After the Wind and Fire Giant Bird changed its combat style, it became much harder to deal with. Hit-and-run tactics wore Lin Tianhao and Gu Sheng down, testing their patience to the limit. Moreover, the birdâs razor-sharp claws and beak possessed hardness akin to that of Yellow Level top-grade treasures. The two dared not be careless, staying vigilant at all times. Over time, both their physical stamina and mental energy drained significantly.
On top of that, the Wind and Fire Giant Bird began using its unique beastly aura to drive other demon beasts to attack them. The disciples of the Haoyang Sect had to constantly guard against the Wind and Fire Giant Bird while also fending off the oncoming beast tide. Their formation became disorganized amid the chaos, with some individuals even sustaining injuries.
The situation quickly worsened.
"Brother Lin, this isnât working. Can you think of a way to draw the Wind and Fire Giant Birdâs attention? If you can disrupt its rhythm when it tries to retreat after charging down, Iâll have a good chance of shooting it down!"
Gu Sheng, holding no reservation at this critical moment, took out his Zhuge Repeating Crossbow.
Lin Tianhao, also feeling somewhat fatigued, swallowed a recovery pill and glanced at the Wind and Fire Giant Bird diving toward him once again. A fierce determination flashed across his face.
"Alright! Iâll hold it off!"
Lin Tianhao retrieved a gray-brown pill from his storage pouch and ate it. Instantly, his aura surged dramatically, his physique expanded slightly, and his strength magnified significantly.
This time, as the Wind and Fire Giant Bird charged down, Lin Tianhao neither dodged nor evaded, brandishing his spear to meet the attack head-on. Meanwhile, Gu Sheng seized the opportunity to activate the Shadow Concealment Skill and faded into hiding.
Noticing Gu Shengâs presence vanish, the Wind and Fire Giant Bird grew bolder. It extended its talons straight at Lin Tianhaoâs spear.
Fueled by the pillâs enhancement, Lin Tianhaoâs combat ability skyrocketed. His spear halted abruptly in mid-air as it made its forward stab.
In that single breath of time, not only did Lin Tianhao evade the talonsâ grasp, but he also unleashed sudden force. His spear shot forward like a dragon, piercing directly into the Wind and Fire Giant Birdâs abdomen.
The Wind and Fire Giant Bird hadnât anticipated that Lin Tianhaoâs attack power would be so fearsome, with this strike penetrating its body completely.
Reeling from the pain, the Wind and Fire Giant Bird swept its talons fiercely, attempting to repel Lin Tianhao. It failed to anticipate Lin Tianhaoâs reckless approachâhe charged forward without retreat as if his life meant nothing.
"Nowâs the time!"
Gu Sheng, hidden in the shadows, saw the Wind and Fire Giant Bird locked in place. After aiming for the birdâs head, he swiftly pulled the lever on his crossbow, sending ten arrows flying.
The Wind and Fire Giant Bird, sensing the danger from behind, attempted to flap its wings and dodge. At that crucial moment, Lin Tianhao used his spear to propel himself upward, channeling all his strength into the weapon, smashing it hard onto the birdâs left wing.
The Wind and Fire Giant Bird, having barely risen into the air, was immediately knocked back down. This momentary pause allowed the arrows from the Zhuge Repeating Crossbow to strike its head with pinpoint accuracy.
Empowered by First-level Penetration, the already formidable arrows unleashed explosive power, their impact seemingly exaggerated. The Wind and Fire Giant Birdâs body, despite its resilience, couldnât withstand the assault; its head was pierced clean through by the arrows.
While demon beasts possessed remarkable life force, even with ten arrows lodged in its skull, the Wind and Fire Giant Bird didnât die instantly.
With its remaining strength, it unleashed a powerful final attack, digging its deadly talons deep into Lin Tianhaoâs chest.
Suspended in mid-air without any footing to leverage, Lin Tianhao had no way of evading. He could only use his spear to slightly block the blow.
With a sickening sound, the Wind and Fire Giant Birdâs talons, razor-sharp like blades, left several horrifying claw marks across Lin Tianhaoâs chest. The immense force ripped apart not only his soft armor but also his flesh, revealing glimpses of his internal organs in the deepest areas.
Struck heavily, Lin Tianhaoâs face turned deathly pale, devoid of any color, as he plummeted vertically from the sky.
Realizing the Wind and Fire Giant Birdâs life force was rapidly draining, Gu Sheng immediately activated his Swift Wind Boots to rush over and catch Lin Tianhao.
"Hiss!"
Seeing the ghastly wounds on Lin Tianhaoâs chest, Gu Sheng couldnât help but gasp sharply, his back tingling with chills. He hurriedly retrieved a pill from his own storage pouch and fed it to Lin Tianhao.
The Holy Pill Sectâs alchemy skills were unmatched across the entire Red Cloud Prefecture. Even though Lin Tianhao had his own healing pills, they were nowhere near as effective as Gu Shengâs.
Given that Gu Sheng had already benefited significantly from this Spirit Stone mine vein, he didnât hesitate to use one of his pills.
"Brother Gu, I canât continue fighting. Youâll need to step in and assist my junior disciples from here on out."
After bringing Lin Tianhao to a relatively safe location, Gu Sheng grinned and replied, "Of course. Rest here for now; Iâll go help them out!"
The demon beasts in this mountain valley, having lived long in concentrated spiritual energy, boasted strength greater than ordinary beasts of the same level. However, with the formidable Wind and Fire Giant Bird taken care of, the remaining beasts, though still troublesome, were merely Golden Bone Realm demon beasts. With Gu Sheng joining the battle, the Haoyang Sect disciples found themselves under much less pressure and soon regained their earlier cohesion.
After half an hour of intense fighting, the spiritual energy in the valley had been mostly scattered. The ground lay covered with the corpses of demon beasts, blood pooling everywhere, saturating the air with a heavy, suffocating stench. Fortunately, Gu Sheng and the others were far from ordinary humans; otherwise, this environment might have left them retching out their guts.