The Basilisk Forest, in the country of Presba, was widely known to be a neutral hunting grounds for a majority of the powers located near. Despite the rank eight Basilisk King possessing the strength of a late Origin Core Realm Cultivator, it still wasn't considered one of the three danger zones of Presba like the Eight Calamity Range.
The reason for this was simple: Disaster Beasts.
The serpents and lizards that inhabited the forest were at most rank four, and never stronger. Due to this and the sheer number of disaster beasts located in it, it's one of the most popular hunting grounds for cultivators, both rogue and non-rogue alike. However, that didn't mean it wasn't dangerous. In actuality, it was exceptionally dangerous. Often times cultivators out hunting for herbs or beast cores were killed not by strength, but by being besieged by outnumbering blitz tactics or ambushes set up by the beasts.
This didn't even include the other cultivators out that may be hunting you.
All it took, even for someone at the Qi Unification Realm, is a moment of carelessness before your life was reaped before your very eyes.
At a location not too far from Yan Zaizen, a group of individuals — three females and two males — dressed in customary hunting gear of the area, were resting next to a beautiful cerulean python's corpse. The cerulean python was dozens of feet in length and had the body that could consume a full-grown person. It had the strength of a rank three beast, equivalent to the early to mid-Essence Formation.
"I told you this was a bad idea!" A woman shouted. This woman was about 23-24 years of age, an average appearance that wouldn't attract too many gazes in a crowd, and held an emerald-green sword in her hand at the ready. She seemed to be looking about with traces of fear in her eyes, every twitch of a branch, shake of a leaf, or minuscule sound would have her shift her body as if ready to face a fierce group of enemies in that direction.
Seeing her clearly panicked antics, one of the younger girls rolled her eyes, looking at the cerulean python's corpse with a tinge of greed and excitement. The girl looked to be about 15-16, but completely different from the woman. She had a beautiful countenance, as white as snow, a voluptuous body that didn't match her youthfulness, and wore tight-fitting clothes that accentuated her curves. Out of all the members here, she had the least amount of armor, but also the one with the least amount of injuries.
"We've already done it, why continue to complain?" A middle-aged man with a stern expression said. This man held a sweaty and pale youth in his hand, the other male, and he seemed to have a grotesque wound on his left calf. It was wrapped up in gauze, and the man was attempting to send Qi to the youth body to support his healing. However, one could see the wound was delivered to him by the deceased python, and the skin around it was in the process of turning purple. If not for the middle-aged man and youth's effort to suppress it, it's likely the poison would have already traveled through his entire body and rendered him dead.
"I've set up the formation." Another girl, who wore black, circular spectacles, a petite body and short black hair said. Despite her shortness and petiteness, one could tell that she was likely older than even the youngest member of the group by her age. She came from the distance, and when the average-looking woman saw her, it seemed as if she obtained some solace and her fear considerably lessened.
Ignoring the average woman's emotional state, she plainly looked towards the poisoned youth with furrowed brows.
"How is he?"
"Ugh...It doesn't look good." The middle-aged man said.
"If you listened to me, Bai Wangzhe, and didn't get greedy, would we be in this mess?" The average looking woman remarked.
"Shut up, Xing Xuehan!" Bai Wangzhe didn't seem to be in the mood for this woman at the moment. He clenched his teeth and stared daggers at her. One could obviously see they didn't like each other. However, the others in the groups had their own thoughts. The wound of the youth was inflicted by a rank three disaster beast, this wasn't something this group could handle or had the preparations to handle.
None of them were optimistic about his chances.
"For now, the formations have been set up. We can rest, and try to tend to Bai Dongzhe. We can figure out our next moves later, and harvest the core of the Cerulean Python while we do so." The woman with black spectacles said, obviously demonstrating her role as the leader of the group. Bai Wangzhe looked towards her with gratefulness. Bai Dongzhe was his brother, after all, and he wasn't willing to not try every available option.
Xing Xuehan only looked towards Bai Wangzhe and sneered with contempt. She sat down and decided to tend to her wounds silently.
The beautiful girl, named Su Fengyan, kept her gaze honed on the Cerulean Python. Out of everyone here, she possessed the lowest cultivation. Ying Sumian, the leader, and Bai Wangzhe had the cultivation at the Initial Essence Formation. Xing Xuehan possessed the cultivation of the Half-step Essence Formation, Bai Dongzhe cultivation was the late Qi Revolving, and Su Fengyan had the strength of the mid-Qi Revolving. This group, hunting in the Basilisk Forest was not considered weak but also not considered strong.
"El-elder...Bro-brother…" Bai Dongzhe said weakly. One could see that it took every amount of effort he could to do so. There were evident traces of fear in his eyes and expression.
"Shhhh. Don't speak, just focus on healing, okay?" Bai Wangzhe immediately grabbed his spatial pouch, used a bit of Qi to open it, found a pill, and placed it in Bai Dongzhe mouth. Seeing his brother's panicked expression and willingness to use even the best pill he possessed for him left his heart warm, and a faint trace of hope whizzed through his mind. Perhaps he would be able to survive?
Ying Sumian looked towards the wound, calculating its effects and strength, she didn't have a good expression on her face. "We need to amputate." She said decisively. However, her words caused Bai Dongzhe to feel like it was dropped into a cold pool. Amputation was a drastic course of action that would affect him his entire life and even his cultivation. With his backing and strength, it would be near impossible to find the medicine which can regrow limbs. This may save his life, but turn him into a cripple.
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Hearing this, even his brother was shocked, but the other two girls didn't have as shocked of a reaction, as if expecting this outcome. Xing Xuehan even poured fuel on the fire that was their panic, "If we don't do so soon, it's possible we may have to do so later, but even more of the leg...or other parts."
Despite what she said may be the truth, it didn't stop Bai Wangzhe from shooting her a gaze filled with killing intent. It seemed this bitch of a woman likely held some responsibility for his younger brother's injury. One could just see that he'd like nothing more than to rip her throat apart.
Seeing this, Ying Sumian intervened, "She's right. However, this is your choice."
"W-we...brother…we may have a chance to save my leg!" Bai Dongzhe obviously didn't wish to ruin his future with this course of action. If he did, what would be the point in even living? Seeing his brother's reaction, Bai Wangzhe didn't respond, his expression turned solemn.
"I thi-"
ROAR!!!
A sound thundered off in the distance. It startled every one of the members, and their expressions showed a mixture of fear and solemness. This roar was incredibly familiar to them, and it had claimed lives of their group before, hunting them continuously the last few days.
Katori Lesser Dragon!!!
A Katori was a lizard with faint traces of dragon bloodline, and they were incredibly vicious hunters. They wouldn't let off their prey if they've honed on to them until they were all dead. It had black scales, a great maw filled with sharp teeth, claws that could shred through tree bark like paper and the ability to spew a concentrated beam of wood-energy. It had the strength of a peak rank three beasts, sitting solidly in the peak-mid Essence Formation. In the Basilisk Forest, there weren't many, but the few that there was become nightmares for weak hunting teams like these five.
The stomping of its large body resounded in the forest as trees were toppled in its mad dash, and it wasn't long before it clashed with the barrier formation set up by Ying Sumian and treated it like paper, piercing through with little obstruction.
"Shit, we have to run!" Xing Xuehan hysterically screamed. However, she couldn't move. The roar had been a soul attack that affected her, causing temporary paralysis. For her, with no soul cultivation, this was especially effective. Only Ying Sumian and Bai Wangzhe, with their strong Qi cultivations, were capable of resisting, but they were still affected.
It didn't take long before the Katori appeared before them.
Just when they were all wallowing in despair, a shadow appeared beside the large lizard head of the Katori.
"Great Yan Fist!"
A masculine voice bellowed out, and the shadow's fist collided fiercely with the Katori's dome. A soul-shattering sound resounded followed by bits and pieces of brain matter and bone fragments shot out from the point of contact. Its scales crushed inwards, and the Katori howled hysterically in pain. The last howl it would ever release.
A hard thud resounded followed by the skidding of its body due to its running momentum.
The Katori, in its final moments of conscious life, looked around to see the group of individuals it was hunting. For the first time in its life, it had regretted hunting humans. If he left them be, would he have followed them and met this monster?
Its thoughts couldn't be understood by any of the five. They were just completely and utterly stunned speechless.
The shadow from earlier slowly walked towards the Katori's corpse, cranking his neck and muttering to himself. He was adorned in black robes befitting of a cultivator, but not a hunter of Basilisk Forest, as not a speck of armor was located on his body. His appearance wasn't incredibly attractive, but it wasn't ugly either. He was a little bit thin, but that was passable considering his healthy cheeks and vibrant amber eyes. It was Yan Zaizen!
"This thing sure knows how to run." He carelessly commented.