Instead of being alarmed, he was thrilled. His hands flew across the controls.

Unleashing his Mastery Level Sword Control Technique to its full extent, the Falcon Fighter became incredibly agile.

Faced with the corrosive Poisonous Liquid spat by a Winged Dragon Demon Beast, Han Feng gave the control stick a gentle pull.

The Falcon Fighter executed a stunning sideways maneuver, sliding just past the Poisonous Liquid.

Then, he shoved the stick in the opposite direction.

The Falcon’s nose instantly swiveled to face a giant bat attacking from his rear flank.

"Die!"

DAKKA DAKKA DAKKA!

The six-barreled Machine Cannon opened fire.

Three shells infused with Spiral Force shot out in a triangular formation.

The giant bat was incredibly fast, dodging two of the shells with a sharp turn in mid-air.

But the third shell had already anticipated its evasive maneuver and was waiting for it at the intercept point.

SQUELCH!

The shell bored into the base of its left wing.

The Spiral Force erupted, instantly churning half its wing and a large chunk of its body into a pulp of flesh and blood.

[Swordsmanship·Sword Qi Release Skill Proficiency +5]

However, the remaining six Demon Beasts showed no fear of death, and their attacks grew even more frenzied.

Spurred on by the Elder Deacon’s Secret Technique, they were burning through all their Life Force, left with nothing but a pure instinct to kill.

As Han Feng was entangled with the beast pack, a few figures slipped out of the cave entrance amidst the chaos, appearing in his Spiritual Vision.

Two of the Cultists unfolded fleshy wings from their backs and flew off at low altitude in different directions.

Three other Cultists dove into the mountain forest, scrambling away on all fours.

’Trying to run?’

Han Feng sneered to himself.

But a second later, he realized something was off.

In his Spiritual Vision, the energy auras of the fleeing Cultists were dim, their strength hovering between the Early and Middle Stages of Tier Two.

Most importantly, the intensely powerful ball of energy he had locked onto earlier wasn’t on any of them!

’A diversion? Are they putting on a show for me?’

Han Feng instantly understood their intentions.

The ones fleeing were just insignificant small fry, sacrificial pawns meant to draw his attention!

The real prize was still hiding in the cave!

’So they’re playing mind games with me.’

Han Feng ignored the fleeing decoys and focused all his attention on the six frenzied Demon Beasts in front of him.

’I need to end this quickly!’

He glanced at the rapidly dwindling ammo count on his screen and stopped holding back.

Under his control, the Falcon Fighter weaved through the pack of beasts at high speed.

Each maneuver was accompanied by the sound of the six-barreled Machine Cannon firing.

Every shell, empowered by Spiral Force, precisely struck a Demon Beast’s fatal weak points, such as its eyes or heart.

Flesh and blood filled the sky as the severed limbs and broken bodies of the Demon Beasts rained down.

Just one minute later, as the last Winged Dragon Demon Beast was blown out of the sky, tranquility returned.

Han Feng glanced at his ammunition count. He was completely out of Machine Cannon shells.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he turned the fighter’s nose and aimed once more at the pitch-black cave.

’Still hiding? Then let me give you another special delivery!’

He pressed the launch button for the second missile without hesitation!

...

「Inside the cave.」

The Elder Deacon’s expression was incredibly grim.

"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!"

He couldn’t fathom how a mere pilot could possess such terrifying skill and combat prowess, so easily dispatching the Demon Beasts he had empowered with a Secret Technique.

Just then, a fatal sense of crisis locked onto him once more.

He snapped his head up just in time to see another missile, trailing a blue flame, twisting its way inside with that same absurdly bizarre trajectory!

"You motherfucker, aren’t you done yet?!"

The Elder Deacon was so furious he nearly coughed up blood.

He never imagined in his wildest dreams that he’d one day be trapped in a cave and bombarded by one missile after another.

With no time to think, he could only raise the crack-covered Bone Shield again and frantically pour what little Blood Energy he had left into it.

BOOM—!

Another massive explosion.

This time, the Bone Shield failed to block the blast completely.

With a deafening crack, the malevolent Magical Artifact shattered!

The violent shockwave slammed squarely into the Elder Deacon’s chest.

"PWAAAH—!"

He was thrown back more than ten meters, slamming hard against the cave wall as he coughed up mouthfuls of black blood.

He struggled to his feet, his face deathly pale and his aura weakened to a critical point.

’That cunning little bastard!’

The Elder Deacon’s eyes were filled with venomous resentment and lingering fear.

He knew he couldn’t stay here any longer.

He glanced at the Nether Embryo in his hand, then at Xue Si, who lay on the ground, barely breathing.

Finally, his gaze fell upon the floating, blood-red Gu Insect that contained the remnant soul of Long Nail.

A crazed and vicious idea formed in his mind.

He staggered over to Xue Si.

"Elder Deacon... sir..."

A pleading look appeared in Xue Si’s eyes.

"Rest assured. The blood you have shed for the Divine Sect will not have been in vain."

The Elder Deacon’s voice was hoarse, but he forced a grotesque smile onto his face.

He reached out with a withered hand and placed it on the crown of Xue Si’s head.

The next second, Xue Si’s body began to convulse violently.

All the blood essence and Life Force in his body were frantically drained by the Elder Deacon!

"AHHHH—!"

A shrill scream echoed through the cave before stopping abruptly a few seconds later.

Xue Si was now a desiccated corpse.

Having absorbed all of Xue Si’s Life Essence, the Elder Deacon’s weakened aura recovered by thirty percent.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, a look of grim determination flashing in his eyes.

He walked over to the blood-red Gu Insect and cradled it in his hands along with the Nether Embryo.

"Long Nail, this will be the last time you serve the Divine Sect."

...

「High in the sky.」

Han Feng was preparing to fire his last missile and collapse the cave completely.

Just then, a crackle of static came through his comms.

A familiar, ecstatic voice rang out.

"Han Feng! Han Feng! Can you hear me? It’s Lei Zhen!"

Han Feng was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed.

"Director Lei! I can hear you! Did the blood mist clear?"

"It’s gone! All of it! You did it, you magnificent bastard!"

Lei Zhen’s roar made Han Feng’s ears ring.

"Where are you now? And where’s the bastard who took the item?"

"In a cave beneath a rocky slope, five kilometers east of the farm!"

Han Feng reported quickly.

"I’ve got him pinned down inside, but I’m almost out of ammo."

"Pinned down? HAHAHAHA! Good! Excellent work!"

Lei Zhen let out a thunderous, wild laugh.

"Don’t you move, kid! Just stay up there and keep an eye on him for me! Don’t go anywhere!"

Lei Zhen’s voice was filled with unprecedented excitement.

"The rapid response unit from East Sea Fortress City has arrived!"

"A full-strength ’Po Jun’ airship assault squad!"

"The leader is Senior Colonel Xing Tianzhu of the City Defense Army, a Tier Three Peak powerhouse!"

"Their airship is five kilometers to your northwest and they’ve already received my transmission! They’re heading your way at full speed!"

"Three minutes! They’ll be there in three minutes, tops!"

"Your mission now is to keep that cave entrance locked down! Don’t let him get away!"

Hearing this, Han Feng was greatly relieved.

A Tier Three Peak expert, and he was bringing a heavy-firepower airship squad?

The old bastard in that cave had no chance of escape now, even if he grew wings!

"Understood!"

Han Feng piloted the Falcon, circling at an altitude of one thousand meters. His last two missiles were armed and ready, creating an absolute deterrent aimed at the cave.

He waited quietly for the reinforcements to arrive.