From Swamp Dog to Crocodile Ancestor

As the battle intensified, the glowing wooden spears and the swirling flames clashed, resulting in significant losses for both sides.

More and more charred baboon carcasses fell from above, crashing onto the solid ground with a thud. Some were still clutching a burning wooden spear, their eye sockets empty, their eyeballs burned away.

The red foxes also suffered considerable losses, but they seemed to be very good at fighting and were agile. After adapting to the baboons' attacks, they quickly gained the upper hand.

Li Yi moved cautiously through the mud, navigating this battlefield where spiritual light danced, constantly avoiding various threats.

Soon, it discovered that hidden within the thick swampy poison barrier were even more powerful auras, all coldly watching the cedar battlefield.

Further into the central area, Li Yi could no longer sense anything; getting too close would expose him.

These red foxes don't need the protection of the spirit tree at all; they can survive in the swamp for a long time. Why should they suffer such a great loss to seize a spirit tree?

Li Yi thought for a moment, and his thoughts immediately shifted to the demon tree.

The only thing that could pose a serious threat to the fox pack is probably the demon tree, or the insect beast that has taken over their original nest.

The former came from who knows where, while the latter lies dormant deep in the swamp.

His brownish-yellow pupils were alternately illuminated by the orange glow of the sunset and the crimson flames. Li Yi watched this scene indifferently, his mind racing with speculation.

Perhaps these foxes know where the demon tree came from.

They must have had their original territory, so why did they migrate here?

The scattered brown foxes, all possessing considerable cultivation, have already infiltrated their own territories.

And the contents of the wound on my back.

That pure purple flame is probably related to the Flame Breath Fox Clan.

As the battle progressed, the baboons, already at a disadvantage and on the verge of collapse, with only a few remaining possessing cultivation, finally saw a change in the situation.

A dazzling orange-yellow light suddenly shot out from above the cedar tree, enveloping everything in its path in a golden twilight.

The orange-yellow light carried the power of a ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator; wherever it shone, it extinguished the foxes' purplish-red flames.

It was incredibly fast and agile in mid-air, heading straight for a majestic red-haired fox at the eighth level of the Qi Refining stage under the cedar tree.

The fox was chanting incantations as it held up two increasingly large balls of purplish-red flames in its hands, which were about to slip out of its grasp.

Upon being illuminated by this orange-yellow light, the fireball was extinguished by more than half, flickering like a candle in the wind.

The fox was terrified, its pupils dilating.

Just as it was about to be pierced through by a single blow, its fur was illuminated by a golden glow, and finally there was movement behind the poison barrier.

A pure purple flame shot out silently, pushing aside and dissolving the poisonous barrier wherever it went, revealing a crystal-clear trail.

The purple flames arrived first, clashing with the orange light, and then instantly shattered it, shooting into the towering cedar trees.

With a ding, the orange light flew out into the air, revealing its original form.

It was a palm-sized citrine, which looked extremely dense and heavy, with layers of halo patterns on its surface, emitting a light that flickered like a small sun.

It was born in the shape of a sword. After being knocked away, it shot out diagonally with a hiss, cutting three or five red foxes in half at the waist, and then shot deep into a patch of mud.

Li Yi saw everything, but in an instant, what made its eyes widen the most was that purple flame.

Watching it disappear into the dense branches of the cedar trees, memories of the past immediately surfaced.

blah blah...

At the same time, seemingly triggered, the fragment embedded in Li Yi's body suddenly erupted, instantly scorching his flesh and blood, and causing excruciating pain.

"Um?"

As the yellow poisonous barrier dissipated, the source of the purple flames—an old fox with white whiskers and bright red fur—suddenly turned its head, its pupils brightening with an incredulous light as it stared at the spot where Li Yi was.

Li Yi felt a tearing pain sweep over his entire body, and then sensed the old fox's gaze. He immediately knew he had been exposed, and turned to flee without looking back.

This old fox's aura is already at the limit of the ninth level of the Qi Refining stage. He is extremely powerful and has many helpers around him. He is not someone to be trifled with.

escape!

It was this momentary lapse in concentration that caused the old fox to lose control. A series of sharp whistles rose and fell from the canopy of the cedar trees, and a figure descended from the canopy amidst black smoke.

Before the figure even landed, it sprang up from the ground with a whoosh, let out a shrill roar, and turned to flee.

This is an old baboon, whose cultivation is only slightly weaker than that of the old fox, but in terms of magical artifacts, the two are clearly not on the same level.

The yellow crystal sword lost its luster in an instant, but the purple flames continued their relentless advance, instantly burning one of the old baboon's thick arms to ashes.

It was only because the old fox was distracted at the crucial moment that this attack would have been fatal to the old baboon!

Unfortunately, this opportunity was missed.

The old baboon let out a mournful cry, and then the entire baboon troop inside the cedar tree jumped out in a swarm, carrying everything they could, and began to flee for their lives.

Seeing this, the old fox muttered incantations, his whole body trembling slightly, and stood focused on the spot, recalling that purple flame.

This single action alone weakened its aura considerably.

Looking at the purple crystal fragments floating in front of him, the old fox dared not touch them directly and breathed weakly.

The red foxes behind it had already rushed out, chasing after the fleeing baboons, determined to wipe them out completely. In an instant, the situation became completely chaotic.

The old baboon was deathly pale, coughing up blood as it ran. Suddenly, its expression changed, and it vomited a mouthful of blood, its eyes bursting with a brilliant orange-yellow light.

Somewhere in the swamp, the small yellow crystal sword that was deeply embedded in it was summoned, its whole body once again enveloped in orange light, and with a hiss, it flew straight from the depths of the mud toward the old baboon!

However, Li Yi, in his hasty escape, blocked its path.

Li Yi felt a sudden, sharp pain in his back, no less intense than the previous wound. His body convulsed, but he endured the pain and continued to flee without looking back.

It clearly felt something directly pierce through the thick black scales on its back, tearing and severing many black scales and cutting through flesh along the way.

The twilight glow burned against the long wound, and although the wound wasn't deep, it still caused Li Yi a momentary sharp pain.

In the end, the thing embedded itself in the midline of its spine, where it was firmly held in place by the two hardest black scales on its body!

The situation changed in an instant. The old fox discovered Li Yi's presence, and Li Yi fled. The baboon troop was defeated and also fled!