Bang!
A dull, heavy impact suddenly resonated!
That sound was instantly accompanied by a murderous aura, like a surging, monstrous tide! And the dwarf engaged in the fight practically threw himself flat onto the ground in the same instant! His posture was eerily similar to how soldiers drop to cover during a bomb blast in war films.
A fire-ball of astonishing size roared like muffled thunder straight towards the chest! The one launching this fireball was the dwarf girl beside the old man, the one carrying that strange cylindrical tube!
Damn it! It really is a rocket launcher!
This sudden massive fireball caught me completely off guard!
Its intensity was almost comparable to the fluctuations of a Forbidden Curse level of magic!
And its speed was frighteningly extreme!
In the blink of an eye, it slammed toward my chest!
“Ah! Get out of the way, quick!” Luoye yelled frantically.
Just as expected, there was a backup plan!
Regarding this sudden fireball, I felt no surprise whatsoever!
I didn't even bother dodging!
Instead, I instinctively activated my Protective Battle Qi!
Since it was a magical attack, it naturally couldn't harm me, the Demon Devouring Body! However, the sheer force of the explosion's shockwave would still give me immense trouble!
This meant I dared not take it lightly!
The old dwarf looked utterly shocked; perhaps he never imagined I would be so audacious as to directly endure this magic attack!
Yet, he failed to realize this wasn't mere bravado; it was something I had to do!
Because directly behind me were Long Xin, Long Xiang, and the others!
With their cultivation levels, they absolutely could not withstand the impact of this fireball! If I moved, their deaths would be certain!
The Protective Battle Qi instantly flared up!
Boom! Rumbled!
Amidst the muffled roar! A blinding flash erupted!
The massive fireball finally met me head-on!
However, within that dazzling explosion, a blurry afterimage pierced through the expanse of light like a phantom, stabbing towards my vital throat!
The attacker was none other than that old dwarf!
Such a fast sword!
Clearly, the old man’s experience was seasoned and profound; even in shock, he wouldn't pass up any opportunity!
Perhaps an ordinary person wouldn't even have time to react to this strike!
But the pity was, his opponent was me!
When it came to speed, I had never lost!
The Dragon Shadow Sword flashed out, sweeping horizontally in response!
Clang!
That unbelievably swift sword strike was blocked dead on!
This strike, which seemed to materialize from the void, was forced into a bizarre C-shaped curve by the astonishing force of the Dragon Shadow Sword!
In the instant the swords collided, I could even see the horror etched on the old man's face!
He probably never imagined that after taking a direct hit, I would still possess the ability to counterattack, showing not even a hint of pain!
“Go, quick!”
Yet, the old dwarf’s reaction was top-notch!
Seizing this brief window, he abruptly tensed his muscles, using the counter-force from the sword rebound to propel himself flying far away!
The other dwarves were equally stunned! They disregarded everything and leaped up, sprinting away!
Trying to leave? Not so easily! Just as I prepared to give chase!
The girl’s tube emitted another dull thud!
A gigantic fireball hissed and shot out! This time, it was aimed at Wu Feng, Wu Yin, and the others beside me!
“Careful!” I couldn't concern myself with intercepting the fleeing dwarves. The nine Dragon Shadows on the Dragon Shadow Sword flew out almost simultaneously! Chasing the fleeing dwarves! And the girl launching the fireball!
At the same time, I activated the Great Shift of Heaven and Earth, my speed instantly surging as I lunged toward the forbidden-curse fireball heading for Wu Yin and Wu Feng!
Boom! Rumbled!
Another set of dull, heavy sounds!
The massive fireball was finally smashed by the Dragon Shadows, causing it to detonate!
In an instant, shattered rock sprayed, dust flew everywhere! The entire space seemed shattered by that terrifying magical explosion!
After a while, everyone snapped back to reality!
They stared at me, mouths agape!
The nine Dragon Shadows circled back and returned into the Dragon Shadow Sword!
At the exact moment of the explosion!
The nine Dragon Shadows had struck seven individuals simultaneously!
And the explosion of the Dragon Shadows had directly obliterated five others!
But regrettably, the girl and the old man had escaped!
However, I was certain that the astonishing explosive power of the Dragon Shadows had injured them as well!
“Your Highness!” Even the usually calm and composed Luoye was stammering: “Are—Are you alright?”
It turned out what surprised them wasn't that my Dragon Shadows had instantly annihilated over a dozen people!
It was the two massive craters before them!
And my completely unharmed appearance!
“What a terrifying magic,” Wu Feng, who was always audacious, now looked pale, his voice distorted! If I hadn't blocked that terrifying fireball attack just now!
They might have been blasted into nothingness!
As for Long Xiang and Chen Guang, they stared at me as if seeing a ghost!
“Unbelievable, Your Highness, you are completely unharmed,” Chen Guang murmured.
“I’m fine,” I replied, myself somewhat stunned by the magical explosion before me!
“What in the world was that?” Mo Hui and Mo Cha, although they already knew my Demon Devouring Body feared no magical attack!
Were still shaken by the sheer power of the fireball!
Everything before them surpassed their imagination: “That explosion is comparable to the blast from a Forbidden Curse, the Fire Dragon’s Rage.”
“I never expected the Blood Mist Cat-men to possess such a terrifying weapon,” Wu Yin suppressed the shock and fear in his heart with difficulty: “No wonder prey targeted by the Blood Mist Cat-men never returned alive! They must have been blasted into fragments by that dreadful weapon.”
“If Your Highness hadn’t risked your life to block it this time, perhaps none of us would have survived,” Wu Feng muttered.
“The rumors are true,” Luoye’s face grew grimly frightening: “The Blood Mist Clan possesses a light weapon with power no less than a Magic Crystal Cannon.”
“Magic Crystal Cannon?” Chen Guang exclaimed: “Isn't that the weapon of the Ice Valley Tribe?”
“It is, but the alchemical technology of the Ice Valley Tribe originates from Wolong Mountain Villa! And it is said that after Wolong Mountain Villa vanished, the alchemical arts were split into two factions: one became the Ice Valley Tribe, and the other was the former Heavenly Pole Clan!
And the Heavenly Pole Clan was annihilated by the Blood Mist Clan fifty years ago. Perhaps this light Magic Crystal Cannon was stolen from them.”
“A light Magic Crystal Cannon?!” Long Xin still felt lingering fear: “It truly is a terrifying weapon!”
Actually, while surprised by that bizarre long tube, I wasn't entirely shocked. But seeing such a terrifying weapon, comparable to a modern rocket launcher, still made my heart pound slightly!
Facing an attack of this magnitude!
Even a Spirit Pearl master of my level, if hit head-on, would likely perish!
“What a pity,” Long Xin said regretfully: “If I had known that little girl was strange, I would have seized her equipment first.”
“If only that were true!” Mo Hui also showed vexation: “If I had that thing, I wouldn't even fear the Spirit Pearl master Feng Tian Battle God.”
Mo Cha retorted sharply: “Hindsight is 20/20. Now that they’ve fled, what good is complaining?”
“It’s not too late to chase them now!” Chen Guang’s eyes shone: “They must be severely injured and can't have run far.”
“Let it go,” I said gravely: “The main objective is more important! They were lucky this time. Next time, we must seize it.”
“First claim: if we get that treasure, it belongs to me,” Long Xin was overjoyed: “No one competes with me then.”
“Hmph,” Mo Hui and Mo Cha shot Long Xin an exasperated look!
Luoye, however, didn't forget to remind us: “We should leave this place quickly; the sun is about to set.”
“Everyone move quickly,” I knew this wasn't the time for joking around!
The group quickly packed up, mounted their beasts, and left the lakeside!
Still, failing to capture them all in the carefully laid trap made me genuinely unwilling to accept it!
But we did gain the knowledge of the Cat-men possessing light Magic Crystal Cannons, so it wasn't entirely fruitless!
Of course, no matter what, we had temporarily escaped the tracking of the Blood Mist Hunters!
At least I was certain!
The injuries sustained by the girl and the old man would not heal quickly!
Unless they had other personnel, they wouldn't be able to trace our whereabouts again!
Having broken free from the Blood Mist Hunters' pursuit!
We also accelerated our pace!
Although along the way, we still encountered many strange, ferocious, and terrifying monsters, having Luoye as a super guide ensured a smooth journey without major peril!
Three days later, we finally emerged from the swamp lands!
Perhaps due to the geography, the wind here was strong!
And the vast, dense mist had also been thinned considerably by the wind! This allowed us to clearly see the surroundings!
Standing before us was a mountain range towering into the clouds!
This was the famous Cold Ice Great Mountain Range of the Snow Region Continent!
We were currently standing at the foot of the mountains!
The continuous, rapid march through the swamp had exhausted everyone to the point of collapse!
Finally, we had made it out!
We selected a hidden clearing within the woods and set up our tents!
As for Luoye, Wu Feng, and Wu Yin, they carefully searched the perimeter! They were looking for markings left by the other hunter, Xiang Kong!
As for what those markings were, we naturally felt it inappropriate to pry, as they were secrets belonging to the Gray Mist Clan!
Before the sun set, Luoye, Wu Feng, and Wu Yin returned!
Seeing their joyful faces, they must have made a discovery!
“They passed through here five days ago, heading north now.”
“Five days ago, north,” I subconsciously walked to the tent flap and lifted the curtain, gazing at the massive mountains before us: “Are they planning to cross this Cold Ice Great Mountain Range?”
“Yes,” Luoye confirmed: “The Cold Ice Great Mountain Range is the necessary route to reach the Cold Ice Throne.”
“Only a five-day lead,” Long Xin exclaimed happily: “It seems Yue Che and the others must have had a difficult journey.”
“That’s true,” Wu Feng added: “Xiang Kong’s message mentioned that Yue Che’s group encountered numerous monster attacks along the way and suffered injuries, which slowed their pace down.”
“Heaven is helping me,” I was overjoyed.
However, Luoye’s expression turned grave: “From here on, this is the active range of the Fog Savages. Everyone must be cautious.”
In fact, before we even set out, we had heard Wood Yao Chang and Xiang Tian Lao mention the terror of the Fog Savages!
Thinking that these terrifying monsters lurked within these continuous mountain ranges!
Everyone showed expressions of fear!
But considering that Yue Che’s party might also encounter these terrifying savages made us feel somewhat balanced!
“Hopefully, the Savages beat Yue Che half to death,” Long Xin cursed maliciously: “That way, our job will be much easier.”
“Come on now,” Mo Cha retorted sharply: “Stop wishing for such things.”
With Yue Che’s skills, even if he couldn't win, escaping should still be possible.
I didn't place much hope on that!
After all, no pie ever falls from the sky!
As we spoke, Luoye spread out a map and began carefully studying the route for our next move!
Meanwhile, Mo Cha, Long Xin, and Chen Guang were busy preparing today’s meal!
Having left that gloomy swamp, the group’s mood brightened considerably. Although this area was rumored to harbor terrifying Fog Savages—making it arguably more perilous than the swamp—the air quality here was incomparably excellent!
Endless forests of snow pines!
Strange blossoms in shades of red, white, blue, and purple carpeted the snowfields, competing for attention!
The beautiful scenery was mesmerizing!
Occasionally, brightly plumed birds could be seen streaking across the sky!
These added vitality to the picturesque landscape!
According to Luoye’s introduction!
The base of the Cold Ice Great Mountain Range was covered in continuous snow pine forests; the higher we went, the sparser the trees became!
Upon reaching the mid-slopes, forget trees—not even a single blade of grass could be seen!
Everywhere was solid, stark white ice!
This was the true reason why this mountain range was named the Cold Ice Great Mountain Range!
Climbing higher still, past the cloud layer, the sky cleared completely, revealing a scene of spring!
It was hard to imagine that such complex, ever-changing, vast, and magnificent natural scenery could exist in this world!
Of course, the hidden dangers within were equally unimaginable to outsiders!
Luoye pointed to two other spots on the map indicating locations within the Cold Ice Great Mountain Range: “This is where we are now, and this is the ancestral land of the Cold Ice Tribe. If they maintain their current speed, they will take at most a month to completely cross the Cold Ice Great Mountain Range and enter the Cold Ice Great Plain, after which they can reach the Cold Ice Throne.”
“Meaning we must catch up within a month,” Mo Cha stated.
“Correct,” Luoye confirmed: “Otherwise, if they escape into the Cold Ice Throne, our chances will become slim.”
“A five-day difference; if we pursue at full speed, we should be able to catch them,” Chen Guang analyzed: “They have more people, so their movement will definitely not be as swift as ours, especially with injured members slowing them down. Our chances are high.”
“En!” I nodded subconsciously. Undeniably, Chen Guang’s analysis held weight, but I still felt a vague unease, sensing that things wouldn't proceed as smoothly as we predicted!
But I couldn't pinpoint what felt wrong!
It seems we’ll have to take things one step at a time!
There was still time before dinner!
So I pushed open the tent flap to get some fresh air outside!
The big fellow slowly approached me and let out two low growls!
After leaving the swamp, the big fellow had clearly become more lively and active, suggesting the time spent crossing the swamp had been very hard on it! I patted its large head apologetically: “Good fellow, just a bit more hardship.”
The big fellow nodded meekly! Then it found a dry spot, lay down, and rested its eyes!
I, meanwhile, gazed absently at the towering mountains before me!
Faint, ethereal mist rolled like waves—making it impossible to discern the situation high up on the peaks!
But the hazy, ethereal scenery was invigorating to behold!
If it weren't for those terrifying Fog Savages lurking here, this place would truly be an earthly paradise!
“What a shame about this beautiful scenery,” I sighed with some regret.
Luoye, Wu Yin, and Chen Guang also emerged from the tents!
I pointed to the endless expanse of snow-colored pine forest before us: “How long will it take us to traverse such a dense forest and reach the mid-slopes?”
“And with such dense woods, covered in thorny bushes,” Chen Guang added: “Coupled with the cliffs and precipices scattered everywhere, there are absolutely no easy paths. How did Yue Che and so many people manage to cross this dense snow forest?”
Indeed, hearing Chen Guang say that, I began to observe the continuous, vast snow forest—it resembled a tangled, complicated mess of intertwined knots!
It was impossible to find a suitable foothold within it!
Although the big fellow could rely on its astonishing leaping power to leap between the treetops!
It would not be easy for large beasts like the Ice Wolf to move through such a forest! I truly wondered how Yue Che’s group managed to pass through this vast snow forest!
Luoye smiled faintly and said: “Although this place is full of thorns and bushes, it is also where many large beasts roam! These beasts generally follow specific routes as they move through the mountains! Over time, they naturally carve out paths suitable for travel! But without experience, these paths are impossible to find! Once found, however, one can smoothly traverse this snow forest!”
“So, Yue Che and his group also found such paths to move forward smoothly?” I realized suddenly.
“Exactly,” Luoye confirmed.
“Then have you found the path they took?” Mo Hui asked curiously.
“No need to search,” Luoye replied: “As long as we follow the markings Xiang Kong left, we will naturally find the path they took.”
“I see,” I admired him greatly: “It seems becoming a hunter is no simple task.”
“Naturally,” Luoye couldn't hide his pride: “To become a hunter, one must become the master of this forest; only by thoroughly understanding everything about it can one avoid being fooled by its mysterious exterior.”
I hadn't expected this young man to utter such profound philosophy!
As everyone was chatting cheerfully, the tent flap was lifted again.
“Dinner’s ready,” it was Long Xin calling out.