Behind him, Liu Shiyu stared at the motionless Red-Scaled Lizard on the ground, stunned for a long while.
That was a second-tier ferocious beast.
Outside, even two or three early-stage Meridian Opening fighters working together might not have been able to bring it down.
Yet Jiang Lan had killed it with a single punch?
Her mouth hung open for ages before she managed a few words:
"So... so strong."
Bai Yu also watched the Red-Scaled Lizard's corpse, her eyes flickering.
Jiang Lan walked over to the Red-Scaled Lizard, crouched down, and took out a Collection Vial.
His movements were thoroughly practiced.
Lately, he had killed at least eighty ferocious beasts, if not a hundred.
By now, he could do this kind of work with his eyes closed.
After collecting the blood essence and crystal core, Jiang Lan dusted off his hands and stood up.
"Come on. Let's keep going."
For the next hour, Jiang Lan led the two girls deeper into the area.
Along the way, they encountered quite a few more ferocious beasts.
Many were first-tier creatures, such as Red-Scaled Lizards and Ironback Wolves.
They even encountered two Shadow Leopards.
Shadow Leopards weren't particularly strong, but they made up for it with their speed.
After more than an hour of work, the three had racked up an impressive tally.
Ten in total: one second-tier and nine first-tier.
Probably no other team had a higher count.
Most of the students on the other teams were in the Body Tempering Realm. If they encountered a second-tier ferocious beast, escaping alive would be an achievement, let alone killing it.
Jiang Lan glanced sideways and noticed the fine beads of sweat on Bai Yu's and Liu Shiyu's foreheads. He slowed his steps.
"Let's take a break."
"Okay..."
Both girls were already exhausted, so naturally, neither refused when Jiang Lan suggested a rest.
Although Jiang Lan had dealt with most of the ferocious beasts, the two had remained on high alert the entire time, which had drained plenty of their energy.
Liu Shiyu sat on a nearby rock and took a sip of water.
"That's ten. Isn't that enough?"
"It is." Jiang Lan grinned. "But since we're already here, wouldn't it be a waste to head back now?"
Liu Shiyu pursed her lips and muttered:
"Such a tryhard..."
Jiang Lan ignored her.
This wasn't being a tryhard.
In his eyes, the ferocious beasts in the Wilderness Zone were piles of Credit Points.
In all his years, Jiang Lan had never heard of anyone complaining that picking up money was too tiring.
After a few minutes of rest, the two girls had mostly recovered, and the three set off again, heading farther in.
Liu Shiyu's steps grew hesitant.
"Jiang Lan, shouldn't we stop going deeper? Didn't the teacher tell us to hunt ferocious beasts around the outskirts? We..."
"Don't worry. You've got me." Jiang Lan patted his chest. "If we really run into danger, I'll make sure you two can escape, even if it kills me."
Bai Yu's pretty brows drew together slightly.
"Don't say things like that."
Jiang Lan smiled.
His words had clearly reassured Liu Shiyu as well. She nodded. "Okay."
The three continued onward.
After another ten minutes or so, the terrain began to change slightly.
The trees grew denser, and the surrounding vines became thicker.
Jiang Lan watched his surroundings warily.
Suddenly, a low roar came from deep in the dense forest ahead.
"Roar!"
Jiang Lan's heart sank.
That roar...
That's no ordinary second-tier ferocious beast!
Liu Shiyu's face instantly turned deathly pale, and she instinctively stepped behind Jiang Lan.
Bai Yu's expression grew grave, and she clenched her right fist.
"That aura... a third-tier ferocious beast..."
A third-tier ferocious beast was equivalent to an Astral Condensation Realm martial artist.
Forget Bai Yu and Liu Shiyu-even Xiao Feng would have to stay on his utmost guard.
Liu Shiyu looked nervously at Jiang Lan.
"Jiang Lan, should we... fire a signal flare?"
Jiang Lan took a deep breath.
Even against a third-tier ferocious beast, he was confident he could win.
After a moment's consideration, he spoke.
"You two stay right here. I'll go take a look."
"Are you crazy?" Liu Shiyu grew frantic. "That's a third-tier beast!"
By the time she spoke, Jiang Lan had already taken several steps.
He waved a hand.
"Relax. If I really can't beat it, I'll run."
With that, he gave neither girl a chance to keep persuading him. He quickened his pace and headed deeper into the dense forest.
Bai Yu hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth.
"Liu Shiyu, stay here."
"Bai Yu?"
"I'll follow him and take a look."
With that, Bai Yu darted forward, following close behind Jiang Lan.
Liu Shiyu stamped her foot, gripped the signal flare in her hand, and jogged after Bai Yu.
"Bai Yu, wait for me!"
Deep in the dense forest.
Jiang Lan pushed aside the vines in front of him without stopping.
After he had walked less than a hundred meters, an open clearing came into view.
A massive ferocious beast lay in the center.
It was pitch-black all over, stood nearly two meters at the shoulder, and had bulging muscles and four legs as thick as pillars.
A pair of long, curved horns angled skyward from its head, gleaming coldly in the dim sunlight.
A Black-Horned Savage Bull.
A third-tier ferocious beast.
Sensing Jiang Lan's approach, the Black-Horned Savage Bull slowly raised its head and fixed its blood-red eyes on him.
"Roar!"
Jiang Lan loosened up his body and took a deep breath.
"Come on!"
The Black-Horned Savage Bull had never been provoked like this before, and it flew into a rage.
Its hind legs kicked hard against the ground, and its massive body hurtled toward Jiang Lan like a heavy truck.
It moved so fast that a rumbling roar followed in its wake.
Jiang Lan kept his eyes locked on the Black-Horned Savage Bull and stepped forward.
Thud!
Bam!
Jiang Lan's fist struck the Black-Horned Savage Bull squarely in the head, while a tremendous force slammed into his body.
The immense impact erupted outward. Jiang Lan's combat boots sank straight into the ground, and he slid backward nearly three meters before barely managing to stop.
The Black-Horned Savage Bull stared at Jiang Lan opposite it, an almost human look of confusion crossing its face.
He's fine?
Across from it, Jiang Lan lowered his head and silently assessed himself.
That hurt a little.
But only a little.
He grinned.
This is all a third-tier ferocious beast can do?
The Black-Horned Savage Bull snapped out of its daze, lowered its head toward Jiang Lan, and charged a second time.
This time, Jiang Lan didn't meet it head-on.
He had already tested his defenses. There was no need to keep taking a beating.
He sidestepped, brushing past the Black-Horned Savage Bull as he raised his right fist and drove a punch into its flank.
Bam!
The Black-Horned Savage Bull's massive body jolted, and it stumbled a couple of steps.
"Roar!"
It roared in pain and fury, turning its head toward Jiang Lan.
Jiang Lan showed no restraint. He reached out, seized the Black-Horned Savage Bull's two enormous horns, and forced them down hard.
"Rooar!"
The Black-Horned Savage Bull thrashed its head furiously, but Jiang Lan was no weakling either. For a moment, man and bull were locked in a stalemate.
Seeing this, Jiang Lan freed his left hand and punched the crown of the Black-Horned Savage Bull's head with all his strength.
Thud!
The Black-Horned Savage Bull's vision went black, and its knees buckled.
But it was still a third-tier ferocious beast. Whatever else it lacked, its hide was incredibly tough, and it immediately straightened its legs again.
Jiang Lan wasn't surprised.
If one punch wasn't enough, then two.
If two weren't enough, then three.