Ice Crystal Demonic Lion

Ice Crystal Demonic Lion

Xue Chengsong quietly finished reading the information and said, "There are also the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion's weaknesses. When it moves, the ice crystal magic around its body makes sounds, so it can be detected in advance. Covered in ice crystals, it is not particularly agile, but its running speed still exceeds ours. Escaping is impossible. At the same time, its ice-element power is not limitless. That Ice Crystal Demonic Lion just used ice-element demonic energy, so it very likely does not have much left. Ice Crystal Demonic Lions hate fire and heat. In areas that are not cold, they become violent..."

"The Ice Crystal Demonic Lion's Blood Circulation Stage hunting level is level two. Two Blood Circulation Stage experts are enough, but its Qi Nourishing Stage hunting level is level twelve. That means twelve experienced Qi Nourishing Stage veterans are needed to defeat it..."

"Fortunately, we have Demonic Bows, equivalent to five or six veterans..."

As they detoured, they discussed ways to deal with the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion.

Even after walking for fifteen minutes, they did not spot the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Speed up again. We have to get out of here."

Everyone accelerated once more.

"The Red Spot Leaf Forest is ahead. At most, if we run for another hour, we'll be safe..."

Jingle, jingle...

A sound like wind chimes rang out.

"Get down!" Everyone abruptly stopped and threw themselves into the grass.

Zhou Leng braced an arm against the ground and stared into the grass, but he could see nothing.

After quite a while, the chimes did not sound again.

"False alarm. You scared me to death," Ding Yan said.

"My legs nearly cramped up. If we really run into the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion, we can't outrun it. We can only fight as we retreat or risk our lives," Feng Wenhao said.

Xue Chengsong said quietly, "The Thermal Imager can't see it. Don't let your guard down. Keep moving slowly with your backs bent."

Everyone nodded and slowly moved forward.

Jingle, jingle, jingle...

The wind chimes suddenly rang out.

In the darkness, everyone stopped, looked at one another, and remained silent.

Jingle, jingle, jingle...

The sound suddenly drew closer.

Xue Chengsong gestured for everyone to remain spread out but not stray too far, then pointed at the Demonic Crossbows in Cao Jiajia's and Ding Yan's hands before pointing at the others. They were to distract the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion and ensure the magical crossbows struck it.

They had discussed this tactic earlier, and everyone nodded.

Jingle, jingle, jingle...

The wind chimes drew nearer.

The seven of them no longer harbored any wishful thinking.

Xue Chengsong held out three fingers, folded one down, then another, and suddenly swung his index finger.

Everyone scattered in all directions.

Roar...

A black lion covered from head to toe in frost descended from the sky, pouncing on the spot where they had just been.

"I'm sorry, I don't want to die!" After saying that, Ding Yan threw his Demonic Crossbow and arrow case to Xue Chengsong, discarded his backpack, gathered his true qi, and fled toward Pioneer Base like a shadow in the deep night.

The remaining six froze. Even the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion looked toward Ding Yan in confusion.

"The ice crystals on its body are damaged. It must have been wounded by the people before us. We still had the opportunity! Follow the tactic we discussed!" Zhou Leng barked, jolting the others awake.

After speaking, Zhou Leng grabbed a backpack in each hand to use as shields.

Zhou Leng wielded the backpacks, drawing the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion's attention.

The others began moving according to the previous plan.

Zhou Leng stood side by side with Cui Mingcong, while the other four stood behind them and slowly retreated.

Holding up his backpack, Cui Mingcong shouted, "We know Tong Tianxia! Do you know Tong Tianxia? He won't let you kill us!"

Everyone had nearly forgotten this matter.

The Ice Crystal Demonic Lion slowly advanced without any reaction.

Xue Chengsong said, "Looks like it truly can't understand. Jiajia, you and I will shoot when we find the right moment."

"Okay."

Zhou Leng and Cui Mingcong exchanged a glance and lightly nodded.

Cui Mingcong spat at the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion. Moving sideways, he cursed, "Fuck your grandfather! Come on!"

Zhou Leng shook his backpacks and sidestepped left.

The Ice Crystal Demonic Lion looked puzzled, but then it leaped high into the air and pounced at Cui Mingcong, who was making the most noise.

While the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion was in mid-air, Cui Mingcong gathered his true qi and shot more than ten meters away.

The instant the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion landed, one arrow and one bolt flew in at the same time.

At this distance, its huge body was a living target.

Pfft! Pfft!

The Demonic Arrow and bolt pierced through the ice armor and sank into the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion's body.

"Roar..."

The Ice Crystal Demonic Lion roared in pain and abruptly turned toward Cao Jiajia and Xue Chengsong. The two ran in opposite directions.

Blood stained the ice crystals red where it had been struck.

Cui Mingcong cursed again. The Ice Crystal Demonic Lion gave a low growl and stepped toward Xue Chengsong.

Zhou Leng circled behind the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion. After hesitating for an instant, he threw away his backpack, gathered his true qi, and unleashed Torrential Shorebreak, fiercely slamming his palm into the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion's rear before quickly dodging away.

Roar...

The Ice Crystal Demonic Lion sharply turned its head and glared at Zhou Leng. Then its fury faded, and a trace of confusion appeared in its eyes.

Pfft! Pfft!

Two more arrows struck with precision.

One was embedded directly in the male lion's neck.

Awooo!

The Ice Crystal Demonic Lion's eyes instantly turned bloodshot. Turning its head, it lunged straight for Cao Jiajia, who had shot it in the neck.

"Dodge! Keep it up! It can't hold on much longer, the arrows will keep bleeding it!"

The Ice Crystal Demonic Lion pounced at Cao Jiajia from mid-air, but Cao Jiajia's footwork was excellent. She immediately dodged aside and fled with her qi circulating.

The Ice Crystal Demonic Lion's attacks were ferocious, but the ice crystals all over its body limited its agility.

Like flies darting wildly about, they circled the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion. When the enemy advanced, they retreated; when the enemy retreated, they advanced, constantly harassing it.

Even Feng Wenhao was infected by their fervor. Shouting, he joined the battle, though he only dared attack from behind and the sides.

They tried to fight as they retreated, but the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion kept disrupting their pursuit.

Before long, all six had been clawed by the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion and were bleeding.

Zhou Leng's injuries were the lightest.

More than ten arrows were embedded in the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion's body. Each time it ran, blood seeped from its wounds. Even the cold aura around its body could not completely freeze them shut.

From beginning to end, the demonic lion had never retreated.

Xue Chengsong glanced at his clawed left shoulder, which was covered in white frost, and shouted, "Careful! Even if its ice-element power is exhausted, its claws retain ice-element aura that will freeze wounds stiff."

Zhou Leng lowered his head and glanced at the wound on his left arm.

For some reason, the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion had never attacked him with full force. The wounds on his body had all been accidental grazes, and they looked normal, without any signs of freezing stiff.

Zhou Leng did not dare let himself be distracted and continued focusing on the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion.

Cui Mingcong shouted, "No problem. We can endure this little frostbite. Look, the ground is covered in the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion's blood. It can't hold on much longer."

But Zhou Leng frowned slightly, because he vaguely sensed that although the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion had lost a great deal of blood, it did not seem as badly wounded as it appeared.

"Don't lower your guard," Zhou Leng said. "The book made it clear: even though low-level demons are not very intelligent, they possess powerful combat instincts. Demon Wolves flee when they discover they are at a disadvantage. The Ice Crystal Demonic Lion surely does too. If it isn't fleeing, it very likely has some other means."

"Mm, everyone be careful. Listen to Zhou Leng. He seems to know demons unusually well," Xue Chengsong said.

Feng Wenhao shouted, "Trust Zhou Leng at a time like this. After he was severely wounded by demons, he spent a lot of time studying demon knowledge."

"Okay!" Cui Mingcong said.

The Ice Crystal Demonic Lion's movements became increasingly inconvenient, and no new wounds appeared on the group.

After another moment, Cao Jiajia said, "Something is wrong. There's a problem with my true qi and blood vessels. A large area around my wound has gone numb, and I can't even draw my bow anymore. What about you?"

"Me too!"

At that moment, the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion stopped. The anger in its gaze was gone, replaced by a trace of indifference.

"This is bad... Look at the ground."

Everyone looked down. The Ice Crystal Demonic Lion's blood was scattered everywhere, like blackish-red blocks of ice that emitted faint white chill.

"My... my legs..." The tall Cui Mingcong suddenly swayed and fell to the ground. His legs were stiff, and he supported himself with both hands as he backed away.

A thin layer of white frost clung to his legs.

Zhou Leng said, "It should have used this blood and its own power to create a Frost Field."

"What a pity." Xue Chengsong's hands went limp, and his Demonic Crossbow fell to the ground.

Other than Zhou Leng, every team member completely lost the will to fight.

"Even my dantian has been affected by the cold aura. I can't run anymore." Cao Jiajia threw down her Demonic Bow, her face filled with deathly stillness.

Behind the bewildered gazes of these high school graduates, dense fear had gathered.

Suddenly, the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion swayed. Its arrow-struck left leg buckled, then it barely forced itself upright and swept its gaze over the six of them.

Covered in arrows, yet its imposing presence remained.

"Ah, I never expected to die here," Feng Wenhao sighed.

"As expected, we still underestimated demons, even though the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion is only a servant raised by demons."

"Awooo..."

The Ice Crystal Demonic Lion threw back its head and roared at the sky, as if proclaiming victory, then slowly walked toward the nearest Xue Chengsong.

Xue Chengsong closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

The Ice Crystal Demonic Lion opened its jaws, and faint cold air drifted out.

Suddenly, Zhou Leng rushed to the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion's side. His foot stamped the earth, his waist twisted, and his arm lashed like a whip. Strength and force fused as the Mysterious Tide True Qi he had brewed for so long surged completely into his right palm, striking downward.

The Ice Crystal Demonic Lion hurriedly twisted its head.

Zhou Leng's right hand was like a towering mountain, crashing down upon the back of the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion's head.

Wave Palm, Heaven Island Falls to Sea.

Bang!

The ice crystals on the back of the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion's head exploded. Its head tilted, its body toppled, and its skull struck the ground.

The Ice Crystal Demonic Lion roared and tried to roll over and rise.

Bang!

The second Heaven Island Falls to Sea descended.

The ice crystals on the back of the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion's head collapsed, and Zhou Leng's hand struck solidly against its skull.

The Ice Crystal Demonic Lion's head was smashed into the ground, yet it still struggled. Zhou Leng swung his arm. Like a long-armed ape, a black shadow flashed, and another palm came down!

Bang!

Zhou Leng circulated his Mysterious Tide True Qi, stacking layer upon layer. Each palm was fiercer than the last, each palm faster than the last.

Bang! Bang! Bang...

Blood flowed from the Ice Crystal Demonic Lion's seven orifices.

Smack...

The fourteenth palm descended. The Ice Crystal Demonic Lion's skull split apart, exposing brain matter.

Zhou Leng changed his palm into a fist and smashed three punches into the brain matter.

Brain matter splattered.

Zhou Leng stood there gasping for breath. His body swayed, and his right foot retreated half a step to support himself.

The Ice Crystal Demonic Lion did not move.

Zhou Leng breathed a long sigh of relief and shook the brain matter from his hand.

"Huff..."

The five others stared blankly at Zhou Leng, still unable to understand what had happened.

"It's dead?" Xue Chengsong asked.

"Dead," Zhou Leng said.

"How did it die?"

"I slapped it to death, one palm at a time," Zhou Leng said.

Xue Chengsong blanked for a moment, then said with a laugh that was neither laughter nor tears, "I'm asking why you're fine. How could you still use such a fierce palm technique at the end?"

Zhou Leng glanced at the frozen ground and said, "Let's get out of here first."

Zhou Leng dragged his five teammates out of the frozen area, and their bodies gradually recovered.

"You... how did you do it?" Feng Wenhao asked cautiously.

Zhou Leng said, "To be honest, I don't know either. My true qi probably withstood the cold aura."

Everyone fell silent, unable to ask further.

Just then, the sound of spinning propellers came from the direction of the Red Spot Leaf Forest.

Rumble, rumble, rumble...

A helicopter hovered in mid-air, and a figure descended from high above.

Bang!

The figure landed. The earth trembled, and dust flew everywhere.