The glowing scoreboard hung over the plateau. With time running out, the gaps between the leading scores showed how much the participants still needed to gain.
====================
Score Ranking List
1st Rank – Mei Hongli [920 points]
2nd Rank – Ying Lizhua [590 points]
3rd Rank – Mei Yue'er / Sun Wuji [563 points]
5th Rank – Feng Luotian [453 points]
6th Rank – Tu Lingxi [340 points]
7th Rank – Wei Ci / Wei Gang / Wei Hao / Wei Yan [255 points]
11th Rank – Han Wen / Han Qing [110 points]
13th Rank – Mo Chen / Mo Guo [75 points]
15th Rank – Gan Yu / … / Liu Fan [16 points]
24th Rank – Ye Xiu [15 points]
25th Rank – He Chen / Wang Liang / … / Xia Yun'er / Xiao Yan [12 points]
75th Rank – Li Xiaoyao / … / … [0 points]
====================
"Lizhua, we're here," Feng Luotian called as he and his party arrived. Less than fifteen minutes remained in the exam.
"Heh, you sure took your time," Ying Lizhua sneered, his chest heaving slightly as he maintained his cross-armed stance. "Why don't you just show up after the exam is already over, scaredy pants?"
"Who are you calling scared?!" Sun Wuji shot back instantly, his face flushing with heat. "We ran here as soon as we knew where the target was. Look at you! You've been sitting here this whole time like a statue and still haven't made a single move. Who's the real coward?"
"You!!" Lizhua growled, his jaw tightening as his frustration began to boil over.
Before the two could trade blows, Luotian stepped firmly between them. His eyes were calm, but they carried a weight that demanded silence. "Let's win this first and argue later, alright? Lizhua, link your Theríon with us."
Reluctantly, Lizhua extended his energy. The moment their Theríon touched and the party link solidified, Luotian's CRONOS instantly fed him the data.
///// Party Member 3: Ying Lizhua
///// Eight Fangs Scarlet Wind Steel Eagle
///// [Blood Steel] Level 8: Increases attack by 400% of blood loss percentage.
Luotian felt a jolt of shock as he processed the numbers. "What a savage and risky ability you've got there, Lizhua," he commented, his voice a mix of genuine admiration and deep caution.
At their current level, the numbers were formidable, but Luotian's mind raced toward the future. He knew that as Lizhua grew stronger, Blood Steel would turn him into a devastating engine of war—the more he bled, the more he would become an unstoppable force.
"Heh. What would you know about my ability?" Lizhua sneered, letting out a scornful, dry chuckle. "You should focus on not getting crippled again."
He watched Luotian suspiciously; he had never shared the secrets of his bloodline with a single soul. To hear Luotian name the nature of his power so easily sent a prickle of unease down his spine.
"Well, I'm just saying," Luotian replied, spreading his hands dismissively.
Lizhua's expression turned deadly serious as he looked toward the center of the plateau. "Anyway, like you said, this clone isn't just One Talon."
"Yeah," Luotian agreed, his gaze fixed on the towering figure. "Even though I was prepared to face a Two Talons clone, I didn't expect a Three Talons. With just the four of us, beating it is an impossible dream."
"What do you propose, then?" Lizhua asked, his eyes narrowing as he looked for a way out of the dead end.
"Invite more people," Luotian answered flatly.
"At this stage?" Lizhua sneered, gesturing to the empty space where the fifty-man party had just been erased. "Is there anyone left willing to join us? Or anyone actually capable of helping?"
Luotian opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by a cheerful, energetic voice echoing from the ruins behind them. "Me, me! I want to join you guys!"
Four identical figures were sprinting toward them, waving their hands with such enthusiasm they looked more like students on a field trip than warriors about to face a death-trap. It was the Wei party.
Wuji blinked, his jaw dropping slightly as he struggled to reconcile the image of these four with Luotian's earlier explanation. He had been imagining an intimidating, mysterious monster of a man—not a group of guys who looked like they were having the time of their lives. Teasingly, he muttered, "Hehe. And I thought you were a more serious type of guy."
"Not at all, Brothers and Sister!" one of them replied cheerfully. "My name is Wei Ci, and these are Wei Gang, Wei Hao, and Wei Yan." He introduced himself with a broad grin as the other three waved. Their friendly greeting eased some of the tension among the waiting group.
"Hello, Brother Wei," Feng Luotian greeted with a polite nod, his posture relaxed despite the ticking clock. "How did you know what we were planning?"
"Oh? Anyone who gets this far without running away would naturally want a piece of that clone," Wei Ci replied with a wink. "The more people we have, the stronger we get. Seeing as you only have four people, I figured you wouldn't mind a little extra muscle."
Ying Lizhua's brow furrowed, his eyes scanning the four identical faces with deep suspicion. "How do we know you guys would actually be of any help? We don't need dead weight."
Yue'er and Wuji both rolled their eyes in unison. In a fight against a Three Talons monster, even a One Fang Fighter with a basic buff would be useful, let alone four Six Fangs Fighters. If Luotian's claims about the "Golden Duck" bloodline were true, Wei Ci might actually be the most dangerous person on the field—yet Lizhua was still trying to act superior?
Despite the insult, Wei Ci remained unbothered. He let out a light chuckle. "Hehe, you'll know if you ask your friend here," he said, gesturing toward Luotian.
"You know them?" Lizhua asked, his gaze snapping back to Luotian.
"How could I know Brother Wei? I've never seen him before today," Luotian replied, feigning innocence and surprise.
Wei Ci smiled knowingly, his four pairs of eyes glinting. "But after that fifty-man party was turned into stardust, you guys were talking about me, weren't you? I saw you looking my way while you were chatting."
"…" Yue'er stayed silent, her mind racing.
Wuji simply gawked. "What kind of eyesight is that?! We were at least a kilometer away! I could barely make out your group as tiny dots. How could you see our faces, let alone know we were talking about you?"
Wuji wasn't being entirely honest. Cultivators could in fact enhance their vision with Theríon to see across vast distances, but the clarity needed to sense someone's gaze from a kilometer away was nearly impossible for a Fang Fighter. It was a terrifying display of sensory perception.
"Hahaha," Luotian laughed easily, trying to smooth things over. "We were only commenting on the fact that the four of you are identical. It's quite a rare sight, that's all."
"Really?" Wei Ci asked, a teasing, sharp smile playing on his lips. "Then why are you all—except for the angry guy over here," he gestured to Lizhua, "talking to me like I'm a single person?"
"!!"
Yue'er and Wuji froze as they realized their mistake. Wuji had called Wei Ci a "guy" while looking at four identical people, addressing him as a single person. Their choice of words had revealed what they knew.
Luotian, however, didn't flinch. He had been using the singular form on purpose to see how Wei Ci would react. "As I thought," he said with a calm smile. "Not only are your bloodline and ability rare, but you're also incredibly cautious and quick-witted."
"Oh?" Wei Ci raised an eyebrow, a flicker of genuine intrigue finally replacing his playful mask. "To know the details of my bloodline just by looking... you must be quite the bookworm, Brother Feng."
Luotian simply offered a mysterious smile in response, then turned to Lizhua. "You don't need to worry about his ability, Lizhua. This guy is the real deal."
Before Wei Ci and his party finalized the link, Wuji leaned in, his brow furrowed with genuine curiosity. "Why would you even want to join us and throw yourself at that clone? It's not like you'll get the monster core. In a party this size, the loot split is a mess."
Wei Ci raised a single finger, his grin widening as he met Wuji's gaze. "Brother, there is something in this world far more valuable than a single monster core or a handful of points."
Wuji leaned forward, his interest fully caught. "What is it?"
"Real-life combat experience," Wei Ci replied, his voice dropping to a tone of rare seriousness. "Testing one's limits against a Three Talons foe is a chance that doesn't come twice."
Wuji blinked, surprised by the answer, but he quickly nodded in respect. "Can't argue with that logic. A warrior who fears the struggle never reaches the peak."
With that, Wei Ci and his three other bodies joined the group, their energies weaving into a complex, multi-layered alliance as the final battle loomed.
///// Party Member 4 : Wei Ci
///// Six Fangs Body Splitting Golden Duck
///// [Divided We Stand] Level 6 : The user can split their body up to 6 clones that share Theríon, damage, cultivation, vision, soul, and death. The user will also receive an extra Health of 60%.
///// Party Member 5 : Wei Gang
///// Party Member 6 : Wei Hao
///// Party Member 7 : Wei Yan
///// Alert!! – These members' cultivation levels may be fabricated.
"!!" Feng Luotian's expression twitched for a fraction of a second. His heart gave a sharp thud as the CRONOS flagged the red warning across his mind.
Fabricated? He looked at the four identical men again. Whatever secret Wei Ci was hiding regarding his true strength, Luotian decided to remain silent. As long as the goal was to topple Mei Hongli, a hidden powerhouse was a blessing, not a curse. Even if Wei Ci planned to quit the party at the last second to steal the killing blow, Luotian didn't care. The "cheater" just had to lose.
However, Wei Ci was as sharp as a razor. He didn't miss the tiny shift in Luotian's eyes. "What's wrong, Brother?" Wei Ci asked, his tone casual but his eyes searching.
"It's nothing," Luotian replied, his expression settling. "I was just thinking that even with this many members, we might not have enough strength to get through that Three Talons defense. We could use more help."
"Then let me join too," another voice chimed in from the shadows of the ruins.
The group snapped their heads around to see a young woman approaching with a confident, measured stride. It was the girl Luotian had acknowledged with a nod only minutes before.
"My name is Tu Lingxi," she said, her clear voice carrying across the ruins. "My reason for joining is the same as his—I want the experience of a real life-and-death struggle. I'm curious to see how you plan to handle that clone, and I believe I can be a significant asset to your team."
The rest of the party—even the arrogant Ying Lizhua—turned their eyes toward Luotian. Without anyone saying a word, the leadership had shifted. They were all waiting for his approval. Without hesitation, Luotian nodded. "Welcome to the party, Lingxi."
She offered a faint smile and reached out her hand. The moment her Theríon touched the group's collective energy, her data flared into Luotian's mind.
///// Party Member 8 : Tu Lingxi
///// Six Fangs White Bolt Floral Rabbit
///// [Void Jump] Level Max : The user can jump from anything without ricocheting or impacting the jumping ground.
///// [Petal Prance] Level 6 : The user's jump speed and jump force +240% when jumping from a flower petal.