Hunter and Prey

Lu Ren had been teleported inside the cave mansion after passing the Eight Gates assessment.

The interior of the cave mansion was a massive plaza, with giant ornamental pillars lining its perimeter.

Directly above the plaza was a huge blood-red portal, which was currently open.

Once inside the portal, one could undergo the final assessment.

However, Lu Ren had no intention of entering.

In all these years, no one had managed to pass the final assessment. What right did he, Lu Ren, with his Scrap Bloodline, have to pass it directly?

He had only managed to last for the duration of one incense stick during the assessment for the Qian Gate by relying on a slight physical advantage.

Therefore, he decided to improve his strength further before attempting the final assessment.

And killing was the best way to improve one's strength.

However, he wouldn't actively seek out people to kill. He lived by the principle of "If others do not offend me, I will not offend them." If anyone dared to harbor ill intentions towards him, he wouldn't hesitate to kill them.

With that thought, Lu Ren hid behind an ornamental pillar, concealing himself. He also entered the Nameless Treasure Pagoda to rest for a day and recover from his injuries.

Outside the Tuoshe Cave Mansion!

"Why didn't Lu Ren participate in the final assessment?"

Gu Yifan was extremely surprised. Lu Ren had finished the Eight Gates assessment first, yet he wasn't proceeding directly to the final assessment.

Only one person could undergo the final assessment at a time.

This was an excellent opportunity.

If they delayed, and others also completed the Eight Gates assessment, Lu Ren would be in danger.

Xie Kuang sneered, "Lu Ren was heavily injured by the fierce attacks of the Tusita Giant Beast earlier. He's hiding there, undoubtedly healing his injuries!"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

And in the midst of their discussion, another figure appeared in the Tuoshe Plaza.

It was an old man in simple clothes with white hair, appearing to be around fifty years old. A shocking scar marked his forehead.

"It's Huang Qi! He passed the Eight Gates assessment before Xu Fu!"

Everyone was startled.

Within the Tuoshe Cave Mansion, the two most competitive individuals, besides the Ghost Sword Successor Tang Hao, were Huang Qi and Xu Fu. Both had opened nine Spiritual Apertures.

However, Xu Fu was considerably younger than Huang Qi and possessed stronger bloodline talent. Xu Fu had a Fourth-grade Bloodline, while Huang Qi only had a Third-grade Bloodline.

Therefore, in their opinion, Huang Qi should have been the first to pass the Eight Gates assessment, excluding Lu Ren as an anomaly.

"If that Huang Qi discovers Lu Ren, Lu Ren is as good as dead!"

Gu Yifan sneered.

At this moment, Lu Ren, hidden behind the ornamental pillar, also spotted Huang Qi. However, he did not reveal himself.

A superior hunter often appears in the guise of prey.

Thus, Lu Ren deliberately shifted his position, creating a slight noise.

"Who's there?"

Seeing that the final assessment gate was still open, Huang Qi believed he was the first to complete the Eight Gates assessment. Just as he was immersed in his joy, a sound pulled him back from his euphoria.

He walked over directly and saw Lu Ren hiding behind the ornamental pillar. He was startled at first, then his face lit up with ecstatic joy as he said, "It's you, the Scrap Bloodline! I didn't expect you to pass the Eight Gates assessment before me!"

Lu Ren wiped a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth, intentionally showing a hint of fear in his eyes. "What do you want?"

"What do I want? Of course, I want to kill you! Only one person can participate in the final assessment!"

Huang Qi said coldly.

Lu Ren gritted his teeth and replied, "If I weren't injured, you might not be my match!"

"It seems you were seriously injured in the Eight Gates assessment. No wonder you didn't go for the final assessment. Heaven truly favors me!"

Huang Qi clasped his hands behind his back and chuckled, "I'll kill you first, then proceed to the final assessment!"

Boom!

As soon as he finished speaking, he attacked directly, his internal power surging out. He viciously struck towards Lu Ren with one hand.

Yellow Tier Low-grade Martial Skill: Dragon Grasp Hand!

The palm strike seemed to be accompanied by the phantom image of dragon claws.

Lu Ren immediately felt that this palm strike was exceptionally sharp, with each finger possessing formidable strength. The power of this single palm was already far superior to his Fierce Tiger Fist.

However, Lu Ren remained motionless in the face of this attack. Just as the palm was about to hit him, he suddenly activated the Spirit Burst Secret Art, fusing the spiritual energy from his five Spiritual Apertures into a vortex, and then unleashed a punch!

Fierce Tiger Fist!

Seeing Lu Ren use the Fierce Tiger Fist, Huang Qi's face showed a disdainful smile. Lu Ren's strength was inferior to his, and the martial skill he used was merely the most common Fierce Tiger Fist. How could he possibly contend with him?

Boom!

Fist and palm collided, and an astonishing force surged into Huang Qi's body.

Ah!

Huang Qi screamed and flew backward. When he fell to the ground, he felt his right arm was completely broken and he couldn't move his body at all.

With just one punch, he was defeated!

"How is that possible?"

Huang Qi's face still held its previous arrogance, but it gradually turned to shock as he said, "You've only opened seven Spiritual Apertures, while I've opened nine. Furthermore, my Dragon Grasp Hand is cultivated to perfection. How could you possibly defeat me?"

"You talk too much!"

Lu Ren sneered and directly killed Huang Qi with a palm strike.

Afterward, he dragged Huang Qi behind an ornate pillar and began to search him.

After a long while, his gaze fell on the thumb ring on Huang Qi's thumb, and he took it off.

Lu Ren infused his spiritual energy into it and began to count his spoils.

"This guy managed to pass the eight-gate assessment as the second person, so his strength is not ordinary. He should have quite a bit of wealth!"

Lu Ren muttered to himself.

Copper Coins, five hundred thousand!

Human Tier Low-grade Martial Skills, twenty volumes. Human Tier Mid-grade Martial Skills, five volumes. Yellow Tier Low-grade Martial Skill, one volume.

Low-grade Spirit Stones, twenty pieces.

There were also some common healing elixirs.

"I can try to fuse with the sixth Spiritual Aperture!"

Thinking this, Lu Ren entered the Pagoda Space.

Now, he had twenty-one Low-grade Spirit Stones, which could allow him to cultivate diligently for forty-two years.

Lu Ren sat down cross-legged and began to fuse the spiritual energy of the sixth Spiritual Aperture.

In twenty years, Lu Ren, with one surge of effort, fused the spiritual energy of the sixth Spiritual Aperture.

Lu Ren's punch could now unleash nearly twelve thousand jin of strength. This kind of power was typically only possessed by Martial Artists who had opened twelve Spiritual Apertures.

With over twenty years remaining, Lu Ren abandoned the idea of fusing with the seventh Spiritual Aperture.

Afterward, Lu Ren began to diligently cultivate martial skills.

As the saying goes, having more skills is never a burden!

In the pagoda, Lu Ren casually selected three Human Tier Low-grade Martial Skills: Sword Finger, Mountain Shaking Fist, and Seven Injuries Palm.

These three martial skills each had their own merits. In Lu Ren's opinion, once he could apply them in combat, they would definitely be stronger than using Fierce Tiger Fist.

Lu Ren spent a full twenty years to cultivate all three Human Tier Low-grade Martial Skills to perfection.

When he emerged from the Pagoda Space, only one second had passed in the outside world.

Lu Ren hid behind the ornate pillar and continued to wait.

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, A young man carrying a black longsword saw that the light gate had not closed. He grinned and said, "It seems I was the first to pass the eight-gate assessment!"

"Tang Hao?"

Lu Ren's heart stirred. Just as he was about to repeat his previous trick and kill Tang Hao, Suddenly!

Figures appeared, almost simultaneously, teleporting out and landing in the center of the Tusita Plaza.

Lu Ren estimated there were at least thirty to forty people.

"This is the Tusita Plaza. It's said that as long as you enter the Tusita Plaza, you can participate in the ultimate trial!"

"We're still undergoing the eight-gate assessment, how did we get here?"

"What exactly is going on?"

These Martial Artists who were teleported in looked bewildered.

Seeing this, Tang Hao also hid, preparing to act according to the situation!

The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. He hid in the shadows, waiting to kill Huang Qi and Xu Fu. If he succeeded, no one would dare to compete with him.

Of course, his greatest desire was to kill Lu Ren. When Lu Ren was also teleported out, he would definitely strike with all his might and kill Lu Ren.