Chapter 334 - Showdown

Within the somewhat dead forest, Ji Yao stood tall with his sword hanging at his side. A cold breeze swept past him carrying with it a musty rotten stench, a trademark of this disgusting place, making it difficult for Ji Yao to breathe. The gloomy bushes harboured dangerous creatures greedily staring at him, waiting for the order to tear apart this tasty meal that walked into their territory willingly.

Amidst the dead silence, one could hear the occasional cracking and rustling sounds from the bushes. The restlessness of the creatures hiding within the bushes could be felt from afar but Ji Yao wasn't shaken. The thing he was more worried about was that Rui Fei hadn't followed behind him or if he did he was probably lost.

Since Rui Fei could find him using his seraphic energy, Ji Yao wasn't as worried as before. He just hoped that the cub would find him soon so that he didn't have to worry for his safety. Ji Yao refused to take a step forward waiting for the creature to make the first move.

This place was so revolting that he just wanted to throw up and who knows if he takes one voluntary step what sickening thing his foot will trip on.

Recalling these nodes from when he injected his seraphic energy into the keystone it triggered the need to heave. Fending off the urge to dry heave he closed his eyes and circulated his seraphic energy from his aether to his aetherial veins ridding his body of the uncomfortable feeling. But as he exhaled deeply he felt a figure directly falling from the sky with so much killing intent.

Ji Yao swept his left leg backwards leaving half-circle track marks on the ground. Lowering his body he dodged the creature that had fallen from the sky with its sharp pincers narrowly missing the ends of his hair.

He released the rest of his deep exhale as he arched his back backwards again dodging the creature's offence from the front. As he leaned back his hands weren't idle. He swung the blade of his sword which began to extend with an almost mechanic crackling sound as it separated into spinal segments.

It tightly wrapped around the body of the creature like a snake refusing to let go of its prey. Like a blazing inferno spreading over liquid fuel the flames on the sword swept down to the tip of the whip causing the creature to let out a shrill scream with its saliva spraying everywhere.

Ji Yao tightened his hold on the hilt and swung the whip sword flinging creature away.

The creature's body crashed into a couple of trees before its body rolled on the ground a couple of times. Its body was instantly engulfed in flames as the shrill screams of agony died down.

Annoyed, Ji Yao took out a handkerchief and wiped away the foul-smelling saliva on his face and clothes. A red shadow lingered within the depths of his pupils as he glanced down at his sword covered in burnt blood. This place was even more disgusting than he had initially anticipated.

Unfortunately, this was only the beginning of his troubles because two seconds later two creatures emerged from the shadows charging straight at him like rhinoceroses on a rampage. His eyes narrowed before he jumped up into the air just before his body was rammed into.

The two creatures had no time to stop when they saw their target vanish from their sight. They were on a collision course and nothing they could do right now could stop it. With a painful blam, the two creatures collided before falling backwards landing on the ground with a loud bang that could have anyone sucking in a cold breath of air.

The disoriented creatures struggled to get up but before they could go far one of them was suddenly struck by a flaming whip sword directly dismembering it with blood splashing everywhere.

As the last growls of the dying beast resounded in the forest, Ji Yao swung his sword once more this time aiming at the accomplice of the dying beast.

But his wrist was suddenly caught by a long green tongue that had shot out from the bushes preventing him from attacking. His expression turned deadly as he gazed at the tongue in disgust.

His wrist set ablaze with an electric wave sizzling with the heat. The creature let out a painful shriek as the electric flame spread at light speed burning the creature to ashes. While this was happening the creature on the ground had recovered as it was swinging its tail towards Ji Yao.

Ji Yao leaned backwards and as the tail passed by his face he grabbed it and tossed the creature to who knows where. The creature that had been mercilessly flung away had the unfortunate luck to land right by Rui Fei's feet.

Ever since he had stepped into this forest he had been looking for Ji Yao everywhere. At first, he was certain the figure he had been following into the forest was Ji Yao but that figure suddenly vanished before his very eyes. That being said he had been trying to use his seraphic energy to locate Ji Yao but he couldn't sense his presence no matter how hard he tried.

He had spent the last half an hour walking in this misty forest but it was obvious he was going around in circles. The big boss of this forest was doing this on purpose and he was starting to lose his patience.

That is until for the first time since he entered this godforsaken place he encountered a creature directly landing at his feet. He crouched down before the creature that was playing possum on the ground. At that precise moment, a silvery-white ray from the moonlight above illuminated half of Rui Fei's face and sank into his vertical pearly-grey pupils which were glinting with a touch of ruthlessness. 

Feeling the murderous intent coming from the person beside it a chill spread down its spine as its body trembled in fear. A mischievous smile spread across his lips as he said, "Awake now?... How about you send me to the monster in charge."

Rui Fei wasn't even certain if the creature understood what he was saying but he also knew those eyes on the creature served a purpose. Each creature they had encountered whether big or small had these eyes in inconceivable places. It had to be the eye view of the beast running this place. They acted like a surveillance system as the creature wasn't omnipresent.

Noticing Rui Fei's keen interest in the closed eye on its leg it suddenly had a terrible premonition.. Its tail had been burnt to a crisp by that human torch and it had also suffered major losses when it collided with the other beast which meant it barely had any strength to put up a fight.