Xue Chengsong finished reciting the information in a low voice and said, "It also mentions the weaknesses of the Ice Crystal Demon Lion. When it moves, the ice crystal magic all over its body makes sounds, so we can detect it in advance. It's covered in ice crystals, so it's not particularly agile, but its running speed still surpasses ours, escaping is impossible. Also, ice series power is not unlimited; the Ice Crystal Demon Lion just used ice series magic energy, so it likely doesn't have much left. The Ice Crystal Demon Lion hates fire and heat; in non-cold areas, it becomes irritable..."
"The Blood Transporting Period hunting level of the Ice Crystal Demon Lion is Level Two; two Blood Transporting Period experts are sufficient. But the Qi Nourishing Period hunting level is Level Twelve, meaning it requires twelve seasoned Qi Nourishing Period veterans to defeat it..."
"Fortunately, we have demonized bows and arrows, equivalent to five or six veterans..."
The group discussed the means to deal with the Ice Crystal Demon Lion as they circled around.
After walking for fifteen minutes, they still hadn't found the Ice Crystal Demon Lion.
The group breathed a sigh of relief.
"Speed up, we must get out of here."
The group sped up again.
"Up ahead is the Red Spot Leaf Forest; if we run for at most another hour, we'll be safe..."
Ring ring...
The sound like wind chimes resonated.
"Get down!" Everyone abruptly stopped and crouched in the grass.
Zhou Leng propped his arms on the grass, looking towards the thicket but seeing nothing.
After a while, the sound didn't resume.
"False alarm, scared me to death," Ding Yan said.
"My leg almost cramped, meet the Ice Crystal Demon Lion, and we can't outrun it; we can only fight while retreating or fight desperately," Feng Wenhao said.
Xue Chengsong whispered, "The thermal imaging can't detect it, don't be careless, continue crouching and move slowly."
The group nodded and proceeded slowly.
Ring ring ring...
The wind chime sound suddenly resonated again.
In the night, the group stopped, looking at each other in silence.
Ring ring ring...
The sound abruptly approached.
Xue Chengsong gestured, signaling the group to remain dispersed but not far apart, then pointed at the demonized crossbows in Cao Jiajia and Ding Yan's hands, and then at the others, to disrupt the Ice Crystal Demon Lion and ensure the magic crossbow could hit it.
This tactic had been discussed before, and the group nodded.
Ring ring ring...
The wind chime sound drew closer.
The seven had no illusions in their hearts anymore.
Xue Chengsong extended three fingers, put one down, and then another, suddenly waved his index finger.
Everyone scattered.
Roar...
A black lion covered with ice fell from the sky, pouncing at the spot where the group was.
"Sorry, I don't want to die!" Ding Yan said, tossing the demonized crossbow and arrow quiver to Xue Chengsong, dropped his backpack, surged True Qi, and fled towards the Pioneer Base like a shadow in the night.
The remaining six froze, even the Ice Crystal Demon Lion looked at Ding Yan in bafflement.
"The ice crystals on its body are damaged, likely hurt by someone before, we still have a chance! Follow the strategy we discussed!" Zhou Leng whispered, awakening the others.
After speaking, Zhou Leng grabbed a backpack in each hand, using them as shields.
Zhou Leng swung the backpacks, drawing the Ice Crystal Demon Lion's attention.
The rest moved according to the previous plan.
Zhou Leng and Cui Mingcong stood side by side, the other four stood behind, slowly retreating.
Cui Mingcong held up the backpack and shouted, "We know Tong Tianxia, Tong Tianxia, do you know him? He won't let you kill us!"
The group nearly forgot this.
The Ice Crystal Demon Lion slowly approached, unresponsive.
Xue Chengsong said, "It seems it really doesn't understand, Jiajia, you and I find the right moment to shoot."
"Okay."
Zhou Leng and Cui Mingcong exchanged a glance and nodded slightly.
Cui Mingcong spat towards the Ice Crystal Demon Lion, sidestepped while cursing, "To hell with you! Come on!"
Zhou Leng swayed his backpack, sidestepping left.
The Ice Crystal Demon Lion appeared puzzled but then, leaped high, pouncing towards the loudest Cui Mingcong.
As the Ice Crystal Demon Lion soared, Cui Mingcong surged True Qi and swiftly jumped out over ten meters.
At the moment the Ice Crystal Demon Lion landed, an arrow and a bolt flew right into it.
Its huge body at this distance was like a living target.
Thud! Thud!
The demonized arrow pierced through the ice armor and lodged into the Ice Crystal Demon Lion's body.
Roar...
The Ice Crystal Demon Lion howled in pain, swiftly turning towards Cui Jiajia and Xue Chengsong, both running to the sides.
The spot hit by the arrow bled, staining the ice crystals.
Cui Mingcong cursed again, the Ice Crystal Demon Lion growled lowly, stepping towards Xue Chengsong.
Zhou Leng moved behind the Ice Crystal Demon Lion, hesitated for a moment, dropped the backpack, surged True Qi, and executed Rushing Tide, hitting the Ice Crystal Demon Lion's rear while quickly dodging aside.
Roar...
The Ice Crystal Demon Lion turned abruptly, glared at Zhou Leng, then its anger faded, eyes filled with doubt.
Thud! Thud!
Two more arrows struck accurately.
One was right in the lion's neck.
Howl!
The Ice Crystal Demon Lion's eyes turned crimson instantly, it spun and charged straight at the shooter of its neck, Cao Jiajia.
"Quick, dodge! Like this, it won't last long, the arrow will keep bleeding!"
The Ice Crystal Demon Lion pounced at Cao Jiajia from the air, but Cao Jiajia's stepping technique was excellent, she immediately dodged, manipulating Qi to escape.
The Ice Crystal Demon Lion attacked wildly, but the ice crystals all over it restricted its agility.
The group circled the Ice Crystal Demon Lion like crazy flies, retreating when it advanced, advancing when it retreated, constantly harassing.
Even Feng Wenhao got infected, shouting and joining the fight, but only dared to attack from behind and the sides.
The group tried fighting and retreating, but were constantly disrupted by the Ice Crystal Demon Lion's pursuit.
Soon, all six people had scratches on them from the Ice Crystal Demon Lion's claws.
Zhou Leng had the lightest injuries.
More than a dozen arrows were embedded in the Ice Crystal Demon Lion's body, and each time it moved, fresh blood would seep from its wounds. The cold aura surrounding its body could not completely freeze them.
The Demon Lion never retreated from start to finish.
Xue Chengsong glanced at his scratched left shoulder, covered in white frost, and shouted, "Be careful, even if its ice power is exhausted, the claws still carry an icy aura that could freeze the wounds stiff."
Zhou Leng looked down at the wound on his left arm.
For some reason, the Ice Crystal Demon Lion never attacked him with full force. The wounds on his body were the results of accidental scrapes, and they seemed normal without signs of being frozen.
Zhou Leng didn't dare to lose focus and continued to concentrate on dealing with the Ice Crystal Demon Lion.
Cui Mingcong shouted, "No problem, these frost injuries we can bear. Look, the ground is covered with the Ice Crystal Demon Lion's blood. It seems to be at its limit."
However, Zhou Leng frowned slightly, sensing that although the Ice Crystal Demon Lion was losing a lot of blood, it didn't seem as heavily injured as it appeared.
"Don't let your guard down," Zhou Leng said. "It's clearly stated in books that although Low-Level Demons are not very intelligent, they still possess some powerful combat instincts. If the Demon Wolf finds itself at a disadvantage, it will flee, and the Ice Crystal Demon Lion is probably the same. If it isn't running away, it likely has some trick up its sleeve."
"Hmm, everyone be careful. Listen to Zhou Leng, he seems to understand demons particularly well," Xue Chengsong said.
Feng Wenhao shouted, "Trust Zhou Leng at this moment. After being seriously injured by a Demon, he spent a lot of time studying demon knowledge."
"Alright!" Cui Mingcong said.
The Ice Crystal Demon Lion's movements became increasingly sluggish, and the team stopped sustaining more injuries.
A moment later, Cao Jiajia said, "Something's wrong, my True Qi and blood vessels have issues. The area around my wound is numb, and I can't draw my bow anymore. How about you guys?"
"Me too!"
At this moment, the Ice Crystal Demon Lion paused, its gaze shifted from anger to an indifferent look.
"Oh no... look at the ground."
Everyone looked down to see the Ice Crystal Demon Lion's blood scattered everywhere like black and red ice blocks, emitting a faint white chill.
"I... my legs..." Suddenly, the tall Cui Mingcong staggered and fell to the ground, his legs stiffening as he supported himself on the ground, trying to retreat.
His legs were covered with a light frost.
Zhou Leng said, "It must be using its blood and its own power to create an ice field."
"What a pity." Xue Chengsong's hands weakened, and the Demonized Crossbow fell to the ground.
Except for Zhou Leng, all team members completely lost their fighting spirit.
"Even my Dantian is affected by the cold, I can't run anymore," Cao Jiajia said, dropping the Demonized Bow with a face full of despair.
Behind the confused gazes of these high school graduates was a deep-seated fear.
Suddenly, the Ice Crystal Demon Lion staggered, its arrow-stricken left leg collapsed, but it barely stood up and scanned the six people.
Despite being covered in arrows, it still exuded an aura of dominance.
"Sigh, I didn't expect to die here," Feng Wenhao sighed.
"It seems we underestimated the Demon, even if the Ice Crystal Demon Lion is just a servant reared by Demons."
"Awooo..."
The Ice Crystal Demon Lion howled to the sky, as if proclaiming victory, and then slowly walked towards the closest, Xue Chengsong.
Xue Chengsong closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.
The Ice Crystal Demon Lion opened its wide mouth, faint cold air drifting out.
Suddenly, Zhou Leng charged to the side of the Ice Crystal Demon Lion, stomping the ground, twisting his waist, his arm like a whip, his Qi and power aligned, all the Mystic Tide True Qi he had accumulated rushing into his right palm, striking down.
The Ice Crystal Demon Lion hurriedly turned its head.
Zhou Leng's right hand descended like a giant mountain, crashing onto the back of the Ice Crystal Demon Lion's head.
Overlapping Waves Palm, Heaven Island Falling into the Sea.
Boom!
The ice crystals on the back of the Ice Crystal Demon Lion's head shattered, its head tilted, and its body fell, its head crashing into the ground.
The Ice Crystal Demon Lion roared angrily, trying to roll over and stand up.
Boom!
The second strike of Heaven Island Falling into the Sea descended.
The ice crystals on the back of the Ice Crystal Demon Lion's head shattered more, and Zhou Leng's hand slapped firmly on its skull.
The Ice Crystal Demon Lion's head was slammed against the ground, still struggling, as Zhou Leng swung his arm like a long-armed ape, a dark shadow flashed, landing another palm!
Boom!
Zhou Leng circulated Mystic Tide True Qi, layer upon layer, each strike stronger, each faster than the last.
Boom! Boom! Boom…
The Ice Crystal Demon Lion's seven orifices bled.
Crack...
The fourteenth strike landed, the Ice Crystal Demon Lion's skull cracked, revealing the brain matter.
Zhou Leng switched from palm to fist, pounded the brain matter with three consecutive punches.
The brain matter splattered.
Zhou Leng stood panting, his body swayed, his right foot stepped back half a step to support his body.
The Ice Crystal Demon Lion lay motionless.
Zhou Leng let out a long breath, flicking off the brain matter from his hand.
"Phew..."
The five people stared blankly at Zhou Leng, still not understanding what happened.
"Is it dead?" Xue Chengsong asked.
"It's dead," Zhou Leng replied.
"How did it die?"
"One strike at a time, it died from the palm strikes," Zhou Leng said.
Xue Chengsong was momentarily stunned, then said with a mix of laughter and tears, "I meant how are you okay? How could you still unleash such strong palm techniques at the end?"
Zhou Leng glanced at the frozen ground and said, "Let's leave here first."
Zhou Leng dragged his five teammates out of the frozen area, and their bodies gradually recovered.
"How... did you do it?" Feng Wenhao cautiously asked.
Zhou Leng said, "Honestly, I am not sure, it should be that my True Qi withstood the cold."
Everyone fell silent, reluctant to ask further.
At this moment, from the direction of the Red Spot Leaf Forest, came the sound of rotor blades spinning.
Whoom, whoom, whooom...
A helicopter hovered in mid-air, and a figure dropped from high above.
Boom!
The figure landed, the ground shook, dust rose into the air.