Moving under stealth was undoubtedly slower compared to riding a mount. Soon, Xiao Hua was far behind Bingfeng Tianda and his group. However, Xiao Hua wasn’t worried because Piāo Líng had already pointed out several possible boss locations that Bingfeng Tiada’s team might head to. Knowing the direction they were taking, Xiao Hua could deduce which boss they were targeting. Even without Aburi, he wouldn’t lose track of them despite the distance.
The Bingfeng Guild members were very familiar with this area. Despite encountering high-level monster groups along the way, the large group successfully avoided them without engaging in any battles. About an hour later, Bingfeng Tianda led the team into a tall pine forest where the ground was barely covered with snow, revealing patches of dark earth.
"Scatter and search for the Frost Spider. Report to me privately if you find the boss or encounter other guild members!" Bingfeng Tianda issued a straightforward command, knowing everyone was familiar with the procedure. The hundred-strong group split into smaller six-person squads and dispersed in all directions.
Elite bosses had unpredictable spawn times and locations, although they were generally known to appear around this time today. There could be a few-hour margin of error, and sometimes the boss could be defeated before the entire guild realized it, leading to wasted efforts.
Most guilds would arrive early to wait. Often, multiple guilds would wait together for the boss to spawn. Unless there was a deep-seated grudge, the guilds would peacefully coexist until the boss spawned, then compete to deal the final blows. Whether a guild would attack another during the fight depended on the situation.
The Bingfeng Guild was one of the earliest to arrive, partly because their headquarters were nearby and partly due to their efficient organization. Some guilds took a long time to organize their teams and move out, arriving too late to be effective.
"A point, no sign of the boss!"
"B point, no sign of the boss!"
"C point, no..."
Soon, Bingfeng Tianda received reports from the scattered teams.
"Continue patrolling in a small radius and watch for the boss’s spawn. Be cautious of potential ambushes!" Once confirming that the boss hadn’t spawned yet, Bingfeng Tianda gave another order.
Although the spawn range was large, the exact location was relatively fixed. By dispersing members to monitor key areas, the bright purple light signaling the boss’s spawn wouldn’t go unnoticed.
Waiting for the boss while grinding was not ideal, but having members idle for potentially hours wasn’t practical either. Therefore, Bingfeng Tianda didn’t prohibit members from gaining experience while waiting.
Xiao Hua also reached the Frost Spider’s spawn point and observed the large group from a hidden vantage. Despite Piāo Líng’s explanations, witnessing the scene firsthand was fascinating.
Soon, Xiao Hua noticed the scattered Bingfeng members rushing towards a specific direction!
Xiao Hua’s spirits lifted, knowing the Frost Spider had spawned. He stealthily followed the rush and joined a small squad entering another pine forest.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
A tank-sized spider appeared before Xiao Hua, its body crystal white, resembling a layer of snow. Its eight metallic legs gleamed like ice crystals, looking exceptionally tough.
The Bingfeng Guild members didn’t rush into action but gathered thirty meters away, waiting for the rest of their group. Xiao Hua used the chaotic footprints to circle around to the side of the Frost Spider, giving him a clear view of both the guild’s movements and the boss.
From this angle, Xiao Hua noticed the Frost Spider’s back resembled stacked diamond-shaped ice blocks, reflecting colorful lights through the tree branches.
"Paladins buff up, knights advance, and everyone else prepare to follow up with damage!" Once the numbers were complete, Bingfeng Tianda ordered the push to begin. A wave of colorful spells enveloped the crowd, and after twenty seconds, a dozen knights moved forward towards the Frost Spider, followed by ten warriors and assassins, and then ranged classes and healers.
Bingfeng Tiada, a melee warrior, stayed back to coordinate. Xiao Hua noticed that some warriors and assassins remained behind, recalling Piāo Líng mentioning that guilds often kept melee classes to protect vulnerable casters and healers from ambushes.
The knights quickly entered the Frost Spider’s aggro range. Several advanced, while the rest slowed down, watching as the front-line knights drew the boss’s attention without immediate intervention.
The Frost Spider, sensing the intrusion, charged like a tank with its steel-like legs!
-5300!
One knight lost half his HP from a single hit. Xiao Hua was astonished at the Frost Spider’s power, comparable to a Frost Dragon!
However, Xiao Hua was secretly pleased. The stronger the boss, the better for his plan. Ideally, if Bingfeng Guild encountered a hostile guild during the battle, it would be the perfect opportunity to launch the Super Magic Bomb, targeting the mages and healers providing support, causing significant damage.
Encountering a hostile guild depended on luck, but having the boss wipe them out was also acceptable.
Observing the Frost Spider’s attacks, Xiao Hua noted that its initial strike was powerful, but subsequent hits dealt around 2,000 HP damage to the knights. Xiao Hua wasn’t worried, as Piāo Líng mentioned that the Frost Spider would enter a berserk state with 80,000 HP left, becoming terrifying but manageable afterward. Xiao Hua was waiting for that moment.
"Attack!" Once the knights established aggro, Bingfeng Tiada commanded the mages and archers to start attacking. Sixty to seventy ranged attackers unleashed a barrage of spells, dealing thousands of HP damage to the Frost Spider.
The Frost Spider also had formidable skills. Xiao Hua observed that the spider could shoot several ice threads from its nostrils, resembling ice spears. The speed and force of these ice threads were comparable to bullets, and a single thread dealt over 7,000 damage. If two threads hit the same knight, it meant instant death.
Whenever a knight was killed by the ice threads, nearby knights would step in to maintain aggro, and healers would revive the fallen knight, who would then retreat to recover.
This cycle repeated, and within minutes, the Frost Spider lost nearly 100,000 HP. Despite occasional casualties, the Bingfeng Guild remained calm and faced no significant danger.
Xiao Hua planned to summon a decoy, have it stealthily approach, and detonate the Super Magic Bomb when the Frost Spider had 80,000 HP left, targeting the remote damage dealers and healers. If he could include Bingfeng Tiada in the blast radius, it would achieve his objective.
Just then, Xiao Hua spotted a large group of mounted players approaching!
Hmm, could this change things? Xiao Hua narrowed his eyes. If this was a hostile guild, it would be a better opportunity to use the Super Magic Bomb. Having the Bingfeng Guild wiped out by the boss or by a rival guild had vastly different implications!
Bingfeng Tiada also noticed the incoming group and watched them warily. Upon recognizing the leader, he relaxed. When the group approached, Bingfeng Tiada greeted the leader warmly.
"Sorry, Leader Tiantiezhu, looks like our luck is better this time; we’re already engaging the boss!"
Tiantiezhu? Wasn’t he the leader of the third-largest guild in Piāo Líng’s Snowfall City, the rather tackily named “Indestructible Golden Spear”?
Bingfeng Tiada spoke loudly, ensuring everyone heard. Xiao Hua, hiding nearby, heard the exchange clearly.