Crisis

On the cliff face, rage surged in the wolf king's vertical pupils for the very first time.

It no longer stood by and watched. With a fierce kick of its four limbs against the cliff, its massive body dragged a dark blue afterimage. Like a falling meteorite, it tore through the air and charged straight at Chen Guan.

"I'll take it!"

Long Ao shouted explosively, his fighting spirit soaring as he took the initiative to meet it head-on. He would no longer be discouraged; if others were strong, he would simply work hard to become even stronger.

An Changqing also reacted. A chilling sword aura emanated from his blade as he followed closely behind.

The two flanked the wolf king from the left and right, engaging it in a fierce melee.

After another brutal clash, Long Ao seized a fleeting opening.

A straight punch, brimming with fighting spirit, landed solidly on the wolf king's abdomen.

The wolf king let out a roar of pain, its body flying backward.

An Changqing's figure appeared behind it like a ghost. His sword seemed slow, but it struck the exact same spot on the back of the wolf king's neck with pinpoint accuracy.

Pfft.

The sword pierced an inch deep.

The wolf king's heavy body crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

It twitched twice and then stopped moving.

Is it over?

Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

The dead wolf king's head slowly lifted at an angle that defied biology.

Its vertical pupils looked at An Changqing and Long Ao. The bestial nature was gone, replaced entirely by a human-like mockery.

Wearing this expression, the wolf king's massive body began to dissolve.

Pitch-black demonic power surged frantically from its body.

Its flesh, fur, and bones were rapidly demonizing, turning into a puddle of writhing liquid emitting black smoke.

Right at this moment, an ear-piercing electronic notification rang in everyone's ears simultaneously, so sharp that it stung their eardrums.

It was an emergency transmission from Instructor Li Yan.

His voice came through the terminal, losing its composure for the first time, leaving only unprecedented solemnity and urgency.

"All students! Abandon the mission! Retreat immediately! The secret realm is under attack and in emergency lockdown! I repeat, this is not a drill!"

Li Yan's voice was deafening, so sharp that it made their ear bones ache.

"All students! Abandon the mission! Retreat immediately! The secret realm is under attack and in emergency lockdown! I repeat, this is not a drill!"

The tone was urgent and grave.

This was the first time they had heard such emotion in the iron-faced instructor's tone.

Retreat?

Retreat where?

An Changqing immediately looked toward the spatial gate they had come from.

But there was nothing there except churning gray fog.

Just as Li Yan finished speaking.

The massive corpse of the wolf king, killed jointly by An Changqing and Long Ao, began to melt.

Pitch-black demonic power poured madly from its orifices.

Flesh, fur, bones—all the matter that made up its life rapidly disintegrated.

Finally, the corpse turned into a puddle of heaving, gelatinous black liquid emitting black smoke.

A foul stench, a mix of blood and rancid fat, permeated the air, incredibly repulsive.

The puddle of pitch-black liquid gathered into a stream and shot into the sky.

In mid-air, it formed a massive black vortex.

The vortex spun wildly and began to gradually expand.

"No signal."

Su Yuehe stared at the static on her personal terminal's screen; under normal circumstances, this was absolutely impossible.

An Changqing also raised his terminal, but the result was exactly the same.

All contact with the outside world had been completely severed.

Rumble!

The space of the entire secret realm began to shake violently.

The earth beneath their feet groaned.

Spiderweb-like cracks appeared on the distant mountain walls.

An invisible barrier closed in with a clearly visible outline, completely sealing off the entire valley.

An inescapable net.

This place had become a giant, isolated cage.

Long Ao's muscles bulged once more.

His gaze was like a sword, locking onto the writhing source of demonic power, and a beast-like low growl rumbled in his throat.

The joints of An Changqing's fingers popped as he gripped his wooden sword.

He forced himself to stay calm, his brain working at top speed to find a way out.

Amidst the panic, Chen Guan's movements appeared exceptionally clear.

He took a step back, standing perfectly in front of Su Yuehe, shielding her.

This position also gave him the best vantage point to observe the entire battlefield. Moreover, based on his experience, the enemy would usually attack Su Yuehe first, making this the perfect spot to wait for the rabbit to hit the stump.

In his mind, he probed to communicate with Baal, "Looks like they are coming for these chosen ones."

"Using a Tier 5 wolf king as a demonic power bomb and coordinate to set up such a massive scheme to seal off the entire secret realm... With this concentration of demonic power, this is the work of at least a Tier 8 entity or higher."

"Hehehe..."

Baal's laughter echoed in his mind, full of schadenfreude.

"Tier 8? Kid, you underestimate the demon race too much. To manipulate demonic power with such finesse, the incomer holds no low status among the demons. These little guys are probably going to become some big shot's meal today. Oh right, you too."

Chen Guan didn't reply. At least for now, he had obtained one piece of information: the incomer was above Tier 8. Normally speaking, this was an absolutely insurmountable existence.

Earlier, the ink on the painting Santai had given him had completely faded; he probably couldn't summon another version of himself anymore.

His gaze locked onto the center of the ever-expanding black vortex.

Changes had already occurred there as a slender figure slowly walked out from within.

He wore a black robe embroidered with dark patterns. His face was handsome, exuding an inhuman, demonic allure, and his silver-white long hair cascaded freely.

Those golden vertical pupils were exact replicas of the wolf king's eyes, only they looked a bit more human, filled with aloof indifference.

He was toying with a heart in his hand.

The heart was still beating strongly, thumping rhythmically.

Judging from its size and the lingering demonic power fluctuations, this was exactly the heart of the wolf king from just now.

He stepped out of the vortex and hovered in mid-air.

He didn't speak immediately.

Those golden vertical pupils scrutinized them, sweeping condescendingly over the four people on the ground.

The heavy pressure made the breathing of the entire valley stall.

That gaze was sizing up the prey in his cage.

Finally, the corners of his lips curled up.

When he spoke, his voice was gentle and pleasant to the ear.

But the content made everyone feel a chill rise from the soles of their feet.

"Welcome to my hunting ground, elites of Huaqing."

The pack of Windblade Wolves that had retreated earlier emerged from the darkness once again.

Their pupils were no longer a spectral green, but a crimson red steeped in demonic power.

But not a single wolf dared to make a sound.

They prostrated themselves on the ground, offering their most humble submission to the demonic man in the sky.

"Who are you?"

An Changqing took a step forward, his voice tight, pointing his sword straight at the other party.

The demonic man did not answer.

He merely lowered his head, looking at the beating heart in his hand with great interest.

Then, right in front of everyone, his five fingers slowly closed.

Squeltch.

A soft sound.

The wolf king's heart was easily crushed between his closing fingers.

Scalding blood mixed with fragments of demonic power.

A bloody rain fell in a scattered shower.

A few drops of blood landed on his handsome cheek. He stuck out the tip of his tongue and licked the blood drops away.

He licked his lips.

The pair of golden, slit-like pupils finally shifted away from their masterpiece, sweeping over the four individuals one by one.

Lingering on Long Ao for a split second, the gaze held a deep contempt for brute strength.

It brushed past Su Yuehe, full of the dismissive indifference reserved for the weak.

When it paused on Chen Guan, his brow twitched, revealing a hint of interest in that coffin.

Finally, his gaze locked onto An Changqing.

The curve of his lips deepened, the malice in his expression practically overflowing.

"Let's start with you, Student Council President."