C22 He Was Born a Genius..

"Damn it! How can there be so many Death Bell Beetles?"

"They're everywhere!"

"Where the heck did they all come from?"

"I can't run anymore..."

"Quit your yapping and move! Do you want to die?"

Cries of panic echoed one after another.

The adventurers sprinted desperately for their lives, chased by an unending, dense swarm of insects that resembled a surging tide.

"Is this the worm tide?"

Xie Yang inhaled sharply. Regaining his composure, he wasted no time in turning on his heel and bolting.

Over ten thousand insects bore down on them.

An elephant could be overwhelmed by a swarm of ants, and Xie Yang had no illusions about his chances against tens of thousands of Death Bell Beetles.

The insects advanced with overwhelming force.

Other adventurers in the canyon sensed the danger and scrambled towards the exit in terror.

But upon reaching the entrance, they were horrified to find it teeming with Death Bell Beetles, completely blocked.

"What do we do now?"

"Think fast! We need to find a way out before the worm tide catches up!"

"Break through! Let's go for it!"

"That's not going to work. With this many Death Bell Beetles, we won't make it out in time. We'll be doomed if the insects surround us!"

"What else can we do, then? We can't just sit here and wait to die!"

Amidst the chaos, the adventurers began to argue, many wearing expressions of utter despair.

"Xie Yang!"

He heard his name called out and turned to see Kong Qian, Tung Yaying, and others approaching.

Their faces were ashen; they too were at a loss in the face of the dire situation.

The area was teeming with adventurers, yet the majority were merely apprentice Beastmasters, ill-equipped to combat such an immense worm tide.

Their only hope was to endure until help arrived.

Many adventurers were equipped with battle recorders, capable of sending live footage to the Beastmaster Association.

The Association was likely already aware of the unfolding crisis.

Rescue teams were probably en route.

The worm tide was formidable, but with a few silver-ranked Beastmasters dispatched by the Association, managing these insects shouldn't be too difficult.

The only condition was that the adventurers could last until help arrived.

Xie Yang squinted, scanning the surroundings. His eyes suddenly sharpened.

Pointing towards the rear, he declared, "We make our stand there!"

Kong Qian and the others looked to where Xie Yang pointed—a concave rock wall about a hundred meters away.

Their eyes brightened.

The spot had a single entrance with no other openings. They would only need to fend off attacks from one direction. It was an ideal location to hold off the worm tide.

Kong Qian and his companions felt a wave of embarrassment.

They were seasoned adventurers, yet in the face of danger, their composure paled in comparison to that of a student. The realization was a bitter pill to swallow.

With the situation dire, there was no time for second-guessing. They sprinted towards the location, calling out to the others as they went.

In no time,

all the adventurers had spotted the recessed area.

Like drowning victims clutching at a lifeline, they all scrambled towards it.

Luckily, the depression was spacious enough to fit all the adventurers.

Still, the scene was somewhat chaotic.

The worm tide had closed in to within five hundred meters, and they hadn't yet formed an effective defense. That's when a man stepped forward, unable to contain himself any longer.

"Don't panic! Stay calm!"

"Listen up! Position your pet beasts at the front!"

"Tank-type pets on the outer edge, melee types next. Ranged attackers in the rear!"

"Hurry!"

The voice belonged to Hardie, a well-known bronze-level Beastmaster in Lakeshell's adventurer community.

His stature and rank were pivotal in that moment.

Amidst their frenzy, many adventurers instinctively followed his commands.

Shortly thereafter,

a rudimentary defensive line was hastily assembled.

The next moment,

the dark wave of the worm tide surged forward, slamming into the defense like a tidal wave.

A fierce melee broke out in the blink of an eye.

The pet beasts on the front lines were torn apart by the worm tide almost instantly.

Their sacrifice claimed the lives of hundreds of Death Bell Beetles.

In a flash, a ferocious battle unfolded.

The pets of the adventurers brave enough to venture into Knell Valley were predominantly second rank.

Their individual power significantly surpassed that of the Death Bell Beetles.

In terms of sheer numbers, they were vastly outnumbered by the swarm of Death Bell Beetles.

The beetles were at least a hundredfold more numerous than the pet beasts.

Thankfully, the terrain prevented the Death Bell Beetles from capitalizing on their numerical superiority.

Thus, the pet beasts managed to hold their ground for the moment.

Among all the adventurers, Hardie's performance shone the brightest.

His pet, a Giant Rock Monster, was an Earth Attribute Pet of the third rank, ninth layer.

Composed entirely of tough granite, it possessed immense strength, capable of taking down over ten Death Bell Beetles with a single punch.

In just a brief span, the Giant Rock Monster had dispatched over a hundred beetles.

"A Bronze Beastmaster truly is formidable," Xie Yang silently commended. He then shifted his focus back to the immediate battle.

Xie Yang was less concerned than his fellow adventurers about the unfolding chaos.

In fact, he was rather thrilled by it.

This was an excellent chance for him to achieve the Ferocious Beast Killing Achievement.

With numerous pet beasts shielding the Ice Crystal Soul, it could safely release its skills from behind them.

By achieving the Ferocious Beast Killing Achievement, he could simultaneously earn the Pet Skill Achievement.

Two achievements with one action.

"No, I could actually accomplish three things at once. I can seize this chance to earn the Soul Technique Achievement as well."

Xie Yang extended his palm, and a surge of silver-gray Soul Power roared out, striking the thick of the Death Bell Beetles.

The ensuing shockwave erupted violently, sweeping across the area.

The beetles nearby were shredded before they could even mount a defense.

Without pause, Xie Yang continued to unleash Soul Power Impacts.

After ten consecutive blasts, he ceased his assault.

He had slain nearly a hundred Death Bell Beetles.

Despite the tumult of the battle, his actions caught the attention of many adventurers.

"He's unleashed Soul Power Impact so many times!"

"How vast is his reserve of Soul Power?"

"He's nearly matching a Bronze Beastmaster in strength!"

"Who is that guy? He looks so young; I've never seen him before."

A multitude of astonished eyes turned toward Xie Yang.

Even Hardie gave him a look of surprise.

If a Bronze Beastmaster had been the one unleashing consecutive Soul Power Impacts, it wouldn't have raised too many eyebrows.

But for someone who appeared to be under twenty to do so, that was truly baffling.

For a while, many began to speculate about Xie Yang's true identity.

Even Kong Qian and the others, who were well aware of Xie Yang's formidable abilities, were taken aback.

"His pet and Soul Technique are impressive, but his Soul Power is absolutely astounding. It's just too incredible!"

Moo Zhen's eyes were wide as he whispered in amazement.

Kong Qian responded, "That's why he's known as a prodigy."