"Senior Brother Xiao, where do we go next?" Zhang Dali asked cautiously, afraid of disturbing Xiao Han's thoughts.
Xiao Han glanced at the rudimentary map distributed by the academy. The safety routes and suggested activity areas marked on it seemed like child's play to him. The Eternal Night King Martial Soul within him, as well as that mystical system, had already provided much deeper guidance.
"Ignore the map, just follow me." Xiao Han said calmly, without offering any explanation.
The three men were startled and dared not ask any more questions, silently urging their wildebeests to follow.
Thus, this marginal squad, which was destined to be cannon fodder in the eyes of others, began to deviate from the route planned by the academy and ventured deeper and more dangerous into the heart of the Red Ridge Mountain Range.
The further you go, the more terrifying the beasts you encounter become.
The [Red Rock Giant Python] at the Fifth Level of the Martial Master Realm and the [Three-Eyed Demon Ape] at the Sixth Level of the Martial Master Realm, both considered formidable by the students of Zero Class, were like chickens and dogs in front of Xiao Han.
Often, just as Zhang Dali activated his [Thick Earth Savage Bear] Martial Soul and prepared to withstand the attack, Wang Hu's figure would vanish in a blur, and Li Min's [Words of Sweet Rain] would barely land before the battle was over.
Xiao Han's movements were unpredictable, his steps as elusive as a ghost as he weaved through the horde of strange beasts.
He rarely even uses his Martial Soul; he can resolve battles precisely and efficiently simply with his seemingly ordinary fists or the occasional wisp of cyan sword energy he strikes with his fingers.
That fist, imbued with the Destruction Intent, seemed capable of Obliteration life with every strike; that seemingly gentle Green Lotus Sword Qi possessed a terrifying penetrating power that could purify and dispel illusion.
"Gulp."
When Xiao Han smashed the skull of a [Earth-Splitting Demon Bear] at the Peak Sixth Level of the Martial Master Realm with another punch, and the raging giant bear collapsed to the ground before it could even let out a scream, Wang Hu swallowed hard and looked at Xiao Han with almost worshipful eyes.
That's incredible! Absolutely incredible!
Is this really the strength of Martial Master Realm Fourth Level Peak? Even the top geniuses in the Core Sequence, such as Long Aotian and Ye Wuchen, wouldn't possess such terrifying combat power—crushing opponents of the same level or even instantly killing those several levels higher—at the Martial Master Realm Fourth Level, would they?
Zhang Dali and Li Min were already numb. From initial shock to later horror, and now to taking it for granted, it was as if it were perfectly normal for Xiao Han to do anything outrageous.
The atmosphere within the team shifted from initial tension and oppression to a strangely relaxed one.
They discovered that as long as they followed Xiao Han, there seemed to be nothing to worry about.
On this day, the four of them arrived at the entrance to a narrow and precipitous canyon.
The canyon is flanked by dark red cliffs hundreds of meters high, sheer and rugged, covered with jagged rocks, with only a few drought-resistant, twisted plants stubbornly growing there. The canyon is dimly lit, with gusts of cold wind blowing through it, making a howling sound like ghosts wailing.
"Senior Brother Xiao, something feels off here." Wang Hu shivered. Although his B-grade [Phantom Shadow Civet Cat] Martial Soul wasn't strong in combat, it was quite sensitive to danger.
Even without him saying it, Xiao Han had already noticed something was wrong.
As soon as he stepped into the canyon, Xiao Han's Eternal Night King Martial Soul trembled slightly.
It's not a yearning, it's a warning.
This feeling is somewhat similar to the ambush I experienced in the secret realm of another dimension.
"There's danger ahead." Xiao Han's expression was calm, but his words carried an undeniable chill. He gazed into the deep canyon. "There are quite a few of them, and they're not weak. They could be a horde of strange beasts, or... people."
"People?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Dali and the other two's expressions all changed.
In the Red Ridge Mountain Range, sometimes, one's own kind can be far more dangerous than a strange beast.
"Find a place to hide and conceal your presence completely," Xiao Han ordered in a deep voice. "Without my order, do not make a sound or move."
His tone left no room for negotiation.
"Yes, Senior Brother Xiao!"
The three dared not delay and quickly found a hollow nearby, hidden by boulders and bushes, and nimbly hid inside.
Once Xiao Han confirmed that they were safely hidden, he subtly activated the Shadow Void Scripture.
With a flicker, he vanished into the shadows at the canyon entrance, his presence instantly disappearing without a trace, indistinguishable from the surrounding darkness.
Even if a Martial Grandmaster came, he wouldn't be able to find his whereabouts without careful investigation.
The steep cliffs on both sides of the canyon cast large, dark shadows.
Using this as cover, Xiao Han stealthily slipped deeper into the canyon.
It moved incredibly fast, yet landed without making a sound; every movement was perfectly synchronized with its surroundings.
They moved stealthily for about a kilometer.
Ahead, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a relatively wide valley.
Upon seeing the situation inside the valley, Xiao Han's heart sank slightly.
Dozens of enormous lizard-like creatures were lazily perched in the valley.
These monitor lizards are covered in thick, dark brown scales that are exceptionally hard. Their limbs are strong and powerful, covered with sharp claws, and a long, thick tail swings frequently, creating gusts of fierce wind.
They exuded a cruel and bloodthirsty aura.
"Mountain Ridge Giant Lizard..." The thought flashed through Xiao Han's mind.
A powerful, gregarious beast, renowned for its thick hide, immense strength, and superhuman abilities.
A quick glance suggests that this group of Mountain Ridge Giant Lizards numbers at least twenty.
Furthermore, the aura emanating from each of them firmly indicated that they were at the Sixth Level of the Martial Master Realm!
What made Xiao Han even more solemn was that in the very center of the giant lizard swarm, there was a huge creature lying there.
That giant beast was twice the size of its kind next to it.
Its scales were a darker color, almost jet black, and it had a menacing single horn sticking out of its head.
The pressure it exuded was clearly at the Seventh Level Peak of the Martial Master Realm!
Without a doubt, this is the king of this group of Mountain Ridge Giant Lizards!
A group of thugs at the Sixth Level of the Martial Master Realm, plus a lizard king at the peak of the seventh level.
This force was enough to wipe out most of the academic teams that entered the Red Ridge Mountain Range.
However, that's not all.
Xiao Han's gaze swept subtly over the towering cliffs on both sides of the canyon.
The warning from the Eternal Night King Martial Soul didn't just come from the swarm of lizards below. In the seemingly calm crevices and shadows of the rock walls, he faintly sensed several subtle fluctuations of energy.
Although these auras were well concealed, they still could not escape his keen perception of shadows and space.
"As expected, there are others..." Xiao Han sneered inwardly, his eyes deep and unfathomable.
Is it a case of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind? Or is this itself a trap set for certain targets?
In either case, this is a good opportunity for Xiao Han.
Without the slightest hesitation, he made a decision in an instant—to strike first!
Instead of waiting for unknown variables, it's better to take the initiative and control the situation.
Xiao Han quietly activated the Eternal Night King Martial Soul, and an invisible Domain Prototype silently spread outwards from him towards the valley.