Chapter 201: Sword Qi Kills

Chapter 201: Sword Qi Kills

Zhuoligetu plopped down on the ground, his armor soaked inside and out, spitting out water. Seeing Lu Yunhai running over, he panted, "Brother, you saved my life."

Jing Ji also nodded, his face full of gratitude.

"This is what I should do." Lu Yunhai's expression was solemn, and he did not boast about his achievement.

Chi Zhonglin said, "Luckily, you acted decisively and blasted that monster into the river with one shot, or we would have been in trouble."

Ji Xinghuo breathed a sigh of relief.

He had always been confident in Lu Yunhai, and today's performance was no surprise, but now was not the time to discuss merits. The giant lizard was still alive.

Through his Synchro Sense, Yuan Chongzhen had already caught up with the giant lizard, far away. The Secretary Bird he had transformed into was not particularly fast among birds, and it was heavily injured. After the initial burst of escape, its speed was now slowing down.

"Can you still move?" Ji Xinghuo asked as he stood up.

"No problem," Jing Ji and Chi Zhonglin both indicated that they were in good condition.

Only Zhuoligetu's face was pale, as he had consecutively healed his teammates in a short period, overexerting himself.

The White Knight's "Life Infusion" and "Sacrificial Aura" were effective and restorative, but they were based on consuming his own vitality. The Black Bishop's "Soul Reaping Scythe" could harvest the vitality of enemies to replenish his expenditure, but Zhuoligetu had been healing nonstop and had no chance to recover.

He had also transferred his teammates' injuries to himself, bearing the brunt of the damage. In just a few minutes of battle, he was almost drained.

After being electrocuted and nearly drowning in the river, he was completely exhausted.

"It's okay," Zhuoligetu waved his hand. "Pursuing the monster is the priority. I'll recover on the way."

As he spoke, he took out several potions and gulped them down. His complexion immediately improved, and after a few breaths, he stood up, treated the Ferocious Battle Bear's injuries, and then straddled the bear's back.

"Let's go," said Ji Xinghuo, seeing that Zhuoligetu could still hold on.

The group, soaked to the skin, ran back to where the Raptors were tied up and untied them, jumping onto their backs.

Through the "Symbiotic" ability, they sensed that Qinghong was heading east.

"Over there!"

Ji Xinghuo pointed to the east.

The Raptors sprinted at full speed, reserving no energy, and darted through the tropical rainforest.

During the frantic dash, Ji Xinghuo sensed Qinghong's position every thirty seconds, adjusting the team's direction. Nearly an hour later, Qinghong stopped moving, and the scene in the Synchro Sense also remained fixed in the same place. It had landed.

The phone rang.

After connecting, Yuan Chongzhen's voice came through, "It has landed. I've sent the location coordinates to the group chat."

"Maintain your distance and keep an eye on it. Don't alert it. Wait for us to arrive," Ji Xinghuo responded before opening the location map for a quick glance. The giant lizard was hiding in a canyon between Lake Albert and Lake Edward, part of the Great Rift Valley in East Africa, within the borders of the East African Kingdom.

"120 kilometers," Ji Xinghuo calculated the distance. "We must get there within two hours."

He ordered his teammates to hurry, patting the Raptors to increase their speed.

Heading east from the Congo Basin, the altitude gradually rose, entering a plateau.

The density and height of the vegetation decreased.

The view opened up, revealing the Great Rift Valley in the distance, volcanoes towering on the horizon, and lush grasslands teeming with wild animals—zebras, antelopes, elephants, lions, and cheetahs. The scenery was picturesque and vibrant, but Ji Xinghuo and his team had no leisure to appreciate it, constantly urging the Raptors to run across the plateau.

Some mutated fierce beasts and monsters launched attacks as they passed by.

But before they could get close, they were shot dead by arrows.

After running at full speed for over two hours, the Raptors, known for their endurance, began to pant heavily, their feathers drenched in sweat, and their speed inevitably slowed.

"We're almost there," Ji Xinghuo finally said when the Raptors' stamina was nearly depleted, with only a few kilometers left to Yuan Chongzhen's location.

He signaled for the team to slow down slightly.

Ahead was a massive canyon cutting through the land from north to south, with no end in sight.

The canyon was several kilometers wide and two to three hundred meters deep, with vertical cliffs on both sides exposing different-colored geological strata—a spectacular sight.

This was part of the Great Rift Valley in East Africa.

Ji Xinghuo did not approach the rift carelessly. Yuan Chongzhen had been constantly sending messages in the group chat, and they soon found him hiding in a bush on the west side of the rift, just a few dozen meters from the cliff.

"You're finally here!"

A Shadow Panther emerged from the bushes and transformed back into Yuan Chongzhen.

Jing Ji asked eagerly, "Where's the giant lizard?"

Yuan Chongzhen pointed to the bottom of the eastern cliff, "It's in the rift. I dared not look too closely, lest it sense me. Xinghuo's battle pet has been keeping an eye on it."

At that moment, it crawled back and returned to Ji Xinghuo's hand, upon which he said, "Jing Ji, Wu Sheng Ying Xiang, let's observe it first before we devise our tactical plan."

Jing Ji unleashed a Silent Phantom, enveloping the entire team.

Everyone crouched low and stealthily made their way towards the edge of the cliff.

Within the rift valley, a river meandered through, forming small and large lakes and pools along its path. Various animals grazed leisurely by the riverbank, while hippos and crocodiles lurked in the water, creating a majestic and wild landscape that was truly unforgettable.

"Where's the giant lizard?" Chi Zhonglin asked.

Everyone turned to Ji Xinghuo, even Yuan Chongzhen, who was unsure of the giant lizard's exact location. He could only confirm through Qinghong that it was below them.

"There."

Ji Xinghuo pointed to a spot where the river flowed through a small pool, neither too large nor too deep. A group of crocodiles were active in the water.

There were over a dozen crocodiles in the group, a few of which had mutated and evolved, resembling monsters. Some retained the typical Nile crocodile physique, with only their eyes protruding above the water's surface. However, due to the distance, it was difficult to make out any details.

"The one closest to the east bank, right by the edge of the water—that's the giant lizard," Ji Xinghuo whispered.

"Ah?"

The team members were all startled.

This crocodile looked perfectly ordinary, about six meters long, and didn't stand out among the group. It lay motionless in the water.

If not for Ji Xinghuo's identification, they never would have guessed that this was the giant lizard.

"Besides transforming into a secretary bird, it can also turn into a crocodile?" Zhuoligetu asked, puzzled. "I thought it had the 'Beast Transformation' ability."

"It's not Beast Transformation," Yuan Chongzhen said. "It should be Mimicry."

Beast Transformation and Mimicry were two distinct abilities.

Beast Transformation usually involved the 'Blood Melding Beast'. After the fusion, it would require the assistance of other monsters with transformation-type abilities to complete the transformation and gain the abilities of that monster. On the other hand, Mimicry only required contact with genetic information to immediately trigger a change in form and simulate the target's voice, but it didn't grant the user the target's abilities.

The two abilities were vastly different.

As a half-beast man and an expert in transformations, Yuan Chongzhen was the most knowledgeable about this subject.

Ji Xinghuo nodded slightly and carefully observed the giant lizard.

Despite the distance of over a thousand meters, it appeared as close as if it were right in front of him. He could clearly see the giant lizard in its crocodile form, manipulating the currents to wash over its body just beneath the water's surface.

"Vitality Torrent."

"It's using Vitality Torrent to recover from its injuries. We must act quickly," Ji Xinghuo said.

Ji Xinghuo signaled for the team to retreat from the edge of the cliff and then continued solemnly, "This time, we can't let it get away. While it's heavily injured, we must strike with all our might and take it down in one fell swoop."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Xinghuo, you take the lead in planning," Jing Ji said.

"This time, I'll be at the forefront," Ji Xinghuo said, having already contemplated their strategy on their way there. Confidently, he continued, "Jing Ji, you cover me, Zhonglin, and Zhuoligetu. We'll stealthily get as close as possible and launch a frontal attack. Chongzhen, you transform into a Shadow Panther and ambush it from behind."

Then, turning to Lu Yunhai, he added, "Yunhai, you head to the eastern cliff. It will be within the range of the electromagnetic rifle from there. If it transforms into a secretary bird and takes flight, you must shoot it down."

"Take this with you and be mindful of staying hidden."

Ji Xinghuo removed the Stealth Ring from his finger and handed it to Lu Yunhai.

He and Jing Ji moved together, concealed by the Silent Phantom. Lu Yunhai, on the other hand, would be more exposed on the cliff.

Lu Yunhai put on the Stealth Ring, and his eyes lit up as he instantly grasped how to use this superpower ring.

Everyone on the team understood their tasks.

Zhuoligetu had mostly recovered and once again bestowed "Blood Sacrifice" and "Steadfast Will" upon the team, including Ji Xinghuo. The others, aside from Ji Xinghuo, gritted their teeth and endured the headache as they used the Neuro-Enhancer again to boost their cognitive abilities.

They eliminated their scents, took medications, and prepared themselves.

Moments later...

Lu Yunhai, along with his battle pet, stealthily positioned himself on the eastern side of the rift valley, crouching on the cliff.

Ji Xinghuo's team of four entered the rift valley from a distance and cautiously navigated through the wild animals under the cover of the Silent Phantom, slowly approaching the pool where the giant lizard lay. Yuan Chongzhen circled around to the other side and transformed into a Shadow Panther, creeping through the shadows from downstream to launch a pincer attack.

One kilometer, eight hundred meters, six hundred meters...

When they were about five hundred meters away, Ji Xinghuo removed the Invisible Sting from his back and held it in his hand, loading it with an electric arrow.

Four hundred meters, and the giant lizard still hadn't noticed them. It lay still in the water, its right eye half-closed.

Three hundred meters.

Ji Xinghuo drew the bowstring, and electricity surged along his arm, converging on the arrow and illuminating it with electric light. However, the Silent Phantom veiled the light, preventing any telltale signs.

A fraction of a second earlier, Ji Xinghuo fired the capacitor arrow, emitting a sharp, piercing sound as the invisible arrow instantly penetrated the electrostatic field and shot into the giant lizard's remaining good left eye.

"Roar..."

The crocodile revealed its true form as the giant lizard, letting out a loud, anguished cry as it thrashed about in the pond.

Its external electrostatic field enveloped most of the pond, with countless lightning bolts leaping about, electrocuting and knocking out over a dozen crocodiles nearby. The weaker ones turned into charred corpses, dying instantly.

After firing the arrow, Ji Xinghuo immediately discarded the Invisible Sting, drew his sword, and sprinted towards the giant lizard at full speed. Upon entering the 100-meter range, he consecutively used Flash Step four times, bringing him to just over a dozen meters away from the giant lizard, at the edge of the electrostatic field. He opened his mouth and roared, emitting a dragon's roar.

"Haa!"

A howling gale accompanied his roar.

A deafening blast of dragon's roar struck the now-blind giant lizard.

The giant lizard, already struggling, trembled violently as the dual assault of excruciating pain and mental shock temporarily caused it to lose consciousness, and it fell into the pond, its external electrostatic field vanishing as well.

Ji Xinghuo used Flash Step to appear on the giant lizard's back, and with a mighty heave, he swung Rai Chi downward, activating all three Electric Arc Rings. The blade, incredibly sharp, easily sliced into the giant lizard's neck under his immense strength, burying the entire sword within. With a downward slash, a gush of blood spurted out.

Close behind, Jing Ji leaped with Shadow Jump, his curved blade aiming for the giant lizard's tail.

He hacked at the tail relentlessly with three to four strikes, nearly severing it from the body.

Yuan Chongzhen transformed into the Black Iron Giant Ape, leaping high into the air and landing on the giant lizard's head, pressing it down into the ground. He roared, "Stab its head!"

"Here it comes!"

The over-two-meter-tall small giant, Chi Zhonglin, charged forward, his grip tight on the Sky Fury Azure Blood Spear. He thrust the spear into the giant lizard's mouth.

The giant lizard thrashed wildly, and its electrostatic field erupted once more.

Ji Xinghuo and Jing Ji used Flash Step to dodge the lightning bolts.

However, Yuan Chongzhen and Chi Zhonglin refused to let go, the Black Iron Giant Ape continuing to take the lightning strikes. His sturdy arms wrapped around the giant lizard's neck like iron clamps, choking it and rendering it breathless. Chi Zhonglin's spear had pierced almost through its throat into its belly, and he kept stirring it to inflict maximum damage.

Zhuoligetu's body erupted with white light as he activated "Sacrificial Aura" to heal the two fighters. He tossed aside his shield and lifted the hundred-kilogram giant hammer, smashing it down on the giant lizard's head.

Bang, bang, bang...

The giant lizard's head spun, and its scales and flesh flew in all directions.

The terrifying pain and blows reduced it to mere instinctual reactions, causing it to forget that it could transform into a water flow, and its electrostatic field was disrupted once more.

Ji Xinghuo stood several meters away, Rai Chi at his feet, both hands grasping Mo Yin. He channeled all his Star Power, causing currents to dance along his dragon scales, his eyes focused as the blade of Mo Yin vibrated intensely, its tip emitting dense sound waves.

"Get back!"

At Ji Xinghuo's loud shout, the teammates engaging the giant lizard immediately withdrew.

The giant lizard suddenly lost pressure, but with its eyes blinded, it was left in a daze.

Ji Xinghuo's figure flickered.

Flash Step!

He flashed forward at a speed beyond the naked eye, becoming one with the sword in his hand. With a tremendous exertion of his powerful physique, Mo Yin's blade spewed forth a massive ultrasonic sword qi, precisely slicing into the giant lizard's neck wound inflicted by Rai Chi.

Countless sword auras burst forth, resembling towering white waves.

Boom!

The white sword aura cleaved a deep, straight gully in the ground, over a dozen meters long.

The giant lizard's head and body fell on opposite sides of the gully, the severed neck a mess of shredded flesh and blood, as if hacked by thousands of knives. It lay still, devoid of any further movement.

Ji Xinghuo stood before the giant lizard's corpse, exhaling a long breath.

This ultrasonic sword aura had consumed half of his Star Power, but the outcome was worth celebrating—they had finally slain this fearsome Hong-level monster!

"We did it!"

Chi Zhonglin cheered, then immediately felt pain all over his body.

Yuan Chongzhen also returned to his human form, his face twisted in pain.

The two had endured the most damage in this battle, having been struck countless times by the lightning bolts from the electrostatic field, their entire bodies charred and torn.

"Hahaha..."

Yet, they couldn't help but laugh with joy.

Zhuoligetu happily approached to heal the two, bearing minor injuries himself, mostly light wounds.

Lu Yunhai ran down from the cliff, his face beaming with excitement. "We did it! Holy crap, I can't believe that on my first hunting trip, we actually killed a Hong-level monster..." His elation was evident, and he still couldn't quite believe it.

Jing Ji shook his head, knowing that Lu Yunhai was a newcomer, but his excitement was understandable.

"It's time to collect the exotic species."

Ji Xinghuo wasn't overly excited. He reached out and placed his hand on the giant lizard's corpse, causing its information interface to pop up in his vision.

With just a glance, a look of immense delight appeared on his face.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end