C8 The Demon Creatures

Lee Jiaxiang glanced around, clearly puzzled. "There's something strange here," he remarked. Ji Jinfei sniffed the air and added, "You're right, there is something odd about this place."

As they spoke, the farmer leading the way turned to look at them, his face changing color. After a moment, he stammered, "How did you know? We've been having trouble with some kind of creature here. It's already taken a few children. Those who could leave have already moved away, but we're too poor to go anywhere."

Ji Jinfei chuckled, "This is interesting. I didn't expect to find such a thing around here."

Ji Yeying surveyed the situation and sighed, "We could have made a good profit, but look at this."

The three of them looked toward the place Ji Yeying indicated—the farmer's house. It was clear from the outside that the family wasn't well-off. The door was open, revealing a nearly empty interior. Against the wall was a square table, likely scavenged from somewhere, with mismatched legs.

Ji Jinfei glanced around and said, "Master, we can't always focus on making money. Didn't you always say sometimes you have to take a loss? Though I've never seen you do it."

Lee Jiaxiang laughed heartily. Ji Yeying suddenly gave Ji Jinfei a playful punch on the head, saying, "You talk too much. Alright, this time we'll take a loss. Consider it practice for you. But old man, you'll have to provide us with a meal."

The farmer nodded eagerly, "Sure, sure. I have some sweet potatoes and corn. I'll cook them for you."

Ji Yeying almost choked. After all that, it was just sweet potatoes and corn. But given the circumstances, it was probably the best the family could offer. Oh well, it would have to do.

The simple meal turned out to be quite good. The sweet potatoes and corn were homegrown and had an authentic taste. They all ate heartily. Since the house was a bit too messy, they decided to sleep in their car. The farmer, trusting and straightforward, didn't worry that they might just drive off.

Once they got in the car, Jinfei asked, "Are we really going through with this losing deal?"

"What do you mean losing? We've already accepted their hospitality. You're not thinking of backing out, are you?" Lee Jiaxiang quickly retorted.

"Why are you always opposing me, brother?" Jinfei shot back, giving Lee Jiaxiang a sideways glance.

Yeying looked out the window and said, "Sometimes, you have to take on these kinds of jobs. Enough talk, let's get some rest. If something happens, we'll be ready to act. You two go ahead, and I'll see how your training's been going."

"Sure, sure," Jinfei replied, glancing at Lee Jiaxiang. "Brother, you're in charge. I want to see how your skills have improved."

"What? No way, I'm still in training. How can I be on the job already?" Lee Jiaxiang protested, but the others ignored him and settled in to rest. With a sigh, he leaned back against the car seat and drifted off to sleep.

The moon slowly climbed into the sky, but soon a few clouds obscured its light, leaving everything in darkness. Suddenly, Yeying awoke, glanced around, and tapped Jinfei in the driver's seat and Lee Jiaxiang beside him. They both immediately opened their eyes.

"Let's move. I think it's here," Yeying said in a low voice.

The three got out of the car, and the wind had picked up outside. "What kind of thing is this that it can even stir up the wind?" Lee Jiaxiang wondered aloud.

Jinfei snorted, adopting a more authoritative tone as she lectured Lee Jiaxiang, "The creatures at your academy are pretty basic. They haven't awakened and aren't truly intelligent, just acting on instinct. But out here, many creatures are intelligent. Some are even more powerful than the strongest humans, so be careful."

Lee Jiaxiang could only nod. He'd heard about this before, but it was his first time experiencing it. Soon, the gusts died down, leaving an eerie silence that felt suffocating. The presence of something unnatural grew stronger, and everyone could sense it.

The three of them remained silent, sensing the heavy presence of a creature nearby, though it was still out of sight. Suddenly, a cold wind stirred in the air, revealing a winged beast.

This creature was clearer now, resembling a giant wasp with six legs and four wings. Its head, however, looked more like a spider's mouth. It had obviously spotted the three on the ground and swooped down aggressively.

"What the heck is that? I've never seen anything like it!" Jinfei exclaimed, dodging the attack.

"Be careful, it's a flying wasp demon. It's not poisonous, but it's still dangerous. Avoid its mouth and legs; they're barbed and can tear off a chunk of flesh," Yeying warned as she dodged the attack, urging caution.

Lee Jiaxiang was having a rough time. Although he managed to evade the creature's strike, the force of its wings knocked him off his feet, sending him sprawling. Seeing this, Jinfei lunged forward, grabbing him, and they rolled to safety before getting back on their feet.

"Thank your lucky stars for me, or you'd have been face down in the dirt. Come on, give me a kiss on the cheek," Jinfei teased as he stood up, leaning toward Lee.

"Forget that! The fight's already started, let's go," Lee deflected, drawing the short knife Yeying had given him and charging forward.

Jinfei chuckled at his retreating figure, "Come on, we're practically family, and you're still shy? Let's do this, Master, I'm coming!" With that, he drew his own weapon and joined the fray.

The creature had the advantage of flight. Though not particularly strong, its ability to soar out of reach made it difficult for them to land a hit, giving it the upper hand.

After some time of honing his skills, Lee Jiaxiang was now able to keep up. He suggested, "Hey, Jinfei, how about you step on my shoulders and climb up to knock it down? We don't have the advantage while it's in the air."

"Get real! Are you trying to get me killed, you heartless little brother?" Ji Jinfei retorted. "If I fly up there, it's in its element. I'd be a sitting duck. Didn't you think of that?"

Ji Yeying chimed in, "Yeah, we can only wear it down and see if an opportunity arises."

Seeing the situation, Lee Jiaxiang sighed and said, "Oh man, when is this going to end? We could keep this up till dawn, and it wouldn't make a difference."

Ji Jinfei dodged an attack and added, "There's no other way. Our master's anti-air skills are average. She can handle 99% of ground creatures, but those in the air are tricky. Plus, this one's so big, we can't find its weak spot. If we don't land a fatal blow, we're in trouble."

Ji Yeying scoffed, "Stop talking and figure out how to clip its wings. Once it's grounded, we're good."

The creature seemed to understand their plan and stubbornly stayed airborne, occasionally swooping close to the ground to swipe at them with its six legs. If it caught anyone, they'd be in serious trouble. Fortunately, while Ji Jinfei was training Lee Jiaxiang, she also honed her own skills, so the three of them managed a tight defense.

For a moment, the battle was at a standstill. With a brief lull, Ji Jinfei couldn't resist teasing. She lunged playfully at Lee Jiaxiang, saying, "I refuse to believe I can't get you."

Lee Jiaxiang was in a bind, dodging both the creature's attacks and Ji Jinfei's antics. He shouted, "Jinfei, now's not the time for jokes! Whoa, that was close. Seriously, no joking around!"

Jinfei chuckled and said, "Just stay put and don't dodge, and everything will be fine."

Lee Jiaxiang gritted his teeth and replied, "Having a senior like you is really my bad luck."

"Both of you, focus. Jinfei, now's not the time for jokes. Be careful," Ji Yeying warned them.

Just then, a giant wasp swooped down, charging straight at Lee Jiaxiang. He had just dodged Jinfei's playful lunge and hadn't regained his balance, so he couldn't avoid the incoming attack.

"Watch out, junior!" Jinfei shouted, leaping forward, but she was a moment too late. The wasp's hind legs had already latched onto Lee Jiaxiang's shoulders. As Jinfei reached him, the wasp took flight.

Lee Jiaxiang felt a sharp pain in his shoulder as the wasp's stinger pierced him, lifting him off the ground. He swung his short sword at the wasp's belly, but the creature anticipated the move. Its middle legs dropped down, pinning Lee Jiaxiang's arms, leaving him completely immobilized.

"This is bad," Ji Yeying muttered, launching her Pocket Universe Sword towards the wasp. If this attack didn't bring the wasp down, and it flew off with Lee Jiaxiang, he would be doomed.

The sword flew through the air, but the wasp beat its wings fiercely, dodging the strike. Now, they were in real trouble.