Zhou Yan sprints into the forest, leaping onto a tree. The Bicorn Sheep charge blindly, crashing into ancient trunks. Many trees topple, showcasing their ramming might.
"Kill!" Zhou Yan drops, slashing a sheep with Seven Star Sword Technique—Tianshu and Tianxuan forms felling two instantly.
Soldiers swarm, weapons flashing. The dense forest cramps the herd, nullifying their charge. They roar, helpless, as Zhou Yan's team cuts them down. Zhen Mi's mental magic freezes dozens, making them easy prey. Wielding her Holy Spirit Staff, she launches an ice shard, dropping another sheep.
The leader, bloodthirsty and resistant to mental attacks, shoves past its kin, charging a soldier. Zhou Yan, protective of his costly troops, intercepts. His sword aims for its neck but severs a horn as it thrashes. Undeterred, he delivers a flying kick, hurling the beast into a tree.
Dazed and battered, it can't rise under Zhen Mi's mental pressure. Zhou Yan grips his sword two-handed, beheading it. Blood sprays; he steps back cleanly.
[Prompt: "Killed level 15 Bicorn Sheep Leader, gained 500 soul coins, 500 spirit coins, Bicorn Battle Blade Blueprint."]
No building chest, but Zhou Yan's pleased:
[Item: Bicorn Battle Blade Blueprint]
[Quality: Bronze]
[Requirements: 1 Bicorn horn, 2 two-star iron ore]
[Description: Low-cost forging, ideal for mass production.]
A bronze chest drops too, which he pockets. The remaining sheep fall swiftly. After resting, the team gathers chests and carcasses.
Scattered Bicorn Sheep linger as they advance, but a new foe emerges:
[Monster: Two-Headed Hound]
[Quality: Enhanced Elite]
[Level: 18]
[Special: Elemental Attack]
[Description: Dual-headed, wields elemental strikes.]
"Enhanced Elite?" Zhou Yan marvels. Its speed and keen nose detect them, mouths glowing with energy.
Before it attacks, Zhen Mi's mental magic induces sleep. An ice shard pierces its neck, killing it instantly.
[Prompt: "Killed level 18 Two-Headed Hound, gained 54 soul coins."]
Zhen Mi's RRR-tier power shines. A Black Iron chest drops, collected with the corpse. "Careful—more may lurk," Zhou Yan warns. The hounds' ranged attacks and sharp senses demand vigilance.
His 100+ mental attribute soon senses more. "Ready!" he orders. Weapons rise.
Zhen Mi's staff glows, unleashing a mental wave. Thirty hounds, energy half-formed, slump asleep. Soldiers charge, slaughtering them. Each yields a Black Iron chest—a fine haul.
They press on, meeting varied foes: level 11 Shadow Spirit Cats, level 12 Pink Foxes, level 17 Golden Chickens. Most act alone; Zhen Mi's ice shards end them, save the elite Golden Chicken. Monsters, solo or in small packs, fall to their blades.
By five, they return laden. Only one leader disappoints, but their rarity is clear. En route, they cull more Water Polo Beasts on the shore, gathering cores.
Without Diao Chan, Si Teng and Hua Yuerong cook. Smart and equipped with ling rice, they manage. "A chef hero would help," Zhou Yan muses, recalling the Drunken Immortal Tower's limits.
He hands Jerry the Bicorn Battle Blade Blueprint and horns. "Forge when free—repairs first." The dwarves, efficient, have fixed heaps of gear.
"Well done!" Zhou Yan buys them fine wine, spurring their zeal.
He lists the repaired gear—Black Iron at 800-1,000 spirit coins. In minutes, it's gone. Trial-stage gear scarcity ensures sales, price reasonable.