“We are all fellow disciples, so there’s no point in talking like this. As long as it’s not aimed at me, I, Ling Xiao, have always been generous with my fellow disciples.”
Ling Xiao smiled.
“No need for grand thanks, Brother Ling’s kindness is etched in my heart.”
Leng Hao took a deep breath and said.
Boom!
At that moment, the Five-Faced Beast had already dealt with the Giant Stone Monster. After all, the strength difference was significant, and the Giant Stone Monster was no match for the Five-Faced Beast.
Ling Xiao went over to collect the Giant Stone Monster’s demon core.
This item was essential for refining many medicinal materials and would surely be useful later.
Many materials from the Giant Stone Monster’s body were also necessary for setting up formations.
Ling Xiao had set up formations multiple times in recent days. Although he had prepared ample materials before entering the Moonlight Pagoda, when it came to materials, the more, the better.
Once he finished collecting the materials, Leng Hao’s injuries had mostly healed.
“Let’s go. I’m heading to the fourth stage, and I need the three of you to help.”
Ling Xiao already knew the entrance to the fourth stage and had the key, so he was definitely going.
“No problem.”
The reason these three could stay in the Moonlight Pagoda until now and gain so many benefits was entirely because of Ling Xiao.
So when Ling Xiao asked for their help, they were more than willing.
…
At the entrance to the fourth stage, the four suddenly stopped.
Dozens of metres away, terrifying energy fluctuations emanated, and a powerful, vast aura made it hard to even breathe.
“My goodness, it’s a Heaven-Human Realm gatekeeper!”
Leng Hao frowned.
Though the exact strength of this gatekeeper was unclear, it had undoubtedly reached the Heaven-Human Realm.
This was trouble.
The gatekeeper was a humanoid monster, not overly tall, about three metres, with white hair and beard, holding a long crescent blade, sitting on a boulder, showing no immediate intent to attack.
“What do we do, Brother Ling?”
Leng Hao asked.
“We must go to the fourth stage. As for this guy, I’ll figure something out!”
Ling Xiao took a deep breath.
The third stage was nearing its end, and the monsters appearing would likely get stronger, possibly reaching the Heaven-Human Realm within an hour.
The trial disciples had two choices.
Either enter the fourth stage or be eliminated.
Ling Xiao’s choice was clear: enter the fourth stage, as he was too curious about what lay inside.
“Brother Ling, why don’t the three of us distract that guy? With your movement skills, you should easily enter the fourth stage.”
Leng Hao suggested.
“No rush. I’ll first assess the gatekeeper’s situation.”
Ling Xiao wouldn’t make rash decisions. Even if he acted, he’d wait until he understood the opponent’s situation.
“Five-Faced Beast, distract the gatekeeper!”
Ling Xiao gave the order to the Five-Faced Beast.
The Five-Faced Beast shot a dark green toxic beam at the gatekeeper wielding the crescent blade.
The gatekeeper reacted and chased after the Five-Faced Beast.
“Its speed is slower than mine but faster than yours. You wouldn’t be able to hold it off. Use this chance to inject true essence into the disc, quickly!”
The gatekeeper didn’t kill the Five-Faced Beast instantly, indicating there was a chance for the trial disciples to survive. If so, Ling Xiao had an opportunity.
He had two more Five-Faced Beasts to use, enough to buy time. The next step was to activate the disc quickly.
“Understood!”
The other three didn’t hesitate, each standing at a side, placing their hands on the disc’s energy injection points.
The four injected true essence together, and the disc began to glow.
Meanwhile.
Dantai Lingzi and Liu Lie were also being chased in the third stage.
Without a Five-Faced Beast to help, even facing a Half-Step Heavenly Venerable with one-tenth strength left them in a sorry state.
“Sister Dantai, I’ll lure this guy away. You must survive and aim for first place to show them!”
Liu Lie darted off, drawing a Half-Step Heavenly Venerable beast with one-tenth strength after him.
On the other side, Dantai Lingzi began to flee as well.
She sensed that there couldn’t be just one monster chasing trial disciples. Before encountering greater danger, she had to try entering the fourth stage.
Liu Lie kept running, but he wasn’t Ling Xiao, and his speed couldn’t compare. The Half-Step Heavenly Venerable beast was closing in.
Dantai Lingzi also ran into trouble again.
It was another Half-Step Heavenly Venerable beast with one-tenth strength. Though she was at the early ninth Mortal Realm, she wasn’t entirely without a chance against it.
But after such a fight, she’d likely be exhausted or even gravely injured.
So, if she could avoid fighting, she’d choose to flee.
Those who remained knew that the longer they persisted, the greater the rewards.
On the steel warship, Wu Yang and Qin Wu stood before the Ancient Ship King, receiving orders.
“Both of you, find Ling Xiao. Once you do, don’t ask questions, just kill him!”
The Ancient Ship King had learned of the events in the Dragon Land. Ling Xiao had killed one of his top subordinates, and he couldn’t tolerate it.
Wu Yang and Qin Wu, controlled by the Black Spirit, were no longer themselves.
Their strength now belonged to the Black Spirit.
One was at the peak of the ninth Mortal Realm, the other at the invincible ninth Mortal Realm.
“Yes, sir!”
The two figures darted off to find Ling Xiao.
…
Some time earlier.
At the entrance to the Moonlight Pagoda.
Almost all the Moonlight Sect’s higher-ups had gathered, including the Demon Flame Heavenly Venerable.
The entire sect was filled with both anxiety and excitement.
Based on the timeline, the disciples inside were either all trapped or had broken records.
They had surpassed the records set by the Demon Flame Heavenly Venerable and Sect Leader Chang Yueying.
At least in terms of time. As for the rewards gained, that was unknown, as no disciple had been eliminated since Situ Jun.
“It’s the fifth day. Do you think someone has already found the entrance to the fourth stage?”
Chang Yueying suddenly asked.
“Impossible! They’re probably just evading the third stage’s pursuit. Finding the fourth stage’s entrance, how could it be that easy? Neither I nor you, Sect Leader, managed it. How could they?”
The Demon Flame Heavenly Venerable refused to believe anyone could achieve this.
Yet, in his mind, Ling Xiao’s image involuntarily surfaced.
“That kid!”
“What you couldn’t do doesn’t mean others can’t.”
The Golden Light Heavenly Venerable sneered, “I’m quite optimistic about that kid Ling Xiao. Who knows, he might have gained a tremendous opportunity inside and is heading toward the fourth stage.”
