Chapter Forty-One: Seeking Life in the Face of Death

On the side, the disciple skilled in claw techniques managed to drive back the blood god wasp in front of him. Reacting swiftly, he struck the disciple surnamed Ao unconscious with a palm, quickly sealing several acupoints to staunch the bleeding.

As a cloud-like, misty pill was fed to the wounded disciple, the bleeding from his severed arm ceased, and he was now out of mortal danger.

Without hesitation, the clawed disciple hurled the unconscious Ao towards a nearby rock wall, then followed, intent on protecting his fallen companion.

It was clear their bond was close.

Yet with this move, the small circular formation they had barely managed to maintain utterly collapsed, leaving the entire team exposed to venomous stings from all directions.

“There’s still a chance! Only a few dozen blood god wasps left, just hold on a bit longer!”

Chen Qi decisively retreated several steps, pressing his back against the rock wall. With wide, sweeping strokes of his long blade, he forcefully stalled for time, while calling out to steady the others.

Sun Ruohai beside him reacted just as quickly. Seeing Chen Qi withdraw, he too erupted with a surge of vital energy, following Chen Qi’s lead in a burst of momentum.

The tall outer disciple’s blood-stained robe was now in tatters. Pale-faced, he hurriedly swallowed a pill, striding toward the rock wall as well.

A striking scene now unfolded: four men, their clothes torn and faces ashen, each clutching a weapon, trembling slightly but pressing tightly to the wall, standing in a line, ready to fight to the death.

Above them, the swarm of blood god wasps had thinned considerably, but dozens still remained. Lacking much intelligence, the wasps divided into four groups, each lunging at one of the men now separated.

Chen Qi eyed the dark shadows with grave intensity, inwardly cursing his luck, yet thinking that the more wasps he faced himself, the safer his companions would be.

All of his skills were on cooldown, and he had no time at all to use the Cloud Sea Sword Seal!

He gulped down a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the despair rising in his heart. As the blood in his veins surged, Chen Qi swung his blade in fury.

Unlike beasts that required heavy blows, the blood god wasps were fragile; the best defense was speed and ferocity—striking as swiftly and ruthlessly as possible.

Scarlet blade shadows flashed, weaving into a wall of steel, the air ringing with incessant metallic clashes.

Unlike when he focused all his energy and could cleave through the wasps’ brittle bodies with precision, now his strikes mostly clashed against their venomous stingers.

“Faster, faster, faster...”

Chen Qi chanted inwardly, ignoring the swelling pain in his right hand from excess energy, forcing himself to move ever quicker.

Yet despite his efforts, his flurry of blades was still being forced back, and the venomous stings were now alarmingly close. Contrary to all logic, Chen Qi took a bold step forward.

The blood god wasp before him raised its stinger, red light glinting just inches away. Chen Qi raised his blade to guard his heart, ducked his head, and hurled himself directly at the swarm!

It was a desperate gamble. Though the blood god toxin in his body could withstand three layers, he hadn’t forgotten the wasps’ “Blood Frenzy” skill.

This meant that a prepared wasp could lash out with rapid strikes; if the venomous stings landed in succession, three layers of poison would accumulate instantly...

With the poison at full strength, no life-saving method could help.

Spreading his vital energy throughout his body, Chen Qi charged forward like a crimson war chariot, sending dust flying in the cave.

He felt little resistance as he barreled through the swarm, not slowing a bit, heading straight for the team leader!

This was his second reason for such recklessness. Even if his senior still couldn’t break free, the fight must be nearing its end. He had to seek help, to snatch life from death!

After the burst of exertion, his energy waned, and a sharp pain stabbed his lower abdomen and thigh—he’d been stung twice. Glancing down, Chen Qi’s eyes widened in horror.

A blood god wasp clung to his stomach, its stinger already piercing his skin, blood-red light gathering as it prepared to unleash its skill.

Terrified, Chen Qi ran even faster, focusing his energy on his abdomen to try to shake the wasp loose.

At the same time, he thrust his blade forward, slashing away yet another red shadow.

Perhaps the speed disoriented the wasp, for the surge of energy finally dislodged it.

Out of the corner of his eye, Chen Qi saw the wasp’s color deepen. It twitched violently in the air like a high-speed motor, then suddenly went limp, entering a “recovery” state.

Its frenzied attack had failed!

Chen Qi burst out laughing, elated after the brush with death. No wasps blocked his path now—he had escaped from the jaws of doom!

He checked his condition: two layers of blood god poison, and pain spreading through his body.

Behind him, the enraged wasps wheeled around, chasing him relentlessly, vowing to bring him down.

Some even burned with a bloody glow, looking like tiny lanterns in the cave, gradually closing the distance.

Quickly suppressing his joy, Chen Qi saw the graceful figure in blue not far ahead and mustered all his strength to shout:

“Senior Sister, help me!”

The team leader, who had already noticed Chen Qi’s desperate sprint, was momentarily startled by his powerful cry. Her sword faltered for an instant, letting a wasp slip by.

But she had the situation firmly under control. The blood god wasp queen was grievously wounded, struggling in the air, with only a dozen or so wasps left guarding her—all suppressed in front of the leader. In ten breaths, the battle would be over.

After a brief thought, the team leader hurled her purple-qi-wreathed sword at Chen Qi, sending a violet streak through the air.

The sword swept past Chen Qi’s left shoulder, flying into the pursuing swarm behind him. Thunder cracked as it struck.

Chen Qi dared not look back; he ran straight on, finally reaching the safety behind his senior.

Within her aura of protective energy, every move she made felled another wasp. Chen Qi was overwhelmed by a sense of security.

Gritting his teeth, he edged closer until he could feel the force of her energy brushing his skin.

He now stood just five inches from her, close enough to catch the mingled scent of her sweat and fragrance.

At last, Chen Qi’s heart settled. He checked his status.

Somehow, three layers of blood god poison had accumulated; his health had dropped to 7%.

Not daring to delay, he swallowed the final drop of Pine Cloud Elixir, feeling its power dissolve in his chest. Only then did he have time to check the notification from the “Budding Space” that had long been awaiting him.

[Detected: The chosen one has slain a sufficient number of fierce beasts]

[Title Mission Unlocked: Beast Spirit Hunter!]

Mission Description: Slay a certain number of beasts, monsters, and spirits in this world to collect 100 points of beast spirit resentment.

Current beast spirit resentment: 37/100

...