Fourth Stage!

Half a month later, in the wilderness.

Along a torch-lit path stretching into the depths of the night sky, the Jiang Tian Deng Trio all wore grave expressions as they watched a rather large Vicious Hound.

It was over two meters long, clearly a Stream Realm Vicious Hound.

They were obviously a four-man squad, so where had the other person gone?

At that moment, Lu Ran held the Xiaguang Saber as he moved through the dark wilderness, drawing away two smaller Vicious Hounds.

The string of "woof woof woof" cries was enough to make anyone's head ache.

Several times, Lu Ran had wanted to turn around and kill them, but reason made him hold back.

The two Vicious Hounds he had taunted away were both Mist Realm: Third to Fourth Stage. Not only could Lu Ran not turn back to kill them, he also had to remain constantly wary of their Evil Technique: Evil Teeth!

"What a pain!"

Lu Ran muttered under his breath, tugging at the Red Turban over his eyes with one hand.

After a full half-month of training, Lu Ran had finally gained a preliminary grasp of Listening to Sound to Identify Position.

But the situation was far too dangerous right now, so he still chose to use his eyes to assist in battle.

"Brother Lu! It's coming!" Deng Yutang's furious roar rang out from afar.

"Hiss!"

Divine Mist spread beneath Lu Ran's feet. He launched forward in an instant, opening a gap between himself and the Vicious Hounds behind him.

Even more terrifyingly, at the very moment Lu Ran left, four sharp tusks appeared out of thin air and snapped viciously at empty air.

It had to be said—

Divine Technique: Immortal Hoof was damn well suited for kiting!

Lu Ran continued drawing them around while turning to look toward the torch-lit path. He saw the Stream Realm Vicious Hound's back as it leaped forward.

"Baa~"

The sheep's bleat was soft and faint, difficult to notice. Yet the keen-sensed Vicious Dog Clan heard it clearly!

The Stream Realm Vicious Hound instinctively turned around, only to see a ghostlike figure crossing the torch-lit path.

The Phantom darted out from the pitch-black wilderness on one side and instantly vanished into the pitch-black wilderness on the other.

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

The sight was both strange and terrifying.

It was impossible to tell who the real demon was.

"Monster!" Deng Yutang seized the opportunity to step forward, thrusting his spear tip beneath the Vicious Hound's belly before violently lifting upward!

Whoosh!!

A humanoid phantom unexpectedly spread out from Deng Yutang's body, several times larger than his physical form.

Just like a damn Martial Soul true body!

The figure was blurry, its features impossible to make out, but the Red Turban wrapped around its head was exceptionally clear.

Divine Technique: Red Turban Soul!

The Stream Realm Vicious Hound was already enormous and incredibly fast. With the momentum of its pounce, its impact was unquestionably devastating.

An ordinary Mist Realm Believer had only one fate—being knocked to the ground and savagely torn apart.

Yet Deng Yutang, a Red Turban Believer, directly summoned his ancestor to possess him, causing all his physical attributes to surge explosively!

"Up!!"

With an angry roar, Deng Yutang speared the Stream Realm Vicious Hound and viciously hurled it into the high altitude.

At the rear of the team, Jiang Ruyi's beautiful eyes narrowed. Sparks burst from her fingertips as she flung an Exploding Flame Talisman into the night sky.

"Rumble!"

Firelight erupted, and blazing flames churned!

At once, the Vicious Hound's wails rang through the heavens.

Jiang Ruyi did not stop. Her fingertips trembled as she rapidly drew another Exploding Flame Talisman.

This tactic was the optimal solution they had arrived at through repeated practical drills.

Deng Yutang had once considered simply stabbing the Vicious Hound to death while its attention was diverted.

But that approach allowed too little room for error.

Deng Yutang had to land a one-hit kill, without the slightest mistake!

Otherwise, the Vicious Hound charging in with tremendous momentum would most likely pierce straight through the spear shaft, which was no different from directly pouncing onto Deng Yutang.

If the Vicious Hound did not die immediately and instead struggled desperately, biting wildly—

The consequences would be unthinkable!

"Rumble!"

Just as the Stream Realm Vicious Hound reached its highest point, another Exploding Flame Talisman had already arrived.

Divine Power surged through Jiang Ruyi's body. Her eyes never left the Vicious Hound, yet she said, "Watch Lu Ran."

Tian Tian had been standing before Jiang Ruyi with her shield raised in guard. She was also the final defense line of the three-person group.

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

Now that the Stream Realm Vicious Hound had become a lamb awaiting slaughter, Tian Tian immediately dropped to one knee to rescue her team's Little Fatty Sheep.

Whoosh!

Divine Power surged, sending Tian Tian's short, ear-length hair fluttering.

Divine Technique: Lotus Bud!

Twenty meters ahead, a lotus quietly bloomed.

"Lu Ran." Tian Tian tried to call out, but her voice was still soft.

"Brother Lu!" Deng Yutang raised his voice, making it ring across the surrounding gloomy wilderness.

"Coming!"

A voice drew closer from afar. The Phantom finally appeared in the pitch-black wilderness.

Lu Ran spotted the lotus blooming from the flat ground on the torch-lit path and charged straight toward it.

Clearly, the team had practiced this tactic more times than they could count.

"Woof!"

"Woof!!" The two Vicious Hounds behind him gave furious cries as they pursued relentlessly.

Speed was the Vicious Dog Clan's specialty.

And now, this damned human was truly, utterly hateful!

Every second Lu Ran remained alive seemed to be mocking them: Is that all you skinny dogs have?

"Woof!"

The Vicious Hound's dog eyes suddenly lit up. The fleeing figure before it had abruptly turned around?

Indeed, just as Lu Ran neared the illusory lotus, he suddenly turned and slid backward.

His legs bent, his upper body leaned forward, and he even drove his saber into the ground, sliding backward through the illusory lotus.

Unable to wait any longer, the Vicious Hound pounced.

Its landing point went without saying!

The illusory lotus was like a mousetrap, while Lu Ran was the tempting piece of cheese.

"Woof!"

The Vicious Hound farther behind watched its companion pounce forward and opened its jaws, activating its evil technique once again.

Evil Technique: Evil Teeth!

Four tusks appeared from thin air, assembling before Lu Ran and snapping shut viciously.

Yet before the tusks had fully formed, Lu Ran had already sensed the energy fluctuations.

Bang!

Lu Ran stomped off the ground and violently leaped to the side.

The illusory lotus rapidly closed, catching the Vicious Hound that had walked into the net. The instant its petals sealed and it became a Lotus Bud, it turned solid.

Several muffled thuds rang out.

The accurately landing Vicious Hound was locked tightly inside the Lotus Bud.

The Vicious Hound farther behind crashed into the Lotus Bud that had become solid.

The two demons that had hunted together were split apart just like that.

Though only petals separated them, they could no longer assist each other.

At the same time, Deng Yutang had already lunged forward.

"Die!"

Deng Yutang was lightning fast, racing like the wind and flashing like lightning!

Because his ancestor had not yet left his body!

Naturally, the explosive rise in all attributes included speed.

The instant he heard this, Lu Ran opened his mouth and let out a soft sheep's bleat:

"Baa~"

In that instant, the Vicious Hound's attention was divided, and the Tianchen Spear was already upon it!

Deng Yutang could withstand the full-force pounce of a Stream Realm Vicious Hound. How could he fail to handle a mere Mist Realm Vicious Hound?

Two or three thrusts, and the dog's life was gone!

"Tian Tian!" Lu Ran shouted sharply. Mist churned beneath his feet as he charged directly toward the Lotus Bud.

Tian Tian did not dare lose focus for even a moment, her gaze fixed tightly on Lu Ran's figure.

Just before he was about to crash into the Lotus Bud, Tian Tian hurriedly withdrew her small hand.

Deprived of its Master's Divine Power supply, the Lotus Bud instantly turned into a phantom.

"Skinny dog, I've put up with you for a long time!"

Holding the Xiaguang Saber, Lu Ran passed straight through the illusory lotus.

"Hiss!"

A black dog head flew high into the air, spraying blood everywhere.

Lu Ran, meanwhile, rushed into the dark wilderness and disappeared once more.

"Well done." Jiang Ruyi bent down and gently patted Tian Tian's head.

"Mhm." Tian Tian, still kneeling on one knee, raised her small face and revealed a sweet smile.

Far behind the two women lay a mangled dog corpse.

The Stream Realm Vicious Hound had been blasted until it was covered in wounds, its life long since extinguished.

"Puff puff puff~"

A crow circled high in the sky, taking in everything below.

Even Dou Zhiqiang, despite his broad experience, could not help sighing inwardly.

Wonderful!

A four-man team with an average strength of Mist Realm: Third Stage had slain one Stream Realm Vicious Hound and two Mist Realm Vicious Hounds without suffering a single injury.

The four of them had each brought out the distinctive traits of their respective sects. Their coordination was flawless, their transitions smooth.

Their offensive was like mercury spilling across the ground, flowing through in one unbroken breath!

This segment really ought to be recorded and sent to the school as a beginner textbook!

Such skilled teamwork was not a matter of stumbling into Great Luck.

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

It was only because summer homework had no distinction between high and low results, only completed or not completed.

Otherwise, he truly should have given these students—hm?

The black crow flapped its wings. Its eyes pierced through the vast night, locking onto a spot in the dark wilderness.

Within his sight, the saber-wielding youth's body trembled slightly, mist winding around him.

"Mm~"

Lu Ran kept his eyes tightly shut and let out a pleased nasal tone.

Divine Power continuously surged through his body, while the Divine Power Bead around his neck released mist, helping him advance to a higher realm.

Mist Realm: Fourth Stage!

At the same time, within Lu Ran's Spiritual World, inside the mist-shrouded Evil Sculpture Garden—

The eyes of the enormous sculpture belonging to the Vicious Dog Clan, once dull and lifeless, quietly began to glow with an eerie light.