Bai Yang's Scheme, The Black Beast Demon's Silhouette

Ten days later.

The group trekked through mountains and rivers, covering nearly thirty kilometers of rugged terrain before arriving at a river valley cliff.

Facing the cliff ahead, Zhang Xiaohou displayed extraordinary courage just like in the original work, using Wind Element Magic to leap across the chasm and bringing the crossing rope with him.

"Good one, Monkey." Dongfang Chen gave Zhang Xiaohou a thumbs up.

Zhang Xiaohou smiled shyly.

Mofan, however, shot Dongfang Chen a dirty look.

"Dongfang, I seriously doubt you came here for training, not sightseeing."

Over these past days, everyone was covered in dust and grime—except Dongfang Chen and Ye Xin Xia by his side.

Not only were their faces and clothes spotless, but they didn't even have a speck of dirt on them.

"Who told you not to awaken Water Magic?" Dongfang Chen said with a grin.

"So what if I'm Innate All Element?" Mofan grumbled.

There were classmates who had awakened Water Magic, but none of them wasted Magic energy as casually as Dongfang Chen did.

At most, they'd summon a water source for a quick rinse.

"Let's set that aside. Don't you think you're slacking off too much?"

"How so? If Monkey hadn't stepped in, I would've had Xin Xia handle it." Dongfang Chen smiled.

"How would Ye Xin Xia handle it? She doesn't have Wind Element Magic."

"But she has Wing Magic Equipment. Sure, Xin Xia can't sustain it for long with her Magic energy, but crossing a cliff is More Than Enough."

Dongfang Chen's words left Mofan red-faced with frustration. Was this guy just showing off his rich-boy strength?

After dealing with Dongfang Chen more often, Mofan wasn't as clueless as before.

He still had no money, but his horizons had broadened considerably, so he knew just how rare Wing Magic Equipment really was.

Classmates like Zhou Min and Zhang Shuhua also cast envious glances.

"Alright, enough chatting. Let's move on."

Dongfang Chen glanced back at the grass behind them, where a military recorder was noting down everyone's performance.

Still, he stuck to his plan of coasting along.

After all, Zhan Kong had said that as long as he slacked off, he'd get the highest score—an S rating.

Past the cliff, the group entered Hundred Grass Valley.

The valley was filled with weak Vine Demons.

In Dongfang Chen's eyes, these Vine Demons were so numerous they were practically no different from roadside weeds.

But for the Advanced Class students, they posed a decent challenge.

Vine Demons weren't lethal, but they would bind people up, cut their skin, and suck nutrients from Fresh Blood.

Especially the female students—the Vine Demons loved wrapping around their thighs, hanging them upside down, offering quite a spectacle.

These weren't Vine Demons at all—they were Vine Bodhisattvas!

Still, the Advanced Class students weren't that pathetic. After a brief moment of panic at first sight, they calmed down and handled things methodically.

Ye Xin Xia took the chance to cut down quite a few Vine Demons with her Slaying Magic Equipment.

She performed the best among them, staying calm under pressure and handling things steadily.

Past the valley was a cave entrance at the mountain pass.

That was their destination for this trip.

All along the way, Zhan Kong had secretly sent people to follow the student team.

One was to ensure the students' safety, the other to relay information and grade their training performance.

"Boss! Something's wrong!"

Bai Yang rushed over in a panic.

His actions made many school teachers' hearts tighten.

But Zhan Kong didn't get flustered. He asked calmly, "What happened?"

"Our Scout reports that three Commander Level Bone Thorn Fierce Wolves are approaching the students' training site."

"Commander Level?!" Zhan Kong frowned. "Didn't we clear out the Demons in the area before the training? How did Commander Level Demons suddenly appear? And three of them at once!"

"I don't know either. But if we leave them alone, the students might be in danger." Bai Yang continued.

Zhan Kong's brow remained furrowed.

In normal times, they could slowly deal with three Commander Level Demons by sending out a team.

But not now. To ensure the students' safety, they had to kill those three Commander Levels immediately, and the only one in the entire military with that kind of strength was himself, a High-Tier Mage.

Then Zhan Kong turned to his deputies Pan Lijun and Luo Yun and said, "You two keep running the training here. I'm going to go kill those three beasts. Bai Yang, your task stays the same—let your Summoned Beast give those students a scare, but watch your limits."

Bai Yang nodded immediately, a teasing grin spreading across his face. "Got it, Boss Zhan Kong. I won't scare them too badly—they're the nation's flowers, after all. Wouldn't want to leave them with psychological trauma."

Zhan Kong: "No, I'm worried your Ghost Wolf Beast will scare them so convincingly that That Kid Dongfang Chen will end up killing it for real."

Bai Yang: "..."

With that, Zhan Kong spread his High-Level Magic Wind Wings and flew toward the three Sub-Bone Thorn Wolves.

Inside the cave.

"Awooo!!!"

The chilling beast roar left the students frozen in place.

Everyone had talked big about slaying Demons, about it being a Mage's duty... but when they actually faced a Demon, they suddenly realized things weren't as naive as they'd imagined.

Faced with the Ghost Wolf Beast's roar, most of them stood rooted to the spot, their bodies stiff and uncontrollable.

Their hearts were already filled to the brim with the sheer terror of confronting a Demon.

Only now could they truly understand how terrifying the Demons in their textbooks really were.

"Run!"

With someone's sudden shout, most of the students scrambled out of the cave in panic.

"Wind, Wind Track... damn it, I can't connect to the Star Seeds..."

Zhang Xiaohou hadn't fled, but the panic deep inside him kept him from casting any magic properly.

It wasn't just Zhang Xiaohou—even Mubai and Xu Zhaoting, who usually had good grades at school, couldn't unleash a single spell.

"Fan, Fan Ge, Brother Chen, what... what do we do now?"

Zhang Xiaohou was doing alright, at least managing to get the words out whole.

Mofan was scared too, but at least he wasn't as pathetic as the others.

As for Dongfang Chen and Ye Xin Xia.

They had faced Demons many times before. A mere Ghost Wolf Beast wasn't enough to frighten them.

"Heh, I promised someone I wouldn't make a move." Dongfang Chen looked at Mofan and Zhang Xiaohou with a smile. "So, what do you say? If you two don't dare to act, I'll have Xin Xia do it instead."

Ye Xin Xia playfully flexed her bicep beside him, the Shield Magic Tool and Slaying Magic Equipment on her wrist already primed.

"Let Big Sister Xin Xia make a move? Brother Chen, are you kidding? Maybe we should just run, or we'll really die here."

Zhang Xiaohou was still pleading.

But just then.

A Foul Odor wafted from deep within the cave.

On either side of the Ghost Wolf Beast, twisted, monkey-faced Demons with malformed bodies emerged.

"Ugh... what, what are these? Why do they stink so bad!"

Zhang Xiaohou and Mofan were choked by the stench.

Dongfang Chen's expression turned serious.

Beside the Ghost Wolf Beast were unmistakably the Black Church's signature Black Beast Demons!

"Heh, he's right. If you don't run now, your lives are done for here. But then again... it's already too late..."

From the shadows of the cave, Bai Yang's figure slowly Emerged.