Stepping back into Dragon’s Ridge, I instinctively began sensing the surrounding aura. This time, I relied less on my eyes and ears, focusing instead on feeling the atmosphere, sensing the killing intent permeating the area!
I perceive killing intent as an innate warning mechanism against danger. I believe everyone possesses some degree of sensitivity to it, differing only in intensity. For a Ranger who constantly trains by fighting monsters, detecting killing intent isn't difficult. It’s just that I never previously considered using it to pinpoint the direction or angle of an impending threat. Killing intent sensing merely served as an alarm, signaling surrounding danger.
Now, I was attempting to integrate this killing intent perception into actual combat! Using it to distinguish the location, attack vector, and angle of the Dragon Archers’ strikes. While it sounded absurd, the previous time I miraculously dodged an arrow aimed at my throat convinced me that with proficient use, no attack could remain hidden from me. This, after all, is the essence of attack—see through the essence, and you can prevent it beforehand.
The surroundings remained deathly silent, with only faint air currents slowly moving. So far, I hadn't detected any significant change. I continued moving forward.
Not long after, that strange coldness and the familiar palpitation returned!
Killing intent! It was unmistakable! My heart tensed! I carefully traced the source of the intent, feeling a needle-prick shudder simultaneously in my chest! This attack was aimed at my chest!
No doubt about it; this sensation was startlingly similar to the icy sting I felt at my throat when avoiding the first arrow! I immediately raised my shield, bracing for a blow to my left chest!
Clang! Almost instantaneously, a violent impact resonated as the shield was struck! Although prepared, the immense force still sent me staggering backward several paces.
Soon after, a cold numbness, like a chilled little snake coiling around my lower leg, surfaced! If one didn't concentrate, it would be impossible to distinguish!
This attack targeted my leg!
Without hesitation, with a mere flick of my leg, I moved!
Thwack! An arrow instantly embedded itself in my left leg, appearing as if from thin air, yet the trembling fletching confirmed it had flown toward me at incredible speed just moments ago!
Whoosh! Only then did the long-absent sound of air being split finally reach my ears!
I dared not let my guard down! From those two arrows, I confirmed the Dragon Archer was approximately two hundred meters directly in front of me! However, I wasn't ready to rush forward and kill it yet. I wanted to use it to practice my killing intent perception and the application of the Eye of Desire for Death!
Next, that peculiar shudder reappeared, striking my head, shoulder, and abdomen! Each time I felt it, I swiftly moved my body—turning my head, contracting my stomach, or lifting a leg!
Accompanying each sensation was the sound of rushing air! No matter how tricky the angle or how fast the Dragon Archer’s hardened arrows flew, I managed to deftly evade them all!
All the while, I was slowly closing the distance! The feeling was utterly fantastic! Gradually, as the killing intent perception grew clearer, I seemed to capture the Dragon Archer's movements.
In the mist, I couldn't clearly see its actions, but a bizarre image flashed in my mind, as distinct as a transparent three-dimensional picture.
I could even see the Dragon Archer drawing its bow, the taut muscles, and the peculiar trajectory of the arrow as it was loosed! The entire process resembled a high-magnification slow-motion replay! As I cautiously advanced, the Dragon Archer also retreated slowly, always maintaining a distance of about two hundred meters! It kept drawing and firing its bow continuously!
This was incredible; what was happening? Was it just my imagination? I forcefully suppressed the shock rising within me! Soon, I saw arcs of light shooting toward me! Upon closer inspection, they were streaks of rapidly flying long arrows.
I tried to dodge, but quickly realized that not only had the arrows slowed down, but my own speed had also decelerated!
Yet, I felt no panic, because I calculated that at my current movement speed, I could easily avoid the incoming arrows! Everything seemed to proceed exactly as I predicted.
Thump! Thump! Dust billowed around as several hardened arrows struck the ground almost simultaneously beside me!
And then, that strange sensation vanished!
The previous tremors and coldness enveloped my entire body again!
I instinctively began dodging.
Thump! Thump! Thump! Three more arrows missed their mark! But that peculiar three-dimensional image never reappeared!
What in the world was going on? I was surprised! I was certain what had just occurred wasn't an illusion, as the arrows embedded in the ground proved I had only evaded them while in that strange state.
Now I could confirm that the state I had just experienced was likely the true manifestation of the Eye of Desire for Death! However, with my current cultivation level, it could only appear spontaneously!
But this only strengthened my resolve! I believed that if it happened once, it would happen again! And a third time!
I continued dodging the Dragon Archer’s piercing shots through killing intent perception, slowly advancing toward it! Soon, that strange three-dimensional image flashed clearly in my mind again, becoming sharper and clearer!
Yes, this was the feeling I needed! I forced down my excitement and agitation, terrified this miraculous sensation would vanish again!
This time, I clearly saw the Dragon Archer snatch four long arrows, nock them onto the massive bow, and then loose them. Four arcs of light subsequently flew toward me along bizarre paths, one aimed directly at my chest, while the other three fanned out in a triangular formation around me—clearly intended to seal off my escape routes.
However, in this miraculous state, I easily discerned a gap in the distribution of the four arrows, just enough space for me to slip through the barrage!
I immediately shifted my body, slipping toward that weak point!
Swoosh-swoosh-swoosh-swoosh! Four sharp whistles sliced through the air simultaneously, and I inexplicably dodged the four arrows, just as the magical feeling disappeared once more. It was truly astounding! If only that feeling could last forever!
Following this, the Dragon Archer seemed defeated, abandoning the attack altogether! It quickly fled, which caught me by surprise; I hadn't expected a Dragon Archer to understand strategic retreat!
I had no intention of pursuing it, continuing instead toward the North!
But not long after, I encountered a second wave of Dragon Archers! This time, four appeared at once. And whether it was my imagination or not, I suspected one of them was the same one from before.
But none of that mattered now. Four of them appearing simultaneously was a perfect chance to test whether I could handle the pressure!
The area was once again enveloped in that familiar coldness and trembling—I knew the four Dragon Archers had begun their attack, launching a full-spectrum barrage! Almost at the same instant, that strange sensation reappeared!
Sixteen long arrows flew toward me! They covered nearly every possible space within a five-meter radius around me for maneuvering!
However, I still found several openings among the sixteen arrows and swiftly darted toward one of them.
Clang! .....................
A brief series of dense impacts merged into a single sound! Sixteen arcs of light grazed past me, but the next wave followed immediately, crashing like tides, one after another.
The only difference was that the magical three-dimensional image never faded this time, remaining clearly etched in my mind like a precise radar screen, vividly showing the trajectory of every single arrow shot by the Dragon Archers!
All I had to do was follow the radar's guidance and evade into the available gaps!
It was incredibly simple! Though everything occurred in that peculiar, near slow-motion state.
It was only then that I understood how Jidu could easily evade my attacks before. He must have been in a similar miraculous state, allowing him to clearly perceive every thrust I made. Otherwise, I couldn't believe normal human reaction speed could block my attacks without taking a single hit!
This must be the true Eye of Desire for Death!
The four Dragon Archers continuously drew and loosed their bows, their firing rate increasing in density. Sometimes, each one could fire five arrows simultaneously, and the intervals between shots grew shorter and faster!
But in the state of the Eye of Desire for Death, I always managed to evade their attacks effortlessly!
Unfortunately, the state was unstable, appearing and disappearing sporadically!
I decided to first stabilize the Eye of Desire for Death before planning any further moves!
In the days that followed, I dedicated myself to training the Eye of Desire for Death, searching for a method to activate it rapidly!
As time passed, my Eye of Desire for Death became increasingly stable, and I gradually grasped the method for its activation: intensely concentrated mental energy! As long as my mind was clear, channeling the consciousness in my mind to diffuse outward allowed me to sense environmental changes, quickly entering the miraculous state of the Eye of Desire for Death!
While it sounds simple, activating the Eye of Desire for Death on demand was far from easy. However, it took me nearly two months to achieve complete mastery over its deployment and retraction! During those two months, I hadn't killed a single Dragon Archer, engaging only in games of hide-and-seek with them until they finally retreated in frustration.
The only regret was that my speed felt agonizingly slow within the state of the Eye of Desire for Death. It took some getting used to. But perhaps there was no other way!
As the Eye of Desire for Death stabilized, I began attempting to challenge its limits. Initially, four Dragon Archers were sufficient; no matter how they shot, they couldn't hit me! Eventually, they retreated again.
I didn't pursue them. I was certain I would encounter them again soon, possibly facing a larger contingent.
This was precisely what I hoped for. My objective was simple: constantly test the limits of the Eye of Desire for Death. I desperately wanted to know how many Dragon Archers it would take to break through my defense!
The Dragon Archers kept gathering—six, eight, ten, twenty, thirty, sixty!
And my Eye of Desire for Death continuously pushed its boundaries with astonishing adaptability.
Two months later, the number finally reached one hundred!
A torrential downpour of arrows flew toward me. In the state of the Eye of Desire for Death, I could see countless arcs of light rushing toward me rapidly! But with such an overwhelming number, there was absolutely no empty space to slip through!
This was truly the limit! My heart held a hint of tension! At my current speed, it was impossible to entirely avoid their blanket fire! Although I could see through all their attack intentions, my body's speed couldn't keep up with my consciousness!
I selected the weakest sector to dash toward, simultaneously activating my strongest Thunder Battle Qi, driving the sharp horn of my great shield deep into the ground, and crouching behind it!
Clang! Clang! Clang! Over a dozen hardened arrows slammed into my shield, the impact vibrating through the shoulder pressed against it until it felt numb!
Taking advantage of the brief lull after that intense volley, I rapidly retreated the way I came!
The Dragon Archers clearly wanted to continue their attack, but my speed was simply too great! I gave them no chance to launch a second volley.
Next, I took off the Armor of the God of War again! I was confident that traveling light, combined with the Eye of Desire for Death, would give me enough confidence to close the distance and deliver a fatal strike even when facing a volley from over a hundred Dragon Archers again!
Once prepared, I pushed my speed to the maximum, advancing straight North. Along the way, I encountered varying numbers of Dragon Archers providing ranged obstruction, but now that the Eye of Desire for Death was mastered, the surrounding mist no longer offered them cover. As long as they were within four hundred meters, I could instantly perceive their presence.
And now, having shed the Armor of the God of War for lighter gear, my speed had increased significantly.
Even within the state of the Eye of Desire for Death, achieving true mastery over my speed was impossible, but it was significantly easier than before. Dodging dense arrow rain attacks became much more composed, and the Dragon Archers, facing my rapidly approaching figure, had absolutely no chance to flee before their heads were cleanly severed by my Warrior’s Deep Penetration strike.
The journey offered little strong resistance, and I soon reached the northwestern edge of Dragon’s Ridge!
Before me stood another formidable barrier. The massive wooden gate plaque bore four large, ancient characters: "West Dragon Pass!"
Passing through the passageway, I was once again enveloped in a hazy world, much like Dragon’s Ridge. However, I dared not relax, as this area hosted the most troublesome and terrifying troop among the Dragon creatures: the Dragon Giant Moths!
Vampiric giant moths haunting the mountains! With colossal wings, they were the largest of all Dragon creatures! A monster that struck cold dread into the hearts of every Ranger. In ancient times, the Marfa Empire possessed a terrifying troop that made even the gods tremble—the only force capable of contending with the Dragon Knights: the Giant Moth Knights! In that era, Giant Moths were far more fearsome than the current Thunderhawk Knights! In terms of both speed and power, a single Giant Moth far surpassed the active Thunderhawks, making it Marfa World’s oldest and most powerful aerial combat unit. However, with the fall of the Marfa Empire, this legendary aerial unit vanished, and along with it, the even more mysterious Dragon Knights disappeared.
Legend claimed that ten Giant Moth Knights were enough to slay a single Dragon Knight, demonstrating the sheer might of the Giant Moths.
If Dragons were the kings comparable to tigers and lions among aerial divine beasts, then Giant Moths were the wolf packs that forced even tigers and lions to retreat respectfully. They excelled at coordinated group combat, often appearing in overwhelming swarms!
Every creature blocking their path was torn to shreds!
The West Dragon Pass in the current Dragon World was an ancient battlefield where countless Giant Moth Knights once fought. The moths that perished here, corrupted by the dark magic of the Dragon Cult Master, became the present-day Dragon Giant Moths.
Compared to the past, the demonized Dragon Giant Moths were even more ferocious and bloodthirsty. Their existence was dedicated solely to destruction and slaughter!
Jidu’s advice was clear: never attempt to fight them. Since they operated in the sky, they were beyond human capability to oppose, even the current Thunderhawk Knights couldn't contend with them! The key to passing this section was learning to conceal myself; discovery meant unimaginable consequences.
The Dragon Giant Moths, along with the Dragon Brutes and Dragon Generals, represented the three most powerful and terrifying creatures among the Dragonkin! Among them, the Dragon Giant Moths were undoubtedly the strongest! Their massive wings allowed them to soar freely in the sky, and their immense strength meant they could effortlessly lift a person high into the air to shred them, or smash them against the ground into paste.
And their terrifying flight speed meant that once discovered, there was almost no chance to escape!
Even more terrifying was their dark and cunning nature. They would silently circle high above, easily detecting prey from vast distances before launching lightning-fast assaults, giving the prey absolutely no opportunity to counterattack or flee!
Thinking of this, I involuntarily gripped the Dragon Shadow in my hand!
Honestly! I had little confidence in how to clear this section! But since I had arrived, I naturally had to grit my teeth and press on.
As usual, I took out the Magic Directional Instrument, carefully identifying the surrounding directions, and then cross-referencing the map. I was currently positioned directly south of West Dragon Pass. The northern side of West Dragon Pass led to the entrance of Dragon Valley. This meant I had to advance due North, crossing the entire West Dragon Pass to reach its northern edge!
But whether the journey would be smooth, and just how formidable the Dragon Giant Moths were, I had no idea.
Despite countless concerns, I forced myself onto the path leading north!