The Trial of Life and Death

The day of the Li Clan Grand Competition was drawing closer and closer.

Two hundred miles north of Stone County lay a rugged mountain range. Powerful demonic beasts often roamed there, and poisonous miasma shrouded the area. Ordinary cultivators wouldn't dare set foot in it.

It was dusk. A nimble figure raced through the mountain forest.

It was Little Stone.

He was bare-chested, wearing only a pair of animal-hide shorts. In the afterglow of the setting sun, his skin gleamed bronze.

At that moment, he was carrying the corpse of a fearsome Black Striped Tiger over his shoulder. Every step left a deep footprint in the earth.

"Master, this Black Striped Tiger's Qi and Blood are even more vigorous than the Iron Back Bear's a few days ago!"

Little Stone spoke to Sage Xuanji through their mind link, excitement in his voice.

"After all, it was an Demonic Tiger with one foot in the Qi and Blood Realm."

Sage Xuanji chuckled.

Over the past few months, under Sage Xuanji's tutelage, Little Stone had hunted a great many demonic beasts and devoured the flesh of those with abundant Qi and Blood.

On top of that, Sage Xuanji had personally set up a second-tier Spirit Gathering Array for him, forcing Little Stone's cultivation all the way to Body Cultivation Grand Perfection.

He was just one step away from the Qi and Blood Realm.

But Sage Xuanji had told him that this final step was the hardest to take.

Many people got stuck at this stage for years, or even decades, without making the slightest progress.

As the sky darkened, roars echoed through the mountain forest.

Carrying the tiger's corpse, Little Stone entered a cave.

He had spent two days digging it out.

The cave was stocked with everything he needed for daily