On Small Stone Island, a trace of anxiety showed on Qi Chan'er's pretty face.
At this moment, a Golden Ring-shaped Light Shadow spun ceaselessly around her in the surrounding air, moving at incredible speed. Strands of Golden Light shot forth from it, falling in every direction.
The moment the four Water Cloud Crocodiles around her came into contact with those Golden Lights, they immediately let out pained howls. Ferocious scales shattered, and blood seeped out.
Having suffered for it, the Water Cloud Crocodiles understood the power of those Golden Lights. When several more streaks of Golden Light came flying at them, they hurriedly began to dodge.
Yet while evading the Golden Lights, the Water Cloud Crocodiles did not abandon their encirclement of Qi Chan'er. They continued to stalk her from four different directions, ready to pounce at any moment. Their eyes gleamed with predatory intent, and foul-smelling saliva dripped from between their enormous teeth.
At the sight of this, the anxiety in Qi Chan'er's eyes deepened.
I need to think of a way. Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll be buried here this time. With my Spell Power, I can't keep activating the Golden Ring for much longer.
The Golden Ring-shaped Light Shadow flying around Qi Chan'er was a High-grade Magic Tool known as the "Golden Ring."
As the daughter of the Qi Family's Transmission Elder, Qi Chan'er had traveled far from Red Maple Valley to cultivate in the Wind Moon Sect. The Transmission Elder had expended considerable effort to give her such an excellent High-grade Magic Tool.
The Golden Ring was suited for both offense and defense. When used defensively, it flew around its wielder as it did now, releasing streams of Golden Spiritual Energy Light to repel enemies and protect the area around her.
In its offensive form, the Spiritual Energy Light it released became more condensed and more destructive, but its range was reduced. It was unsuitable for her current situation of being surrounded, because if any direction weakened, a Water Cloud Crocodile would surely pounce in and tear Qi Chan'er apart.
With such an excellent High-grade Magic Tool protecting her, and with her cultivation base at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer, Qi Chan'er's safety would not face much danger in the short term.
However, while defending against four demonic beasts of the same strength, even though the Golden Ring's Spell Power consumption was relatively low among High-grade Magic Tools, its actual drain on her Spell Power still made Qi Chan'er shudder.
At this rate, her Qi Refining Fourth Layer Spell Power could not possibly hold out for long.
By then, she would not even need to wait until her Spell Power was completely depleted. Once only a little remained, flaws would inevitably appear in the Golden Ring's defense. At that point, all would be lost.
Had I known this would happen, if only I had been more careful, I wouldn't have fallen into such a predicament.
As she held on, regret rose within Qi Chan'er's heart.
Ever since entering the Wind Moon Sect's Outer Sect, she had taken on a great number of Sect Missions over the past few months in order to quickly increase her strength, enter the Inner Sect, and surpass Qi Chuan.
During those months, she had come to this Black Swamp several times because of missions.
She knew this was originally a habitat for gregarious Water Cloud Crocodiles, yet for some unknown reason, their numbers had become exceedingly scarce.
Even when deliberately searching for them, it took some time to find one or two.
Not long ago, she had accepted a mission in the Outer Sect to come to this Black Swamp and search for a Spirit Herb called Black Profound Grass.
Black Profound Grass was likely even rarer in the Black Swamp than the Water Cloud Crocodiles still remaining here.
After searching for some time, Qi Chan'er had only harvested two stalks.
In order to find more Black Profound Grass, she decided to take some risks and ventured deeper into the Black Swamp.
Even in the deeper reaches of the Black Swamp, Water Cloud Crocodiles were few and scattered. Qi Chan'er had encountered no mishaps and had found a considerable amount of Black Profound Grass.
Not long ago, she discovered three stalks of Black Profound Grass on this Small Stone Island. Delighted, she entered the island to collect them.
But who could have expected that, through her carelessness, she had not thoroughly inspected the environment around Small Stone Island or eliminated possible dangers? Thus, disaster struck.
Four Water Cloud Crocodiles lurking in the Marsh Water Area around Small Stone Island, perhaps due to their innate habits, suddenly left the water and came onto the island. They came face-to-face with Qi Chan'er just after she had collected the Black Profound Grass, then launched a savage encirclement against her.
In truth, if Qi Chan'er had carefully inspected the waters around the stone island before entering, she should have discovered at least two or three Water Cloud Crocodiles and prepared herself, allowing her to escape before the danger came.
But reality had no "if." Thus, Qi Chan'er's heart was now filled with nothing but regret.
But regret was useless now. She could only find a way to resolve this crisis.
It seems I can only take a risk and break out of the encirclement.
Qi Chan'er looked at the four Water Cloud Crocodiles eyeing her like tigers watching prey, gritted her teeth, and a trace of resolve surfaced in her gaze.
In the present situation, the longer she held on, the less Spell Power she would have, and the more perilous her circumstances would become. Eventually, she would be driven into a dead end.
She might as well take advantage of the considerable Spell Power she still had, change the Golden Ring from its defensive form to its offensive form, unleash more condensed Spiritual Energy Golden Light, suddenly kill or severely injure one or two Water Cloud Crocodiles, then seize the opportunity to rush through the gap and flee without a trace.
However, this method of completely abandoning defense to focus solely on offense was immensely dangerous. A single misstep, an error in any part of the plan, could leave her severely injured and ultimately trapped here forever.
Yet with matters having reached this point, Qi Chan'er could only make this risky move.
Now!
Seeing the Golden Ring release several more streaks of Golden Light and temporarily force the two Water Cloud Crocodiles on her left back several steps, Qi Chan'er's beautiful eyes narrowed as she locked onto the two Water Cloud Crocodiles to her right.
At this moment, one of the two Water Cloud Crocodiles on her right was extremely close to her. If she suddenly changed the Golden Ring into its offensive form and launched a surprise attack, she would most likely severely injure it, creating a brief opening.
Unfortunately, the other Water Cloud Crocodile was farther away. Otherwise, if it had been as close as this one, then by disregarding her Spell Power and erupting with all her strength, she would have had a sliver of a chance to severely injure both Water Cloud Crocodiles at once and open a huge gap. That would have greatly increased her chances of escape. As things stood, the risk remained considerable.
Buzz!
The Golden Ring let out a resonant hum in the air and shifted from its defensive form into its offensive form. Clearly, Qi Chan'er had already acted.
At once, she felt her Spell Power rapidly drain away. Then, the Golden Ring released an incomparably condensed streak of Spiritual Energy Golden Light toward the Water Cloud Crocodile closest to her, moving even more terrifyingly fast than it had in defense.
Yet by sheer coincidence, that Water Cloud Crocodile happened to take a step back toward its right rear. Seeing the condensed Spiritual Energy Golden Light descending upon it and unable to evade, a trace of terror surfaced in its beast pupils.
At the sight of this, Qi Chan'er's heart skipped a beat as she inwardly cried, This is bad!
That movement naturally could not allow the Water Cloud Crocodile to evade the Golden Ring's condensed Spiritual Energy Golden Light, but in its unintentional movement, it had instinctively avoided its most vital weak point.
As a result, though she could still injure it, and the injury would not be light, it would not be a severe wound. It would still retain considerable mobility.
Then, that injured Water Cloud Crocodile would become even more frenzied. Together with the three unharmed Water Cloud Crocodiles in the other directions, her Golden Ring, now changed into its offensive form, would be even harder pressed to deal with them.
Even if she fought desperately and eventually killed one or two Water Cloud Crocodiles, she would still be unable to escape the fate of dying here.
Is this truly Heaven's will?
Before the Golden Ring's condensed Spiritual Energy Golden Light had even landed, bitterness had already appeared on Qi Chan'er's lips.
Boom!
At last, beneath Qi Chan'er's gaze, the streak of condensed Spiritual Energy Golden Light finally struck the Water Cloud Crocodile's body.
Roar...
The Water Cloud Crocodile immediately let out a pained howl.
Its flesh split open, its scales flipped back, and crimson blood poured down madly, a ghastly sight to behold.
Yet just as Qi Chan'er had expected, the Water Cloud Crocodile did not lose its ability to move. Instead, after howling, its eyes became veiled in bloodlust. Not only did it not flee, it lunged madly toward Qi Chan'er at even greater speed, as though it no longer cared whether it lived or died.
Clearly, it had entered a berserk state. Water Cloud Crocodiles in such a state were often even more devastating.
Roar...
At the same time, influenced by its berserk state, roars sounded from the other three directions. The Water Cloud Crocodiles in those directions also pounced at Qi Chan'er with even greater ferocity than before.
Seeing this, a thread of despair welled up in Qi Chan'er's heart. She could only hold the Golden Ring in its offensive form, her eyes resolute as she prepared to activate it and fight back to the death.
Sigh...
Yet at that moment, a sudden soft sigh entered Qi Chan'er's ears, startling her inwardly.
Swoosh.
Then came a faint sound of something tearing through the air. From the corner of her eye, Qi Chan'er saw two Crimson Fireballs larger than fists suddenly appear in the air not far away. Clusters of dim flames coiled around them, scorching the void as they plummeted at tremendous speed and smashed into the heads of the two Water Cloud Crocodiles before her.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
In an instant, flames surged and blazed brightly. Two masses of crimson fire exploded, directly swallowing the two Water Cloud Crocodiles. As terrifying heat erupted, Qi Chan'er immediately heard their two incomparably miserable shrieks.
Seeing this, Qi Chan'er's eyes widened in utter astonishment, and she was even more shocked within.
This is... the Fireball Technique at the Perfected Stage?
Before you continue