The rogue cultivators following behind entered Death Valley just in time to witness Xiao Zueji savagely abusing the Black-Skinned Leopard. Their mouths immediately gaped wide!

My god!

A fierce beast comparable to a peak Wutu warrior was being brutalized by him like this!

“Swish!”

Xiao Zueji barehanded tore open the Black-Skinned Leopard’s chest and extracted the crystal core from its heart.

The rogue cultivators’ gazes immediately burned with fervor.

That was a fierce beast crystal core comparable to a peak Wutu warrior—it could be exchanged for several spirit stones!

Of course.

No one would entertain thoughts of snatching it, because trying to snatch it would definitely mean certain death!

Jun Changxiao led his disciples step by step toward the mountain forest.

From the moment they entered Death Valley, the epic quest entered a seven-day countdown, so he had to quickly find the four types of fierce beasts required by the quest conditions.

“Swish! Swish!”

Just as Jun Changxiao and his disciples left, a small team of rogue cultivators following behind rushed over and skillfully skinned the Black-Skinned Leopard.

The pelt of this peak Wutu-level fierce beast was much more valuable than Earth Flame Wolf pelts.

Those who moved slowly immediately felt intense regret.

“Let’s go, we need to keep up.”

“Tiegu Sect is performing so formidably—they’re bound to have good things for us to scavenge!”

Everyone hurried to follow, maintaining a certain distance from them.

“Step.”

Suddenly, Jun Changxiao stopped and turned around. “Gentlemen, scavenging behind our Tiegu Sect seems somewhat inappropriate, doesn’t it?”

“Heh heh.”

A thick-skinned warrior scratched his head. “Sect Master Jun, if you Tiegu Sect feast on meat, can’t we follow behind and drink some soup?”

Jun Changxiao said, “Drinking soup is fine. Each person pay one thousand taels, and whatever our Tiegu Sect doesn’t want, you can scavenge freely.”

“One thousand taels?”

That warrior broke down. “Sect Master Jun, isn’t that a bit expensive?”

Jun Changxiao said, “If you think it’s expensive, you can take the vanguard position. Our Tiegu Sect will give each of you one thousand taels to follow behind and scavenge.”

“This…”

Everyone’s mouths twitched.

They really wanted very much to agree, because with over twenty people, that would be twenty thousand taels.

But… they didn’t have the ability to take the vanguard position!

Jun Changxiao said, “You don’t want to pay money, yet you want to scavenge—there’s no such good deal under heaven. So if you dare follow again, don’t blame this seat for being merciless.”

The disciples cooperated very well, all glaring with fury!

Having witnessed the Tiegu Sect disciples’ fierce slaughter of the Earth Flame Wolf pack earlier, the rogue cultivators immediately retreated several steps in alarm.

“Sect Master Jun.”

That warrior said, “If we pay one thousand taels but can’t scavenge enough items, wouldn’t we become total suckers?”

Jun Changxiao said lightly, “There’s no helping it. Scavenging depends on luck.”

This statement left everyone feeling crushed.

“We’ll pay!”

The five warriors in the small team who had obtained the Black-Skinned Leopard pelt agreed and paid five thousand taels, since they had already tasted the benefits.

Following inside was a gamble.

Paying one thousand taels was naturally also still a gamble!

After a bout of internal struggle, over thirty rogue cultivators pulled out one thousand tael banknotes one after another.

After stuffing the thirty-some thousand in banknotes into his pocket, Jun Changxiao reminded them, “Remember, your duty is to scavenge. If you take things you shouldn’t take, it will end very tragically.”

“Sect Master Jun, rest assured—we absolutely won’t take what we shouldn’t take!” Everyone patted their chests in guarantee.

“Awooo—”

Suddenly, wolf howls sounded once more.

From the mist-shrouded mountain forest ahead, crimson rays of light immediately appeared, looking extremely eerie!

“Step, step.”

One after another, wolf beasts even larger in physique than Earth Flame Wolves emerged from the shadows.

Their entire bodies’ fur was crimson red, just like clusters of flames. Their crimson eyes emanated an aura of violent savagery.

“This is bad—it’s a Crimson Flame Wolf pack!”

The rogue cultivators turned pale with shock.

Earth Flame Wolves belonged to relatively low-level wolf packs, with strength generally at low first, second, or third rank. Crimson Flame Wolves belonged to high-level wolf packs, with strength starting at low sixth rank!

In other words, each and every Crimson Flame Wolf that appeared was no weaker than the Earth Flame Wolf King!

Moreover, their application of flames was much stronger than Earth Flame Wolves. When enraged, they could directly spew pillars of fire!

“We’re finished, finished!”

“If only we hadn’t paid that one thousand taels!”

The rogue cultivators couldn’t be bothered with scavenging or their banknotes. They hurriedly fled toward the entrance, then entered the canyon passage.

During this time, no one looked back, still regretting not having two more legs!

“They fled just like that?”

Jun Changxiao scratched his head. “Didn’t this seat earn several tens of thousands of taels for nothing?”

“…” The disciples were speechless.

Li Qingyang said, “Sect Master, there are at least fifty-some Crimson Flame Wolves with strength no weaker than sixth-rank Wutu. This is somewhat troublesome.”

“Then what are you standing around for?”

Jun Changxiao retreated first. “Quickly find an easily defended, hard-to-attack position and set up defenses!”

Swish! Swish!

The disciples hurriedly scanned their surroundings and quickly discovered that the mountain wall to their left rear was concave in shape. They immediately rushed over and occupied this advantageous position.

“Roar!”

Just as they were about to arrange their defense, a roar suddenly rang out from inside.

The Crimson Flame Wolves that had been about to launch an attack heard the roar. Wariness appeared in their crimson eyes, and their footsteps also slowed.

“Whoosh!”

At the end of the mountain wall, a bear beast that had been resting was awakened. It directly stood up its five-meter-tall body, its gaze flashing with fierce light.

“Mid second-rank Mountain-Backed Bear!” Li Qingyang cried out in alarm.

Mid second rank was equivalent to a second-rank Wushi!

Judging from its physique and fierce light, it was indeed very… chunky and fierce!

“God damn it!”

Jun Changxiao pulled out his Desert Eagle, about to shoot dead this guy who shouldn’t exist here.

Right at that moment, Ye Xingchen’s toes touched the stone wall. His entire body soared into the air as the hand gripping his sword hilt swung violently.

Swish swish swish swish—

In an instant, sword shadows spread out, all striking the Mountain-Backed Bear’s chest with perfect precision.

Zhou Hong exclaimed in shock, “Thirty swords in one breath!”

Last time, Ye Xingchen could manage twenty-four swords in one breath. Now reaching thirty swords showed he had gained deeper comprehension of the Single Character Sword Formula.

As a sword cultivator, Zhou Hong comprehended the sword every day.

After a full month, he had only broken through from his previous twenty-three swords to twenty-five swords.

Don’t underestimate these two additional swords, because for other sword cultivators, they might comprehend for several months, several years, or even a lifetime without being able to improve!

“Swish!”

Ye Xingchen landed gracefully.

“My heavens, Senior Brother Ye’s sword strikes are so fast!”

The outer sect disciples all cried out in amazement.

Very soon, their facial expressions stiffened, because after the sword shadows disappeared, the Mountain-Backed Bear was completely fine. It raised its bear paw to strike down.

“Senior Brother Ye, be careful!” everyone cried out in alarm.

“Clang!”

Right at that moment, Ye Xingchen gracefully sheathed his sword.

As the sound rang out, the Mountain-Backed Bear’s chest behind him immediately displayed densely packed wounds—not one more, not one less, exactly thirty!

“Tssss!”

Fresh blood sprayed out.

The Mountain-Backed Bear swinging its paw’s body lost connection with its heart. The power gathered within immediately dissipated, its consciousness gradually extinguished, and its massive body toppled down like a mountain.

Ye Xingchen said lightly, “Crude mortal beast.”

“Senior Brother Ye, watch out!”

“Hm?”

Ye Xingchen felt the sky darken.

Turning his head to look, he saw that the crude mortal beast wasn’t falling backward, wasn’t falling left or right—damn it, it was falling directly forward!

Whoosh whoosh!

“Crash—”

Ye Xingchen, who was in the absolute midst of showing off, failed to dodge in his carelessness and was immediately pinned squarely by the heavy Mountain-Backed Bear.

Lord Night Emperor.

How tragic and lamentable!