"There are only fifteen days left in the examination period!"

"Examinees who have collected the Heaven and Earth Seal, please head to Lake Heart Island for verification as soon as possible."

"The examination area will shrink in two hours. Those who leave the Formation area will be considered withdrawn from the examination!"

In the boundless sky, a booming, resounding voice arose, shaking hearts like thunder.

And with that voice came a sudden change!

The edge of the mountain range, which stretched for thousands of miles, suddenly rose with a blue-purple light screen, continuously contracting inward.

All the candidates participating in the Shenxiao Sect examination immediately rode their Escape Light, their gazes fixed on the shrinking Formation. Seemingly realizing something, many of them showed grave expressions.

Watching the examination area shrink by at least one-third, Qi Xiu had a peculiar look on his face. Shrinking the area, the Shenxiao Sect really isn't content unless they push us to our limits, huh? he muttered to himself. With the area getting smaller, conflicts between examinees, as well as encounters with creatures like Wutu Bones, are bound to increase. The old geezers of the Shenxiao Sect sure have black hearts.

Those who could rise to the Initiate Realm and dared to participate in the Shenxiao Sect examination were hardly ordinary individuals. This sudden notification about the examination time and the shrinking of the examination area clearly indicated that the Shenxiao Sect wanted to intensify the conflicts. Sooner or later, upon realizing this, almost all the candidates sincerely "greeted" the Shenxiao Sect in their hearts.

Clutching a sweet reed in his mouth, Zhu Mo swung listlessly on a tree branch. "Fifteen days left, and there's still no sign of the Earthly Seal," he sighed.

He and Qi Xiu had been searching every inch of the ground for the Earthly Seal these past days, but the thing seemed as though it might not even exist.

During this time, they had encountered nine attacks from Wutu Bones and four from another abnormal creature named Dengnv. They had also clashed with two other groups of examinees. They currently had seventeen Heaven Seals in hand.

Standing beneath the tree, Qi Xiu opened a cloth bag containing all their remaining Heaven Seals. "The number of Wutu Bones must have increased again," he said. "The Wutu Bone we encountered yesterday, the one from the day before, and the one from five days ago all had slight differences in appearance. If it's not that we're just incredibly unlucky, then it means that the Shenxiao Sect is continuously releasing new abnormal creatures into the examination area."

He tied the cloth bag, a glint of purple flashing deep within his eyes. The Heaven Seals in this stretch of forest have been almost completely scavenged. If we can't find the Earthly Seal soon, the Heaven Seals we have will quickly be depleted due to increased encounters with abnormal creatures like Wutu Bones. If we run out of Heaven Seals, to preserve our lives, we'll have no choice but to escape the Formation area and opt out of the examination.

Just as Qi Xiu was pondering their next move, Zhu Mo suddenly called out to him from the tree, "Lao Qi. It looks like that group of Daliang wolf riders has gotten into a fight with someone."

At the sound, Qi Xiu looked around in confusion but didn't detect any unusual noises or movements. "They've begun fighting? How do you know?" he asked.

Snuffling, Zhu Mo continuously adjusted his direction, collecting scents from the air. "I can smell those giant wolves, and the scent of wolf blood. It seems the wolf riders have suffered losses."

"Yes, they've started fighting. At least two of the giant wolves were injured, not too far from us. Lao Qi, should we take a look?"

As a cook, his sense of smell and taste were his primary talents. Zhu Mo's dog-like sense of smell also came from the secret truths within the True Scripture he cultivated.

After a brief silence, recalling the group dressed in Heavy Armor and wielding silver spears, Qi Xiu said, "Let's take a look."

"Alright!" With that, Zhu Mo grabbed Qi Xiu, and invoking their Earth Walking Skill, they sped toward the northeast at high speed.

On a cliffside, Zhu Mo and Qi Xiu popped their heads out, looking over at the low valley in front of them. "Goodness gracious, these Daliang wolf riders are truly fierce," Zhu Mo exclaimed. "I wonder who in this examination could hurt them. Turns out, they've clashed with Wutu Bones!"

Five wolf-shaped shadows moved swiftly and imperiously, wielding silver spears. Their formidable bodies emanated a wolf-like fiery vital energy, and the firmament roared with each strike as if thunder exploded from the Nine Heavens, deafening to all!

The entire valley had become their battleground. Raging waves of energy constantly collided with the surrounding cliffs, causing thunderous sounds.

In the center of the battle, a hundred-meter-long terrifying black snake, a Wutu Bone, roared skyward. Its scales rustled, and flesh sacs between them kept bursting, releasing numerous thumb-thick, revolting little snakes.

The Daliang wolf riders were extremely coordinated. Following the commands of their lead rider, the five of them operated as one, forming a special Formation. Beneath their feet, a faint light vein connected them all.

Whenever a black snake attempted a sneak attack from a blind spot, a spear would thrust out with incredible precision, exterminating it on the spot! Their senses had merged into one.

Not just that; their strength, Cultivation, and even their willpower were all multiplied by five at this moment!

It was precisely due to this Formation that the Daliang wolf riders could engage in such a prolonged battle against an undying creature like a Wutu Bone.

On the periphery of the valley where intense fighting was erupting, Zhu Mo pointed. "Look, two of the wolf riders' wolves are injured." Two giant wolves lay bloodied on a bed of grasses.

Whining softly, they let out sobbing sounds. The two wolf riders held the wolves' heads in a distraught embrace, gently stroking them while infusing their own vital blood into the giant wolves with a Secret Technique to heal them.

"No wonder they're going head-to-head with the Wutu Bone. It seems these two giant wolves were injured, and they can't bear to abandon their companions and leave," Zhu Mo said.

With glowing eyes, Qi Xiu squinted. I don't think that's entirely it, he thought, then said aloud, "These Daliang wolf riders are actually encircling to kill this Wutu Bone!"

"Encircling to kill a Wutu Bone? But that thing can't be killed," Zhu Mo said, baffled and not quite understanding.

"Let me ask you, why is a Wutu Bone immortal?" Qi Xiu asked.

"Because this creature comes from the Yellow Springs Path; it has no three souls or seven spirits, existing between life and death. It has no vital point, no core. To kill it, one must erase its entire body of flesh and blood. But a Wutu Bone has an extremely strong regenerative ability. Only a great cultivator in the Blood-Stained Realm could possibly do it. A cultivator in the Dao-Entering Realm lacks the power to eradicate it before it regenerates." After explaining, Zhu Mo suddenly lifted his eyebrows. "You mean to say that these Daliang wolf riders are capable of surpassing the regenerative ability of the Wutu Bone and completely eroding it away?"

"No, the Dao-Entering Realm is still the Dao-Entering Realm. Even soldier cultivators like the Daliang wolf riders who understand military formations are the same. It is widely accepted that only Sword Cultivators and Thunder Cultivators have the power to destroy beyond their realm. This group of Daliang wolf riders isn't trying to kill the Wutu Bone before it can regenerate. They aim to destroy its ability to recover."

With his eyes emitting a purple glow, using the special vision provided by his Observing Qi Skill, Qi Xiu clearly saw that the military formation under the feet of the Daliang wolf riders was connected to a stream of Qi from the Sky Dome. This stream of Qi came from the west, dark gold in color. Like a waterfall, it continuously washed over the Wutu Bone's body, like countless tiny needles piercing it.

As an otherworldly creature, the Wutu Bone instinctively felt the threat. To outsiders, it appeared that the Wutu Bone was furiously attacking the five Daliang wolf riders in the valley below. In reality, this group of Daliang wolf riders was staunchly blocking the Wutu Bone, preventing it from escaping.

Scratching his head, Zhu Mo's eyes shifted as he pondered the reason. "Then why are they going through all this trouble and effort to kill an otherworldly creature?"

With a glint in his eye, Qi Xiu slowly said, "You think... is it possible that the Earthly Seal is hidden inside the bodies of these otherworldly creatures we dread so much?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Mo reflexively started to deny it, "But how could they..." Then he stopped short, slapped his thigh, and exclaimed, "There's indeed a real possibility!"

The Earthly Seal, which had proved elusive even after they'd nearly turned the examination site upside down, must be hidden in an extremely difficult place to find. And what place could be safer than inside the bodies of these otherworldly creatures that examinees flee from at first sight? Moreover, considering the Shenxiao Sect's usual methods... such despicable acts that would shame their ancestors, they were definitely capable of it! This also explained why these Daliang wolf riders had come to encircle and kill a Wutu Bone.

Having a rough guess as to where the Earthly Seal was, Zhu Mo was eager. "Should we get involved?" he asked.

"Get involved?" Qi Xiu retorted. "This pack of wolf riders is even daring enough to encircle and kill a Wutu Bone. If you get involved, they might punch holes through you like a strainer."

Finding Qi Xiu's words reasonable, Zhu Mo sighed and propped his chin. "So what do we do, just watch from here?"

With his pupils shining with a purple luster, Qi Xiu appeared calm and collected, as if he had everything under control. "Wait and see," he said. "There may still be a chance."

BOOM!

The earth cracked apart, and the sky filled with surging black water. Feeling its regenerative power steadily declining, the Wutu Bone became increasingly violent. Being a creature existing between life and death, it had no concept of death. But the more alien the sensation of impending death was, the more irritable it became!

Spewing out horrifying black water that decayed bones and devoured souls, the Wutu Bone took a deep breath, its body swelling!

"ROAR—!"

An explosive roar suddenly turned into substantive cylindrical sound waves, tearing through the ground layer by layer, surging forward in an attempt to crush the Daliang wolf riders in front of it into pieces.

The pupils under his helmet contracted. "Dodge!" the leading Daliang wolf rider shouted urgently, and the five riders quickly split up, avoiding the terrifying sound wave.

Taking this opportunity, the Wutu Bone's long tail swung, and it suddenly transformed into a black shadow, about to burrow straight into the ground and escape.

Seeing the Wutu Bone about to flee, the leading Daliang wolf rider bellowed angrily, "Not good!"

They had made many preparations to encircle and kill this Wutu Bone, even risking the lives of two giant wolves. If we let it escape like this, it would be a huge loss of face, he thought.

But now, having distanced themselves from the Wutu Bone to avoid the sound wave, they found themselves too far to intercept it.

Clenching the silver spear in his hand, the eyes of the leading Daliang wolf rider seemed almost to bleed!

Just then, a rounded figure suddenly dropped down. With a heavy SMACK on the ground, Gang Qi surged and rippled. Numerous Array Patterns spread out in an instant. The earthen ground rapidly lit up with a strange metallic sheen visible to the naked eye.

Formation—Turning Earth to Steel!

BANG!!!

With a harsh impact on the ground, the surface suddenly caved in, creating a large crater. The rumbling metallic tremors made the Wutu Bone bleed from its seven orifices, its triangular head directly flattened.

Taking a step to the side of the leading Daliang wolf rider, Qi Xiu nodded slightly and asked quietly, "Need a hand?"

The leading Daliang wolf rider recognized Qi Xiu as someone he had met briefly. After a brief hesitation, he extended his fist towards Qi Xiu. "Alright!"

SMACK!

Two fists collided!

BOOM—!

The aura of nine Hunyuan Beads erupted suddenly.

Qi Xiu and Zhu Mo officially joined the team encircling and killing the Wutu Bone.

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