Chapter 71: Chapter 69: Fire-Horned Rhinoceros Greeting the dawn and sending off the sunset, the squad headed westward into the mountains. The deeper into the mountain’s interior they ventured, the greater the danger became, often forcing them to detour while flying. Five days later. Chen Moxuan sat upright on the Talisman Bird, sighing: "After attacking Mo Ya Mountain, the Foundation Establishment Stage great cultivators of the Sect cleared out the nearby Foundation Establishment Stage demon beasts and drew a simple map marking the danger zones. Back then, the Sect’s Demon Hunting Squads would meet every one or two months to exchange intel and mark dangerous areas. It was at the cost of many disciples’ lives that we can now traverse the mountains with relative ease." In the past, no Qi Refining Stage cultivators dared set foot in this Barbaric Land, and no one knew the distribution of the demon beasts’ territories. Encountering land-dwelling demon beasts was somewhat manageable as everyone could escape riding Talisman Birds, but some regions were home to flying demon beasts, whose speed matched that of Flying Ships, leaving no hope of escaping if you couldn’t prevail. The most desperate situations were when cultivators landed from the air, only to run into lurking land demon beasts, with no way to escape heaven or earth. For cultivators, demon beasts were full of treasures, and the materials on their bodies were important cultivation resources for human cultivators. Conversely, human cultivators were like advanced spirit medicine in the eyes of demon beasts, able to enhance their bloodline and serve as a delicious meal. When encountering weak human cultivators, demon beasts would hunt and devour them instinctively. In a way, the map in the squad’s hands was drawn in blood. Jiang Qiuyue interjected: "We are better off, but those loose cultivators are worse. Their trust level is low, and their maps are rougher, making it easier for them to fall into a desperate situation. Many disciples feel that the Sect’s open marketplace allowing loose cultivators to replenish resources has snatched away ours, but I have a different view." She instinctively lowered her voice, saying: "To speak darkly, I think the Sect’s move somewhat exploits the loose cultivators to pave the way. Though loose cultivators are weaker in combat, their sheer numbers can’t be dismissed. With so many loose cultivators flooding in, the number of demon beasts will inevitably decrease rapidly. Given time, the Sect can establish resource points at each tiny spirit vein node to cultivate spirit medicine and such..." Chen Moxuan coughed twice, interrupting her: "Upper Master’s considerations for the Sect are not something we juniors should gossip about. Stay alert, we are approaching the area of the Evil-Faced Flying Eagle and will soon reach the Fire-Horned Rhinoceros’ territory." The squad skillfully bypassed a mountain peak and entered a broad valley. It was like entering another world; previously lush and verdant, now it transformed into chaos, with jagged black rocks distributed across the gentle slopes. In the distance, clusters of Earth Fire Spirit Holes burned like furnaces, dotting the desolate valley like demons opening their crimson eyes. A scorching wind blew, and Ji An immediately felt a sense of heat, subconsciously licking his lips. Qi Refining Stage cultivators were not highly tolerant of such environments, and staying here for long would undoubtedly affect their combat strength. Chen Moxuan began assigning their battle strategy: "The Fire-Horned Rhinoceroses have a pack of twelve that always move collectively when facing an enemy. Our reconnaissance revealed two Ninth-Layer Qi Refining beasts, three at the Seventh Layer, two young ones at the Early Stage, while the rest are at Mid-stage Qi Refining." "Our plan is to lure the herd to attack us; the Ninth-Layer leader will likely distance itself from the other beasts. We will seize this opportunity to maximize our attack and try to kill the leader. The Fire-Horned Rhinoceros has tough skin and immense strength. Although we prepared the Cold Wind Talisman to counter them, we can’t guarantee a kill." "If we don’t achieve results in the first strike, the beast will certainly become wary, so the battle’s key lies in whether the initial wave inflicts a killing blow." Ji An nodded lightly; the plan was very straightforward—inflict damage and minimize the herd’s important combat power. Without their leader, the remaining Fire-Horned Rhinoceroses can be managed gradually, placing the battle’s initiative in their hands. Simple plans have fewer variables, which is ideal. In fact, using a magic array for an ambush to hunt demons is the easiest way, but setups durable enough to withstand beast attacks are prohibitively expensive and require middle-grade spirit stones for activation. One middle-grade spirit stone is equivalent to a hundred regular ones. It’s too costly, and hunting Qi Refining Stage demon beasts doesn’t warrant such an expense, nor do the majority of Qi Refining Stage cultivators have that capital. Chen Moxuan continued: "Junior Sister Jiang, you are the fastest, so you’ll lure the herd, trying to lead them to the edge of the Fire Realm. When we engage, your primary responsibility is to activate the Cold Wind Talisman and cast water magic for attacks." "Junior Brother Tian, Junior Brother Ji, your magical artifacts have the highest defense, so you’ll be responsible for containing the two leader-level Fire-Horned Rhinoceroses’ attacks while I release the Cold Wind Talisman to ease your burden. Hmm, prioritize killing the one Ji An is holding off." "Understood." "The Fire-Horned Rhinoceros has exceptionally strong defenses, and unless we hit a weak spot, the damage from our Magic Sword will be too low. Junior Brother Chu, you’re in charge of controlling magical artifacts to serve as the second focal attack point, and do pay attention to the release frequency of our Cold Wind Talismans." "Don’t worry, boss, we’ve worked together for so long, and our coordination should be fine." Chen Moxuan nodded, smiling: "All right, I’ll stay on guard, and everyone should meditate to recover magical power. Remember, don’t hold back; we must unleash our strongest attack in the first wave. If things go awry, don’t linger in battle, just leave on the Talisman Bird." With tactical arrangements in place, and given their roles and coordination, a seasoned Demon Hunting Squad is less likely to fail than an impromptu one. Jiang Qiuyue fully restored her magical power and left on the Talisman Bird. After more than a double hour passed, Ji An saw a graceful figure rushing from afar, pursued closely by a Fire-Horned Rhinoceros like a blazing cloud. The ground trembled, akin to war drums pounding in their hearts; a mere dozen or so demon beasts ran with the momentum of a galloping army. Fire-Horned Rhinoceroses resemble wild oxen but with horns growing from their nasal bones. Their body’s surface is covered with dark red scales, granting them formidable defense. Fire-Horned Rhinoceroses are easily angered and possess a strong sense of territoriality, attacking invaders en masse. When enraged, their bodies’ Fire Element Spiritual Energy rapidly flows, making their scales glow as brightly and intensely as a fiery cloud, akin to heated iron oxen. During those times, Wood, Metal, and Fire Element Techniques all inflict significantly reduced damage on them. "The plan is proceeding smoothly; the two Ninth-Layer Fire-Horned Rhinoceroses are at the forefront, outpacing the herd by two or three miles. Prepare yourselves!" Chen Moxuan’s face flushed; the materials on a Fire-Horned Rhinoceros are far more valuable than those of a Cyan Wood Ape! Jiang Qiuyue, like a gust of wind, swept past Ji An and Tian Yulei before making a swift turn, pulling out a stack of Cold Wind Talismans. Tian Yulei took a few steps forward, controlling the Scorpion Shell Shield to strike one of the Fire-Horned Rhinoceroses. His aim was to temporarily lure the beast away, creating a favorable opportunity for others. The Mountain and River Seal twirled and, under Ji An’s control, ferociously smashed against the charging beast, producing a clashing sound of metal and iron, sending the magical artifact flying ten yards away. Nonetheless, the charge of the Fire-Horned Rhinoceros was stunted for a moment. Its eyes, as large as fists, glared fiercely at Ji An, leaping five to six yards to land before him. Its hind legs grounded, its front hooves raised to trample while it expelled a mass of Fire Cloud from its nostrils and blood-red maw, pouring over him indiscriminately.