C11 A Newbie Team Would Not Wait for the Big Boss's Outcome

"Don't just stand there, get moving! Xiaoming, take the left flank, and Xiao Qin, the right. Stick to the plan."

With the strategy laid out, he surged forward in pursuit of the demon beast. Sword flight was impractical in the dense forest, so the cultivators had to leap and dash through the trees like ninjas.

Xiaoming watched the quintet hunt in a manner reminiscent of early humans and shook his head in resignation.

Suddenly, a bizarre ripple emanated from beneath his feet, causing the scenery to shift as if refreshing in blocks, with new segments replacing the old.

An Earthly Immortal witnessing this would be astounded. This mere Qi Cultivator had mastered Spatial Shift, a skill beyond their grasp.

"Time to show you primitives the art of scientific hunting."

With unruffled composure, Xiaoming retrieved a rune array emblazoned with lightning symbols from his wristwatch and set it upon the ground. The compact, ring-shaped array rapidly expanded into an electrified web.

Attuned to the tremors around him, Xiaoming lightly tapped his foot and ascended to a tree branch, drawing a pair of unfamiliar sabers as he did so.

As the dust cloud approached the designated spot, Xiaoming crouched on the branch, sabers honed and ready to deliver a perfect strike to the unsuspecting creature.

"Hunting is all about the ritual." Inhaling deeply, Xiaoming's eyes slowly closed as he awaited the beast's misstep.

The moment the demon beast triggered the trap, Xiaoming descended in a whirl, spinning through the air.

To his surprise, the beast, unfazed by the trap, picked up speed and bolted, leaving Xiaoming's spinning attack to cut through empty air.

"Immune to lightning? Fascinating. A Four-eyed Dragon Leopard with a thunder attribute mutation."

It dawned on Xiaoming why this beast was so coveted. Defying their sect's edicts and traversing great distances, these cultivators wouldn't forsake the chase. A beast with such a rare mutation was a once-in-a-lifetime find.

The method for refining this beast's soul was imparted to the cultivators by a time-traveler, whose mind had been squeezed by a door decades ago. This knowledge led to the mass slaughter of demonic beasts throughout the Wilderness.

The energy of an ordinary demonic beast's soul is impure and can only be infused into weapons, unlocking at most sixty percent of the beast's strength. Moreover, once a cultivator's realm advances, the soul must be replaced, which is quite a hassle.

However, this mutant demonic beast is exceptional. It can unleash its full potential and be cultivated within the Dantian, transforming into a lifelong beast soul that grows in tandem with the cultivator's realm.

Naturally, mainstream cultivators such as swordsmen have no use for such things, and neither do the body cultivators of sects like the Puppet Sect. It's the more eclectic cultivators who resort to these unconventional methods.

Xiaoming is no different. Despite the potential for growth, such a beast soul is of no use to his mechanical body. Nevertheless, driven by the principle of not aiding the enemy, Xiaoming is determined to secure the beast soul for himself, even if it means letting it gather dust in a corner rather than falling into the hands of other cultivators.

As he was about to give chase, Qu Ke, who was hot on his heels, inadvertently triggered a trap and was sent sprawling to the ground. Xiaoming glanced at Qu Ke writhing on the ground, feeling the urge to kill rising within him, but he restrained himself.

If these cultivators were to perish here, the investigative prowess of their peers would lead them to the House of Golden Virtue within days. Then, even if they managed to fend off the attackers, they would be forced to relocate their operations.

Xiaoming withdrew the blade he was poised to strike with and kicked away the trap he had set. Ignoring the incapacitated cultivator at his feet, he rolled up his sleeves and transformed his wristwatch into a hand crossbow. Launching a bone-spur hook into a tree, he swung through the trees in pursuit of the demonic beast, much like Spider-Man.

Meanwhile, Qu Ke, having recovered from the paralysis, chose not to chase the beast. Instead, he retrieved the rune array he had kicked aside and stowed it in his storage ring. Admiring the rune array within, Qu Ke's excitement was tinged with a newfound wariness of Xiaoming's identity.

The craftsmanship of the rune array was so intricate that it was a rarity on the black market, fetching exorbitant prices. Given Qu Ke's financial resources, casually discarding such an item was unthinkable, and he certainly didn't have the audacity to do so.

Moreover, once the rune array was recharged, it could be utilized again. Qu Ke had indeed stumbled upon a stroke of luck this time. Even though the demon beast had escaped, the array itself was a significant find.

The thought of using the rune array to secure a high rank in the sect competition brought a wide grin to Qu Ke's face, his boisterous laughter startling the resting birds in the forest.

Meanwhile, two female cultivators were swiftly closing in on the Four-eyed Dragon Leopard.

Despite the initial gap, the Four-eyed Dragon Leopard was not built for long-distance pursuits. Its explosive speed came at the cost of stamina.

Catching up to the beast was inevitable for the two women.

At that moment, they noticed the lightning on the Four-eyed Dragon Leopard's body fading, its speed plummeting dramatically.

The female cultivators, seeing this, were elated. One of them unleashed her full Zhen Yuan, surging forward to the left of the leopard, her sword enveloped in intense cold, aiming for the leopard's waist.

Caught off-guard, the leopard's body flickered with faint lightning, and the sword was repelled as if by a magnetic force, sending the cultivator flying backward.

The cultivator executed a backflip and landed gracefully on a tree, while the leopard's previously grazed side was rapidly encased in spreading white frost.

The piercing cold qi wreaked havoc within the leopard, causing searing pain with every movement. Left with no choice, the leopard halted to expel the cold with its Zhen Yuan.

"Now's the time, Senior Sister!"

Perched on a tree limb, Shu Er called out. Prompted by her call, the shorter female cultivator leaped into action, her four varying-length swords ablaze with a crimson glow, targeting the frost-covered waist of the leopard.

Though the swords were deflected, the rich fire-attribute Zhen Yuan had penetrated the beast's body. The contrasting temperatures caused the scales on its waist to burst apart as if ice water had been poured into a boiling oil pan.

This precise and calculated method of attack was a clear indication of their extensive research and preparation for the hunt.

Under the chilling aura's influence, the Dragon Leopard's reactions grew increasingly sluggish. The two women danced around its lethal claws and fangs like butterflies flitting through flowers. Their movements, while elaborate, struck vital points with precision.

When they chose to engage, they maintained their distance. When they opted to flee, they employed the cold qi to slow their foe. The damage inflicted was minimal, but it was enough to wear down the beast gradually, like a frog being boiled alive.

Despite the Dragon Leopard's limited sentience, it was acutely aware that it would surely perish if this attrition continued. It had no choice but to fight with all its might.

It focused its qi and blood, consolidating and igniting it.

The Dragon Leopard's eyes glowed a fierce blood red, and red qi seeped from the gaps in its scales. Small wounds healed over rapidly, and its slender frame swelled in size.

The two women inadvertently breathed in some of the blood qi, which sent them into a frenzy. They attacked everything in sight with wild abandon, inadvertently granting the Dragon Leopard the chance to undergo its transformation.

With a roar that could tear through eardrums, the two women snapped out of their trance. Before regaining their footing, Xiao Qin, the shorter of the two, was knocked aside by a swipe of the tail, while the taller one was sent flying by a powerful blow from the creature's massive paw.

Their inscribed magical robes were reduced to tatters under the immense force, and Xiao Qin's body traced a long arc of blood through the air. The tide of battle had turned in an instant.

"Cough! Cough!" Xiao Qin, weakened, slumped against a tree root, coughing up blood. Her left hand clutched her profusely bleeding abdomen. Desperation filled her as she saw the Dragon Leopard advancing toward her.

"Get away! Get away! Senior Sister, save me! Don't come any closer! Get away!"

She frantically waved her treasured sword, trying to fend off the approaching Dragon Leopard. The usually proud and poised Xiao Qin now appeared disheveled and terrified, like a mortal shocked beyond composure, helpless and despairing.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The weakened Dragon Leopard, exuding an oppressive aura, slowly closed in on Xiao Qin, whose eyes were wide with terror. Each of its heavy steps resonated like a drumbeat against her chest.

She wasn't ready to die. She hadn't yet united with Wu Ke as Dao partners. The thought of perishing at the jaws of a demonic beast was something she could not accept.

Gazing down upon Xiao Qin's expression of despair and defiance, the disheveled Dragon Leopard couldn't help but show a gleam of pleasure. The die was cast. The moment had come to savor a well-deserved feast. By consuming the cultivator before it, the Dragon Leopard knew the adverse effects of igniting its blood energy would be alleviated.