Mantis Stalking at the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole Behind

"Have you decided what you'll be doing next?" Qin Lan asked when Qin Huang's group came out from the cave. Their appearance currently seems much better than before after a night of protected rest.

"We'll continue to hunt for the two remaining days. But instead of doing it here near the border, we'll return to the outer forest." Qin Huang lowered his head slightly as he answered.

"En. Going back might yield better results for your team. Just do everything moderately," Qin Lan grabbed Qin Huang's shoulder as his way of showing his concern.

His grab is neither too strong nor weak, but that gesture itself holds a hint of concern between two family members.

"Can both of you stop getting too chummy here? It's irritating my eyes looking at you two." Qin Hu, the spoilt brat amongst the five Qin younger generation, said out of sudden. His words are like a bunch of needles that fired indiscriminately at everyone present, insulting them.

**BAM!**

Lu Yi punched the wall of the cave to shows his slight dissatisfaction towards Qin Hu.

"Third-level Flesh Refining Layer!" the four of them were stunned by Lu Yi's cultivation strength.

"Looks like the fool is not as stupid as I thought. But what makes you think you're qualified to raise your fist against me? I am the seventh young master of the Qin Household, for heaven's sake!"

"Our Qin Household fed you to serve us as if you're a dog!" Qin Hu continued.

"Qin Hu! Stop talking if there's nothing good coming out of your mouth. Don't disgrace the third elder's house with that mouth!" Qin Qi said and left the cave. She suddenly lost interest in their conversation.

"Humph!" Qin Hu left, but not before he harumphs and spit between Qin Lan and Qin Huang.

"Third brother, we'll leave first. Please forgive the fifth sister's attitude," Qin Qin cupped her hand towards Qin Lan and excused herself as well. Right now, she's totally disappointed with the morale of her team.

She left without waiting for Qin Lan to acknowledge her words. Embarrassed and knowing no idea what to say, Qin Huang quietly cupped his hand and left.

"Sixth brother," Qin Lan's call held Qin Huang where he stands for a few more seconds. With a toss of his hand, two bottles of medicinal pill went into Qin Huang's hands.

"Return to the manor in one piece. As for what happened, just leave it to your third brother." Qin Lan added as Lu Qing Yun pushed him back into the cave.

"Thank you," Qin Huang left after whispering gently.

...

...

(Something has to be done within our Qin Household. But what really happened? Why would a family like ours deteriorate so much?)

Qin Lan shuts his eyes as he tried to remember something.

"Young master, is there any problem?" Lu Qin Yun asked.

"Let's go around the hill and hunt the two Thunderhorn Copper Rhinos. We'll capture both of them and turn them into points before any other team managed to take advantage of it." Qin Lan answered Lu Qing Yun's question with something entirely unrelated.

After resting for close to an hour, the four of them started to move again.

It takes them close to an incense stick of time to reach the other side of the cave. After assuring that there's no other target except for the two Yao Beast, the team prepared a few diversion tricks as they waited for the perfect chance to take action.

"Now!" Qin Lan tossed the bottle of Corpse Melting Solution over at one of the Thunderhorn Copper Rhino when it was yawning and lowering itself onto the ground.

The bottle of solution with a corrosive ability quickly delivered a considerable amount of damage and pain to the beast, which immediately summoned its companion over aggressively.

"ROAR!" the second Thunderhorn Copper Rhino fired a continuous barrage of lightning bolts at the foliage around them. But none of the attacks managed to hit a target.

"Raw... - Raww..." it made a few rounds before the injured Thunderhorn Copper Rhino to show its concern.

But Qin Lan's following action completely ruined the mood. A large amount of Spiritual Energy is poured into the bamboo brush Qin Lan used back then when fighting against the Mutated Foul Essence King.

A longbow as tall as Qin Lan's height is formed entirely from the Internal Qi as he draws the bowstring.

"Heavens! Is this our young master's real cultivation strength?" Huo Zunjie smiled in excitement as he witnesses his young master's might.

"Eight Transformation Treasured Brush, fire!" Qin Lan released the bowstring with a thicker needle he once uses to attack the Mutated Foul Essence King. The power close to a fourth-level cultivator flew at a course of a straight line towards the still active Yao Beast.

"ROAR!" how dare a weak human tried to attack me!

That's likely what the Thunderhorn Copper Rhino meant from its roaring as the needle struck its neck. But there's a reason this Yao Beast has a "Copper" in its name.

A thin line of blood rolled from where Qin Lan's attack landed. Although it hits, the wound was a superficial one that can be healed in no time, based on the recovery speed found naturally on a Yao Beast of its level.

Worst of all, the weakened Thunderhorn Copper Rhino also managed to get back on its feet after the short torture.

The advantageous situation turned worst in a short matter of minutes as the two Thunderhorn Copper Rhinos has found the hiding spot of Qin Lan's team.

A bolt of lightning went towards Qin Lan and Lu Qing Yun alongside with a buzzing sound.

With an arm on Lu Qing Yun's waist, Qin Lan hugged the maiden as they escaped from the attack in a flash. A speck of reddish blush can be noticed on her face, but that does not stop her from activating her Heaven's String to defend against the second lightning bolt.

**Bang!!!**

The lightning bolt averted by her Heaven's String created a smokescreen that hides their position on the ground. But then, a third lightning bolt came.

This time, the target is not Qin Lan and Lu Qing Yun. It was Huo Zunjie who's a few trees beside them.

**Bam!**

That bolt of lightning from a Quasi fourth-level Yao Beast turned the pitiful tree into a flaming torch. Huo Zunjie is seen rolling on the ground following the explosion.

Turning its attention at the weaker opponent, the Thunderhorn Copper Rhino charged towards Huo Zunjie. It's finally leaving its companion that's wounded by the Corpse Melting Solution alone for the sake of dealing a killing blow.

Will Qin Lan and Lu Qing Yun let this opportunity go to waste?

Of course, not!

Lu Qing Yun's Heaven's String wrapped around Qin Lan's waist as the young master throws himself with all his might at the wounded Thunderhorn Copper Rhino.

"ROAR!" the injured Yao Beast immediately fired a lightning bolt at the incoming Qin Lan but missed slightly. The foliage behind him ends up as the unlucky one as it turned into a ball of flames after receiving the attack on behalf of Qin Lan.

"Ru? - Roar!" a second lightning bolt came. With a shorter distance between them this time, even Qin Lan with his Thousand Miles Travel in a Step is incapable of dodging the lightning-fast attack.

**Buzz!!!**

Qin Lan struggled as he tried to deflect the attack of a Quasi fourth-level Yao Beast.

"Roar! - Roar!" the Thunderhorn Copper Rhino stomps its legs hard on the ground as it gets ready to end this fight. It was proud of itself at this moment.

"Aargh... I guess the idiom (Mantis stalk the Cicada, unaware of the Oriole behind) doesn't exist in the mind of you Yao Beast, right?"

"My team has four members, you bunch of stupid Yao Beast!" Qin Lan raised his voice as another string from Lu Qing Yun pulled him away from the lightning bolt's line of attack.

"Roar?" Qin Lan's sudden movement surprised the Thunderhorn Copper Rhino. It was now too late to react accordingly because a person is standing below it with an activated Offensive Treasure.

The shadow of a dragon's three-finger talons appeared in Lu Yi's right hand as he yelled loudly and attack.

"Profound! - Projection! - Fist!!!" Lu Yi's attack struck through the hides protecting this Quasi fourth-level Yao Beast and destroyed its beating heart.

"ROAR!!!" its final howl sounds like a call of regret as it falls onto the ground without a hint of remaining life force.

The final howl is like a farewell call to the ears to the remaining Thunderhorn Copper Rhino. Now much more ferocious than before, it quickly picked up its speed as the Yao Beast tried to ram against Huo Zunjie.

Huo Zunjie stopped acting the moment he noticed the changes.

"Come here! Mistral Core Long Fist!" Huo Zunjie concentrated all his available Spiritual Energy on both hands as he fought head-on against the charging Yao Beast.

The result is clearly not siding with humanity's side.

Huo Zunjie spits out a mouthful of blood as he was thrown aside like a broken trophy.

"ROAR!!!" the Thunderhorn Copper Rhino turned its attention back to where Qin Lan, Lu Qing Yun, and Lu Yi are. A sphere of lightning appeared on the tip of its horn as the Yao Beast roared louder.

"Young master, stay behind me," Lu Yi came in front of Qin Lan with Spiritual Energy covering half of his body. Even Lu Qing Yun noticed the danger behind this sphere of lightning.

"Beast, where are you looking?" Huo Zunjie's voice suddenly came to their attention. He immediately delivered a Mistral Core Long Fist into that region likely to be where the Yao Beast's kidney is located.

"Nice hit!" Qin Lan praised. At the same time, he slapped the back of both Lu Yi and Lu Qing Yun.

"Go," Qin Lan whispered.

Half an incense stick later, both Thunderhorn Copper Rhinos finally fell into the hand of Qin Lan's team. While at a place about fifteen miles from them, an elder from the Jiao Family coughed his second mouthful of blood.

"How... How could this happen?" the elder collapse on the ground as he was severely weakened from a rebound of cultivation.