The following day, as the sun rose, a silhouette appeared on a nearby mountain peak, discreetly observing Qin Shu and the others.
"Does he cultivate the Burning Blood Technique?"
The Fifth Elder furrowed his brow slightly. During Qin Shu and Li Wen's confrontation, he entered the illusion realm. He hadn't anticipated witnessing Qin Shu's full-powered punch directed at Li Wen. With a single glance, he recognized the Burning Blood Technique.
"His vitality should be depleted by now. He appears unsure of what to do."
The Fifth Elder sensed a hint of weakness in Qin Shu's aura, piquing his curiosity.
By using his divine sense, he ascertained the number of Beast Cores each of them possessed. Under normal circumstances, their Beast Cores would suffice for only three people to advance, yet there were five candidates, meaning that two would undoubtedly be eliminated.
Meanwhile, Qin Shu and the others had awakened nearby. They convened, pooling together all the Beast Cores they had gathered. After a meticulous count, they realized there were only enough for two of them to advance.
"With less than two days remaining until the conclusion, our hard work can secure only one spot. It appears that one of us must be eliminated."
The silence descended as the gravity of the situation sunk in. None of them desired to relinquish this opportunity. Once given up, it would mean a three-year setback none of them could afford.
"I'll give my share to Brother Qin," Xuanyuan Quanlong spoke up, breaking the silence. He pushed his Beast Core toward Qin Shu and continued, "If not for Brother Qin, I wouldn't be here. Since you helped me save my reputation, I should offer this opportunity to you."
"Sister Zi Yue, I won't accompany you. I believe the inner sect imposes strict rules, and I won't be able to venture out for leisure."
Qing Yuan split her Beast Core in half, handing the larger portion to Zi Yue and placing the other in front of Zhao He.
"You, silly giant, thank you for rescuing us. This Beast Core is our gesture of gratitude," Qing Yuan added, feigning arrogance as she made the offering. She had developed a peculiar fondness for this seemingly foolish individual.
"I didn't contribute much, but if I had to choose, I'd give it to Brother Qin," Zhao He stated, depositing a small stack of Beast Cores in front of Qin Shu while scratching his head.
Qin Shu gazed at the mound of Beast Cores before him, remaining silent, his brows furrowed as if contemplating something.
Abruptly, he halted, startling everyone.
"You can split the Beast Cores amongst yourselves. I don't need them," Qin Shu declared with a smile.
"Brother Qin, don't jest. Without you, Li Wen and his group would have evicted us from the illusion realm. You should rightfully receive the lion's share," Xuanyuan Quanlong insisted, attempting to return the Beast Core, but Qin Shu pressed it back.
"Of course, I didn't say I intend to withdraw from the assessment."
"Then what do you mean?" Xuanyuan Quanlong and the others exchanged puzzled glances, uncertain of Qin Shu's intentions.
"Do you recall what the Fifth Elder mentioned to us before the assessment?"
"What?"
Zhao He and Xuanyuan Quanlong exchanged puzzled looks, their hands spread in confusion. Their recollection of the events was hazy, and they only remembered that withdrawing from the illusion realm meant failure and the test was undergoing at Black Peak Mountain. Other details eluded their memory.
"Are you suggesting that the Fifth Elder deliberately released that ferocious beast? And you want us to join forces to slay it?" Zi Yue, deep in thought, seemed to have connected the dots.
"Exactly. The Fifth Elder mentioned that killing a beast grants one the qualification to enter the inner sect and receive guidance. I propose that we collaborate to address this matter. Once resolved, I'll make every effort to slay other beasts so that we can all advance."
"What do you all think?" Qin Shu inquired, and everyone nodded without hesitation.
"But how will we locate this beast? This area is vast, and if we split up, we risk falling prey to Li Wen and his group." Xuanyuan Quanlong posed a valid concern, dampening the resurging morale. Failure to locate a ferocious beast would be a setback.
"Brother Xuanyuan, do not worry. I know the whereabouts of this particular beast."
Qin Shu smiled faintly. Along the way, they had mostly encountered beasts of Level 4 and Level 5 Qi Refinement. The Wolf King, on the other hand, was at Level 10 Qi Refinement, significantly more formidable than the others.
What was more telling was that the Wolf King seemed to remain stationed in one location, rarely venturing outside. This observation strengthened Qin Shu's suspicion.
Presumably, the Wolf King was genuinely formidable. If they allowed it to roam beyond its territory could result in the annihilation of most outer sect disciples.
Without delay, everyone stood up and proceeded toward the location Qin Shu had indicated.
On a dune, the Desert Wolf King lounged comfortably under the afternoon sun, its ears drooping. Beside it lay heaps of bones, the remains of other ferocious beasts that had mistakenly entered its territory.
Moreover, for some inexplicable reason, the spiritual energy in this area was exceptionally dense, significantly enhancing its strength as it neared the Level 9 mid-stage.
"We're nearly there. Everyone must exercise utmost caution. This ferocious beast is formidable. A misstep could lead to our complete demise."
Qin Shu and others concealed themselves amidst a cluster of bushes, gathering their spiritual energy while keeping a watchful eye on the Desert Wolf King.
"This fellow is nearly at Level 11 Qi Refinement, isn't he?"
Xuanyuan Quanlong couldn't help but quip. Most cultivators typically progressed to the Foundation Establishment stage after reaching Level 12 Qi Refinement. In general, the Foundation Establishment stage is where one can typically draw spiritual energy into their body and store it.
Also, individuals in the Qi Refining stage could only manipulate spiritual energy and were unable to truly absorb it into their bodies, resulting in substantially weaker explosive power compared to those in the Foundation Establishment stage.
The Wolf King before them was already displaying signs of absorbing spiritual energy, causing Xuanyuan Quanlong to feel a sense of impending danger.
"This is a protective origin spell capable of withstanding an attack from Level 10 Qi Refinement. Hold on to it, and if the situation becomes dire, retreat. Sister Zi Yue and I will provide support from behind."
Qing Yuan passed a yellow talisman paper to Qin Shu and the others before retreating to Zi Yue's side, where they began strategizing.
"Very well then. Brother Zhao and I will draw out the Wolf King, and Brother Xuanyuan, you'll be responsible for monitoring our surroundings. If other disciples arrive, we must make a swift exit without lingering," instructed Qin Shu.
He had designated Zhao He and himself as bait to lure the Wolf King because they possessed the strength to withstand its attacks. Xuanyuan Quanlong, on the other hand, would likely be killed with a single strike.
"When we manage to corner it, our primary objective is to eliminate it promptly. Even if we cannot kill it, we must inflict severe injuries. Naturally, we must prioritize our safety," Qin Shu added, concluding his instructions.
He then turned to Zi Yue, requesting several pieces of talisman paper and tucking them into his storage bag.
With all preparations complete, everyone quietly awaited the opportune moment.
Just as they were prepared, the Wolf King slowly roused itself, yawning lazily as it lay on the ground atop a dune.
"Kill it!"
With those words, two figures emerged from the distance, brandishing ice spears in their hands. They hurled the spears as they closed in.
The ice spears streaked toward the Wolf King, and with a resounding wolfish roar, the projectiles shattered into fragments. The Wolf King swiftly redirected its attention toward Qin Shu and Zhao He.
An invisible pressure enveloped the two of them, emanating an aura of expertise that was utterly overwhelming. Their limbs trembled momentarily, but they soon regained their composure and hastily turned to flee.
Upon observing their retreat, the Wolf King leaped nimbly into pursuit.
"D*mn, this is exhilarating! It's my first time facing such a formidable opponent!" Zhao He exclaimed between breaths as they sprinted. Qin Shu could only offer a wry smile as they neared the area where Zi Yue and Qing Yuan had set up the array.
"Come on, do you think I'm afraid of you?" Despite his breathlessness, Zhao He taunted the Wolf King.
The Wolf King appeared to sense something amiss and abruptly halted, pacing to and fro before the array as if pondering a dilemma.
"D*mn, does it understand formations?" Zhao He was taken aback by the Wolf King's sudden pause. He touched his protective origin technique and breathed a sigh of relief.
"No, it senses an issue," Qin Shu replied, his expression fraught with caution and anxiety. At this stage, ferocious beasts or spiritual pets generally possessed a semblance of consciousness, albeit in an undeveloped state. They were capable of detecting simple traps.
"What should we do then? We can't afford to keep wasting time with it, can we?"
Zhao He anxiously paced back and forth. The longer they delayed in dispatching the ferocious beast Wolf King, the more disciples would converge upon hearing the commotion. Zhao He had no intention of inadvertently aiding others in reaping the rewards.
"I can only provoke it," Qin Shu stated resolutely as he reached into his pocket. With incredible speed, he dashed into the array and positioned himself within it, launching a relentless assault on the Wolf King.
Countless ice spears were unleashed upon the enraged Wolf King.
The beast charged forward, and in the blink of an eye, the array crumbled, revealing a familiar figure on the battlefield.