Chapter 98 Hunting the Horde

Chapter 98: Hunting the Horde

The formation was a simple First-Tier Top-Grade Demon Trapping Array. Once a beast entered, it would lose its sense of direction, making escape impossible.

While it lacked the power to fully contain Second-Tier beasts, with Wang Hao and three other Foundation Establishment cultivators standing guard, they could handle anything that wasn't an overwhelming swarm.

Once everything was set, Wang Hao retrieved a stalk of Demon-Luring Grass. He used his alchemical fire to refine it, releasing its potent fragrance, then planted it at the formation's core.

The group retreated to a concealed spot, hidden by a stealth array.

They waited patiently for half a day until the sea surface suddenly rippled. A giant yellow prawn, over five feet long, crawled onto the beach. It was followed by a second, then a third.

According to the demon-hunting manual they had purchased, these were Yellow Essence Prawns, beasts known to live in large colonies.

Over sixty of them emerged from the waves, densely packing the beach. Most were First-Tier Mid-Grade, with a few reaching Top-Grade. They waved their pincers frantically, shoving the bait—demon beast heads scattered on the sand—into their mouths.

Unknowingly, they had all entered the trap.

"Attack!" Wang Hao roared.

He was the first to move, instantly retrieving the Demon-Luring Grass. A single stalk could emit its scent for ten days; there was no need to waste it on this batch.

Hum.

The grand formation activated. A gust of wind swept across the beach as walls of earth rose up, encircling the Yellow Essence Prawns.

Sensing the trap, the prawns tried to retreat toward the sea, but it was too late. The formation had closed, obscuring the ocean from their view.

The cultivators raised their protective lights and charged into the chaotic horde.

"Aim for their eyes and abdomens! Don't damage their valuable shells!" Li Dedao shouted, feeling a pang of regret as he saw a prawn's pincer chopped off. Those shells were Spirit Stones!

The eleven Qi Refining clan members attacked in unison. Wang Hao and the other Foundation Establishment cultivators held back slightly, watching the perimeter to ensure no prawns escaped and stepping in only to prevent serious injuries.

Wang Wenzhi, who had performed poorly during the earlier hunts, seemed ready to explode. Casting a protective shield on himself, he charged directly into the fray, wielding an iron rod like a god of war.

He took a direct hit from a prawn's pincer but retaliated instantly, smashing a massive hole in the beast's abdomen. Yellow and white fluids spilled across the sand; the creature was clearly finished.

This was the terrifying advantage of a body cultivator—taking a few hits was nothing to them.

Wang Hao released Xiaobai and pointed at the beach.

The beast let out an excited howl, instantly intimidating the prawn horde. Demonic beasts feared hierarchical suppression even more than cultivators did. Xiaobai dispatched them effortlessly, one swipe per kill, until their survival instincts kicked in and they began to fight back ferociously.

Most clan members weren't as formidable as Wenzhi or Xiaobai. They kept their distance, using spells and talismans to attack.

Wang Wenmei cast an Entanglement Spell, binding a prawn in place. Immediately, her flying sword pierced its eye, drilling into its brain. With a forceful twist, the brain was reduced to mush, and the prawn collapsed.

Wang Yanlang activated an Earth-Sinking Talisman, trapping five prawns in a sudden pit. He and several nearby clan members easily harvested their lives.

In less than half an hour, the entire group of over sixty Yellow Essence Prawns was wiped out.

Xiaobai had the highest kill count, taking down over twenty. Among the clan members, Wang Wenwu led with six kills.

The Foundation Establishment cultivators were satisfied. This was just the beginning. The clan members had ample spirit energy and supplies. Over time, it would become clear who was slacking and who was pushing their limits. Wang Hao planned to use this performance data to select the next candidate for Foundation Establishment.

"Process the bodies quickly," Wang Hao ordered.

The essence souls, shells, legs, and large pincers were all valuable materials. Even the flesh of the Yellow Essence Prawn was delicious and could serve as provisions. They would store it on the island for now.

The traces of battle needed to be thoroughly cleaned to avoid alerting subsequent prey.

Seeing the sun beginning to set, the group decided to rest for the night and continue early the next morning.

Low-tier demonic beasts approached periodically throughout the night, drawn by lingering scents. However, protected by the formations and the vigilance of the Foundation Establishment cultivators, the group passed the night safely.

Early the next morning, Wang Hao planted the Demon-Luring Grass again.

By noon, they attracted another batch of beasts. These moved slowly and carried thick shells on their backs—turtle-type demonic beasts.

"Green Spirit Turtles. The leader seems to be Second-Tier Mid-Grade," Li Derong said.

She had cultivated a Qi Observation Art that allowed her to see farther and more accurately than Wang Hao's Penetration Vision Technique over long distances.

Li Dedao observed for a moment. "There are three Second-Tier beasts in total. The Qi Refining clan members can't handle them. We need to take action, or the First-Tier formation won't hold."

"Agreed," Wang Hao said. "Let's act quickly! It's still early; we might attract another wave today!"

The group of Green Spirit Turtles wasn't large, numbering only about thirty. The First-Tier turtles had shells about ten feet in diameter, while the Second-Tier ones reached over twenty feet. The leader, with its deep green shell, was massive.

"Attack."

Wang Hao infused spiritual power into his formation disk. Instantly, the grand formation enveloped the beach, trapping most of the turtles.

Four stragglers outside the range sensed the danger and hurriedly turned toward the sea to escape.

Swish!

Wang Hao's Child-Mother Green Light Sword flashed through the air, decapitating them before they could reach the water.

Meanwhile, the others engaged the trapped turtles.

The Qi Refining clan members kept a safe distance, using talismans and spells to harass the enemy. Melee combat was too risky against such high-defense foes. The leader, in particular, retracted its head and limbs into its shell, making initial assaults completely ineffective.

After some trial and error, the group switched tactics. Fire-based attacks proved successful, heating the shells until the turtles were forced to emerge.

Through combined efforts, the leader was defeated, followed by the systematic elimination of the remaining resistance. Within a reasonable timeframe, the entire horde was annihilated.