Bai Yichen rolled his shoulders as he kept his eyes on the Dreamweaver Moth.
"I'll test it first!"
Before Lily or Lu Jingxuan could stop him, he dashed toward the beast.
"..." Lily stared at his back.
Didn't that guy hear what she said?
But Bai Yichen had already closed half the distance.
Lu Jingxuan frowned. Since the battle had already begun, he summoned his grimoire and opened it.
Several magic circles immediately appeared around him as he rose into the air.
The Dreamweaver Moth stopped ramming itself against the rock and shifted its attention to the approaching boy.
Then, with a sharp screech, it charged toward him.
"Dodge!"
Bai Yichen immediately did as he was told. He swiftly shifted to his left before driving a kick into the moth's side.
The Dreamweaver Moth let out a pained screech. Every screech it released sounded agonizing and unsettling.
For some reason, its madness resonated with Lily.
"It actually felt pain just from that?" Bai Yichen exclaimed in surprise.
"It was already in pain," Silas replied without taking his eyes off the moth. "We're merely amplifying it."
His eyes remained fixed on the base of its wings, waiting for the spirit scales to part.
At the same time, Lu Jingxuan launched several spells toward the beast.
The first fire spell struck the Dreamweaver Moth squarely, causing it to let out another pained screech.
However, the moment the second spell approached, it swiftly shifted to the side and avoided the attack.
The third...
The fourth...
None of them landed.
The Dreamweaver Moth suddenly swung its enormous wings toward Lu Jingxuan, sending a violent gale tearing through the forest.
Lu Jingxuan immediately cast a barrier.
Bang!
The gale slammed against the translucent barrier, forcing him several meters backward through the air.
Bai Yichen didn't waste the opportunity and immediately closed the distance once more.
The moment the Dreamweaver Moth turned toward him, he immediately shifted to the side.
Boom!
Its forelimb slammed into the ground, shattering the earth beneath it.
Without pausing, Bai Yichen rushed in from its blind spot and drove another kick into its side.
The Dreamweaver Moth screeched in pain.
At that exact moment—
Whoosh!
Several fireballs streaked through the air.
The Dreamweaver Moth instinctively spread its wings and leaped backward, barely avoiding the barrage.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The spells exploded one after another where it had been standing moments before.
Before it could regain its footing, Bai Yichen had already caught up.
He sprang into the air and struck its abdomen with another kick.
The Dreamweaver Moth cried out once more.
Its crimson eyes flashed with fury.
Ignoring Bai Yichen entirely, it suddenly lunged toward Lu Jingxuan.
Lu Jingxuan raised his right arm.
Several magic circles appeared beneath his feet as he swiftly retreated through the air, widening the distance between them.
The Dreamweaver Moth pursued relentlessly.
Just as it was about to reach him—
Bam!
Bai Yichen landed another kick against its back.
The impact interrupted its charge.
The Dreamweaver Moth immediately swung one of its wings toward him.
Bai Yichen bent his knees and kicked off the ground, narrowly avoiding the sweeping attack.
The gale from the wing barely brushed past him.
He landed several meters away before charging forward once again, not giving the beast a single moment to rest.
Lily, on the other hand, had already drawn her bow.
An arrow rested quietly against the string.
Her gaze remained fixed on the base of the Dreamweaver Moth's wings, watching every movement with unwavering concentration.
Beside her, Silas did the same.
Both waited silently for the spirit scales to part.
An hour had passed.
The once tranquil forest had become a battlefield.
Towering trees lay uprooted.
The ground was riddled with craters.
Scorch marks, shattered rocks, and scattered leaves covered every corner of the clearing.
Lu Jingxuan breathed heavily as another spell left his fingertips.
The magic circles surrounding him gradually dimmed.
Lu Jingxuan frowned.
He could barely feel any mana left within him.
He reached into his storage pouch, took out another potion, and drank it without hesitation.
Only two bottles remained.
On the other side, Bai Yichen was in no better condition.
His breathing had long since become ragged.
Sweat drenched his clothes as every muscle in his body screamed in protest.
Without the potion, he would have collapsed long ago.
Even so...
His body was finally giving out.
Without slowing down, he uncorked another bottle and drank it in one gulp.
It was his fifth.
There were no more left.
"Hah... Hah..."
His chest rose and fell violently as he forced his exhausted legs to move once more.
Not far away...
Lily remained exactly where she had stood from the very beginning.
Her bow had never once been lowered.
The arrow remained nocked against the string.
For an entire hour, she had maintained the same posture, her gaze never leaving the base of the Dreamweaver Moth's wings.
Beside her, Silas watched just as intently.
Neither looked away.
The Dreamweaver Moth let out another agonizing scream.
Its enormous body trembled violently.
Dark spiritual essence burst from it as its aura became increasingly unstable.
"It's reaching its limit..." Silas murmured.
The Dreamweaver Moth shrieked once more.
Its wings convulsed, causing its enormous body to shake uncontrollably.
Then—
The spirit scales at the base of its wings slowly began to separate.
Silas' eyes widened.
"Now!"
The shout rang in Lily's ears.
Without hesitation, she loosened her fingers.
Twang!
The arrow shot through the air.
Bai Yichen and Lu Jingxuan instinctively looked towards it.
"..."
"..."
Neither of them spoke.
The arrow...
Wasn't even heading toward the exposed core.
Lily quietly watched it fly.
...I should learn archery from Elder Jingyi from now on.
Just as the thought crossed her mind—
Whoosh!
An azure flame shot out from her shoulder and merged with the arrow.
The arrow suddenly veered, straight toward the exposed core.
Boom!
A violent explosion erupted from within the Dreamweaver Moth.
The Dreamweaver Moth let out a shrill before crashing onto the ground.
Dust billowed into the air.
"..."
"..."
Bai Yichen slowly lowered the foot he had just raised.
Lu Jingxuan also stopped chanting.
The two stared blankly at the fallen beast.
"...Ooh."
Lily blinked.
Mother's trinkets are really exceptional.
It exploded.
Silence filled the forest.
Bai Yichen bent over, trying to catch his breath.
His legs trembled.
"...Is it over?"
"I think so..." Lu Jingxuan replied.
SCREEEECH!
The Dreamweaver Moth suddenly let out a deafening shriek.
Its enormous body sprang back onto its feet.
Bai Yichen gasped.
Lu Jingxuan stiffened.
Lily narrowed her eyes.
Dark spiritual essence burst out from its body like a tidal wave.
Silas' pupils shrank.
"That was a fake core!"
The Dreamweaver Moth opened its mouth.
A dense mass of black spiritual essence rapidly condensed before its mouth.
Its crimson eyes locked onto Lily.
The next moment—
The dark mass shot toward her.
Lily immediately dashed to her left.
Then—
"...!"
Her foot caught on a protruding rock, and she stumbled.
There's a rock here?
She blinked.
...I tripped?
She blinked again.
How lame.
The Dreamweaver Moth let out another furious screech and lunged after her.
"Lily!"
Bai Yichen sprinted toward her with everything he had left.
"Lily! Use your magic!" Lu Jingxuan shouted as he flew after her.
Damn it!
Whoosh!
An azure flame burst from Lily's shoulder, shooting straight toward the incoming dark mass.
At the exact same moment—
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
Countless glowing chains burst from the surrounding forest.