Elite Monster

All attributes dropped by 40%, and most importantly, the toxic attribute that had caused so much distress was temporarily eliminated. For Zhuge Xiang and the others, if they wanted to defeat this Two-Star Demonic Moth, this was currently their only chance.

The strong reaction between the Detoxification Pill and the toxins inside its body caused the Demonic Moth incomparable agony, making it difficult even to maintain flight. If they did not strike at this moment, then when?

Executing Ghost Step, Hua Nongying closed in like a ghost. Having fought Two-Star Demonic Beasts before, she naturally knew very well what she needed to do. The short saber in her hand shook out two blade flowers, heading straight for the Demonic Moth's two compound eyes.

Temporarily, the Demonic Moth was in agonizing pain, but that was only temporary. As long as its eyes were destroyed, at worst, even if it recovered, she and the others could still protect themselves.

The Mechanical Puppet was already destroyed. With a flick of Lu Yuling's hand, countless tiny yet tough threads coiled and wound toward the Demonic Moth. No matter what, even if these Ice Silks all shattered, as long as they could impact its movements even slightly, it was worth it.

As Clear Wave Palm unfolded, backed by Qi Cultivation Realm Fourth Layer cultivation, countless threads coiled in layer after layer over the Demonic Moth's powder wings. A single chopstick is easy to break, but a bundle of chopsticks held in one's hand is not so easily snapped—that was the principle. Dense threads, even against a Demonic Beast, meant that with its overall attributes dropped by 40%, the Demonic Moth could not shatter them in a short time. However, the sound of snapping threads was endless; judging by the look of it, within a mere few breaths, those Ice Silk threads would be completely torn apart.

Reflexively about to use its powder wings to block the short saber striking at its eyes, the powder wings were entangled by the Ice Silk at that very moment. A Two-Star Demonic Beast that had merely awakened its intelligence was not so easily dealt with. Since its powder wings were bound, it simply raised its head, spat out threads from its mouth, and swept them toward Hua Nongying.

Though the Two-Star Demonic Beast's threads no longer possessed poison, Hua Nongying still dared not let herself be entangled by them. Her expression shifted, her feet crossed, and she dodged the threads spewed from the Demonic Moth's mouth.

At the same time, Ji Wuxue's fierce sword light and Ling Wufeng's dazzling flying daggers arrived as well, all assaulting the Demonic Moth's eyes. Compared to the Demon Bear, this Demonic Moth was much harder to handle, given that its oral cavity served as a weak point that could spit out threads at a critical moment to block attacks.

This guy, even though it's only a Two-Star Demonic Beast, in terms of threat level, it's far stronger than that Demon Bear... Facing the Demonic Moth, this was the thought shared by everyone.

Sturdy physical defense, flight capability, toxic attributes, intelligence, plus the ability to spit threads from its oral cavity for long-range attacks—this capability simultaneously masked the existence of the oral cavity as a weak point. With so many elements combined, Ling Wufeng and the others reckoned that even if they were dealing with a Two-Star Medium-Grade Demon Bear, they would rather not face a Two-Star Low-Grade Demonic Moth.

Whoosh...

A fierce arrow beam flashed. Previously relying on the Breath Concealing Jade obtained from Lei Potian, Zhuge Xiang had caught the Demonic Moth off guard and tossed the Detoxification Pill into its mouth. At this moment, Zhuge Xiang once again relied on the Breath Concealing Jade, seized the chance to close in on the Demonic Moth, and the Hundred Refinements Bow once again fired a sharp arrow.

The Breath Concealing Jade was enough to let Zhuge Xiang sneak within five meters of the Demonic Moth without being discovered. At a distance of five meters, with an arrow whose range was a hundred meters, how fast would this shot be? At this distance, even with Lu Yuling's Clear Mind State, he believed she would only see an arrow beam flash and vanish.

With around 30 points of added attack, an extra 3 points of attack from the arrow, ignoring 30 points of defense, and the Demonic Moth's overall attributes simultaneously reduced by 40%, amidst shrill shrieks, this arrow from Zhuge Xiang pierced directly into one of the Demonic Moth's compound eyes. Crimson Qi energy carried a berserk aura, and the Demonic Moth's compound eye could be said to be completely destroyed.

"Success, there's still one eye left!" Seeing Zhuge Xiang succeed with a single arrow at the critical moment, Hua Nongying and the others beamed with great joy.

However, before Zhuge Xiang and the others could further expand their battle gains, the Ice Silk threads coiled around the Demonic Moth finally snapped completely. With its powder wings regaining freedom, the Demonic Moth fought through the excruciating pain brought by the violent reaction between the toxins in its body and the Detoxification Pill, and flew up in a wobbling motion.

Watching the Demonic Moth take flight, everyone instinctively grew vigilant. Injured, a demonic beast's ferocity could be stirred even more; clearly, this Demonic Moth was going to fight to the death.

However, just as everyone guarded against the Demonic Moth's upcoming storm of attacks, the Demonic Moth decisively turned around and flew toward the poison pool. It had actually run away...

A Two-Star Demonic Beast, facing a few human cultivators equivalent to One-Star Low-Grade demonic beasts, not only failed to have its ferocity stirred when injured, but instead fled? Such a situation left Hua Nongying and the others somewhat dazed and unable to whether to laugh or cry. Since this Demonic Moth had fled, then she and the others should be safe now, right?

Yet, with the battle reaching this stage, would Zhuge Xiang let this Demonic Moth escape? Wanting to slay it was the only chance; this represented massive experience, plus good things were bound to drop.

Besides, since the intelligent Demonic Moth knew to escape, once the effect of the Detoxification Pill wore off, would it launch another attack for revenge? By then, with its body wreathed in toxic qi once again and its overall attributes fully recovered, wanting to kill it would be impossible.

Seeing the Demonic Moth take flight, Zhuge Xiang surged forward, leaped high, and landed on the Demonic Moth's back. With the bonuses of Bloodthirsty Technique and Star Chasing Boots, Zhuge Xiang's speed was still very fast.

Explosive Steps!!!

Standing on the Demonic Moth's back, Zhuge Xiang directly unleashed the skill of Explosive Steps. Explosive Steps gathered Qi energy at the soles of the feet and burst it forth in one breath to gain instantaneous ultra-high-speed movement. The Qi energy expelled in this split second would even crack the bluestone floor beneath his feet, showing that its might was extraordinary. Standing on the Demonic Moth's back, Zhuge Xiang actually used the skill of Explosive Steps as an offensive technique.

The effect of the Detoxification Pill had already made it difficult even for the Demonic Moth to fly; a single Explosive Steps, with its instantaneously erupting Qi energy, caused it to let out another mournful cry and actually drop down.

Seeing Zhuge Xiang give chase, Lu Yuling and the others reacted swiftly and pursued as well. Compared to letting the demonic beast escape, being able to slay it meant true safety.

With a single bout of Explosive Steps, Zhuge Xiang appeared at the top of the cave chamber as if shifting instantaneously. Upside down with his head low and feet high, Zhuge Xiang gripped the Blood Refinement Saber tightly with both hands, channeling his Qi energy while holding it in reserve...

The speed of Explosive Steps caused Zhuge Xiang's feet to press against the ceiling of the chamber, bending his very ankles. Immediately, enduring the sharp pain in the meridians of the soles of his feet, he kicked off viciously, plunging down like a cannonball.

Not enough, still not enough...

Whistling wind brushed past his ears. Zhuge Xiang plummeted at high speed, his eyes locked tightly on the Demonic Moth below, which was being entangled by Lu Yuling and the others. The effect of the Breath Concealing Jade meant the Demonic Moth would only notice Zhuge Xiang once he entered a five-meter range. Sensing the infusion of Qi energy within the Blood Refinement Saber, the Qi buildup of Blood Thunder Slash was not yet finished.

With gravity acceleration combined with a ferocious leap, the speed at which Zhuge Xiang was now falling from the high altitude was extremely fast. His whole body was wreathed in blood-colored Qi energy with grim ghost faces. Finally, when he landed atop the Demonic Moth's head at the very nick of time, the Qi buildup of Blood Thunder Slash was finally complete.

The effect of the Breath Concealing Jade meant that by the time the Demonic Moth detected Zhuge Xiang above its head, it was already too late. Plummeting from the heights, the five-meter distance under that high speed was likewise exceedingly brief, coupled with the harassing attacks of Lu Yuling and the others. When the Demonic Moth discovered Zhuge Xiang closing in, it was utterly too late to dodge.

Crimson blade light accompanied a piercing wind-and-thunder sound. With both hands holding the hilt of the Blood Refinement Saber in a reverse grip, Zhuge Xiang landed on the Demonic Moth's head. The entire hilt of the Blood Refinement Saber had plunged completely through the Demonic Moth's eye and straight into its skull, leaving only the pommel exposed on the outside...

Kicking off with his feet, Zhuge Xiang gripped the Blood Refinement Saber in a reverse grip with both hands, executed a backflip in mid-air, and landed on the ground. As the Blood Refinement Saber was pulled out, it dragged out a streak of emerald-green liquid. The shrill shriek was extremely brief; the Demonic Moth sprawled beside the poison pool, its body twitching a few times before it stopped moving altogether...

Bloodthirsty Technique deactivated, and a wave of weakness surged over him. Kneeling on one knee, Zhuge Xiang's chest heaved like a bellows, panting like an ox. Killing this Demonic Moth was several times more exhausting than killing that Demon Bear. A Two-Star Demonic Beast truly was not so easily slain—whether it was the Demon Bear or this Demonic Moth, they were all the same.

Especially this Demonic Moth: if not for Zhuge Xiang's flash of insight inspiring him to toss the Detoxification Pill into its mouth, or if Zhuge Xiang hadn't accidentally dropped such a Detoxification Pill last time, or if he hadn't found the Breath Concealing Jade on Lei Potian's corpse allowing him to successfully toss the Detoxification Pill down unawares, regardless of what happened, Zhuge Xiang and the others would have had no possibility of surviving under the Demonic Moth's hands this time. Although they slew this Demonic Moth, such success could be said to be entirely unrepeatable.

Yet thankfully, no matter how dangerous or how reliant on luck, Zhuge Xiang and the others had ultimately successfully slain this immensely formidable Demonic Moth. Turning back to sigh over the Demonic Moth's might was not Zhuge Xiang's nature; he only knew that he had succeeded, and that was enough.

Ding! Slew Two-Star Low-Grade Elite Demonic Moth above your level. Gained 1,600 experience, obtained Piercing Arrow, obtained Wolf Fang Arrow Crafting Recipe, obtained Repair Oil.

As the Demonic Moth was slain, the system's mechanical prompt tone arrived on cue. An elite monster? Hearing this system prompt, Zhuge Xiang was slightly startled. That was right; even though they were both Two-Star Low-Grade ranks, this Demonic Moth's strength was several times that of the Demon Bear. It seemed this was the so-called elite monster, and even the experience was different—it was actually nearly twice that of the Demon Bear.

Moreover, along with the massive experience of 1,,600 points, it had actually dropped three items in one go. Judging by the looks of it, there was an archery skill book, an arrow manufacturing recipe, and finally, what was Repair Oil? Filled with curiosity, Zhuge Xiang took it out from his parcel space.

Repair Oil (Consumable): Can restore 30 durability points to any equipment.

"Phew, we've finally slain this Two-Star Demonic Beast. Now we can see what good things the owner of this cave left behind." Resting for a moment, Hua Nongying spoke with a look of anticipation on her face, her words also drawing everyone's attention. The Two-Star Demonic Beast had been slain, and the time for harvesting had arrived.

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