Chapter 291: Chapter 246: Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer

Rhea trembled all over in pain, yet stubbornly held her neck high: “Young Master, do you really want to oppose The Phoenix Clan for this lowly woman from The Lower Domain?”

Mael Valerius squinted his dark golden eyes and plucked the few remaining feathers from her body, leaving her bald in an instant: “Say it, or I’ll skin you alive.”

Rhea shivered in pain, knowing that this madman meant what he said and would certainly do it. She dared not keep it secret and croaked, “The Clan Leader has dispatched three hundred elite warriors, led by Arch-Shaman Ignatius Phoenix, including several elders. They’ll arrive in The Lower Domain by tomorrow night at the latest!”

Corbin Crowley unfurled his bone wings with a “swish”: “Three hundred?”

Rhys Blackwood frowned, “All elites? What is their strength level?”

Rhea looked at Rhys Blackwood, forced to answer truthfully: “All… all are Seventh Rank and above, fifty Eighth-rank Beastmen, ten Ninth Rank elders, and… and two Tenth Rank Tributors.”

She swallowed hard and continued, “Arch-Shaman Ignatius Phoenix’s strength is mysterious and unfathomable, adept at controlling flames and illusions, with extremely ruthless methods.”

Everyone’s expressions turned serious upon hearing this.

Such a lineup would undoubtedly be a calamity for The Wolf Tribe of The Lower Domain.

Luna Sutton pressed her lips together and looked at Mael Valerius: “Is The Phoenix Clan really so powerful?”

Mael Valerius’s dark golden eyes glinted with a hint of coldness: “The Phoenix Clan and The Dragon Clan are the two dominant clans in Aetheria, with deep foundations and formidable strength beyond measure.”

The atmosphere in the air suddenly became tense.

Corbin Crowley’s silver eyes gleamed coldly under the gradually darkening sky, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing against each other.

Rhys Blackwood’s brows furrowed tightly, his gaze fixed on a certain spot, lost in thought.

“Tenth Rank…”

Lyle Sutton’s face was extremely grim, all pride from just having broken through to the Eighth Rank vanished: “That strength is completely overwhelming; just one elder would be enough to destroy the entire Wolf Tribe, let alone so many elites…”

Zeke Veridian’s emerald eyes reflected the evening glow, his Wind Blade at his fingertips slicing the Ghost-Faced Spider corpse at his feet in half, “We need to set more traps; we can’t win head-on, we must outsmart them.”

“For now, that’s the only way.”

Corbin Crowley’s silver eyes looked at Rhys Blackwood and Zeke Veridian, “Let’s scout out potential trap locations tonight and set up as many as possible.”

Rhys Blackwood and Zeke Veridian simultaneously looked at him, each nodding in agreement without objection.

Given the current situation, apart from setting more traps, there’s nothing else they can do.

“Let’s head back to camp.”

Lyle Sutton wiped the spider blood from his face, “It’s getting dark; the threats in the canyon come even faster than The Phoenix Clan.”

Mael Valerius glanced at the fallen Rhea, deciding that keeping this feathery bird was useless and required attention.

He simply crushed her heart underfoot, leaving her with no chance to scream before she died.

Her body was unceremoniously tossed into the depths of the mountains by Mael Valerius.

As for roasting it to eat, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. After all, it was a Beastman, not one of those uncivilized animals.

The group tidied up the Ghost-Faced Spider corpses and headed back to camp.

By now, a series of small wooden lodges had been erected there.

Calling them lodges was a stretch; they were actually makeshift frames built from sturdy logs, covered with animal hides and thick leaves, barely capable of shielding from wind and rain.

Malachi Arcanus was squatting by the fire, turning over roasted venison.

Eight small snakes napped on a stone, hissing and slithering over upon seeing them return.

In the distance, the playful trio of Kael, Kael Shadowend, and Frey stumbled over, crowding around their father’s feet.

Corbin Crowley’s silver eyes softened into a rare smile as he scooped them up into his arms.

“Yo, you’re finally back? How did the trap-setting go?”

Malachi Arcanus glanced at the wolf pups in Corbin Crowley’s hands and suddenly leaned close to Luna Sutton, “Little Luna, I built you a super—big nest, more than enough space for us to roll around at night.”

Zeke Veridian kicked in response: “This is no time to be thinking about what’s in your pants! You’re coming with us to set traps tonight.”

Malachi Arcanus, holding the roasted meat, deftly dodged the kick, turning to Zeke Veridian with a teasing smile, “Do you think everyone is as ascetic as you? Done in an hour or two and no thoughts outside that time?”

He still hadn’t had any meat and was about to go crazy.

Finally, it was his turn, but then here came the damn Phoenix Clan, how could he have the mind for such things?

But that didn’t mean he didn’t want to.

Zeke Veridian’s emerald eyes instantly iced over, a Wind Blade forming in his palm: “Courting death?”

“Enough.”

Corbin Crowley’s silver eyes swept over them, “Let’s eat first, then set the traps.”

Inwardly, he thought there was a grain of truth in Malachi Arcanus’s words; Zeke Veridian was indeed the most ascetic among them.

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