Chapter 101: Hard-fought Victory
Xilutiya and Iona cooperated. When the ogre chased one of them, the other would take the opportunity to launch an attack and disrupt it. After alternating several times like this, even the ogre’s not-so-smart head quickly figured it out.
Its two heads faced different directions to respond respectively, and its two arms each took up a weapon, sweeping horizontally to counter the two of them.
The thick iron rod swung up, directly smashing the trees along the way and even cracking some rocks. The flying debris hit the two of them, causing a burst of pain.
Fortunately, at this moment, the hallucinogenic poison that Xilutiya had administered also began to take effect. This two-headed ogre felt dizzy and saw everything with a slight double image, its vision darkening, and it even had trouble walking steadily.
The originally whistling and fierce attacks became sluggish, often missing the mark, completely unable to reach the agile pair.
Faced with this situation, Xilutiya and Iona seized the opportunity to attack, continuing to enlarge the original wounds and also attempting to attack the vulnerable eyes and throat.
In its enraged and weakened state, the dark red two-headed ogre could only wildly swing and block with the iron rod in its hand. Though it had no accuracy, if either of them were hit by one strike, they would be half-crippled.
With no other choice, Xilutiya retreated again and took down the lantern from her waist.
Several drops of emerald dew water fell onto the Fire Cloud Orchid in the glass bottle. The flickering sparks became blazing, then she opened the cap and manipulated the remaining Fire Cloud Orchid stamens to all float out, scattering toward the two-headed ogre not far away.
Iona, who had already witnessed the power of these stamens, quickly dodged away.
When those faint sparks flickeringly touched the ogre, the sparks instantly blazed bright, and the explosive heat wave burst open, making it unable to open its eyes and causing it to roar wildly in pain. After several dodges, it finally couldn’t stand steadily and fell to the ground.
Poisoned, blinded, bleeding, injured—under the stacking of multiple negative states, the two-headed ogre’s ferocity finally weakened. Taking advantage of its inability to dodge at this moment, Iona leaped up again. The sting sword in her hand shone brightly, like a brilliant stream of light falling from the sky, piercing into the ogre’s chest and through its heart within.
Black-red flesh flew, but just as Iona prepared to relax, this dark red ogre ferociously grabbed Iona’s waist with its giant hand, gripping her tightly.
Under the immense power, Iona felt her internal organs being squeezed, an indescribable pain transmitting from all over her body.
Why, with its heart destroyed, could this ogre still exert such powerful strength? Iona couldn’t figure it out, but at this point, it was too late—she couldn’t break free.
Faced with the critical situation before her eyes, Xilutiya made a snap decision, rushing forward. She gripped the black steel short sword with both hands and stabbed into the ogre’s other side chest.
The sharp black steel barely pierced through that thick and tough hide, stabbing into the other throbbing heart.
“Roar——”
The ogre let out a violent roar. That intense sound wave, the vibrational shock from its Blood Law nature, nearly shook the two of them apart completely. Not only did their circulating breathing techniques stall, but their hearts also felt like they were gripped and wrenched by iron tongs.
Fortunately, this was the two-headed ogre’s final cry. After the roar, it became extremely weak, and the hand gripping Iona slowly loosened its strength.
Several minutes later, Iona slowly pried open the ogre’s hand and propped herself up to stand.
At this point, the ogre was completely dead. Its originally dark red skin had also gradually turned to a bluish gray.
Walking to a tree on the side, Iona leaned against the trunk, took out the potion from her waist, and gulped it into her mouth. Her originally pale and weak face regained a bit of color.
On the other side, Xilutiya also drew out the black steel short sword, bringing up a bit of thick black blood. She discovered that a small piece of the sword’s tip had broken off and fallen inside the ogre.
With such tough hide and flesh, cutting it open to search would probably not be simple. Xilutiya was also sore all over and utterly exhausted, with no strength left to rummage.
She glanced at Iona not far away, then found a large tree to rest under as well.
Breathing deeply and using the breathing technique to adjust her state, the maiden remembered something. She took out a golden flower petal bracelet from her bosom and put it on. Her body felt a bit warmer.
Having defeated the enemy, it should have been a happy occasion, but the two would soon face the next problem.
There was only one Blood Strange Flower, and only one spot. How should the two divide it.
About twenty minutes later, Iona, with the Blazing Sun nature, stood up first and looked toward the blood-colored flower on the distant cliff.
She glanced at Xilutiya, who was still sitting under the tree, then carried her sword, stepping toward that cliff.
Because the flowering position was steep, ordinary people couldn’t reach it. Even Iona had to climb carefully, inching closer bit by bit.
At this moment, her clothes were bloodstained, her originally gorgeous and beautiful hunting outfit tattered. Her golden hair was also stained with dried blood and grass bits, but that pair of red eyes remained resolute, completely unlike a delicate noble young lady.
Xilutiya arrived at the base of the cliff. She watched Iona climbing above, raised her hand, but after waiting a moment, put it down.
At this time, she could easily attack Iona and knock down the defenseless opponent, but did she really want to do that?
Indeed, the Secluded Forest was her best choice right now. Going there would allow her to easily obtain many inheritance secret arts, growth resources, opportunities, and more. But did she really want to attack Iona for that? She felt she couldn’t do it.
She probably didn’t have Iona’s kind of desperate struggle facing her, nor did she have Iona’s resolute will.
Forget it, better to wait for her to come down and discuss the ownership of the Blood Strange Flower. They would probably have to have a match.
……
However, fate was never that smooth. A sharp eagle cry broke the silence.
An orange-brown hawk dove down from the high sky, bringing a long airstream trail. Its entire body was enveloped in high-temperature airflow. It directly knocked Iona flying, its sharp claws tearing open Iona’s leather armor hunting outfit, leaving several fresh red wounds.
【Gale Vulture】（First Order·Blazing Sun）: A ferocious bird that appears in Xu Feng Season, often active in groups, attacking and preying on various animals, especially fond of things with the Blazing Sun nature.
If it were on flat ground, this Gale Vulture absolutely couldn’t beat Iona, but attacking from the air, not only did it knock Iona flying with one strike, its two claws also grabbed Iona’s shoulders and rushed out of the cliff, throwing her toward the hard stone ground.
Seeing Iona being carried away, Xilutiya hurriedly chased after. When the other landed, she leaped up forcefully, catching her from the air, then rushed toward the ground. Midway, she hurriedly kicked several times to cushion the huge impact of the fall.
Seeing that Iona wasn’t smashed to death, this Gale Vulture let out another sharp cry. It turned its body and dove down again. Its spread wings began to condense high-temperature airflow, smashing toward Xilutiya like a cannonball.
Setting down Iona, Xilutiya, gripping the broken sword, fixed her gaze on the diving Gale Vulture, constantly calculating its angle and direction. Until the Gale Vulture was only a few meters away from her, she swung down the raised broken sword with all her strength.
Blazing fire wave and feathers splashed. Scalding hot blood poured over Xilutiya. The short sword, already overburdened and full of nicks, completely broke this time. The Gale Vulture, with its chest sliced open by the broken sword, still struggled on the ground. Its wings, about five meters wide, flapped continuously, kicking up soil and heat waves. Dark red blood mixed with dust, and the air filled with the scorched smell of blood.
The pain from being struck by the Gale Vulture’s wings forced Xilutiya to throw away the broken sword and leap back to dodge. Then she picked up the previously bent Tree Jade Spirit Sword and gripped it again.
【Emerald Honey】With nature infusion, the originally bent fluorescent green longsword straightened again, and its blade full of nicks restored to sharp perfection.
Advancing a few steps to accelerate, Xilutiya gripped the sword with both hands. Her footsteps and waist rotated with the blade. She swung forcefully, drawing a striking emerald color arc that directly severed the struggling Gale Vulture’s neck.
At dusk, steaming blood slowly flowed across the grassland. The golden-haired maiden lay unconscious under a tree. The distant ogre corpse lay still like a stone. The only figure still conscious panted as she slowly stood in the afterglow.
