Chapter 53 Deadwood Forest

The north gate of Qingzhou Prefecture.

A large crowd had already gathered in front of the city gate; these were the thirty-two contestants who had qualified to participate in the "Demon Hunting Trial".

When Shen Lian and the other two arrived, Chu Wen had already arrived. He nodded to Shen Lian, glanced at Chen Yun and Lin Feng, and showed a gentle smile.

"Everyone's here." Wei Tong stood in front of the city gate, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. "These are your sensing jade talismans for the Demon Hunting Trial. Please keep them safe."

An official from the Demon Suppression Bureau approached carrying a tray with thirty-two pale blue jade talismans neatly arranged on it. Each talisman was about the size of a thumb, with intricate patterns engraved on its surface, emitting a faint ripple.

Shen Lian picked up his own jade talisman, its surface smooth and warm to the touch. He carefully put the talisman close to his body and then looked around.

Among the crowd, Chu Chunqiu and Xiao Chen stood closest, but the two did not speak to each other.

Lin Qing'er stood alone at the edge of the group, while Qin Lie chatted and laughed with several local contestants from Qingzhou Prefecture.

Among the local contestants from Qingzhou Prefecture, several were the strongest, and they all defeated their opponents with great ease, advancing to the second stage of the "Demon Hunting Trial".

Rumors are circulating that Chu Chunqiu and Xiao Chen will join forces.

This news was like a bombshell. Whether it was Chu Chunqiu or Xiao Chen, either of them would be extremely difficult to deal with on their own.

The two have now joined forces, putting immense pressure on the other contestants.

Wei Tong's voice rang out again: "In this 'Demon Hunting Trial,' you will gain points by hunting demonic beasts. One point is awarded for a first-tier demonic beast, five points for a second-tier demonic beast, and twenty points for a third-tier demonic beast. The jade talisman will automatically record the points."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of many of the contestants turned serious, and a fighting spirit ignited in their eyes.

"Set off!"

With Wei Tong's command, the group of contestants set off, heading towards the Black Mist Forest in the northeast.

Shen Lian, Chen Yun, and Lin Feng walked side by side.

Li Hu and Wang Lin came to see him off. Li Hu waved vigorously, "Brother Lian, Sister Yun, good luck! You must make it into the top ten!"

Wang Lin solemnly said, "Be careful in everything."

Shen Lian and the other two boarded the carriage, which slowly drove out of the city gate and headed northeast.

Inside the carriage, Shen Lian took out the map Zhao Shan had given him and confirmed the rendezvous point again.

"The Deadwood Forest is located at the boundary between the outer and central parts of the Black Mist Forest, about fifty miles from the entrance," Shen Lian said, pointing to the map. "The trees there are withered, and the view is relatively open, making it easy to observe the surroundings."

Chen Yun said softly, "From the entrance to the withered forest, we have to pass through at least one area where first-tier monsters are active. We need to be careful."

Lin Feng closed his eyes to rest, his right hand resting on the hilt of his knife.

The carriage stopped after traveling for about an hour.

Everyone got off the car and were greeted by a vast, endless gray forest.

A light mist hung over the edge of the forest, obstructing visibility to within a hundred feet. Deeper into the forest, the mist grew thicker.

"We've arrived at the Black Mist Forest." Wei Tong stood at the front of the group. "The trial lasts seven days. You must return here by noon seven days from now. Those who fail to return by the deadline will be eliminated. Now, the trial begins!"

As soon as the words were spoken, thirty-two figures shot into the forest like arrows released from a bow.

Shen Lian and his two companions did not rush deeper into the forest, but instead chose a less traveled path. As agreed, they were to meet Chu Wen in the withered forest first.

The forest was dimly lit, and the air was filled with a damp, decaying smell. Beneath my feet lay a thick carpet of fallen leaves, soft and yielding with a soft rustling sound.

After walking about three miles, Shen Lian suddenly stopped and raised his hand to signal.

Ten feet ahead, a grayish-brown wild boar was rooting around tree roots. This wild boar was six feet long, with protruding tusks and its body covered with thick bristles.

[Combat Strength]: 15~20

Shen Lian recognized the creature in front of him as a first-tier demonic beast, the Iron-Maned Wild Boar, with a combat strength of 15-20, which was considered average.

"A first-tier demonic beast, perfect for testing my skills." Lin Feng's eyes turned cold, and he drew his sword, ready to step forward.

"Wait," Shen Lian stopped him. "The Iron-Bristled Boar has thick hide and strong defense. Let's join forces and finish this quickly."

Chen Yun nodded, and the three of them tacitly dispersed, surrounding the iron-maned wild boar.

The iron-maned boar sensed danger, stopped eating, raised its head, and stared intently at Lin Feng, who was closest to it, with its scarlet eyes.

The wild boar let out a low growl, pawed at the ground, and charged suddenly toward Lin Feng.

Lin Feng dodged the head-on collision with a swift movement, drew his long sword, and unleashed a "Wave-Slicing" slash at the side of the Iron-Bristled Wild Boar.

The blade sliced ​​across the iron-bristled boar's body, leaving only a white mark on its bristles.

"Such strong defense!" Lin Feng frowned.

At that moment, Shen Lian attacked from the side, his long blade aimed straight for the wild boar's eye. The boar seemed to sense the danger, tilting its head to the side, and the blade pierced behind its ear, causing blood to spurt out.

The wild boar, in pain, shook its head wildly, its tusks sweeping towards Shen Lian.

Chen Yun arrived just in time, her long sword blocking the fangs, sparks flying. She used the momentum to retreat, creating an opportunity for Shen Lian and Lin Feng.

"Attack its belly!"

Shen Lian seized the opportunity, his feet moving in quick succession using the "Tiger-Taming Stance" technique, his body swirling around the wild boar like a dragon. The wild boar had just escaped Chen Yun, its abdomen wide open.

"Mountain-Slaying Style!"

With a furious slash, Shen Lian concentrated his strength into the blade, which cut three inches into the wild boar's belly, causing blood to gush out.

The wild boar let out a pitiful scream, struggling to escape. Lin Feng was already waiting along its escape route, his long knife piercing the boar's throat like a venomous snake's tongue.

The wild boar collapsed to the ground with a thud, twitched a few times, and then lay still.

Shen Lian felt a slight warmth in the jade talisman in his arms, and took it out to examine it. A line of small characters appeared on the surface of the jade talisman: "Points +1".

"One point for each Tier 1 demon beast." Lin Feng frowned. "This is too inefficient. Sooner or later, we'll fall behind."

Shen Lian put away the jade talisman. "Let's go to the Deadwood Forest and meet up with Chu Wen first."

The three continued onward, encountering several more first-tier demonic beasts along the way, which they quickly dealt with. Two hours later, the trees ahead gradually thinned out, and the withered trunks appeared and disappeared in the mist.

We've arrived at the Deadwood Forest.

As marked on the map, most of the trees in this area were withered, and the view was much more open. Shen Lian scanned the surroundings and quickly spotted Chu Wen under a huge withered tree.

Chu Wen also saw them and waved with a smile.

"Brother Chu, you've kept me waiting." Shen Lian stepped forward and clasped his hands in greeting.

Chu Wen shook his head and smiled, "I just arrived not long ago. The journey has been relatively smooth; I've only encountered a few first-tier demonic beasts."

After the four reunited, Chu Wen took out the map he had drawn and compared it with the one in Shen Lian's hand.

"Thirty miles east of the Deadwood Forest, there is a place called 'Blackwater Pool,' where second-tier demonic beasts called 'Blackwater Crocodiles' often appear," Chu Wen said, pointing to the map. "The hides of the 'Blackwater Crocodiles' can be used to make soft armor, which can fetch a good price in Treasure Street. Most importantly, you can get five points for hunting a second-tier demonic beast."

"Five points are equivalent to five Tier 1 monsters." Chen Yun's eyes lit up.

Lin Feng said coldly, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go straight to Blackwater Pool."

Shen Lian then turned to Chu Wen: "Brother Chu, since you've suggested going to Blackwater Pool, you must know something about it. What are the characteristics of the Blackwater Crocodile? How should we deal with it?"

Chu Wen nodded and said, "'Black Water Crocodiles' are amphibious monsters that are good at ambushing and attacking. Their hides are tough and difficult to penetrate with ordinary swords, but their eyes and throats are weak points. In addition, 'Black Water Crocodiles' usually live in groups, ranging from three to five to more than ten."

"Living in groups?" Lin Feng frowned.

"So we can't just force our way in," Chu Wen said. "I have a plan. There's a reed bed on the south side of 'Blackwater Pool.' We can use the terrain to lure the crocodiles ashore and take them down one by one."

Shen Lian pondered for a moment and nodded, saying, "We can give it a try. But before that, we need to make some preparations."

After discussing their tactics and taking a short rest, the four set off towards the "Blackwater Pool".