A massive tiger, over three meters tall, charged forward like a primordial beast, its roar shaking the forest.

  A bloodthirsty wind swept through the mountains and trees.

  From the other side of the stream, a giant patterned serpent as thick as a barrel slowly lifted its head.

  Its crimson eyes gleamed like twin blades, exuding cold malice as it locked onto the people across the river.

  Both the tiger and the serpent were second-rank demonic beasts.

  The moment they appeared, their attention was drawn to Li Jun and his group.

  "Damn it!" Li Jun realized things had gone terribly wrong the moment he heard the tiger's roar.

  He had assumed the demon wolf was the dominant beast in this territory. Killing it should have secured the area, ensuring no further threats. Even if more demonic beasts showed up, they would likely be first-rank creatures—nothing he couldn’t handle.

  In fact, part of the reason he chose to camp here was that he wanted weaker demonic beasts to appear.

  He had planned to put on a show—slaying a first-rank beast in an instant, displaying his supreme prowess.

  That way, he would leave an unforgettable impression on the group, solidifying his influence for the future.

  But he had never expected that instead of a weak first-rank beast, two second-rank predators would arrive.

  "Prepare for battle!"

  His command was swift.

  The group, who had just been feasting and celebrating moments ago, immediately snapped to attention.

  Without unnecessary chatter, the battle erupted.

  The tiger and the serpent had long been suppressed by the demon wolf. Now that it was dead, they were determined to claim dominance over the forest.

  The battlefield turned into utter chaos.

  There were no earth-shattering explosions of spiritual energy, but the brutality of the fight surpassed anything imaginable.

  The tiger let out a deafening roar and lunged forward, sinking its massive jaws into a young cultivator.

  Blood splattered, dyeing the tiger's head crimson. The sight was monstrous. The surrounding cultivators froze in shock.

  They were only fourteen or fifteen years old—mere teenagers. They had never witnessed such carnage before.

  A moment ago, they had felt invincible, believing themselves to be kings of the forest after slaying the demon wolf.

  They had sung and celebrated, feasting without a care.

  Now, in the blink of an eye, their companion—who had been eating and drinking with them just moments ago—lay dead in a pool of blood.

  Screams of terror erupted.

  Panic spread like wildfire, and the situation spiraled out of control.

  Not far away, atop an ancient tree, Han Luo widened his eyes at the unfolding scene. Shaking his head, he muttered under his breath.

  "Too reckless, too reckless, way too reckless…"

  Mumbling to himself, he pulled out another handful of Concealment Talismans and plastered them all over his body.

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  As he did, he continued grumbling.

  "Why fight when you can cultivate? Fighting won’t make you an immortal. Fighting won’t grant you eternal life.

  "They’re just too hotheaded. Too reckless."

  By the time the battle ended, the two demonic beasts had been slain. Li Jun and his group had barely won, suffering heavy losses in the process.

  No one cheered. No one spoke.

  A somber silence blanketed the area. The bonfire had long since died out. Darkness swallowed the surroundings, mirroring the gloom that hung over their hearts.

  "Move out."

  Li Jun wasted no time. He knew that their recent battle might attract even more beasts. If another second-rank creature arrived, none of them would make it out alive.

  Under the cover of night, the survivors quickly departed. Before long, silence reclaimed the battlefield.

  Han Luo did not follow them.

  The forest at night was too dangerous—traveling in the dark was out of the question. Just as Li Jun had predicted, beastly roars echoed through the trees.

  More creatures were closing in on the battlefield. Holding his breath, Han Luo kept his gaze fixed on the scene below.

  Wait.

  What was that?

  From the battleground, strange white lights suddenly emerged. They flickered like ghostly flames, transforming into bright streaks that shot into the sky before vanishing.

  What… was that?

  Was the place haunted? Something didn’t feel right.

  Wait a minute…

  Where were the bodies?

  Han Luo quickly realized that the corpses of those who had died were gone.

  Could it be…?

  He immediately pulled out his magnifying glass, adjusting the focus as he scanned the sky.

  The more he observed, the more his suspicions grew.

  So that’s how it is!

  It seemed that dying in the test did not mean true death.

  Luo Xian Sect must have some kind of unknown method to protect the participants.

  Of course, this was just his hypothesis—he had no actual proof.

  But compared to that mystery, the group of prowling demonic beasts below was a far more immediate concern.

  Holding his breath, Han Luo remained hidden, watching the creatures below with wary eyes.

  Meanwhile, Li Jun let out a deep sigh of relief.

  "Good thing we left in time. Otherwise, we’d all be dead by now."

  He turned to the weary survivors.

  "The road ahead is uncertain. From now on, we must rely on each other. The path to immortality is paved with bones. Our fate is in our own hands. May we one day meet again on the road to ascension, laughing at the mortal world beneath us."

  Li Jun was a born leader.

  His words carried weight, his presence commanding.

  Even though they had just endured a harrowing battle, his speech rekindled hope in their hearts.

  Luo Xian Sect, Grand Hall.

  "Impressive, very impressive."

  Yun Ding nodded in approval.

  "This Li Jun is truly talented. At such a young age, he has already reached the second level of Qi Refining. He is decisive in battle and possesses a rare charisma.

  "His only flaw is that his temperament needs refining, but with the right guidance, he will definitely carve out a place for himself in the Eastern Region’s future."

  He made no attempt to hide his admiration.

  "I agree. Once he joins my Qian Ren Peak, I’ll make sure to train him well," Yun Qianli declared confidently.

  Yun Ding scowled.

  "Join your Qian Ren Peak? Don’t be ridiculous. He’s clearly more suited for Xian Ding Peak. Don’t even think about taking him."

  "What makes you think you deserve him? You already have Lu Dancheng as a leader. Why do you need Li Jun?"

  "And what about you? Your Qian Ren Peak already has Ba Dao, so why are you fighting me over him?"

  Their argument quickly escalated.

  Yun Yangzi, seated at the head of the hall, rubbed his temples in frustration.

  "What an interesting little fellow."

  Hong Niang, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.

  With a flick of her delicate fingers, the bronze mirror displayed a new image.

  A young man sat perched on the treetop, observing the distant battle while occasionally shaking his head, as if he couldn’t make sense of what he was seeing.

  "Hmph! While his fellow disciples were fighting for their lives, he was hiding and watching? Luo Xian Sect does not need cowards like him!" Yun Qianli said impatiently.

  "For once, I agree," Yun Ding added. "Forget about talent—just based on his mentality, he is unfit to join Luo Xian Sect."

  "I’ve been watching this one for a while now," Hong Niang said. "From the very beginning, he’s been exceptionally cautious. He has managed to avoid every single danger. Whether by skill or luck, his level of caution is something I have never seen before."

  "Being careful won’t help him in the long run," Lei Xing finally spoke up. "Sooner or later, he’ll have to fight. What will he do then?"

  "The path of cultivation is littered with corpses. Opportunities must be seized, not waited upon. This boy’s temperament makes him unsuited for the immortal path." Yun Yangzi nodded in agreement.

  None of them had favorable opinions of Han Luo .

  "Still, I find him amusing," Hong Niang mused, watching the young man in the mirror with a small smile.

  "Unfortunately, my Piao Miao Peak only accepts female disciples. Otherwise, I might have considered taking him in."

  "Enough already! Out of all the talented youths, why waste time on this one? Just watching him is annoying," Lei Xing grumbled.

  In the midst of all this, Wu Dao, the master of Wu Dao Peak, remained silent, meditating as if he weren’t even there.

  No one was surprised. Wu Dao was even more eccentric than the cautious boy they were discussing.

  Unaware that he was on the verge of being removed from Luo Xian Sect’s potential recruit list, Han Luo stared at the gathering demonic beasts below him.

  A bold idea suddenly formed in his mind.

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