Chapter 43: Stab Their Hearts!
Although my arrays were shoddy at best when used mid-battle and nowhere near the level the librarian had taught me, Qi was still Qi, and the battle against the monstrous beasts attacking our group ended with only some slight injuries on our side.
After the battle was over, I surveyed the corpses of the monstrous beasts, using one of the swords a disciple lent me to hack apart the bodies and inspect their anatomy.
Seventeen species of monstrous beasts resembled scorpions. Those were all I had read about in the Blazing Sun Sect library. There were probably more out there, but those mattered little on this side of the world. Given the proximity of this place to the Sect's territories, there should be records about these creatures. Among them, two species of scorpion-like monstrous beasts possessed three tails, and I was attempting to identify which one this was.
"Uh, shouldn't we go and help Lady Song?" asked one of them, though he didn't seem worried about her but rather frightened. "If she finds out we didn't bother helping her..."
"I will take responsibility for it. Now let me work in silence, please," I called out. "Just make sure everyone patches their wounds for now."
As far as I remembered, there was no mention of them having a bull's head. Was it some kind of new species? Usually, crossbreeding between monstrous beasts to create a new creature was a miraculous affair. That was how one got a scorpion with three tails and a bull head. A bizarre cow-like monstrous beast mated with a scorpion monstrous beast, yielding a mutant freak.
But the more likely scenario was that I might have forgotten the bull head part. After all, there weren't any pictures in the books I read. Even if this were a new species, there should be some weaknesses in common.
After checking around, I found a strange heart-like organ where the tails and body met.
"We can go now," I called out, putting my backpack on with Speedy inside.
We set off and followed the path Song Song had taken. While my Qi senses weren't developed enough to sense Qi from afar, as we ran past a couple of rocky hills, we heard explosions in the distance and saw dust clouds rising as rocks flew about.
Some in the group appeared as though they would rather be anywhere else. However, we couldn't simply abandon everything to Song Song's fate. If whatever was attacking her won, they wouldn't let us escape.
"Slow down a bit," I told the others, and we transitioned from running to a leisurely walk as we peeked over the rocky hill.
Beyond the hill lay a field of rocks stretching as far as the eye could see. Among them were over a hundred scorpion-like monstrous beasts, with two said creatures bigger than the others. One had the upper body of a man with a bull's head and the lower body of a dark-grey scorpion with three giant tails. The other was similar, except it had a woman's body.
The male monstrous beast attempted to stab Song Song with one of his tails, but she managed to evade by jumping back. As the tail struck the rocks, it created a crack accompanied by a loud gunshot-like sound.
The female monstrous beast swiftly followed up on her partner's attacks with faster strikes. Despite their speed, Song Song effortlessly deflected them and retaliated by aiming for the female monstrous beast's neck.
However, her assault was interrupted as the male monster re-engaged in the fight, his three tails aiming to skewer Song Song once more. She was forced to dodge, and as smaller monstrous beasts charged at her, she countered with a wave of her hand. A powerful wind pressure emanated, creating holes in any creature that ventured too close, likely a piercing attack invisible to the normal eye.
Before taking further action, I set down Speedy and my backpack. We observed as Song Song dispatched any monster that approached her, dismembering the smaller ones as inconsequential. Her method of dispatching them lacked flashiness but was methodical and cold, akin to a surgeon's precision running a scalpel through a patient's skin.
My initial impulse was to intervene and aid her, but I recognized it as a product of my ego. We stood no chance against the swarm of smaller creatures. I composed myself and began counting the monstrous beasts, crucial for what would come next.
"This isn't a battle we can engage in," I announced to my team, met with silent agreement.
A single attack from the larger scorpions could shatter any barrier I could muster, and their strength would rend through us effortlessly.
Our sole advantage lay in our knowledge of Arrays and Alchemy, knowledge foreign to the monstrous beasts. Yet, they surpassed us in strength, resilience, and possibly even raw speed.
We owed our survival in the initial battle to my arrays. Here, however, there was little we could do. Engaging the weaker monsters would only result in our demise.
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Contemplating the weaker monsters harassing Song Song, an idea came up.
Perhaps I had been approaching this situation incorrectly. We didn't need to deal significant damage... we already had our damage dealer.
Crouching behind the rock with only my eyes visible, I addressed my team, "We may need to draw some of them. Follow my signal, and whatever happens, don't panic."
Maintaining focus on the female beast, I began murmuring a chant under my breath.
This was going to be challenging. It was a technique I had relentlessly practiced, well-suited to my fighting style, but the librarian was unfamiliar with these branches of arrays, so I had mostly studied them alone.
"White Eyes, Evil Mist, Declaration of Madness! Blind Darkness!"
Instantly, the female monstrous beast froze in her tracks, her head swiveling in confusion.
Despite its name, the Blinding Array could be cast over a wide range with the right ingredients or used as a talisman once one reached a certain level of proficiency with inscriptions. Unfortunately, I lacked the necessary skill and power, resorting to the most basic form of the array, targeting a single figure.
Moreover, the terrain was unsuitable for this array. The dark Qi from night-time helped, but not by much as it was a half-moon.
For a weak array like this to hold effect, the user had to maintain visual contact with the victim. While arrays were versatile, none were invulnerable to raw power. The Blinding Array sounded formidable, but concentrated Qi in the eyes could easily break through. If someone possessed ample reserves, the array would collapse before reaching them.
I had wagered on the monstrous beasts' ignorance of arrays, which proved correct momentarily as the female monster appeared surprised. Yet, instinctively the female scorpion washed her body with Qi, shattering the Blinding Array instantly.
If only I had been more proficient, perhaps it would have succeeded. But dwelling on 'what ifs' was futile now.
Optimistically, I had underestimated the intelligence of these beasts.
But at the same time... I had underestimated Song Song. In that fleeting moment, while the female monster was paralyzed, Song Song seized the opportunity without hesitation.
Unlike me, she didn't ponder why the creature had stopped or consider it a ruse. She relied solely on instinct and attacked.
The male monster reacted swiftly, defending his mate as his three scorpion tails lashed out towards Song Song. Unexpectedly, instead of evading, she charged forward, her hand striking the scorpion woman's abdomen.
Instantly, a blast tore through the monster as a Qi attack pierced it. The male monster roared, and his strikes closed in on Song Song, forcing her to raise her hand as three stingers from the monstrous beast's tails pierced her arm.
"Shit," I cursed under my breath. If those stingers were poisoned, we were in serious trouble.
Song Song's eyes widened as the scorpion man swung its three tails again, slamming into her and sending her flying, crashing into a distant hill.
My heart sank at the sight, dread washing over me as the scorpion man turned our way. My array had exposed our position!
"Everyone, get in formation!" I yelled, and they quickly surrounded me. Normally, I might have felt pride or nostalgia, but there was no time for such sentiments now. "I will cast arrays for all of us!"
The swarm of smaller scorpions crawled up the hill, heading straight for us. The odds were overwhelming; if they reached us, we were doomed.
Was this how it would all end? So much left undone, all lost in one reckless gamble...
Biting down on my tongue, I snapped back to reality, dismissing my fears. The people around me looked just as terrified.
"There's too much I haven't seen! I will survive!" I shouted, distracting them for a second from their fear, and they turned to face me.
Scanning desperately for any means of escape, I found nothing but the advancing horde of monstrous beasts. In the distance, the male scorpion crouched near his fallen wife, his bull-like head betraying no emotion.
None of it mattered now...
Then, something shifted. The male scorpion turned towards where he had thrown Song Song, but it was too late.
Her hand had made contact with his face, and she wore a victorious smile. As if struck by an invisible force, the monstrous beast's visage contorted into a spiral until it burst into gore, leaving behind a headless corpse.
Sensing their leader's demise, the monstrous beasts ceased their charge, turning towards the fallen scorpion man's corpse in the distance.
In that battle, I learned a crucial lesson from Song Song: sometimes, one must seize opportunities without overthinking.
"Attack!" I bellowed to the others, offering no time for hesitation as I charged forward.
With no time for preparation or array casting, I relied solely on my fists.
Sonic Fang Fist!
My punch connected with the first creature I reached, sending it hurtling backward, blood streaming from its eyes and mouth. Yet, it still twitched, indicating it remained alive.
Unlike when I used the lightning pillars to weaken the scorpion monstrous beast, these creatures proved physically resilient. Monstrous beasts, in general, boasted superior strength to humans, making my attack less effective. Even a shockwave aimed at their internal organs failed to kill them.
Attempts to utilize arrays amidst the chaos proved futile. The pervasive Qi emitted by the surrounding monstrous beasts rendered control impossible.
"Remember, focus on the area where their body meets their tailit's where their hearts are!" I shouted, hoping to impart crucial knowledge to my comrades.
While my tactics might have conveyed strength, such as the lightning pillar ruse. But in a straight power struggle, I would struggle against even one of these formidable beasts without the aid of others.
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