Dabao Schemed for the Beast Core

"Bang! Bang! Bang!" Three crossbow bolts, each a dozen feet long and imposing in their force, flew out one after another, faster than the wind, almost creating sparks in the sky.

A Second-Tier Lower-Grade Azure Wind Falcon hesitated for a moment before dodging, and three crossbow bolts crashed heavily into the horde of beasts. Red dust and screams of agony filled the air, momentarily disorienting the thieving bird.

"Don't stop! Fire again!! Fire again!!!" The voice of Mo Wen, the lord of Ingenious Craftsman Fort, drowned out the countless howls of the Demon Beast inside and outside. The disciples of Ingenious Craftsman Fort, who had not been slacking off before, were now even more determined after hearing the order.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

"Bang! Bang! Crack!" In this situation, one of the Star-Shooting Crossbow was used too roughly, and the drawn string snapped open. Several crossbowmen who were nearby immediately turned pale and were whipped away.

Fortunately, the Vajra Talisman they had prepared and activated beforehand saved their lives, and they only suffered minor injuries. Even with such injuries, they did not rest. Without being urged, they immediately got up, approached the crossbow, and began to disassemble parts and prepare the spiritual ink.

The demonic Demon Beast at this critical moment could not remain idle. The Azure Wind Falcon, which was temporarily uncontrollable, drew a beautiful arc in the air and flew close to the front of the formation.

As the thieving bird swept past the large number of low-level runes it had been shooting at, two sharp wind blades seeped from its wings, and its eight sharp toes also stabbed towards the magic array's light barrier.

His desperate stance seemed completely at odds with the "Introduction to Cold Crow Mountain Spirit Things" passed down through generations of the Chongming Sect, which described the sect's habit of "cherishing one's life and avoiding battles against powerful enemies."

Two soft "plop" sounds came from inside the stockade Azure Wind Falcon spread its wings warily, changed its position, and then peered into the direction of the sound with its black eyes.

Unexpectedly, with just one glance, the thief bird found its proud, sharp eyes blinded by a piercing icy light.

Then, a chill seeped silently into its body, which was already impervious to heat and cold. This chill penetrated very quickly, and in just a few breaths, even its feathers were covered with a few specks of ice.

Two ice crystal spears came whistling in one after the other. Azure Wind Falcon thought he could easily dodge them with his agile and swift body. Unexpectedly, the runes on the spear behind suddenly appeared, and it suddenly accelerated, striking the spearhead with its tip, causing the spear in front to accelerate sharply. In the blink of an eye, it had caught up with him.

Even with its wings flapping incredibly fast, the thieving bird still couldn't dodge.

"Pfft!" "Screech!" Two sounds of flesh being pierced and a loud screech rang out almost simultaneously. One of the two ice spears severed the right claw of the Azure Wind Falcon, while the other pierced the thief bird's internal organs.

Fortunately, the Azure Wind Falcon was Second Tier Demon Beast, with a physical body far stronger than that of cultivators of the same tier. Therefore, even though it was severely injured, the beast was still alive.

After letting out a few mournful cries, the Azure Wind Falcon, writhing in agony, seemed to finally remember its true nature. With a flap of its wings, it prepared to flee back.

Mo Wen was naturally unwilling to let this opportunity slip by, so he personally operated the crossbow and fired several arrows in succession, but the thief bird, which was already on guard, still managed to evade them.

The lord of Ingenious Craftsman Fort stepped off the crossbow with a face full of regret. Just as he was about to exchange a few words with Lu Xingbei, who had a normal expression, he saw that the Azure Wind Falcon outside had not escaped.

The enormous creature outside, coldly observing the bloodshed, seemed extremely displeased with the Azure Wind Falcon's actions. It opened its jaws slightly, unleashing a row of sharp teeth that sliced the already teetering thief bird into a bloody mess.

Large swaths of Second Tier Demon Beast meat fell from the sky with a "rustling" sound. The nearby Red-Maned Mountain Boar were fortunate enough to benefit from this, causing them to temporarily forget that they were on a fierce battlefield and turn their heads back towards the meat.

The Second Tier Demon Beast had just disrupted their carefully arranged "formation" when their feet were so enticed by the mouthful of fresh blood and fat that they could hardly take another step.

"Roar!!" The Second-Tier Middle-Grade Blood-Shadow Leopard, carrying a full load of talismans and its charred fur, roared wildly at the Red-Maned Mountain Boar, finally making these foolish and stupid beasts forget the delicious food in their mouths and turn back to the battlefield.

However, they fell right into the trap set by the cultivators guarding the stronghold. A flash of lightning appeared on several array flags in the formation, and sixteen bolts of profound lightning struck the Red-Maned Mountain Boar that had hastily returned to the formation. In an instant, the three smells of burnt, pungent, and fragrant filled the air.

Correspondingly, Lu Xingbei, atop the military camp, found another opportunity. After aiming at the Blood-Shadow Leopard, he launched two ice crystal spears in succession, one after the other.

This time, Lu Xingbei was a bit unlucky; only one of the weapons struck the Blood-Shadow Leopard's shoulder blade. However, because the beast had activated Protect Body around its body, the attack was not completely successful.

The spear only penetrated halfway into the Blood-Shadow Leopard's shoulder, tearing its flesh and cracking its bones, but failing to seriously injure it. Instead, it fueled the beast's ferocity, causing it to charge back to the front lines in a more furious attack.

Lu Xingbei broke another pair of spears but still failed to achieve anything. This time, he had failed to anticipate the strength of this beast that far surpassed his own, and there was nothing he could do.

It's a pity that if Ji Yunsheng, the third brother who went to the aid of the Ma Household and Lu Household half an hour earlier and landed on the north city wall, were still alive, the two brothers could have worked together to make sure that even if they couldn't save the Blood-Shadow Leopard's life, they would have made that beast suffer a great loss.

Intending to establish his authority, but instead his plan backfired, E Yuan flashed with ferocity upon seeing this scene.

The beast looked up at the sky again and saw that the First Tier Azure Wind Falcon, which had dared to approach the front of the military camp, were all so frightened by their leader's fate that their wings became weak and they dared not move forward.

The eight-character motto etched into their very bones, "extremely cautious of self-preservation, and unwilling to fight powerful enemies," was temporarily concealed by the tyrannical power of the E Yuan, a Spirit Awakening Demon Beast.

Now, however, he was frightened by the scene before him and began to temporarily suspend his spiritual power, no longer daring to unleash the fierce wind blades to bombard and harass the crossbowmen wielding the Star-Shooting Crossbow in the formation.

Now that the falcons dare not approach and harass them, the other various demonic birds, individually stronger than them, are scattered and unable to work together, thus reducing the pressure on the crossbowmen.

"If I had already refined the beast core and become Third Tier Demon Officer, how would these fools dare to be so hypocritical?!"

E Yuan felt a renewed sense of unease. It had never imagined that forcibly activating the demon core left by the Purple-Scaled Mountain-Subduing Turtle in the Mountain-Viewing Cave would leave behind a hidden danger that would make the refining process difficult.

This has resulted in it currently only hovering at the Second-Tier Supreme-Grade Demon Beast level. If it wants to Core Formation, it will probably need to work hard for more than ten years.

After this sigh, E Yuan reminisced about the days he spent with the other three beasts in the Jade Lake. Although he was locked in the lake then, at least he had companions to talk to.

Now that he's out here, finding a Spirit Awakening Demon Beast to talk to has become a rare thing. These mindless demons in front of him are all stupid creatures. Even Second Tier Demon Beast like the Blood-Shadow Leopard can only understand a little bit, so how can they relieve E Yuan's loneliness?

"The cultivators' methods are truly remarkable. I besieged this small stronghold with five times the number of Demon Beast, and it has taken me ten days to conquer it. I have even lost several Second Tier Demon Beast, yet I have not seriously injured a single Foundation Establishment."

E Yuan savored the salty, fishy taste of the first bite, gazing at the rows of crossbows and mechanical puppets atop the Jia-Chou Military Stronghold, the countless arrays of pills, artifacts, and runes that filled him with envy.

"I've heard that within the Venerable Territory of Li Mountain Demon Land, my Demon Race still possesses superior weapon makers capable of crafting such powerful military weapons. I simply wonder if I will ever have the fortune to cross the Cold Crow Mountain Range and pay homage to that sacred land of the Demon Venerable."

The beast suppressed all the thoughts in his mind and turned his gaze back to the battlefield.

The crossbow bolts and talismans of the guarding monks seemed endless, raining down on the beasts outside the formation like free drops.

The Demon Beast naturally wouldn't just stand there and take the beating; they had prepared Protect Body Law Technique well in advance. As long as they weren't hit head-on by crossbow bolts and Second Tier talismans, their thick hides and tough flesh meant they could withstand a few hits.

The Second Tier Demon Beast, as swift as the Blood-Shadow Leopard, did not attack in unison with their powerful counterparts. Instead, they used various Law Technique to shield the lower-tier beasts from the sky.

However, at this moment, the crossbows on the stockade wall could not withstand such operation and began to emit a series of ear-piercing clicking sounds.

Mo Wen knew that he couldn't stop now. Even if he wanted to repair the crossbows, he had to suppress this most intense attack first.

Unexpectedly, the Demon Beast's attack lasted much longer than he had anticipated. "Crack" and "Crackling" were the two sounds that rang out in the arena, causing Mo Wen to frown and turn ashen-faced.

No one in the area was more familiar with the sound than him. Of the ten Star-Shooting Crossbow mounted on the western wall of the stockade, only eight were usable today, as one of them had broken its string and had not yet been repaired.

Now, one crossbow has its mechanism broken, and another has its string snapped. Doesn't this mean that the most effective weapon on the stockade wall to suppress the beast horde's attack has been reduced by half?

Mo Wen extremely anxious, but E Yuan, who was watching intently from under the wall, also discovered something was wrong.

The number of crossbow bolts fired into the beasts from the stockade wall had visibly decreased, which excited the beast. Just as it was about to roar and urge the Blood-Shadow Leopard, leading the two most conspicuous beasts, the Red-Clawed Scaled Ox and the Red-Maned Mountain Boar, finally reached the front of the formation, carrying a triple barrage of talismans, crossbow bolts, and lightning.

Taking advantage of the moment when the guarding cultivators were distracted, the unrestrained beasts charged recklessly without holding back.

One after another, powerful and robust bodies, along with a mixture of various indistinguishable magical Technique Method, slammed heavily into the light barrier that was already showing fine lines.

Even the flock of Azure Wind Falcon, which had been hesitant to move forward, seemed to be infected by this fervor.

They temporarily forgot about their leader's death and flew back to the front lines. Large swarms of swift wind blades fell like snowflakes, nearly knocking out several Double Brightness disciples guarding their crossbow positions.

After the deafening roar, the cultivators in the village seemed to be able to sense the undisguised joy of these ugly creatures from below.

Conversely, after being besieged by the beasts outside for more than ten days, Lu Xingbei and Mo Wen felt for the first time that the stockade beneath their feet seemed about to crumble.

"Array Master! Array Master!! Array... poof"

The Chongming Sect disciple guarding the formation, who was shouting loudly, suddenly vomited blood and fainted on his position. Soon after, his body and the formation flag behind him cracked apart.

"The western secondary formation has been breached!! Formation masters, come to our aid immediately! Formation masters, come to our aid immediately!!"

"Move the Star-Shooting Crossbow! Move it!!"

"Fill the artillery shells and torpedoes, and bring over the top-grade torpedoes. We can't afford to be stingy now!"

A gap in the light barrier, as tall as a person, appeared outside the western wall of the stronghold guarded by Mo Wen and Lu Xingbei. Even the most mindless Demon Beast knew that this was a rare opportunity that had appeared for the first time after ten days of fierce fighting.

Finally, without any further urging from the Second Tier Demon Beast, they surged into the gap like a tidal wave.

"We must immediately seek help from the alliance leader! We..."

"The alliance leader probably won't be able to save them in time. Abandon this secondary formation, seal it off! They can still defend it if they retreat!"

Lu Xingbei's words were decisively interrupted by Mo Wen, whose face was filled with anger. "If we abandon the secondary formation, you and I might escape, but what about our disciples?!"

"Foolish! What good would it do us to stay? We might be able to barely defeat that Blood-Shadow Leopard, but who can control the other Demon Beast?! Keeping your Foundation Establishment body alive is the right thing to do!"

Disciples and followers? They're just easy to recruit by putting up a signboard, what's so special about them! If you die here, the legacy of your Ingenious Craftsman Fort will truly be over. Even if the Chongming Sect wanted to revive your family, it would be difficult for your family to rise again!

Lu Xingbei didn't argue with Mo Wen any further. He really intended to abandon the large number of disciples on the top of the stockade wall and return to the main formation on the east side of the stockade wall.

The lord of Ingenious Craftsman Fort was unaffected and only released two Second Tier sword-wielding mechs that he could still use, intending to temporarily plug the gap with these two deadly weapons.

These disciples of the Cold Mountain Sect were pitiful. They thought they had climbed to a high position and had received a lecture from Lu Xingbei after E Yuan appeared. They were now repenting and fighting desperately against the surging beasts.

Little did they know that the sect leader had already abandoned them without hesitation, a sight that saddened Mo Wen, who had rushed to their aid.

Mo Wen was unaware that Lu Xingbei had not gone far either. He had only taken a few steps with his back turned when he was stopped by Ji Yunsheng, who had heard the news and rushed back from the north wall of the stockade.

"Go back!"

"Third Brother, it's not that I'm afraid to fight, but rather that staying behind is useless. It's better to retreat to the rear and then..."

"Silence! Kang Dabao is behind me!!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Xingbei immediately stopped talking. Before he could even exchange a word with Kang Dabao, he saw the latter already holding a short halberd and solemnly landing at the gap in the secondary formation.

Mo Wen wielded two puppets, one with a heavy sword and the other with a sword and shield. Together with Mo Wen himself, they numbered three Foundation Establishment, yet they were overwhelmed by the three Second Tier Demon Beast led by the Blood-Shadow Leopard.

Not long after the battle began, Mo Wen felt a splitting headache, a sign that he had pushed his Divine Sense to its limit. He knew that if the battle continued, he would likely only face death.

"Fellow Daoist Mo, do not move!"

With a firm resolve, Fellow Daoist Mo used all his strength to suppress the excruciating pain in his head and brought his hand seals together. The sword-and-shield puppet shook off the several Flame-Eyed Tiger in front of it and came to protect it with its shield.

The Blood-Shadow Leopard's tail was like refined gold, as Hardness as an ordinary Spirit Artifact. This beast merely raised it and flicked it, unleashing a powerful Gang Qi that cracked the sword-and-shield puppet's spiritual shield and caused the spiritual runes and restrictions on the puppet's body to fade slightly.

Before Mo Wen could even feel the pain, he saw a large flash of black light before his eyes. The Blood-Shadow Leopard, which he had seen as incredibly powerful, had its massive head severed in an instant.

His head rolled across the ground before Mo Wen heard the sound again, but this time it came from in front of him.

"Wei Gu, come and repair the formation!"

Wei Gu, who had followed closely behind, watched as his sect leader, single-handedly wielding his halberd, suppressed two mid-grade Demon Beast and their horde, preventing them from gaining the slightest advantage. While feeling proud, he also looked troubled. "Sect Leader, this disciple's skills are insufficient... this will likely require some effort."

"Go ahead and do what you need to do. I'll push these beasts out first! Don't worry! Fellow Daoists, gather your disciples for now to prepare for another battle. They're just a bunch of beasts; what can they possibly do?"

As Kang Dabao finished uttering the last word "Nai," Slaughter and Extermination, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly became excited. Black flames burst forth from the small branch at the very front of his halberd, scorching the large number of Demon Beast in front of him into black ash in just a few breaths.

The two remaining mid-grade Demon Beast were not alarmed when they saw a large gap suddenly appear around them, because more Demon Beast continued to pour in from outside the formation, and it would not be long before the area was filled up again.

Unexpectedly, Sect Leader Kang Da did not grant the two beasts' wish. As he made his move, his fingertips reached down to the brocade pouch at his waist and flicked it. The golden thread loosened, and a dense cloud of insects emerged, startling the two ferocious beasts who were used to seeing the world in Cold Crow Mountain.

As soon as the Lion Insect swarm with silver armor on their backs appeared, the breeze stirred up by their wings blew up the countless black ash particles that had been turned into by the fallen Demon Beast in the arena.

The Lion Insect resembled stars scattered across the Milky Way, so dazzling that it was hard for onlookers to open their eyes.

The buzzing of insects should have been barely audible, but when the overwhelming swarm of insects gathered together, the sound was so loud that it instilled a slight fear in the Demon Beast before it.

Eat your fill!

After Kang Dabao finished speaking, he swung his short halberd, and a glint of light appeared on the tip, making it even more powerful.

His halberd technique was already exquisite, his Spirit Artifact sharp, and his foundation solid. The two Demon Beast leaders in front of him were not even as skilled as the Blood-Shadow Leopard from before, so how could they possibly defeat him?

After only a few exchanges, blood gushed out again in front of Sect Leader Kang Da, followed by the two enormous heads rolling to the ground one after the other.

In Kang Dabao's eyes, the heads of these two Demon Beasts were far more valuable than the head of the Blood-Shadow Leopard.

The reason was that one was a cow's head and the other a pig's head. It just so Chongming Sect worship, and it was picked up casually by the busy Sect Leader Kang Da.

Looking up again, I saw that there was now an open space in front of me.

Kang Dabao's Lion Insect swarm was indeed the nemesis of these clumsy Demon Beast. They had only been out for a short time when they had chewed a path for their master.

Sect Leader Kang Da did not let the opportunity slip by. He charged out of the formation, his Slaughter and Extermination gleaming brightly. With just a swing and a retraction, he was enough to cut down the lives of a large number of Demon Beast surrounding Kang Dabao.

Wei Gu and the other array masters who had come on a whim finally had a chance to act, and they raced against time to repair the breach.

Ji Yunsheng ordered Lu Xingbei to lead men to protect the array masters, while he and Mo Wen gathered the disciples of the alliance who had fallen into chaos and were no longer organized.

The two were quite skilled, and just as Sect Leader Kang Da was starting to struggle, the Star-Shooting Crossbow on the stockade wall began to work again.

These not-so-dense crossbow bolts did relieve some of the pressure on Kang Dabao, but the tension in his mind never eased.

"Puff puff puff" The familiar Serrated Teeth Grand Formation unexpectedly came from the middle of the beast horde. The bodies of these First Tier Demon Beast could not delay E Yuan's Serrated Teeth Grand Formation in the slightest; they only obscured the direction of Sect Leader Kang Da's Divine Sense search.

As E Yuan predicted, Kang Dabao wouldn't have time to unleash his defensive Spirit Artifact this time, so he should be able to gain some advantage by taking him by surprise.

Unexpectedly, although Kang Dabao did not have time to summon the Immortal Game Disc, another brocade pouch at his waist flashed.

"Little Qi!"

The second- Sect Leader Kang Da, a simple-minded and foolish turtle, emitted a mysterious light from his carapace, blocking all 365 serrated teeth.

After a sharp, piercing sound, fine marks instantly appeared on Little Qi's originally shiny carapace. Enraged, it spewed out white steam, and its four feet glowed with earthy spiritual light as it stomped down together.

If E Yuan obtained eight or nine tenths of the remains of the Purple-Scaled Mountain-Subduing Turtle, then Little Qi, who obtained the remaining one or two tenths, should not be underestimated.

Thanks to a series of rare opportunities, it has now become Second-Tier Middle-Grade spirit beast. Such a cultivation speed is actually quite astonishing.

Hundreds of spikes suddenly sprang up from the ground, and those who were not well-prepared were instantly killed by them, their intestines ruptured and their bodies rotted.

E Yuan ignored the blood and wailing all around, only slightly surprised as he stepped closer, looking at Kang Dabao who seemed even more robust than before, and sneered, "Yellow-eyed rascal, years have passed, your skills have improved."

The latter, seeing him enter, showed no fear, only laughing and cursing, "You good-for-nothing, stick your head out! I'm nimble, it won't hurt!"

"Ancestor, I have been courteous and polite. Now that I have finished exchanging pleasantries with my old friend, it is time to take your life and comfort the spirits of my sworn brothers in heaven." The E Yuan's eyes were wide open, his large, copper-bell-sized pupils filled with ferocity.

Unable to suppress his murderous intent any longer, he dragged his massive body and charged forward.

Incited by this beast, the bloodlust in the beasts' eyes intensified, and they charged toward Kang Dabao, who was still mocking them, with their gaping, foul-smelling mouths wide open.

"If you hate me in your heart, then hate me. Why bother with these high-sounding excuses! You beast, it's rare that you can even speak like a human being. You should learn to be a decent human being and stop associating with those hypocritical and disgusting people!"

The Sect Leader Kang Da let out a long laugh, but his heart was not as calm as he appeared. Instead, a sense of anxiety arose within him, and he secretly transmitted his voice, asking, "Wei Gu, when will you be well?!"

"Sect Leader, this disciple's skills are meager; this formation is..."

When will it get better?!

"Your disciple will obey! It will be done in half a quarter of an hour!"

"Half a quarter of an hour?! That's going to kill me!" Kang Dabao thought to himself. Just then, several small green glazed arrows shot out from E Yuan's mouth. Little Qi was about to step forward to block them, but was stopped by the Sect Leader Kang Da with a wave of his hand.

The newly repaired Immortal Game Disc has finally reappeared in the hands of Sect Leader Kang Da. Although it still lacks nourishment, it is not something that E Yuan, who has not yet Core Formation, can easily break.

Kang Dabao's face darkened as he blocked the fierce attack. This beast had made considerable progress over the years, and this small green-glazed arrow was even more powerful than it had been back then.

"Damn it, I thought I had improved a lot and could fight this beast to a standstill, but now I'm afraid I'm going to be at a disadvantage!"

After a sigh, Kang Dabao saw that the once overwhelming swarm of Lion Insect looked rather weak compared to the charging beast horde. His resolve to retreat resurfaced, and he could only urge repeatedly, "Wei Gu, can we abandon this secondary formation and proceed?!"

"Sect Leader, the array we chose to set up here is already intricately linked, and we've also constructed an array plate. Compared to a grand array relying on Spirit Vein, its power is inherently slightly inferior."

"Is it possible to go?!"

"No!! If we abandon this secondary formation, given the strength of these Demon Beast's attacks, I'm afraid the other secondary and main formations will all fall within ten days. At that time, most of our alliance's disciples will surely face the same fate: formation destroyed and people killed."

"Understood. If it's still not better in half an hour, you'll be relieved of your duties as a strategist when you get back, and go work as a janitor for the boys at the Nurturing Qilin Hall!"

As Wei Gu's resolute reply reached his ears, Sect Leader Kang Da no longer urged him on. Instead, he raised his short halberd to meet the ferocious beast with its glaring eyes, a sense of recklessness rising within him.

"I'd like to see if I can extract the beast core of the Purple-Scaled Mountain-Subduing Turtle from your belly again, you beast."

(I have a rather important meeting after get off work on the 7th, so please forgive me if I'm unable to update!)