It was the "Wild Heart" ring that Lei Luo had given him, which could temporarily boost the wearer's various attributes.
Facing the Frostfang Serpent's lunge, Aide neither dodged nor retreated; instead, he took a step forward, and the ground beneath his feet seemed to tremble with him.
His longsword, infused with earthy-yellow Battle Qi, became incredibly heavy as he swung it fiercely at the Frostfang Serpent's lower jaw!
"Clang!"
A deafening clang, like metal striking metal!
Aide's longsword struck the Frostfang Serpent's hard scales, leaving only a shallow white mark with sparks flying!
The Frostfang Serpent's immense impact also forced Aide to stumble back three steps before he could barely steady himself, his sword-gripping arm tingling.
Such hard scales!
Aide's heart leaped in surprise.
The Frostfang Serpent seemed to be enraged as well; its massive tail swept across like a steel whip, carrying a whistling sound that tore through the air!
If this strike landed, even a knight's armor wouldn't be able to withstand it.
At this critical moment, a soft white light illuminated Aide's right wrist, and an illusory silver shield instantly materialized in front of him.
It was that "safeguard bracelet"!
"Boom!"
The serpent's tail slammed hard against the shield, producing a dull thud.
The shield shattered in response, dissipating into specks of silver light, but Aide used this opportunity to steady himself, his eyes gleaming with even greater intensity.
This beast is truly powerful!
This safeguard bracelet could only activate a Tier 1 magic shield, so it was expected for it to be shattered by a Tier 3 magical beast with a single blow.
The Frostfang Serpent evidently hadn't expected its attack to be blocked; it paused for a moment, and a hint of savagery flashed in its snake eyes.
It opened its mouth wide again, and a cold chill began to condense in its throat; the surrounding air temperature plummeted, and even the rocks became covered with a thin layer of frost.
Aide, with his rich combat experience, immediately took action.
Almost at the same time, Aide moved!
He didn't choose to retreat; instead, he charged forward again, his footsteps steady and powerful, as if nailed to the ground.
With the burst of power from the "Wild Heart" ring, his speed was a few points faster than before.
The Earth Knight's Battle Qi circulated at full power, an earthy-yellow glow almost enveloping his entire body; his center of gravity lowered, and the longsword in his hand pointed diagonally towards the ground, like a charging wild ox.
The Frostfang Serpent was about to unleash its icy breath, but seeing Aide not retreat but advance straight towards its face, it instinctively tilted its head back slightly, attempting to adjust its attack angle.
Now!
Aide's eyes flashed with a sharp glint, seizing this fleeting opportunity!
His charging momentum suddenly shifted; his body twisted at an incredible angle, avoiding the Frostfang Serpent's soon-to-close fangs, and the longsword, infused with all his Battle Qi, was no longer a slash but transformed into a cunning trajectory, fiercely stabbing towards the Frostfang Serpent's relatively soft vital point!
That was the snake's weakness!
"Pfft!"
This time, it wasn't the clang of metal.
The longsword, infused with the Earth Knight's profound Battle Qi and amplified by the power of the "Wild Heart," finally broke through the tough snake scales and deeply pierced the Frostfang Serpent's body!
"Hiss--!"
The Frostfang Serpent let out a desperate, painful hiss, its massive body twisting wildly, its huge snake tail thrashing indiscriminately against the ground and rock walls, sending broken stones flying and dust billowing.
The condensed icy aura also dissipated instantly.
Aide, having landed a successful blow, immediately drew his sword and retreated, his movements clean and decisive, not daring to linger for a moment.
He knew that dying magical beasts were often the most dangerous.
Indeed, although severely wounded, the Frostfang Serpent's ferocity remained; it twisted its bleeding body and lunged fiercely towards Aide again, attempting a final counterattack.
But having lost its aim and speed, this lunge seemed somewhat futile.
Aide calmly dodged to the side, watching the Frostfang Serpent fall heavily to the ground, struggle a few times, the light in its snake eyes rapidly dimming until it finally stopped moving.
Only its ice-blue scales still gleamed with a chilling aura in the dim light.
For a moment, only the heavy breathing of the knights remained in the canyon.
"Well done, Aide."
Lei Luo's voice broke the silence, a approving smile on his face.
Aide not only improved quickly in strength, but his combat awareness was also quite outstanding, and the two magic items played a significant role.
Aide sheathed his sword, let out a slight breath, and a hint of excitement appeared on his face.
Killing a Tier 3 magical beast alone was no small breakthrough for him.
"It's all thanks to the treasures bestowed by my lord."
Aide humbly replied, returning the two magic items.
"You seized the opportunity yourself."
Lei Luo waved his hand, taking back the safeguard bracelet but bestowing the Wild Ring upon Aide.
The safeguard bracelet didn't provide much benefit to Aide, but the Wild Ring greatly amplified his abilities, making him the most suitable user in the territory at present.
"Alright, clean up the battlefield, deal with this thing; the snake skin and venomous fangs are excellent materials. Then, carefully dig out that Dragon Thorn Fruit Tree for me, making sure not to damage the roots."
"Yes, my lord!"
The knights responded in unison, the previous tension replaced by excitement and joy.
Several knights stepped forward to process the Frostfang Serpent's corpse, while others cautiously began to excavate the soil around the Dragon Thorn Fruit Tree.
Moonlight had, at some point, jumped back onto Lei Luo's shoulder, licking its paws, seemingly uninterested in the recent battle, but instead casting covetous glances at the few bright red dragon thorn fruits.
Lei Luo stroked its head.
Soon, the Dragon Thorn Fruit Tree was completely excavated, its roots carrying a sizable ball of earth, which the knights carefully wrapped in the thick cloth they had brought.
The Frostfang Serpent's snake skin was completely peeled off, and its venomous fangs were carefully collected.
"My lord, everything has been taken care of."
Aide came to report.
"Very good, let's head back."
Lei Luo nodded, turning his horse around.
Night deepened, with stars dotting the ink-blue velvet sky.
Moonlight still lay on Lei Luo's shoulder, occasionally extending its pink tongue to lick its nose, its translucent eyes twinkling in the night, seemingly contemplating some major cat (dragon) life event.
As they approached Blackstone Town, they could see the town's edge from afar, near the nascent castle under construction, brightly lit.
Unlike the silence in most parts of the town, that area was bustling with people and filled with the vigor of labor.
"It seems Old Buck is very efficient."
Lei Luo reined in his horse, gazing at the illuminated area.
The team arrived at their destination, and indeed, they saw Old Buck busy with dozens of his people.
Large quantities of processed tough vines and ropes were piled in the open space; men, women, and children all joined in, weaving large hunting nets and snares under Old Buck's direction.
Seeing Lei Luo and his group return, Old Buck quickly put down his work and hurried to greet them.
"My lord, you're back!"
Old Buck's voice was a little hoarse, "Everyone is rushing to make the things you ordered!"