Reaching the edge of the ancient battlefield, Ming Qi discovered that more than a dozen people had already arrived. The cold and beautiful girl who had passed him midway was among them. She stood alone, quietly gazing at the ancient battlefield shrouded in white mist, her thoughts unsettled.
When Ming Qi rode his horse to the front, the cold and beautiful girl turned her head, glanced at him, then looked away again.
As for the others, some, like the cold-eyed girl, were alone, while others were gathered in groups of two or three, chatting idly.
Estimating the time, he saw that noon was still over an hour away. Unhurried, Ming Qi found a quiet spot and sat down, carefully observing the Xihe Ancient Battlefield.
The Xihe Ancient Battlefield, roughly several hundred miles in radius, was completely shrouded in white mist. Ming Qi tried to see through the fog to see what was inside, but alas, he could make out nothing.
About half an hour later, Ming Qi spotted the young man in ornate clothes running towards him, breathless. As soon as he arrived here, he looked around. When he found the cold and beautiful girl, he immediately smiled and ran over happily.
But soon left in disgrace again. Ming Qi just vaguely heard the cold and beautiful girl scolding, "How far is it going to go!" It seems that this young man is not favored by the goddess in his heart.
Seeing this scene, Ming Qi couldn't help but laugh.
"Smile, what's so funny!"
The young man in the gorgeous clothes happened to walk towards Ming Qi, and immediately saw Ming Qi's slutty smile.
Seeing his angry look, Ming Qi burst into laughter for no reason, which caused everyone around him to throw inexplicable eyes.
"I'll beat you up again!"
The young man in the gorgeous clothes said angrily, but he sat down next to Mingqi like he was familiar.
Only then did Ming Qi take a closer look at the mischievous young man. His complexion was fair and handsome, rosy and rosy. It was obvious he wasn't from a poor family, otherwise he wouldn't have been so well-fed. He was dressed in splendid, ornate clothes, with rings on his fingers and a jade pendant hanging from his waist.
Ming Qi concluded he was either the son of a noble family or a noble family.
"Beat me?"
Evaluating the young man in the ornate attire, Ming Qi raised his lip with a hint of disdain. "Can you beat me?"
Hearing this, the young man's eyes rolled, and he smirked. "Don't be so conceited. I've been blessed by the Moon Goddess. Do you dare to make a bet with me?"
"Bet?"
Ming Qi's eyes lit up. Betting was his favorite thing.
"What's the bet?"
"Let's have a fair fight. If I win, you'll call me Big Brother!"
The young man in the ornate attire was brimming with confidence, as if he could pin Ming Qi down with a single finger.
"What if you lose?"
Ming Qi asked with a smile.
The young man in fancy clothes waved his hand carelessly, "If I lose, I'll give you my sister!"
"Sister?"
Ming Qi's laughter died down immediately. He wondered if this guy was truly stupid. Where had he ever seen someone betting on their own sister?
"Yes, my sister. You know, my sister is a dainty, peerless beauty."
Ming Qi was immediately enraged. It seemed this guy didn't take his sister seriously.
But Ming Qi was also genuinely curious about what this dainty, peerless beauty looked like.
"Okay, it's a deal!"
Pa!
The two of them happily high-fived, sealing the deal.
Putting aside the bet for now, the young man in fancy clothes was truly outgoing, spilling all the beans on Ming Qi's lips.
However, Ming Qi also discovered that this guy's mind was full of tricks. After talking for a long time, Ming Qi only learned his name was Yue Qinglong. As for the beautiful girl who was often boasted about as beautiful as a fairy and captivating everyone, she hadn't revealed a single detail.
The two chatted for a long time, and hundreds of people had already arrived at the edge of the Xihe Ancient Battlefield. It was almost noon. At that moment, the dozen or so disciples of the Biyou Sect, led by the sword-wielding elder Taizi Xu, also appeared at the edge of the Xihe Ancient Battlefield.
Seeing the Biyou Sect members appear, Ming Qi knew the real test was about to begin, and he hurried over.
Prince Xu, hovering low above the Xihe Ancient Battlefield on his flying sword, spoke: "You've arrived here on time, proving you still have some fortitude. The assessment will now officially begin. However, before we begin, I must make one point clear: once you enter the assessment, accept no regrets, life or death, and resign yourself to fate!"
Prince Xu's tone suddenly intensified, and an irresistible aura of authority emanated, enveloping the hundreds present.
"Accept no regrets, life or death, and resign yourself to fate. Truly cruel."
Ming Qi was secretly horrified at these words. It seemed that even aspiring to become a disciple of the third-rate Biyou Sect was a dangerous undertaking.
However, Ming Qi knew the cruelty of the cultivator world and had witnessed countless brutal scenes, so hearing these words at this moment didn't shock him much.
"Those who give up? This is your last chance. We, the Biyou Sect, will not accept anyone with opportunistic intentions!"
Prince Xu spoke with authority, and as soon as he spoke, some of the hundreds of people immediately began to withdraw.
About a quarter of an hour later, looking at those who remained motionless, Prince Xu nodded. Then, a flash of light appeared in his hand, and a emerald green jade token emerged. He tapped the token lightly, and a green light shot out from it, piercing the white mist above the ancient battlefield. Suddenly, there was a loud rumbling sound, and to the astonished eyes of the crowd, it was as if a door had opened, creating a passage through the thick white fog.
Through the passage, Ming Qi could vaguely see countless shadows scurrying back and forth; he wondered what creatures they were.
Looking up again, Ming Qi saw three large characters prominently displayed above the empty passage: Hundred Beasts Garden.
"This is the Beast Garden, specially created by the Sect Master for this assessment. Here, you'll find all the demonic beasts and ferocious beasts raised by our Biyou Sect. The first stage of your assessment is to enter the Beast Garden and tame a demonic beast or ferocious beast within the time limit of one stick of incense."
Prince Xu spoke coldly, then raised his right hand gently, signaling the start of the first stage of the assessment.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Immediately, dozens of figures rushed up the passage and into the Beast Garden.
Seeing this, Ming Qi, unwilling to be outdone, lightly stepped forward, leaped through the passage, and entered the Beast Garden directly.
The moment they entered, they were greeted by a breath of wilderness. Everywhere they looked, demonic beasts and ferocious beasts roamed wildly, and even many birds were flying. There were jackals, tigers, leopards, deer, lions, monkeys, and bears. Eagles, with wingspans four or five meters wide, circled low in the sky, emitting a continuous, shrill cry.
This Hundred Beasts Garden seemed to be shrouded in a powerful formation. No matter how hard the beasts fought, they couldn't break through and escape.
The time it took for an incense stick to last was short. When Ming Qi entered, he saw several powerful individuals already engaged in combat with the beasts.
The beasts themselves were not very intelligent; they could be easily subdued by force.
Ming Qi wasted no time, striding forward, his eyes blazing as he began searching for prey.
"Sword-piercing tiger, black-backed wolf, iron-clawed bear, white-feathered eagle, wind-flying eagle—that's it!"
Ming Qi scanned the beasts one by one until he spotted a massive black wolf in a corner not far away, its body radiating a murderous aura. Its eyes were glaring with greed and bloodlust, scanning the surroundings.
"A Level 3 demonic beast, the Fear Wolf!"
Ming Qi's heart raced. Although a Fear Wolf was a wolf, it defied common wolves' habits in many ways. Wolves lived in packs, but the Fear Wolf was a lone ranger among them. Bloodthirsty and ferocious, they were lightning-fast, and possessed immense endurance, making them an ideal mount for a cultivator of the Acquired Realm. However, the Fear Wolf's will was so strong that few could tame it.
The sight of the Fear Wolf completely unleashed the wolf's inner nature within Ming Qi. With a shudder, he transformed into a gust of wind, sweeping towards the proud and ferocious Fear Wolf.
A Level 3 demonic beast possessed the strength equivalent to a cultivator of the Acquired Realm Seventh Stage. At the peak of the Level 3, it was equivalent to a human cultivator of the Acquired Realm Nineth Stage. It was incredibly terrifying. Ming Qi, currently at the Acquired Realm Fifth Stage, could never tame the Fear Wolf based on sheer strength. However, Ming Qi had a key asset: his understanding of wolf nature.
The proud and cruel Fear Wolf glared intently, and upon seeing someone charging towards him, he let out a low growl.
The moment Ming Qi charged, he clenched his left fist, radiating boundless Wolf Fist energy. Simultaneously, his right hand shifted, clenching forward, and a phantom wolf head crystallized.
Bloodthirsty greed, fearful thoughts!
Ming Qi simultaneously unleashed the first and second of his five Wolf Fists.
The intertwining energy of his fists startled the proud Fear Wolf, a look of confusion flickering in his cruel eyes. It seemed to sense that the one charging at it wasn't a human, but the supreme king of the wolf clan, the Wolf God.
But the Fear Wolf's confusion was fleeting, replaced by boundless rage.
Sceneries of internecine slaughter were commonplace among the wolf clan, a race that adhered perfectly to the law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak and the fittest survive. In the eyes of the Dread Wolf, even if the Wolf God appeared, it would likely give him a fight.
Whoosh!
The Dread Wolf shifted, transforming into a dark shadow. Its bloody maw opened wide, baring its sharp white fangs, and it lunged at Ming Qi. Its target was Ming Qi's throat.
But how could Ming Qi let it succeed?
Seeing the Dread Wolf approach, he shifted his body, hooking his left fist downward and raising his right fist high, attacking the Dread Wolf's waist with a two-pronged attack.
The wolf's weak spot was in the waist.
Bang!
Ming Qi was as fast as a whirlwind, and the Dread Wolf was equally agile. With its four claws spread out, it managed to dodge Ming Qi's left fist, but at that moment, Ming Qi's right fist arrived, slamming hard into the Dread Wolf's ribs.
Ming Qi's punch was so powerful that even the Level 3 Fear Wolf was knocked back two meters. He wasn't feeling well either. The demon beast's combat power was inherently stronger than that of a cultivator of the same level, and now he was even challenging a higher-level opponent. The very encounter sent his blood boiling.
The Fear Wolf's eyes flashed bloodshot, as if it had encountered a formidable opponent. It crouched prostrate, ready to deliver a fatal blow.
But at that moment, Ming Qi's Wolf Fist technique took effect, and the Fear Wolf's eyes became confused again.
"Okay!"
Ming Qi seized the opportunity and attacked again.
He delivered a punch, then stepped back a few steps, waiting for his chance.
One punch, two punches, five punches!
After nearly ten punches, Ming Qi was already panting and sweating profusely, his entire body feeling like it was about to fall apart.
Perhaps only someone like Ming Qi, with his terrifyingly solid fundamentals and the added power of his Wolf Fist, could stand up to this fearsome wolf. Other cultivators, even those at the seventh or eighth level of the Acquired Realm, might not dare challenge the bloodthirsty nature of this fear wolf.
As Ming Qi maneuvered, the battle between him and the fear wolf had unknowingly spread to a distance of nearly a mile, attracting a large crowd of spectators.
"Time is running out! Final warning!"
At this moment, a cold voice echoed from above the Beast Garden.
Ming Qi was startled. He had unknowingly fought the fear wolf for an entire incense stick's worth of time!
Victory or defeat depended on this one move!
Ming Qi gathered all his strength and swung his Wolf Fist once more.
"Bloodthirsty greed, thoughts of fear, I am the incarnation of the Wolf God. You must submit to me!"
Ming Qi shouted coldly, his fists pounding down like a mountain.