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In another dense jungle corner, Mu Zi Yin's exquisite face bore a grave expression. Before her, a ferocious demon beast stalked closer, its razor claws poised to rend its prey at any moment.
A black leopard, limbs agile and robust, muscles rippling, famed for its lightning speed among carnivorous beasts. Bold and relentless, it chased its quarry to the death.
Black Fierce Leopard.
Its aura surged, a Mid Fourth-Order demon beast, a minor realm above Mu Zi Yin's trial-suppressed Early Nascent Soul cultivation.
Suddenly, the leopard lunged.
Whoosh…
With a piercing gust, its limbs thrust against the earth, claws extended, pouncing at the beauty.
"Hmph!" Mu Zi Yin snorted. In normal times, a Fourth-Order beast would fall to a single slash of her sword. Now, at Early Nascent Soul, she dared not underestimate it.
Her feet stamped the ground, her form soaring midair.
From countless battles, she knew facing a nimble beast like the Black Fierce Leopard demanded distance from the forest's cover.
Thus, she employed flight, escaping the tangled trees, curbing the leopard's advantage.
As expected, a glint of ferocity flashed in the leopard's eyes. This human had pinpointed its weakness. Yet, confident in its superior strength, it leaped, limbs propelling off a tree, rocketing upward.
Claws, brimming with killing intent, struck at Mu Zi Yin again.
Facing the hurtling shadow, a plain wooden sword materialized in her hand. Her fragrant lips parted, "Butterfly Sword Art – Dance of Butterflies!"
Her form vanished from its spot, flitting midair like butterfly wings, elusive and ethereal. The wooden sword danced, unleashing waves of sword qi.
The qi wasn't razor-sharp but bore unpredictable agility and lethal intent. Sensing danger, the leopard abandoned its assault, dodging with high-speed agility.
Mu Zi Yin, observing, smiled faintly, one hand forming a seal, "Ten Thousand Woods Binding!"
Countless Wood elemental vines, summoned by her will, snaked toward the leopard.
Roar!
The Black Fierce Leopard was no pushover. Its iron claws slashed the air, severing the vines she conjured.
As it moved to counterattack, the woman's form had vanished. The beast's instincts screamed danger, urging it to dodge.
Alas, Mu Zi Yin granted no such chance.
Her Spirit Transformation Stage battle experience far outstripped a Fourth-Order beast's. Ten Thousand Woods Binding was a feint; the true strike followed.
"Butterfly Assault!"
Her form closed in, hunter and prey reversed. The wooden sword slashed fiercely at the leopard's head.
Roar!
Trapped, the leopard could only raise its head, baring iron fangs to bite her sword.
Clang…
Sword met fangs, scratching the wooden blade. The leopard, struck by the force, flew back, fangs shattered, mouth bleeding.
Mu Zi Yin wielded her old wooden sword, reserving Purple Wood Sword as her trump card.
Thus, the leopard clung to life barely.
"Ten Thousand Forest Heights!"
Her cold voice echoed. The wounded leopard, still swift, couldn't escape the vast Ten Thousand Forest Heights.
Returned to the forest, it found only a death trap, ensnared by its own domain.
Boom!
Mu Zi Yin turned, ignoring the earth-shaking blast behind. Simultaneously, the leopard's soul was absorbed by the Token at her waist.
The initial zero surged…
75 Points.
Mu Zi Yin inspected the Token, murmuring, "Killing a Mid Fourth-Order beast yields 75 points… Early Fourth-Order likely gives 50. To reach 1,000, I'd need twenty Early Fourth-Order kills…"
"The Academy's selection is harsh. Killing twenty same-realm beasts in a month is no small feat for some!"
With a quick calculation, she dismissed the thought, confident her husband and sisters would breeze through.
Her form accelerated, streaking across the azure sky.
She needed more kills, for their goal wasn't mere admission…
But to etch their names on the Sacred Spirit Ranking.
In the majestic mountains…
Bai Su Mei gently wiped blood from her Star-Silver Twin Swords. Yan Hong Lian merely rubbed her smooth hands.
At their feet, two eagle carcasses lay in ruin.
One, wings severed, bore a clean X-shaped gash through its flesh, its sturdy feathers no match for Twin Hearts Sword Art – Dual Swords Converge.
Bai Su Mei's handiwork.
Beside it, a charred corpse reeked of roasted meat, feathers incinerated, flesh melted, blood evaporated, bones faintly visible.
Yan Hong Lian's mere Blazing Flame.
"Killing Early Fourth-Order beasts yields only 50 points not promising. We must hasten!" Yan Hong Lian proposed to Bai Su Mei.
"Indeed, lest the others outpace us!" Bai Su Mei smiled, nodding. Her feet shifted, Stellar Step unfolding, her form vanishing midair.
"This woman's more eager than me craving his praise?" Yan Hong Lian smirked, her form blazing red, swiftly pursuing.
She, too, yearned for her man's acclaim.
In the jungle…
"You're too slow hurry up!" a melodious, taunting voice urged.
"Hmph, just flaunting your Wind attribute to run faster? What's to brag about!" a clear, defiant voice retorted.
"Hee, pity you've only Wood beg me to wait!" the taunter gloated.
"Odious! I'll ask husband for a high-grade movement art then you'll see!" the other declared, certain her husband would indulge her.
The bickering duo Die Qing and Zhu Luan couldn't resist daily spats.
"Haha, pity you! My Wood Feather True Art from husband includes a formidable movement art—I just haven't practiced it!" Yan Die Qing crowed, teasing Zhu Luan's lovely face red.
"Ladies, care to show us that art?" a vile voice interrupted.
From a towering tree, two men emerged, blocking their path.
Clad in teal robes, swords at their backs, they appeared upright.
Yet, their eyes gleamed with greed, having overheard the women's talk.
Judging their youth, the men saw easy prey for plunder.
"Huh? Thieves from where?" The women, already irked, glared at the interlopers.
"Dare call Water Mysterious Sect disciples thieves? Seeking death?" one youth snapped. Named Lin Ning, once Perfect Golden Core, now Early Nascent Soul in the realm, he brimmed with pride.
"Hand over your storage rings, and we'll let you go! Water Mysterious Sect is reasonable!" the other said coolly. Tran Kai, already Nascent Soul before, spoke with authority.
"Water Mysterious Sect? One of Three Swords Alliance's sects?" Yan Die Qing frowned.
"Exactly. Scared? Comply quickly!" Lin Ning boasted arrogantly.
"I'm terrified terrified your sect will end like Qingyun Sect under my husband's wrath, hee!" Li Zhu Luan grinned wickedly.
"What?" The men jolted. Qingyun Sect, equal to Water Mysterious Sect and a Three Swords Alliance member, famed yet mysteriously disbanded recently.
A sect forced to dissolve was as good as destroyed.
Despite Fire Sword Sect and Water Mysterious Sect's probes, they found nothing, losing two elders.
Now, they heard of Qingyun Sect's destroyer…
"Is that true? Who's your husband?" Tran Kai frowned, sensing danger.
"Why tell you? Be smart hand over your storage rings, and we'll let you go!" Yan Die Qing mimicked their tone.
"Hmph, don't buy her nonsense strike fast!" Lin Ning barked at Tran Kai, dismissing the claim. Even if true, only two women stood here seize the art first.
"Fine!" Tran Kai nodded, his translucent Water Sword unsheathed, its edge razor-sharp, lunging at Yan Die Qing.
Lin Ning followed, wielding an identical Water Sword, his movement art slashing at Li Zhu Luan.
"So eager to die?" Li Zhu Luan muttered, her face stern, shouting, "Ten Thousand Woods Binding!"
Vines surged toward both foes.
"Child's play!" Tran Kai and Lin Ning sneered, slashing the vines.
"Wood Spirit Blessing!" Yan Die Qing's rosy lips parted, her hands channeling Wood spiritual energy, empowering the vines.
To Tran Kai's disbelief, the vines swelled, agile and resilient, resisting their swords' cuts.
Forced to halt their assault, they retreated to dodge.
"Not bad!" Li Zhu Luan smirked, excelling at control.
"Passable!" Yan Die Qing, adept at enhancing allies, replied.
Their first coordination was seamless.
"Water Fury Slash!" Tran Kai and Lin Ning exchanged glances, their swords gathering Water spiritual energy, forming a tidal wave, slashing at the women.
A famed Earth-Grade technique of Water Mysterious Sect.
"Bamboo Leaf Soft Palm!" Li Zhu Luan, undaunted, clapped her hands, unleashing a palm strike with countless sharp bamboo leaves, meeting force with force.
As the techniques neared collision, Yan Die Qing smirked, shouting, "Wood Spirit Blessing! Wind Spirit Blessing!"
Her hands formed seals, Wood Ring and Wind Ring glowing. Wood and Wind energies surged, amplifying Bamboo Leaf Soft Palm.
To their shock, the palm's range multiplied, a whirlwind of razor bamboo leaves forming a tempest, rivaling Heaven-Grade techniques.
Boom…
A deafening clash razed trees, scarring the earth.
Tran Kai and Lin Ning spat blood, flung backward, their Water Swords shattered, faces lacerated by bamboo, bodies mangled.
"Earth-Grade Technique – Cyclone Strike!" Yan Die Qing sealed decisively, summoning whirlwinds before her, unwilling to spare them.
The whirlwinds merged into a towering tornado, piercing the clouds.
"Ten Thousand Woods Binding!" Seeing Tran and Lin struggle to flee, Li Zhu Luan's melodic shout carried sky-high killing intent, sealing their escape.
"You vicious women, so young yet so cruel? Water Mysterious Sect won't forgive this!" Tran Kai and Lin Ning roared, spitting blood, their Sacred Spirit Ranking dreams dust.
To survive, they gritted their teeth, tossing their Tokens.
Losing them, a spatial rift enveloped them, whisking them from the Secret Realm.
Their path to the Academy closed forever.
"Hmph, quick escape!" Yan Die Qing pouted, halting her attack, picking up Lin Ning's Token.
Li Zhu Luan smirked, claiming Tran Kai's.
The sect disciples' Tokens, holding 50 points each, reset to zero, crumbling.
Zhu Luan and Die Qing's Tokens rose from 0 to 50, the fruits of plunder.
"Too weak only 50 points each? We need to speed up!" Li Zhu Luan grumbled.
"Blame your slowness hurry!" Yan Die Qing giggled, vanishing in a gust.
"Annoying brat!" Li Zhu Luan stomped, soaring to pursue.
Their journey of bickering and synergy resumed…