Chapter 17 - Manifestation of qi

Ulf knew few things about the creatures here, after living in this world for twelve years. Like humans, creatures also are mostly born with the lowest stage of ranking - an animal class. However, if humans can cultivate, then they can evolve. From an animal to a beast, from the beast to the monsters. After the monsters, there may be another one, but there isn't any information about them, as they live lavishly in the very deep parts of the forests and don't bother about the outer areas.

From the pieces of information Ulf had about this world's creatures and knowledge of modern earth, he analysed a few facts. If the parents of the animal are high-stage creatures, it will be stronger than other animals without any special lineage. The odds of evolving are much higher till it will reach the parents' original stage. However, after that begins the real challenge, overcoming the biological limit is very hard for the forest creatures too. As for more detailed information, Ulf will have to collect it independently.

For the past two days, Ulf's team saw several big groups of the same kind of animals from far away. Broderick said that there was some chance of the beast stage ones being hidden between them. They were like a king in the same breeds, which were only in the animal stages. That was why the small teams would usually avoid big groups of animals.

As for their target, the mountain rhinos, Ulf's teammates have said, they can usually reach the peak beast stage and have a chance to even advance to the next level, even if the possibility of accomplishing it is very low.

"If all of us agree then we can think now, how to hunt it down." Ursa continued to speak to his group. "We have been observing it from afar for the last night and today at the time of sunrise and know that, mountain rhino is alone and there aren't any other ones with it. It shouldn't be here, especially now, when the winter hasn't come yet. That's why I think that it may go back to the north soon, so we must try our luck. It will be stronger than any common newly became beast, but we can use our superior number and advantage of the forest."

This morning, the rhino was on one of the grasslands in the forest. It will be faster and stronger than any of us, so we need to bait it inside the forest. We will be able to move among the trees and not let it use full speed. It may even stick his horn in one of the trees, which will be even better. We will encircle it to find the weakness in his defence." Ursa told the teammates his plan. Even the most skilled hunters in the group didn't have anything against it.

After discussing the plan, Ursa randomly chose the three members, who would secure the filled bags in the place where Ulf and his team stayed for the last knight. Thankfully, Ulf wasn't one of them or he would regret missing this huge opportunity.

They started to go deeper into the forest. The forest was becoming denser and the trees looked even bigger and bigger. There were more bushes of different sizes. Ursa commanded them to be wary of their surroundings, that was a reason why their advance was not so fast. They must be ready to be attacked anytime. It's more dangerous to move in a small group here, but the bigger number of humans may also attract some unwelcomed ones.

After 3 hours, They reached the location. A grassland has occupied a quite big territory, Ulf could hardly see the end of it very far away, as it was bordered by the forest. The rhino should be somewhere there, but the hunters couldn't see it. They intended to bait the mountain rhino into the forest and trap it here. The group firstly examined the terrain, how it should be used and if there was any other strong beast.

"Okay, due to the reason that I am the fastest in the group, I will go myself to lure the rhino here." Said Ursa and disappeared in a second.

'He is so fast.' Ulf complimented the leader in his mind.

Everyone was waiting two-three hundred meters away from the grassland in the forest around the one spot. They were ready in their positions with spears in their hands. Ursa and peak stage warriors chose together well-hidden places for 15 warriors. They stayed behind the trees in the middle with around 10-15 meters (33 - 49 ft) of emptied area from any big plants. The two hunters would stay in one spot and would replace each other because the space wasn't enough to allow all of them to move freely and fast. They would also be able to fight longer and save energy. Ursa planned to fight the rhino here. Soon they heard the sound of the growling and trumpeting. It was getting near!

As the sound was getting louder, Ulf even began to feel the vibration of the ground. There were voices of snapped tree branches and some small plants. It was the first real hunting mission for Ulf, so he would have a less dangerous role. He was instructed to disturb the rhino from the rear.

Suddenly Ursa jumped into the circle and he was followed right away by the enormous being.

"NOW!!"

On Ursa's signal all warriors jumped out from their hideout, only Ulf was stunned for just a for a second.

'WHAT?? This thing is still not a fully grown rhino?'

Its long fur coat was reddish-brown, had very thick hair, a long head and short legs. Its small eyes gave others a sign that it was very angry and the main target was Ursa. The front legs' shoulders were very big and must have been strong too, in order to support the powerful hump above them. This massive creature in front of him would be more than 3 meters (13+ ft) and with a length of 5 meters (16.4 ft) at least. Any full-grown existing rhino from the earth would look like a younger brother of this one. What was most remarkable was the mountain rhino's two horns. The first one was between the eyes and was smaller if a 60-65 centimetres (2 ft) longhorn can be considered like that and the biggest one would even be up to 2 meters (6.5).

Even if Ulf was in a daze for a little time, he came to his mind shortly and left his spot. He joined his teammates. After the hunters had come out together, the rhino was startled and it gave enough time for Ursa to disappear from its eyesight. When the mountain rhino couldn't see one who had enraged it, became more agitated and focused on one the hunter ahead of him. The teammate of Ulf knew that cloth combat fight would be suicide and jumped behind the trees. At that time others directed their weapons to the beast's shoulders and thighs, in order to obstruct it. The rhino stopped but turned to the right side where the closest hunter was.

Ulf, like others, used external qi in the hands and stacked his spear in the target's right hind leg thigh. The power, that looked so majestic for Ulf in his childhood, could only cut the target's skin only in one centimetre. He was awestruck. However they played their role well, and the mountain rhino was disturbed.

The same strategy was used several times: one hunter would attract the beast's attention and others would stack it with spears to let the targeted hunter hide in the trees. They chose this place because there wasn't sufficient space among the trees for rhino to run between them. The only choice to leave this place was a one-way, where it came from.

"Be careful guys! I will aim at the weak parts" He told his teammates.

'Only if you find it.' Ulf added sarcastically in his mind.

The most crucial part for them was to avoid the rhino's biggest horn. Others like Ulf could only deal only minor injuries, no one could penetrate its thick skin deeply and make it bleed till now.

"Hide all of you!"

Right after the hunters jumped back, suddenly Ursa appeared behind the mountain rhino, stabbed his spear in the back of the beast and vanished again. Ursa finally pierced the deep part of the skin and made the beast for the first time feel the pain.

"GRAAAA..." The mountain rhino growled loudly and turned around just in a second to crush its enemy with the horn, but there was nothing.

After that hunters wanted to use the same strategy and came out on the sides of the giant beast. Though, something has changed suddenly. The spiritual energy that had been in a dormant state got activated automatically and warned Ulf about upcoming danger. Ulf was like, he was watching everything in slow motion. At that time changes started inside the rhino, terrifying power broke out from the beast and a blue aura manifested on its body.

'QI! This guy can display Qi on his body and even give it colour!!'

"RUUNN!!" Only one word from Ursa to explain how critical the situation was.

However, it was too late.

One second - The mountain rhino swung his huge horn on the left side so fast toward the nearest hunter. That the man could only see a shadow as he was blasted in two parts. After that, the beast aimed at the next hunter and pierced him and the huge tree behind her like a paper.

Two seconds - The rhino that was stuck in the tree should have at least given others a little time to hide inside the forest. However, as the rhino eyed the running hunter on the left side with hatred, it was clear that the attack hadn't been finished yet. The mountain rhino broke from the tree forcefully and mushed the hunter's head.