Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Li Jiye’s expression changed when he saw the red-eyed Tauren.
The warriors of the Tauren tribe were divided into several ranks, and their rank classification was like that of a human army.
Ordinary Tauren warriors were usually no different from ordinary Orcs, just like Andrew. The few Taurens around Andrew had worn simple leather pants on their lower body, and even if a space storage bag had been hanging at their waists, it was still obvious that they were only low-level warriors in the tribe.
But the Tauren standing in front of Li Jiye now was unusual.
Since he called Andrew his “Brother”, could that mean that Andrew was…
Having been taught by Polar Star Academy, Li Jiye knew how to distinguish the ranks of the Orcs. The Tauren in front of him was unique not only in his skin color, but also in the much thicker pair of horns on top of his head. Combined with the refined chainmail armor he wore, it wasn’t difficult to guess that he must be a warrior with an extremely respectable status. He was either the leader or the Prince of the tribe.
Thuk-thuk-thuk…
With the sound of footsteps reverberating through the forest, eight or nine Tauren warriors had gathered in the open field in the blink of an eye. Li Jiye looked at them and realized that these Orcs were of higher ranks than Andrew.
Without any reason, the Tauren tribe wouldn’t send so many warriors to the outskirts of the Demonic Beast Mountain Range…
They were definitely not here just to avenge the previous Tauren team. There must be something more important.
With his mind running fast and his thoughts surging, Li Jiye stared at the Tauren with the red cloth on his horn and finally spoke, “What a big troop… I’m really flattered.”
Looking at Li Jiye’s mirthless grin, the Tauren leader snorted coldly and spouted white mist from his nose.
“A mere human dared to kill the warriors of my Kucha tribe…. Kucha tribe! Hear my orders! Take down this maggot in front of me!”
Li Jiye’s expression darkened upon hearing this. The Kucha tribe was notorious among the Taurens.
In actuality, not all Orcs were hostile to humans, and similarly, not all Taurens had enmity with humans. As far as Li Jiye knew, the Great Patriarch of the Tauren tribe had signed a peace agreement with humans a few years ago. However, the leader of the Kucha tribe had repeatedly put a spoke in their wheel. Although several of his criticisms had been quickly suppressed by the Great Patriarch, the Kucha tribe still remained greatly hostile to humans.
Following the order of their leader, the other six or seven Tauren warriors immediately waved their weapons and roared.
Li Jiye didn’t dare to be the slightest bit neglectful. These were Tier 2 Tauren warriors in front of him, and he could only guarantee a victory if he confronted each of them alone. Although two or three of them would be difficult to defeat, it would have only been a question of time.
But how was he going to defeat more than six of them at the same time!
Along with a turquoise gust of wind rising above his legs, Shadow Wind Steps had already been exhausted by him.
These Tauren warriors seemed very well-trained. They surrounded Li Jiye in all three directions, inconspicuously sealing his retreat. If he wanted to break through, he would have to quickly find their Achilles heel.
At this moment, his legs suddenly burst with energy, and in the next second, he was already charging toward one of the Taurens with the weakest element.
In a heartbeat, he confronted the Tauren in front of him and simultaneously raised his leg that was glowing with turquoise light. He slashed a diagonal line across the Tauren’s neck with his blade-like legs.
The Tauren let out a muffled grunt before he staggered and knelt on the ground. Blood spurted from his neck, and he quickly dropped dead.
Stunned, the Tauren leader had turned to stare fixedly at Li Jiye. He didn’t expect that as a Tier 2 martial artist, Li Jiye would be able to kill a warrior of his own tribe in mere seconds.
“It seems like I’ve underestimated you.”
He puffed again, the red color of his eyes becoming more vigorous. The ground trembled, and Li Jiye stared at the Tauren leader in disbelief. He was stupefied to discover that this Tauren was overflowing with such a powerful murderous aura.
“Tier 3…? Or Tier 4?”
He cursed inwardly and withdrew immediately. Now that he had exhausted Shadow Wind Steps, he tried to break through the encirclement by going past the Tauren warrior who had just died, but at the same time, the warrior formation changed again. The gap that had appeared in the encirclement closed, and the warriors formed an even tighter circle.
At this moment, Li Jiye was filled with incessant grievances. Although he had looked brave just now and had killed a Tauren of his own tier with just one stroke of Shadow Wind Steps, nobody else but him knew that this effect had been the superimposition of the speed of Shadow Wind Steps with the power of Godspeed Steps.
Despite the effectiveness of mixing the two martial arts, the relative consumption had been far beyond normal levels. Li Jiye only had the C-level Storm Element now, but even if he exhausted all the energy in his body, this kind of attack could only take out two more.
“Tauren Formation!”
Just as Li Jiye was still grieving inwardly, the Tauren leader personally joined the Tauren warriors of various ranks. The leader gave an order, and all the Tauren warriors pointed their horns at Li Jiye simultaneously.
The power of the Earth element in the open area suddenly rose. Before Li Jiye could react, he saw their inch-long ochre horns light up unexpectedly.
“Charge!”
Under their leader’s orders, the Taurens warriors surrounding Li Jiye charged forward. In this critical situation, Li Jiye forced out the rest of his energy and managed to conjure a green energy vortex of Shadow Wind Steps. Leaving behind blurred trails of turquoise, he broke through their lines with his Shadow Wind Steps.
“I’ll be taking my leave now. Goodbye!”
He leaped into the sky with Shadow Wind Steps and was immediately protected by the surrounding Wind element. Despite the prowess of the Tauren warriors’ horn formation, he had broken through their encirclement and flew high up into the sky. Even though two lit horns had been ready to attack him, he had taken advantage of the moment to fly several feet away and then disappeared in the blink of an eye.
“Young Patriarch?”
Upon seeing his escape, the Tauren warriors inevitably turned to their leader for instructions. However, he simply squatted down and gently wiped a trace of blood with a few of his thick fingers, sneering.
“There’s no need to chase him… He’s escaping in the direction of the Tier 3 Terra Bear’s territory. He has also been injured by our Tauren formation. Once he encounters the Terra Bear, he will have absolutely no hope of escaping. Hmph. Let him perish on his own!”