CHAPTER 450: CHAPTER 420: BLACK-STRIPED CARVING, AERIAL HUNTING

The team led by Lu Yuanshan was just a Profound-level team without any Crystallization Cultivators. How could they handle a Tier Three demon beast?

Engaging in a fight would definitely result in defeat, with no chance of victory whatsoever.

The gap between the Foundation Establishment Stage and the Crystallization Stage is immense, and it can’t be bridged by relying on magical artifacts, cultivation techniques, or divine techniques.

Even if they hadn’t heard the loud shout from Xuu Lingxing, the cultivators would have quickly flown towards the flying ship.

The flying ships of the Dubhe Institute were each at the Tier Three Top-Grade level, boasting incredible flying speed as well as astonishing defensive power to withstand Tier Three demon beast attacks.

This is also why the Dubhe Institute sent Foundation Establishment Cultivators to pilot the flying ships. They possess a basic level of self-defense and can activate the ship’s defenses at critical moments to withstand attacks from Tier Three demon beasts.

As a means of transportation traveling back and forth from various frontlines, encountering demon beast attacks was unavoidable, so the Dubhe Institute naturally set a high standard for the defensive capabilities of flying ships.

Although refining Tier Four flying ships would result in even stronger defenses capable of withstanding attacks from Golden Core demon beasts, operating such high-tier flying ships would require Crystallization Cultivators.

Sending a large number of Crystallization Cultivators to operate the flying ships for transporting combat personnel would undoubtedly seem like a waste of resources.

Moreover, the situation of a Golden Core Demon King ambushing human race flying ships is almost unheard of. From the first beast tide outbreak in the Southern Wilderness until now, there has never been an incident of a Golden Core Demon King attacking a flying ship.

Therefore, in the eyes of the Dubhe Institute, Tier Three flying ships with their moderate power are adequate.

The cultivators were sensible, and they hurriedly controlled their bodies, flying onto the flying ship for shelter and defense.

However, there were still some whose minds weren’t clear, choosing to flee at this moment rather than heading to the flying ship, instead using their own magical artifacts to flee on foot.

"Foolish!"

Seeing those cultivators fleeing on their own, Xuu Lingxing couldn’t help but sigh. He had witnessed such situations before, where some cultivators believed that fleeing on their own was much safer than staying on the ship and enduring attacks from demon beasts.

Such cultivators, even though they wouldn’t violate Dubhe Institute’s rules or be labeled as deserters, were more or less courting death. This led Xuu Lingxing to silently curse them as foolish, thinking they were too stupid at this moment.

Swoosh!

Including the cultivators from the Cyan Mountain Sect, they flew onto the flying ship in just two or three seconds, with actions as harmonious as ever in that moment.

Xuu Lingxing’s actions were also unequivocal. Seeing that the team members had boarded the flying ship, he immediately activated the ship’s defensive features.

A faint golden defensive barrier rapidly expanded, flowing through the air like water waves, enveloping the entire flying ship.

Whoosh!

At this moment, not far away, a massive black silhouette moved across the sky. Its huge body blotted out the sun as it flapped its enormous wings, swooping towards the flying ship.

"Tier Three Lower Grade demon beast, Black-striped Carving!"

Recognizing the identity of the demon beast that was diving toward the flying ship, Xuu Lingxing’s expression changed.

At the same time, Xuu Lingxing was not overly flustered, rather confident that relying on the flying ship’s defensive power, they could withstand the Black-striped Carving’s attack.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

The Black-striped Carving moved incredibly fast and in the blink of an eye, swooped in front of the flying ship. Its enormous body cast a large shadow over the ship as its pair of human-sized sharp claws fiercely struck the ship’s defensive barrier, emitting dull friction and collision sounds.

The entire flying ship shook vigorously a few times from the collision, as waves of magical power surged on the defensive barrier, exploding into a burst of faint golden light that scattered like sparks.

The Black-striped Carving’s attack did not break through the flying ship’s defense.

The ship’s defense was very stable, yet it still caused everyone’s hearts to race with fear.

They could clearly feel that the power of the Black-striped Carving’s strike was not insignificant.

If they weren’t inside the flying ship, relying on magical artifacts for defense or using cultivation techniques and divine techniques for protection, they definitely wouldn’t be able to withstand it. They would have been taken out in a single blow, falling under the Black-striped Carving’s claws, perishing right there.

Fortunately, they were wise enough to enter the flying ship’s defensive range.

"Everyone, don’t worry. With the ship’s defensive capabilities, this demon bird won’t be able to breach the defense for a while."

As Xuu Lingxing’s words concluded, he began maneuvering the flying ship swiftly towards the direction of Purple Fire Castle, intending to escape the area quickly and shake off the Black-striped Carving’s attack.

Under his control, despite the ship’s huge size, over four hundred feet long, it was not slow at all. It shot forward like an arrow leaving the bowstring, trailing a streak of faint golden light through the void, racing towards the distant horizon.

It swiftly widened the gap between itself and the Black-striped Carving.

Seeing the flying ship moving far away at an astonishing speed, the Black-striped Carving extended its wings, let out a screech towards the sky, and pursued the flying ship.

In its eyes, the over four hundred human cultivators aboard the flying ship were all delicious delicacies, and it wanted to devour them all.

Thus, the Black-striped Carving temporarily ignored some lone cultivators flying with their magical artifacts fleeing in all directions and quickly pursued the flying ship, launching several rounds of attacks, causing the ship to shudder and emitting dull sounds.

Despite several attempts, the Black-striped Carving could not penetrate the ship’s defenses, letting out a roar of frustration, as its water-barrel-sized eyes coldly glanced at everyone on the flying ship, making them shiver with fear.

Then, it abruptly flicked its wings and attacked a nearby lone cultivator trying to flee.

That cultivator was at the First-Layer Foundation Establishment level.

At that moment, he was fleeing for his life.

Upon witnessing the Black-striped Carving diving towards him, with overwhelming murderous intent, his face turned pale with fright, and he hurriedly channeled his magical power frantically into his flying spiritual artifact to increase his escape speed.

But with Foundation Establishment level cultivation, no matter how fast he ran, he couldn’t match the speed of a Crystallization Stage demon bird.

Even the Dubhe Institute’s flying ship, the Black-striped Carving could easily catch up with and launch several attacks. What chance did a Foundation Establishment cultivator stand?

In just two or three seconds, the Black-striped Carving caught up with that Foundation Establishment cultivator, launching a strike, which the cultivator was utterly unable to resist, not even having the speed to dodge it.

Splat!

In an instant, the cultivator was slain under the Black-striped Carving’s claws.

After consuming a human cultivator, the Black-striped Carving didn’t stop but instead launched another offensive, unfurling its wings and rushing towards a few other escaping cultivators nearby.