Chapter 371 - 368: Demon Hunting
"They're Horned Demon Wolves."
Li Feng said in a low voice.
These Demons evolve from wolves and are quite common in Qingyang County.
The three Demon Wolves sensed the humans approaching and raised their heads at the same time, their eerie green eyes locking onto Fang Han's group of six.
They bared their mouths, revealing ghastly white fangs, and a low growl rumbled in their throats. It was clear they felt threatened and were issuing a warning.
"I'll take the biggest one."
Li Feng was the first to speak, his hand already resting on the hilt of his saber.
"The one on the right is mine."
Yun Qianyue's cool voice rang out.
"Then I'll handle the one on the left."
A slight smile touched the corners of Lin Xiao's mouth, and the slender longsword at his waist silently slid three inches from its scabbard.
Shi Hu and Liu Qing didn't vie for a target. The auras of these three Demon Wolves weren't particularly strong. With the strength of Yun Qianyue, Li Feng, and Lin Xiao, handling them would be more than enough.
Fang Han had even less intention of making a move.
Demons of this level weren't even worthy of him drawing his sword.
"Go."
Li Feng let out a low shout, his figure shooting forward like an arrow released from a bowstring.
A flash of his saber's light went straight for the largest Demon Wolf.
The Demon Wolf reacted with extreme speed. Kicking off with its hind legs, its massive body leaped to the side. At the same time, it opened its gaping maw, and a dark red light began to gather in its throat.
SHIING!
But the flash of the saber was faster than its reaction.
Li Feng's long saber traced a strange arc through the air, forcefully striking the Demon Wolf's midsection at the very instant it leaped.
SQUELCH—!
Blood sprayed into the air.
The Demon Wolf let out a piercing shriek. Its massive body fell from mid-air and tumbled a few times on the ground before falling silent.
Killed in a single blow.
At the same time, Yun Qianyue also moved.
She didn't use any fancy moves, just a simple, straightforward thrust of her sword.
The light from her sword was like water—gentle yet fierce. Though she moved second, her strike arrived first, aimed straight at the Demon Wolf's throat.
The Demon Wolf had just started to pounce when the tip of the sword reached it.
PFFT!
With a soft sound, the sword tip pierced its throat and was immediately withdrawn.
Blood gushed out. The Demon Wolf couldn't even let out a cry before it collapsed limply to the ground.
Lin Xiao, on the other hand, took a little more effort.
His Swordsmanship was known for its agility and speed. He exchanged several moves with the large, astonishingly strong Demon Wolf before finally thrusting his sword into its eye socket, killing it.
In no more than a dozen breaths, all three Demon Wolves were dead.
Fang Han nodded slightly. Although they were just ordinary Demons, the fact that the three of them could dispatch them so quickly was enough to show their considerable strength.
"Let's keep moving."
The Demons' corpses would be collected by the County Army's logistics unit following behind them. Fang Han's group of six set off again, heading to the next location where they sensed a Demon's aura.
Over the next half-day, they encountered several more waves of Demons.
None were very strong. The weakest was roughly equivalent to a Ninth Grade Martial Artist, while the strongest was only comparable to an Eighth Grade Martial Artist.
For Fang Han's group, these Demons couldn't even be called opponents.
The other five members of the group could easily slay them.
Fang Han didn't even unsheathe his sword, merely observing and providing backup.
As evening approached, the setting sun dyed the forest a warm, golden hue.
A few clear bird calls echoed from the distance—the prearranged signal for the Qingxuan Sect to assemble.
"Time to head back."
Fang Han determined the direction and led the other five toward the designated meeting point.
The meeting point was located in a hollow, sheltered from the wind.
The hollow wasn't large, but the ground was flat, the surrounding trees were sparse, and the view was open, making it a good place to set up camp.
By now, several other teams had already returned.
Several bonfires burned in the clearing, their leaping flames dispelling the forest's chill and dampness.
Some disciples were busy setting up simple tents, some were preparing dinner with the game they had hunted, and others sat around the bonfires, discussing the day's gains in low voices.
"Senior Brother Fang."
"Senior Brother Fang is back."
When Fang Han's group of six arrived, the disciples they passed all rose and bowed respectfully.
Fang Han gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.
His gaze swept across the camp, and he soon spotted the figures of Luo Yuntian, Kuang Tu, Chen Wuhen, and the others.
They had also returned and were sitting by their respective bonfires, either chatting or eating.
"Let's go get a tent and find a spot to set it up."
Fang Han said to the five behind him.
All the necessary supplies for setting up tents had already been delivered here by the County Army. They just needed to collect a set and pitch it.
Fang Han's group of six collected a tent and got to work.
Soon, the tent was pitched and a bonfire was lit.
Shi Hu had hunted a muntjac deer from somewhere. He skinned and cleaned it, then set it up to roast over the bonfire.
He sprinkled on some seasoning, and before long, the fragrant aroma of roasting meat filled the air.
The six of them sat around the bonfire, eating the greasy, golden-brown muntjac meat and washing it down with fresh water. It was quite pleasant.
Night fell, and the noise in the camp gradually died down.
Aside from the disciples on night watch, most people had retired to their tents to rest.
"Senior Brother Fang, Vice Hall Master Chen requests your presence."
The sound of soft footsteps came from outside the tent where Fang Han's group was.
"I understand."
Fang Han stood up, walked out of the tent, and headed toward Chen Wanjun's tent.
The other team leaders did the same, and soon, everyone was gathered inside the tent.
"The Demons on the periphery are mostly weak; even ordinary disciples can handle them with ease. But tomorrow will be different."
Chen Wanjun's gaze swept over Fang Han and the twenty-odd other team leaders, his expression solemn.
"As we go deeper, we may encounter Demons comparable to Martial Artists of the Middle Three Grades. Tomorrow, you must all be cautious and careful."
"Yes, sir."
Everyone's expression turned grim, and they all nodded.
Chen Wanjun gave a few more instructions, then waved his hand to dismiss them.
Fang Han returned to his tent, sat down cross-legged, closed his eyes to focus his mind, and began his meditation and Cultivation by circulating the Profound Wind Technique.
As the night deepened, the camp returned to silence.
Only the occasional cry of a night bird and the faint roars of beasts from the distant mountain forest broke the tranquility of the night.
The next day, the sky had just begun to lighten.
The mist in the forest had not yet dissipated, but the camp was already bustling with activity.
The various teams packed their gear, ate a simple breakfast, and began to leave the camp one after another, heading deeper into the Cloud Mist Mountain Range.
Fang Han's group of six maintained yesterday's formation, spreading out in a fan shape with about a hundred meters between each person as they slowly advanced.
In the early morning forest, the air was exceptionally fresh.
The sweet scent of grass and trees mixed with the dampness of the earth was invigorating.
After walking for about an hour, the mist gradually dispersed, and sunlight filtered through the dense layers of leaves, casting mottled shadows on the ground.
'Spirit Smelling Technique.'
Fang Han fully activated his Great Success level Spirit Smelling Technique.
He could clearly sense the auras of various Demons.
They were sinister and strange, each carrying a different level of oppressive presence.
There were more of them than yesterday, and the intensity of some of the auras was clearly stronger than before.
Just as Chen Wanjun had said, the Demons they would encounter from now on would be noticeably stronger.
"Be careful."
Fang Han spoke, his steady voice reaching the ears of the other five.
"The Demons we encounter from now on will all be quite strong."
The five of them tensed up, all raising their guard to the fullest.
They continued forward.
Before long, a rustling sound came from ahead.
Immediately after, a massive black shadow burst out from the bushes with a whoosh of wind, lunging straight for Li Feng on the flank.
It was an enormous black bear.
But unlike an ordinary black bear, this one was several times larger. It stood a full ten feet tall at the shoulder, like a small, moving mountain.
Its fur was as black as ink, but its eyes glowed with an eerie blood-red light. In its open mouth, its fangs were about a foot long, glinting with a cold light.
Most eye-catching were its paws—they were larger than large fans, and from its fingertips grew claws about a foot long. The tips of the claws were dark red and faintly shimmered with light.
"It's a Bear Demon!"
Li Feng shouted, unsheathed his long saber, and slashed out.
The flash of his saber was like a bolt of white silk, striking viciously at the Bear Demon's shoulder.
SQUELCH—!
This slash from Li Feng, which yesterday would have been enough to cut a Demon Wolf in two, now only managed to leave a single gash on the Bear Demon.
This was enough to show the Bear Demon's formidable defense.
The Bear Demon roared in pain, a deafening sound, and its massive body suddenly charged forward. It swung both paws, bringing them down on Li Feng with the force to shatter stone.
Li Feng's expression changed slightly. He spun around, narrowly avoiding the attack.
BANG—!
The paws slammed into the ground, making it tremble. Dirt flew everywhere, leaving two deep Palm Seals.
SQUELCH—
Seizing the opportunity, Li Feng closed in on the Bear Demon and slashed viciously with his long saber, opening another long gash on its body.
The Bear Demon attacked in a fury, but he dodged it again.
After a brief exchange, he finally slew the Bear Demon.
For the next hour, Fang Han's group of six spread out and each fought their own battles with Demons.
Fang Han encountered a total of three Demons.
One was a Demon that resembled a giant lizard, with thick, tough skin and the ability to spit corrosive venom from its mouth.
Another was a massive wild boar with tusks like spears, which charged like a living battering ram.
And the last was a giant, snow-white python, as fast as lightning, that could breathe out a frigid mist.
Each Demon was quite powerful, but against Fang Han's sword, they all fell in a single strike.
After slaying the Python Demon, Fang Han was about to press on.
Suddenly, he paused.
About a hundred zhang to his side, the sounds of an intense battle rang out.
The roar of a Demon and the explosive sound of Qi Force mingled together, creating quite a commotion.
'One of the team members has run into a particularly strong Demon.'
Fang Han's gaze narrowed.
Judging by the sounds, that Demon was powerful—far stronger than any they had encountered before.
'I should go check it out.'
Fang Han's figure blurred. He executed the Wind and Cloud Escape, transforming into a streak of pale green light as he sped toward the source of the commotion.
As the team leader, he had a responsibility to ensure his team members' safety.
If a team was truly in danger, he had to provide support in time.
Passing through a dense patch of woods, the scene ahead came into view: a relatively open clearing in the forest.
In the center of the clearing, a slender figure was fighting a massive Demon.
The figure was dressed in pale green martial attire, with a graceful posture and a purple veil covering her face. It was Yun Qianyue.
And the Demon she was fighting was a huge, ox-like creature.
The Ox Demon was several times the size of an ordinary water buffalo. It was over ten feet tall at the shoulder, and its blackish-green hide had a metallic sheen.
On its head was a pair of enormous horns, dark gold in color. Their tips were as sharp as spears, and faint, rune-like light flowed along their surface.
The most shocking thing was its power.
With every charge, its hooves striking the ground caused it to tremble violently, leaving deep prints behind.
With every toss of its head, its huge horns would whistle through the air, smashing and splintering the surrounding trees.