Serpent Ancestor

The mammoth woolly elephants, a type of migratory demonic beast, travel in groups, devouring everything in their path. When they strip a forest bare, they move on to the next area.

This herd had eleven mammoth woolly elephants, with the weakest calf already at the third level of the Spirit Communion Stage, boasting formidable bloodlines.

Xu Hei had dispatched thirty small lizards, lurking around, waiting for the perfect moment.

At this moment, a calf approached one of the lizards, swinging its trunk and sniffing curiously.

Xu Hei hesitated slightly but refrained from acting. The calf was too weak; he feared that a single strike might kill it and completely enrage the herd.

His targets were only the two largest ones. Killing one of them would suffice. Xu Hei was well aware of his own capabilities.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

Suddenly, the sound of something cutting through the air came from afar.

Xu Hei was taken aback and directed the lizard’s gaze towards the source.

In the distance, a large group of figures emerged, at least ten people, each using a Swift Wind Talisman, flying and escaping, landing on nearby mounds and treetops.

Within just a few breaths, the group had taken their positions, surrounding the elephant herd.

They were uniformly dressed, adorned with carvings of green mountains and white clouds, all disciples of the Carefree Sect, with cultivation levels ranging from mid to late Qi Refining Stage.

Leading them was a snake catcher in a python robe.

This person was very young, around sixteen or seventeen years old, tall and slender, with a slightly youthful appearance, but his cultivation had reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, the highest in the group.

His name was Hua Yuntian, one of Xuan Yangzi’s true disciples, the least experienced but exceptionally talented, possessing a rare single superior-grade water spiritual root, achieving Foundation Establishment at fifteen.

Such talent was quite rare in the entire Chu Kingdom.

Upon seeing humans, the elephant herd's eyes turned blood-red, letting out angry roars. The mother elephants hurriedly shielded the calves behind them.

"Haha, so many woolly elephants! Uncle Hua’s foresight is truly remarkable!"

"Their tusks are extremely precious, carved into jade treasures, and given to the young ladies of the Purple Mist Sect, they would surely love them."

Everyone was excited, their eyes filled with greed, staring at the tusks.

Even in the cultivator world, tusks were rare luxury items, used to craft jade magical treasures, highly favored by cultivators.

Hua Yuntian's lips curled into a smug smile and he commanded, "Form the formation, don't let a single one escape!"

"Yes!"

Immediately, the Carefree Sect disciples took out formation flags, placing them in their respective positions.

A faint light shield gradually formed, encompassing the entire elephant herd.

The herd, sensing the danger, had their strongest leader charge backward, causing the ground to tremble as its sharp tusks fiercely struck a point on the light shield.

"Buzz!!"

The light shield shook violently, showing cracks. Three other bull elephants also charged, their tusks colliding and massive feet stomping, making the shield creak and almost shatter.

"Die!"

Hua Yuntian snorted coldly, pulling out a long spear and hurling it into the air. The spear instantly pierced the leader's back, embedding a meter deep, causing it to let out a piercing howl.

The others also took out spears, throwing them. Against such large creatures, swords were ineffective; only long and sharp weapons could inflict significant damage.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

Spears pierced the elephants' bodies, their sharp cries echoing in all directions. Each elephant was riddled with spears, some with several, bleeding profusely.

"These humans are aiming for extinction!"

Xu Hei frowned, feeling it was too much to even target the calves.

Xu Hei hesitated whether to intervene but realized it would bring no benefit to him. If he acted, he would surely become the target of everyone.

At this moment, the injured herd grew even more frenzied, their fur turning blood-red. The leader stomped the ground, suddenly unleashing ten times its strength, charging forward.

"Boom!!!"

The light shield trembled, covered in dense cracks, and the ground split into a ten-meter-wide fissure.

Hua Yuntian's face changed, quickly saying, "Leader of the herd, I know you can understand human speech. If you obediently hand over your tusks, I can spare your lives."

"Even if not for yourself, think of the calves!"

But the herd ignored him, continuing to exert force. The light shield finally shattered with a loud bang, creating a large gap.

"Roar!!" The leader let out a high-pitched roar.

Two pregnant cows and three calves dashed through the gap, covered in wounds, fleeing into the distance.

But the leader and the remaining bulls did not escape. Instead, they turned to face the human cultivators, eyes filled with furious madness, charging at them.

They had attacked the light shield not to escape but to give their herd a glimmer of hope.

"Damn it!"

Hua Yuntian's face turned extremely grim. He was still too young, misjudging the herd's strength, leading to an insufficient formation strength.

He leaped, chasing after the fleeing elephants, but the leader roared, its sonic wave sweeping like a gale, forcing Hua Yuntian to halt.

Hua Yuntian threw a flying sword, aiming at the fleeing cows, but the leader's trunk shot out a sword-shaped airflow, knocking the flying sword down.

"You three, go after the escapees. The rest, kill these beasts with me!" Hua Yuntian shouted angrily.

"Yes!"

Three Carefree Sect cultivators immediately took off, using Swift Wind Talismans, chasing the fleeing herd.

They split into two groups, three pursuing the females and young, the rest dealing with the main force.

Xu Hei watched, his eyes flickering, deciding to kill the three cultivators first.

These three Carefree Sect cultivators were at the ninth and seventh levels of the Qi Refining Stage.

Xu Hei burrowed underground, moving like an earth dragon.

He did not underestimate his opponents due to their lower cultivation. Against any foe, he would go all out, aiming for a kill in one strike, leaving no chance for escape.

Moreover, the one at the ninth level was two levels higher than him.

Hua Yuntian stayed behind, leading the others in a fierce battle against the bull elephants. With his Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation, he handled it with ease.

However, these demonic beasts were incredibly tough, killing them would take time.

On the other side.

Xu Hei fully activated his Earth Escape Technique, soon arriving directly beneath the two cows, with the three calves protected in front.

"You little beasts think you can escape? You can't!"

The ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator approached first, from ten meters away, casting a lightning strike at the cow's tail.

Xu Hei did not act out of sympathy but seized the moment his opponent attacked, his eyes turning ruthless, activating his spell.

"Earth Spike!"

A sharp cone of earth suddenly rose from beneath the cultivator, thrusting towards his rear at lightning speed.

"Not good!"

The man's face changed drastically, but having just cast the Lightning Strike Technique, he had no time for other defenses, hurriedly taking out a shield to block below.

"Thud!!"

The shield was pierced through, the Earth Spike impaling him from bottom to top, entering through his rear and exiting through his head, killing him instantly.

The ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator was killed in an instant.