Chapter 165: Blade-Fingered Ape
Elder Wu Yi's furrowed brow deepened as he glanced at Elder Zhao Heng, the one-eyed elder whose grudge against Mu Feng was palpable. Zhao's single eye, glinting with malice, only intensified the tension.
"Elder Zhao, it's been some time since I last saw you. Oh, and what happened to your eye?" one of the other elders inquired curiously.
Zhao Heng's expression darkened, but before he could respond, Wu Yi interjected with a mocking grin.
"Ah, it was a wager gone wrong. Let's just say Elder Zhao lost his eye in a bet."
The words cut deep, and Zhao Heng's fists clenched in anger. "Hmph, it was the Mu family's treachery!"
Wu Yi chuckled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Treachery? Or perhaps meddling in matters that didn't concern you?"
Zhao Heng growled, his tone venomous. "Wu Yi, what exactly are you insinuating?"
Wu Yi shrugged nonchalantly, dismissing Zhao's rising ire with a wave of his hand.
"Nothing at all, Zhao. Nothing at all."
The exchange brought silence among the other elders, save for Principal Chen Feng, who finally spoke.
"That Mu Feng is certainly extraordinary. I've heard he even bested an inner-court student. If so, his strength could very well place him in the top three of this assessment."
Gasps and murmurs spread among the elders, save for Zhao Heng, whose face grew colder with each word. His hatred for Mu Feng burned bright.
The Hunt Begins
In the vast wilderness of Tianyun Mountain Range, the thousands of students scattered in all directions, forming small groups or venturing out alone. Among them, Mu Feng, Bai Ziyue, and Mu Kuang led a group of a dozen Mu family disciples, advancing cautiously deeper into the forest. The team, united by familial loyalty, aimed to secure victory for Mu Feng.
"Stay sharp," Mu Feng instructed, his voice low but firm. "Beasts may strike at any moment."
As they moved further into the forest, Bai Ziyue suddenly halted, crouching near the ground.
"Brother Feng, over here," he called, gesturing toward the underbrush.
Mu Feng approached and knelt beside him. On the forest floor were faint traces of blood droplets scattered across the leaves. He dipped a finger into the blood and closed his eyes briefly. A faint blood mist rose from the droplet and entered his body, a unique ability of his Shura Bloodline.
"Fresh. It's from a Tier 9 beast and not long ago," Mu Feng confirmed. His crimson eyes glinted sharply.
"Stay alert. We're close."
The group followed the trail of blood deeper into the woods, eventually arriving at a spot where the blood pooled in a larger stain. Suddenly, an eerie screech echoed from above.
"Everyone scatter!" Mu Feng commanded.
A shadow leaped from the treetops, slicing through the air with blinding speed. A massive ape-like creature landed where Mu Feng and Bai Ziyue had just stood. Its claws raked through the trunk of a nearby tree, splitting it effortlessly.
The group quickly regrouped, their eyes locking onto the beast—a Blade-Fingered Ape. The creature hung from a high branch, its razor-sharp claws, each two feet long, glinting in the sunlight. Its dark fur bristled, and its predatory eyes gleamed with malice.
"That's a Blade-Fingered Ape!" Mu Feng identified, his voice steady.
"They're vicious and fast. Stay back and don't let its claws touch you. One swipe, and you're dead."
Before he could give further instructions, the ape screeched and launched itself at one of the Mu family disciples with terrifying speed.
"Move!" Mu Feng shouted.
The disciple froze, eyes wide with fear as the beast's claws closed in. At the last moment, Bai Ziyue lunged forward, his sword intercepting the strike with a resounding clang.
"Don't space out!" Bai Ziyue barked at the stunned disciple.
Taking advantage of the ape's momentary distraction, Mu Feng flicked his fingers. Two golden beams of energy shot forth, striking the beast and punching bloody holes through its hide. The ape shrieked in pain, leaping to another tree for safety.
"Keep it surrounded! Don't let it escape!" Mu Feng ordered.
The beast retaliated, unleashing a flurry of black claw energy toward Mu Feng. Each slash left deep gashes in the surrounding trees, but Mu Feng moved with practiced agility, dodging effortlessly.
Drawing his blade, Mu Feng's aura surged.
"Tiger Strike!"
With a roar, a golden energy tiger erupted from his blade, slicing through the trees and forcing the ape to leap once more. The beast narrowly avoided the strike, but as it landed, another golden beam shot through its leg, shattering its bone.
The ape howled in pain, losing its balance and plummeting to the ground. Mu Feng seized the opportunity, his blade flashing as he descended upon the fallen beast.
"Shura Blood Slash!"
With a final strike, Mu Feng's blade pierced through the ape's throat, pinning it to the ground. The creature convulsed briefly before falling still.
Victory.
"Got it!" Mu Kuang cheered, approaching the corpse. He reached into its chest cavity and extracted a black beast core, tossing it to Mu Feng.
"First kill of the day," Mu Kuang said, grinning. "This one's yours, Brother Feng."
Mu Feng caught the core, storing it in his spatial ring. At the same time, his Shura Godstone absorbed the ape's remaining blood essence, unseen by the others.
"Let's move," Mu Feng said. "The hunt's just begun."
The group pressed deeper into the forest, their eyes sharp and weapons ready for the challenges ahead. The assessment had only just begun.