Upon spotting the white-legged manatee, Su Li swung his Dragon Rhinoceros Sword and activated "Spider Walk," suddenly plunging several meters downward. Before the white-legged manatee could react, he slashed it dead with his sword. The creature's head was cleaved off by the Dragon Rhinoceros Sword, and a spirit source emerged, sinking into Su Li's forehead.
"Level 7 Spirit Source User: Spirit Source 72/110"
Finally harvesting a valid spirit source, Su Li reached out with his left hand, grabbed one of the headless white-legged manatee's white front claws, and lifted it upward.
Jiang Shuijue gazed at the white-legged manatee, her beautiful eyes sparkling with delight. She had just used her "Eye of Value" and saw that this creature's meat was also edible, with nutritional value surpassing even that of the manatee beasts. For spirit source users like them, consuming just a small piece daily would stave off hunger for an entire day. Long-term consumption could also strengthen the body and boost stamina and strength.
Even the manatee beasts lacked such additional benefits.
Jiang Shuijue reached down, grabbed the headless white-legged manatee, and Gu Mingfeng followed suit, seizing its other claw. Together, they lifted the creature upward.
Su Li watched as more manatee beasts surged from the waters below, mingled with a few white-legged ones. He was about to dive down to slay them when he suddenly sensed an unprecedented, violent churning in the surrounding water.
"Not good." Su Li's heart skipped a beat, but he couldn't speak. He quickly abandoned the idea of diving down and instead rose upward, gesturing frantically with his left hand to warn the others.
Almost at the same moment, a figure suddenly appeared in the water diagonally above him. It wasn't large—only half the size of a manatee beast—but its speed was terrifying. It burst into view, and by the time Su Li spotted it, the figure had already charged into the crowd above.
At that moment, Jiang Shuijue and Gu Mingfeng had just sent the headless white-legged manatee to the surface. The people on the rafts were grabbing it, hauling it aboard. Below Jiang Shuijue and the others, several people were fending off the swarming snake-ape beasts and four-armed snake-apes. No one expected such a swift figure to suddenly dart out.
By the time they noticed, the figure had pounced on one of them. The man opened his mouth to scream, but only managed a gurgling sound as water flooded his throat. A massive gash appeared on his neck, blood gushing out.
Rising upward, Su Li finally got a clear look at the sudden figure. It was a monster resembling a large cat, the size of an adult lion or tiger, like a cat magnified many times over. Its body was covered in stripes, with claws over ten centimeters long, sharp and deadly. Its eyes, as large as brass bells, gleamed with an indescribable eeriness.
Its speed was astonishing. In an instant, it had lunged out, struck a Level 6 spirit source user from Shimao Center, and slashed his neck open with its claws.
The claws were razor-sharp and powerful, nearly severing the man's neck entirely. As blood sprayed out, it was clear he wouldn't survive.
At the same time, Su Li activated his "Peep Rune," capturing data on this terrifying cat-like monster.
"Name: Hunting Demon Beast, Level: Level 8 Elite Beast. Extremely fast on both land and water, highly agile. Its sharp claws can easily tear through flesh. Has a chance to evolve into the leader-level Hunting Demon King. Defeating it has a chance to grant the special ability 'Hunting Demon Claw.'"
No wonder it was so fearsome—it had killed a Level 6 spirit source user in one blow. This Hunting Demon Beast was a Level 8 Elite Beast.
In the water, Su Li activated "Spider Walk," his legs forming phantom images as he kicked off repeatedly, shooting upward. He swung the Dragon Rhinoceros Sword in his right hand, aiming to slay this Level 8 Elite Hunting Demon Beast.
The beast had just killed one person and didn't expect Su Li to close in so quickly. Unable to dodge, it extended both claws—one to catch Su Li's incoming sword, the other aimed at his abdomen.
Just then, the surging herd of manatee beasts below suddenly grew chaotic. From their midst, another figure shot out like an arrow, incredibly fast in the water. It was another Hunting Demon Beast.
This one, charging from below, targeted Ling Tian.
Ling Tian had originally been a member of the Zifeng Building. He had followed the group on hunts, improving rapidly. Two days ago, he had become a Level 6 spirit source user. Though he hadn't reached Level 7 the previous night, he was only about twenty spirit sources short. After killing several Level 6 four-armed snake-apes and manatee beasts, he was now just three spirit sources away from breaking through to Level 7.
Eager for those last three spirit sources, he had descended a bit deeper, hoping to hunt three more manatee beasts and become a Level 7 powerhouse like Su Li.
But he hadn't expected the herd below to suddenly scatter, revealing a terrifying Level 8 Elite Hunting Demon Beast charging upward.
The beast was far faster than him. By the time Ling Tian reacted, it had already pounced, driving its sharp claws straight into his chest and tearing them apart.
His internal organs spilled out from his ripped-open chest.
Ling Tian gasped in agony, instinctively inhaling water through his nose. It flooded his windpipe, and he coughed violently, dislodging more organs from his exposed chest cavity.
Blood dyed the water crimson. Ling Tian's pupils dilated, and he couldn't utter a word before dying instantly.
Above, Su Li swung his Dragon Rhinoceros Sword, severing one of the Hunting Demon Beast's claws as it tried to grab his blade. He then kicked the beast in the abdomen, but being in the water, both his speed and strength were hampered.
The beast drifted backward from his kick. On land, Su Li's strength could have sent it flying, even rupturing its belly, but in the water, it was different.
The Hunting Demon Beast from below had killed Ling Tian. Gong Xiao and Ling Yi struck almost simultaneously. Both were Level 7 experts, their spirit source techniques enhanced to the second form. Gong Xiao extended her left hand, activating "Storm Shield." The surrounding water, influenced by the shield, coalesced into three water barriers around her.
She controlled two barriers to protect herself and sent the third crashing down at the Hunting Demon Beast.
Ling Yi's right arm and sword had fully crystallized. The crystal-coated blade could cut through iron like mud, and his arm was now impervious to weapons. This full crystallization boosted his abilities. He swung his sword, barely affected by the water, aiming for the beast's neck.
Seeing it couldn't dodge, the beast shoved Ling Tian's corpse forward. Ling Yi's sword struck the body, nearly cleaving it in two.
The beast then shrank back, hiding beneath Ling Tian's corpse.
Gong Xiao's water barrier slammed into the corpse at the same moment.
From beneath the corpse, the beast lunged, its claws raking Ling Yi's chest.
Ling Yi's heart jolted. Crystallization formed on his chest, and the claws left only three shallow scratches on the crystal surface.
If he had reacted even a moment slower, the beast would have ripped open his abdomen.
Above, Su Li kicked the first Hunting Demon Beast away and looked down. He saw two more beasts charging upward from below, and his heart sank. Activating "Spider Walk," he lunged at the beast he had just kicked, aiming to finish it off, while frantically gesturing for everyone to ascend and escape.
Wu Feng was the fastest to flee. Though powerful, his fireball explosion ability was useless in the water. His combat effectiveness underwater was even worse than some Level 6 spirit source users. Seeing four terrifying cat-like monsters suddenly appear, he didn't hesitate—he shot upward.
Breaking the surface, he exhaled and shouted, "Move out now—leave this place!"
On the seven large rafts above, Jiang Shuijue and Gu Mingfeng had just hauled the white-legged manatee onto one of them. Hearing Wu Feng's frantic shouts, everyone froze for a moment.
"Hurry—" Wu Feng flipped onto a raft.
Jiang Shuijue followed, emerging and yelling, "Danger below! Everyone leave now!"
They had already brought up eleven manatee beast carcasses and one white-legged manatee. Jiang Shuijue calculated it would be enough to feed the Golden Eagle Alliance's hundred-plus members for a long time. With danger escalating and casualties mounting, leaving immediately was the wisest choice.
The rafts clustered here were vulnerable to attacks from below. If one was destroyed, all their efforts today would be wasted. The priority now was to get the rafts moving.
Hearing Wu Feng and Jiang Shuijue's urgent commands, the people on the rafts wasted no time, grabbing oars and starting to paddle away.
After speaking, Jiang Shuijue submerged again. Unlike Wu Feng, who had climbed onto a raft, she stayed to ensure everyone could escape.
Gu Mingfeng saw her go down and followed.
As he descended, he felt a surge in the water and a dark shape rushing at him. Gu Mingfeng cursed inwardly and shoved Jiang Shuijue aside just as the shadow struck him.
He activated "Rock Skin." The shadow was another Hunting Demon Beast, its sharp claws raking his neck but failing to penetrate the rocky exterior.
Jiang Shuijue broke out in a cold sweat. Without Gu Mingfeng, she would have been dead.
These Hunting Demon Beasts, swift and agile in the water, were utterly terrifying.