SSS Grade Saint Knight - Chapter 70

Chapter 70: Blue Kite Squad’s Distress Signal! Demons Appear!

TL: YYang

“Woo woo~~~”

Just as Zhou Yi was checking his four-dimensional attributes.

The Gale Wolf carried an azure magic core, about the size of a chicken egg, exuding a faint magical energy aura, and placed it at Zhou Yi’s feet.

From its ghostly green eyes, one could see its intense desire to devour this core.

However, after placing the core at Zhou Yi’s feet, it respectfully bowed its head and retreated to the side.

“Good Xiao Hei.”

Zhou Yi smiled as he patted its smooth wolf fur.

A month ago, after entering the Tempest Mountain Range, he discovered a problem.

His walking speed was just too slow!

Relying solely on himself, he couldn’t possibly avoid all the marked danger zones on the map and sweep the entire outer area of the Tempest Mountain Range within a month.

He needed a mount.

Therefore, when he encountered this gold-grade Level 18 Gale Wolf, he intentionally spared its life and didn’t kill it.

He tamed it as a mount.

Due to not having a magical pet contract scroll, the taming process was a bit troublesome…

However, judging by the Gale Wolf’s current obedience, the final taming effect was quite good.

Of course, the name of this Gale Wolf was still borrowed from the villa’s artificial intelligence name.

After all, he was terrible at naming things.

[Item: Level 19 Wind Magic Core x1]

[Remark: A core containing surging magical energy, the most crucial core within a magical beast. Can be used to set up magic arrays or serve as enchanting material, and when fed to a wind-type magical pet, it may have a chance to upgrade it.]

Under the appraisal technique, the information of this core was fully revealed.

Magic cores were the magical energy cores present in all silver-grade and above magical beasts.

Zhou Yi already had over a hundred such magic cores in his backpack space.

Among them, there were many wind-type magic cores as well.

So, this time he didn’t choose to store it in his backpack space.

“Xiao Hei, this magic core is for you.”

Zhou Yi patted the head of the Gale Wolf, which was bowing to show submission in front of him.

Although it was tamed through force, it’s good to give some benefits occasionally, isn’t it?

“Awwoo~~”

The Gale Wolf’s eyes lit up, and its large wolf mouth swallowed the magic core on the ground in one gulp.

“Roar——”

Not long after swallowing the magic core, a massive wind-type magical energy burst forth from its body.

Its size increased by a circle, and its might was much stronger than before.

“Leveled up?” Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow.

[Monster: Gale Wolf]

[Level: 19]

[Quality: Gold☆]

[Skills: Wind Blade, Gale Technique, Tempest Cannon]

[Remark: The Gale Wolf is extremely fast in charging, and it is the favored child of the gale.]

“It really leveled up.”

Looking at the information presented by the appraisal technique, Zhou Yi was somewhat emotional.

For human professionals, leveling up often required killing a large number of magical beasts to gain a lot of experience.

But for magical beasts like this, they could easily level up by devouring two or three higher-level magic cores.

Plus, with their strong reproductive abilities, many magical beast cubs were born at level 10 or above.

Innately, magical beasts were a notch stronger than humans.

It was precisely because of this that the Tempest Mountain Range, which had existed for hundreds of years, still had so many magical beasts living in it, despite countless professionals entering for training.

“Xiao Hei, let’s go, head to the northeast.”

After the Gale Wolf finished its leveling, Zhou Yi reattached the Mystic Light Warhammer to his back and mounted its broad back once again.

It must be said, the back of the now higher-level Xiao Hei was much more comfortable than before.

“Roar——”

With a low growl, the Gale Wolf, as the favored child of the gale, carried Zhou Yi swiftly towards the northeast.

……

At the northeastern part of the Tempest Mountain Range’s periphery, there was a valley.

Here, the light was dim, and the air was filled with a strange purple-black energy, obscuring the surroundings.

At the flat valley bottom, six giant rune stone pillars, about 30 meters high and with a radius of about 1 meter, stood, emitting surging magical energy waves.

The six positions of the stone pillars were connected, vaguely forming a hexagram magic array.

And in the center of this vaguely formed hexagram magic array, a purple-black palace was built.

“Step, step, step…”

In the grand palace hall, a tall figure about two meters high, clad in armor, walked in.

He knelt on one knee in the center of the palace.

“Your Highness, the Dark Erosion Magic Array is about to be completed. In 5 days, we can return to the Holy Realm.”

His deep voice echoed within the palace.

It was a language different from any country on Blue Star, with very peculiar syllables, not something humans could produce.

“Haha, very good!!”

“The half-year mission is complete, and we can finally return!”

At the front of the palace hall, a tall demon with two horns and purple-black eyes was lounging on a luxurious chair adorned with intricate patterns.

This demon was clad in black and purple armor, with flame-like magma patterns burning in the center of the chest plate.

His smile was as wild and unrestrained as the magma flame patterns on his chest.

“Before leaving, let’s allow our kin to indulge a bit!”

“During this time, the stationed troops can freely go out and hunt humans.”

“But remember, we must not be discovered by human powerhouses, and the hunting area is limited to near the valley. Every time we strike, ensure no survivors are left!!”

The voice of the tall demon, resonating from his chest, echoed like thunder throughout the hall, reverberating with a resounding echo.

“Thank you, Your Highness, for your grace. I believe they won’t be willing to leave any survivors either.”

The tall figure in the center of the hall extended his tongue, licking the corner of his mouth.

The taste of humans.

Finally, they could taste it again…

……

Four days later.

At noon, with the sun shining brightly.

Near a stream in the northeastern outskirts of the Tempest Mountain Range.

The Gale Wolf was lowering its head to drink water by the river, while Zhou Yi was looking at the map nearby.

“Dark Miasma Valley, if I can’t find the Extreme Cold Ice Lotus here by tomorrow, then I’ll have to return.”

Looking at the last unexplored location on the map in the northeast direction, Zhou Yi sighed.

In this month’s time, aside from areas occupied by dangerous magical beasts and this last unexplored Dark Miasma Valley, he had been to almost every other place in the periphery of the Tempest Mountain Range.

The Dark Miasma Valley was perpetually shrouded in a mysterious and eerie energy, where neither magical beasts nor plants could survive.

Hardly any professionals would venture there.

The chances of finding the Extreme Cold Ice Lotus there were slim.

But since he was already here, Zhou Yi decided to take a look.

“Xiao Hei, let’s continue.”

With a call, the Gale Wolf by the stream quickly came to Zhou Yi’s side.

Just as he flipped onto the back of the Gale Wolf, the smartwatch on his right hand suddenly vibrated violently.

Simultaneously, a signal light appeared on the map on the watch’s dial.

The smartwatch on Zhou Yi’s right hand was basic electronic equipment issued by the supply base.

It not only contained a map of the Tempest Mountain Range with various danger spots marked but also displayed his own location information.

Of course, for safety reasons and to prevent betrayal, professionals within the Tempest Mountain Range couldn’t see each other’s location information.

The sudden appearance of a location signal could only mean that someone was calling for help!!

“A distress signal, and it doesn’t seem too far from here. Let’s go check it out.”

Zhou Yi quickly made a decision.

As fellow human professionals fighting for their lives in the Tempest Mountain Range, he would help if he could.

……

……

Whoosh~~

On a forest path covered with dead leaves, a group of five people, each riding a magical beast mount, were frantically fleeing.

Leading them was a tall figure, wearing light green leather armor, none other than Su Qinglian from the Blue Kite Squad!

At this moment, the leather armor Su Qinglian was wearing was slightly damaged.

As her mount ran, even she was vaguely exposed in some areas.

Unlike male professionals, even in the dangerous wilderness, female professionals would somewhat pay attention to their image.

However, right now, she had no mind to care about such things.

Because, behind them, there was a terrifying group of pursuers!

“Why, why are there demons in the Tempest Mountain Range?!”

Su Qinglian’s pretty face was extremely pale, having long lost her usual composure and calmness.

Demons!!

One of the five major races from another world, naturally possessing dark attribute affinity, similar in appearance to humans but with an additional pair of demon horns on their heads.

Extremely violent! Fond of devouring living beings!

Generally only existing in other worlds, it was unexpected to encounter them in the Tempest Mountain Range this time.

That large group of demons with terrifying strength.

If they hadn’t used several trump cards, they wouldn’t have been able to escape!

Yet, even so, the demons didn’t give up and continued to pursue them relentlessly!

“Captain, I’m about to reach my limit!”

The petite girl at the back of the team, Wen Tianrun, let out a painful whimper.

Her right arm was already gone, and the right side of her clothing was soaked in blood.

As a summoner primarily focused on agility and intelligence attributes, the pain of losing her right arm had already left her consciousness quite fuzzy.

“Little Wen, hold on! We’re almost out of here! Little Yi, give her another Concentration Spell!” Su Qinglian quickly said.

“Yes!”

The purple-black-haired girl in the team, Zhang Yi, nodded quickly, the tip of her staff emitting a faint golden glow:

“Concentration Spell!”

A golden light enveloped the right arm-less Wen Tianrun.

But it only improved her spirits slightly, as her right arm continued to bleed profusely.

“Damn it! If I had known, I should have pulled Zhou Yi into the team back then!”

Seeing this, Su Qinglian couldn’t help but feel some regret.

At this moment, the disadvantage of not having a priest in the team was evident, which was the lack of healing power!

There was no way to treat severely injured teammates!

“Captain, it’s too late for regrets now. My magical energy is completely depleted, that was my last skill.” Zhang Yi, riding on a white tiger, said with a bitter smile.

“Magical energy is depleted?” Su Qinglian’s face turned even paler.

Behind them, there were still four Level 22 demons pursuing them.

In the previous battle, they had used all their trump cards to kill the other four demons.

And most of their magical energy had been consumed, even leaving team member Wen Tianrun severely injured!

They were truly at the end of their rope!

“Roar!!”

Hearing the increasingly close roars from behind, a look of despair appeared on Su Qinglian’s delicate face.

Could it be that her squad would really be wiped out here today?