Chapter 267 - Grade 6 District (2/2)
Xiao Chen listened closely. But even he could not help but feel surprised by the news, although he was able to recollect himself quickly. With feigned composure, he said at last, “I see. Thank you very much, Brother Qin.”
Qin Xinyan gave him a curt nod with a knowing look. “Beware, Brother Xiao,” he muttered before he led his people away.
Xiao Chen took a deep breath as he let the news sink in, looking at the final slivers of the faraway sun in the west slowly fading away. To the West would be the Grade 5 and Grade 6 districts where Xiaoyue and the others would be waiting. It was there, where the fighting would be most ferocious and savage, especially in the next two days.
With one night to regain their strength, the contingent of the Jade Qing Sect got up as early as they could even before the sun was up and prepared for their journey into the Grade 5 and Grade 6 districts.
They might have more than two thousand Hearts but there was no place for complacency. Anything could happen in the next two days and the period would be critical for the dominating contingents to widen their lead from the rest trailing behind.
It was a status quo that almost everyone who was still in the race fully understood, because the Forest trial this time was different than before; this time, the average strength of the contestants had never been so strong.
Additionally, in the following days until the end of the trial, a stronger and more feral form of the ordinary Illusory Moon Beast, the Prime Beast of the Illusory Moon, would spawn every hour in Grand 6 district, allowing contestants to reap rich amounts of Hearts of Illusory Moon if they could slay it. The Prime Beasts were mechanics especially designed to create more opportunities and stimulate competitiveness. Teams could wrestle the lead from the current leaders in the race by slaying the Prime Beasts and harvesting the Hearts. But these Prime Beasts only spawn in Grade 6 district; districts which all teams would give anything to avoid. Only this year, everything was completely different.
This year, more and more teams have wandered into the Grade 6 district to actively hunt for the Prime Beasts, causing the Grade 5 district to be almost devoid of any people.
That would also include Xiao Chen and his teammates. By noon, the contingent of the Jade Qing Sect had ventured past the boundaries of the Grade 6 district, officially joining the rest in the final struggle for the win.
Excitement and enthusiasm flared in the faces of both Zhou Li and Qingyu. They would never have dreamt that they could enter the Grade 6 district. The experience was as surreal as a dream to them.
Shimmers of aurora rippled above their heads, backdropping the celestial bodies that all appeared simultaneously in the skies. It was a bizarre and strange sight, to be able to see both the Moon and the Sun together in the same time as the stars twinkling brightly, that everyone could have sworn that they were dreaming.
Xiao Chen looked into the sky, mesmerized by the beauty that opened before his eyes like a huge canvas. Even after thousands of years, he could not believe that such a beautiful place still exists upon the Mortal Realm.
But Yu Yifeng was the only one wearing a troubled frown. “Maintain vigilance! Let’s not be distracted by the sceneries around us. There might be dangers lurking about…”
Qingyu’s sudden yelp cut him off. Her finger was pointing at North-West as she stammered, “Th-there! Th-that’s, that’s a very very large rabbit!”
Everyone looked at the direction of her finger and saw a gigantic white rabbit with the height of an adult man. It was staring back at us curiously through its ruby-red eyes.
“It’s the Prime Beast! Quick! Before anyone else sees it!” Zhou Li yelled and darted forward.
But unbeknownst to him, the Prime Beasts, unlike all other Illusory Moon Beasts which are actual creatures of the Forest of the Illusory Moon, were magical lifeforms artificially created by the alchemists of the Daoist League of the Five Continents to add more content to this trial.
The Prime Beast was hardly unnerved by the sight of a mob rushing at it. It bared its four fangs, snarling savagely and took a swipe at an incoming Zhou Li. Two blades of magic bolts released from its paws and charged at him.
“Zhou Li, watch out!”
Yu Yifeng screamed a warning and quickly recited a spell. The Startling Rainbow Sword streaked from his grasp like a ray of light and crashed with the magical bolts in a loud bang that resulted in an explosion that threw everyone off-balanced.
Students and disciples from ordinary schools or sect would never be able to defeat the Prime Beast. It possessed the powers nearly beyond the Core Forming Realm and it took Xiao Chen and his companions almost half an hour to defeat it and receive 127 Hearts.
Qingyu murmured with shock, “Wow… This big bunny has so many Hearts!”
“This is the reward for the challenge of defeating it. It’s a design of the Elders of the Daoist League for this trial,” Yu Yifeng pointed out, “Anyway, we have to leave now. The aura of the Prime Beast still lingers and it will attract others this way.”
In the final two days of staying in the Grade 6 district, most of the teams would be choosing to settle down in a place where they could defend themselves and scour the vicinity for Prime Beasts as a more secured endgame strategy
They continued wandering around and encountered many other conjurers from other teams on their way. These were all conjurers who had survived the early days of the fight and had made it to here, all through their abilities, endurance, and fortune. Nevertheless, they incited no hostilities, showing that everyone had come to a tacit agreement to keep the truce for as long as possible.
Nevertheless, there were still battles waged for the Prime Beasts. Such was the delicate balance of peace that could easily be tipped at the first sign of personal gain.
Fortunately, with Yu Yifeng leading them all, the Jade Qing Sect team managed to avoid any altercations with other teams, although the badges that denoted them as representatives of the Eastern Continent often invited hungry stares from potential enemies. It was only with Xiao Chen’s display of his ferocity and his immense powers, that many were daunted from trying.
It was few of the things he could do at least, to prevent getting into actual fights with anyone else. They needed to preserve their strength as long as they could for they knew that the fights against the Fallen Immortals Sect and the Divine Mist Sect would be inevitable.
The sun was setting in the evening and the contingent chanced upon a suitable spot to camp. It was a cave, surrounded by lush lands rich with vast deposits of Spiritual Qi. It was the ideal spot for them to recuperate and replenish themselves, and the team would not need to worry about evil beasts and beings intruding into these hallowed grounds. “This shall be the place,” Xiao Chen mused, “the best place for us to prepare for the endgame tomorrow.”
He found a spot in the cave to sit down. Finally, after a long day’s trek, he could rest and meditate. But he had just closed his eyes, when they immediately blinked open, his expression hardened with suspicion.