"What! Someone dared to lay hands on my Jinlong team's men?" Su Jinlong, who was in the central area of the Glazed Stone, his face instantly showed a trace of anger upon learning that Liu Chao had been beaten.
"Have you found out who made the move?" After a moment, Su Jinlong slowly asked.
"Captain, it seems to be Lin Chu, the one challenging Senior Brother Qiu Shaoming," Liu Hong replied with a bow.
Su Jinlong's eyes flashed with surprise, "Lin Chu? Damn it, this kid must be relying on the Saintess's backing and wants to challenge our Jinlong team, right?"
Liu Hong clasped his fists again, "Captain, it seems that Lin Chu doesn't know about our Jinlong team's existence, and he left after making his move. Oh, and there was an ordinary disciple with Lin Chu named Chen Lingang."
"Chen Lingang? Liu Hong, after this disciple trial ends, bring that Chen Lingang to see me," Su Jinlong commanded immediately.
"Yes," Liu Hong replied.
Unaware that they had already attracted Su Jinlong's attention, Lin Chu and Chen Lingang were now in a defensive posture, warily watching the beast in front of them.
A wry smile flickered across Lin Chu's lips. He had just spotted a cave with glazed spirit stones buried inside. Before he could enter, he saw this emerald green lizard beast slowly approach.
More than six meters in front of Lin Chu and Chen Lingang, a five-meter-long, entirely green beast stared at them with vicious eyes. Drool dripped from its mouth, as if it were looking at a dish of delicacies.
"Heavens! There's a third-tier beast in the Glazed Illusory True Realm!"
"This is going to be interesting."
"A third-tier beast like this would probably only be matched by a Spiritual Venerable realm expert, right?"
"..."
At this moment, outside the main hall of the Young Sect, everyone watching the beast that appeared before Lin Chu and Chen Lingang exclaimed in shock. Even Bai Yuwei, sitting on the high platform, showed a hint of worry in her beautiful eyes.
"Saintess, there's no need to worry. If you're concerned about your younger brother getting hurt, you can simply teleport them out. As long as they choose to withdraw, they'll be unharmed," the Grand Elder said, glancing at Bai Yuwei.
"I believe he can handle it," Bai Yuwei replied with a complex glint in her eyes, her tone unhurried.
"If that's the case, I won't worry," the Grand Elder smiled slightly and continued to watch the light screen.
Within the Glazed Illusory True Realm.
"Senior Brother Lin Chu, this is an Emerald Green Lizard Beast. I'm afraid we can't defeat it," Chen Lingang said, a bead of sweat on his forehead. He regretted following Lin Chu, feeling as though he had started to have bad luck.
However, Chen Lingang didn't have time to think too much. Seeing Lin Chu's slightly eager expression, he quickly whispered,
"Emerald Green Lizard Beast? I didn't expect there to be a third-tier beast in this Glazed Illusory True Realm." Lin Chu's heart settled after hearing Chen Lingang's words.
Although he hadn't seen this Emerald Green Lizard Beast before, he had learned about beast ranks from Bai Yuwei.
Generally, beasts were divided into ten ranks.
On the Anwu Continent, the highest rank of beasts was only eighth-tier. Beasts of this level were so formidable that even human experts in the Purple Mansion realm dared not provoke them.
The strength of this third-tier Emerald Green Lizard Beast now appearing before Lin Chu and Chen Lingang was evident.
"It's going to be difficult for us to escape safely," Lin Chu said with a wry smile as he saw the ferocity in the Emerald Green Lizard Beast's eyes grow.
Roar!
Just then, the Emerald Green Lizard Beast let out a sharp cry and suddenly lunged towards Lin Chu. Seeing this, Lin Chu's figure moved, retreating rapidly. As for Chen Lingang, he turned and fled as the Emerald Green Lizard Beast attacked.
"Such speed!" Lin Chu, having activated the Void-Treading Step, stopped when he realized the lizard beast wasn't being outrun. Watching the scene of flying sand and rocks, a look of shock flashed in his eyes.
"Senior Brother Lin Chu, be careful!" Just then, Chen Lingang's voice suddenly came. Lin Chu quickly looked towards the Emerald Green Lizard Beast and saw its long tail sweeping towards him.
"Sky-Breaking Fist!" Lin Chu's mind raced, and he channeled all his strength into a punch towards the sweeping tail of the Emerald Green Lizard Beast.
Boom!
"So tough!" Lin Chu felt as if he had struck a rock when his fist landed on the Emerald Green Lizard Beast's tail. Feeling the immense recoil, Lin Chu's eyes flashed with determination, and he stomped his foot again, throwing another punch.
Bang!
Seemingly in pain, the Emerald Green Lizard Beast swung its tail at Lin Chu again.
After throwing the punch, Lin Chu used the recoil to activate the Void-Treading Step again, rapidly retreating. This time, he put dozens of meters of distance between himself and the Emerald Green Lizard Beast.
"Hurry up!" Seeing Chen Lingang's stunned expression, Lin Chu grabbed him and ran wildly forward.
Roar!
Seeing Lin Chu and Chen Lingang escape, the Emerald Green Lizard Beast let out another roar to the sky. Its limbs moved rapidly, and it chased after Lin Chu and Chen Lingang with incredible speed.
An hour later, Lin Chu and Chen Lingang were still running. The Emerald Green Lizard Beast, seemingly tireless, pursued them relentlessly.
"Senior Brother Lin Chu, why is that Emerald Green Lizard Beast still chasing us?" Chen Lingang, who had been running, looked back and exclaimed in terror as the beast got closer.
Lin Chu gave him an exasperated look, "At a time like this, you still have the energy to talk. I think we should run towards the Jinlong team. With our strength, we probably can't defeat this Emerald Green Lizard Beast."
"What! Senior Brother Lin Chu, if Su Jinlong finds out we led it there, he'll probably swallow me alive," Chen Lingang said immediately.
"Then do you think we should keep running, or find someone to deal with this Emerald Green Lizard Beast together? Or, simply withdraw from the trial?" Lin Chu looked at the Emerald Green Lizard Beast, then at Chen Lingang.
"Then... then I'll do as Senior Brother Lin Chu says," Chen Lingang said, shrugging helplessly and increasing his speed.
Lin Chu smiled and glanced at the Emerald Green Lizard Beast again, activating the Void-Treading Step to its maximum for the first time. The distance between Lin Chu and Chen Lingang and the Jinlong team's location gradually shortened.
"What's that sound?"
Su Jinlong, who was in the central area of the Glazed Land, suddenly felt a strong tremor and looked at the elite disciples beside him with confusion. However, they all looked bewildered, clearly unaware of the approaching vibration.
"Captain, bad news! An Emerald Green Lizard Beast is running towards us!" At this moment, a disciple from the Young Sect's Jinlong team rushed over in a panic and shouted.
"What! Emerald Green Lizard Beast!" Su Jinlong's eyes widened in horror. While the new disciples might not know how powerful the Emerald Green Lizard Beast was, he was all too familiar with it.
Not only was its physique incredibly tough, but its saliva was also highly toxic, capable of paralyzing the mind and body with a single misstep.
"Quickly gather the team and retreat at full speed!" Su Jinlong made a decision in an instant.
For them to defeat this Emerald Green Lizard Beast was a pipe dream. Their only option now was to retreat.
"Yes!" The disciple who had delivered the message quickly turned and left.
Roar!
The actions of the Jinlong team disciples clearly attracted the attention of the Emerald Green Lizard Beast. Compared to Lin Chu and Chen Lingang, who were fleeing, these individuals were much easier targets.
The Jinlong team disciples found that the Emerald Green Lizard Beast, which had not been heading towards them, suddenly changed direction, roared to the sky, and charged towards them madly.
"Senior Brother Lin Chu, if we do this, I'm afraid we've completely offended the Jinlong team," Chen Lingang said, hiding on a hillside, his forehead sweating slightly as he looked at Lin Chu with a helpless expression, watching the Jinlong team disciples scatter across the hills being chased by the Emerald Green Lizard Beast.
Lin Chu ignored him, breathing a sigh of relief only when he saw a spiritual light flash from the bodies of the Jinlong team disciples as the Emerald Green Lizard Beast pursued them.
He then turned to Chen Lingang and said, "The Grand Elder also said that if we encounter insurmountable danger, we can choose to withdraw. I don't think they'll be in mortal danger. Now, we should leave this place quickly to avoid further complications."
Chen Lingang nodded helplessly, then glanced back at the Jinlong team disciples running wildly all over the hill with a flicker of reluctance in his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it. He then hurried to keep up with Lin Chu and quietly departed.
On the square of the Young Sect's main hall, everyone watched with shocked expressions as Lin Chu and Chen Lingang led the Emerald Green Lizard Beast to the location of Su Jinlong's Jinlong team.
For an ordinary disciple to pull such a stunt was not only a sign of a sharp mind but also admirable courage. After this incident, Lin Chu and Su Jinlong of the Jinlong team had certainly forged a deep enmity.
"Saintess, your younger brother's maneuver of deflecting disaster is indeed very well executed. I wonder, though, if he can handle the animosity of nearly a hundred Jinlong team disciples after this," the Grand Elder said, a barely perceptible glint in his eyes as he looked at Bai Yuwei.
Bai Yuwei's worry gradually subsided as she saw Lin Chu leave safely. Hearing the Grand Elder's words, she smiled slightly, "The disciple trial inherently involves unpredictable dangers. I don't see anything wrong with Chu's actions. Moreover, doesn't the internal strife among the disciples of the Young Sect sometimes serve to temper their strength?"
"Since the Saintess doesn't mind, then I'm being overly sensitive. If the Saintess wishes to train her younger brother, this is indeed a method. I just don't know if he can withstand it. If he can't, will the Saintess intervene with her status?" the Grand Elder said with a smile.
Bai Yuwei looked at Lin Chu on the light screen again, then stood up and said, "Grand Elder, please rest assured, I will not disrupt the Young Sect's order for personal feelings. I've been watching for a while and feel tired. Please take care of the rest, Grand Elder."
After speaking, Bai Yuwei moved and left directly. The Grand Elder's lips twitched slightly, but he did not speak. A cold glint flashed in his eyes before he slowly closed them.
Within the Glazed Illusory True Realm, after leaving the central area of the Glazed Land, Lin Chu and Chen Lingang began searching for Glazed Stones again.
Perhaps their luck had turned, for they managed to collect fifty Glazed Spirit Stones in the next two days. As the sky gradually darkened, they found a hiding place to rest.
The next morning, as dawn broke, Lin Chu and Chen Lingang awoke.
"Junior Brother Chen, the disciple trial ends at noon today. What are your plans for the future?" Lin Chu asked with a smile, looking at Chen Lingang.
Chen Lingang gave a wry smile, "This time, I've not only offended the Jinlong team, but Qiu Shaoming probably saw me associating with you. My life outside won't be easy. I'll exchange these spirit stones and go into seclusion in the cultivation room."
Lin Chu nodded, then took out the Glazed Spirit Stones from his懷 and handed them to Chen Lingang, "I've dragged you down this time. Please take these Glazed Spirit Stones to exchange for spirit stones for your cultivation. It's my compensation to you. Of course, if you encounter any trouble you can't resolve, you can come to Saintess Peak to find me."
"Senior Brother Lin Chu, what about you? If you give me all the Glazed Spirit Stones, won't you be unable to exchange for rewards?" Chen Lingang asked, his heart warming slightly as Lin Chu took out all the Glazed Spirit Stones he had.
Lin Chu smiled, "I originally didn't want to participate in this disciple trial. If it wasn't for the Sect Master's order, I wouldn't waste my cultivation time on this trial. So, I don't care about the sect's rewards."
Chen Lingang looked at Lin Chu, wanting to speak but hesitating. Seeing this, Lin Chu smiled and said, "Ask whatever you want."
Chen Lingang pondered for a moment, then looked at Lin Chu and said, "There are still more than nine months until the Battle of the Year. Senior Brother Lin Chu, do you have the confidence to defeat Qiu Shaoming?"
As Chen Lingang finished speaking, Lin Chu's expression became serious. He then smiled heartily and said, "Man proposes, God disposes. I know many people don't think highly of me, but in my heart, only by holding a heart that fears no death, no danger, and bravely moves forward can one reach the peak of strength. My belief is: the strong are invincible!"
Chen Lingang seemed deeply moved, and a look of admiration gradually appeared in his eyes as he murmured, "The strong are invincible..."
Buzz.
With a buzzing sound, Lin Chu and Chen Lingang felt a pulling force. They exchanged a glance, and a flash of spiritual light appeared, and they both vanished from their spot.