Chapter 179: Danger Looms

Seeing the White-Limbed Sea Cow, Su Li swung the Dragon Rhino Sword and activated “Spider Walk.” He shot downward several meters, slaying the White-Limbed Sea Cow before it could react.

The White-Limbed Sea Cow’s head was severed by the Dragon Rhino Sword. A Spiritual Source appeared and merged into Su Li’s forehead.

“Level 7 Spiritual Source Wielder: Spiritual Source 72/110”

Having finally harvested an effective Spiritual Source, Su Li reached out with his left hand, grabbed one of the headless White-Limbed Sea Cow’s white forelimbs, and sent the body floating upward.

Jiang Shuijue looked at the White-Limbed Sea Cow with joy. She had used her “Eye of Value” and confirmed that the meat of this White-Limbed Sea Cow was also edible and even more nutritious than the regular Sea Cow Beast. Even for Spiritual Source Wielders like them, consuming a small piece daily was enough to stave off hunger for an entire day, and long-term consumption could strengthen their bodies, increasing their strength and stamina.

This extra benefit was not present in the ordinary Sea Cow Beast.

Jiang Shuijue sank down, grabbed the headless White-Limbed Sea Cow, and Gu Mingfeng grabbed the other forelimb. The two of them hauled the White-Limbed Sea Cow upward.

Su Li watched as more and more Sea Cow Beasts and a few White-Limbed Sea Cows surfaced below. He was about to charge down and slay the White-Limbed Sea Cows when he suddenly felt the water around them churn violently. The turbulence was unprecedented.

“This is bad.” Su Li’s heart leaped. Unable to speak, he quickly abandoned his dive and began to ascend, continuously gesturing with his left hand to warn the others.

Almost instantly, a figure suddenly appeared in the water diagonally above him. The figure was small, only about half the size of a Sea Cow Beast, but its speed was terrifyingly fast. It burst into the water and immediately shot into the crowd above.

Jiang Shuijue and Gu Mingfeng’s group had just hauled the headless White-Limbed Sea Cow to the surface. Below them, several people were fighting off the constant barrage of Serpent Ape Beasts and Four-Armed Serpent Apes. They never expected such a fast-moving figure to suddenly appear.

By the time they noticed it, the figure had already struck one of the men—a Level 6 Wielder from the Shimao Center. The man opened his mouth to scream, but only made a gurgling sound as water flooded his throat. A massive gash appeared on his neck, and blood surged out. The man was clearly beyond saving.

Su Li, ascending rapidly, finally saw the creature clearly. It was a monstrous, large cat-like beast, the size of an adult lion or tiger, with striped fur. It possessed razor-sharp claws, over ten centimeters long, and its eyes were enormous, like brass bells—an eerie sight.

Its speed was simply too astonishing. It had shot out instantly, pounced on the Level 6 Wielder, and its claws had sliced his neck open.

Its claws were extremely sharp, and its strength was immense. The single swipe had almost completely severed the Level 6 Wielder’s neck. Seeing the torrent of blood, the man was clearly dead.

Su Li simultaneously activated the “Peering Rune,” capturing the data of the terrifying, cat-like monster.

“Name: Demon Hunter Beast (Lie Yao Shou). Level: 8 Elite Beast. Its speed is extremely fast both on land and in water. Possesses high agility. Can easily tear through the skin and flesh of monsters with its sharp claws. Has a certain probability of evolving into the Leader-class Demon Hunter King. Killing the Demon Hunter Beast has a certain probability of acquiring the special ability ‘Demon Hunter Claw.'”

No wonder it was so terrifying. It had killed a Level 6 Wielder in a single exchange. The Demon Hunter Beast was a Level 8 Elite Beast.

Su Li moved in the water, activating “Spider Walk.” Phantom afterimages appeared around his legs. He shot upward, brandishing the Dragon Rhino Sword, aiming to slay the Level 8 Elite Demon Hunter Beast.

The Demon Hunter Beast killed one person and hadn’t expected Su Li to charge it so quickly. It was too late to dodge. It extended its claws. One claw aimed for the Dragon Rhino Sword, and the other aimed for Su Li’s abdomen.

Just then, the swarm of Sea Cow Beasts below suddenly scattered in confusion. A figure shot out from the chaos, moving like an arrow in the water—another Demon Hunter Beast.

The second Demon Hunter Beast pounced on Ling Tian.

Ling Tian was one of the original Purple Wind Building members. He had improved rapidly through hunting. He was a Level 6 Wielder and was only less than twenty Spiritual Sources away from breaking through to Level 7. He had killed the Level 6 Four-Armed Serpent Apes and Sea Cow Beasts, continuously gaining effective Spiritual Sources.

He hadn’t expected the sudden surge of the terrifying Level 8 Elite Demon Hunter Beast.

The Demon Hunter Beast was far faster than him. By the time Ling Tian reacted, the monster had pounced. Its sharp claws plunged straight into his chest, tearing it wide open.

His living organs spilled out of his ripped chest.

Ling Tian instinctively gasped, and water rushed into his nose. He began coughing violently. With every cough, more of his internal organs were forced out of his chest cavity.

Blood dyed the water red. Ling Tian’s eyes glazed over. He couldn’t utter a word and died instantly.

Su Li, ascending, swung the Dragon Rhino Sword, severing the claw of the first Demon Hunter Beast that tried to grab his sword. He then kicked the monster’s abdomen. Since he was underwater, not only was his speed reduced, but his strength was also diminished.

The Demon Hunter Beast was sent floating backward by his kick. On land, Su Li’s current strength could have kicked the monster flying and exploded its guts. But underwater, the force was insufficient.

The second Demon Hunter Beast below killed Ling Tian. Gong Xiao and Ling Yi immediately attacked. The two were Level 7 Wielders. Gong Xiao extended her left hand, activating “Storm Shield.” The water around her instantly compressed, forming three water shields.

Gong Xiao controlled the three water shields. She protected her body with two and slammed the third into the Demon Hunter Beast.

Ling Yi’s right arm and sword were fully crystallized. The crystallized sword cut metal like mud. His right arm was blade-proof. The full crystallization enhanced his strength. He sliced his sword, which was almost unaffected by the water, instantly reaching the Demon Hunter Beast’s neck.

The Demon Hunter Beast, seeing no way to evade, shoved Ling Tian’s corpse forward. Ling Yi’s sword struck Ling Tian’s body, almost severing it in half.

The Demon Hunter Beast retracted its body and hid beneath Ling Tian’s corpse.

Gong Xiao’s water shield struck Ling Tian’s corpse at the same time.

The Demon Hunter Beast, hiding under Ling Tian’s corpse, shot out its claws, gripping Ling Yi’s chest.

Ling Yi’s heart jolted. Crystal covered his chest. The Demon Hunter Beast’s claws left three shallow scratches on the crystal.

If his reaction had been a moment slower, the Demon Hunter Beast would have torn his chest open.

Su Li, having kicked the first Demon Hunter Beast away, looked down and saw two more Demon Hunter Beasts charging up from below. He knew the situation was bad. He activated “Spider Walk,” leaping toward the first monster he had kicked away, aiming for the final blow, while continuously gesturing to everyone to ascend quickly and leave.

Wu Feng was the fastest to flee. Although he was powerful, his fireball ability was useless underwater. His strength in the water was even inferior to some Level 6 Wielders. Seeing four terrifying, cat-like monsters appear, he immediately ascended.

He surfaced, spitting out water, and shouted, “Leave immediately! Get out of here—”

On the water surface, Jiang Shuijue and Gu Mingfeng had just hauled the White-Limbed Sea Cow onto a raft. Hearing Wu Feng’s desperate shouts, everyone paused.

“Hurry!” Wu Feng flipped onto the raft.

Jiang Shuijue also surfaced, shouting, “Danger below! Everyone leave immediately!”

They had already hauled eleven Sea Cow Beast corpses and one White-Limbed Sea Cow onto the rafts. Jiang Shuijue estimated that this was enough food for the alliance’s over one hundred people for a long time. The situation below was critical. They had already suffered casualties. The smartest thing was to leave immediately.

The rafts were too close to the building. If they were destroyed, all their hard work would be for nothing. It was paramount to get the rafts out of there.

Hearing Wu Feng and Jiang Shuijue’s desperate shouts, everyone on the rafts grabbed their paddles and began to leave.

Jiang Shuijue plunged back into the water after speaking. Unlike Wu Feng, who fled to the raft, she intended to make sure everyone else escaped.

Gu Mingfeng saw her dive and immediately followed.

He had just submerged when he felt a current surge. A dark shadow struck. He pushed Jiang Shuijue away. The shadow pounced on him.

The shadow was a Demon Hunter Beast. Its sharp claws grabbed his neck, but failed to penetrate the “Rock Skin” that protected him.

Jiang Shuijue was chilled by the close call. If Gu Mingfeng hadn’t intervened, she would have been killed.

These Demon Hunter Beasts, so fast and agile in the water, were too terrifying.

(End of Chapter)