Endless Ascension

Chapter 16: A violent loli

"We're in trouble."

Qin Ze slowly rose from his crouching position, turning his head cautiously. Less than ten paces away, a Green-fanged Wolf sat with drool pooling at its mouth, its eyes glowing green as it stared intently at Qin Ze.

Not just the wolf, but across the stream, a Fierce King Tiger advanced gracefully towards Qin Ze, its steps light and purposeful.

Amidst the dark, foreboding forest, no less than thirty other beastly creatures revealed their greedy, menacing gazes, encircling both Qin Ze and Yun Man.

"Do you like roasted beast meat?" Qin Ze's demeanor grew cautious. Most of the beasts in the woods were low-level creatures of the second and third tiers, not a match for him in a one-on-one confrontation. Yet, faced with over thirty of them, even he would have to flee if they attacked as a pack, especially with the timid Yun Man by his side.

Yun Man, too, had sensed the danger. She stood up, glaring fiercely at the approaching Fierce King Tiger. Suddenly, her expression turned fierce, and she snarled, "How dare you interrupt my breakfast! You'll be sorry."

"Cloud-Riding Momentum"

Yun Man let out a muffled huff, stamping her foot, and her entire body suddenly soared into the air, as if walking on clouds. Her movements were graceful and ethereal, reminiscent of a fairy darting through the heavens, exquisite and captivating.

Qin Ze barely had time to react, let alone stop her. With dozens of beasts surrounding them, attacking recklessly could provoke a group assault, necessitating a well-planned strategy. Without proper coordination, they risked being trapped with little chance of escape.

As Yun Man launched herself into the air, Qin Ze's heart sank with worry. He quickly activated his qi and charged forward, determined to follow her...

But before Qin Ze could take another step, Yun Man released ribbons from her sleeves in mid-air. The ribbons flew forth like venomous snakes, yet with a ferocity that bordered on the inhuman. They transformed into steel-like darts, piercing straight into the Fierce King Tiger's skull with brutal force.

"Roar..."

Blood sprayed everywhere as the Fierce King Tiger's head was punctured by two gaping holes, causing it to collapse instantly, its eyes rolling back in its head.

Dead.

A second-tier beast, the Fierce King Tiger, had been defeated in a single strike by Yun Man.

Incredible!

Qin Ze was stunned, staring dumbfoundedly as the Fierce King Tiger lay lifeless, while Yun Man hovered gracefully in the air, her face contorted with anger, resembling a child deprived of her sweets, deeply displeased.

King Tiger Lie was dead, sprawled at Yunman's feet. Yunman swiftly withdrew her silk ribbon and struck down once more, fiercely, as if venting her emotions.

"What the hell? Is this loli too violent?"

"It's a bit gruesome, isn't it?"

Staring in disbelief, Qin Ze couldn't help but wonder if this was the same frail loli who had fainted earlier. She was now like a completely different person, violent and ruthless, akin to a demonic killer.

Truly, a woman's heart is as deep as the ocean. She had the appearance of a cute loli but the heart of a rampaging beast.

Returning to Qin Ze's side, Yunman glanced at the convulsing King Tiger Lie lying in a pool of blood and unexpectedly blurted out, "This is too gory. How cruel."

Qin Ze gazed at her, as if seeing a monster.

The demise of King Tiger Lie had intimidated the surrounding beasts, and Yunman's brutality had forced some of them to retreat several yards. Satisfied, Yunman chuckled, "Time for some fish!"

"It smells so good."

"Delicious!"

"Why are you just standing there? Come sit and eat with me."

"I've kept the fish head for you..."

...

Yunman abandoned all semblance of elegance, devouring her meal without restraint. Her face was smeared with dirt, making her resemble a little black cat. From time to time, she would look up at Qin Ze, grinning mischievously, her innocent and pure demeanor masking the violence that had just unfolded.

Qin Ze was utterly stunned. Watching her eat with such relish made his mouth water uncontrollably, his stomach growling in protest. Yet, gazing at the fish bone she had left behind, he resisted his hunger, licked his dry lips, and rushed into the forest, ready to unleash his own carnage.

Hunger could wait; he couldn't let all this experience go to waste.

Initially concerned for Yunman's safety, those worries now seemed redundant. He had no idea what level of martial artist she was, but her ability to hover in mid-air using her qi-powered technique indicated at least an eighth-stage qi cultivation, implying a minimum of ninth-stage martial artist status—just one step away from the Realm of Agility.

Compared to her, Qin Kun, Qin Yang, and all those so-called prodigies were nothing but pale shadows, mere fleeting clouds in the sky.

Qin Ze's mind was reeling with shock, utterly unprepared for this sudden turn of events. "Hey, don't leave me! I... I'm scared..." Yun Man called out, chasing after him with half a grilled fish in her mouth, her steps慌乱 and filled with fear.

Qin Ze silently groaned to himself. If anyone should be scared, it was him.

At this moment, he couldn't afford distractions. Killing monsters and leveling up was the priority. His hands never stopped moving, as his qi dispersed throughout his body, releasing a formidable aura that seemed to provoke the beasts into a furious charge.

Qin Ze wasn't worried about Yun Man; she was practically unstoppable in her own way. It was like grinding through monsters in a game—pure bliss.

Yun Man cried out in fear, but her actions belied her words. Her ribbons flowed from her sleeves, alternating between soft and rigid, imbued with deadly qi that sliced through the air, leaving a trail of destruction wherever they went. The beasts dared not approach her too closely.

Qin Ze, on the other hand, was having a rougher time.

While second and third-tier beasts might be intellectually inferior, they knew to pick on the weaker targets. Yun Man was like a fierce fairy, intimidating and ruthless, but they saw Qin Ze as an easy mark, relentlessly targeting him while avoiding Yun Man.

A dozen beasts descended upon Qin Ze, but he remained calm and cautious, deflecting their attacks. However, he couldn't avoid all of them, as evidenced by the deep scratches on his back from a third-tier Long-Arm Adamantine's claws, rending his clothes and leaving bloody marks. His thigh also throbbed from a bite by a Venomous Ceiling Spider, thankfully non-toxic, or he might not have lasted.

"Hey, are you okay? Do you need me to help?" Yun Man watched Qin Ze surrounded by beasts, worry etched on her face. Seeing the blood seeping from his wounds filled her with dread, making her ribbons even more relentless as she closed in on him.

The more ferocious she became, the greater the pressure on Qin Ze, as the beasts converged on him, encircling him with their primal ferocity, their eyes glowing with malice, determined to tear him apart.

"Just take care of yourself," Qin Ze said with a cold smile, secretly grateful for the system's team function. He could reap experience and qi points from the beasts Yun Man killed, albeit in smaller amounts, but it was still significant.

Faced with over a dozen beasts, Qin Ze remained calm and unfazed. His feet moved steadily, his body enveloped in qi, fully unleashed. As an Azure-fanged Wolf lunged at him, he tightened his fists and swung, crushing its skull with a single punch, ending its life instantly.

One after another, Qin Ze found joy in the carnage, each kill fueling his determination despite the occasional injuries.

Thirty-odd beastly monsters lay slain, their carcasses strewn around the stream after half an hour of relentless battle. The combined points from these creatures surely surpassed 100, a significant haul that would make anyone's eyes glint with greed, especially Qin Yang, notorious for his insatiable avarice.

The aroma of grilled fish wafting through the air had alerted him to the presence of others nearby. As the surrounding beasts stirred restlessly, Qin Yang silently tailed them, hiding atop a densely leaved tree to observe carefully.

Witnessing Qin Ze's ferocity and the razor-sharp silk ribbon wielded by Yunman, Qin Yang bided his time. Now was definitely not the opportune moment. He waited...

He waited for Qin Ze and his companion to expend their strength, to deplete their qi.

The mantis catching the cicada, unaware of the oriole lurking behind—as an experienced "oriole," Qin Yang knew precisely when to strike!