“Could there be another fragment in the Monster Mountain Range?”
This thought flashed through Lin Yi's mind like lightning, and his face lit up with pleasant surprise.
This imperial expedition was truly worthwhile!
The fragment replaced the treasure chest given by Will, prevented him from choosing a belief, and could even block the professional blessings of Holy Blessing.
Any one of these points highlighted its value.
“My Lord.”
Xiang Yi approached quickly, holding her Overlord Spear diagonally, a hint of worry on her fair face.
“What did you find?” Lin Yi immediately asked, collecting his thoughts.
“There are no traps inside the canyon,” Xiang Yi reported in detail about the scouting situation. “It's consistent with what Freke said, and there are no threatening magical beasts around the entrance. However…”
“Just now, a somewhat dangerous aura suddenly emerged from deep within the mountain range.”
“Should we try a different entrance?”
For Xiang Yi to feel it was dangerous, it had to be at least a peak Tier 4 creature.
Lin Yi pondered for a moment, then looked at Freke beside him, “Are there any other areas you're familiar with?”
“Moo—!”
Freke shook his head.
He received a negative reply.
The materials for upgrading to a Tier 4 territory were something he absolutely had to obtain today, not to mention the sudden anomaly of the mysterious fragment.
The bigger the storm, the more valuable the fish.
It was worth a try!
After a brief hesitation, Lin Yi ordered, “Keep moving forward.”
“Be careful to avoid that thing.”
Seemingly sensing his concern, Xiang Yi pursed her red lips, her autumn-water-like eyes reflecting Lin Yi's figure, her voice clear and cold yet every word resonant, “Unless this subordinate dies, not a single hair on My Lord will be harmed.”
She turned and walked directly to the front of the team, her Overlord Spear vibrating in the air as she shouted, “All troops, be on alert! Conceal your aura!”
“Cross the canyon!”
As her words fell, 50 Scarlet Tassel Spearmen stepped forward in unison, forming a V-shape and entering first.
The remaining troops followed closely behind.
Two thousand Niu Ma carrying logistical supplies walked at the very end of the line.
Squeak, squeak—
Just as they entered the canyon, Lin Yi was still gazing at the dense vines covering the mountain.
The five spearmen scouting ahead drove a dozen large black rats towards the main force.
Those large black rats bared their sharp incisors, fleeing in a panic under the pressure of the spears.
“Stab!”
Wang Tiezhu was at the very front, swinging his arm.
The silver spear in his hand darted out like a venomous snake's tongue, instantly killing the largest one among them.
The large black rats clearly weren't very intelligent.
Upon being attacked, they finally realized there were even more humans ahead.
By then, it was too late to run.
What awaited them were chilling spear blades.
The fifteen large black rats, not counting their tails, were all over a meter long.
Their carcasses were neatly laid out before Lin Yi.
“Iron-Eating Rat.”
Lin Yi opened the Monster Encyclopedia and found the corresponding information.
They were of rare quality, lived in groups, and fed on iron.
Their teeth could be used to craft arrows.
Their nest must be nearby.
However, Lin Yi's objective for this trip was clearly not Tier 2 magical beasts.
Confirm decomposition.
【Obtained Tier 2 Magic Core x9!】
【Obtained Tier 1 Magic Core x6】
【Obtained Iron-Eating Rat complete fur X12, flesh X800, teeth x45】
【Obtained Weak Metal Essence x10!】
“How unlucky.”
Lin Yi pouted.
Tier 1 Magic Cores were mainly produced by magical beast cubs and Tier 2 magical beasts with incomplete origins.
Decomposing a small portion of Tier 1 cores, he wondered what these large black rats had been through.
“Load up the items.”
Lin Yi waved to Xiang Yi.
The team continued to advance.
Although the light in the canyon was dim, the army's soldiers were not nervous.
It was unlikely that any foolish magical beasts would actively attack an army of over two thousand people.
Indeed.
At the end of their sight, a few large red and black cats vanished in a flash before the team got close.
“Moo—!”
Freke, Lin Yi's mount, raised his head upon seeing this, his front hooves pawing the ground restlessly, his breathing noticeably quickening.
“Oh?”
“I know you're in a hurry, but don't rush yet.”
“Are they your enemies?”
Lin Yi raised an eyebrow.
Through his previous dream, he knew that Freke's clan was often attacked when collecting Earth Vein Lotuses in the Monster Mountain Range.
“Moo!!”
Freke let out a deep, low bellow and nodded, indicating that Lin Yi's guess was correct.
“What a coincidence,” Lin Yi's lips curved upwards as he pointed to where the red and white cats had disappeared, and said calmly, “They're old acquaintances. You should know where their territory is, right?”
Upon hearing this, Freke immediately understood that Lin Yi was preparing to attack the lion pride and roared excitedly to the sky.
Heaven knew how many of his clansmen these lions had hunted; he dreamed of revenge every day.
Now, his deep-seated vendetta was about to be fulfilled.
“Wait!”
Lin Yi's hard gauntlet grabbed Freke by the ear, and he dismounted, patting the latter's head, “Lead the way! Don't alarm them.”
After Freke left, he could only proceed on foot.
Fortunately, as his strength increased, he was no longer the same as before, and wearing full plate armor did not immediately tire him.
Without encountering any mishaps, they smoothly passed through the dim canyon.
They delved deeper inside.
What entered Lin Yi's sight were continuous, well-arranged emerald green mountains.
Unlike peaks with only a single cableway for climbing.
These mountains had flat structures and were covered in greenery.
Various birds and beasts moved through them.
This was just a glimpse.
Looking at the entire mountain range, the number of magical beasts within it was unimaginable.
“These resources are so rich it makes one drool…”
“What a pity.”
“In little over half a month, I'll have to leave this place.”
Unearthing a treasure but being unable to excavate it left Lin Yi feeling a bit regretful.
“Let's go.”
【Your army has killed a Long-Armed Ape (Lv17)】
【Your army has killed a Bear Monster (Lv19)】
【Your army has killed a Rock-Backed Boar (Lv13)】
【....】
Any magical beast that appeared in the army's sight was doomed to die.
Pure energy surged into Lin Yi's limbs and bones.
By concentrating, he could clearly feel the growth of his physical strength.
He felt that if he killed a few more, he would be able to advance to Level 17!
“My…”
Ailina flapped her pure white wings, slowly rising from low altitude, and stood obediently beside Lin Yi to report the situation, “Twenty Tier 3, one peak Tier 3 Lion King, and some newly born cubs.”
“The encirclement has been formed, awaiting your command.”
Lin Yi lifted his visor, standing on the extended mountain platform, overlooking the lion pride resting by the rocks at the foot of the mountain below.
It was a clear sky after a heavy rain.
The warm sunlight made the lion pride habitually nap, completely unaware that their escape routes had been blocked.
“Keep the cubs, kill the rest.”
Lin Yi ordered.
“As you wish.”
Ailina bowed slightly and gestured to Xiang Yi, who was waiting for orders below.
Swish—
A black spear shadow brought forth a sound of tearing through the air.
“Kill!”
In an instant!
Two hundred Scarlet Tassel Spearmen exploded with killing intent, charging towards the panicked lion pride with lightning speed.
Their momentum was fierce, utterly fearless.
“Roar!”
A male lion let out a low roar, seeing the mysterious bipedal creatures charging towards it, its heart filled with panic.
However…
When it slapped away the incoming spear, it finally realized.
The strength of these humans, who spoke of “glory,” “contribution,” and something about “don't underestimate our bonds,” was not as strong as it had imagined!
“Damn it!”
“Tear them to shreds!”
The Lion King felt humiliated and roared, trying to make its pride members snap out of it.
Buzz—
Suddenly, it smelled death.
Just as it looked up.
A black spear shadow flew directly towards it, like a meteor streaking across the night sky.
Dazzling and deadly!
“Star Chaser, Moon Pursuer.”
Pfft!
The flying Overlord Spear pierced through the Lion King's head, impaling it into the ground.
Xiang Yi's pale ankles hooked the spear shaft as she stood suspended in mid-air, calmly observing the battlefield.
This lion pride, among Tier 3 magical beasts, should be considered top-tier.
Even with the boost from her leadership affinity, the Scarlet Tassel Spearmen's strength surged.
They couldn't quickly wipe out the lion pride in an instant.
Instead, the lion pride, relying on its strength advantage, occasionally managed to wound the spear soldiers.
Fortunately, the army had a 10:1 numerical advantage.
In addition, the accelerated thought effect of the Cleansing Blessing allowed them to almost always avoid fatal attacks.
Whenever someone was injured by the lion pride, other soldiers would take their place, making it impossible to determine a winner in a short time.
However…
The lion pride had no Lion King, but the army still had the Muscular Barbie!
The fierce Wang Tiezhu moved as if in a no-man's-land, his moves broad and sweeping. After killing several lionesses, the balance was broken.
The remaining lion pride had no power to resist and was steadily pushed back.
【Your army has killed a Darkflame Lion (Lv27)….】
【Your army has killed….】
Pure energy surged like a tide.
Wave after wave, it roared towards Lin Yi.
At this moment.
Lin Yi once again felt every muscle in his body cheering, every hair on his body leaping with joy.
His entire body's strength soared!
Breaking through Level 17… Level 18… Level 19 in one go.
His spiritual attribute finally settled at 14.8, which was also a considerable improvement.
Of the entire lion pride, only sixteen confused and somewhat bewildered cubs remained.
Lin Yi returned to the base of the mountain to check the battle damage.
25 people were lightly wounded, 2 were severely wounded.
After being bandaged, the latter were no longer in life-threatening danger.
After this battle.
Lin Yi once again realized the importance of high-tier heroes.
If it weren't for Xiang Yi's affinity bonus.
His spearmen, aside from feeding the lion pride, could not have achieved such a rich battle record.
“What should we do next?”
Xiang Yi wiped the bloodstains from her Overlord Spear and asked casually.
“Collect some Earth Vein Lotuses, and find more crop or medicinal plant seeds.”
Lin Yi replied while decomposing.
After hunting this lion pride.
21 Tier 3 Magic Cores, furs, bones, and other equipment materials were obtained.
The main objective of the hunt had been achieved.
The rest were just bonuses.
Rumble—
Suddenly!
The ground began to tremble.
All Scarlet Tassel Spearmen entered combat readiness, gripping their spear shafts tightly, surrounding Lin Yi in the center of the formation.
Both Xiang Yi and Ailina's expressions changed!
“It's that guy…”
“Retreat!”
If Lin Yi hadn't been personally on the battlefield, Xiang Yi might have considered engaging in battle with that mysterious creature.
But now.
There could be no slightest oversight!
“Not good…”
Lin Yi suddenly licked his lips, his expression grave, “It's coming for us! And it's fast!”
“My Lord, you can see it?” Xiang Yi was somewhat surprised.
“Sort of…”
Lin Yi looked at the increasingly close text embedded in mid-air ahead and ordered, “Prepare for battle!”
【Distorted Abomination (World Boss)】
Level: 40
World Buff: Constitution increased by 10000% (Note: This buff does not count towards defense calculation)!
Skills: ????
Description: A stitched-together creature formed by wandering evil spirits, possessing infectious diseases, and immense power. Please treat with caution.
At the same time.
In a hidden corner above a mountain ridge on the other side.
A figure shrouded in blood mist saw the terrifying creature charging towards Lin Yi's army, silently turned away, and left without a sound.