Gou Zai Wudao Shicheng Dao

The mountain road wound its way forward, and the disciples of Sanyang Hall, carrying their packs and weapons, silently made their way forward.

Han Zhiqi, who was leading the way, held a long spear and was on high alert, constantly watching the movements around him as he cleared a path for the others.

Among the crowd, the disciples' faces displayed a mixture of trepidation, excitement, and exhaustion...

Ning Tianyang rode the Azure Ox, the spirit beast moving steadily, its large, copper-bell-shaped eyes gleaming with a gentle spiritual light.

The aura they exuded made the chirping of insects around them fall silent.

Fang Xia walked in the middle of the group without saying a word.

But as his gaze swept over the blue ox, his desire for resources grew even stronger.

.......

"We've walked fifty miles of mountain road, and we're all exhausted. The old campsite isn't far ahead, so we'll set up camp there to rest and recharge for tomorrow's hunt down the monsters!"

As dusk settled, Ning Tianyang stopped and gave instructions to the group.

His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached Fang Xia and the others' ears.

"Baiyue, Zhiqiu, and Fengheng, the three of you know the way, so lead everyone there."

"Yes, Master, Master Ning."

The three responded.

The eldest disciple, Ji Baiyue, looked slightly arrogant as he glanced at the group and led the way.

The third senior brother, Han Zhiqi, was much more composed and followed silently.

Feng Heng had a smile on his face, but his eyes were devoid of warmth as he followed them.

The so-called campsite was nothing more than a huge stone cave carved into the mountainside.

The entrance is narrow, but the interior is quite spacious and dry.

The walls of the cave still bear the marks of charred campfires, indicating that it had been used multiple times.

"Wow, this hole is big enough, much better than being crammed into a tent!"

You Qian put down his luggage, patted the dust off the cave wall, and let out a hearty laugh.

Fang Xia glanced at the cave and nodded, agreeing with You Qian's statement.

After settling in, Zhou Cheng lit a campfire and called to Fang Xia and You Qian.

"Come on, Junior Brother Fang, Junior Brother You, come over here, it'll be warmer by the fire."

This is my fifth time here!

The campfire crackled, and Fang Xia and You Qian sat down next to Zhou Cheng as instructed.

The firelight danced on Zhou Cheng's face as he lowered his voice and said, "We're making our move tomorrow. Besides the tough Black Wind Territory, we also have three other demon beast territories. I'll give you a sneak peek so you won't be caught off guard."

"Let's start with the first one, the Poisonous Miasma Forest." Zhou Cheng picked up a branch and scratched it on the ground.

"That godforsaken place, the poisonous miasma in the forest is a problem, but there are also many good things there."

You can find "Malaria Heart Grass" deep in the miasma, which is the main ingredient in antidote pills and is very valuable!

Even more amazing is the silk of the ghost-faced spider, which is incredibly tough and costs ten taels of silver per foot!

"Make it into soft armor; it could save your life in a critical moment!"

You Qian's eyes lit up: "Ten taels a foot? That means that ghost-faced spider is..."

"Dream on!" Zhou Cheng interrupted You Qian's daydreaming with a laugh.

"That spider silk isn't easy to get; you have to be skilled at killing the spider and do it without damaging it. But it's definitely a lucrative business."

He paused, his expression becoming more serious.

"The ghost-faced spider is the most insidious. Its web is sticky and poisonous, and getting caught in it is a big problem."

"You newbies, you better stick close to us old bones tomorrow."

Fang Xia nodded silently, memorizing the information about "malignant heart grass" and "spider silk".

Resources are what he needs most urgently.

Zhou Cheng tapped the ground with a twig again.

"Secondly, the Great Rift Valley. That place is rocky and the terrain is treacherous."

The rock face is covered with "Iron Bone Flower," a superior medicinal herb for strengthening bones and muscles.

Furthermore, the 'Crimson Fire Crystal' ore can often be found in the Ironback Ape's lair.

That stuff is excellent material for forging top-quality weapons; a fist-sized piece is worth a lot of silver.

"Ironback ape?"

Fang Xia, recalling the black-striped tiger in Black Wind Ridge, asked curiously, "Senior Brother Zhou, how does this Ironback Ape compare to the black-striped tiger of Black Wind Ridge?"

"Hey, of course it's not as good as that." Zhou Cheng waved his hand.

"Black-striped tigers are the real killers."

Ironback gibbons are strong and have thick skin, but there are still some clues to follow.

If you encounter monsters tomorrow, remember to follow orders and don't just stand there and get hit.

He glanced meaningfully at Fang Xia and You Qian.

You Qian and Fang Xia nodded slightly.

"Finally, there's the withered swamp." Zhou Cheng's tone carried a hint of solemnity.

"That place is muddy and slippery, and elusive black crocodiles lurk beneath it."

You can pan for "dusty iron sand" in the swamp mud, which can improve the toughness and coldness of weapons.

The skin of the black crocodile is even more precious, naturally waterproof and fireproof. When made into inner armor, it is virtually invulnerable to ordinary swords and knives. Unfortunately, skinning it is extremely difficult, and the quantity is limited.

"Gloomy iron sand... crocodile skin inner armor..." You Qian repeated softly, his eyes filled with longing.

Fang Xia paid more attention to the phrase "appearing and disappearing without a trace," and secretly became more vigilant.

Not far away, by the campfire, Zhang Yuan was wiping his short knife.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Fang Xia chatting happily with Zhou Cheng and You Qian, and he also faintly heard words like "valuable" and "treasure".

The thought that Fang Xia had managed to get involved with Zhou Cheng and You Qian made him grit his teeth in hatred.

.......

The next morning, the thin fog had not yet dissipated.

The disciples of Sanyang Hall stood in formation outside the poisonous miasma forest, their weapons drawn.

A purplish-black miasma churned through the forest, carrying a sweet, rotten stench that made it hard to breathe.

Ning Tianyang stood at the front of the group, with Tianqing Niu standing quietly beside him.

"This forest is treacherous, filled with miasma, and the ghost-faced spiders are particularly vicious and difficult to deal with, hiding in the shadows and waiting for the right moment to spray poisonous webs to trap and kill their prey."

Ning Tianyang's voice was deep and resonant, his gaze sweeping over the disciples like lightning.

"Be extremely careful and cautious, proceed in formation, and do not be greedy for quick success or act rashly!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a figure silently slipped out of the miasma and shadows like a raccoon dog; it was none other than the third senior brother, Han Zhiqi.

His breathing was slightly rapid, and his face showed a hint of solemnity.

"Master," Han Zhiqi said, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

"The situation in the forest has been investigated."

There are two demons, one of which is a mid-level demon with a ghost-faced spider, which is entrenched in its central lair.

A low-ranking demonic spider with a ghostly face, often patrolling the edge of the forest.

In addition, there were twelve adult spiders comparable to warriors with strong bones and muscles, and thirty-one young spiders comparable to warriors with strong skin and flesh.

He paused, then added, "The overall strength... is even weaker than when we cleared them out last year."

Upon hearing this, Ning Tianyang nodded slightly, his tense lips relaxing a little.

"it is good."

His sharp gaze swept over the crowd, and he instantly made arrangements.

"Baiyue, Zhi Qiu, Feng Heng!"

Ning Tianyang looked at the three disciples who had reached the Inner Refinement Heavenly Ladder.

"Those two ghost-faced spider demons are to be dealt with by the three of you together. You must kill them as soon as possible."

"To prevent the spider swarm from being controlled by them, causing unnecessary casualties among my Sanyang Hall disciples!"

"Master, rest assured! Master Ning, rest assured!"

Ji Baiyue, Han Zhiqi, and Feng Heng clasped their hands in greeting and accepted the order.

"Zhou Cheng, You Qian, Wang Hu..."

Ning Tianyang pointed out seven or eight seasoned disciples with steady auras, all of whom were experts who had been immersed in the Bone and Muscle Training for many years.

"Those twelve adult spiders are yours!"

Advance using the "Three Talents Formation," proceeding steadily and surely, and never underestimate the enemy!

The senior disciples whose names were called responded with a chorus of agreement, and Zhou Cheng's eyes sharpened as well.

Finally, Ning Tianyang's gaze fell on Fang Xia, Lin You, and other inner disciples, most of whom were at the Pi Guan realm.

"The remaining thirty-one young spiders are to be dealt with by you inner disciples!"

They formed groups of three, supporting each other and looking out for one another!

Remember, this is real combat, a life-or-death struggle, not martial arts training! Your priority is to protect yourself and slay the monsters!

Fang Xia gripped his longsword tightly, analyzing Ning Tianyang's plan in his mind.

Inner cultivation ladder warriors face demons, veteran stalwarts face elite monsters, and new disciples face miscellaneous soldiers.

A step-by-step approach with clear division of labor is indeed the safest and most efficient method.

Fang Xia nodded in approval; Ning Tianyang's arrangements were very well-organized.

"I will hold the fort; if anything goes wrong, call for help immediately!"

Ning Tianyang concluded in a deep voice, his words like a stabilizing force, bringing some reassurance to all the disciples.

He patted the Azure Ox's neck, and the spirit beast let out a deep moo, like the sound of a war drum.

"Let's go!" Ning Tianyang waved his hand.