Chapter 145

Bats were outstanding predators, and they were one of the many dire beasts that Ai Hui did not wish to encounter in the Wilderness . Of course, there were many dire beasts that he did not want to encounter .

“Everyone, stick together . ”

At this point of time, Ai Hui did not care about whether or not they were familiar with each other .

Shi Xueman and Sang Zhijun were not unreasonable individuals . Shi Xueman knew Ai Hui rather well, and Sang Zhijun was a straightforward person . If not for Ai Hui’s warning just now, they both would have died .

Both of them were on their guard as they moved slowly to Ai Hui’s side .

The terrifying claw marks on the spot where they had been standing previously made them tremble with fear . They were so close to death .

The hand with which Sang Zhijun was holding her Golden Silk Longbow was trembling involuntarily .

Even Shi Xueman, who had reacted to the situation calmly, felt a lingering fear hit her like a sweeping tsunami after she now managed to catch a breath . She could feel her legs wobbling .

Shi Xueman had always emphasized on improving her real-life combat capabilities, and she had—on numerous missions . However, she had never experienced such a terrifying situation . Just a moment ago, she had an actual close brush with death .

Right now, she felt that the lofty aspirations she had on the transport wagon were so childish and ridiculous . In a real life-and-death battle, how much of her combat capabilities could she execute? Fifty percent? Perhaps thirty percent? She may even be killed by the blood fiends while standing frozen in a spot, staring into blank space and not knowing what to do .

So far, she and Sang Zhijun had not been able to sense the slightest bit of the bats’ aura . If not for the deep claw marks on the ground, she would have thought that what she saw earlier was an illusion .

It’s a pity that it’s not an illusion .

Her gaze automatically shifted towards Ai Hui .

Ai Hui was no better than them . His body was slightly crouching, his right hand tightly holding on to the sword hilt of the Dragonspine Inferno . His body was a motionless statue . A bead of sweat meandered down from his forehead to his chin before dripping to the ground .

The dusky street lamps looked especially lonely in the utterly quiet street . The sounds of dripping sweat and heavy breathing could be clearly heard .

However, for some reason, when Shi Xueman saw Ai Hui’s tense body, her anxiousness was alleviated .

Beads of sweat slid under his flickering eyelashes, and his eyes looked as calm as still water—one could not discern his feelings . Yes, it was that gaze that made Shi Xueman feel more at ease .

His gaze did not contain the slightest trace of a fluster .

Shi Xueman felt that her performance was terrible . She closed her eyes and took a deep breath . When she opened them, her confidence and fighting spirit had returned .

Sang Zhijun calmed down very fast as well .

Indeed, Ai Hui was not flustered, but he was very nervous . His mental state was taut, and his entire body was like a string that was tightly stretched .

His inability to track the bats’ location was giving him an immense pressure, the likes of which he had never experienced before . From the day he had successfully planted the sword embryo’s seed, nothing in his surroundings could avoid the sword embryo’s discerning eye .

What happened today was a first . He was engulfed with tremendous pressure .

What should he do?

Ai Hui’s first reaction was to flee . However, his rationality told him that this would be the wrong decision . No matter how fast he ran, he could not outrun the bats in the sky . The bat that had attacked them just now was extremely fast, so fast that Ai Hui’s eyes could not catch it . All he had seen was a blood-red colored blur .

These blood bats were far more powerful than the blood insects they had encountered outside of the city!

Bats were carnivores… .

This thought flashed through his mind .

What should he do?

Previously, he had rejected Fatty’s suggestion to call for help as he had sensed that the bats in the sky had already locked onto them .

Ai Hui did not know how they became the targets for the predators . It really was unlucky, given that Central Pine City was huge . He continued to rack his brain for a way out .

The sensing ability of the sword embryo had already reached its limit . . .

Eh? Limit!

Suddenly, Ai Hui thought of the times when he would absorb a strand of elemental energy during his training .

With a jolt, he directed a strand of elemental energy towards his glabella .

When the strand of elemental energy reached the glabella, the fidgeting sword embryo absorbed it completely without any hesitation .

Ai Hui could feel the range of his perception expand significantly . In the sky above his head, a faint-looking shadow became clearer in his vision . A bat was noiselessly flying through the air . Every few seconds, it would produce an invisible whirlpool of air current to jumble and hide its aura .

It was only at this moment that Ai Hui realized that there was only one bat . All the other auras created by it was to confuse its enemy and hide itself . Ai Hui had also not expected that while this bat was swirling in the air, its eyes were closed .

Such a powerful bat!

Ai Hui smacked his lips . Once these wild beasts were infected with the blood poison, they would become much more powerful .

“There’s only one bat, and it’s swirling above our heads . ”

Ai Hui said with a low voice . His focus was locked on to that blood bat .

Everyone felt a shiver run down their spines .

At this moment, Ai Hui felt his senses gradually become blurry . He cursed in his heart . Without any hesitation, he directed another strand of elemental energy to his sword embryo, and his senses immediately became clear again .

“It’s two hundred meters above us . ” Ai Hui quickly gave a specific height of the bat from the ground .

Sang Zhijun was flabbergasted and involuntarily stared at Ai Hui . This fellow could actually determine how high was the bat from the ground . Such a powerful fellow, why had she not heard of his name before? She was trained in archery . To be an archer, one had to develop their eyesight . Sang Zhijun had always possessed extreme confidence with regards to this aspect, but now, even when she widened her eyes, she still could not discern the bat .

The blood bat’s body perfectly blended into the darkness, and its flight through the air did not produce any sound; it was completely silent like a ghost .

She did not know how Ai Hui tracked the bat’s location .

“What should we do then?” Shi Xueman asked softly .

“If I lure it down, are both of you confident in killing it?” Ai Hui replied as he licked his lips .

Since they could not escape, they could only kill this bat .

And it must be now .

Currently, Ai Hui was unceasingly expending his elemental energy as his perception was locked on to the blood bat . But once his elemental energy was used up, they would end up in a defensive position .

The battle must be finished before his elemental energy was depleted . There was no other choice .

Ai Hui quickly and accurately determined the situation .

“I’m not confident . ”

When Shi Xueman said these words, she felt so ashamed that she wanted to find a hole and hide . The other party used himself as a lure to create a chance for them, and all the danger was solely upon him . And in such an extreme situation, she could not even dare to say that she was confident .

That’s right, she actually did not dare to say she was confident . Previously, when the blood bat had slammed itself against her wall of water vapor, she had realized its strength .

Sang Zhijun was shocked at Ai Hui’s courage . She felt disbelief . She used to think that this kind of scene would only appear in storybooks that depicted heroes . Who would actually sacrifice himself as a lure? How stupid would that be?

She never expected herself to witness this scene today . If it were some other person, then she would think that it was because of her and Shi Xueman’s beauty . However, it was definitely not the case for the fellow in front of her, because he had never even taken a serious look at them from the beginning .

Are there really fools who would sacrifice themselves for others in this world?

It seems that there is… .

Ai Hui did not know Sang Zhijun’s thoughts on his suggestion . And even if he did, he wouldn’t care . At this crucial moment, who would care about a girl’s rubbish thoughts when he did not even know her?

He was only aware that this could not drag on for any longer . He had already depleted one-fourth of his elemental energy, and the longer he persisted, the more unfavorable the situation would become for him .

The sword embryo was like a black hole that kept on devouring his elemental energy!

“Even if you don’t have confidence, you have to do it . ” Ai Hui’s tone was resolute and decisive, but his facial expression remained calm . “Both of you, get ready . ”

At this moment, Shi Xueman and Sang Zhijun became nervous . Both of them knew that their attacks would determine Ai Hui’s fate . They, too, were now engulfed with tremendous pressure .

“But… . ” Sang Zhijun’s face turned pale .

“There’s no but!” Ai Hui interrupted her . There was no time to waste .

He was also very nervous . Both of their behaviors did not give him any sense of security, making him think about whether this was a stupid decision . However, he tried to restrain his nervousness and irritation . If possible, he would definitely not want to put his life in the hands of two strangers .

However, right now, he had no other choice .

There was no point in thinking about the impossible .

Ai Hui’s gaze regained its calm and coldness . Even his voice contained a tinge of indifference; he spoke as if the situation had nothing to do with him . “We only have one chance to strike . ”

After finishing his sentence, he did care about the both of them anymore and turned to Fatty . “Be careful . ”

Fatty knew what Ai Hui meant . Ai Hui was trying to say that if the situation turned for the worst, Fatty should quickly escape by himself . Fatty didn’t say anything; he only nodded his head, signaling that he knew what to do . He was acting way more level-headed than both Shi Xueman and Sang Zhijun .

“If we fail, the three of you have to run in three different directions,” Ai Hui reminded them . The two girls were rookies, and he had no choice but to remind them of this basic knowledge .

Seeing that Ai Hui had a thorough arrangement, Shi Xueman’s anxiousness disappeared . Her eyes became determined as she replied with a serious tone, “I will do my best . ”

The sparkling and translucent pearl that hung on her wrist suddenly trembled, resembling a shaky dewdrop on the tip of grass in the morning . With a flick of her snow-white hand, the glistening pearl broke off from the string and rolled along her wrist and into her palm .

With a flick of her slender middle finger, the pearl was lodged in between her thumb and middle finger .

“Me too . ” Sang Zhijun bit her lips .

She tossed the arrow quiver that was hung onto her waist to the ground . Her hand was holding on to three Bunny Hair Arrows, and her legs were wide apart as she stood like a tree, tall and upright .

Without raising his head to look at the bat, Ai Hui took a step forward .

The blood bat in the sky moved .

At this point in time, he finally confirmed that the bat was locked on to him . Among the four people, he was the only one who was locked on to by the bat . Could it be that the blood bat had sensed the aura of his sword embryo as well? Bats did not require their eyes to look at things; rather, they used their senses and echolocation .

Ai Hui quickly dismissed the distracting thoughts in his head and focused on the space of air before him .

Suddenly, he dashed forward—it was as if he could not take the pressure anymore and wanted to flee .

Ai Hui was unsure whether the blood bat in the sky would fall for his trap . Now, however, he did not want to think about anything else .

Almost instantly, he could sense the blood bat above him begin to swoop downwards silently .

It’s coming .

In the darkness, Ai Hui grinned sinisterly as he tightened his grip on the Dragonspine Inferno .

Bring it on!