Chapter 447: The Soarer

Chapter 447: The Soarer

A day on Hei Huan Star consisted of 27 hours.

To maximize efficiency, Ji Xinghuo would hunt relentlessly for four to five days before allowing himself a brief rest of a few hours.

On average, he managed to accumulate around 30,000 units of Spirit Source Energy each day.

The tangible sense of progress and the visible enhancement of his strength kept Ji Xinghuo motivated and immersed in the hunt, making it hard to tear himself away, and even causing him to lose track of time.

In the blink of an eye, several more days passed on Hei Huan Star, and Ji Xinghuo's stockpile of Spirit Source Energy had exceeded 500,000 units.

After restocking his supplies at an outpost in the Silent Wasteland, Ji Xinghuo set out once more.

"It's about time to change locations."

Soaring in the sky, Ji Xinghuo scanned beneath him with his electromagnetic induction, noticing a distinct decrease in the number of Earth Devouring Insects.

Back at the outpost, several groups had been discussing this very matter.

More and more hunters were noticing the unusual behavior of the Earth Devouring Insects, and due to the decline in their yields, some were forced to leave the Silent Wasteland.

This development affected Ji Xinghuo as well.

The growth of his Spirit Source Energy had gradually started to slow down, and he often ended the day with just over 20,000 units.

"I'll hunt for another ten days before leaving."

As he flew and searched for monsters, Ji Xinghuo pulled up the satellite map of Hei Huan Star, seeking a suitable hunting ground.

He had to travel over 300 kilometers away from the outpost before he found a relatively concentrated group of Earth Devouring Insects. Descending to their center of distribution, he planted his "probe" into the ground and activated it, sending out sonic waves of a unique frequency.

Immediately, over a dozen Earth Devouring Insects within the vicinity were drawn towards his location.

The Thunder Sword transformed into lightning dragons, plunging into the earth and slicing the approaching insects within a kilometer radius into fragments.

[\+58 Spirit Source Energy]



[\+47 Spirit Source Energy]



One by one, the notification messages floated into his field of vision.

Multitasking with ease, Ji Xinghuo effortlessly slew the insects while pondering, "Not only has the number of Earth Devouring Insects decreased, but their average strength has also weakened, resulting in a reduction in the Spirit Source Energy I obtain from each kill."

Among the Earth Devouring Insects, Heavenly Disaster-level monsters were rare.

Initially, he would encounter a Hong-level Earth Devouring Insect every few days, but now, he hadn't seen one in over a dozen days.

Moreover, most of the Hong-level insects he had slain did not possess Star-falling Variants.

In all these days of hunting, he had only obtained two 'Gravity Fields', adding to the one he already had, making it a total of three.

"When I have the chance, I should head back to the North Pole Transit Station and sell them to Karula in exchange for Melting Beads..."

Ji Xinghuo's train of thought was suddenly interrupted as he turned his head towards the south, the direction of the previous outpost.

His electromagnetic induction constantly enveloped an area with a 200-kilometer radius, and within this range, he was aware of the movements of numerous hunting teams and solitary hunters. Before slaying any Earth Devouring Insects, he always confirmed that no one else would stumble upon him.

For many days, Ji Xinghuo had avoided all encounters with other hunters in the Silent Wasteland, except when he was at the outpost.

Only on rare occasions when hunters with keen senses detected the activity of the insects would they rush over.

Ji Xinghuo had always managed to evade them.

This time was no different. His electromagnetic induction alerted him to the presence of someone approaching, approximately 120 kilometers away.

It was a solitary hunter.

Due to the distance, Ji Xinghuo could only determine through the intensity of the magnetic field that this person was a legendary powerhouse, currently flying in the sky.

This individual was flying at an incredible speed, nearing the speed of sound on Hei Huan Star. However, after observing for a few seconds, Ji Xinghuo noticed that their direction wasn't directly towards him but rather at a slight angle.

"They might just be passing by."

Ji Xinghuo wasn't entirely certain, as the person had only recently entered the 200-kilometer radius, and their initial flight path had been even further off, so he hadn't paid much attention.

However, as the distance closed, the person altered their direction twice.

He continued hunting the insects while keeping a close eye on this individual.

A few minutes later.

Over a dozen Earth Devouring Insects were already mostly slain, yet the person was still flying at high speed, now about 80 kilometers away, and their direction remained unchanged.

"Just a passerby..."

Ji Xinghuo's thought had just formed when suddenly, the person's speed surged severalfold, and they altered their direction for the third time, charging madly in his direction.

"Such incredible speed!"

He couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. The speed of sound on Hei Huan Star was approximately 400 meters per second, and this person had already surpassed 3 Mach, reaching 1200 meters per second, and they were still accelerating, becoming faster and faster!

Ji Xinghuo frowned, "They're definitely heading towards me."

This speed was far beyond what an ordinary legendary powerhouse could achieve, and the violent fluctuations in the magnetic field indicated that their previous slower speed had been a disguise.

In just a few seconds, the distance between them had shrunk to a little over 60 kilometers.

Without hesitation, Ji Xinghuo abandoned the remaining insects, retracted the probe from the ground, and wrapped himself in the Thunder Sword, shooting into the sky. He burst forth with a speed even faster than his pursuer, fleeing in a different direction.

A flash of lightning streaked across the high skies, accompanied by a rumble of thunder.

Amid the wind and lightning, Ji Xinghuo's electromagnetic induction locked onto the person behind him. However, his pursuer accelerated once more, reaching a speed of 5 Mach.

The distance between them gradually decreased.

Turning his head, Ji Xinghuo could now make out the figure in the distance—a black dot on the horizon that grew larger and clearer, revealing its details.

"A Soarer!"

"No wonder they're so fast."

Ji Xinghuo muttered to himself.

Soarers, like Winged People, were a branch of the Sky Race, innately gifted in flight and rulers of the skies.

However, what set Soarers apart from Winged People was the absence of wings. They possessed lightweight, agile bodies and graceful movements, relying on their racial innate ability, 'Wind Rider'. Upon awakening this ability, they could manipulate airflow to attain flight.

She was a female Soarer, clad in a form-fitting, lightweight battle attire. Her lithe frame exuded an air of elegance, and her arms, long enough to reach her knees, resembled wings when outstretched.

Gale-force winds propelled her forward, and the air around her roared in response.

Ji Xinghuo witnessed the phenomenon trailing the Soarer, a spectacle that spanned thousands of meters, akin to the aftermath of a hurricane.

"A Sky Surveyor," he muttered.

The Sky Surveyor was a profession akin to the Evil Wind Guest and the Flying Step, perfectly suited to the innate talents of the Soarer race.

"There's no way this is the speed of a legendary Sky Surveyor," Ji Xinghuo said, a puzzled look in his eyes. Even now, the female Soarer's magnetic field intensity had increased, but it still fell within the legendary realm, and her energy fluctuations were masked.

"Most likely a Celestial King at the third stage."

"And not just any ordinary sixth-stage powerhouse, but one at the pinnacle of the sixth stage!"

Ji Xinghuo's heart sank as he realized the gravity of the situation. At that moment, his "Acceleration" ability propelled him beyond the cruising limit, reaching a speed of 5 Mach as well.

A speed of two kilometers per second.

The two of them maintained a similar speed, keeping a steady distance between them. However, during the time Ji Xinghuo accelerated, he had managed to close the gap to just over 30 kilometers.

One in front, the other in relentless pursuit.

Ji Xinghuo's stellar power was rapidly depleting, yet he couldn't shake off the female Soarer.

Without hesitation, he veered north, heading toward the North Pole Transit Station, where the armies of the Rock King Clan held their ground.

Soon, the duo found themselves in the heart of the Silent Wasteland. Ji Xinghuo's electromagnetic induction picked up on a shuttle approaching from the north. The shuttle, which had just entered his range of perception, carried a sixth-stage powerhouse.

This individual made no attempt to conceal their strength, their magnetic field distinct and formidable, indicative of a peak sixth-stage prowess!

"They came prepared," Ji Xinghuo realized.

His thoughts raced as he considered the shuttle's maximum speed in the atmosphere—10 Mach, far surpassing his own. Moreover, it incurred no damage from the alien race, meaning they could easily intercept his path.

He glanced upward at the high skies; it was daytime. Likely, a satellite in low orbit was tracking his movements.

In his left eye, the Ultimate Dark Sphere was ready to be unleashed at any moment.

Despite the dire situation, Ji Xinghuo's expression remained calm.

Suddenly, he decelerated and came to a halt. The Thunder Sword's radiance dissipated as he hovered in the air, facing the female Soarer who was rapidly closing in on him.

Violent gusts of wind created white trails, stretching from afar.

Ji Xinghuo narrowed his eyes, noticing that the female Soarer wasn't just a Sky Surveyor, but also a master of kinetic energy. Surrounding her body was a transparent, shuttle-shaped force field, designed with impeccable aerodynamics to reduce air resistance, thus enabling her to fly even faster.

In just over ten seconds, the female Soarer closed the distance to within five kilometers. She then began to decelerate, eventually coming to a stop about a kilometer away.

Boom!

The air exploded around her, and the shockwaves from her supersonic flight buffeted Ji Xinghuo, the sonic boom deafening.

Yet, Ji Xinghuo stood firm, unmoved.

The female Soarer hovered in the sky, her eyes appraising Ji Xinghuo, who returned her gaze with equal intensity.

As members of the Sky Race, Soarers were not as commonly encountered as Winged People. Their population was mainly distributed in the northwestern Dragon Domain of the True Dragon Dynasty, and they were rarely seen in the southern Candle Star Dragon Domain. Ji Xinghuo had only encountered a handful of them during his time in Titanium Ring City.

Soarers had slender, lightweight bodies, with pointed heads and elongated eyes. Their entire physique seemed to be shaped to conform to the principles of aerodynamics, which some members of the human race might find peculiar.

"Annihilator Ash?" the female Soarer asked.

Her expression was cold and proud, her narrow eyes like those of a venomous snake, fixated on Ji Xinghuo as if he were prey.

Ji Xinghuo remained silent, offering no response.

"I am Kong Ling," the female Soarer introduced herself nonchalantly. "I come here today without malicious intent. I am here on behalf of my master to propose a transaction. My master is willing to offer 1 million ether crystals to purchase your Annihilator Dragon."

1 million ether crystals!

It sounded like a substantial sum, an astronomical fortune to most aliens. However, compared to the value of the Annihilator Dragon, it was negligible.

"Who is your master?" Ji Xinghuo asked, his voice steady.

He wanted to know who dared to scheme for his Annihilator Dragon within the Yuan-Magnetic Domain of the Titanium-Cobalt Family.

"You are not worthy of knowing my master's name," Kong Ling replied with contempt. "My master is the great Star Shepherd, and it is your greatest honor to have the opportunity to trade with him."

"Hehe..."

Ji Xinghuo let out a cold laugh. "A sneaky rat dares to call itself 'great'?

If this so-called 'master' of yours is truly that powerful, why don't they negotiate directly with the Titanium-Cobalt Dragon King and take the Annihilator Dragon themselves? Instead, they send you here, too afraid to show their face. It's clear they fear the Titanium-Cobalt Dragon King!"

"Ignorant and arrogant!" Kong Ling's face darkened with anger. Insulting her master was akin to insulting her, and she struggled to contain her fury. "So, you refuse to sell?"

"You never intended to buy," Ji Xinghuo countered.

He had seen through their ploy.

Her hesitation to engage in combat was a stalling tactic, buying time for the shuttle to arrive so she could join forces with her companion. Their offer of 1 million ether crystals for the Annihilator Dragon was merely a ruse. Their true plan was to steal it!

Kong Ling's expression shifted.

However, before she could make a move, Ji Xinghuo took the initiative.

A thunderous roar echoed through the skies as he transformed into a bolt of lightning, hurtling toward his enemy!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end