Chapter 218: Highland Hunt
Chapter 218: Highland Hunt
Ji Xinghuo calmed himself.
The majestic and vast scenery was just the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the surface lay countless dangers, a bizarre natural environment, and countless monsters, exotic tribes, aliens, and more, all waiting to pounce on the unwary. One wrong step could mean losing your life.
Otherwise, this plateau wouldn't have earned the name "Bloodsoaked."
After another day of traveling, Ji Xinghuo finally set foot on the Bloodsoaked Plateau.
The weather in Jian Yue was not too cold yet, relatively comfortable, but on the plateau, it was noticeably colder than in Qianfeng Yuanlin, probably only a few degrees above zero.
Ji Xinghuo had prepared for this before setting out. Under his ceramic steel armor, he added a thin, lightweight thermal suit made of aerogel material. Despite its thinness, it provided excellent warmth and could withstand temperatures below minus a hundred degrees. It also had good breathability, not hindering his movements at all.
He had also applied a layer of nano-insulating wax on his face, rendering it impervious to the chill of the wind.
Not long after stepping onto the plateau, Ji Xinghuo sensed something amiss.
He looked up at the sky.
A crimson moon hung high above, visible even in the daytime. This was the "Red Blaze Star," one of the four "moons" of the Star Realm.
They were called moons, but they could also be planets.
Usually, the Red Blaze Star appeared and disappeared from view, and Earth's scientists had not yet deciphered its patterns or orbit, making it distinct from the other stars in the galaxy.
At this moment, Ji Xinghuo immediately noticed something strange.
The Red Blaze Star had grown larger!
He was certain it wasn't an illusion, but here on the Bloodsoaked Plateau, it seemed closer, appearing about a tenth larger than usual.
Ji Xinghuo stared at it unconsciously.
With his Myriad Phenomenon Star Pupils, he could see extremely far, and as the Red Blaze Star loomed larger in his vision, he gradually made out crisscrossing black lines on its surface.
Those black lines weren't actually black but regions of lower brightness, creating a contrast with the brighter areas that made them appear like shadows.
This was similar to sunspots.
As Ji Xinghuo observed the black lines intently, the Red Blaze Star grew even larger in his field of view, and he could see it more clearly now, the shadows more distinct.
In that instant, his eyes widened in shock.
"Those aren't shadows!"
"They're artificial structures!"
Ji Xinghuo's heart pounded with this realization, as if he were witnessing an endless expanse of black and red structures, towering like mountains, stretching endlessly. Within countless fortresses and palaces, there were terrifying and ferocious monsters, locked in relentless battles, slaughtering each other.
At the very center of the Red Blaze Star loomed an enormous, indistinct figure seated upon a massive black throne of unknown height.
Ji Xinghuo couldn't make out its features, but in that moment, his mind's eye was filled with mountains of corpses and seas of blood.
And a sky filled with crimson flames!
"Ah..."
Ji Xinghuo's eyes stung with pain, and he let out a cry. The horrifying visions before him suddenly vanished.
He snapped back to his senses, realizing that his heart was pounding like a drum, and his blood was boiling, accelerating wildly within his body. Unconsciously, his Holy Scale Armor had activated, and heat radiated from his body as if he had ignited his blood.
"Terrifying!"
Ji Xinghuo took a deep breath, and it was a while before he calmed down.
With lingering fear, he quickly glanced up at the sky. The Red Blaze Star still hung high above, unchanged. That previous scene seemed like nothing but his imagination.
"It's definitely not my imagination."
Ji Xinghuo immediately guessed a possibility.
The Red Emperor!
One of the four most powerful Star Gods in the Star Realm, also known as the Star Realm Godmaster, and the first among the four godmasters—the "Bloodshed Red Emperor"!
He was stunned by this revelation. So, the Red Emperor resided on the Red Blaze Star?
This probably wasn't a secret in the Star Realm, but as the Earth Stargate had only been opened for less than two hundred years, Qianfeng Yuanlin was a relatively remote place in the Star Realm, with no access to the upper echelons of the Star Realm, hence their ignorance about the secrets of the four moons.
Based on this speculation, the other three planets likely housed the other Star Gods, the remaining three godmasters?
"Star Gods..."
Ji Xinghuo shook his head.
Legend had it that Star Gods were either born of the natural forces in the Star Realm or evolved from other life forms, representing the pinnacle of all life's evolution.
But that was too distant a concept for him. Pondering it further would be of no benefit.
However, the chaotic order on the Bloodsoaked Plateau was closely related to the Star Gods.
Before coming here, he had collected information online, and many aliens who had visited the Bloodsoaked Plateau mentioned one thing: the vast majority of exotic tribes on the plateau were followers of the Star Gods.
And among these followers, over eighty percent were devotees of the Red Emperor. The Red Emperor advocated bloodshed and combat, and even his followers relentlessly slaughtered each other, driven by an insatiable thirst for battle.
Every inch of this plateau was soaked in blood.
Hence its name—Bloodsoaked Plateau!
Qinghong raced across the land, entering the plateau where the vegetation was less dense than in Qianfeng Yuanlin. Most plants here were shorter, and there were vast grasslands stretching as far as the eye could see. Their traveling speed was much faster now. However, between the many mountain ranges, there were still large forests teeming with countless beasts and monsters.
Among them was a species known as the "Gale Beast," adept at concealment and running, possessing incredible speed.
These carnivorous beasts weren't very large, and their tracks were difficult to trace.
But their hearts were prized as a rare expansionary item. If one devoured the heart of a freshly slain Gale Beast, they could fuse with another exotic species.
This had attracted many hunters seeking to slay the Gale Beasts.
Ji Xinghuo recalled the appearance and habits of the Gale Beasts. They typically lived near the snow line of mountain peaks and favored various grass-eating, odd-toed ungulates.
To be precise, the plateau was a vast expanse of land propped up by countless mountain ranges, as far as the eye could see, surrounded by endless peaks.
Ji Xinghuo unfolded a simple map, oriented himself, and randomly chose a peak to the west.
Qinghong sped off.
Soon, Ji Xinghuo arrived at the foot of the mountain, which rose about three thousand meters above the ground. He directed Qinghong to circle the base while he scanned the surroundings with his electromagnetic sensing, now enhanced with electrostatic fields, extending his range to three kilometers. He instructed Qinghong to slow down slightly to allow for a more thorough scan.
The Gale Beasts resembled cheetahs but had six legs, smooth skin that could change color, and invisible wind wings on their backs, enabling them to fly short distances at high speeds.
Their distinct appearance made them easily recognizable.
Ji Xinghuo's electromagnetic sensing picked up on numerous wild beasts and birds, but no sign of the Gale Beasts.
Just as he was about to instruct Qinghong to move further up the mountain, several dark silhouettes took flight from the peak.
"Pterodactyls?" Ji Xinghuo wondered aloud as he looked up.
They weren't pterodactyls, but rather an unfamiliar species of flying monster. With a wingspan of around ten meters, they had lizard-like bodies, black feathered wings, bald abdomens bearing massive claws, and long necks topped with ugly vulture-like heads.
Ji Xinghuo racked his brains and recalled that these creatures were known as "Vulture Beasts."
These monsters were tyrants of the plateau, devouring anything and everything—living or dead, flesh or plant, beast or human—they were the ultimate omnivores.
Vulture Beasts were pack hunters, wild and untamable.
Despite their impressive speed and endurance, they weren't suitable as flying mounts. They preferred to build their nests in high places.
"Looks like we've run into them right off the bat," Ji Xinghuo muttered as he watched the number of Vulture Beasts in the sky increase, quickly surpassing ten.
They circled menacingly, but didn't dive. Yet, Ji Xinghuo knew that these bullies of the plateau had their eyes set on him and Qinghong.
"Run toward that flat grassland over there," Ji Xinghuo instructed, pointing to the west of the mountain's base.
It was an open area without any cover, the perfect hunting ground for birds of prey, and would surely attract the Vulture Beasts.
Qinghong immediately complied.
He turned and sprinted across the grassland, his speed increasing with every stride as if he were desperately fleeing for his life.
As expected, the Vulture Beasts above took the bait and gave chase.
"Keep going," Ji Xinghuo urged.
Qinghong accelerated once more, and the Vulture Beasts matched his pace. A few of the smaller ones eventually turned back, abandoning the hunt, leaving only seven of the larger beasts in pursuit.
Ji Xinghuo glanced back from time to time, and soon, the pursuing Vulture Beasts entered the range of his electromagnetic sensing.
Based on the intensity of their magnetic fields, Ji Xinghuo determined that two of the Vulture Beasts were Superion-level monsters, boasting massive sizes with wingspans of about twelve meters. The remaining five were Elite-level, each with a wingspan of ten meters—still formidable opponents for any human.
For an average Altered, an encounter with these Vulture Beasts would likely end with them becoming a meal for the beasts unless they possessed some extraordinary survival ability.
Qinghong continued to increase his speed, covering seven or eight kilometers in just a few minutes.
The Vulture Beasts remained in pursuit from above.
Finally, the largest of the Vulture Beasts couldn't contain its impatience. It flapped its wings and dove toward Qinghong like a fighter jet, closing in at a terrifying speed.
The other Vulture Beasts followed suit, their massive wings creating gusts of wind.
"Keep running, don't stop," Ji Xinghuo instructed Qinghong as he readied the Invisible Thorn in his hand, his right hand grasping a handful of arrows—ordinary titanium alloy ones.
After the previous battle in the canyon against the Stone Sickle Demons, he had exhausted a significant number of his capacitive arrows. Although he had retrieved most of them, many were irreparably damaged due to overload.
For this outing, he had only brought along two hundred arrows, so he had to use them sparingly.
It wasn't that he didn't want to buy more, but they simply weren't available.
A few seconds later...
A violent gale buffeted Ji Xinghuo as the largest Vulture Beast dove within fifty meters of them, creating turbulent air currents. The other Vulture Beasts trailed close behind, all now within the lethal range of the Invisible Thorn, casting dark shadows over the ground below.
Ji Xinghuo stood up on Qinghong's back, turned, and raised the Invisible Thorn, an arrow already nocked and ready.
The closest Vulture Beast was nearly upon them.
"Chyuuu!"
It let out a sharp cry, generating an invisible shockwave that struck Ji Xinghuo with a mental assault. Simultaneously, it extended its massive claws, reaching for Ji Xinghuo and Qinghong, intending to grasp them and carry them off into the sky.
In almost the same instant, Ji Xinghuo released his arrow.
The bowstring vibrated.
The sound of the vibrating string was inaudible amidst the howling wind and shrieks, and the arrow was invisible due to refraction effects.
However, the effect of this arrow was immediate and apparent.
The Vulture Beast that had dived towards them suddenly jerked backward as if slapped by an invisible giant force. Its eyes burst, and an arrow pierced through its skull, exiting from the back of its head.
It let out a mournful cry as its massive body tumbled out of control, crashing to the ground and rolling, feathers flying everywhere, its body nearly pulverized.
Qinghong abruptly accelerated, narrowly avoiding the falling corpse of the Vulture Beast, creating some distance between them.
The remaining Vulture Beasts let out startled cries upon witnessing the demise of their companion.
The furthest one immediately slowed down, intending to veer off and escape.
But it was too late.
Ji Xinghuo stood steady on Qinghong's back, turned, and aimed at his target. His body was as stable as if he were standing on solid ground, and his hands moved like shadows as he fired a second arrow.
(End of Chapter)
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