The Usual Method: Fishing

We've finally arrived at the first mission location.

The mountains here are higher and denser than those on the outskirts.

In some places, the gaps were so narrow that only one person could pass through sideways, and the holes were much larger than before. When the wind blew in, the whistling sound became low and muffled, as if some living thing was hiding in the cracks of the rocks, making a low growling sound.

Once everyone landed, they all concealed their auras.

"Arrive."

Zhang Xuan put away the Communicator and lowered his voice.

"This is the area."

"Sonic Pythons usually hide deep in mountain crevices or large holes. Their patterns are the same color as the rocks, making them indistinguishable without close inspection."

"Moreover... this thing can 'call.' If one calls, the whole area will respond. If the commotion gets too loud, we won't be able to escape."

Everyone straightened up.

Su Ye also released his Divine Sense.

As soon as he spread his Divine Sense, his brow twitched slightly.

Found it.

Su Ye quickly discovered the location of the Sonic Python.

In the images transmitted by Divine Sense, those large creatures were curled up, nestled at the foot of a mountain not far away. Several of them were entangled together, motionless, as if they were resting.

He ascertained the number of them, their strength, and even roughly the level of the few with the heaviest auras.

However, Su Ye did not tell the others the information he had discovered.

Since these people want to pass the Examination on their own merits.

Then he would grant their wish.

Su Ye withdrew his Divine Sense and stood to the side.

The meaning couldn't be clearer...

Next up is your turn.

"I'll go first."

Mu Wanrou stepped forward.

At this stop, those two long, straight legs became particularly eye-catching.

"Wanrou, you..."

What's wrong with me?

Mu Wanrou turned her head and raised an eyebrow.

"Didn't I do all the reconnaissance work for the team?"

As she spoke, Mu Wanrou raised her hand, palm facing up.

A faint bluish-green halo swirled in his palm; it was the aura of the intertwining of the Law of Wood and the Life Law.

Immediately, countless fluffy, white little things flew out of her palm.

Like dandelion seeds.

As soon as the seeds left my palm, they scattered on the ever-blowing mountain wind, drifting and floating in all directions.

It drifted so lightly and slowly that it almost blended into the wind, and no one could detect it.

Mu Wanrou closed her eyes.

When she opened her eyes again, they were filled with undisguised joy.

"Wanrou!"

Xia Zhiqiu was the first to approach.

"Have you made any discoveries?"

Mu Wanrou didn't answer immediately, but just curled the corners of her mouth, revealing a smug look.

Mu Wanrou has always played the role of a nanny in the team.

Having cultivated the Laws of wood and Life Law, she has always been responsible for healing and logistics, pulling her teammates back from the brink of death in various critical moments.

This position is important.

But Mu Wanrou has a heart that longs to carry.

So over the years, she has been desperately improving her Laws while searching for a fighting style that suits her.

She didn't want to be just a Healer hiding in the background.

She wanted to stand at the front.

This "Dandelion Detection" technique was something she figured out on her own.

She incorporated the Law of Wood and the Life Law into those tiny seeds.

The seeds drift with the wind, and she can sense wherever they go.

Wherever the wind blows, that's where her eyes and ears can see.

"I did find it. The Sonic Python's tracks are over there, at the bottom of that entire mountainside."

"But..."

Mu Wanrou changed the subject, her brows furrowing.

"But what?"

Zhang Xuan asked.

However, these Sonic Pythons are all gathered together.

Mu Wanrou's voice deepened.

"At least fifty."

"Fifty items?!"

Xia Zhiqiu's eyes widened in surprise.

"The key is... these Sonic Pythons all have very strong auras."

"They are mostly at the level of Lower Gods, and quite a few of them are at the Peak Lower God."

"What's even more deadly is..."

Mu Wanrou paused, her voice carrying a hint of solemnity.

"There are several of them, and I can't see through their auras at all."

"That feeling is very similar to the aura emanating from Su Ye."

"It should be Middle God."

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions on everyone's faces darkened.

Fifty Sonic Pythons, plus a few Middle God- level ones.

With just a few Lower Gods, charging forward would be tantamount to suicide.

"This situation..."

Zhang Xuan stroked his chin, his brows furrowed as he pondered for a long while.

"This is a bit tricky."

"A direct confrontation is basically hopeless."

Therefore, we must use strategy.

"Outsmarting?"

Upon hearing the words, Xia Zhiqiu became interested, her eyes lit up, and she was not afraid at all, but rather excited.

"Zhang Xuan, you're the smartest. Tell me, is there any way?"

Zhang Xuan looked up at him.

Then she smiled slightly.

"Of course... the usual!"

The phrase "the usual rules" caused everyone to pause in surprise.

Immediately, smiles appeared in several pairs of eyes.

"The usual..."

Xia Zhiqiu was the first to react, and burst out laughing.

The old rules that Zhang Xuan mentioned are nothing new.

That was a trick they'd been using like a pro since high school.

Fishing.

In high school, they went together for the first time to kill Field Mice in a mountain gully on the Suburbs.

Later, when they went to university, a few of them formed a team to go out and kill the Zhizhi Beasts.

They're all using the same tricks.

Lure the monster, divide and conquer.

He used it with unparalleled skill.

"Fishing."

Xia Zhiqiu finished laughing.

"We're familiar with this, let's do it this way!"

"Yes, this suggestion is feasible."

Even the usually silent Shen Mo spoke up, which was quite unusual.

"The Sonic Pythons are swarming; a direct confrontation is a dead end. But if we can break them apart and fish them out one by one, things will be much easier."

The problem is...

Mu Wanrou asked the most crucial question.

How do you fish? What do you use to fish?

Fishing always requires Bait, right?

Zhang Xuan didn't say anything.

He simply took out a few Pills from his Storage Bracelet.

The Pills was dark blue all over, with a faint sheen on its surface, and an indescribable smell wafted out as soon as it was taken out.

It has a slightly sweet, fishy smell, yet the sweetness is tinged with an indescribable fishy odor. The aroma is somewhat intoxicating, like something is whetting one's appetite.

"I specially prepared this before I came."

Zhang Xuan held the Pills in his palm.

"I named it 'Python-Luring Pill,' it's a bit old-fashioned, but it works."

"The scent emitted after this Pills is crushed is most attractive to the Sonic Python."

"Moreover... this smell travels extremely far. It can be smelled up to twenty kilometers away with the wind, but beyond twenty kilometers, the smell becomes very faint, almost undetectable."

Twenty kilometers?

Xia Zhiqiu gasped.

"This stuff is even more potent than snail rice noodles on Blue Star!"

"Almost."

Zhang Xuan smiled.

"Sonic Pythons have a very keen sense of smell; they'll swim this way as soon as they smell something."

What we need to do is...

"Crush this pill from twenty kilometers away."

"Then, following the wind direction, we gradually moved closer to the Sonic Python swarm."

"Get close enough, and you'll draw out the outermost few."

"After luring them out, we need to lead them away from the main group... and then, hook them one by one to a secluded place."

Finally, take out the lone ones.

"Kill one, then fish for another."

"Fifty may sound like a lot, but if you break it down and eat it one by one, it's not so scary."

Everyone's eyes lit up as they listened.

This method sounds really reliable.