Chapter 165: You Are Not My Match
Qiao Xixi clutched her two cubs, gripping the Dull Liquid and Bubble Fruit tightly in her hand. ’If Jin Hui pulls me toward him, I’ll send him to meet the Beast God!’
Jin Hui spotted Qiao Xixi and the others in an instant. He spread his massive wings, preparing to sweep them up beneath them.
But just as he was about to touch Qiao Xixi, a long tail whipped in, lashing against his outstretched wing.
A cold glint flashed in Jin Hui’s eagle eyes. He rapidly retracted his wings, spun, and shot toward the sky.
With a flick of the crimson tail, Qiao Xixi and her cubs were coiled up within it.
Qiao Xixi was about to reflexively spray the Dull Liquid when she caught a familiar, crisp scent.
"Sunxiao!"
"Father!"
Sunxiao lowered his serpent head and nudged Qiao Xixi’s face, his voice raspy with exhaustion. "Xixi, I finally found you."
Qiao Xixi hugged Sunxiao, overcome with emotion. "You’re finally here."
Qiao Lie’s usually stoic little face softened the moment he saw Sunxiao. He leaned gently against his father’s massive body. ’Father is okay, Mother is okay, I’m okay, and my big brother and sisters are all okay. This is wonderful.’
Jin Hui circled in the sky, his eagle eyes fixed on Sunxiao with a cold glint.
"A Heaven-Swallowing Python. Interesting. In that case, I’ll see what you’ve got!"
Jin Hui suddenly changed direction and dove toward Sunxiao. As he neared, a Golden Tiger Beast leaped out, an arc of lightning from its claws lashing toward him.
"Sunxiao, get Xixi and the others somewhere safe, quickly!"
Qiao Xixi looked up to see Jin Ling fighting the Golden Eagle Beast.
"Sunxiao, that Golden Eagle Beast is Rank 10! Jin Ling is no match for him."
Sunxiao’s serpent eyes were grim. He had already sensed it—Jin Hui’s power was greater than theirs.
He brought Qiao Xixi and the others to Feiyan’s side. "Keep Xixi and the children safe."
Feiyan nodded solemnly. Jin Hui’s strength was not to be underestimated; he didn’t dare let his guard down for even a moment.
"Mama! *Sob*... We finally found you." Qiao Qiao, her eyes red, threw herself into Qiao Xixi’s arms. Qiao Ang also clutched tightly to his mother’s sleeve.
Qiao Xixi’s heart ached for them. She knew her cubs must have been terrified.
She gathered her cubs into a hug. "Don’t be afraid. Mama’s all right. We’re all going to be all right."
Jin Hui hovered high in the air, looking down coldly at Sunxiao and Jin Ling.
"You dare to stand against me? You don’t know your own limits! Now, die!"
In the chaotic battle between high-rank beastmen, neither the speed nor the power was something an ordinary beastman could withstand.
Qiao Xixi could barely make out their figures.
She could only vaguely see that Jin Hui seemed to have a slight advantage. He could fly, leaving Sunxiao and the others at a serious disadvantage on the ground.
"Feiyan, take the Dull Liquid and spray him when he’s not expecting it. No matter how strong he is, even he can’t fight all of you at once!" Qiao Xixi took out the Dull Liquid and thrust it into Feiyan’s hand.
Feiyan hesitated. He was worried about leaving Qiao Xixi and the children alone, but the situation with Sunxiao and Jin Ling was indeed dire.
The moment Qiao Xixi finished speaking, she saw Jin Ling sent tumbling to the ground by one of Jin Hui’s massive wings.
"Jin Ling!"
"Feiyan, Sunxiao is a serpent beast! A Golden Eagle Beast is his natural predator! Hurry up and go!"
Seeing Sunxiao and Jin Ling steadily losing ground, Feiyan made his decision.
"All of you, go hide behind that big tree. It’ll be harder for him to maneuver where the trees are dense."
"Okay."
Feiyan turned and joined the fray.
Qiao Xixi didn’t waste any time, leading her cubs to hide behind the large tree.
Feiyan attacked from behind, his sharp claws slamming viciously into Jin Hui’s wing. He tore out a handful of feathers, exposing the raw flesh beneath.
The rage in Jin Hui’s eyes blazed.
"All of you... will die today!"
Jin Hui beat his wings and shot straight into the sky. In the next instant, dark clouds gathered overhead, and a furious wind began to blow, making it almost impossible to open one’s eyes.
Qiao Xixi clutched her cubs, huddling behind the large tree as she stared in the direction of the mine entrance.
’Out here, we’re no match for Jin Hui. We have to lure him underground!’
"Sunxiao, Feiyan, Jin Ling, get over here!"
Sunxiao was using his beast soul’s power to fend off Jin Hui’s assault, but he was consuming its energy too quickly. In a short amount of time, his star rank had already begun to fall.
He quickly spun around and returned to Qiao Xixi’s side.
"Xixi?"
Jin Ling and Feiyan returned as well.
All three of them were covered in injuries, but thankfully, none were life-threatening.
"We’re going to lure him underground to deal with him."
Qiao Xixi pointed to a nearby hole in the ground and had her cubs climb onto Sunxiao’s back.
"Jin Ling, Feiyan, get on too."
Though Jin Ling and Feiyan didn’t know what Qiao Xixi was planning, they reverted to their human forms without question and climbed onto Sunxiao’s back.
"Sunxiao, quickly, into the hole!"
Sunxiao was a serpent beast; entering a hole couldn’t be easier for him.
He swiftly slithered into the earthen tunnel.
Jin Hui hovered in mid-air. Watching them disappear into the tunnel, he let out a contemptuous laugh.
"Digging your own graves."
A green halo flashed across his body, and his unfurled wings suddenly doubled in size.
"Did you think you could escape just by going underground?!"
With a flick of his wings, countless feathers flew out like sharp arrows, shooting into the tunnel.
Once inside the tunnel, Qiao Xixi took out the Blood Beast Skin and waved it through the air.
"Earth Escape Beast, come out! Now!"
Jin Ling and Feiyan frowned as they caught the scent of blood coming from the skin.
"Xixi, which way are we going?"
"Wait, our guide is on its way."
The moment Qiao Xixi spoke, Sunxiao saw a writhing monster appear up ahead.
He was about to attack when he heard Qiao Xixi shout, "Sunxiao, don’t! It’s on our side! It’s the Earth Escape Beast!" Then, to the creature, she said, "Quick, take us somewhere safe."
The Earth Escape Beast glanced at Qiao Xixi, its small eyes filled with deep resentment. But under duress from Sangze, it had no choice but to obediently turn and lead the way.
"This thing has a head on both ends," Feiyan said, disgusted. "What was just its face a second ago is now its butt!"
Jin Ling, who was at the very back, soon sensed danger approaching as feather-like arrows flew into the tunnel.
With a swipe of his claws, he batted the incoming arrows to the ground.
Countless more feather arrows shot out, but they failed to flush out Qiao Xixi and the others. Jin Hui completely lost his patience. He dove down to the entrance of the tunnel where they had disappeared. After a moment’s thought, he transformed into a smaller version of his Golden Eagle Beast form and leaped in.
Following their scent, Jin Hui quickly caught up to them from behind.
"He’s caught up," Jin Ling said, watching Jin Hui with cold eyes, ready to resume the fight at any moment.
Jin Hui sneered. "You are no match for me."
Jin Hui suddenly accelerated, lunging toward Jin Ling.
To keep Qiao Xixi and the others from harm, Jin Ling leaped off Sunxiao’s back and seized Jin Hui by the wing.
"Jin Ling!"