26: Where have all the adorable mythical creatures gone?

A six-person squad was running for their lives across the wilderness, their expressions filled with despair and regret.

Behind them was a herd of frenzied Tier 3 Savage Oxen.

"This shouldn't be happening!"

The man leading them shouted loudly:

"We clearly didn't provoke this herd of Savage Oxen, and we even took a detour specifically to avoid their gathering place. Why did this herd suddenly change its location?!"

"I told you, something definitely happened in Battlefield No. 1. Otherwise, not so many exotic beast groups would have changed their locations."

A woman who kept waving her hand to summon Earthen Walls to slow the oxen's charge said helplessly.

"The problem is that this used to be a safe buffer zone! Is it reasonable that a herd of Tier 3 Savage Oxen suddenly appeared here?"

The uncle with a full beard, holding a map and glancing at it while running, complained:

"Captain, we should worry about what happens when our elemental power runs out and we can't outrun the Savage Oxen. Also, Zhang Li, stop using Arcane Arts and save some elemental power."

Just as the group's elemental power was exhausted and they were about to be overtaken, a dreamlike seed floated down.

The moment the seed touched the ground, a sprout grew. The six people immediately stopped, their eyes glazed over as they stared at the tender shoot.

Completely ignoring the Savage Oxen behind them, they slowly swayed their bodies in reverence toward the sprout, then quietly sat on the ground.

The six people smiled as they gazed upon the paradise filled with all the beauty in the world, sinking into a deep dream from which they could not pull themselves away.

The Savage Oxen behind them were also attracted, and one by one, they quietly gathered around the six people.

As the aura of the people and the herd of Savage Oxen continuously weakened, the sprout turned into a sapling.

In the air, more seeds drifted across the battlefield... Jiang Hao was very depressed.

Although he no longer cared about finding large groups of exotic beasts to earn points, it was too strange to only encounter a dozen scattered exotic beasts after walking for half a day.

This makes no sense at all!

It was almost noon now. Since encountering that strange small tree two hours ago, he hadn't encountered a single clustered group of exotic beasts.

Jiang Hao remembered that the population of low-tier exotic beasts in the No. 1 Exotic Beast Battlefield was always maintained at an average level.

If too many were hunted by Martial Artists, the military would transport surplus low-tier exotic beasts from other battlefields to Battlefield No. 1.

The Hunter Exchange would also increase the scrutiny for entering the battlefield, weeding out most Tier 3 veterans and reserving practical training opportunities for newcomers or Martial School students.

And this period was clearly not a time when the exotic beast population was reduced. Logically, there should be many exotic beasts.

"Could my luck just be terrible?" Jiang Hao felt a little suspicious.

Liu Da and the others looked at each other, unsure how to explain the situation.

After all, things were fine half a month ago, but now that map couldn't be trusted!

Guan Er suggested:

"There's probably a problem deep inside the battlefield, Big Brother, and Young Master Jiang, let's head closer to the entrance!"

The No. 1 Exotic Beast Battlefield is shaped like an inverted trapezoid, with a total area of about 32,000 square kilometers, and a depth (the height of the trapezoid) of 200 kilometers.

The entrance is the shorter side, about 30 kilometers wide.

Compared to the depths of the battlefield, it seems very small, which is why the Hunter Exchange was established at the entrance.

They even fenced off the entrance with iron railings for convenient ticket sales.

In fact, even without the fence, no one would dare trespass, as every Smart Wristband has GPS tracking.

Moreover, there are many surveillance cameras near the entrance.

Jiang Hao and the others were currently located in the central part of Battlefield No. 1.

According to the data at the Exchange, the connecting Small World is near the far right side of the battlefield's depths.

However, the strange small tree Jiang Hao encountered earlier was located on the left side.

Could it be unrelated to the Small World?

Jiang Hao thought for a moment and affirmed Guan Er's suggestion:

"If there's a problem, we should first inform the Martial Unification Bureau. We'll wait at the entrance and decide the arrangements for the next few days based on the official investigation results."

After all, that eerie small tree was indeed unnerving.

And the exotic beasts in the Exotic Beast Battlefield had also undergone strange changes.

[Points: 5051]

Liu Da identified the direction and prepared to travel straight down the open plain to reach the entrance.

Just then, cries for help came from not far away.

"Help! Murder!"

"Someone, quick!"

Jiang Hao and the others looked towards the figure running toward them in the distance.

Upon seeing people, that figure immediately accelerated and rushed over.

That looks familiar. Isn't that Gao Longtao's teammate?

...Time rewinds to half an hour ago.

After the four members of the Yunxiao Martial Arts School group failed to find anyone, they prepared to leave and report Senior Schoolmate Gao's disappearance to the school.

As fate would have it, they ran into the ten veteran hunters they had argued with yesterday.

If Gao Longtao were still here, the ten veteran hunters opposite them, only six of whom were Tier 3, might not necessarily dare to trouble students from the Ten Great Martial Arts Schools.

Leaving aside everything else, the Gao Family alone was a behemoth they had to look up to.

But Senior Schoolmate Gao was 'gone,' and Xu Muwan was just a girl who looked quiet and not very strong.

Although the Tier 3 Peak fluctuation was formidable, students from Martial Schools were fine in combat competitions, but far inferior in true life-and-death struggles!

The veteran hunters exchanged glances, feeling confident again.

Of course, they had no ill intentions; they just wanted to beat the four people up and steal the exotic beast Materials they had collected.

Afterward, Yunxiao Martial Arts School wouldn't say anything either.

Just as the tension between the two sides was escalating, an arrow shot out and instantly pierced Liu Yang's left arm.

"Ah!"

"It's a Yuan-Shattering Arrow! Everyone scatter quickly!" The Martial School students and the ten veteran hunters immediately dispersed, hiding behind large rocks.

The Yuan-Shattering Arrow, an item explicitly prohibited by Xia Nation.

Because it uses special Materials and enchantments that temporarily restrict the flow of elemental power, it can easily pierce a Martial Artist's elemental shield.

If hit, it must be pulled out immediately, or else if the Martial Artist mobilizes their elemental power, it could lead to uncontrolled elemental power within the body.

In minor cases, it causes unconsciousness; in severe cases, the elemental power runs rampant, rupturing the Meridians and turning the person into a cripple!

Although it sounds Heaven-Defying, it has its drawbacks.

The Tier 3 enchantment can only pierce a Tier 3 Martial Artist's elemental shield once. Against a Tier 4 elemental shield, it can only affect it or rely on sheer numbers to win.

Liu Yang pulled out the Yuan-Shattering Arrow, and Wu Jun immediately tore his clothes into strips to wrap the wound and stop the bleeding.

Fortunately, as a Tier 3 Weapon Combat Style Martial Artist, a minor injury like this was nothing!

"Hahaha!"

"No one dares take a move from me! I truly am the strongest!"

Another voice rang out:

"But the higher-ups told us to behave recently. If people discover our identity as members of the Sacred Beast Society, we won't be able to go to the stronghold to freeload food and drinks anymore."

"Damn it, those madmen from the Sacred Beast Society!"

The Martial School students and the veteran hunters exchanged glances and instantly reached an agreement.

Temporary truce!

Especially Xu Muwan, who rolled out, single-handedly holding a Greatsword, and was just about to charge forward when she saw:

Over twenty people opposite them were holding weapons, all looking at her and grinning maliciously.

"Haha, I know her, she's a streamer! Quick, let's kill her in front of her fans. That feeling is truly addictive!"

"A girl! A beautiful girl! I want her to be my little sister, boohoo, little sister, are you okay?"

"Damn it!" Xu Muwan cursed under her breath and immediately charged forward, striking the madman who said he wanted to kill her with her sword.

Seeing this, Wu Jun and Wang Lei also grabbed their weapons and rushed out. The leading veteran hunter shook his head helplessly as he watched the three charge:

"Let's go too. Those madmen from the Sacred Beast Society won't let us leave." He then shouted to Liu Yang, who was preparing to support his teammates:

"You go call for help!"

Liu Yang, holding his spear with one hand, looked at the crowd already engaged in a chaotic battle, threw his weapon aside, and sprinted toward the plain... Jiang Hao and the others, listening while running, showed strange expressions:

"We just suspected there was a problem deep inside the battlefield, and the Sacred Beast Society shows up. Is that really a coincidence?"

But no matter what, taking on the madmen of the Sacred Beast Society is definitely the right move!