Lin Guang’s expression didn’t change, he only slightly raised his gaze and glanced at the first lizard skeleton that stood up and gripped its weapon.

[Species]: Lorde Skeleton Warrior

[Origin]: Silent Continent

[Potential]: White Ordinary

[Level]: 19

[Status]: Entwined by Demonic Qi (Slightly enhances all attributes)

[Skills]:

White: Long Blade Technique (Masterful), Iron Wall (Masterful).

Green: Resurrection Order (Masterful).

[Trait]: Assembly: Within a certain range, all attributes of Lorde Skeleton Warriors are enhanced.

The skeleton just opened its mouth, seemingly trying to let out a silent roar.

But the next second, it was struck by a dark red bullet.

Boom!!!!

In the intense firelight and impact, it and several surrounding skeletons instantly turned to dust, unable to move anymore.

[Your partner Vishdair has defeated a White Level 19 enemy, Star Shards progress bar increased.]

Vishdair slightly lowered the gun barrel, dispersing the smoke: “So something came to welcome us this quickly? But it’s so weak.”

“What’s the situation now?”

Lin Guang took out his Profound Dragon Jade Token for a glance—Vishdair’s casual shot had just awarded 5 points and a slight increment on the Star Shards progress bar—then raised his head to look around at the increasingly numerous resurrected skeletons, with no fear on his face, and his eyes gleaming ever brighter.

“This place is nice.”

“Worth points?”

“Yeah.”

Vishdair raised an eyebrow, surveying the skeletons beginning to encircle them, looking almost at his own possessions, his eyes glowing as his crimson tongue licked his lips: “Then, kill them all?”

Lin Guang turned his head, gazing towards the direction of the buildings at the foot of the mountains.

The black mist wasn’t too dense and with the blessing of the Eye of Omniscience and Omnipotence, he could barely make out the vague silhouette of the village ruins, roughly estimating it to be at least seven or eight kilometers in a straight line.

But the road was mostly flat and plain, so it wasn’t too bad.

He thought for a moment, shaking his head: “Don’t get bogged down in fighting, let’s head in that direction, clearing any Magical Beasts along the way, after all, it’s uncertain how large this place is.”

“Since the exploration lasts for seven days, we need to find a foothold.”

After speaking, Lin Guang thought again, turned to his companion Lisa, and asked: “Wanna try?”

Although there was a significant level gap between Lisa and these skeletons, the potential provided higher stats, theoretically allowing Lisa to easily defeat this group of skeleton Magical Beasts as well.

“Yeah! No problem for me!”

Lisa took a deep breath, gripping a magic staff slightly taller than herself, the power of Spiritual Element Ether at the ready.

In the next moment, dark golden light gleamed in the three of their eyes simultaneously.

“Let’s go.”

…

It was still nighttime in the Secret Realm, as if the sun would never rise.

In the dim light, a modest-looking boy with darker skin leaned against a withered tree in a decaying mountain forest, tightly clutching a ring-like Jade Pendant.

Through the activation of his Spiritual Power, the Jade Pendant emitted a glowing light, enveloping him as if providing some shelter and concealment, beads of sweat trickling from his forehead, his chest heaving heavily as he gasped for air.

After a while, he started coughing again—the humid and foul-smelling Demonic Qi was everywhere, making him extremely uncomfortable.

But even so, he tried his best to suppress his voice, to avoid spreading the sound, even putting away his Spirit Beast.

Because he knew… something had already set its sights on him.

And it was more than one.

At this moment, he could vaguely sense those extremely dangerous enemies prowling around, searching for his trail.

He glanced at his Jade Token to check his points, smiled bitterly: “As expected, trying to survive for seven days here at my level is too challenging.”

On the back of his Profound Dragon Jade Token, his name was clearly inscribed.

Liu Wentao.

“I shouldn’t have chosen this difficulty,” he sighed again.

Suddenly, Liu Wentao’s expression changed, as if sensing something, not daring to stay in place any longer, he started moving, the running shoes under his feet emitting a faint glow.

According to the information in the Profound Dragon Jade Token, it was the third day since the Unified Examination began.

Liu Wentao initially landed in a decaying mountain forest, trying his best to slay Magical Beasts while searching for supply boxes in the examination hall.

He initially planned to steadily get through these seven days.

After all, as long as the examinees stayed in the examination hall, scores would increase, but the amount increased was related to the area in which the examinee was located; the more dangerous the area, the higher the score increment.

The geniuses who could easily slay powerful Magical Beasts wouldn’t care about the incremental scores earned over time and would hunt around, but he knew he wasn’t at that level, and naturally needed to find a place to hunker down.

Yet, in fact, although Liu Wentao had a double green configuration, his strength wasn’t weak.

He was the strongest freshman at Zhen Sheng City’s Seventh High School, having already reached Two-Star. In terms of leveling speed alone, green talent wasn’t much different from blue or purple.

And he was taking the “Insect Resonance” path known for its growth rate.

Although insect-type Spirit Beasts often have short lifespans, they possess the advantage of rapid growth and low soul capacity occupation.

The Beetle Worms produced by his initial partner Spirit Beast, the Beetle Mother Insect, occupy almost no soul capacity. Using this method, he cultivated the Flaming Celestial Ox, Thunderbolt Celestial Ox, and Cold Air Celestial Ox, all of green quality. With certain potions to accelerate growth, their growth rates advanced further, having already broken through to Tier Two Spirit Beasts.

Whether these three have potential in the future or can break through to Tier Three doesn’t matter. His initial partner Spirit Beast is always well taken care of, and new Beetle Worms will continue to be born.

In conclusion, at this stage, facing a double blue-tier setup, Liu Wentao can likely put up a fight.

Apart from some candidates with ulterior motives, without a few exceptional skills, no one dares to enter the purple-tier examination hall.

Against Magical Beasts with white and green potential, Liu Wentao and his three Celestial Oxes kill them effortlessly. Later, he even schemed to lure two blue potential Magical Beasts into a self-killing conflict, seizing the opportunity to open a blue supply box, gaining significant supplies and points.

This gave him some confidence, prompting him to change his previous mentality of honestly accumulating survival points, heading up along this massive mountain range to see what secrets its summit holds.

But soon, not even a fifth of the way, he realized he was wrong, very wrong.

This mountain range is not the kind of place for someone like him.

The Secret Realm only has nighttime. The light comes entirely from the blood moon, and in the forest where visibility is already limited, coupled with the influence of Demonic Qi, the light is extraordinarily dim.

An hour ago, Liu Wentao, while confronting a group of bat-type Magical Beasts, was unwittingly ambushed by a Magical Beast hidden in the darkness. The Flaming Celestial Ox was severely injured on the spot, and though his supply box had some healing items, it’s impossible for it to heal quickly.

After fighting a few rounds, he found himself surrounded, giving him no choice but to let the Cold Air Celestial Ox unleash its control skill with full force to cover his retreat, running down the mountain.

Fortunately, Liu Wentao brought into the examination running shoes, a Tier Two Spiritual Artifact, and a Concealing Jade Pendant, another Tier Two Spiritual Artifact; otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to escape so far.

But his luck seemed to have run out.

The beast that ambushed him was exceptionally cunning, persistently tracking him without allowing any respite, and it seemed there were even companions nearby.

“Huff… huff…”

As he ran, Liu Wentao panted painfully, exerting his Spiritual Power to sense the surrounding environment—in his trembling vision, the branches in the desolate forest ahead swayed softly, rustling like countless ghostly hands inviting souls from hell in the night.

“Damn!”

He suspected this forest holds not just ordinary dead woods but also Magical Beasts like the Cannibal Blood Tree ambushing him.

“No… can’t go on like this.”

“If this continues, I’ll be dragged to death!”

Liu Wentao widened his eyes; suddenly, crimson blood overflowed from the corners of his mouth as he bit his tongue tip, using pain to stimulate his exhausted spirit.

In the next moment, the glow on his body faded, indicating he no longer supplied energy to the Concealing Spiritual Artifact.

Simultaneously, resolve filled Liu Wentao’s eyes. With a swing of his right hand, two gigantic Celestial Oxes, each over 70 centimeters long, appeared mid-air at his side.

One had golden patterns on its back, wings crackling thunderously, while the other was pale blue, emitting cold air upon arrival, although its spiritual status seemed inferior to the other—this was due to excessive Ether consumption that had yet to recover.

He said in a deep voice, “Thunderstorm, Frostbite, let’s go.”

At this moment, Liu Wentao abandoned all illusions of escape.

If you can’t survive until the end, whether eliminated by a Spirit Master or a Magical Beast, you’ll lose 30% of your points.

But if there’s no hope of escape, you must at least try to take down one of the Magical Beasts with you, better than gaining nothing.

At that moment, Liu Wentao seemed to understand why the education bureau chose such a place for high school freshman trials.

Because it breaks the arrogance within novice Spirit Masters, and amidst crisis, they see their true selves clearly.

Liu Wentao focused intently, observing the surrounding movements.

After dispensing the concealment, something rapidly approached.

Shalala——

Liu Wentao concentrated his gaze, finally discerning the monster’s shape in the dim light.

It was a Shadow Blade Leopard polluted by Demonic Qi.

Its exterior resembled a leopard, yet its color seemed to merge into the darkness entirely, with crimson pupils, numerous grotesque lumps moving beneath its hide, and the long tail behind with serrated ridges formed a chainsaw-like structure.

It lay low, but not as a sign of submission—more as a precursor to a hunt.

Liu Wentao’s Adam’s apple moved up and down, heart pounding fiercely, the metallic taste of blood lingering in his mouth.

The Talent Insect Resonance had fully activated, amplifying the two Celestial Oxes with his Talent, as he prepared the three Tier One Spirit Patterns.

In the next moment, a cold glint flashed.

The Shadow Blade Leopard’s assault bore no warning, neither sound, born assassins who charge in the blink of an eye.

The Thunderbolt Celestial Ox reacted swiftly, releasing a golden electric net first, but the Shadow Blade Leopard abruptly seemed to defy physics, stopping ten meters away from Liu Wentao, causing its attack to miss.

It merely stared at him with its crimson eyes, as if with a mocking gleam.

With nerves stretched to the extreme, Liu Wentao’s momentarily puzzled, then suddenly realized something.

Not good!

He whirled around abruptly.

To behold two sharp tail blades, brimming with Ethereal Fluctuation, already close.

It turned out there are two more?!

It’s over…

In an instant, Liu Wentao felt utterly hopeless; the Cold Air Celestial Ox was already in poor condition, and even if in perfect state couldn’t repel the two Shadow Blade Leopards simultaneously.

Suddenly, he heard something slicing through the air.

Whoosh——

Immediately following, a sharp crimson beam pierced the thick surrounding gloom.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep