Yang Kai watched, nodding inwardly. The cultivators of the Du Ao Alliance were no weaklings—their skillsets were formidable, and their coordination spoke of veterans seasoned by countless battles. Under Yun Xuan's command, they moved with a cohesion that was impossible to ignore. Even with an absolute home-field advantage, a sixth-rank demon beast was still a bit outmatched facing eight Shenyou Realm cultivators.
Ji Hong's great double-bited axe smashed onto the Metal Devourer's back with a tremendous crash. Sparks flew, but it only left a shallow gouge on the beast's armored plates.
"That hard?" Ji Hong was startled, his arms numb from the rebounding force. Gritting his teeth, he mustered all his strength, raining the Artifact axe down again and again.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!...
"Ji Hong, fall back!" Yun Xuan's sharp cry cut through the air. The bearded man's provocation had utterly enraged the Metal Devourer. Its crimson eyes locked onto Ji Hong, and the light between the silver horns on its forehead flickered. A visible wave of violent energy surged straight toward Ji Hong.
Ji Hong's expression changed instantly. He swung the great axe in front of him, its broad surface just managing to intercept the blast.
Yun Xuan was already charging forward, her long spear—previously repaired by Master Ma—held firmly in her hand. Her voluptuous figure looked surprisingly heroic and valiant. Arcs of lightning crackled along the spear's length, flooding the mine shaft with brilliant light.
A phantom image of a spirit serpent suddenly materialized around the spear. The weapon twisted and writhed as if it were a living snake, emanating an aura of piercing sharpness. In the next instant, the spear transformed into a streak of rainbow light, shooting toward the Metal Devourer with blinding speed.
The beast, which had shrugged off Ji Hong's attacks, seemed to sense a trace of unease. It roared continuously, the dangerous aura radiating from its body spiking in ferocity countless times over. Its eyes were filled with violent, frenzied intent.
The energy between its horns flickered wildly, unleashing wave after wave of attacks to meet Yun Xuan's spear.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!...
Spiritual energy rampaged, the ambient Qi in disarray. The violent collisions sent rock fragments flying from the walls, and a continuous buzzing echoed through the shaft, giving the distinct impression that the mine was on the verge of collapse.
Yun Xuan's expression remained calm, betraying not a hint of fear. With elegant sweeps of her hand, the spear met the Metal Devourer's assaults again and again, colliding and canceling each attack.
The other cultivators seized the opening and surged forward without hesitation, swarming to besiege the Metal Devourer.
A strange, eerie energy spread outward from the ground.
Thump! Thump! Thump!...
Sharp earthen spikes suddenly shot up from below, piercing the Metal Devourer. Its frenzied momentum deflated like a punctured balloon, its aura instantly wilting.
Fresh blood flowed, staining the earth. The beast charged forward a few more zhang, letting out a series of mournful, desperate roars before finally collapsing.
From the side, one could clearly see several bloody holes torn through its soft underbelly—precisely where the earthen spikes had pierced it.
The members of Yun Xuan's squad swarmed over without delay. They swiftly hacked off the twin horns from its forehead, used their techniques to restrain it, and applied medicinal powders to its wounds.
Everyone performed their duties efficiently, perfectly coordinated without the slightest sign of panic.
Ji Hong jogged back, grinning from ear to ear. He winked at Yang Kai and said, "Brother, was that a good show?"
"It was alright," Yang Kai replied, nodding indifferently.
Up until now, he hadn't lifted a finger, remaining a spectator.
"This is just a small skirmish. Wait until you really join the Du Ao Alliance someday, little brother. I'll show you what a real battle looks like."
Yun Xuan retrieved her spear, gripping it in her hand, and cast a sidelong glance at Yang Kai, giving a slight, approving nod.
She had noticed that this taciturn young man possessed a remarkably calm temperament. Even faced with the sudden eruption of combat just now, he hadn't shown the slightest trace of panic.
This discovery made Yun Xuan think. Was this the look of someone who didn't show their emotions on the surface, or had he truly seen the wider world?
Clapping her hands together, Yun Xuan announced, "Our Beast Binding Rings are all used up. From now on, if we encounter another Metal Devourer, everyone needs to be extra careful. Watch your footing and avoid getting hurt."
Everyone nodded in agreement, their enthusiasm even greater than before.
"Move out!" Yun Xuan waved her hand and took the lead, heading deeper into the tunnel.
Metal Devourers, due to their need to devour minerals, rarely congregated in large groups. Most were solitary creatures, though occasionally two or three might be found together. With the strength of Yun Xuan's squad, even that number could be subdued.
The mine shaft was deep, and they pushed steadily inward, passing countless branching tunnels. Someone in the squad was specifically tasked with recording their direction to prevent them from getting lost on the return trip.
Yang Kai also joined the fray. Under Yun Xuan's guidance, he lent a hand. His calm, collected approach to combat immediately earned him a new level of respect from the other cultivators.
Even Yun Xuan couldn't help but raise her estimation of him.
She had assumed that a youth hailing from such a remote backwater would likely be flustered in this kind of situation. It was precisely because of this concern that she had kept Yang Kai close behind her, refraining from letting him engage. Yet the facts proved him useful—after he deployed that bone shield, he alone could withstand the fierce, charging impacts of the Metal Devourer.
The sheer force of those charges was enough to make even Ji Hong, the strongest and sturdiest member of the squad, give ground. But Yang Kai could hold the line.
This was invaluable to the others' offensive efforts.
After observing this twice, Yun Xuan felt at ease ordering Yang Kai to take the bone shield position at the front, acting as a living barrier, while the others launched their attacks from behind him.
Their teamwork was flawless, and efficiency soared. Grins spread across everyone's faces.
Half a day later, the squad paused to rest briefly.