The subordinate, drenched in sweat, rushed to explain, "We've just found out that the zone numbers don't match the ones we cleared previously...""What was H District originally assigned as?" the director's expression turned grim."J-J District," the subordinate replied weakly."J District?!" The director shot up from his seat, his voice filled with anger. "How could such a monumental mistake happen? What exactly are you all doing?!"Fuming, the director continued, "Do you realize the significance of J District? Do you understand the potential loss of life because of this error?""Director, w-we..." The subordinate's back was drenched in cold sweat. "This isn't entirely our fault. We cleared the examination area before the exam started. However, there seems to have been a subtle but significant geological shift in the secret realm of Myriad Beast Mountain afterward. The positions of the mountainside and the foot of the mountain seemed to have swapped. By the time we noticed, the exam
This time, not only Draken and York but also Nana and Raul, who were not academically inclined, were astonished.“This is... blood-red rice?” York ventured.In conventional terms, this was already considered a low-level heaven and earth treasure, albeit with a low rank. Its primary function was to enhance one's blood, and it had no usage restrictions; martial artists of any rank could partake. For Martial Apprentices like Draken, it was especially beneficial, akin to an experience potion.Typically found in secret realms, blood-red rice required absorbing the vitality of strong creatures to flourish. Its roots extracted flesh and blood essence to nourish itself, yielding rice with blood-strengthening properties. Given the frequent deaths in the secret realm, encountering blood-red rice occasionally was not unusual.However, the issue lay in the sheer abundance before them—not just a few stalks, but an entire field. Moreover, the field was meticulously tended, a neatly arranged square
The blood-red rice field spread out in a perfect square, about 50 meters long and wide. Despite its size, there weren't many rice ears ready for picking.“Let's pick what we can,” Draken said eagerly.The teens, wearing loose sportswear school uniforms, quickly wrapped the rice, filling their pockets with every ear they found. They didn't waste a single grain.“Time to eat,” Draken said with a grin.Thinking about his newfound Absolute Directional Sense, Draken realized how useful it was. Finding the blood-red rice field might not have been by chance; his strong hunger probably helped them find it.“Your leading skills are great,” York said.Draken chuckled. “You can call me a top-notch tour guide.”York chuckled back. “You're taking compliments seriously, huh?”The group settled near a small hill with a spring. They washed the blood-red rice in the water, taking off the shells by hand. They knew the rice was good for martial arts cultivation.As night came, they felt hungry. They kep
None of them managed to get a good night's sleep.The sounds of battle and screams persisted, growing nearer with each passing moment. Everyone, including Draken, felt on edge.The campsite offered favorable conditions overall, but the open terrain had its pros and cons.In times of safety, they could survey their surroundings from the slightly elevated hill.However, in times of danger, the exposed mountain peak left them vulnerable, with nowhere to hide and nowhere to flee but to become live targets.Fortunately, despite the escalating chaos drawing closer, it didn't encroach upon the few individuals atop the mountain.With bated breath, they endured the tumult until dawn.“It seems to have quieted down.”“Should we go check it out?” Draken suggested in a hushed tone.Though slightly perilous, the idea seemed necessary; the pungent scent of blood lingering from the chaos had already wafted up with the mountain breeze.Continuing to linger risked discovery by other demonic beasts or
In Bactria, the combat examination had barely commenced for half a day before it was abruptly halted. This event, an annual affair for the humans, drew participants from all walks of life. It was rare to find anyone without a vested interest, as the martial arts examination encompassed nearly every sector in Bactria.However, this year's examination took an unexpected turn. A significant geological upheaval shook the secret realm of Myriad Beast Mountain, disrupting the safety zones designated by humans. Despite timely detection, the chaos within the secret realm rendered it inaccessible to the high school examinees.It took the education division half a day to grasp the severity of the situation. As news of the examination's premature end and the venue complications spread, it sent shockwaves across Bactria, touching every sector of society. The widespread nature of the issue made it impossible to conceal.Among those affected were the children of employees across various divisions i
On the Goblin Lord's body, two distinct charred palm prints stood out prominently, evidence of the scorching heat from Draken's mastered Diamond Dust Palm technique.Strictly speaking, Diamond Dust Palm wasn't bound by specific palm techniques but served more as a versatile martial enhancement.It boasted high temperature, toughness, and increased strength, allowing for varied strikes, even a mere slap."What a waste," sighed York, tallying his earned martial arts examination points. "Selling the materials from these demonic beasts and devils could fetch us a good sum. Sadly, time and energy are scarce for such endeavors..."After a tumultuous night, the area was littered with numerous corpses, emitting a pungent stench of blood.While gathering points was manageable, collecting materials would be time-consuming. Plus, lingering too long risked attracting more demonic creatures."Don't fret, we have six more days in this realm. Plenty of opportunities ahead," Draken reassured with a g
York was dumbfounded as he looked at Draken waving his sword. Raul and Nana had already run far away.York had heard of sword techniques that could block hidden weapons or other flying tools.However, even the lowest level of cultivation for those sword techniques had to be in the pulsing realm.No martial apprentice could cultivate such a sword technique.This was because all of those sword techniques required the assistance of strong eyesight.To put it nicely, the martial apprentice realm was the reserve for martial artists. In fact, in this world where everyone valued martial arts, even an ordinary person who was physically unsuitable for practicing martial arts could have the strength of a martial apprentice realm after long-term training.Therefore, in theory, the martial apprentice realm was still the level of ordinary people.A martialist in the pulsing realm could open up meridians, allowing themselves to truly possess vitality.The so-called vitality was energy and spirit. I
"Let's go! Let's go! Let's hold hands. Let's go! Let's go! Let's go traveling," Draken chanted cheerfully, leading the way after their narrow escape from the stinger demon bees. They slowed their pace, mindful that running might attract more trouble than it solved.In high spirits, Draken even began to sing a nursery rhyme, his mood buoyed by their successful evasion. He had managed to collect thirty-five stinger demon bee stingers, which could fetch around thirty-five thousand dollars on the market. Each stinger could be used to craft a single special arrow imbued with deadly poison, making them highly sought after despite their relatively modest individual value."Draken, your sword skills..." York finally gave in to his curiosity, unable to contain his wonder at Draken's remarkable defense against the stingers."I created it myself. Pretty amazing, right?" Draken chuckled, confirming York's suspicions. He had indeed developed the sword technique himself, drawing on his extensive kn