Gou Zai Wudao Shicheng Dao

Having cleared out the poisonous miasma forest, the Great Rift Valley, and the withered swamp, the Sanyang Hall team, laden with a bountiful harvest, was filled with an almost fanatical excitement.

Exhaustion was still written all over their faces, but a greedy flame burned in everyone's eyes.

They all stared intently at the dense forest ahead called Black Wind Ridge.

The members of the Sanyang Hall were in high spirits, treating the Black Wind Ridge monsters as "meal on their plates".

They were all thinking about hunting down the "Black-striped Tiger" monster, hoping to get a lot of silver and monster meat.

Zhang Yuan huddled together with several of his close disciples, their voices low but barely concealing their excitement:

"Brothers, did you see that? Black Wind Ridge! The Black-striped Tiger there is the real goldmine!"

His fists clenched so tightly they cracked, and his eyes were filled with longing.

"Tiger bone soaked in wine can strengthen bones! Tiger skin saltpeter, when properly prepared, makes armor that is impervious to swords and spears!"

Selling any of the five internal organs to a medicine shop will bring in money, and tiger heart and tiger penis are even more potent tonics!

Its flesh and blood contain more vital energy than that of ordinary demonic beasts!

Zhang Yuan licked his lips and muttered, "If I kill one or two, I'll have all the resources I need to break through the meat barrier!"

Several disciples nearby listened with shining eyes and echoed in agreement:

"Senior Brother Zhang is absolutely right!"

"The black-striped tiger is a monster; its skin and bones—every part of it is a valuable commodity!"

"We must seize the opportunity, achieve more merits, and enjoy a hearty meal!"

Their eyes burned as they stared intently at Black Wind Ridge, as if it were a gold mine!

Even Zhou Cheng and You Qian, who are usually so composed, showed a rare relaxation in their expressions.

Zhou Cheng turned his head and whispered to You Qian, "Junior Brother You, the harvest from this autumn hunt has far exceeded expectations."

His gaze swept toward Fang Xia in front of him, his eyes shining brightly.

"If Junior Brother Fang can continue to make such progress, the six-month agreement may not be just empty talk."

You Qian stroked his short beard and nodded slightly:

"Senior Brother Zhou is absolutely right. If Black Wind Ridge can be further developed, Junior Brother Fang's physique can be further strengthened before the martial arts tournament."

Fang Xia walked in the middle of the group, listening to the enthusiastic discussions among her fellow disciples.

This almost blind optimism clouded everyone's judgment, but it set off alarm bells in his mind.

Fang Xia quietly activated the [Qi Sensing Technique], using the [Avoid Misfortune and Attract Good Fortune] supernatural power to examine his own Qi.

Within the "Late Bloomer" destiny chart, a chilling dark gray aura of calamity was silently rising from the white-tinged red aura of fortune.

The source of the calamity points directly to Black Wind Ridge!

"It's going too smoothly..." Fang Xia's eyes were calm as water, her brows slightly furrowed, and she thought to herself.

"Something unusual must be going on."

When the hunting areas were being divided up, Ye Qianzhong of Hongyun Hall strongly urged my Sanyang Hall to come to Black Wind Ridge. This was by no means a coincidence!

The aura of impending doom is so intense right now; it must be a trap set by someone.

He subtly adjusted his position, moving closer to Zhou Cheng and You Qian, while the perception of his [Qi Sensing Technique] spread outwards like invisible tentacles.

"Ye Qianzhong and my Sanyang Hall have a long-standing feud. With the Cao family and the Black Tiger Gang weakened, this presents an opportunity for his Hongyun Hall to eliminate rivals and seize a share of the profits..."

Hongyuntang's methods are definitely not that simple...

Fang Xia's gaze swept across the dark and dense forest of "Black Wind Ridge".

"This calamity will surely be fulfilled today at Black Wind Ridge!"

Upon entering Black Wind Ridge, a wild and ferocious aura immediately assaults the senses.

Strange rocks stand in jagged rows, and ancient trees block out the sun.

Amidst the intertwined branches and leaves, almost no sunlight could be seen; only unsettling shadows.

The excitement in everyone's eyes was dampened by the oppressive atmosphere permeating Black Wind Ridge.

But when their eyes caught sight of several black-striped tiger demons, greed once again took over.

"It's a pack of black-striped tigers! These beasts are treasures from head to toe; their fur, bones, flesh, and organs can all be exchanged for money and resources!"

"Go! Don't let them get away!"

Ning Tianyang's voice was steady and powerful as he directed the team.

His sharp gaze instantly locked onto the black-striped tigers among the horde of demonic beasts, which exuded the aura of mid-level or even high-level demons!

The battle erupted instantly, and the roars of the monsters echoed through the mountains and forests.

Ning Tianyang took the lead and charged straight at the Black-striped Tiger King, whose aura had reached the level of a high-ranking demon!

His longsword hummed as he channeled his inner energy, causing the sword light to surge and slash towards the Tiger King's head with a sharp whooshing sound!

"roar!"

The black-striped tiger king, with its blood-red eyes, let out a deafening roar, showing no weakness in the face of Ning Tianyang's attack.

The tiger's claws, carrying a foul stench, slammed down on the sword light!

boom!

The swords and claws clashed, creating a powerful gust of wind that knocked down the surrounding vegetation.

The tiger king's fur was so tough that it only left a few white marks when it directly confronted Ning Tianyang's sword energy, which shows how resilient and powerful its muscles, bones and skin are!

However, Ning Tianyang was, after all, a powerful expert at the Qi Gathering and Meridian Opening Realm. His sword strikes were continuous and relentless, suppressing the Tiger King firmly in one place.

This prevented it from escaping to attack other disciples of the Sanyang Hall.

At the same time, Ji Baiyue, Han Zhiqi, and Feng Heng, three martial artists at the Inner Refinement Heavenly Ladder Realm, each stopped a black-striped tiger that exuded the aura of a mid-level demon!

Ji Baiyue's long sword gleamed with an arc of light, each strike aimed precisely at the Black-striped Tiger Demon's neck, joints, and other vital points, clearly indicating his intention to eliminate this "valuable treasure" as quickly as possible.

But the black-striped tiger demon was no pushover either, roaring as it dodged and counterattacked.

The sharp claws tore through the air, leaving behind afterimages, making it difficult for Ji Baiyue to make any progress for the time being.

Han Zhiqi was the most agile; his movements were like the wind, and his footwork was unpredictable.

The sword flashed, aiming straight for the black-striped tiger demon's eyes, ear canals, joint gaps, and other hard-to-defend areas.

This agile and cunning fighting style made it difficult for the black-striped tiger demon to exert its strength, causing it to roar repeatedly.

Feng Heng was the most slippery; he did not confront the Black-striped Tiger Demon head-on, but instead focused on restraining it.

Clearly, he wasn't looking for a quick kill, but rather to stall the demon without taking any damage.

The remaining disciples, under the command of Zhou Cheng, You Qian, and others, formed a battle formation to besiege and kill the black-striped tiger demon beasts.

The battle instantly intensified, with the roars of monsters and the shouts of warriors mingling together and echoing throughout the mountains and forests.

Fang Xia did not rush in, but instead stayed in Zhou Cheng's squad, roaming around the flanks to provide support.

His eyes were sharp, and his [Qi Sensing Technique] was fully activated, allowing him to sense the trajectory of the monster's attack in advance.

With a swift swing of his longsword, Fang Xia deflected the Black-striped Tiger's attacks time and again.

I don't seek a quick kill, but rather a steady and methodical approach to protect my fellow disciples.

"Something's not right..." Fang Xia's senses grew even stronger.

"Could Ye Qianzhong's backup plan be this high-ranking black-striped tiger demon?"

No, the crisis this calamity points to is far more than just this!

Just as the members of Sanyang Hall were locked in a fierce battle with the Black-striped Tigers, and Ning Tianyang was preoccupied with the higher-ranking Black-striped Tiger demon and had no time to spare,

On the flank of Black Wind Ridge, in the shadow of ancient trees, a middle-aged man with a chilling aura curled his lips into a cruel smile.

He carefully took out a section of dark red incense stick and gently lit it with a tinderbox.

A wisp of eerie blue smoke, so faint it was almost invisible, rose silently into the air.

These wisps of smoke, carried by the wind, drifted silently across the entire Black Wind Ridge area.

And they continued deeper into the Black Mountain...

This strange fragrance was colorless and odorless, and the people of Sanyang Hall were completely unaware of it.

But as soon as this exotic fragrance spread, the changes on the battlefield were immediate!

"roar!!!"

The black-striped tiger demons all had bloodshot eyes and drool dripping from their mouths.

All that's left of them is pure bloodlust!

They've become fearless and ruthless!

The disciples of Sanyang Hall were caught off guard and suffered a great loss!

"what!"

Screams erupted one after another in an instant.

Some people were violently thrown into the air, suffering broken bones and fractures.

Someone was struck directly by the black-striped tiger's claws, leaving deep claw marks on their chest that exposed bone!

The entire front line instantly became precarious, and casualties increased sharply.

At the same time, this exotic fragrance spread further and further away at an astonishing speed...

Thirty miles away, two high-ranking demonic wolves, which were sleeping soundly, suddenly twitched their nostrils.

Their scarlet vertical pupils suddenly opened, filled with greed and savagery!

The exotic fragrance of the "Beast-Attracting Incense" is an irresistible temptation for them!

"Awooo!!!"

Two wolf howls suddenly rang out!

The two Xuanhuo Wolf demons suddenly stood up, carrying scorching waves of air, and rushed towards Black Wind Ridge!

The earth trembled slightly as they surged forward!

The center of the battlefield.

"not good!"

Ning Tianyang's expression changed drastically the moment the black-striped tiger went berserk!

He was at the Qi Gathering and Meridian Opening Realm, and his knowledge far surpassed that of ordinary disciples. He instantly recognized the source of this insidious method!

"Beast-attracting incense! It's beast-attracting incense! Someone's plotting against us!"

Ning Tianyang's roar, filled with shock and anger, instantly drowned out the noise of the battlefield and clearly reached the ears of every disciple.

"What?! Animal-attracting incense?!"

Upon hearing this, Ji Baiyue, Han Zhiqi, and Feng Heng, three martial artists at the Inner Refinement Heavenly Ladder, turned deathly pale!

They knew all too well the terror of the beast-attracting incense; it meant that demons were being drawn in!

Fang Xia's heart sank suddenly. In the perception of the Qi Sensing Technique, the dark gray tribulation energy on the "Great Talents Come Late" destiny was churning violently like boiling water!

"It's here after all! This is Ye Qianzhong's killing move!"

He instantly understood why Ning Tianyang hadn't immediately ordered a retreat.

The team is currently being held tightly by the Black-striped Tiger monster. If they force a retreat, their formation will break apart.

Under the pursuit of the monsters, at least half of the Sanyang Hall disciples will become their victims!

"Quickly finish this! Get rid of these beasts as soon as possible!"

Then evacuate Blackwind Ridge immediately! Quickly!

Ning Tianyang's voice carried an unprecedented urgency.

He frantically channeled his inner energy, causing his sword light to surge, attempting to quickly eliminate the high-ranking demon Black-striped Tiger before him.

He knew that this was a race against time, a race against death!

Ji Baiyue, Han Zhiqi, and Feng Heng also realized that the situation had become extremely serious.

Without holding back, they unleashed their strongest fighting power, attempting to quickly annihilate the black-striped tiger demon before them.

However, the enraged Black-striped Tiger became even more fearless and ruthless!

How easy is it to achieve a "quick victory"?

While desperately parrying the berserk black-striped tiger beast in front of her, Fang Xia kept a close eye on Ning Tianyang's location out of the corner of her eye.

"A quick victory? Is there enough time...?"

Is Ye Qianzhong, that old fox, really only good at attracting beasts?

"There must be far more formidable higher-ranking demons nearby than the Black-striped Tiger, perhaps even more than one?"