Stabbing Themselves in the Foot! A Heavy Course on the Very First Night!

The outskirts of the Sunset Forest.

After a half-day march, the group finally stepped into the ancient, dense forest shrouded in the afterglow of the setting sun.

The treetops overhead blocked out the sun, and in the distance, the low roars of Soul Beast could be faintly heard.

The air was filled with the damp smell of decaying leaves, mixed with a faint, sweet, fishy odor.

"This taste..."

Osler wrinkled his nose.

"It's poison!"

Ye Qing continued walking, leading the group through a maze of bushes, finally stopping in front of an area shrouded in a pale green mist.

The scene before my eyes was bizarre.

A semi-transparent poisonous barrier enveloped the area several hundred meters ahead.

The area within the fog was clear and tranquil, clearly distinct from the dangerous atmosphere outside.

"Take this."

Ye Qing took out a brocade pouch.

He distributed the several pills, which were neatly arranged inside and emitted Purple glow, to everyone.

"This is an antidote pill. After taking it, you can safely pass through the poison barrier and enter the inner circle."

"The poison barrier can isolate most of the Soul Beast in Sunset Forest, essentially creating a natural safe house."

He held up one finger.

"The rules are simple."

"Each person has a limited number of antidote pills."

"During the special training, whenever you encounter a danger you can't withstand, you can take a pill to retreat back into the poison barrier to avoid danger."

"But if the pills run out within six months, it means the special training has failed."

Ye Qing's gaze swept over everyone, and his tone suddenly turned cold.

"Serious offenders will be kicked out of the Imperial Fighting Team."

These words instantly froze the previously lighthearted atmosphere.

The group exchanged glances, their expressions turning serious.

Ye Qing pointed to an open area outside the poison barrier. "Tonight, we'll set up camp on the outer perimeter and officially begin survival training."

The group immediately dispersed and set up their own tents.

Dugu Yan grabbed Ye Qing's sleeve and pulled him aside.

He lowered his voice and asked, "This poisonous barrier... was it caused by Grandpa?"

Ye Qing raised an eyebrow, smiling innocently, "Guess?"

"What's there to guess? Who else but Grandpa could make something like this?"

Dugu Yan rolled her eyes. "He actually went along with your nonsense."

"That's because your grandfather knows what's good for you; he knows it's for your own good."

Ye Qing shrugged.

In fact, Dugu Bo got a headache as soon as he heard that he had to help Ye Qing find Soul Ring.

Compared to finding Soul Ring that is eighty or ninety thousand years old or longer for him, setting up a poison barrier is a much simpler task.

Dugu Yan snorted in annoyance.

Ye Qing saw that everyone's tents were almost set up.

Suddenly, he turned his head to the side, a meaningful smile curving his lips.

"Yanzi, would you like to share a tent with me?"

Dugu Yan's face flushed red.

Memories of being so exhausted from my two-day weekend that I could barely get out of bed kept flashing through my mind.

My thighs are so sore that I'm trembling when I walk.

I almost gave myself away in front of my teammates today.

She instinctively squeezed her legs together, gritting her teeth and whispering a warning.

"Don't even think about it!"

How much sound insulation can a tent with its thin leather cover provide?

If they heard this, wouldn't I have any shame?!

"During special training—abstinence! Do you hear me?!"

Dugu Yan turned and left; she wanted to set up her own tent!

"Ha?"

Ye Qing's smile froze on her face.

Ye Qing watched Dugu Yan's resolute back as she walked away.

A gentle evening breeze swept through the Sunset Forest.

Ye Qing covered her face.

This is probably what it feels like to lift a stone only to drop it on your own foot.

Night fell.

Sunset Forest has completely changed its appearance.

The warm rays of sunlight that pierced through the tree canopy during the day had vanished.

Instead, there was an impenetrable darkness.

In the distance, the roars of beasts echoed through the dense forest, sometimes near, sometimes far, making it impossible to discern their direction.

The camp outside the poison barrier.

Eight tents were arranged in a circle.

The campfire in the center has gone out.

The entire Imperial Fighting Team entered a meditative state.

But no one was able to truly calm down.

Every roar of the beasts reminded them that this was not a single dormitory in the academy; this was the territory of the Soul Beast.

Dugu Yan sat cross-legged in the tent, her Soul Power slowly circulating within her body.

Her eyes were closed, but her ears never relaxed for a moment.

Click!

A very faint sound came from outside the tent.

Dugu Yan suddenly opened her eyes.

She flung open the tent flap and rushed out.

With a flick of his right hand at his waist, the tinderbox pierced the night and landed precisely in the campfire.

"Boom!"

Flames roared up,

The orange-red light instantly tore through the darkness surrounding the camp.

Then she saw it clearly.

A ring of eerie green eyes!

Seventeen or eighteen pairs,

They stood neatly arranged around everyone's tents, silently approaching.

"Enemy attack!!!"

Dugu Yan's furious shout shattered the tranquility of the night.

The tent flaps were lifted one after another.

Yu Feng was the first to rush out, almost tripping over the tent.

Osler followed closely behind, Shi Brothers squeezed out of the tent.

Ye Lingling and Ning Rongrong also quickly ran out and disappeared into the center of the crowd.

In the firelight, everyone finally saw what was surrounding them.

A wolf that is entirely black!

The fur gleamed with a dull metallic sheen in the firelight.

It was nearly half a person's height at the shoulders, and each of its eyes burned with a cold, eerie green light.

"Shadow Wolf!"

Osler's expression changed; the keen senses of his Ghost Leopard Martial Soul allowed him to immediately identify the species.

"Top hunters of the night, masters of group hunts."

His gaze quickly locked onto a black wolf in the center of the pack, one that was noticeably larger.

"That's a wolf!"

"Judging from their size, they are at least five thousand years old. The rest range from a hundred to a thousand years."

Yu Feng swallowed hard. "Holy crap, they're serving up a main course on the very first night?"

"Shut up! Calm down!"

Dugu Yan's sharp voice interrupted the impending chaos.

She quickly scanned the battlefield situation.

The Jade Phosphorus Flood Dragon Martial Soul appeared behind him, its Soul Ring slowly rising.

"Shi Mo Shi Mo, form a front line!"

"Yu Feng, ascend into the air for a comprehensive battlefield overview!"

"Osler, protect Ning Rongrong and Lingling!"

"Lingling Ning Rongrong will stay at the back. Lingling will be ready to heal at any time, Ning Rongrong provide support and buffs!"

The series of instructions were swift and decisive.

With everyone's minds at ease, they dispersed and took their respective positions.

"Awooo!!!"

The alpha wolf let out a low howl.

The wolf pack moved.

The first wave of attacks came without warning.

Three hundred-year-old Shadow Wolf pounced from the left, their shadows trailing afterimages in the firelight.

"They're here!"

Shi Mo roared, his body covered in the Black Tortoise, his arms crossed in front of him to block.

Boom!

The wolf's claws clashed against the tortoise shell, the dull metallic clang echoing through the night.

The Shi Mo filled in from the side, and the two brothers, shoulder to shoulder, managed to withstand the first wave of impact.

But on the other side, two century-old Shadow Wolf bypassed the defenses.

"To the right!" Dugu Yan roared.

Yu Feng reacted quickly, spreading the wings of the Wind Bell Bird and unleashing a wind blade that forced one of them back.

But the other one pounced towards Ning Rongrong.

"Ah!"

Ning Rongrong was so frightened that she took two steps back.

Osler, possessed by the Ghost Leopard, suddenly appeared from the side.

Boom!

With a single swipe of its paw, it struck the wolf in the ribs, sending it flying several meters.

But he was also bitten on the forearm by another one, and blood immediately seeped out.

"Osler!" Yu Feng shouted.

Bloodshed started right from the beginning!

The formation of the group was briefly thrown into disarray.

The coordination was rusty, the rhythm was off, some players were too defensive and retreated too much, while others were too aggressive and disjointed in their attacks.

"Don't panic! Keep your pace!"

Dugu Yan's voice pierced through the chaos.

She gave instructions while personally taking the lead in the front row.

The Poison Fog spread, forcing back the wolf pack that was closing in from the front.

One minute, two minutes, five minutes...

From the initial chaotic and disorganized efforts, they gradually regained their rhythm and formed a collaborative team.

The Shi Brothers held their ground.

Yu Feng is responsible for long-range containment and flank early warning.

Osler Protection Assist.

Ye Lingling's healing power was always ready to respond from behind.

Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda provides continuous support and amplification.

Their coordination was honed bit by bit during the battle.