As the golden streak entered the array, Qi Ping watched with curiosity.
'I wonder if Yaya can suppress three late-stage experts?'
The Gold-Flame Crow was a sovereign among third-grade beasts, a creature that even Golden Core masters avoided. Though it was currently only at the second grade, its bloodline superiority should be overwhelming.
Furthermore, it was noon. The golden sunlight bathing Yaya ignited its golden flames. With the support of the sun, its Great Sun Battle Physique provided a massive combat boost! Qi Ping had specifically chosen this time for the confrontation.
The three experts were already exhausted from breaking the previous arrays. Their spiritual energy, soul force, and blood energy were all depleted. They were struggling just to withstand the current Fire Crow and Profound Gold arrays.
Suddenly, a golden figure pounced on one of them with lightning speed. Solar power flooded the area, followed by the roar of exploding flames.
"What is that!"
The targeted cultivator shrieked in terror. He used his Water-Spirit Pestle to desperately fend off the relentless attacks, but he was forced back, coughing up blood from internal injuries. A scorched, horrifying claw mark marred his left forearm, nearly severing it. Had he not shielded it with spiritual energy, the limb would have been pulverized.
He had just managed to identify the golden crow when his soul was hit by a sharp, agonizing pain. His consciousness was suddenly pulled into a horrifying vision.
The Flower Demon's talent, the Hundred-Eyed Demon Realm, was designed to attack the will. The expert was already exhausted and wounded, his willpower at its lowest point. The mid-tier second-grade Flower Demon seized the opportunity, instantly dragging him into its nightmare realm.
The expert realized he was in trouble and tried to break free, but his consciousness was already beginning to fade. In the physical world, Yaya's claws clamped around his head. A burst of flame turned the head to ash, and his soul was instantly incinerated.
A late-stage Foundation Establishment expert had fallen. The entire process took only a few breaths.
The sight almost paralyzed the other two experts with fear. Their companion had died in seconds!
"A Gold-Flame Crow!"
Fear flooded their hearts as they recognized the species. How could someone have a spirit beast of that tier? It was a creature that, once fully grown, would strike fear into Golden Core masters! Although it was only at the mid-tier of the second grade, its bloodline was superior, and they were trapped in an array under the midday sun.
Death flags were stacking up one after another.
And that wasn't all. They noticed a purple, child-sized second-grade plant-type beast in the distance—the one responsible for the soul attack that had paralyzed their comrade.
It was over.
Realizing the hopelessness of their situation, their hearts turned cold. There was no chance for survival. Reinforcements would take at least half a day to arrive, even at full speed. They had set a trap as hunters, only to become the prey.
They couldn't understand if Qi Ping had known they were coming or if he was simply this cautious. If it was the former, so be it, but the latter? Who sets up this many layers of arrays just to be "safe"? Did he not care about the cost?
He was too timid!
But it was too late for regrets. Under the combined suppression of the arrays, the Gold-Flame Crow, and the Flower Demon, the two weakened experts were swiftly eliminated.
Their only lingering regret as they died was wondering who this companion of the Bee Daoist actually was. Not only was his array mastery terrifying, but he also possessed a Gold-Flame Crow and a powerful soul-type companion!
Was this truly one of the "rats" who dared to oppose the Celestial Alliance from the shadows? Could such a person really exist among them? To the alliance and the Qingyuan Sect, these people were just failures who couldn't even make it onto the stage. Someone of Qi Ping's caliber would be a major figure even in their own organizations. How could a rat be this exceptional?
Unfortunately, they would never know.
"It's finally over!"
Qi Ping breathed a massive sigh of relief as the three experts died. This was his first life-and-death battle against late-stage experts, and he had been incredibly tense. Fortunately, the outcome was perfect.
Yaya's performance was outstanding. With the sun's support, it could handle late-stage experts with ease. The Flower Demon's first battle was also excellent; its timing and the intensity of its spells were top-notch, proving that its years of training had paid off.
Qi Ping was very satisfied with the overall performance. However, he didn't have time for a full debrief. He immediately moved to clean up the battlefield, dismantling the unused arrays and seizing the storage bags. Once all traces were erased, he fled the scene.
He couldn't retrieve the final two-tenths of the loot now. Having killed three late-stage experts, staying any longer was too risky. In the recent war, the death of three late-stage experts would have been a significant event. This would undoubtedly cause a massive uproar. Combined with the actions of the Bee Daoist two years ago, the ripples would be enormous.
'I need that divination beast as soon as possible,' Qi Ping thought.
Having retrieved the eighth portion and seized the belongings of three late-stage experts, he now had more than enough points to purchase the creature.
After finding a safe location far from the battlefield, the Treant Clone began refreshing the Foundation-level tasks. After spending two thousand spirit stones, he found bounties for two of the men.
'Two out of three are on the list. Not bad.'
'7,600 and 8,100 points... a total of 15,700 points. Excellent!'
'Finally, I have enough points for the divination beast!'