C35 The Leader
"Exactly, Bi Yu is the only one among us with the capability for long-range attacks."
He had just remembered, yet he inquired, "These Man-eating Flowers emit toxic powder. Do you feel confident handling them?"
"Don't worry. There won't be any issues. I'll put the Man-eating Flowers to sleep, and then the rest can move in for the attack," Bi Yu assured with confidence.
"Fantastic!" Qiang Nantie had never witnessed Bi Yu in action, so her true strength remained a mystery to him.
"My Lord, we have a formidable resistance to the toxin of the Man-eating Flowers. There's no need for concern," Le Cili assured as she stepped forward.
As Vine Demons, part of the plant family, they naturally possessed a significant resistance to the Man-eating Flowers' poisonous dust.
"Everyone, follow my lead. Once Bi Yu's spell takes effect, we'll concentrate our assault on the Man-eating Flowers," commanded Qiang Nantie.
"Understood!"
Bi Yu took her position at the forefront, wielding the Holy Spirit Staff, and projected a surge of mental strength over the Man-eating Flowers.
The once restless Man-eating Flowers now lay still, as if lulled into slumber.
"Now, attack!" Qiang Nantie commanded.
"Roger that!" Ruan Shijia brandished his Long Spear and charged.
"Brothers and sisters, join me in the fray!" Le Cili called out, drawing her Demon Blade and darting toward the Man-eating Flowers.
But Huamo was quicker still. With lotus-like illusions trailing her, she dashed forward, her sword ready to strike. A Man-eating Flower was cleaved in two with a swift swing of her blade.
Huamo vanquished a Level 10 Elite Man-eating Flower, earning an extra 30 Soul Coins as a reward.
In the thick of battle, Huamo was a veritable goddess of war. With each sword stroke, another Man-eating Flower fell. Her speed and power were unmatched, and soon, the ground was strewn with the carcasses of Man-eating Flowers and scattered treasure chests.
Bi Yu, too, advanced, unleashing her mental attacks on the remaining Man-eating Flowers.
Her sleep-inducing spell was incredibly potent, affecting a wide area.
Qiang Nantie couldn't help but ponder the dire consequences if Bi Yu were an adversary.
With Le Cili and the others joining the fight, their monster-slaying efficiency soared. Each Man-eating Flower slain brought in a bounty of Soul Coins, much to Qiang Nantie's delight.
"What's this?"
Qiang Nantie scooped up the loot that burst forth from the Man-eating Flower, which included a treasure chest and another intriguing item.
Item: Man-eating Flower Poison Powder
Quality: E
Description: This poison powder from the Man-eating Flower boasts limitless applications.
As Qiang Nantie pondered the poison powder, several uses sprang to mind.
He could coat his weapon with the powder, infusing his attacks with its toxic properties.
Alternatively, he could employ the powder against formidable creatures, ensuring they succumb to its venom.
Or, he might incorporate the powder into his alchemy, crafting potent poison pills.
Qiang Nantie pocketed the powder.
The area was overrun with Man-eating Flowers; without Bi Yu's magic, they would have struggled to eradicate them.
"Lord, there's a big one over there," Bi Yu said, pointing.
"Let's have a look."
Qiang Nantie followed her gaze and sure enough, a formidable creature loomed.
Monster: Man-eating Flower
Quality: Leader
Level: 11
Special Abilities: Poison Powder, Poison Thorns, Poison Vines
Description: It's a bristling mass of deadly spikes. Don't let it catch you, or you might end up its next meal.
"A Level 11 monster!" This was their first encounter with a creature beyond Level 10, and it looked like a tough opponent.
"Bi Yu, if I boost your level, do you think you can put it to sleep?" Qiang Nantie inquired.
Bi Yu's slumber spell was exceptionally potent, a veritable weapon of destruction. If she could ensnare the Leader in a deep sleep, they would gain a significant advantage.
"My mental confusion should take effect, but I can't promise it won't wake up. A one-hit kill would be ideal," Bi Yu advised.
"No problem. I'll also upgrade Huamo. Together, you'll have no trouble taking down this Leader."
Qiang Nantie had his strategy.
Soul Coins -700, Hero Huamo's level ascended from Level 6 to Level 7.
Soul Coins -800, Hero Huamo advanced from Level 7 to Level 8.
Soul Coins -900, Hero Huamo's level climbed from Level 8 to Level 9.
Soul Coins -700, Hero Bi Yu leveled up from 6 to 7.
Soul Coins -800, Hero Bi Yu advanced from Level 7 to 8.
Soul Coins -900, Hero Bi Yu's level increased from 8 to 9.
Both Huamo and Bi Yu reached Level 9. Though he was out of Soul Coins to further their progression, their attributes at this level were more than sufficient to take down the Leader of the Man-eating Flowers.
"Huamo, team up with Bi Yu to take out that Leader! The rest of you, watch out for the Man-eating Flowers surrounding it," Qiang Nantie instructed.
"Got it!"
The group charged the Leader, swiftly eliminating the Man-eating Flowers in their path.
The Leader seemed poised to strike, yet it held back as no one came close. It was biding its time, waiting for the right moment.
Then, a surge of potent spiritual magic enveloped the Leader, trapping it in an illusion. Its vines wilted, succumbing to slumber.
"Now's our chance!" Qiang Nantie exclaimed.
Transforming into a whirlwind, Huamo's steps left a trail of lotus-like illusions. With a swift motion, her sword descended, unleashing a brilliant lotus glow aimed at the Man-eating Flower's vulnerability.
Her sword's keen edge effortlessly bisected the Man-eating Flower, and just like that, the Leader was vanquished.
The defeat of the Level 11 Man-eating Flower Leader yielded an extra reward of 440 Soul Coins, 440 spirit coins, and an Architecture Treasure Chest.
"Well done!"
The elite Heroes' teamwork resulted in the swift elimination of a Leader.
Qiang Nantie might have been overly cautious; Huamo and Bi Yu were top-tier Heroes, capable of defeating the Man-eating Flower on their own.
"The reward for defeating a Leader Level monster includes an Architecture Treasure Chest. If we could encounter a few more Leaders, that would be fantastic," Qiang Nantie mused with delight.
He was alone in his optimism.
Other Lords were too intimidated to venture beyond the Mist, much less confront a Leader.
He had been fortunate on this occasion; the monsters outside were relatively weak.
Others were less fortunate, facing Level 50 monsters at the edge of their Mist, leaving them shaking in fear.
And for some Lords, their territories were bordered by cliffs, leaving them to fend off swarms of airborne monsters.
Some individuals possessed territories situated atop the ocean, where they encountered a host of sea monsters.
Thankfully, during the initiation trials, aside from the creatures that actively assaulted the territories as part of the training regimen, the remaining monsters refrained from attacking.
