Chapter 85: Slaying

Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Slaying

Yi Xiaoyao smiled faintly and said to Zhou Yan, "Don’t mind me. I just want to see how you all plan to hunt a second-rank, high-grade Demon Beast."

As it happened, Yi Xiaoyao was also planning to hunt a second-rank, high-grade Demon Beast, so he decided to first observe the team’s battle with it to gauge its strength.

Zhou Yan sneered. "Kid, since you want to see what this team can do, then watch from a safe distance. Wouldn’t want you getting trampled to death by the Demon Beast halfway through."

The words had barely left his mouth when the ancient trees ahead were knocked down, and a massive black beast, hundreds of feet tall, charged into view.

"It’s a Rock Armor Iron Lizard! We’re in luck. The Rock Armor Iron Lizard specializes in speed and defense, while its attack and strength are on the weaker side."

Someone recognized the Demon Beast at a glance. If its attack and strength were on the weaker side, the danger they faced would be much lower.

FWOOSH!

A huge black net was suddenly yanked up from beneath the Rock Armor Iron Lizard. Several of Zhou Yan’s team members desperately channeled their Spiritual Power into it, making the entire net give off a faint glow.

Ensnared by the black net, the Rock Armor Iron Lizard began to charge about wildly. Even though the net was reinforced with Spiritual Power, a small section was immediately torn open.

Zhou Yan’s team was clearly well-drilled. Several other members, each holding a copper rope, bound the Rock Armor Iron Lizard’s limbs with pre-set noose traps. The other ends of the copper ropes had already been secured to dozens of ancient trees.

With its limbs pulled taut by the copper ropes, the Rock Armor Iron Lizard roared and struggled, making the ancient trees anchoring it groan and crack.

Zhou Yan, the only one who hadn’t yet acted, reacted swiftly. He took out a giant gourd and sprayed a large cloud of yellow mist into the Rock Armor Iron Lizard’s gaping mouth.

Soon, the rampaging Rock Armor Iron Lizard gradually calmed down. Its ferocious gaze grew dull, and its reactions slowed dramatically.

Watching the entire process from a distance, Yi Xiaoyao’s eyes held a hint of surprise. He marveled at the team’s seamless coordination and was amazed that the yellow mist had actually been able to sedate such a massive Demon Beast.

The team members, having finished their frantic work, finally breathed a sigh of relief. Still, they didn’t dare loosen the copper ropes and black net restraining the Rock Armor Iron Lizard, leaving only Zhou Yan free to act.

"Captain Zhou Yan, the effect of the mist won’t last long. We need to slaughter this beast quickly!"

Zhou Yan let out a smug laugh, not forgetting to boast in Yi Xiaoyao’s direction. "You see that, kid? So what if it’s a second-rank, high-grade Demon Beast? In our hands, it has no choice but to let me slaughter it!"

Yi Xiaoyao simply smiled faintly, paying him no mind. After all, it wasn’t over yet, and anything could still happen.

When Zhou Yan saw that Yi Xiaoyao didn’t respond, he took it as a sign of submission, and his expression grew even more smug.

Then, the man took out a dazzlingly sharp Mountain-Opening Axe, raised it high overhead, and charged toward the Rock Armor Iron Lizard with a loud roar.

CLANG!

The axe fell with a deafening sound, sending sparks flying. The display of power was quite astonishing.

But in the next moment, Zhou Yan’s smug expression froze, and his face became extremely awkward.

His powerful strike had merely left a shallow dent on the Rock Armor Iron Lizard’s black scales. It hadn’t even broken the skin.

"This..."

Zhou Yan’s face twitched. He had just been boasting to Yi Xiaoyao, and this outcome was not only awkward, but utterly humiliating.

A moment later, a flash of anger lit up Zhou Yan’s eyes, and he infused the giant axe in his hands with all of his Spiritual Power.

The giant axe flashed with a dazzling light, its edge seeming even keener.

"You beast! I’d like to see just how thick your hide really is!"

As he finished speaking, a continuous series of strikes, each louder than the last, rang out.

But not only did Zhou Yan’s frenzied assault fail to break the Rock Armor Iron Lizard’s defense, it actually startled the beast, jolting it further awake. It suddenly tossed its head, sending Zhou Yan flying.

"Captain!"

The team members restraining the Rock Armor Iron Lizard cried out in alarm.

Panting for breath, Zhou Yan climbed up from the ground and waved his hand to indicate that he was fine.

"The Rock Armor Iron Lizard’s defense is famously incredible. We really miscalculated this time!" Zhou Yan said, shaking his head with a grim expression.

By now, the team members could barely control the Rock Armor Iron Lizard, which was struggling more and more violently. Each of them was straining so hard it looked as if their faces might start bleeding.

"Captain, since we can’t do anything to this beast, let’s retreat for now!"

"Yeah, let’s go while it’s not fully awake! If it recovers completely, we’re done for."

Zhou Yan hesitated for a moment. Just as he was about to nod in helpless agreement, he heard a soft chuckle from behind him.

Zhou Yan was already furious, and that chuckle completely ignited the rage he had been suppressing.

"Kid! You dare to laugh at me?"

Zhou Yan whipped around, glaring furiously at the spectating Yi Xiaoyao as he roared.

The soft chuckle had, in fact, come from Yi Xiaoyao.

And the reason Yi Xiaoyao had laughed was because he felt that the Essence Blood he wanted from a second-rank, high-grade Demon Beast was now within his grasp.

Seeing Zhou Yan’s fury, Yi Xiaoyao shook his head with a faint smile. "I wasn’t laughing at you. I was just thinking that maybe I can help you kill this Demon Beast."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yan was stunned for a moment before he too began to laugh, though his laugh was one of pure mockery and contempt.

"On your own?"

Zhou Yan sneered. "Even with my cultivation at the sixth level of Foundation Establishment, I can’t do anything about that beast’s defense. You’re only at the fourth level, yet you dare make such a boast in front of me! How arrogant and ignorant! Utterly laughable!"

The other team members around them also sneered, not taking Yi Xiaoyao’s words seriously at all.

"I think there’s something wrong with this kid’s head. Otherwise, why would someone with his meager cultivation dare to show up in such a dangerous area?"

"Captain, let’s just ignore this idiot and get out of here!"

"That’s right. It’s not worth risking our lives for this kid."

Just as these men were freely mocking Yi Xiaoyao, his figure vanished from its spot.

At the same time, a terrifying presence suddenly appeared before the Rock Armor Iron Lizard, and an astonishing beam of sword light flashed.

AWOOOO!

The Rock Armor Iron Lizard, which hadn’t even cried out in pain despite Zhou Yan’s countless strikes, now let out a deafening, blood-curdling shriek.

Everyone looked over in horror. On the Rock Armor Iron Lizard’s head, a crimson gash was spewing blood like a fountain, showering the area in a rain of red.

In the midst of the downpour of blood, Yi Xiaoyao elegantly sheathed his sword, his eyes holding a trace of surprise.

’Worthy of a second-rank, high-grade Demon Beast. Its defense is incredible. My full-power strike only left a wound this small.’

Yi Xiaoyao muttered to himself. If this had been a second-rank, mid-grade Demon Beast, his sword strike would have already split it in two.

However, while the wound on the Rock Armor Iron Lizard wasn’t fatal, the massive amount of Sword Qi that Yi Xiaoyao subsequently unleashed penetrated the gash, completely ending the Demon Beast’s life.

THUD.

Seeing Yi Xiaoyao slay the Rock Armor Iron Lizard, and then hearing his words of dissatisfaction with his own performance, Zhou Yan and his team members let their weapons drop from their hands. The expressions on their faces were truly a sight to behold.

.....