Chapter 377: Assault in Firn
Translator: flycrane01 Editor: Millman97
The vast, desolate mountain pierced into the sky like a grey saber, and five members of Team Blue Bronze were hiding behind that saber.
Yan Yangtian, on the other hand, had melted into the cold air. She was monitoring the situation in the valley from the very tip of the saber.
From the images she sent back, Li Yao was able to see clearly that there were thirteen demons who were wearing white furs all over their bodies and crimson crystals that were emitting heat in their joints. They were like thirteen polar bears which had learnt to stand up.
It was unlikely that the white furs were their real skin. It was perhaps a biochemical shell that they formed in order to resist the extreme coldness.
Their faces were all exposed to the air. Their facial organs were quite distinguishable, which were quite similar to a human being's, except that there was a cluster of additional flesh on their nose that was probably some sort of mini air-cleaning demon insect.
The more a demon looked similar to a human, the higher they'd evolved and the higher their capability would be. There was a good chance that they were silver-blood demons.
The civilization level of the Blood Demon Sector was on a par with that of the Heaven's Origin Sector. It would consume a lot of demonic energy to teleport demon kings and demon emperors to hundreds of lightyears away, not to mention that the odds of success were very low.
Unless it was necessary, demon kings and demon emperors wouldn't risk being torn apart by the cosmic turbulence in order to be teleported to the Occult Orbs.
The main force exploring the Occult Orbs were all demon generals.
Normally speaking, after Building Foundation Stage Cultivators put on crystal suits, their personal ability would be greatly enhanced. Demon generals of the same level were no match for them.
However, the bodies of the demons were born to be tougher than the human body, which allowed them to overcome the by-effects of the interstellar teleportation more easily.
Therefore, the vehicles of the same level as star shuttles could carry more demons.
As a result, in the Occult Orbs, it was often the case that Cultivators boasted higher combat capability while the demons had an overwhelming advantage in numbers.
It was especially so today.
Yan Zi quickly summarized the intelligence collected so far.
"I discovered a star shuttle of the demon clan 37 kilometers away. It was not large in size. The thirteen demons and the two guards over the ridge there should be all of them.
"According to my observation, the fifteen demons are all no higher than high-level demon generals. There is no demon king. It is reasonable considering the scale of the star shuttle.
"For a star shuttle of that level, it would definitely not be able to accommodate a demon king after stuffing fifteen demon generals inside, unless they are willing to be torn to pieces during their teleportation."
While listening, Li Yao observed the situation himself.
Those white-furred demons had built up a bizarre building inside the valley. At first glance, it seemed to be a high tower. A giant pillar was standing in the middle of the tower; countless crystals were surrounding it and were spreading eccentric demonic energy.
"Vulture, you are a refiner. Can you tell what they're working on? A camp? An altar?" Hong Tong asked in a low voice.
Li Yao narrowed his eyes. Hundreds of similar buildings popped up in his head. He compared each of them with the one in front of his eyes, only to get no match, until in the end, he suddenly realized something and said confidently, "It is neither a camp nor an altar. It is a pile driver, or a drill, if you will."
"A pile driver? Drill?" Hong Tong was somewhat confused.
"Correct."
Li Yao added, "The giant pillar in the middle should be some sort of magical equipment that can drill deep into the ground by vibration and revolution. Generally speaking, it is often used when a mother lode has yet to be detected.
"But according to our files, of the dozens of kinds of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures in Mystic Glacier, Nine-holed Stones and Soul Melting Crystals are the only two that are worthy of collecting. It is the same for the Blood Demon Sector.
"Also, their way of advancement is different from that of Cultivators, and they do not have the concept of Building Foundation at all, which means Soul-melting Crystals are completely useless for them!
"If they are collecting the Nine-holed Stones, the most convenient way would be to make use of the tunnels of the ancient mine thousands of years ago. Re-prospecting and rebuilding a tunnel? It is too difficult. Also, it is highly unnecessary.
"Therefore, my conclusion is that there is something much more precious than Nine-holed Stones and Soul Melting Crystals buried under the valley!"
While Li Yao was talking, the drilling machine in the valley suddenly started glowing. The giant pillar in its middle started revolving rapidly while it dug into the underground.
"What are these scumbags doing? Don't they know that frigorific cyclones are everywhere under the surface of Mystic Glacier? What if some of them are triggered by the drilling?" Hong Tong gnashed his teeth. "This team of demons outnumbers us, but none of them are very strong. Whatever they're doing, let's just catch them unprepared and take them down. Fifteen demons are a lot of contribution points. Their belongings will all be ours. How about it?"
"Let's do it!"
"Kill those lousy bastards! They are just some ten demons. Team Blue Bronze used to slay more than twenty demons without any trouble!"
All the teammates, including Li Yao, were rubbing their hands, too eager to make a move.
But 'Shell' Leng Ziming was more cautious. He said, "Do we need to send the message to the Heaven's Origin Sector and ask another Star Team to reinforce us? Not that I think we can't beat them. I'm just worrying that some of them might be able to run away and cause trouble in the future."
Hong Tong shook his head and said, "No. To send the message back, we will have to return to the Star Shuttle. This place is hundreds of kilometers from our star shuttle. By the time we go there and come back, these scumbags will probably have already dug out what they need from the underground. Besides, we will be more likely to expose ourselves. The risks are too high."
Leng Ziming thought for a while and nodded his head.
"Fair enough. Let's do it."
"Good!"
Hong Tong's voice suddenly turned extremely calm. "Last minute check. Yan Zi will take out the guard on the left; Shell will deal with the one on the right. Dummy will launch mental interference to reduce the alertness of the demons to the minimum.
"Vulture and Lingdang, be prepared. Later, I will establish a channel in front of you where there is zero gravity, so that your speed will be boosted!
"Then, carry out Plan 19. Free fire and kill everything you see!"
"Understood!"
"Understood!"
"Understood!"
The five teammates dispersed silently. A giant animal had opened its bloody mouth, ready to enjoy the delicious food.
The demons in the valley were fully focused on the drilling machine, not having the slightest idea that the wings of death had passed by their heads.
Mental interference from 'Dummy' Ba Weiqi further strengthened their illusion that the mission was about to be completed.
Last ten seconds.
'Shell' Leng Ziming was in position. His telepathic thoughts had locked onto a demon guard 735 meters away who had disguised himself as a rock.
Yan Yangtian had turned utterly invisible. She snuck to the back of the other guard.
Li Yao and Ding Lingdang had checked all their power rune arrays and attack magical equipment. Their spiritual energy was rejoicing, flooding out of the pores on their skin at any time.
"Five, four, three, two, one!"
In one corner of the ridge, a scarlet star blinked. A bullet which had been carved with sophisticated runes all over its body, covering the more than seven hundred meters silently and speedily, pierced through the demonic shield of the guard and into his head without any trouble.
Yan Yangtian appeared out of thin air. The other demon guard was completely suppressed by her spiritual energy, while she severed the spine of the guard with a glittering sharp knife and stabbed his heart with another.
"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!"
The other four Cultivators all opened fire. More than a hundred flying swords dashed down into the valley.
"Now is the time!" Hong Tong roared and raised his hands up abruptly.
On the mountain path before Li Yao and Ding Lingdang, countless rocks were rolling while producing cracking noises. Some pebbles were even floating in the air.
Li Yao and Ding Lingdang immediately activated their spiritual energy to the maximum. Dazzling brilliance burst out from their crystal suits, while the power rune arrays were all screaming. They stomped on the ground, causing earsplitting thunder to echo through the valley, and rushed down.
On the path where there was zero gravity, their speed was brought up to an unimaginable level. They reached the foot of the mountain before everyone was able to realize what was going on, like two burning blades.
"Pa! Pa! Pa!"
Flowers of blood were blossoming among the demons who were now in utter chaos.
'Shell' Leng Ziming, after taking care of the guard, had aimed at the commander-like demon in the group.
Although the bullet didn't kill him, the crowd was thrown into greater confusion.
A hundred meters to the demons.
For Cultivators, the distance was like the width of a hair.
Li Yao extended his telepathic thoughts and summoned four floating Vulcan Machine Guns which knitted a net of flame and death in front of him.
In the meantime, he unsheathed the Boiled Blood Wind Slashing Saber. The blood aura piercing out of the saber almost reached nine meters away. He wielded the saber, raising a hurricane of destruction.
The demons in the range of his attack all lifted their weapons to block his saber. But the arm of one of the demon generals was shot by the sniper just now, which made his reaction slower than it should have been. His giant head flew up to the sky, his shocked face frozen in the cold hair.
First blood, secured!
For the other demons, although they were not hit by the body of the saber, the aura of the blood had penetrated through their demonic shield into their body weirdly.
The demons that were relatively weaker immediately started bleeding.
Li Yao's soul was connected to his saber in a mysterious way. He recognized the weakness of the demons easily. Sneering, he charged at the demon whose bleeding was fastest and slashed down at his head!
In the meantime, Ding Lingdang had rushed into the crowd of the demons with her three serpents of fire.
She was already at the middle level of the Building Foundation Stage. With the enhancement of the Crimson Phantom Battlesuit tailor-made for her by Li Yao, her strength was even greater than that of many high-level demon generals. Besides, she had inherited the ancient Cultivation art 'Nano-colored Fire'. Therefore, she was fighting against five demon generals at the same time, single-handedly.
By the time Yan Yangtian, Hong Tong, and Ba Weiqi reached the battleground, Li Yao and Ding Lingdang had slain three demon generals, while another three demon generals were in a state of extreme weakness due to critical blood loss.
As the saying goes, fortune always favors the bold. The victory here was already guaranteed!
Hong Tong did not expect that Li Yao would be so tough in his first battle in the Occult Orbs. He was planning to let Li Yao and Ding Lingdang disrupt the formation of the demons first, so that the three of them could clean up the remaining demons together. As it turned out, Li Yao and Ding Lingdang had almost wiped out all the demons on their own. He was overjoyed and shouted, "Well done, Li Yao! Don't kill all of them! Leave someone alive!"
Silver-blood demons were as intelligent as human beings. The two parties could understand each other. Cultivators of the Heaven's Origin Sector had a lot of secret arts to interrogate the demons. 'Dummy' Ba Weiqi of Team Blue Bronze was an expert in this aspect.
The few demons who were still resisting knew that they were destined to lose. After looking at each other, one of the demons whose fur was more glamourous than others' gritted his teeth and crumbled something round in his hand while brutality was burning in his eyes.
"BOOM!"
The drilling machine suddenly started working dozens of times faster. A weird, teeth-twisting noise broke out in the depths of the underground!