The hot summer sun blazes on, the mountain winds blowing the warm winds around, Qing Mao Mountain steaming under the hot air.
In the blink of an eye, it was already near the end of June.
The rock secret cave was enveloped in red light.
At this corner, there was already a pile of wild boar teeth. They were the results of Fang Yuan's hunting.
But Fang Yuan is sleeping soundly at the academy.
...
"The following mid year examination, will be held three days later, all students have to attend! The examination content is to hunt wild boars. By collecting wild boar teeth as results to record, those who collect the most wild boar teeth will get better scores. At the end of the examination, each wild boar teeth can be exchanged for ten primeval stones. Furthermore, you are allowed to hunt in groups."
The academy elder's words caused a commotion among the students.
"The mid-year exam is finally here!"
"Each wild boar teeth can be exchanged for ten primeval stones, this is the academy encouraging us to hunt more wild boars, and the prize is set for that. For true market value, one primeval stone can buy twenty wild boar teeth."
The students had varying expressions, some were happy while other fretted, some were eager to go, while others called on companions.
...
Three days passed in a flash. Soon, the mid-year exam was here.
In the surrounding forests around the tent, there were also some hidden Gu Masters.
At this time, the forest ahead had an abnormal disturbance.
Whoosh!
A Gu Master emerged from the forest like a shadow and quickly ran out, kneeling outside the tentage.
"How is the situation?" Academy elder asked.
"Reporting to Lord Elder, at this point, there are no casualties among the students." The Gu Master quickly answered.
"Good, good."
"An afternoon had already gone by since the mid-year exam started. To have no injuries, this is different from the past years."
"It looks like this is all the academy elder's effort."
The other clan elders nodded satisfactorily, praising in turns.
He looked towards the kneeling Gu Master, and continued asking, "Then at this point, whose results are the best?"
The Gu Master answered immediately, "Reporting to Lord, at this point, Gu Yue Fang Zheng, Mo Bei, Chi Cheng, are leading. Chi Cheng killed three boars, Mo Bei killed five, and Fang Zheng has the most, at eight."
"Oh? So, Fang Zheng is leading!"
"You may go." Academy elder waved his hand towards the kneeling Gu Master. "Instruct the others, focus on their protecting job. Especially Fang Zheng, Chi Cheng and Mo Bei, pay more attention and ensure their safety!"
...
The blazing sun slowly descended from the highest point in the sky, gradually nearing the north-east mountains.
The sunset glow ignited the clouds; it was the sun's last flow of passion.
As the last sunlight shone into the forest, another wild boar fell on the ground.
"Third." Fang Yuan calculated in his heart, and then squatted down, skillfully carving out a wild boar teeth.
There was a bag on his back, inside was a two wild boar teeth.
At the same time, he had another bag, carrying the teeth of those boars he killed last time and bought at the villages. These teeth were originally stored in the rock crack secret cave, and were retrieved by Fang Yuan the previous night, stored into a bag and buried in a secret location.
"I am familiar with the terrain and wild boar distribution, at the same time I have Rank 2 peak stage, Dark Red primeval essence to use the Moonlight Gu together with the Little light Gu. If I want to, others' efficiency definitely cannot compare to me."
"But... the upcoming Destruction is inevitable."
"Better it happens through me, where at least it brings me profit."
"Hehe, I wonder what expressions they would show when they see my little gift?"
...
A pair of bloodshot eyes hid deep in the shadows. His eyes burnt with hatred and anger, as if it couldn't be doused even with a tsunami.
"Fang Zheng, I've finally found you…" Wang Da gritted his teeth, growling the words out from his mouth.
Under his gaze, not far away, a youngster with a thin body and pale face was traversing the forest.
With his enemy nearby, Wang Da did not act immediately, but turned his gaze to several other positions.
From each of these positions, an invigilator Gu Master was hidden.
To prevent cheating and for immediate treatment of injuries, the area nearby had around a few dozen Rank two Gu Masters hiding. There was even Rank three clan elders holding the fort on the mountains high up.
Wang Da carefully moved around the forest and collected a lot of intel.
"I want to kill Fang Zheng, so I need to get rid of these three Gu Masters first. Otherwise, once I show myself, I will be disturbed. Maybe with surprise, I can kill Fang Zheng, but I will also get killed by the Gu Masters that chase after me from there."
"I have Rank two middle stage cultivation, and there's 50% primeval essence in my body. I have to act first and kill these three Gu Masters, it is difficult. I have to strike consecutively in a very short period. Otherwise, once they find their companions dead, they would become alert and my traces will be exposed..."
"Shadow Follower Gu." Wang Da closed his eyes and called in his heart.
Immediately, his body became enshrouded in a lump of darkness and could move among the tree shadows.
All was silent.
In a thick bush nearby, the Gu Yue clan's Rank two Gu Master sprawled inside, yawning out of boredom.
"What smell is this?" The Gu Yue clan Gu Master sniffed, frowning subconsciously.
He just wanted to investigate, but it was too late.
Wang Da pounced like a snake, striking at lightning speed!
One hand covered the Gu Master's mouth and nose, while the other stabbed from the shadows towards his back. His dark purple nails were sharp as blades, his fingers easily entering the Gu Master's body and reaching his heart.
The fingernails were poisonous, and at that moment it invaded the heart. Through the blood, it spread all over the Gu Master's body.
The Gu Master's body stiffened and lost all signs of life.
Although they were both Rank two Gu Masters, one had assaulted abruptly with preparation, so before the battle even begun, it had ended.
"I used 10% of my primeval essence, 40% left." Wang Da checked his aperture, and fused into the shadows once again.
A moment later, the second Gu Master hiding behind a rock also met his assault. His eyes shrunk to pin size as he collapsed on the ground.
The poison invaded his body, and soon he turned purple, and from his nose two streams of purple blood flowed out.
"30% left." Wang Da chanted silently, turning into shadows again.
"Who is it!" The third Gu Master was hiding on a tree branch atop a huge tree. At the crucial moment he sensed something wrong, and at the time where Wang Da struck, he turned around and grabbed the two poisonous hands.
"Damn it!" Wang Da laughed sinisterly, his ten nails growing crazily, at once becoming five centimeters long, stabbing the Gu Master's forearm and piercing his skin.
His forearm bled and the blood quickly turned dark purple.
"This is the Love Life Separation?!" The third Gu Master seeing this was shocked beyond doubt; the purple poison had already infected his face.
He knew he had no poison resistance Gu worm and was surely dead, thus he showed resolve on his face, shouting, "Then let's die together!"
He opened his mouth and stretched out his tongue.
There was a crescent moon tattoo on his tongue — it was the Moonlight Gu.
A moonblade shot out and slashed Wang Da's right shoulder, piercing through and coming out from his back.
The blood splattered.
Wang Da grunted, his body swaying a little, but the Gu Master had already passed away, with a trace of life left.
"Correct, this is Love Life Separation." Wang Da stood on the tree branch, slowly standing up, showing a bitter smile.
"It is all for survival, I could only choose strength… this is the resolution of my demonic path!" Wang Da's eyes were red as he stared tightly at the nearby youngster.
"I gave up on love, and only had kinship left, but you took them from me! Fang Zheng…" He growled lowly, "I want you to regret deeply all that you did!"
A month ago, he had stood amidst the ruins of his home, the stench of blood heavy in the air.
His entire family — slaughtered.
On his father's cold, lifeless body, a single piece of paper had been crudely pinned.
The message was short, but it burned itself into his memory:
"For every mortal who dares disrespect me — this will be their fate. — Fang Zheng."