Chapter 42: Defeating Foes with One Strike

Ren Mian couldn’t understand.

Although Ji Xinghuo was a magnetic field fanatic, his rank was too low. His strongest attack method was still the bow and arrow, yet he abandoned it for close combat.

This was simply a reckless act, even an overestimation of his capabilities.

“Sister Ren, hold him back.”

Ji Xinghuo’s voice echoed in Ren Mian’s mind. Despite doubting Ji Xinghuo’s strength, she cooperated fully.

Focused on two things at once, she controlled the scarce Qing Lock Dragons on the ground. They sprang to life like a tide, wildly entwining around the Forest Chief’s four legs. At the same time, she leaped up, fists aglow, and heavily smashed towards the Forest Chief’s head.

Bang!

The light burst forth. The Forest Chief, accustomed to this move, closed his eyes but accurately cleaved Ren Mian’s fist with his combat blade.

Ren Mian’s body flew back, crashing into a large tree.

She was unharmed, but the tree trunk broke.

The Forest Chief looked up. He had noticed the hidden archer earlier. Now, seeing Ji Xinghuo reveal himself, a look of disdain and coldness appeared on his face.

Ji Xinghuo was mid-air, his posture relaxed.

In his left hand, he held a bow, and his right hand, gripping a Lightning Race combat knife, drew the bowstring. An electric arrow was already nocked on the compound bow, his body flipped over, the arrowhead aiming at the enemy below.

He could only shoot one arrow—only one chance was available!

Wanxiang Senluo activated.

Instantly, the world seemed to freeze in Ji Xinghuo’s eyes. Everything within hundreds of meters was mapped in his mind.

He saw every pulse of fiery blood on the enemy;

He observed every Qing Lock Dragon on the ground, every thorn on the bramble;

He noticed every tree, every leaf and every drop of rain falling;

Everything was within his sight!

Concurrently, Ji Xinghuo’s vision of the world began distorting. Countless lights and shadows flowed, piling illusions on top of each other, revealing every possible future to him.

Earlier, he had tried to find a way to kill the enemy but failed.

This time, he succeeded!

In an instant, all illusions vanished. Ji Xinghuo saw a clear result—a method to kill the enemy.

The rotating magnetic field had already reached its limit, amplifying the lethality of the electric arrow more than threefold. Visible currents of electricity danced on the arrow, even forming into plasma, reaching the material limit of the arrow.

Ji Xinghuo fired that arrow.

A flash of lightning.

Like thunder striking, a hint of wariness flashed in the Forest Chief’s eyes. He wanted to dodge but was entwined by the Qing Lock Dragons and couldn’t break free in time.

He could only tilt his head to avoid the vital spot.

But that move was exactly what Ji Xinghuo wanted. He never intended to shoot his head. His real target was the arm.

Crack!

A thunderous noise, blood splattered.

The electric arrow pierced the Forest Chief’s right arm, lodging in the muscle but not passing through. High-voltage electricity released, numbing the entire arm. Though the combat blade wasn’t dropped, he lost his strongest counterattack.

The Forest Chief hadn’t anticipated this outcome.

Ji Xinghuo discarded his bow, hands grasping the Lightning Race as the rotating magnetic field wildly operated. Silver-blue sparks scattered from the blade as he fell through the dark rainy night, drawing a spectacular trail of light.

“Roar!”

Sensing danger, the Forest Chief roared. Blood flames surged. He swung his intact left fist upwards towards Ji Xinghuo.

At the crucial moment, Ji Xinghuo’s figure suddenly reversed, turning upside-down.

His Gale Battle Boots stepped in mid-air, accelerating again.

This unexpected maneuver made the Forest Chief’s punch miss. Ji Xinghuo extended his hand, lightly pressed on the raised arm, using the momentum to flip back upright. He skillfully avoided the incoming head strike, but strangely, Ji Xinghuo didn’t make the cut.

Until the very next instant.

Ji Xinghuo had fallen to the chest level of the Forest Chief, his enemy’s guard completely open.

Finally, the Lightning Race combat knife plunged into the heart!

There already was a wound there from the earlier electric arrow. It had pierced flesh but missed the heart. The arrow had been removed, but a bloody hole remained.

The tip of the Lightning Race was geometrical, extremely sharp.

Ji Xinghuo, as if rehearsed a thousand times, inserted the knife precisely into the wound, unleashing all his strength. The knife’s three “Electric Arc Ring Cuts” were activated, combined with the sharp tip, finally piercing the Forest Chief’s chest, reaching the heart!

Ji Xinghuo didn’t look at the outcome, immediately dropped the knife and rolled down the slope, catching his thrown compound bow.

The Forest Chief paused, standing still. His blood flames extinguished.

He looked down at the combat knife stuck in his chest, disbelief in his eyes, then raised his head towards Ji Xinghuo down the slope, bellowing angrily.

His response was an electric arrow.

Snap!

The arrow, like a streak of electricity, shot into his mouth, piercing the back of his skull.

Without the protection of blood flames, he wasn’t so formidable.

The Forest Chief’s body thunderously fell. Only then did blood spray from the chest like a crimson fountain, reaching several meters high.

【Spiritual Source Energy +313】

“Finally…”

Ji Xinghuo took a deep breath, only then feeling pain everywhere.

Although it was just a brief contact of a second or two—the pace as fleeting as a rabbit’s dash, barely touching the body—the Blood Fury still caused significant burns.

The Wanxiang Senluo, due to depleted star energy, automatically shut down. Now, his head dizzy, he staggered and knelt.

“Xinghuo!”

Ren Mian quickly rushed over, asking with concern, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Ji Xinghuo shook his head, barely standing, and showed her a smile. “I’m just a bit exhausted, a little rest will do.”

“I’ll treat you.”

Ren Mian took out a peach petal and placed it on Ji Xinghuo.

Instantly, Ji Xinghuo felt a surge of life force from the petal. His burns healed visibly fast, his spirit lifted, alleviating the pain in his head and quickly restoring his star energy and physical strength, far better than the effect of a Thousand-Year Qing!

“This is…” Ji Xinghuo was amazed.

Just now Sister Ren used this kind of peach petal on Jiangnan Caiyi and Chi Zhonglin. It not only stopped bleeding and healed injuries but also restored star energy and physical strength, combining multiple plant samples for effectiveness.

He glanced at the peach blossom mark on Ren Mian’s forehead.

“Eternal Peach Blossom Spring.” Ren Mian explained. “This is my unique plant witchcraft method, the only one in the world. No matter how severe the injury, as long as there’s a breath left, it can save.”

Ji Xinghuo was stunned.

“Hmm…”

Painful moans came from the slope below.

Chi Zhonglin climbed up unsteadily, a wound stretching from his shoulder to his abdomen, already healed but his face pale.

“Sister.”

“Caiyi.”

Ren Mian hurried over. The Qing Lock Dragons protecting Jiangnan Caiyi dispersed, revealing her body. After a quick check, Ren Mian sighed in relief and smiled, “Your physical injuries are almost healed, only some mental trauma left, a few days of rest should suffice.”

She placed a white little flower on Jiangnan Caiyi’s forehead. “This is the Honeysuckle that can heal mental trauma, easing your headache.”

The pain on Jiangnan Caiyi’s face quickly faded, regaining her complexion.

She stood up, looking towards the body of the Forest Chief.

It was only then everyone came back to their senses. Chi Zhonglin incredulously shouted, “Xinghuo, you actually killed him! How did you do it?”

They all witnessed the process but couldn’t comprehend it, deeply shocked.

Ji Xinghuo’s moves were ordinary, neither showcasing superb archery skills nor a high level of martial prowess, but strangely effective. Every move, change of direction and rhythm was perfectly timed, piercing the enemy’s heart with one strike!

And that final mouth-exploding arrow was even more baffling.

The Forest Chief seemed to have cooperated, allowing Ji Xinghuo to shoot him, losing the chance for a final crazy counterattack.

Ji Xinghuo laughed, “I just tried desperately once, and luckily, it worked. I didn’t expect to actually kill him like that.”

“Can this really be explained by luck?” Chi Zhonglin scratched his head, full of confusion.

Doubt filled Jiangnan Caiyi’s eyes too.

Ren Mian thoughtfully suddenly laughed, “You don’t have to be so surprised. Xinghuo’s combat intuition is the most top-notch I’ve seen, unmatched by anyone. Those ordinary moves actually contain deep meanings, seizing the best opportunities in the rapidly changing battle. This kind of talent is rare even among billions.”

“That amazing!”

Chi Zhonglin, envious, sighed, “A low-level extrahuman managed to kill a fourth-tier Forest Clan, a Blood Warrior at that. It’s outrageous, no one would believe it if we told them. If it was on Earth, with this record, you could make it to the heavenly ladder!”

“Everyone contributed.” Ji Xinghuo modestly said, “If it wasn’t for Sister Ren holding him off upfront, I wouldn’t have had the chance.”

He was telling the truth.

If he had faced the Forest Chief alone, death was the only outcome.

“I was careless this time.” Ren Mian was a bit frightened, “I didn’t expect another Blood Warrior. Thankfully we had Xinghuo, or the consequences would be unimaginable.”

“Sister, don’t blame yourself. We all agreed to take action.” Ji Xinghuo comforted.

“Yes.”

“If it weren’t for sister saving us, we would have died.”

Ren Mian shook her head, no longer dwelling on it, observing the chaotic scene around the slope, corpses everywhere, nothing of value.

The Forest Clan’s innate ability, “Language of the Forest,” might be worth some money.

It could serve as the core ability for a plant witch, controlling plants and promoting their rapid growth. However, most plant witches prefer “Green Luo Root,” as its effects are better and fusion success rate higher.

At this moment, the rain stopped.

Ji Xinghuo walked to the Forest Chief’s body, pulling out the Lightning Race and the electric arrow stuck in the arm; the previous arrow had been damaged.

The Wanxiang Star Pupil displayed interface information.

【Race: Forest Clan】

【Level: Fourth Tier】

【Mutations: Language of the Forest, Psychic Sniff, Bloody Frenzy, Toughness*, Eagle Eye*, Intuitive Reflex*, Muscle Memory*】

To the right of the screen was a virtual image of the Forest Chief, showing the location of his mutations on his body.

Ji Xinghuo’s eyes lit up. He had struck gold!