Wu Heng was exceptional—whether in talent or experience, he was far above the average person.
And exceptional people tend to gravitate toward the strong. With just one glance, he could tell Huo Jingshu was no ordinary girl, so he struck up a conversation with keen interest.
However, Huo Jingshu was the taciturn type, and since this was their first meeting, his enthusiasm was met with cool indifference.
Not that he minded.
Strong individuals had their quirks—he understood that perfectly, being one himself.
Huo Jingshu had originally planned to leave, but seeing Su Mo there, she decided to stay. She was also a bit tired, so she took the chance to rest while waiting for Xia Qingqing and the others.
About five minutes later, Xia Qingqing was the first to haul herself over the cliff’s edge, panting heavily. Luo Xiu followed close behind but still ended up a step slower.
Both Huo Jingshu and Wu Heng looked surprised.
In their minds, Luo Xiu was supposed to be stronger than Xia Qingqing—significantly so.
Who would’ve guessed this little girl had been hiding her true strength all along?
Su Mo, however, wasn’t the least bit shocked. After all, she’d eaten plenty of those red fruits—her physical prowess naturally surpassed that of an average B-rank.
Next up was Yin Yan, followed shortly by several others whose abilities were all fairly evenly matched.
Wiping sweat from her forehead, Yin Yan’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “I actually made it up…!”
Su Mo gave her a thumbs-up.
Yin Yan was flustered.
My future sister-in-law praised me…!
Unbeknownst to Su Mo, in this girl’s mind, he had already been “married off” to her brother.
＞(￣▽￣ = ￣︿￣)＜
Only after the last person climbed up—and another half-hour passed with no sign of the remaining five—did they confirm those missing had failed the challenge. The group finally moved on.
By this point, many had already fallen behind. No one knew if they’d been teleported out or not, so the mood was somber.
After all, they’d traveled together for so long—some were even classmates or schoolmates. To suddenly lose contact, not knowing if they were alive or dead… it didn’t sit right with anyone.
As dusk approached, the group reached a sheltered slope where they decided to set up camp. The night winds were fierce, and temperatures dropped drastically, making further travel impractical.
Among everyone present, Su Mo and Wu Heng commanded the highest respect—their words carried the most weight.
Thus, the group was split into two teams, led by Su Mo and Wu Heng respectively, taking turns keeping watch and resting.
Though Su Mo was responsible for the latter half of the night, he deliberately assigned Huo Jingshu and Luo Xiu to the first watch. Wu Heng clearly understood his reasoning but said nothing.
Yin Yan found a spot to sit by herself, glancing at Su Mo’s group before sighing.
“Ah, brother… your little sister can only help you so much. She’s just too outstanding—I can’t even break into her circle…”
She’d originally planned to play matchmaker for her brother, but after realizing how unapproachable Su Mo was, she had to admit defeat.
You’re on your own now.
I tried.
Honestly, what a troublesome brother…
With the air of a weary adult, she rubbed her temples.
First watch…
Nothing happened.
Second watch…
Still nothing.
……
At daybreak, a thick fog rolled in without warning.
Visibility dropped to less than five meters—faces became indistinguishable, and the sun vanished entirely.
“Why’d the fog come out of nowhere? It wasn’t like this earlier,” Su Mo muttered, suspicious.
“Right? It was like—whoosh!—and suddenly everything’s white. I didn’t even see it coming,” Xia Qingqing agreed, equally puzzled.
Wu Heng, already awake, shook his head at the dense mist. “Looks like we’ll have to wait for it to clear before moving on.”
In an unknown environment, recklessness was a risk no one could afford.
No objections were raised.
But after over an hour, the fog showed no signs of lifting.
Then, the usually silent Huo Jingshu suddenly spoke.
“Something’s approaching.”
She wasn’t the only one who heard it—several of the stronger members picked up on the faint “whooshing” sound growing louder.
Su Mo signaled everyone to stay alert while Wu Heng quickly arranged the group by combat strength, preparing for potential danger.
“Awooo—”
A wolf’s howl echoed a third time, deeper and more commanding than before.
Almost simultaneously, shadowy figures lunged from the fog—beasts resembling wolves but leaner, their eyes glowing crimson.
Strangely, only the beasts bore this “red-eye” effect. None of the humans were affected.
“Be careful. These things are close to D-rank in strength,” Su Mo warned, slamming one beast to the ground and finishing it off without hesitation.
Then something bizarre happened.
The slain beast didn’t leave a corpse—it simply vanished.
Su Mo’s pupils constricted.
An illusion?
Yin Fire.
Dark blue flames flickered around him, purging any possible mental interference—yet the phenomenon persisted.
Okay, not an illusion.
If it wasn’t an illusion, then he had a new theory.
Could this be the third trial’s test?
Whether it was or not, the immediate priority was surviving the beasts’ assault.
Shing!
His blade unsheathed, Su Mo cut through the creatures like a whirlwind.
Amid the chaos, a realization struck him.
These things resemble chái—the “chái” in “wolves, tigers, and leopards.”
Indeed, “chái” were wolf-like but leaner, often called “chái wolves.”
If so, then these beasts were likely just that.
Wu Heng, wielding a dagger seemingly conjured from thin air, slit throats without flinching.
Xia Qingqing and Luo Xiu held their own but were gradually wearing down.
“Help!”
Someone screamed as a chái wolf clamped onto their thigh. Panicked, they cried for aid—but with everyone else fighting for their lives, no one could spare the attention.
Just as death seemed inevitable, a rust-covered blade sliced through the air, cleaving the beast in two with blunt force.
The wounded person barely glimpsed their savior before passing out from pain. Su Mo crushed their space crystal for them.
The chái wolves kept coming, their numbers seemingly endless.
Injuries piled up.
“If you can’t hold on, retreat. Don’t gamble with your life.”
“I’m out. Good luck.”
“Agh—my arm! I’m done…”
Many promptly shattered their crystals, vanishing on the spot.
Within a minute, the group of dozens dwindled to fewer than ten.
Only the elite remained—Su Mo, Wu Heng, Xia Qingqing, Luo Xiu, Yin Yan, and three others (two men and a woman).
“The fog hasn’t cleared, and we have no direction to break through. If you’re at your limit, don’t push it,” Su Mo said, though his words were mostly aimed at Xia Qingqing.
Huo Jingshu spun her spear. “I’m not retreating even if I die!”
Su Mo: “…”
Lady, I’m trying to save your life here. No need for the dramatic martyr act—it’s not worth it.
This was just training. Dying for some hypothetical treasure? Pointless.
But Huo Jingshu paid no heed to his thoughts. As long as she breathed, she’d fight.
Surprisingly, even Xia Qingqing defied him this time. “I want to test my limits,” she said solemnly.
As for Luo Xiu? When he got serious, he wasn’t far behind Huo Jingshu…
Yin Yan wasn’t Su Mo’s main concern—they weren’t close, merely acquaintances.
(Though if her life was in danger, he’d still save her.)
The remaining trio seemed to operate as a unit, and they too refused to back down.
“Fine. If that’s how it is, then stay close.”
Su Mo’s grip tightened on his blade.
“I’ll lead you through a path of blood!”
Indecision had never been his style.
Like the weapon in his hand—his edge always pointed forward.