sky, visible from ten miles away. Luo Feng had already summoned his Golden Horned Beast form. Its massive body flew off the ground, and the golden patterns on its horns lit up, extending to its claws as it lunged at the spine of the charging Ox Demon! "ROAR!" The Ox Demon didn't expect a strange, giant beast to ambush it mid-flight. In its momentary lapse, a large chunk of flesh was ripped from its back. Before the Ox Demon could react, Bai Yuekui had already leaped in front of it, her Alaya-Vijnana Tang sword in hand. Her left hand surged with energy, grabbing the Ox Demon's only remaining horn. *Dragon Control!* "BOOM!" The ground instantly cracked from where the ox’s head hit the earth. The mountains shook and the air rippled, tearing the surrounding trees and rocks apart. "THUD!" In a blink, Shi Heng, who had been waiting, gripped his custom broadsword. His blood surged, a scorching heat radiated from his body, and the surrounding grass and trees turned to ash. Divine light swirled around him as if a demon god had descended; dense runes manifested all over his body. "Die!" Shi Heng shattered the ground with his legs, lunging like a meteorite to slash at the Ox Demon's neck. "ROAR!" *CRACK!* Sparks flew. A metallic grinding sound rang out—his broadsword had even rolled its edge! The Ox Demon’s body was already covered in wounds from the old Suanni’s Divine Technique, and most of its defensive hide was gone. No matter how tough it was in its prime, it couldn't withstand the full-force strike of Shi Heng’s 540,000-jin arm strength. The blade bit deep into the flesh, striking the cervical vertebrae with a metallic clang. "MOOO!" The Ox Demon was already heavily wounded, capable of using only ten to twenty percent of its power. This strike cost it even more, though it still wasn't something easily killed by a few Spirit Transformation Realm equivalents. Bai Yuekui forced the ox head into the ground. Realizing this, the ox's horns flashed, a wave of fire surged from its body, and runes lit up its entire frame. Seeing the Ox Demon trying to break free, Bai Yuekui tightened her Dragon Control. "Quick!" Luo Feng’s Golden Horned Beast form reached the side in a flash. The golden, glowing giant claw tore into the neck wound Shi Heng had opened. Gold Laws flowed from the beast's claw, shining as brightly as a golden sun spot rising from the Ox Demon’s neck. "SCREECH!!!" The sound of metal grinding echoed through the wild, shaking the already damaged mountain even further. "BOOM!" Seeing his sword edge ruined, Shi Heng discarded it and clenched his fists. His hands, shimmering with dense runes and divine light, swung up and smashed into the ox’s head. "MOOO!" The Ox Demon’s skull cracked. It had hoped to survive, but it hadn't expected this kill-box. It used the last of its strength to break free from Bai Yuekui’s restraint. *Force Field!* Seeing the Ox Demon break free, Bai Yuekui withdrew her Tang sword and unleashed her Force Field technique, stabbing directly into the wound on the ox’s leg. "ROAR!" Seeing Bai Yuekui restrain it again, the Ox Demon’s eyes burned red. It wanted to use its innate Divine Technique to kill the human who had deprived it of its mobility and take her with it to the grave. Shi Heng, standing by, wouldn't let it happen. He swung his arm again, smashing his fist into the ox’s head. "THUD!" The earth shook again, the air rippled, and the animal hide clothing Shi Heng was wearing shattered. "Mooo~!" The Ox Demon felt a burst of pain in its brain and passed out instantly, actually knocked unconscious by a Blood-Moving Realm human. "CRACK!" The Golden Horned Beast’s claw finally used the Laws of Gold to decapitate the ox. The Blazing Ox Demon had fallen. It never dreamed it would die on the way back to the deep mountains.

On the other side, Xu Qi'an was having a much easier time. As a special Inscription-level powerhouse, he wielded his Taiping blade against the one-armed Demon Ape, the battle shattering the surrounding ten miles of forest into dust. "ROAR!" The Demon Ape failed to escape and was slashed down by Xu Qi'an. "Good thing Bai Yuekui restrained it, otherwise it might have gotten away. As expected of our Boss Bai!" Shi Heng gave a thumbs-up, holding up two fingers directly. "Hehe! Impressive, right?" Bai Yuekui was also happy this time. Absorbing the blood essence of this Blazing Ox Demon would significantly increase her strength, making it easier to handle the challenges of Mana. "Let's go quickly! The battle affected nearly half the mountain range. If we provoke the four Divine Beasts looking for the mountain treasure, we’re finished!" "Fair point. I'm heading straight back to Earth!" Bai Yuekui bid farewell to Shi Heng, vanished in a flash of white light, and returned to Earth. After finishing, Shi Heng used a group red packet to store the two-piece carcass of the Ox Demon, not even sparing the glowing dirt where the ox blood had dripped. Luo Feng’s Golden Horned Beast form returned directly to the source space. "@Luo Feng @Ning Yi, are you two done with the cleanup? If so, leave now, or we're dead if the Divine Beasts show up!" Shi Heng didn't dare linger, shooting off toward Shi Village. "Done! Preparing to retreat!" "OK, we'll talk later. I still have some loose ends to tie up here!"