Jiang Taotao's expression shifted dramatically. "Rewind!"
The team quickly retreated from the mountain's base.
Hundreds of mermaid monsters poured down from the summit, completely blocking the path upward.
"Someone has deliberately lured the mermaid monsters here," Lin Moyu observed, spotting a figure sprinting ahead of the monstrous horde. This person had attracted the creatures.
The figure's attire differed from that of Lin's group; he was neither from Xiajing Academy nor the Shenxia Empire.
Jiang Taotao recognized him. "He's from the Country of Cherry Blossoms."
"This person appears to be an Onmyoji, a unique profession in Sakura Country," she continued, noting the cherry blossom pattern embroidered on his clothing.
Lin Moyu was unfamiliar with the Onmyoji profession.
Ning Yiyi spoke up, her voice serious. "I've heard that this profession is rather shameful."
Jiang Taotao confirmed, "It's true; they dabble in many ghostly tricks."
The Onmyoji produced two talismans, one in each hand, and hurled them into the air.
The talismans exploded, summoning two gigantic phantoms that surged down from the sky toward the mountain's base.
Like skeletal warriors, they attracted the hordes of monsters lurking at the foot of the mountain.
As the students of Qianlong Academy attempted to retreat, they quickly found themselves surrounded by the overwhelming tide of monsters.
They unleashed their skills, desperately trying to break free, but the sheer number of creatures made their escape seem impossible.
Realizing they couldn't push through, white light enveloped each student, and they teleported away.
The task stones they received before entering the island had teleportation capabilities, allowing them to escape danger.
However, using the teleportation would mean failing the trial mission.
"This is the shikigami skill of the Onmyoji; it's said to summon ancient gods," Ning Yiyi explained.
Miao Yu inquired softly, "But why would he do this?"
"To keep us from ascending the mountain," Jiang Taotao replied.
The foot of the mountain was teeming with monsters—at least two hundred in total. Over a hundred more were scattered along the mountain path.
With more than three hundred monsters blocking the way, it would take hours to clear them all.
The Onmyoji floated above on his shikigami, laughing maniacally. "Stay here! The dungeon belongs to my Great Cherry Blossom Kingdom."
With that, the shikigami whisked him away in the blink of an eye.
"What a coward!" someone muttered.
"The Onmyoji is a legendary profession. It seems Sakura Kingdom has invested heavily this time," another added.
"By the time we clear these monsters, it'll be too late," someone sighed.
"And our team is already in disarray; many have already pulled out of the trial."
"It's alright; we can regroup once we reach the dungeon."
"The question is, how do we get there?"
"Why not sacrifice someone to draw the monsters away?"
"Are you crazy? We're not level 40 second-job professionals; you have no idea how dangerous it is to kite monsters."
"It's not just a few; it's hundreds of them!"
"Let the summoner handle it."
"Yeah, you're all-powerful as a Summoner; surely you can manage a few monsters. But hundreds? Are you joking?"
Jiang Taotao turned to Lin Moyu. "Can you do it?"
Lin Moyu nodded, and a skeleton warrior rushed forward.
"Huh, skeletons? Undead summons?" someone exclaimed.
"Whose summon is this?" another asked.
"What's it doing?"
"It's drawing the monsters away—it moves so fast!"
The appearance of the skeleton warrior immediately grabbed the attention of the monstrous horde, with many mermaids screaming and chasing after it.
In an instant, a third of the mermaid monsters were drawn away.
Jiang Taotao sighed. "Unfortunately, there are still so many left."
Crack! Crack!
Another skeleton warrior appeared.
"Two?" Jiang Taotao's eyes lit up, surprised by Lin Moyu's second summon. Hope flickered in her chest.
The second skeleton repeated the task, pulling away another group of monsters.
Now, the area at the foot of the mountain was nearly clear, leaving only the creatures along the mountain path.
Though there were still monsters remaining, they would be dealt with far more swiftly than before.
"Great job!" someone cheered.
"Impressive work, brother!" another chimed in.
"Once this trial is over, drinks are on me!"
"After we clear this dungeon, I'll treat you!"
Everyone praised Lin Moyu, their spirits lifted.
Ning Yiyi beamed, while Lin Moyu seemed more subdued than before.
Only Ling Zhen's expression darkened, as if he had bitten into something sour.
Then a third skeleton appeared.
"Three?!"
"Now we're stable!"
Excitement surged through the crowd.
"Get ready to move up the mountain," Lin Moyu said quietly.
Jiang Taotao steeled herself, prepared for action.
The third skeleton charged up the mountain, drawing a cluster of monsters along the path.
Seizing the opportunity, Jiang Taotao dashed up the mountain with the rest of the team close behind.
Lin Moyu could have easily wiped out the remaining monsters with a single spell, but he refrained.
Ling Zhen was with them, and Lin Moyu didn't want him to benefit from his power.
In a team setting, using his most potent spells would mean experience would be shared.
Why? Because Ling Zhen had repeatedly provoked him, and Lin Moyu wasn't naïve enough to let it slide.
In another context, Ling Zhen would probably be dead.
The team raced up the mountain, reaching the summit—hundreds of meters high—within minutes.
They spotted the dungeon entrance, but a rival group was already there.
"Enter the dungeon! Don't let them take the lead!" Qianlong Academy members shouted.
Jiang Taotao hurried toward the entrance, determination written across her face.
"What? How did they get here?" someone gasped.
"Could they fly too?" another speculated.
The Onmyoji, who had summoned the monsters, stood in mid-air, his expression shifting from glee to confusion.
He had unleashed so many monsters to block the path, expecting to delay them for hours.
Yet Qianlong Academy had climbed the mountain far too quickly, defying his expectations.
As both sides reached the summit, they exchanged glances and raced toward the dungeon entrance.
Suddenly—whoosh!
Sharp arrows whistled through the air, raining down like a storm.
"Watch out! It's the archers!" someone shouted.
The archers from Sakura Country unleashed their skills with ferocity.
The mages raised their shields, knights activated their defensive abilities.
Two skeletons appeared in front of Lin Moyu, forming a protective barrier for him and Ning Yiyi.
"Don't hold back! Give it your all!"
The archers of Qianlong Academy retaliated, launching their skills with precision.
Arrows flew wildly, spells detonated chaotically...
Despite being only around level 20, their skills were impressive.
Support mages stood at the back, healing their teammates as assistants worked to restore their health.
Healing beams shot up into the sky.
Knights charged into the fray, clashing fiercely with their opponents.
The battle was chaotic, with no formations or strategies in place.
Strength differences between the two sides were negligible, and neither could gain the upper hand.
According to Lin Moyu, the Shenxia Empire should have been stronger.
The members of Qianlong Academy were elite professionals, well-equipped and skilled.
While those from Sakura Country were certainly capable, they didn't measure up to their Shenxia counterparts.
The real issue lay in the Onmyoji's diversion; it had left Shenxia's team fractured and diminished in combat strength.
As a result, the clash became tense, with an unclear outcome.
Neither side had gained the upper hand, and injuries were limited.
Lin Moyu remained inactive, mindful of his power.
His skills were too destructive; he worried that a mere strike from the skeleton would endanger their foes' lives.
One blast from him would likely decimate their ranks.
Jiang Taotao noted that despite the fierce competition, casualties were minimal.
What had seemed like a violent battle had resulted in only a few injuries, all of which were swiftly treated by the nurses.
After the first skirmish, both sides adopted a cautious stance, neither willing to relax.
With the dungeon entrance so near, the allure of Mermaid's Tears was undeniable for both parties.
"Our team is disorganized and needs to regroup."
"Once we do, we'll surely overpower them."
With many fleeing earlier, the team had been thrown into disarray, making it difficult to fight effectively.
"We're lacking ranged damage; we need a mage or archer, just one below level 22, but no one over level 21."
"We also need a healer—anyone below level 21 will do!"
A chorus of voices echoed, calling for reinforcements.
Ling Zhen suddenly interjected, "Captain, I'm switching to another team."
"Why?" Jiang Taotao was taken aback; she hadn't expected Ling Zhen to say that.
He pointed a finger at Lin Moyu. "It's either him or me."
The others were equally stunned; Ling Zhen was using this as a threat.
Yet, they had already reached the dungeon gate.
Duan frowned, his voice low. "Ling Zhen, that's out of line."
Miao Yu echoed, "Exactly! If it weren't for Lin, we'd be facing down those monsters right now!"
"Why should I care about that? You all go back; I'm not wasting my time here," Ling Zhen snapped.
The air was tense as everyone weighed their options.
"Is it worth losing a member for the sake of one person?" Jiang Taotao finally spoke.
Ling Zhen shrugged. "If it's not worth it to you, then don't bother."
Everyone stared at Lin Moyu, who remained silent.
Ling Zhen scoffed. "Do you even care about your so-called team?"
With no response, the tension mounted.
Ling Zhen's expression shifted to one of disdain, a smirk appearing on his lips. "See? I knew it."
Jiang Taotao was infuriated, and even Ning Yiyi's brows furrowed.
"Okay! Since you want him gone so badly, let him go!" Jiang Taotao's voice was sharp.
Lin Moyu finally broke his silence, his tone unwavering. "I have no intention of leaving."
The group collectively sighed, sensing the brewing storm.
"Why don't you stay?" Jiang Taotao suggested, her voice laced with tension. "But you'll need to be careful with your summons. We can't afford to lose any more strength."
Ling Zhen looked incredulous. "Do you really think you can keep him under control?"
But Lin Moyu had already made up his mind.
With unwavering focus, he summoned another skeleton, sending it forth to challenge Ling Zhen's bravado.