With a loud hum, an invisible force surrounded Asher and all the other participants of the trial, causing them to feel weightless as if they were being lifted off their feet and carried away in a sudden gust of wind. Within seconds, they found themselves standing in an unfamiliar landscape with many tall trees growing everywhere, surrounding them on all sides.
There were many different kinds of vegetation scattered throughout this vast forested region. Trees with thick trunks stood tall above them while bushes covered the ground beneath their feet, creating a dense thicket that was difficult to traverse through. The smell of earthy soil permeated the air around them, making one feel like they were walking along an old trail deep within an ancient forest.
A heavy silence filled the atmosphere, making it seem like there were no other living beings nearby. Everything seemed so peaceful and serene. However, one could never tell for sure because they had just entered an unknown territory that contained many dangers lurking underneath its surface.
Every participant was separated from one another by a vast distance, giving each one a huge area of land to explore. It was as if they were being isolated in their own personal domains, trapped in their own individual worlds without the ability to interact with others.
But remembering the words of the beautiful elder, they knew that it wouldn't always remain like this for long as they could be attacked by others or ambushed by wild beasts at any moment. Therefore, they needed to stay vigilant at all times, lest they end up becoming easy prey for someone else waiting for them to lower their guards.
Although this was a trial where they needed to be wary of other participants, it wasn't yet time for that, as without any points to earn, they would be wasting their efforts fighting amongst themselves.
So, with a new resolve in mind, each person rushed ahead into the wilderness before them, looking out for any signs of hidden beasts while hoping to finish the first trial as fast as possible without encountering other participants.
---
Within the vast wilderness of the Twilight Mist Sect's trial grounds, a young man stood alone under the shadow of a towering tree. His eyes scanned his surroundings, searching for any potential threats lurking nearby. Yet, despite his caution, he failed to notice the ominous aura emanating from the dark depths of the forest.
It was like a silent predator watching its prey from afar without revealing itself. If he had paid closer attention to it, he might've noticed it sooner and avoided walking straight into its trap. Unfortunately, however, he didn't seem to sense anything wrong with the situation at the time.
After making sure there was nothing dangerous nearby, he began walking toward an open clearing in front of him and took out two daggers from his spatial ring, preparing for battle. Once he was ready, he began moving forward once again. With each step, he left footprints on the soft earth as he marched through the dense foliage.
The sounds of rustling leaves accompanied him as he proceeded deeper into the forest, creating an eerie atmosphere that sent shivers down his spine. However, he kept pressing on regardless, undeterred by the foreboding vibe that enveloped him.
The monster didn't wait for the young man to die before continuing its meal, consuming the young man's corpse and savoring every bite of flesh it devoured. The young man screamed in agony for a long time, unable to resist the agony of his flesh being eaten, before falling limp in the monster's grip, who didn't pay any attention to him and focused only on gorging itself on his flesh.
The scene was horrific beyond description as the young man died in a gruesome and painful manner, but the very next moment, as the monster continued devouring him, an eerie red light appeared from behind the monster and aimed towards its head.
And just when it was about to pierce the monster's head, its compound eyes turned red, and its antennas shivered around like crazy, as if it were in some sort of panic.
Phew!
A sharp wind flew by and cut the monster's arm clean from its body as the red light also slashed through the air. However, the red light was somewhat off target and missed the head as the monster managed to evade at the last second. Still, despite missing its intended target, the red light, which was a spear with a bloody aura wrapped around it, managed to sever one of the monster's arms with ease.
The monster let out a horrifying screech before stumbling backwards, dropping the young man's corpse in the process while looking at the red-haired and crimson-eyed youth who just showed up.
"Raaaaaa!!!!"
Seeing the monster screaming with anger, Li Xueli raised his spear and charged towards the monster once again. And just like before, with one swift movement, his spear sliced the monster's remaining hand before it could even react to his sudden appearance. Blood sprayed through the air like a fountain, covering the area in red liquid.
Li Xueli watched in satisfaction as the monster writhed in pain for a few moments before attempting to run away.
However, his eyes narrowed in irritation at its cowardice. He struck down hard with his spear, piercing through the monster's head and sending a wave of blood spraying across the field.
Then he turned away from the corpse of the monster and looked at the young man lying beside it, noticing his lifeless body and broken limbs.
"Another idiot who doesn't recognize his own incompetence and decided to jump into something beyond his means," Li Xueli spat with disdain towards the deceased youngster, who couldn't even last more than a second against the monster, which was just a High-Stage Rank-2 Star Beast.