101: hunting

From the eastern horizon, the crimson torrent formed by the Xuanhuo Sect Disciples was getting closer and closer!

That terrifying Aura, mixed with endless malice and fervent killing intent, was like molten iron, scorching the air and making it twist even from a great distance!

"They're here!"

"They... they're almost here!"

Among the Qingyun Sect's ranks, all the Disciples subconsciously gripped the weapons in their hands, their palms already drenched in a layer of cold sweat.

They could clearly feel how... powerful the incoming Aura was!

The Xuanhuo Sect, as a behemoth among the seven Sects, consistently ranking in the top three in strength, already had Inner Sect Disciple strength far superior to the Qingyun Sect! What's more, at this moment, the opponent came in a rage, with an overwhelming Aura!

However, at this critical moment, the slender figure who had been standing silently at the very front of the Formation slowly raised his right hand.

Then, he gently pressed it down towards the seemingly ordinary dense forest ahead.

"Retreat!"

A calm word, devoid of any emotion, slowly emerged from his mouth.

The Qingyun Sect Disciples, already shrouded in fear, instinctively moved swiftly, following the muscle memory they had practiced countless times yesterday!

The entire team, like a well-trained hedgehog, while maintaining an absolute defensive Formation, slowly and silently retreated, finally merging perfectly into the shadows of the dense forest, an area with complex terrain and countless natural traps!

..."Hahaha! You trash! Run! Why aren't you running anymore?!"

A loud shout, full of endless arrogance and triumph, exploded like a thunderclap above the forest!

Leading the Xuanhuo Sect was a tall, arrogant young man. He was not Yan Lie, but rather Yan Lie's strongest right-hand man—Red Tiger! His cultivation had already reached the threshold of the Early Stage of the Treasure Body Realm!

He looked at the empty forest ahead and the scattered footprints on the ground, the sneer on his face growing wider.

"A bunch of trash who only know how to run with their tails between their legs! And you still dream of fighting us?!"

"Senior Brother Red Tiger!" Behind him, a Disciple stepped forward, pointing to the dark dense forest ahead, and said in a deep voice, "They've hidden inside!"

"Hide?" Red Tiger scoffed disdainfully, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world, "In this hunting ground, where can they hide?!"

"Listen up!" He suddenly drew the long saber burning with raging flames from his waist, pointing it distantly at the darkness ahead, capable of devouring everything, and issued an order in an unquestionable, domineering tone!

"Everyone, form a Three Talents Combined Attack and... crush them!"

"I want that little bastard Lin to personally watch as his pathetic fellow Disciples are torn to shreds by us, piece by piece!"

"Yes!!!"

Dozens of Xuanhuo Sect Disciples roared in unison, their soaring killing intent causing the entire forest to hum!

However, the moment they stepped into the dense forest—

"Hmm?!"

Red Tiger, who was at the very front, suddenly stopped in his tracks!

He was horrified to discover that the connection between himself and the two teams behind him was, at this instant, forcibly... severed by an invisible, mysterious power filled with profound Aura!

Around him, the towering ancient trees that had been clearly visible suddenly became blurry and distorted!

It was as if he had stepped into another... world!

A labyrinth composed of endless mist and illusions!

"A Formation?! It's a Formation!"

Red Tiger's face, for the first time, showed a hint of solemnity!

He never expected that this group of trash, who were vulnerable in his eyes, would actually know how to set up a Formation?!

"Hmph! A mere illusion! How dare you show off in front of me?!"

After a brief moment of surprise, came even greater disdain!

He roared, and the fire-elemental spiritual Qi in his body erupted! The flaming long saber in his hand transformed into a terrifying ten-zhang-long saber Protective Aura, fiercely slashing down at the dense mist in front of him!

However, just as his saber was about to fall!

A voice quietly sounded.

"I've been waiting... for you."

"What?!"

Red Tiger's pupils suddenly contracted to pinprick size!

Without thinking, he tried to forcibly change his move to defend!

But, it was already too late.

"Attack!"

Lin Ye's voice was like a final judgment!

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Three icy sword lights filled with chilling killing intent, without any warning, silently stabbed out from the most unexpected three angles beside him, like venomous snakes emerging from their lairs!

It was Su Qingyue, Fatty Wang, and two other Disciples of the Three Talents Formation, who had been ambushing here for a long time!

This was Lin Ye's true killing move!

He had never intended to use the "Entry" Realm Nine Heavens Star Array to directly confront a Treasure Body Realm expert!

All he wanted was a... "momentum"!

A momentum sufficient to divide the battlefield, confuse perception, and create an opportunity for them to "fight many against few"!

"Pfft!"

Although Red Tiger, at the last moment, relied on the instinct of a Treasure Body Realm expert to narrowly avoid Su Qingyue's fatal sword strike.

However, his back and thigh were still fiercely cut by the other two longswords, leaving two deep, bone-visible gashes!

Warm blood instantly soaked his clothes!

"Ah—!!!"

A roar filled with disbelief and endless rage erupted from his mouth!

He couldn't understand!

Why was he injured?!

He, a dignified Treasure Body Realm expert, was actually... injured by a few Qi Refining Realm ants?!

However, this was not the end!

Just as his body momentarily froze due to the intense pain!

A slender figure appeared before him like a ghost!

Lin Ye! Another straight punch, thrown at Red Tiger!

"No!!!"

Looking at the seemingly ordinary fist rapidly expanding in his pupils, Red Tiger's eyes, for the first time, revealed endless... fear!

He frantically circulated all the spiritual Qi in his body, trying to condense a protective Protective Aura!

But that fist was faster than him!

"Boom—!!!"

A dull, terrifying sonic boom, like a bolt from the blue, suddenly exploded on his chest!

His protective Protective Aura, which could withstand the full force of a Low Grade Magical Artifact, couldn't even last for a breath before it shattered like paper!

"Crack... crackle..."

The bones in his chest, in an instant, broke countless times!

He himself turned into a kite with a broken string, flying backward at a faster speed than he had come!

Finally, he slammed heavily into a towering ancient tree a hundred meters away, a tree that required ten people to embrace!

That ancient tree was actually... broken in half by him!

"Thud."

His burly body slid softly from the tree trunk, twitched a few times, and then completely... lost its life.

The crimson flame token, representing his identity, slowly emerged from the back of his hand, transforming into a streak of light that fell into Lin Ye's hand.

"Ding!"

"Congratulations, host, you have gained ten points!"

...At the same time, the same scene was unfolding in the other two corners of the illusion Formation!

The two Xuanhuo Sect teams, which had been so aggressive, had already fallen into disarray after losing their backbone and being separated by the endless mist and illusions!

And what awaited them was a trap set by Qingyun Sect Disciples, who had been ambushing for a long time!

"Kill!"

"For the glory of the Sect!"

Those shouts, which had been filled with unease and fear, had now transformed into the most fanatical and bloodthirsty roars!

They, in groups of three and teams of five, like the most efficient killing machines, frantically harvested the already chaotic "prey" in the "home ground" that Lin Ye had personally created for them!

Saber lights and sword shadows, flesh and blood flying!

In just half an incense stick's time!

The once arrogant Xuanhuo Sect team was already... completely annihilated!

When Lin Ye slowly withdrew the Nine Heavens Star Array that enveloped the entire dense forest, sunlight once again shone down.

What it illuminated, however, was a... Hell on earth!

And dozens of Qingyun Sect Disciples, though covered in blood, their eyes filled with endless fanaticism and worship!

They won!

With an almost "zero casualty" and overwhelming posture, they won the first battle of this... hunt!

They looked at the young man who stood quietly amidst the mountains of corpses and seas of blood, the one who had personally created all these miracles.

Lin Ye ignored the fervent gazes of the crowd.

"Clean up the battlefield."

He spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but every word was clear.

"Our... first pot of gold is in hand."