Chapter 342 - 261: Finally Took the Bait

Chapter 342: Chapter 261: Finally Took the Bait

The earth was cracked, with fissures several dozen feet deep.

The Black Death Grass was withered and yellow, and the vast wilderness was devoid of life.

On a main road trampled out by refugees and traveling merchants, a group of riders galloped eastward, kicking up a trail of billowing dust behind them.

Fleeing refugees stood numbly by the roadside to get out of the way.

CRACK, CRACK, CRACK.

The sharp crack of a whip echoed through the air. Traveling merchants, not daring to delay, cursed as they herded their donkeys and oxen, pulling their carts aside.

A young child on horseback watched curiously as the riders galloped toward them from the distance.

An adult pulled out a cloth to cover the child’s mouth and nose.

SWOOSH~

Like a high-speed train rushing past, a powerful gust of wind kicked up dust and smoke. Yet, the onlookers could see that this group, riding on Exotic Beasts, was enveloped in a transparent energy shield. The swirling dust and the cracked ground did not affect their speed in the slightest.

The woman in white at the head of the group had ice-cold eyes and lips as thin as blades, and she watched everything before her with indifference.

The children by the roadside stared at her, and the fleeing refugees thought a celestial maiden had descended to the mortal world.

Bai Ningbing snorted coldly, her eyes showing clear disgust. A guard beside her unleashed his aura, and the crowd by the road collapsed like scythed wheat.

They lost control of their bowels and bladders, their courage shattered by the killing intent of a Sixth-Grade Master.

The group continued to gallop on without pause.

They sped past with a howl, leaving a trail of wails in their wake.

The High-level Exotic Beasts had limited stamina.

By evening, the group arrived at a stretch of open wilderness and made camp.

When traveling, safety comes first.

The terrain here was flat, offering an unobstructed view in all directions. Even if they were ambushed, they could calmly set up their defenses and react in an instant.

"Be careful when setting up camp. Don’t keep the horses and the Exotic Beasts in the same place."

Someone shouted instructions.

Soon, bonfires were lit, and various types of meat were brought out to be roasted.

"Miss, it’s time to eat."

"Have the two seniors from the Huang Family and the Boat Gang eaten yet?"

"They are eating now. As you instructed, their meals are always served first."

Only then did Bai Ningbing nod and accept the food tray.

But before she could even steady the tray, she heard a shout:

"On guard!"

’That voice sounds a bit unfamiliar.’

She looked up, startled, and realized the one who had shouted the warning was the Fifth-Grade Master from the Boat Gang. Her pretty face immediately turned cold and menacing.

"Who is it? Who dares to ambush a camp with Fifth-Grade Masters present?"

The dozen or so people in her group were surprised but not nervous.

They were all seasoned veterans.

Night ambushes on the road were usually for money or goods.

No one would be foolish enough to go head-to-head with a Fifth-Grade Master.

However—

VWOOM!

A sudden roar erupted.

A wave of energy, like a dragon, swept up all the debris from the ground, literally scraping off a layer of topsoil.

The dragon-like wave of energy reached them in the blink of an eye!

"What is this?"

Bai Ningbing had never seen anything like it.

The members of the Bai Family’s exploration team had certainly never witnessed such a scene.

"The enemy is a Master of Hidden Weapons! Everyone, be on high alert!"

With that, the Fifth-Grade Master from the Huang Family took the lead, thrusting out both palms to intercept the attack in front of the camp.

The people in the camp were in a panic. ’A Master of Hidden Weapons?’

’What kind of Hidden Weapon could create such a commotion?’

’The power of this attack is probably comparable to the Wind Division’s Wind-Rolled Ruins!’

VWOOM!

The roar sounded again.

Someone in the camp shouted, "It’s coming from the east, too!"

The Fifth-Grade Master from the Boat Gang calmly walked to the eastern side, his body erupting in a pale blue radiance.

He slapped his hands forward, creating what looked like countless water ripples to meet the wave of energy.

With a loud BANG, the two forces collided.

Stones were pulverized, and the kicked-up dust was completely dissipated by the Fifth-Grade Master’s power.

The two masters from the Boat Gang and the Huang Family glanced at each other and said in unison, "Anyone below the Sixth Grade, do not try to block this Hidden Weapon."

"Stay on guard. The enemy isn’t using their full strength."

’They still aren’t using their full strength?’

Bai Ningbing’s expression grew even colder. ’Doesn’t that mean the attacker is at the Fifth-Grade level?’

She looked around uneasily at the pitch-black wilderness, which seemed to conceal countless dangers.

The Fifth-Grade Master from the Huang Family was about to say something, but before he could, his gaze suddenly fixed on the area in front of him.

VWOOM VWOOM VWOOM~

Three waves of energy swept up the yellow sand and stone, surging toward them!

The Fifth-Grade Master from the Huang Family took the offensive, unleashing a cyan hurricane from his hands that blasted forward.

The hurricane tore the energy waves to shreds.

He confirmed it again: the opponent’s strength was roughly that of someone who had just reached the Initial Entry into the Fifth Grade, far inferior to his own.

VWOOM VWOOM VWOOM...

Before he could think further, energy waves attacked from three different directions.

The two Fifth-Grade Masters scrambled to intercept the attacks.

VWOOM VWOOM VWOOM, BANG BANG BANG.

The terrifying sound of incoming Flying Locust Stones and their collisions echoed ceaselessly.

The two Fifth-Grade Masters’ defense was impenetrable.

Although the energy waves from the Flying Locust Stones came from cunning and varied angles, the two of them defended in tandem with ease.

But the attacker never stopped.

The two Fifth-Grade Masters were completely exasperated!

Even a war of attrition wasn’t fought like this.

Moreover, the speed at which the enemy attacked was simply appalling.

There wasn’t a single patch of intact ground left near the camp.

Bai Ningbing and the others huddled together, their hearts pounding in their chests, unable to relax.

"This isn’t working! It seems like they’re practicing combos on us! Old Huang, we can’t just keep defending passively!"

The words had barely left his mouth.

CLANG!

A crisp metallic sound rang out.

Everyone watched in horror as the Fifth-Grade Master from the Huang Family was actually forced back three steps.

"I was careless. Watch out for their silent Hidden Weapons!"

The Fifth-Grade Master from the Huang Family removed the hand pressed against his lower abdomen, revealing a perfectly round iron ball.

"Are you alright?"

"It’s nothing. An attack of this level, nearly at the Sixth Grade, still can’t break through my Protective Gang Qi."

Before they could breathe a sigh of relief, several Fire Meteors shot toward the camp.

Looking closely, they saw that these too were stones—burning stones!

Fire Meteors!

"Fuck! Does this ever end!?"

"They know we have masters here, so attacking like this is useless! Why are they still harassing us?" someone in the group couldn’t help but curse.

Bai Ningbing’s brow twitched when she heard this. "That’s right! Why is the enemy engaging in such a futile effort? What’s their goal? Are they trying to stall for time?"