168: Bloodthirsty Bees

After all, tallying all his scores forced him to face a reality: the world's heroes were indeed as numerous as crucian carp crossing a river, and those sent by their Families to this Prefecture City Academy exam were the elite of the elite.

Coming from a small town, Chu Shengfan's experience and knowledge could hardly compare to these Noble Family disciples who had been taught since childhood. Moreover, he had only been a Contract Master for eight months in total, so making it this far was truly not easy.

Chu Shengfan steadied his mind. Today's assessment was unusual; it was worth 100 points, equivalent to ten other assessments combined. Therefore, Chu Shengfan would do his utmost to get a high score in this trial.

This assessment was called the Survival Beyond the Border Test.

A thousand examinees were let in simultaneously. They needed to survive for two days in this survival challenge Beyond the Border. Academy instructors would give the final scores based on their performance over these two days.

Now, they had passed through the portal and were scattered to different locations across this region.

The forest was dense, with wild grass growing all around. The sun in the sky, with its long ribbons, made Chu Shengfan suddenly realize that he might have been deployed outside the actual boundaries of the Qianling Prefecture City.

Chu Shengfan took a deep breath and did not rashly summon the "Spirit Origin Cloud Mother." After all, its size was too large, and being too conspicuous might attract unnecessary trouble.

He only summoned the "Myriad Flower Butterfly Spirit," which stood quietly on Chu Shengfan's shoulder like an ornament. However, its spirit was actually very active, watching his surroundings. Once danger was detected, the "Myriad Flower Spirit Shield" would promptly envelop Chu Shengfan.

Upon entering, the only mission they received was to survive.

Chu Shengfan observed this somewhat quiet ancient forest for a moment, but for the time being, he couldn't find where potential dangers might come from.

He first agilely climbed to the top of a nearby ancient tree. With a wider field of vision, he could see traces of people in the distance.

There were even some Contract Masters whose massive Source Beasts had already been summoned, as if they didn't mind exposing their positions at all.

Chu Shengfan frowned slightly. The assessment only said to survive; it didn't say that fighting between examinees was prohibited. It was very likely that powerful examinees would eliminate their competitors.

Chu Shengfan decided to stay as far away from other examinees as possible and try to hold out until the end of the assessment.

About half an hour after the examinees arrived in this territory, a loud voice rang out.

"Preparation time is over. The assessment officially begins now. Release the Nether Blood Frenzy Bees into the arena."

As soon as the voice fell, the entire world seemed to darken slightly, and a faint blood mist covered the sky.

Within the blood mist, creatures about the size of an adult's head seemed to appear. They were densely packed like dark clouds, completely obscuring the sky.

Chu Shengfan observed for a moment. Within minutes of appearing, those "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees" immediately descended toward the ground.

Especially those large Source Beasts—they seemed to be particularly favored. The "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees" clustered together into a large swarm and pounced on the Source Beasts.

Seeing several fierce and ugly "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees" flying straight toward him, Chu Shengfan's brow twitched. He quickly had the "Myriad Flower Butterfly Spirit" wrap a layer of "Myriad Flower Spirit Shield" around his body.

At the same time, he also quickly descended along the tree trunk to the ground. If he fought on the tree trunk, wouldn't he become a sitting duck?

Three "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees" pursued him relentlessly, descending to the ground along with Chu Shengfan's figure.

Before Chu Shengfan could even land, their abdomens curved slightly, and blood-red, slender stings turned into red lines and shot out. Their targets were Chu Shengfan's head, chest, and abdomen.

The wings of the "Myriad Flower Butterfly Spirit" fluttered rapidly, and the flower shields surrounding Chu Shengfan quickly stacked several layers.

Although Chu Shengfan's movements were not slow, those long red needles were faster, reaching the edge of the flower shields in the blink of an eye.

The red needle pierced through the first layer of the flower shield without any resistance. When it broke through the second layer, the red needle shortened slightly. By the third layer, the blood mist lingering on it became thin.

At the fourth layer, only one red needle passed through, and it was finally completely blocked by the fifth layer of the flower shield.

At this time, Chu Shengfan also successfully landed on the ground. He looked back at the three "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees" getting closer and closer, and the smell of blood in the air became increasingly thick.

Only then did Chu Shengfan perceive their specific Realms: two were at the Lower Stage of Exotic, and one was at the Intermediate Alien Tier.

When they were close enough, Chu Shengfan shouted lowly, "Flower Fragrance."

The "Myriad Flower Butterfly Spirit," which had been prepared for a long time, flapped its wings rapidly, and a faint pink mist instantly enveloped the surrounding area.

A thick, exotic fragrance spread through the area. After smelling this scent, the three menacing "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees" had their rapidly flapping wings stiffen.

"Thud."

The three head-sized "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees" fell to the ground defenselessly, as if they had fallen into some kind of dizzy state.

Chu Shengfan seized the opportunity, pulled a machete out of his storage device, and lunged forward, hacking at the "Nether Blood Frenzy Bee" that was at the Intermediate Alien Tier.

The neck of the "Nether Blood Frenzy Bee" was one of its weaknesses. Perhaps Chu Shengfan's blade was too sharp; he didn't even use much strength before the "Nether Blood Frenzy Bee's" ugly head was instantly sliced off.

Chu Shengfan didn't stop for a moment. He moved to the other two "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees" that showed signs of waking up and did the same, slicing off their heads as well.

In less than five minutes, Chu Shengfan had dealt with the three attacking "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees."

Chu Shengfan had just breathed a sigh of relief, but before he could collect the corpses of the three "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees," the three corpses suddenly exploded unexpectedly, instantly covering the area in a hazy red blood mist.

The smell of the exotic fragrance was instantly suppressed by the smell of blood. Looking at this blood mist, Chu Shengfan blinked, not yet figuring out what was going on.

Beside him, the "Myriad Flower Butterfly Spirit" tapped Chu Shengfan's head with its wing, signaling him to look up at the sky.

Chu Shengfan looked up, and his expression instantly changed drastically. "Isn't this too much? I only killed three of them."

A small dark cloud, carrying more than twenty "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees," rushed toward Chu Shengfan with a clear target.

One of them was even exceptionally large, and the patterns on its body seemed somewhat different from the other "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees." Chu Shengfan paid special attention to it; it should be at the Late Stage of the Uncommon Rank.

Fight?

That was impossible.

Chu Shengfan turned around and rushed directly into the depths of the dense forest, wanting to rely on those massive ancient trees to hide his figure.

After all, the goal of this assessment was survival, not the killing of these Source Beasts.

However, the blood mist produced by the explosion of the three dead "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees" was like a maggot on a bone, clinging to his body and allowing the tracking "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees" to lock onto his position.

While evading, Chu Shengfan naturally noticed the "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees" getting closer and closer to him.

He silently increased his speed while thinking of a countermeasure.

With more than twenty "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees," if he didn't summon the "Spirit Origin Cloud Mother," he and the "Myriad Flower Butterfly Spirit" alone probably wouldn't be able to withstand them.

Chu Shengfan silently calculated the time. While he still had physical strength, he would flee for another half hour. If the "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees" were still pursuing him relentlessly by then, he would summon the Cloud Mother.

But after fleeing for only ten minutes, he encountered a battlefield in the middle of a fight, blocking his path ahead.

With "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees" attacking from the left, right, and rear, ahead of him was a battlefield where a youth was driving a tiger-type Source Beast to fight against "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees."

Chu Shengfan hesitated for a second and then quickly rushed to his left. There were only two "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees" at the Intermediate Alien Tier and five at the Lower Stage of Exotic, making it the weaker side of the encirclement.

As the two sides rushed toward each other, the distance was closed in an instant. The "Myriad Flower Butterfly Spirit" repeated its trick, and the pleasant exotic fragrance instantly burst out. These seven "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees" fell to the ground dizzily, just like the previous three.

In his haste, Chu Shengfan's machete only landed on the one closest to him, letting it fall into eternal sleep in its dream.

He didn't have time to deal with the others and could only pass them by, hurriedly retreating into the dense forest behind.

The tiger-driving youth seemed to have discovered Chu Shengfan's presence. The tiger beneath him made a large leap and landed on the path ahead of Chu Shengfan.

Chu Shengfan "braked" just in time to avoid crashing into the tiger-type Source Beast, which was about two meters tall. He looked at the tiger-driving youth with a somewhat displeased expression.

"Why did Your Excellency suddenly block my way?"

Intermediate Alien Tier, a Realm slightly higher than his own. Chu Shengfan took note of this. He just hadn't seen the youth's second Source Beast yet. His clothing made him look like a Young Master from some major Noble Family.

"Why run? Be my little sidekick in this assessment, and I'll solve those troubles behind you for you."

Chu Shengfan's gaze finally landed on the youth who spoke. He had some baby fat on his face, and his eyes were bright, which made Chu Shengfan hallucinate about his own younger brother.

However, the buzzing sound behind him was quickly approaching. Chu Shengfan didn't want to get involved with others, so he said coldly,

"Thanks, but no thanks."

After saying that, he turned around and quickly retreated to his left.

Being rejected by Chu Shengfan, the tiger-driving youth was clearly a bit stunned. The yellow-skinned tiger-type Source Beast with the character for 'king' on its forehead let out a roar of dissatisfaction in the direction Chu Shengfan was fleeing.

And those "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees" chasing Chu Shengfan also adjusted their angles in time to pursue him in a straight line.

The tiger-driving youth patted the tiger beneath him. "Great King A'Huang, deal with those little bees and catch up to that person. How dare he refuse me?"

Originally, he had only seen a Contract Master in this assessment and felt like taking him as a sidekick on a whim, but now that he had been blatantly rejected, the competitive streak in his heart surged.

The tiger-type Source Beast glanced at the "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees," tensed its body slightly, and made another leap, accurately landing behind Chu Shengfan. Then, it looked at the dozen or so "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees."

It let out another roar, and an invisible sound wave spread from its mouth. Those "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees" seemed to be intimidated, their flying forms swaying in the air.

The tiger-type Source Beast lightly waved its front paw, and several Wind Blades compressed to the extreme instantly appeared in front of the "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees." The sharp blades pierced through their bodies, splitting them in two.

In just a brief exchange, the dozen or so Source Beasts chasing Chu Shengfan were executed.

The tiger-driving youth didn't even check the corpses of the "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees" and hurriedly urged the tiger-type Source Beast to chase after Chu Shengfan.

A flash of helplessness appeared in the tiger-type Source Beast's eyes, but it still obeyed the command, and with a few leaps, it reached the path ahead of Chu Shengfan.

He waved to Chu Shengfan, who was forced to stop again, and said grandly, "The Source Beasts chasing you have been dealt with by me. Now can we properly discuss the matter of you being my sidekick?"

Hearing his words, Chu Shengfan turned and looked around, and indeed, he no longer saw those "Nether Blood Frenzy Bees" chasing him.

He turned back and looked up at the youth sitting on the tiger-type Source Beast with a somewhat boastful air. The person had indeed helped him, even if it was without his consent.

"Thank you, but I haven't considered being someone's sidekick."

"Oh, be a smart person. You be my sidekick, and I'll protect you until the end of this assessment, ensuring you get a high score. How about it? It's only for two days; you won't lose out."

Chu Shengfan looked at the tiger-type Source Beast lying on the ground. Its fur was glossy, the patterns on its body were dark, and especially its Aura—just by standing there, it had a natural sense of pressure on other Source Beasts.

To be honest, Chu Shengfan felt a tiny bit tempted by the youth's proposal, but in the end, he still shook his head.

"If I pass the assessment under someone's protection, I'm afraid I won't get a very high score. Thank you for your kindness."

Looking at the firmly refusing Chu Shengfan, the tiger-driving youth's face showed some distress. "But if you don't have someone's protection, I'm afraid you won't even last until the end of the assessment. Right now, it's just these low-level Nether Blood Frenzy Bees.

The Source Beasts that appear next will be more and more troublesome. With just this little Medicine Beast of yours, you'll definitely be eliminated this afternoon."

Chu Shengfan's eyebrows shot up. It seemed this tiger-driving youth knew a lot of information about this assessment. Perhaps following him would be a better choice.

At worst, when fighting again, he would summon the "Spirit Origin Cloud Mother" to participate in the battle, so it wouldn't count as passing the assessment under someone else's protection.

Just as Chu Shengfan was about to say something, the tiger-driving youth touched his chin and spoke again, "Besides, you're not purely being protected by me. At least your Medicine Beast, if it provides treatment when I'm injured, then we can be considered..."

At this point, the tiger-driving youth got a bit stuck. After thinking for a long time, his eyes lit up as if he had remembered. "Right, it counts as team cooperation."

Under his highly expectant gaze, Chu Shengfan nodded slightly. "Good, I am willing to join your team."