Elven cultivators

The group left the settlement and traveled along the winding forest path. Before long, they arrived at a woodland tightly surrounded by living thorns.

The thorn wall, several meters high, is like a giant python intertwined. The dark brown vines are covered with sharp barbs, which slowly wriggle in the breeze, making a teeth-grinding friction sound.

A low growl could be faintly heard from inside, as if some kind of wild beast was wandering around, unable to escape this thorny cage.

Finn stopped and turned to look at the crowd.

"Before the course begins, let me explain the rules."

"Hundreds of lizardmen have already been deployed to this area. Your next task is to go inside and hunt them down."

"Each lizardman has a special scale in the center of its chest with a number written on it, representing the points you will receive after killing it. The stronger the lizardman, the higher the number on the scale."

"After the course ends, everyone's scores will be tallied, and the person with the highest score will receive a drop of the Fountain of Life as a reward."

Finn paused, his gaze lingering on Anton and the other newcomers for a moment, "Among the newcomers participating in the practical course for the first time today, the one with the highest score will be awarded a branch of Eternity."

A suppressed commotion suddenly arose from the crowd.

Newcomers, in particular, have eyes that light up.

The Fountain of Life can quickly heal injuries and cure most diseases, poisons, and curses.

Carrying the Eternal Branch with you can not only quickly restore your energy, but also protect you from most toxins and curses.

Either way, they are all exceptionally precious treasures.

Even Eleanor and other veterans who had participated in numerous practical courses were somewhat moved when they heard about the rewards.

Anton listened quietly, his gaze shifting slightly.

With the Fountain of Life and the Tree of Eternity as their two great treasure troves, the Silvermoon Clan produces precious materials each year that are of unimaginable value to outsiders.

The Fountain of Life and the Everlasting Branch are only two of them.

Unfortunately, the Silvermoon Clan has to offer most of its precious materials to Kretholong City every year, leaving only a small portion for themselves. As a result, their reserves have always been scarce, and they have to use them sparingly.

"Whether it's the Fountain of Life or the Eternal Tree Branch, both are extremely rich in vitality and elemental energy. If we could get our hands on them, they might be able to replace some of the ingredients in the pill formula, or even be used directly for alchemy or weapon crafting."

Anton silently calculated in his mind.

In the world of cultivation, the most valued qualities of elixirs and magical artifacts are the spirituality and vitality of the materials used.

These two items from the Elven race are definitely considered rare and precious spiritual materials in terms of quality.

"If only we could get a batch..."

Anton's thoughts drifted away, and then he shook his head self-deprecatingly.

These two items are usually given priority to the Forest Guard.

For ordinary people, especially underage elves like him, to use it in large quantities is simply a pipe dream.

Unless one day he becomes the patriarch of the Silvermoon Clan.

Roman was initially excited upon hearing about the reward, but when he turned and saw Anton, he immediately deflated.

With Anton around, she had no chance of winning the first place award for newcomers.

As for being number one among all... although she was confident in her abilities, she didn't think she could beat all her seniors.

Especially geniuses like Eleanor.

Her talent may not be inferior to Eleanor's, but the latter has cultivated for more than twenty years longer than her, and this gap will be difficult to close in a short period of time.

"Looks like the Eternal Branch is yours now," Roman muttered to himself.

Anton smiled slightly and said nothing.

He wanted not only the eternal branches, but also the spring of life.

However, the reward was just a side effect; his real purpose today was to add another layer of prestige to himself.

"Quiet."

Finn's gaze swept across the crowd, his voice suddenly turning cold:

"Remember, the lizardmen in the woods were captured when they invaded Silvermoon Forest. They killed our people and burned our trees. They are vicious invaders, not prisoners to be pitied."

"When you fight, show no mercy, and hold back. To be merciful to the enemy is to be cruel to yourself; in the end, you will be the ones who die."

Silence fell over the crowd, and many of the newlyweds looked solemn.

Even the usually carefree Roman tensed up at this moment.

"I hope you do well," Finn concluded. "Now, check your equipment and prepare to enter the woods."

As soon as he finished speaking, the living thorn wall suddenly began to writhe, the vines retreating to both sides like snakes, revealing passages that were only wide enough for one person to pass through.

See you later, Anton.

Roman gripped his battle axe and was the first to step forward, entering one of the passageways.

After she passed by, the vines quickly closed up.

Anton chuckled and chose a passage to go in.

In the distance, Eleanor glanced at Anton's figure, silently gripped her staff, and strode into the passage.

Soon, as the young elves passed through the passage one by one, the thorny walls were restored to their original state, sealing the woodland back into a hunting ground.

The practical assessment has officially begun.

......

The light suddenly dimmed the moment we passed through the thorny path.

Overhead, thick branches intertwine to form a dome, with vines coiling and hanging down like pythons, cutting the sunlight into countless tiny, dark green spots.

Anton's nostrils twitched slightly as he keenly detected a faint, fishy smell in the air.

That was the distinctive smell of the lizardmen, a mixture of earth, blood, and the chilling aura of cold-blooded animals, making one want to vomit.

In the distance came faint roars and shouts, accompanied by the clanging of metal clashing.

The assessment had barely begun when battles broke out.

It seems that not only the elves are going all out to hunt the lizardmen, but the latter are also thinking of taking a few more down with them before they die.

Anton remained calm, his figure moving through the forest like a ghost.

With the Star Shifting Step activated, he stepped on leaves without leaving a trace, and the fallen leaves were not disturbed wherever he went.

They hadn't gone far when the bushes ahead suddenly shook violently, and a gray-green figure lunged out.

Anton stopped abruptly and saw the newcomer's full appearance.

It was a massive lizardman, nearly two meters tall when standing upright, covered in rough, dark green scales with sharp, blade-like edges.

Its head is triangular, its snout is long and narrow, and two rows of serrated teeth are exposed. Its yellow vertical pupils gleam coldly in the dim light.

What is most striking is the row of protruding bony spurs on its back.

The bony spurs extend from the back of the neck to the tip of the tail, are dark red, and have faint lava-like patterns flowing on their surface, which shimmer slightly with each breath.

That was the outward manifestation of the dragon's bloodline.

"The bloodline of the Shining Dragon?"

Anton raised an eyebrow, his eyes flashing.

It seems that the lizardman tribe in the north has some connection with the Ember Dragon in Kreisor Dragon City.

In the blink of an eye, the lizardman had already closed in, his claws tearing through the air as he slammed down towards Anton's face.

For the lizardmen who possess the blood of dragons, their claws are the best weapons, far superior to ordinary swords, spears, and lances.

They have always been proud of this.

But today, this lizardman has met its nemesis.

Faced with the oncoming claws, Anton did not dodge, nor did he even draw his sword. Instead, he struck out with his palm, the crimson color flowing across his palm like lava.

Melt Soldier Hand!

Chi Chi!

The moment their claws clashed, the lizardman's sharp claws, like withered branches falling into lava, scorched and melted at a visible speed, and the acrid smell of burning flesh instantly filled the air.

The lizardman only had time to let out a short scream before Anton's hand was already on its forehead.

Almost instantly, the lizardman's head was baked through by the extreme heat, and his screams came to an abrupt halt.

Anton withdrew his hand, and the lizardman's corpse crashed to the ground.

The head had been completely charred black, sizzling and emitting a strange smell of burning flesh and bones.

He bent down and removed a scale from the corpse's chest; the number '1' was engraved on it.

"The lizardman downstream of the white position only has 1 point?"

Anton casually put away the scales and glanced at the trees forty or fifty meters away without making a sound.

Although the breath was very faint, he could still sense that someone was hiding there.

After a moment's thought, Anton understood.

Those who can blend their own aura with the plants and trees almost seamlessly are most likely elf guards of the forest guard.

This was clearly a precautionary measure arranged by the Forest Guard to ensure the smooth conduct of the assessment and to reduce casualties among the elves.

Anton then looked up at the gray sparrow hovering above, then looked away and continued to fly deeper into the woods.

As they watched Anton depart, the elven guards hidden in the treetops were filled with doubt and uncertainty.

"Did he spot me?"

The elven guard shook his head.

It must be just a coincidence. He hid himself so well, how could a novice like him have noticed him?

However, the combat technique that person just used was rather strange; he had never seen anything like it before.

Anton darted through the woods, leaving almost a blur in his wake.

Occasionally, the roars of lizardmen could be heard from afar, but he ignored them and sped away into the depths of the forest.

He wasn't going to waste time searching for prey; if he was going to do something, he was going to do something big.

Using his Star Shift technique at full power, Anton quickly arrived at a clearing in the center of the woods.

This is a natural depression with a low-lying terrain, surrounded by steep earthen slopes. Dense shrubs and vines grow on the top of the slopes, forming a natural circular arena.

Anton looked around, nodded in satisfaction, then took a deep breath and opened his mouth abruptly.

A clear and resounding dragon roar suddenly exploded, instantly echoing throughout the entire forest.