Shadows in the Monster Mountain Range! (Please Follow)

After receiving Instructor Ruolin's special permission, Xiao Yan did not linger at the academy.

He knew time was pressing. The Three-Year Agreement hung over his head like a sharpened sword, driving him to improve his strength by every second possible.

After briefly familiarizing himself with the Outer Academy's basic situation and collecting his new student supplies, he reported to Instructor Ruolin and set out on his first journey of training beyond the academy.

His destination was the Monster Mountain Range!

According to academy rules, each outing for training could not exceed one month. He had to return on time to receive guidance and complete the necessary courses.

To Xiao Yan, this was both a restriction and a form of protection, preventing him from remaining beyond the academy's sight for too long and arousing suspicion.

The Monster Mountain Range stretched for thousands of miles, spanning several nations.

Countless savage magical beasts lived within it, alongside all kinds of rare herbs and minerals. It was a paradise for adventurers and mercenaries, but also a graveyard fraught with danger.

Xiao Yan chose to enter from the edge of the mountain range near the Jia Ma Empire.

He wore a fitted black outfit suited for movement, with the heavy black ruler strapped to his back. His eyes vigilantly swept across the dim forest around him.

The air was filled with the fishy stench of soil and the rank odor of some wild beast. From afar came occasional beastly roars that made one's heart tremble.

"Teacher, which direction should we go?" Xiao Yan asked inwardly.

With Han Feng, a teacher who had "seen much and knew much," he saved himself a great deal of time spent feeling his way around.

"Head deeper east," Han Feng instructed in a cold voice.

"The energy fluctuations there are relatively active, and there are more low-tier magical beasts. It is suitable for you to sharpen your skills at your current stage.

"Pay attention to finding a force known as a 'mercenary group.' They operate in that area year-round and are fairly familiar with the terrain and resource locations."

Han Feng's purpose was simple: to use battle to temper Xiao Yan's unstable Dou Qi while searching for chances to seize resources.

In his eyes, mercenary groups were merely tools for Xiao Yan to gain experience and replenish supplies.

"Understood." Xiao Yan nodded, circulated his Dou Qi, and began darting through the forest with agile movements.

The true strength of a Three-Star Dou Shi allowed him to move through the outskirts of the mountain range without much difficulty.

Before long, he encountered his first magical beast—a First-Tier Magical Beast, a Crimson Ice Snake.

This magical beast was not large, but it was incredibly fast and could spray venom with icy properties from its mouth.

"Use Suction Palm to disrupt its movements, then attack its vital point with your ruler technique!" Han Feng quickly laid out a tactic.

Xiao Yan followed his instructions. He curled his left hand slightly, and a force of suction appeared from nowhere, causing the charging Crimson Ice Snake to falter.

At that instant, his right hand gripped the black ruler on his back. Dou Qi poured into it, and the ruler glowed with a dark red light as it swept down viciously at the Crimson Ice Snake's weak point, carrying a somewhat domineering gust of wind!

"Flame Splitting Wave Ruler!"

Though he had only grasped it at a basic level, the power of this Mystic-tier High-grade Dou Technique was still not to be underestimated.

Where the ruler wind passed, grass and trees bowed low. Though the Crimson Ice Snake desperately tried to dodge, it was still struck by the edge of the attack. Its flesh split open, and after struggling a few times, it stopped moving.

Xiao Yan caught his breath and stepped forward to skillfully remove its magic core.

Feeling that the strike had consumed nearly one-third of his Dou Qi, he frowned.

The Flame Splitting Wave Ruler was indeed powerful, but its consumption of Dou Qi was terrifying as well. With his unstable Three-Star Dou Shi cultivation, he could use it at most three times before exhausting himself.

"Do not concern yourself with consumption. Battle itself is the fastest method of cultivation. Familiarize yourself with the Dou Technique as soon as possible and improve your proficiency. The consumption will naturally decrease," Han Feng said indifferently. "Keep moving and find the next target."

Over the following days, Xiao Yan became like a tireless killing machine. Under Han Feng's guidance, he continuously sought out First-Tier and Second-Tier Magical Beasts to fight.

He repeatedly used Suction Palm and Flame Splitting Wave Ruler. His combat skills truly improved at a visible rate, and his use of Dou Qi became much more practiced.

But accordingly, the Dou Qi within his body grew increasingly restless. The hidden danger of his unstable foundation gradually revealed itself through the frequent and intense battles.

Sometimes, after forcibly using Flame Splitting Wave Ruler, he could even feel a faint stabbing pain in his meridians.

"Teacher, I think something is wrong with my meridians," Xiao Yan said with some concern.

"It is nothing. This is a normal phenomenon when cultivating a domineering Dou Technique. Endure it, and you will get through it."

Han Feng did not care in the slightest. Instead, he urged Xiao Yan to continue.

In Han Feng's eyes, Xiao Yan's body was nothing more than a vessel and tool for restoring his Soul Power.

As long as Xiao Yan did not die and could continue providing Dou Qi, a few hidden injuries were utterly insignificant.

Several days later, Xiao Yan indeed encountered a small squad from the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.

Seeing that Xiao Yan was alone and young, they developed the intention to kill him and seize his treasures.

Thus, the result of the battle was without suspense.

Before the true strength of a Three-Star Dou Shi and a Mystic-tier Dou Technique, this mercenary squad, whose strongest member was only at the Dou Zhe level, was quickly slaughtered by Xiao Yan instead.

The herbs and magic cores they had painstakingly collected naturally fell into Xiao Yan's hands as well.

"The strong prey on the weak. That is the law." Han Feng coldly assessed Xiao Yan's somewhat pale face after his first killing. "You will get used to it. If you want to become strong, it is impossible to keep your hands free of blood."

Xiao Yan nodded silently, forcibly suppressing his discomfort. A trace of ruthlessness appeared in his eyes.

He gradually began adapting to this plundering method of growth.

However, Xiao Yan did not know that while he struggled, killed, and trained in the Monster Mountain Range, a pair of eyes was watching everything from afar.

On a mountain peak dozens of miles from Xiao Yan's location, Gu Long stood with his hands behind his back, his robes fluttering gently in the wind.

Ling Ying stood motionlessly behind him like a statue.

With Gu Long's current Dou Emperor-level Soul Power, covering this area and sensing Xiao Yan's movements was as easy as turning his hand.

He "watched" Xiao Yan battle magical beasts, clash with mercenaries, and use that Flame Splitting Wave Ruler that was riddled with flaws and possessed only the outward form. He also watched the increasingly unstable and restless Dou Qi within Xiao Yan's body.

"Seeking quick success has already damaged thirty percent of his foundation. Han Feng, you truly are doing your utmost to ruin him."

Gu Long's tone was calm, giving no hint of joy or anger.

The more "diligently" Xiao Yan cultivated according to Han Feng's guidance, the closer he drew to the abyss of destruction.

But that was precisely what Gu Long wanted.

"Young Master Gu Long, is there anything you need me to do?" Ling Ying asked in a low voice.

Though he did not know why Gu Long was paying such close attention to this boy from the Xiao Family, he would carry out any order Gu Long gave.

"No need." Gu Long shook his head. "Just watch and wait. Something more interesting will happen in the Monster Mountain Range soon."

His gaze seemed to pierce through layer upon layer of forest, looking toward the deeper parts of the mountain range.

According to those "memories," Yun Yun seemed about to appear here as well.

Although Xiao Yan's fate had been rewritten, some predetermined opportunities and events still seemed to be unfolding through a certain inertia.

He was very curious whether Xiao Yan, having been led astray by Han Feng, would still encounter the Misty Cloud Sect's leader.

As for himself, he was more like a detached observer, quietly watching from behind the scenes as this drama, which had strayed from its script, unfolded.

"Old Ling, let us take Xun Er to Jia Nan Academy first."

Gu Long turned around and no longer paid attention to Xiao Yan's "minor scuffles."

To him, the Monster Mountain Range itself also concealed some things worth exploring.

A month passed quickly.

Xiao Yan, carrying exhaustion all over his body, a few fresh scars, and a bundle full of magic cores and herbs, set out on the road back to Jia Nan Academy.

His practical combat experience had indeed increased, and he had become more proficient with Flame Splitting Wave Ruler. On the surface, it appeared that he had made rapid progress.

But he did not notice that the sense of instability in his aura had become even more obvious with this training expedition.

Inside the ring, Han Feng sensed the Dou Qi within Xiao Yan's body becoming increasingly "appetizing" through constant battles and offerings, and let out a satisfied snort from the depths of his soul.

Very good. Keep "growing" like this, you furnace...

The wind of the Monster Mountain Range still carried the scent of blood and wildness as it swept over every soul struggling to survive within it.

And an even greater storm was still brewing.