The greatest difference between Demon Fiends and ordinary beasts was their intelligence, and Fox Demons, in particular, were the most cunning of them all.
When it saw Qin Yu wielding his Longbow and consecutively killing seven Wolf Demons, and the Rapid Insect Swarm tearing through a large number of Wolf Demons and Bear Demons with overwhelming force, the blood-red Fox Demon—which had been lurking under the cover of the dense forest—felt fear. It wanted to flee, but it was too late!
With the olfactory senses of the Rapid Insects, how could they possibly fail to detect a Fox Demon reeking of a foul stench? As long as one Rapid Insect discovered it, the entire Insect Swarm would know. Through Telepathy, the entire Insect Race could communicate rapidly and deploy for battle. Therefore, right from the start, four Rapid Insects had already charged toward the blood-red Fox Demon.
Seeing the approaching Rapid Insects, the Fox Demon immediately panicked. Fox Demons were different from Wolf Demons and Bear Demons; they were most adept at the Charm of the human mind. A Fox Demon lurking in the shadows could use its innate Illusion Technique to plunge a village of hundreds of people into complete collapse. Even the thirty-foot-long Snake Demon beside it was being controlled by its Secret Technique. Relying on this ability, even the Wolf King was wary of it. But in close combat? A Muscle-Refining Wolf Demon alone could kill it!
Flee!
Without hesitation, the fiery-red Fox Demon, which was half the height of a human, instantly changed direction and fled desperately toward another location with the Snake Demon in tow.
However, it was too late! Speed was exactly what Rapid Insects excelled at. Watching the Rapid Insects draw ever closer, the Fox Demon let out a hiss. The thirty-foot-long Snake Demon abruptly turned back, opening its gaping maw to bite down on a Rapid Insect.
SWISH!
The Rapid Insect twisted its body at an extreme speed, dodging the fatal strike. The Snake Demon’s eyes turned crimson. Having missed its first strike, its massive tail swept out violently, forcing another Rapid Insect back. But it only managed to hold off two of them. There were still two Rapid Insects chasing after the Fox Demon, closing the distance with every passing second.
In its panic, a flash of human-like heartache flickered in the blood-red Fox Demon’s eyes. It opened its mouth and spat out a cloud of scarlet gas. The moment this scarlet gas was released, the dead branches, fallen leaves, and vegetation within a dozen meters all let out a corrosive SIZZLE, melting into pools of festering liquid in the blink of an eye. This was the Fox Demon’s ultimate trump card.
If it were any other Demon Fiend, they would inevitably avoid this scarlet gas. Even a tough-skinned and thick-fleshed Bear Demon wouldn’t dare face it head-on. The blood-red mist was pervasive; a Bear Demon’s fur might withstand it, but the mist could invade through the mouth and nostrils, severely damaging its internal organs. But the Rapid Insects did not avoid it. Under the Fox Demon’s shocked gaze, the two Rapid Insects charged straight into the blood-red mist. Even as their carapaces sizzled from the corrosion, they did not retreat in the slightest.
Fast! Accurate! Ruthless! They were not only ruthless to their enemies but equally ruthless to themselves! This was the nature of the Rapid Insects!
However, after being corroded by the blood-red mist, the Rapid Insects’ speed noticeably dropped, allowing the Fox Demon to widen the distance slightly. But before the blood-red Fox Demon could rejoice...
SWISH!
An Armor-Breaking Arrow pierced through a small tree and flew out, sealing its throat with a single shot!
Preoccupied by the Rapid Insects, the blood-red Fox Demon had completely failed to notice that Qin Yu was targeting it from afar. It was under the threat of the Rapid Insects that it had exposed its position in the dense forest. The true killing blow was not the Rapid Insects, but Qin Yu, wielding his Longbow in the distance!
"What? He can hit a target like that?"
Qin Wu, the guard leader who had been closely monitoring the battlefield, was utterly dumbfounded. This Fox Demon was incredibly cunning. After discovering Qin Yu’s astonishing Archery Skill, it had hidden among the low shrubs, barely revealing itself. He hadn’t even spotted the Fox Demon himself. Yet, Qin Yu seemed to possess clairvoyance, locking directly onto his target and shooting it dead right through the trees! The several guards behind him all looked as if they had just seen a ghost. This Archery Skill was simply uncanny!
A smile touched the corners of Qin Yu’s lips. Little did they know, the Insect Swarm could share their vision through Telepathy. Whatever the Rapid Insects saw, he saw!
SWISH!
Raising his hand, he fired another arrow, directly hitting the Snake Demon’s weak point. Only then did Qin Yu turn his gaze toward the most powerful enemy—the Bone Forging Realm Wolf King. It had already been bitten by a Rapid Insect and then shot in the abdomen by Qin Yu’s arrow. Even though the shot hadn’t hit a vital organ, its speed had been drastically reduced. Although it managed to flee in a momentary burst of power, over a dozen Rapid Insects were already closing in from all directions.
SWISH! SWISH! SWISH!
In the dense jungle, the dozen Rapid Insects roared as they dashed and leaped. Even as the Wolf King desperately dodged and even completely smashed the skull of the Rapid Insect biting it, another one took the opportunity to sink its teeth in. Then came the third, the fourth... In just a few moments, the Wolf King let out desperate howls and whimpers, thrashing wildly until it was completely overwhelmed and its breath ceased.
"Phew—"
Qin Yu let out a sigh of relief, lowering his arm, which felt a bit sore from the sudden burst of exertion. Firing ten arrows in rapid succession in such a short amount of time was somewhat taxing even for him.
"That Bone Forging Realm Wolf King... just died like that?" a guard gulped involuntarily as he watched the scene.
It was too brutal. They had originally thought this battle would be incredibly difficult. They had even wondered why the Young Master hadn’t teamed up with the Patriarch first, but they never expected the battle to end in such an overwhelmingly dominant fashion.
"These Rapid Insects probably all possess Muscle Refining Realm strength, and every single one is completely fearless of death. Coupled with the Young Master’s unfathomable Archery Skill!
"Firing ten consecutive arrows to kill nine Demon Fiends and severely wound that Wolf King!
"This is strength that belongs at least to the Muscle Refining Realm!"
Qin Wu also swallowed hard, a flicker of fanaticism flashing in his eyes as he looked at his Young Master. He had followed Qin Yu since the boy was six years old and was most aware of Qin Yu’s intelligence, but this sudden display of explosive power left even him utterly shocked.
"In life-and-death moments, there is great terror, but also great opportunity," Qin Yu explained as he relaxed, feeling a surge of inner joy.
His strength had indeed improved far too much. With the buff from the Insect Nest and the shared vision of the Insect Swarm, his Archery Skill was terrifyingly strong—so much so that even he was secretly astonished.
STOMP! STOMP! STOMP!
Just as he spoke, the sound of footsteps came from the distance. Over a dozen figures wearing Armor and wielding crossbows sprinted rapidly toward them. Leading the group was a robust middle-aged man whose facial features bore some resemblance to Qin Yu. His expression was utterly grim.
With the consecutive Demon Fiend attacks, anyone from the Qin Family Manor with half a brain would naturally keep a close watch from afar to prevent another ambush. But he had suddenly received news that the son he had desperately ordered his men to escort back to Cyan Peak County for safety had run right back with a few guards! And engaged in combat with Demon Fiends, no less! How could his heart not seethe with fury? This was his only son!
However, when he saw the hillside littered with the severed limbs of Demon Fiends, and the wolf-hound-like yet far more vicious creatures seemingly cleaning up the battlefield—several of which were guarding Qin Yu obediently... Qin Hu was suddenly at a loss for words.
"Father! You’re here." Qin Yu turned to look, his expression full of smiles.
"What on earth is going on here?"