The sun was gradually setting, casting its twilight rays across the earth.
A gentle breeze crossed the sea, skimmed over mountain streams, teased leaves from their branches, and then, taking a detour and carrying a trace of chill, settled upon Fang Qiu and her two companions walking along the official road.
"Thank you for today, for spending so much time accompanying me."
Fang Qiu tucked her wind-tousled hair behind her ear as she spoke.
After an afternoon of testing, Fang Qiu's manipulation of her Vision had become increasingly mature. She had gained a new understanding of her Cryo Vision; at the very least, she wouldn't panic blindly like before. At the same time, she had gained a clear understanding of her own combat capabilities.
Roughly speaking, she was slightly stronger than a small Hydro Slime.
However, Fang Qiu always felt that a small Slime's combat power was about a fifty-fifty split with a wild boar, so her previous assessment of her own strength didn't seem wrong.
As for large Slimes, she had seen one this time as well—fully the size of a sofa. The water balls it spat from its mouth could blast a large hole directly through a solid tree trunk.
If that hit a human body, it would result in crippling injury if not death.
Most importantly, the large Slime's water balls were rapid-fire. Who could withstand that?
That was also the first time Fang Qiu had seen Hu Tao fight using her Vision.
She just heard Hu Tao give a low shout of "Rise," and the Staff of Homa in her hand ignited with intense flames. Yet, Hu Tao gripped the spear shaft as if it were nothing unusual.
She dragged the Staff of Homa behind her, dodging the large Slime's water ball attacks in succession, then flashed in front of the Hydro Slime. The Staff of Homa in her hands traced a fiery arc in the air before smashing ruthlessly onto the large Hydro Slime.
Under the sharp blade of the Staff of Homa, the large Hydro Slime's body ruptured instantly. Scorching flames poured out, swallowing the sofa-sized Hydro Slime in an instant.
After the flames burned out, the large Hydro Slime was dead as a doornail.
Fang Qiu watched, dumbstruck.
"No need, no need. I happened to gather quite a few ingredients this time. I'll make a dessert of Sugar-Frosted Slime for you guys to try later."
"What is that?"
"Just make some White Fungus and Lotus Seed Soup. Let's skip the Sugar-Frosted Slime; Fang Qiu's health isn't good, she might get an upset stomach."
Hu Tao immediately put a stop to it, winking desperately at Fang Qiu as she did so.
"Speaking of which, Xiangling, I have actually been craving White Fungus and Lotus Seed Soup recently. Could I trouble you to cook some?"
Fang Qiu smiled faintly and spoke.
"Eh? Then I'll try fusing Slimes with the White Fungus and Lotus Seed Soup."
Xiangling thought for a moment and said.
"No Slimes!"
Just as the three of them were chatting idly and walking toward Liyue Harbor, they suddenly heard the rapid sound of horse hooves and turning wheels coming from behind them.
Hmm?
Although they were walking on the sides of the official road, it was just like in her past life walking on a narrow highway: when the sound of a truck approaching fast came from behind, one couldn't help but look back to confirm safety.
Fang Qiu subconsciously turned her head.
Then, she saw a merchant caravan rushing rapidly toward them.
No, rather than saying it was rushing rapidly toward them, it was better to say it was charging in their direction.
The horses were pulling the carriages in a wild frenzy.
What was the situation?
Déjà Vu?
The Fast and the Furious?
Are Liyue people this reckless?
Drag racing with carriages full of goods?
Hmm?
The coachman on the lead carriage seemed to be shouting something at them?
However, the sound of rolling wheels and neighing horses completely drowned out his voice.
Fang Qiu hurriedly used her hands to shield Hu Tao and Xiangling, leading them toward the side of the road.
Once the carriage convoy got closer, Fang Qiu finally realized that following behind the merchant caravan were over a dozen hunchbacked monsters with bizarre appearances, holding various weapons.
Among them were two incredibly tall Hilichurls, fully three or four meters high, holding giant shields.
They were following closely behind the caravan.
Meanwhile, several Millelith soldiers wielding spears were standing on the rearmost carriage of the caravan, using their long spears to prevent the Hilichurls from approaching.
"It's Hilichurls. They are attacking the convoy."
Hu Tao's expression sank. Holding the Staff of Homa, she shielded Fang Qiu behind her and said, "Be careful."
"Prepare for combat. Hu Tao, protect Fang Qiu."
Xiangling held her Dragon's Bane horizontally and spoke.
Watching the rapidly approaching convoy and Hilichurls, Fang Qiu's palms were also sweating.
This sense of oppression was simply too strong.
Although these Hilichurls were somewhat similar to the goblins from her previous life, they were completely different concepts from the goblins in the games she used to play.
In her past life, in games, she only needed to move her mouse to wipe out a swath of low-level goblins.
But the Hilichurls before her eyes were clearly not on that level.
Especially those two giant shield-bearing Hilichurls.
Their arms alone were much thicker than her waist. If she took a punch from that, she would probably pass away on the spot.
Just then, that incredibly burly Hilichurl holding the raised shield let out a roar.
Then Fang Qiu saw that Hilichurl suddenly accelerate. When the carriage was only a dozen meters away from them, it slammed fiercely into the rearmost carriage.
Screams, cries of alarm, the neighing of horses, and the sound of shattering carriages rang out all at once.
Under the impact of that giant Hilichurl, that carriage was reduced to splinters of wood.
Fortunately, the few Millelith soldiers jumped off the carriage quickly and didn't take the hit.
However, the horse wasn't so lucky. Under the impact of the giant shield, the horse was directly smashed into a bloody mess.
At this moment, the lead driver's horse was also spooked by the painful neighs of its kin behind it; it stumbled and crashed to the ground.
The carriage immediately flipped on its side.
In an instant, carriages crashed into a pile, and screams rang out across the entire official road. Horse blood flew through the air, and one coachman was even sent flying four or five meters away by the inertia.
However, the few Millelith soldiers were well-trained. They quickly scrambled up from the ground, raised their spears, and forced back the small Hilichurls charging forward.
Many uninjured civilians also took out prepared blades and began to defend themselves.
"Use the carriages for defense! Do not pursue them! As long as we stall until the Millelith reinforcements arrive, we'll be safe."
One of the Millelith, who looked like an instructor, had a pale face but gritted his teeth as he issued commands.
However, his pale face wasn't due to fear, but because he was injured. When the giant Hilichurl smashed the carriage earlier, wood debris had flown everywhere, and a sharp plank had flown toward a recruit who had fallen and hadn't recovered yet.
To protect his subordinate, he had used his body to block the plank.
His right arm had been pierced, and the wooden spike was still stuck in it.
Fresh blood was constantly flowing from the wound, dyeing his arm crimson.
But before the others could respond, the Hilichurls launched their attack.
The Millelith instructor stood at the very front. Holding his spear in his left hand, he swept it horizontally, hacking fiercely into the neck of one of the Hilichurls, instantly knocking it flying three or four meters.
That Hilichurl rolled a few times on the ground and stopped moving.
Immediately, he turned his spear and smashed it onto the waist of another Hilichurl.
Knocking it flying.
Although it wasn't a one-hit kill like the previous Hilichurl, it was heavily injured.
However, before everyone could rejoice, the heavily injured Hilichurl grabbed onto his spear.
Before he could forcefully pull the spear back...
A giant Hilichurl rushed in front of him, the giant shield in its hand crashing down toward him.
It was over!
Too late to dodge.
Just as he was despairing, a gleam of azure ice light lit up before him.
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