Chapter 50: Four Stages!

Half a month later, in the wilderness.

Along a torch-lit path stretching into the depths of night, Jiang Tian, Deng, and the others wore grim expressions as they stared at a large, vicious dog.

Its body exceeded two meters in length—clearly a Creek Realm vicious dog.

There were four of them in the squad; where was the fourth?

At this moment, Lu Ran held the Radiant Blade, moving through the dark open wilderness, luring two smaller vicious dogs.

A continuous string of “woof woof woof” sounds made the heart restless.

In certain moments, Lu Ran wanted to turn and strike, but reason made him hold back.

The two vicious dogs he’d lured away were both at Mist Realm stages 3 to 4; Lu Ran could not return to kill them, and had to constantly guard against their Evil Fang technique!

“Such a nuisance!”

Lu Ran muttered under his breath, adjusting the red cloth tied over his eyes.

Regarding the skill of “identifying position by sound,” Lu Ran had trained for a full half-month and had finally begun to grasp its basics.

But the situation was too dangerous now—he still chose to rely on his eyes for observation and combat support.

“Lu Brother! It’s coming!” came Deng Yutang’s loud roar from afar.

“Sss!”

Misty immaterial energy surged beneath Lu Ran’s feet, launching him forward, instantly putting distance between himself and the dogs behind.

Even more terrifying: at the very moment Lu Ran departed, four sharp fangs materialized out of thin air and snapped shut on empty space.

One must admit,

Divine Art: Immortal Hoof is damn perfect for wilderness skirmishes!

Lu Ran continued to kite them, turning his head toward the torch-lit path, where he saw the Creek Realm vicious dog leaping forward.

“Baa~”

The sheep’s bleat was soft and faint, barely noticeable—but the keen senses of the vicious dog clan heard it clearly!

The Creek Realm vicious dog instinctively turned its head and saw a shadow, ghostlike, cutting across the torch-lit path.

The phantom emerged from the pitch-black wilderness on one side and vanished instantly into the pitch-black wilderness on the other, disappearing without a trace.

Only a faint mist drifted across the torch-lit path.

The scene was eerie, even chilling.

It was hard to tell who the real demon was.

“Demon!” Deng Yutang seized the moment, stepping forward, his spear tip thrusting beneath the dog’s belly and snapping upward!

Whoosh!!

From Deng Yutang’s body, a human-shaped phantom expanded outward—much larger than his physical form.

Just like a martial soul true body!

The figure was blurry, its face indistinct, but the red cloth wrapped around its head was unmistakable.

Divine Art: Red Cloth Soul!

The Creek Realm vicious dog was already massive and swift; under its full charge, its impact was immense.

Ordinary Mist Realm believers had only one fate—being knocked down and torn apart.

But the Red Cloth believer, Deng Yutang, summoned his ancestor’s spirit to possess him, instantly boosting his physical attributes!

“Rise!!”

Deng Yutang roared, spear thrusting upward, violently hurling the Creek Realm vicious dog into the air.

Behind the squad, Jiang Ruyi narrowed her eyes, sparks flickering from her fingertips as she flung a Burst Flame Talisman into the night sky.

“Boom!”

Fire erupted, flames roared!

Instantly, the vicious dog’s howls echoed across the heavens.

Jiang Ruyi did not stop—her fingertips trembled as she rapidly drew the next Burst Flame Talisman.

This tactic had been refined through countless live drills into the optimal solution.

Deng Yutang had once considered striking the dog dead while it was distracted.

But such a method had low tolerance for error.

Because Deng Yutang had to land a one-hit kill—no room for even the slightest mistake!

Otherwise, the vicious dog, charging with tremendous momentum, would likely pierce through his spear and slam directly into him.

If the dog didn’t die instantly and instead thrashed wildly in its death throes—

The consequences would be unthinkable!

“Boom!”

The Creek Realm vicious dog had just reached its peak height when another Burst Flame Talisman arrived.

Jiang Ruyi’s divine power surged, her eyes locked on the dog, yet she spoke: “Watch Lu Ran.”

Tian Tian had been standing in front of Jiang Ruyi, shield raised in vigilance—she was the squad’s final line of defense.

If the tactic failed, Tian Tian would have to step in.

Now that the Creek Realm vicious dog was a lamb awaiting slaughter, Tian Tian immediately knelt down to rescue the squad’s little lamb.

“Huff!”

Divine power surged, her shoulder-length hair fluttering.

Divine Art: Lotus Bud!

Twenty meters ahead, a lotus bloomed silently.

“Lu Ran,” Tian Tian strained to shout, but her voice remained quiet.

“Lu Brother!” Deng Yutang raised his voice, echoing through the eerie wilderness.

“Coming!”

A voice drew nearer—finally, the phantom emerged from the dark wilderness.

Lu Ran spotted the lotus blooming on the torch-lit path and sprinted straight toward it.

Clearly, the squad had rehearsed this tactic countless times.

“Woof!”

“Woof!!” Behind, the two dogs chased relentlessly, snarling in fury.

Speed was the vicious dog clan’s strength.

Yet this damned human was utterly infuriating!

Every second Lu Ran lived seemed to mock: “Is that all your little dogs can do?”

“Woof!”

The dog’s eyes suddenly glowed—it saw the fleeing figure suddenly turn around?

Indeed, as Lu Ran neared the illusory lotus, he spun sharply and slid backward.

He bent his legs, leaned his upper body forward, even plunged his blade into the ground, sliding backward through the illusory lotus.

The dog, impatient, lunged forward immediately.

Its landing point was obvious.

The illusory lotus was a mouse trap; Lu Ran was the tempting cheese.

“Woof!”

The dog behind, seeing its companion leap forward, opened its jaws and activated its technique again.

Evil Fang technique!

Four fangs materialized, assembling before Lu Ran and snapping shut.

But before the fangs fully formed, Lu Ran had already sensed the energy fluctuation.

“Bang!”

Lu Ran’s foot kicked off the ground, leaping sharply sideways.

The illusory lotus snapped shut instantly, trapping the dog that had flown into it—and as its petals closed into a Lotus Bud, it solidified into reality.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The dog, landing precisely, was firmly sealed inside the Lotus Bud.

The dog behind crashed into the now-solid Lotus Bud.

The two demonic hunters, working in tandem, were now split apart.

Though separated by only petals, they could no longer aid each other.

At the same moment, Deng Yutang charged forward.

“Die!”

Deng Yutang moved with astonishing speed—like wind and lightning!

Because his ancestor’s spirit had not yet left his body!

The so-called surge in all attributes, of course, included speed.

Hearing this, Lu Ran immediately whispered a soft sheep bleat:

“Baa~”

Instantly, the dog’s focus fractured—the Heaven’s Spear was already upon it!

Could Deng Yutang handle a full-force charge from a Creek Realm vicious dog and not defeat a mere Mist Realm vicious dog?

Three thrusts, two thrusts—the dog’s life ended!

“Tian Tian!” Lu Ran barked sharply, mist swirling beneath his feet as he charged straight toward the Lotus Bud.

Tian Tian dared not divert her attention for an instant, her eyes locked on Lu Ran’s figure.

Just before his shadow would have struck the Lotus Bud, Tian Tian hastily retracted her small hand.

The Lotus Bud, deprived of its master’s divine power, instantly dissolved into a phantom shadow.

“You little mutt, I’ve had enough of you!”

Lu Ran, wielding the Radiant Blade, slashed straight through the illusory lotus.

“Sss!”

A jet-black dog’s head soared high, spraying gouts of crimson blood.

And Lu Ran plunged into the dark wasteland, vanishing once more.

“Well done,” Jiang Ruyi bent down, gently patting Tian Tian’s head.

“Mm,” Tian Tian, kneeling on one knee, lifted her little face, beaming with a sweet smile.

Far behind the two girls lay a mangled, bloody canine corpse.

The Stream Realm’s Evil Dog had been blown to shreds, long since lifeless.

“Flap, flap, flap~”

High above, a crow circled, taking in everything below.

Even though Dou Zhiqiang had seen much in his time, he couldn’t help sigh inwardly.

Brilliant!

A four-member squad, averaging Mist Realm·Stage Three, slaughtered one Stream Realm Evil Dog and two Mist Realm Evil Dogs without a scratch.

Each member showcased their sect’s unique strengths, moving with flawless synergy.

Their assault flowed like mercury spilling to the ground—utterly seamless!

This clip should be recorded and sent to the school as a beginner’s manual!

Such flawless coordination isn’t luck.

As the proctoring instructor, Dou Zhiqiang had witnessed their growth over the past fifteen days.

The summer assignment had no grading—only completion mattered.

Otherwise, he really should’ve given these students…?

The jet-black crow flapped its wings, its eyes piercing the endless night, locking onto a spot in the dark wilderness.

In its gaze, the boy with the blade trembled slightly, his body wreathed in mist.

“Mmm~”

Lu Ran closed his eyes, letting out a sigh of pleasure.

Divine power surged within him; the divine power bead at his neck released mist, aiding his ascent to a higher realm.

Mist Realm·Stage Four!

At the same moment, within Lu Ran’s spiritual realm, in the mist-shrouded garden of demonic statues:

The colossal statue of the Evil Dog clan, once dull-eyed, now faintly glowed with a faint, eerie light.

(End of Chapter)