At eight that evening, Qin Tianlong opened the door to Cell No. 1 as usual.
At eight-thirty, the four of them passed through the rift in the seaside cliff and entered the Rift World.
The first time was unfamiliar, the second time familiar. When Ye Wudao entered the Rift World again, he no longer had the timidity from last time.
Qin Tianlong rented a broadsword for him from the Weaponry. Looking at the cold gleam emanating from its blade, Ye Wudao felt both nervous and excited.
He was finally going to hunt demonic beasts. As long as he could kill demonic beasts, it meant he could have his sentence reduced and get out early.
Although he was already at the Body Tempering Great Accomplishment Realm, only a tiny step away from advancing to the Body Tempering Peak Realm, he was still nervous at this moment.
After all, he had never fought a demonic beast before.
Tonight would be a test for him, as well as a test for the system.
The system had poured all the insights into martial techniques into his mind, but insight was insight, and combat experience was combat experience. They were two entirely different things.
The four stood outside the Weaponry. Qin Tianlong said to Zhang Hankuang and Hu Lianfeng, "You two head to the canyon first. I'll take Wudao to the riverbank."
Zhang Hankuang and Hu Lianfeng nodded. They knew Qin Tianlong intended to protect Ye Wudao along his path.
Ye Wudao was, after all, a newcomer with no actual combat experience. With a Xiantian Realm powerhouse like Qin Tianlong protecting him, he would be much safer.
Ye Wudao was now the precious treasure of their Cell No. 1. If anything happened to him, it would be too late for regrets.
The four went their separate ways. Zhang Hankuang and Hu Lianfeng headed for the canyon, where the demonic beasts were all Rank Two, unsuitable for a Body Forging Realm martial artist like Ye Wudao.
After Zhang Hankuang and Hu Lianfeng drove away, Ye Wudao and Qin Tianlong got into another vehicle.
Out of habit, Ye Wudao opened the rear door. When he saw Elder Qin sitting in the back seat as well, he froze.
Qin Tianlong glanced at Ye Wudao and smiled. "What, did you want this old man to drive?"
Ye Wudao smiled awkwardly. "Great Master, I can't drive. I don't even have a driver's license!"
Qin Tianlong looked at Ye Wudao and said softly, "It's fine. I'll teach you. Drive without worry; no one checks licenses here."
Ye Wudao nodded. He had actually wanted to drive for a long time, but because he had not yet turned eighteen, he could not take the license exam and had never gotten the chance.
He had originally planned to get his license when he turned eighteen, but after finally reaching that age, he went straight to prison and had no chance to take the test at all.
"Cars are all automatic now. There are two pedals below—the one on the right is the accelerator, and the one on the left is the brake. Don't step on the wrong one."
"Now hold down the brake and press that one-button start below the right side of the steering wheel."
"Shift into D, release the brake, and slowly press the accelerator. Keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes straight ahead."
"Yes, just like that. I'll navigate for you. Just drive forward according to my directions."
Sitting in the driver's seat, Ye Wudao gripped the steering wheel and slowly drove forward according to Qin Tianlong's instructions.
At first, he could not keep the car steady and kept wanting to turn the steering wheel.
Later, he discovered there were no roads at all in the Rift World. He could drive however he wanted, and if he strayed off course, Elder Qin would remind him.
Gradually, he drove faster and faster. On the pitted ground of the Rift World, he even reached over eighty kilometers per hour.
Fortunately, automotive technology had improved greatly. Even at high speed over such bumpy terrain, the vehicle would not break down.
As for Qin Tianlong in the back seat, no matter how wildly the car bounced, he remained firmly seated. Such jolting was no issue for him whatsoever.
After driving for a little over twenty minutes, Ye Wudao saw light appear ahead. He knew that should be the riverbank Elder Qin had mentioned.
"Stop!"
When they were still several hundred meters from the light source, Qin Tianlong spoke from the back seat.
Ye Wudao stepped on the brake and slowly stopped the car. He took the broadsword from the trunk and followed Elder Qin forward.
When they reached a gentle slope, Elder Qin patted Ye Wudao on the shoulder and said softly, "The time has come to test your strength. Go!"
"Go slaughter to your heart's content!"
Ye Wudao nodded, raised the blade in his hand, and used Light Smoke Step. His whole body shot forward like a gust of wind.
This was a stony beach beside a small river, illuminated by four enormous searchlights.
There were even more martial artists here than at the canyon. As far as the eye could see, the several-hundred-meter-long stony beach was filled with martial artists and demonic beasts.
Charging onto the stony beach, he activated the badge recorder on his chest and found a "Plum Blossom Deer" that looked somewhat weak.
This "Plum Blossom Deer" looked rather unusual. It had no antlers on its head; instead, two long fangs protruded from its mouth.
After looking around, it seemed this "Plum Blossom Deer" was the only one that appeared weaker.
He knew his own limits. He had no real combat experience, so he chose a weaker demonic beast to hunt.
As Ye Wudao approached the Plum Blossom Deer with his blade, the Plum Blossom Deer noticed him as well.
Its eyes were scarlet, its mouth was full of sharp teeth, and those two long fangs in particular made it resemble a crazed wild boar.
On the distant gentle slope, Qin Tianlong kept his eyes on Ye Wudao.
When he saw Ye Wudao choose that Plum Blossom Deer, he helplessly shook his head and muttered, "Can't this kid see that there are no other martial artists around that Sharp-Mouthed Deer?"
"That Sharp-Mouthed Deer is an elite among Rank One demonic beasts. It won't be easy to handle."
"He really is too green. He has no ability to judge the situation."
"But it's good for him to suffer a little after just arriving in the Rift World."
As he spoke, Ye Wudao on the stony beach had already rushed at the Sharp-Mouthed Deer with his blade.
This time, he did not use Light Smoke Step, but Roaming Dragon Step.
Light Smoke Step was a speed-focused movement technique, well suited for traveling.
Roaming Dragon Step was a close-combat movement technique, better suited for facing enemies.
The Sharp-Mouthed Deer opposite him did not wait to die either. Seeing Ye Wudao charge over, it pawed the ground twice and rushed at him.
Ye Wudao narrowed his eyes in surprise. This "Plum Blossom Deer" was rather fast—its speed had already caught up to his Light Smoke Step.
He was currently using Roaming Dragon Step, which could not compare to the "Plum Blossom Deer" in terms of speed.
However, he did not panic. Watching the way the "Plum Blossom Deer" charged, he swiftly calculated how he should strike based on the weakness-observing method in Life-Taking Four Blades.
The next second, Life-Taking Four Blades struck in rapid succession.
The first blade went straight for the "Plum Blossom Deer's" throat and hit with perfect accuracy.
The second blade chopped directly down at its head, the broadsword smashing viciously into the "Plum Blossom Deer's" skull.
He did not use the third and fourth blades, because the "Plum Blossom Deer," a head shorter than him, was already lying on the ground.
He then turned to look at the fallen "Plum Blossom Deer."
He did this so the recorder inside his badge could capture the "Plum Blossom Deer's" corpse.
After finishing all that, he swiftly retreated into a relatively safe empty area.
This was what Qin Tianlong had taught him: in the Rift World, he had to stay aware of his surroundings at all times and keep himself in a relatively safe environment.
He glanced at the blade in his hand and murmured, "Am I too strong, or was that demonic beast too weak?"
The Life-Taking Four Blades he had just used did not feel awkward or unfamiliar in the slightest. It was as though he had practiced this blade technique for years.
The moment he decided to use Life-Taking Four Blades, the trajectories of the technique automatically emerged in his mind, along with how to use its advantages to evade attacks.
The "Plum Blossom Deer's" weaknesses were laid bare before his eyes.
After glancing at the system panel, he saw that Life-Taking Four Blades had only reached the Great Accomplishment Realm. There was still some distance to the Perfect Realm.
He had not expected his first time killing a demonic beast to be this easy.
The next second, he set his sights on a "Flower Leopard" not far away. This "Flower Leopard" was shorter than the "Plum Blossom Deer," but its body was longer.
Sharp claws extended from the front of the "Flower Leopard's" paws, each claw at least ten centimeters long.
He had a feeling that this "Flower Leopard" should be stronger than the "Plum Blossom Deer."
He wanted to test whether he was truly too strong, or whether that "Plum Blossom Deer" had simply been too weak.
At that moment, Qin Tianlong, seated on the gentle slope, abruptly stood up.
Looking at Ye Wudao, he said in disbelief, "He took down the Sharp-Mouthed Deer in two strikes? That strength is already comparable to an ordinary Body Tempering Peak Realm martial artist!"
"Those Life-Taking Four Blades just now flowed too smoothly. It was completely unlike his first real battle."
"This kid's talent for the Martial Path truly is extraordinary!"
He paused, looked toward the "Flower Leopard" Ye Wudao had targeted, and smiled. "But that Long-Claw Leopard is a king among Rank One demonic beasts. Even ordinary Body Tempering Peak Realm martial artists cannot handle it."
"Kid, can you do it?"
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