Chapter 568: Drain Its Health Bar

Qiao Xixi’s pupils shrank. “Why are these wild beasts coming this way?”

“Be careful, Host. These beasts are likely coming for the cubs,” Little Demon warned.

Qiao Xixi’s expression shifted slightly, and she swiftly increased their altitude. Fortunately, they could use her Wind Skill to hover in midair; if they were on the ground, escape would be nearly impossible. But before she could even sigh in relief, a dense, dark flock of Vulture Beasts flew toward them.

“Damn it!”

“Host, I think I might have missed something,” Little Demon said.

“What?”

“They might actually be coming for you!” Little Demon explained. “If the cubs were forced to watch their father and mother being tortured and killed right in front of them, it would be a devastating blow. They would absolutely turn completely to the dark side!”

“Are you completely useless right now?” Qiao Xixi snapped.

Little Demon laughed awkwardly. “Host, look at the state I’m in…”

While speaking, Qiao Xixi didn’t stay idle. She retrieved Bubble Fruits from her dimensional space and handed them to the cubs. “We might have to land soon. Hold onto these Bubble Fruits and be ready to throw them at any moment.”

The cubs’ tender little faces were set in serious expressions.

“Understood, Mother! We will definitely defeat these beasts!”

Qiao Xixi nodded. “Fierce wind, rise!”

A violent gale swept toward the approaching flock of Vulture Beasts. The aggressive creatures were suddenly blocked by the ferocious wind, and Qiao Xixi seized the opportunity to change direction, flying another way. By the time the gale dissipated, the Vulture Beasts could only turn around and give chase.

After being fooled like this several times, the Vulture Beasts grew furious.

“A bunch of idiots, being played for fools by a female and her cubs,” a voice echoed.

Suddenly, a massive human face appeared in the sky.

The tiger cub spotted the face first. Tugging on Qiao Xixi’s clothes, it started crying out loudly. Qiao Xixi looked up, her pupils shrinking.

It was a face that looked like it had stepped out of an abstract painting. Within its square silhouette, it had no eyebrows—only a pair of massive, round eyes. It lacked a nose, possessing only a mouth that seemed ready to transform into a gaping, bloody maw at any second. Its cavernous, pitch-black pupils landed ominously on Qiao Xixi, filled with absolute contempt.

“You cannot escape.”

Seeing the face, Little Demon spoke up anxiously, “Host, it’s consuming its own energy to capture you. Hurry and find a way to play hide-and-seek with it; that will drain its power.”

“Got it!”

Suddenly, beams of dark light shot out from those pitch-black eyes.

Little Demon shrieked, “Host, run! You absolutely cannot let those beams hit you, or you’ll be immobilized!”

Qiao Xixi channeled her Wind Skill, maneuvering rapidly to weave herself and the cubs out of the beams’ path. While dodging, she suddenly noticed a health bar appear above the human face.

“Little Demon, look! Is that its energy health bar above its head?”

“Yes, yes, yes! That’s exactly it! As long as we empty its health bar, we win!”

As they spoke, the black beams swiftly swept in their direction. Having long prepared herself, Qiao Xixi anticipated the trajectory of the light. Right before it struck, she expertly led the cubs out of the way.

After several rounds of this, the face seemed to grow impatient. Qiao Xixi noticed that two furiously angled eyebrows had suddenly appeared above its previously bare eyes. At the same time, the health bar above its head indeed began to budge, slowly decreasing.

If she kept playing this game of cat and mouse with it, she might really manage to deplete its health bar entirely right here. But evidently, the entity wasn’t that stupid. Realizing that Qiao Xixi and the cubs could dodge no matter what, it suddenly ceased its dark beam attacks and instead glared at her coldly.

“Catch them.”

At its command, the Vulture Beasts, which had been hovering motionlessly on the sidelines, suddenly sprang into action and swarmed toward Qiao Xixi.

“Fierce wind, rise!”

Once again, the gale blasted toward the Vulture Beasts. But this time, the flock’s yellow eyes suddenly turned pitch-black. Even as the wind battered them, they swiftly tore through the gale and lunged at their prey.

Qiao Xixi’s expression shifted, and she had no choice but to flee with the cubs. However, the Vulture Beasts were relentless in their pursuit. Just as they were about to catch up, a snow-white figure descended from the sky, accompanied by a resounding phoenix cry that pierced the clouds.

Qiao Xixi looked back and saw Yun Ji flapping his wings, driving the flock of Vulture Beasts back. Yun Qiong followed closely behind Yun Ji, blocking all the incoming creatures for Qiao Xixi and the cubs.

“Holy Priest, leave this to me,” Yun Qiong said.

Yun Ji nodded and turned to fly toward Qiao Xixi. “Xixi, get on my back.”

Qiao Xixi hadn’t expected Yun Ji to appear at a time like this. Without hesitation, she and the cubs leaped onto his back.

The moment the giant face in the sky saw Yun Ji appear, a flash of irritation crossed its hollow eyes. “You cannot escape. Unless, of course, you are willing to watch your beast husband die.”

Qiao Xixi looked back at the face, her brow furrowing deeply.

After Yun Ji had flown for a good while, both the giant face and the Vulture Beasts disappeared from their line of sight.

“Yun Ji, where are we going now?” Qiao Xixi asked.

“Weren’t you heading toward Elephant Beast City?”

“Yes.”

“We are currently flying in the direction of Elephant Beast City.”

A sudden thought hit Qiao Xixi. That thing had captured Jin Ling and the others, but what about Qiao Yi and his group? Were they safe?

Thinking of this, she said, “Yun Ji, let’s fly over there. When I left with the cubs, my father and the others were still fighting a large horde of beasts. I’m worried about them.”

Yun Ji gave a hum of agreement and quickly changed course, flying toward the location Qiao Xixi had fled from earlier.

As soon as they drew near, Qiao Xixi heard the sounds of slaughter from below; the fierce battle was still raging. Yun Ji pinpointed their position and rapidly descended, crashing into the wild beasts. Hearing the commotion, Qiao Yi and the others looked up. At a glance, they saw Qiao Xixi and the cubs sitting on Yun Ji’s back.

“Yun Ji, hurry and take Xixi and the cubs away! We can handle things here,” Qiao Yi shouted.

Although there were a large number of wild beasts, compared to the monsters they had fought at the Watchtower previously, the combat power of these creatures was somewhat weaker—or at the very least, they didn’t have as many tricks up their sleeves.

“Father, we can’t afford a protracted fight!” Qiao Xixi called out. “Jin Ling and the others have been captured and taken to Elephant Beast City. We need to go rescue them as soon as possible!”

Hearing this, Qiao Yi’s expression changed. He was baffled; given Jin Ling’s strength, how could his group have been defeated and captured by these beasts?

“Alright, understood. You go first, and we’ll follow right behind you.”

Hearing the vigor in Qiao Yi’s voice, Qiao Xixi figured they were handling the situation well and felt slightly relieved. “Yun Ji, let’s go.”

Yun Ji nodded. As they ascended into the sky, the cubs hurled the Bubble Fruits in their hands down at the beast horde below. Startled, the horde immediately fell into chaotic disarray, violently bumping into one another.

Qiao Yi and his group seized the chance to carve out a bloody path. “Retreat!”

The Wing Clan beast soldiers, who had been circling in the air, received the command and rapidly lowered their altitude, arriving right in front of Qiao Yi’s group. They vaulted nimbly onto the soldiers’ backs.

“Let’s go. To Elephant Beast City.”