After chatting for a while, someone suggested, "Why don't we send someone to take Brother Su back to his camp first? With his leg injured, it might not be appropriate for him to travel any further."
Su Yun immediately panicked upon hearing this, "No need, no need. Find me a sturdy stick, I'll use it to walk. Don't worry, everyone, I can keep up."
He had finally made it to the final round, but before the Wasteland Spike could even fall, he was forced to withdraw due to injury. How could he accept that?
He doesn't have to compete for rankings, but completing the task will solidify his performance in the advanced Martial Exam Student.
This is very important!
As he spoke, he braced himself against the stone beside him, trying to stand up.
The moment he moved his leg, a layer of cold sweat immediately broke out on his face.
How are you going to get there like this?
Someone frowned and said, "We still have a lot to do later. Bringing you along will only be a burden to everyone."
Su Yun's face was full of anger, but she gritted her teeth and didn't lash out.
Immediately, someone chimed in, "You keep saying it's a burden, but wouldn't sending them back make things easier? It's dozens of miles round trip, who's going to take them? Since you suggested it, why don't you take them back yourself?"
The man's face darkened. "I was merely offering a suggestion; how has it become my business?"
After a few words, the argument broke out again.
Lin Li waved his hand and said, "Alright, be the second stretcher. There are so many of us, we can take turns carrying him."
Now that the medicine has been administered, he should recover in a day or two at most.
Some people were about to object, but Lin Li raised his voice and said, "Everyone, ask yourselves honestly, if anyone gets injured and has to be sent back, who will be willing to step forward for dangerous tasks in the future?"
Besides, how long have we been walking? Who can guarantee that we won't get hurt on the way ahead?
The room fell silent after those words were spoken.
The stretcher was quickly strapped on. Chen Hong helped Su Yun onto it, and the two of them carried her on their way again.
Having learned from their previous experience, everyone was much more cautious this time, taking turns Scout to explore the area ahead.
Even when they heard the sounds of the Qi Beast along the way, no one mentioned hunting them again.
The journey was arduous, and they encountered Moving Wild Qi twice along the way.
The group stopped to regulate their breathing and wait for the Wasteland Qi to dissipate before continuing their journey. After crossing a hillside, a large Canyon suddenly appeared ahead.
The Canyon lies between two mountain ridges, wide in the middle and narrowing towards the distance.
The entire terrain resembles a crocodile that has been split in two, almost identical to the shape depicted on the map.
Without needing to double-check, everyone knew they had found the right place.
"Everyone be careful, we've arrived."
"The closer you get to your destination, the more careful you need to be."
"Stay close, don't fall behind."
The warning sounds rang out one after another.
Deng Qing held onto the wooden pole on one side of the stretcher with one hand and the Booklet in the other. He followed the way the people in front of him walked, which saved him the trouble of looking up to find his way.
He was too lazy to pay attention to the reminders in his ears.
With the introduction of this bizarre scoring system, an era has begun where everyone is vying to become a leader.
Even if you don't make it into the group of six leaders, it doesn't stop others from making an impression by reminding their companions and showing concern for the injured.
Along the way, at the slightest rustling of wind or movement, all you could hear were these kinds of sounds.
As Deng Qing was turning to a record about Wasteland Spike, the wooden pole in his hand suddenly stopped moving; the stretcher had come to a halt.
This time, no one said a word to remind them.
Deng Qing was somewhat surprised. He closed the Booklet, looked up, and saw that everyone had stopped at the edge of a Dense Forest forest.
Following the gaze of the crowd, Deng Qing could see through the branches and leaves that there was a sandy and gravelly area in the center of the Canyon.
A huge creature lay sprawled on the gravel ground.
The creature had a broad, thick body with a high, bulging back, and its surface was covered with layers of hard, grayish-black skin, making it look like a huge rock riddled with cracks from a distance.
Three thick tentacles extended from the front of its body, hanging in a staggered pattern in front of it.
These tentacles are shaped like three giant scythes. With its breathing, the three scythes slowly rotate, sometimes intersecting and sometimes separating.
One of them hung slightly lower, its curved blade slicing silently across the ground, splitting several fist-sized pebbles.
Everyone who saw it was horrified.
Behind this enormous creature was a long tail, with rings of joints growing from it, the end of which was digging into the ground.
Deng Qing looked closely and saw that the enormous creature was injured, and seriously so.
It has an extremely long gash on its back, with the hard skin rolled up, and you can even see the broken white bones.
Deng Qing wanted to identify the Qi Petal on its forehead.
However, the head of this enormous creature was buried deep beneath its abdomen, and its Qi Petal were not visible at all.
Even so, the ferocious aura emanating from this behemoth made everyone tense.
Even the constant reminders that had been ringing out along the way were now completely silent.
Deng Qing suddenly recalled the sudden Beast Tide in the Mountain Hollow. Those Qi Beast were only concerned with escaping for their lives. Could it be that they were afraid of this giant creature before them?
" The Death Scythe."
Su Yun, who was on the stretcher, suddenly spoke.
Everyone turned around and saw him prop himself up, craning his neck to look in that direction.
Su Yun whispered, "This is the Wasteland Beast Death Scythe, which is incredibly strong and runs extremely fast. It doesn't have any special abilities; most of its skills are in its three scythe-shaped tentacles."
It looks like a bone blade, but it's actually harder than refined iron; when swung, ordinary weapons simply can't stop it.
Upon hearing this, everyone felt a pounding in their hearts and secretly cursed their bad luck.
Su Yun continued, " The Death Scythe is especially sensitive to Wasteland Qi; look near its tail."
Deng Qing stared intently, noticing a layer of pale blue floating around the long tail.
" The Wasteland Qi underground has gathered into a bluish hue; it is drawing upon this Wasteland Qi to heal its injuries."
After Su Yun finished speaking, he noticed that everyone was looking at him.
One of them asked in a low voice, "Brother Su, have you seen its Qi Petal clearly?"
Su Yun shook her head.
The man frowned and said, "To conclude it's Wasteland Beast without even seeing Qi Petal is a bit too hasty, isn't it?"
Some Qi Beast have one or two petals, while others are strangely shaped.
"This thing before us is indeed terrifying in its aura, but its true level cannot be determined until we see several of its Qi Petal."
Su Yun glanced at the man, "My Su Wuchang."
" Su Wuchang?"
Someone whispered, "That Su Shi, the scholar who lectured on Wasteland Studies?"
Su Yun nodded.
"No wonder, no wonder!"
One of them suddenly realized, "Two years ago Martial Dao Lower Court invited Master Su to give lectures. My elder brother attended a few lectures and brought back his notes, which he still keeps to this day. He wouldn't even let an ordinary person borrow them."
"I've heard of that too."
Someone else chimed in, "Master Su has traveled to many Desolate Soil over the years, and he's often invited to give lectures in various places. I was even thinking that if I could get into the Martial Dao Institute someday, I'd like to attend one of his lectures."
The Martial Exam Student had questioned Su Yun cupped his hands in apology, "So you're a descendant of Master Su. My apologies for my disrespect."
Su Yun returned the greeting, saying, "I've only read a few books with my grandfather, but the appearance of this 'Death Scythe ' is so unique that it's not hard to recognize."
Chen Hong squatted down beside the stretcher. "Brother Su, since you recognize this beast, I have a question for you. Is it a coincidence that this Death Scythe appeared at the place where we are supposed to settle the Wasteland Veins, or is there another reason?"
Su Yun said, "It can't be considered a coincidence. Wasteland Veins are wandering and difficult to detect. The reason why these places can be marked is because experts who are well-versed in Wasteland Qi use their methods to identify wild qi, and first select some places where the Wasteland Qi is abnormal. The Wasteland Veins are more likely to pass through these places than other places."
Therefore, the higher-ups selected these anomalies as the locations for nailing the Wasteland Veins, and sent us to nail them. Death Scythe, being sensitive to Wasteland Qi and eager to recover from his injuries, would naturally also look for such places.
Chen Hong seemed to understand something. "So, the Wasteland Veins must pass through here?"
Su Yun shook his head. "That's not necessarily true. Didn't Steward Zheng say that there are dozens or even hundreds of teams scattered in various places at the same time?"
The higher-ups may not expect our team to achieve great success, but they certainly don't want to miss any abnormal points of Wasteland Qi. Ultimately, it's about casting a wide net and focusing on key areas.
Chen Hong nodded and said, "Understood! Brother Su, you truly are a descendant of the Su family, with such a profound family tradition of learning. I admire you."
Su Yun quickly cupped his hands and said, "Brother Chen, you're too kind."
He was very grateful to Chen Hong.
"So what do we do now?"
Someone said, "We can't just wait here, can we?"
Long Xiu said, "Since Death Scythe is seriously injured and is drawing upon the Wasteland Qi to heal, why not take this opportunity to kill him?"
This is a Wasteland Beast, its entire body is made of Fortune Meat. We can get a share of the benefits and clear obstacles for the Nail Wasteland Veins, so why not?"
That's very inflammatory.
The gazes of the crowd toward Death Scythe now held a hint of greed.
Everyone had tasted the Fortune Meat in the cafeteria, but the portion was never enough.
The scythe before us Death Scythe so enormous that even if a large portion of its physical body is destroyed when Qi Dissipation, the remaining portion, divided into thirteen parts, would still yield a considerable amount for each person.
Chen Hong shook his head. "Easier said than done. Although this Death Scythe is injured, it's still Wasteland Beast. What if we fail to kill it in one strike and it goes berserk?"
A hush fell over the room.
Long Xiu took out the Booklet from his bosom, turned to a page, and waved it open. "It's written very clearly here. When Wasteland Beast draw upon Wasteland Qi to heal their injuries, they often fall into a deep sleep, greatly reducing their sensitivity to the outside world. Even thunder won't wake them up unless they are attacked."
Besides, we'll have to deal with the Wasteland Veins sooner or later. It's lying right there; who can avoid it? If we don't act now, are we going to wait for it to heal its wounds?"
Su Yun nodded and said, "Brother Long is right. However, there is something I must remind everyone of first."
As he spoke, he pointed to the three scythes still spinning in front of Death Scythe, "Although Death Scythe is asleep, these three scythes will still react to the outside world."
To get close to it, you must first dodge the scythe's slashes. Don't be fooled by their slow pace now; once provoked, they can become incredibly fast.
Upon hearing this, Deng Qing looked at the three giant scythes again.
He couldn't help but wonder, just now, a sickle had silently shattered several pieces of stone as it grazed the ground; what power would it possess if swung at full strength?
Su Yun continued, "Moreover, its Qi Petal are hidden beneath its body, making them completely out of our reach. Ordinary attacks won't harm its core; they'll only cause it to awaken faster. Trying to kill it while it's asleep is extremely difficult."
The only usable weakness right now is its tail.
We must go in and cut off its tail, cutting off its chance to draw upon the Wasteland Qi from the ground to heal its injuries, only then will we have a chance.
The key is those three scythes. They spin and surround the body; to sever the tail, you have to break through their blockade first. That's incredibly difficult."
After Su Yun finished speaking, everyone fell silent.
Clearly, the proposed procedure was too difficult, and many people had already given up on it.
Long Xiu saw through everyone's thoughts and frowned, saying, "Gentlemen, no matter how difficult it is, we must proceed. If we keep dragging this out, Death Scythe's injuries will only heal faster, and our situation will only worsen."
As he spoke, he pointed to the Booklet, "It's also clearly stated here that once the Wasteland Veins begin to circulate, the opportunity to strike will be instantaneous."
We don't dare hope to achieve the miraculous feat of pinning down the Wasteland Veins. But if we can't even pin down the Wasteland Qi emanating from the Wasteland Veins, our mission will be considered a failure, and none of us will be able to obtain the advanced Martial Exam Student rating.
Everyone remained silent, each with a furrowed brow.
Finally, Long Xiu spoke up, "I think we should vote on whether to take action or not; the minority should abide by the majority."
As he spoke, Long Xiu raised his hand.
Then Hong Lin and Chen Hong raised their hands, and the others followed suit.
Finally, all twelve agreed to take action. Only Deng Qing remained silent.
Chen Hong sneered, "Brother Deng, what's going on with you? Do you have some brilliant idea, or are you worried about being sent to the front lines? Speaking of which, you once hunted thirty-five Qi Beast in a single day; you're a top-tier expert. If we really had to choose someone to lead the charge, I think it would have to be you."
From Chen Hong's perspective, the only ones who truly needed to compete were Lin Li and Deng Qing.
Lin Li was a man of few words; in his eyes, he was a quiet, unassuming fellow who had not yet displayed any extraordinary abilities.
Deng Qing, however, was different.
He had previously noticed that the Qi Beast was fleeing for its life, and then encouraged everyone to climb onto its back to escape danger, which truly made him stand out.
If we let him continue like this, who will get the high scores from the Martial Exam Student in the end? Is there even a question?
Ignoring Chen Hong, Deng Qing suddenly called out, "Fellow members of the Donghuang Cult, stop hiding! I see you, come out!"
The shout came without warning and was so loud that several people nearby jumped in fright.
Many people instinctively looked towards the Death Scythe, while others suddenly gripped their weapons and looked around.
Chen Hong's expression changed drastically, and he shouted, "Are you courting death?! What if you wake up Death Scythe? Are you trying to kill everyone?"
Instantly, several gazes fell upon Deng Qing, all filled with annoyance.
Deng Qing patted the Booklet in his hand. "It's written very clearly here: when Wasteland Beast draws upon Wasteland Qi to heal its wounds, it will fall into a deep sleep. It won't even wake up from a light attack, let alone a few shouts?"
Sure enough, on the gravelly ground, the Death Scythe remained motionless, its three giant scythes still rotating slowly and steadily, without even a change in its breathing.
Chen Hong snorted, "That's no excuse for you to act on your own and shout nonsense!"
Deng Qing remained silent, staring intently at the dense Dense Forest diagonally ahead, and continued speaking loudly, "Gentlemen, are you truly unwilling to show yourselves?"
There was still no response from the forest; only the branches and leaves swayed gently, revealing nothing unusual.
Deng Qing stuffed the Booklet into his Waist Pouch and bent down to pick up a large stone.
The stone weighed at least thirty or fifty pounds. He held it in his palm, then twisted his waist and hips and swung his arm violently.
One move Elephant Hurls, Mountain Crumbles!
In an instant, the stone flew out like a cannonball, whistling through the air, and crashed straight into the dense Dense Forest diagonally in front of it.
boom!
A giant tree snapped instantly, but apart from the loud crash, there was no other sound in the forest.
Chen Hong snorted repeatedly, about to speak, when Deng Qing had already grabbed a second stone and thrown it, followed by a third, a fourth...
Deng Qing moved with lightning speed, smashing more than ten large stones into the Dense Forest in quick succession. The stones landed at different points, breaking branches and leaves and sending dust flying everywhere.
Just as everyone was filled with doubt and uncertainty, a sharp sound suddenly came from the Dense Forest.
Lin Li suddenly looked up, "No, it's the sound of a sword being swung!"
Before he finished speaking, several streams of energy rose up from the Dense Forest in the distance.
"Oh no, an ambush!"
"Retreat immediately!"
Someone shouted, and in the panic, everyone scattered, except for a few who remained motionless.
Su Yun was one of them; he couldn't move at all on the stretcher.
Whenever danger arose, Brother Chen, who had always been there for him and cared for him deeply, also slipped away first.
Left unattended, he panicked and slid off the stretcher, using both hands and feet to get out.
The pain from his broken leg made him turn deathly pale.
Su Yun tried to get up by supporting himself on the ground, but two hands reached out at the same time, one on the left and one on the right, and supported him.
Su Yun hurriedly looked up; Deng Qing was on her left, and Lin Li was on her right.
The two men supported him from either side, like pillars stabilizing the sea.
"Brother Deng, how did you know there was an ambush ahead?"
Lin Li helped Su Yun onto the stretcher, his gaze fixed ahead.
Deng Qing said, "The area near the gravel ground where Death Scythe was stationed is too clean. There are no traces of Death Scythe's movements. It's as if someone deliberately cleaned it up."
Of course, this is just one point of doubt.
Furthermore, the Command Center designated this area for us to "nail down "the Wasteland Veins, proving that this is one of the high-risk areas where the Wasteland Veins roam.
It's highly likely that the Donghuang Cult is also targeting the Wasteland Veins, and they've also locked onto this place.
Of course, to be honest, I'm not sure if there are any people hiding in the Dense Forest ahead.
But I know that if I fire a few shots and make a fuss, even if I'm wrong, it'll only take a little effort.
Lin Li gave a thumbs up, "Brother Deng is incredibly meticulous, I admire him."
As the two were talking, Long Xiu and the others returned one after another.
Someone had just shouted "Run!" and everyone instinctively retreated.
Once they had retreated to a distance, they turned around and found that Deng Qing and Lin Li were still in the same spot, even having the leisure to talk, so they calmed down.
Undoubtedly, fear is contagious, and so is composure.
Chen Hong's face was ashen. He walked to the stretcher, bent down, and asked, "Brother Su, is your leg alright?"
"It's nothing, thank you for your concern, Brother Chen."
Su Yun nodded, her eyes devoid of light.
Chen Hong was secretly annoyed. He had been playing the role of "loving and sincere" all along, so why did he break the act just now?
Just then, the trees in front swayed, and a figure emerged.
Immediately afterwards, a group of people came out. Deng Qing counted them at a glance; there were twelve people in total.
These people all had red turbans tied around their heads. After leaving the Dense Forest, they walked towards this side from a distance of about 100 feet.
They walked slowly, and before long, their footsteps became synchronized.
The leader was over forty years old, with broad shoulders and a thick back. He wore a short robe with the collar open, and had a thick, short beard under his chin.
He gripped a Narrow Sword in his hand, and his eyes gleamed with a sharp light as he walked.
"Oh no, it's Huo Dongfeng!"
Chen Hong blurted out, "The ruthless man from Lingbiao, a veteran Bone Tempering Third Layer expert. Those behind him must be his Lingbiao Squad; they're all formidable characters."
Long Xiu continued softly, "According to reliable sources, Huo Dongfeng has recently broken through to a higher realm. The Eastern Radiance Evil Cult has acquired a lot of resources in the Desolate Soil this time, and many of those old guys who were previously stuck at a certain realm have broken through."
Instantly, everyone's heart pounded.