"There are definitely Golden Core Realm Monsters in the monster-infested City," Xue Ren analyzed as his Divine Sense encroached onto the ruined cityscape below. "The Quest had been sitting there for a while, so this isn't completely out of expectations. However, several Golden Core Realm Monsters don't just show up overnight. There must be a deeper reason why so many are here now."
After a period of contemplation, Xue Ren figured that the most efficient method to find answers was by getting them the… direct way.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Without caring about the repercussions, |Giant Fireballs| were launched en masse. They rained down from the heavens, decimating the remains of the City as well as anything with a heartbeat.
Each |Giant Fireball| was now 50-odd meters in diameter, possessing far more power than they used to have. It went without saying that the ruined city didn't stand a chance, with numerous rusted buildings crashing down following earth-shaking explosions.
"Skreee!!!"
"Awoooo!!!"
The Monsters didn't know what was happening and were forced into panic mode. They fled in every direction, with the smarter among them attempting to locate the cause of all this mayhem.
But that was right around when |Fireball Snipers| and |Fireball Javelins| started being shot out as well.
"Aghh-!!"
Hobgoblins had their heads suddenly explode out of nowhere, while the Winter Wolves were torn to pieces by giant flaming javelins. Tens of monsters died by the second, with the whole ruined city thrown into disarray.
Suddenly!
"ROOAAARGGHH!!!"
Multiple harrowing roars reverberated, each belonging to a massive 40-meter-long wolf with heavy lines streaked through their thick fur. These behemoths were accompanied by very fat and very angry |Hobgoblin Lords|, who rode the giant |Winter Wolf Alphas|.
"Hobgoblins and Winter Wolves teaming up in this manner is anything but natural." Xue Ren frowned as he conjured a |Fireball Sword| in his right hand, its intense heat instantly melting the cliff he was poised atop. "They should possess some level of intelligence being in the Early and Middle Stages of the Golden Core Realm. Asking them what's going on here will be most productive."
*Fwooop!*
Blurring forward, Xue Ren crossed a distance of thousands of meters in the blink of an eye.
The Golden Core Monsters were crawling on and jumping between dilapidated buildings. However, while doing so, time itself seemed to slow, and before their eyes could even shift over to a comparatively tiny humanoid figure, their visions blurred.
|Fireball Sword - 10 Fold Slash|
SHWA! SHWA!
With extended periods of time familiarizing himself with his Fireball Skills, certain variations came to be. The way the Skills activated and the following process for the variations were the same as before, but how they were executed had changed.
For this particular variation, Xue Ren consecutively activated and deactivated |Fireball Sword| at a very quick speed. This made it possible for him to turn between each Golden Core Monster and attack while maintaining and even amplifying momentum.
"Roooarrghh—!!"
Of the over half a dozen Golden Core Realm Monsters, only one was given the opportunity to cry out in pain, for it was the only one still alive.
As huge chunks of blackened meat fell from the skies around Xue Ren, he took a slow step toward the injured |Hobgoblin Lord|. His figure flickered as he blink-stepped, appearing before the terrified Golden Core Monster.
He emotionlessly kicked out.
BOOM!
A sonic boom thundered out as the |Hobgoblin Lord| was launched backward. Many lower Hobgoblins and Winter Wolves were splattered because of this, ending with the Golden Core Monster planting itself into a distant hill.
When Xue Ren phased over, he saw that nearly the entire hill was taken up by the heavily injured |Hobgoblin Lord|.
The once fearsome Golden Core Realm Boss Monster was now pleading for its life through a blood-filled mouth. Bones were gruesomely sticking out of various parts of its body, yet the pain was far overshadowed by the fear the monster felt when Xue Ren reappeared in front of it.
"Tell me why the Hobgoblins and Winter Wolves are working together in the area," Xue Ren spoke bereft of sympathy while using both his hands to cast Level 3 and 4 Fireball Skills at the monster stragglers in the surroundings.
"!!!"
Scared out of its wits, the Hobgoblin Lord grunted repeatedly. However, it became abundantly clear that it was incapable of speaking the human language—perhaps no language at all.
Xue Ren's eyes flashed coldly. He swiped out with his |Fireball Sword|, not willing to squander any more time here.
After disconnecting the Hobgoblin Lord's head from its neck, Xue Ren vanished. The Golden Core of this Boss Monster, as well as the Cores of the other seven, also disappeared with him.
And just like that, a City once deemed as a forbidden zone to mortals and cultivators alike was completely cleaned out. Not even the squeals of Goblin-young remained.
— Within a dark, damp underground space somewhere in the Star Bearer Province —
"The connections I had with several Golden Core Realm Monsters were just cut off. Why?" A pale-skinned man with an uneasy air about him abruptly opened his blackened eyes. "Have those old bastards finally caught on to what I've been doing??"
'No,' he thought. 'It shouldn't be that.'
After all, he kept an untraceable trail.
"So then was this incident just an unfortunate coincidence?"
It should be that. This would also mean that he could continue with his plans.
"A minor event like this is but a small ripple," said the pale man as his aura nearly spilled over the Golden Core Realm. "As long as the other pawns keep on slaughtering and gathering souls, I'll be able to use my Sect's Secret Arts to break through the Nascent Soul Realm."
The only reason he came to such a tiny province was because of the abundance of innocent souls, with no one competent enough to protect them.
"When I break through the Nascent Soul Realm, I'd like to see how you nosy old bastards will stop me from converting every single living being in your Province into my strength!"
A long string of evil cackling rang out in the dark underground space as the pale man resumed his devouring of floating transparent wisps. These were souls, all belonging to humans who were victims of the Monsters tamed and augmented by the vile man known as Mo Tianxie, the Monster Herder.
Meanwhile, back at Starling Academy, Xue Ren had just revealed the contents of a storage ring to those in charge of verifying the completion of Academy Quests.
To say the least, they were dumbstruck…