C45 Surrounding

As the world whirled around him, Liu Xingchang's consciousness slowly returned. He found himself on the boundary between the Ancient Forest and the Desolate Mountain.

Each person who entered the formation appeared in a random location, which meant there weren't many people near Liu Xingchang. Hu Gewan and the other three were nowhere to be seen. To lead all four of them into the official competition, Liu Xingchang's first task was to locate them.

Surveying his surroundings, Liu Xingchang weighed his options between the chilling, mysterious Ancient Forest and the eerie, desolate mountain before him. Without hesitation, he dashed toward the mountain.

The Ancient Forest's traps were a hidden threat, but Liu Xingchang knew he could identify any Demonic Beasts in the Desolate Mountain on sight. The danger in the forest lurked in the shadows, while the mountain's perils were in plain view. Thus, Liu Xingchang chose to brave the mountain, and he wasn't alone—many others who had been teleported to the border also surged toward the Desolate Mountain.

In the surreal world of the Great Ancient Array, there was no sun. It was perpetually shrouded in a chilling wind, creating an atmosphere that sent shivers down one's spine.

Unlike typical mountain ranges where the forest and mountains seamlessly blend, here they stood distinctly apart. The mountains were bare except for caves, and the forests were flat without a single rise.

The entire formation exuded an eerie and sinister vibe, and Liu Xingchang's immediate goal was to acclimate to this unsettling environment.

The Desolate Mountain within the Great Ancient Array was expansive, with an unending series of caves dotting its surface. From a distance, they resembled a swarm of black insects clustered together, enough to make one's skin crawl.

"Anyone confronted with such a grim and frightening setting would naturally become more alert," Liu Xingchang thought. "Launching a surprise attack in this environment would be far from easy."

Despite the lack of vegetation on the mountain, the numerous dark caverns concealed various hazards. They could shelter Demonic Beasts or competitors lying in wait for the perfect moment to strike.

But regardless of the number of caves or the Ancient Forest's stealthiness, the sheer volume of contestants was overwhelming. As Liu Xingchang scanned the area, he saw competitors everywhere, each one cautiously assessing their surroundings—a testament to the density of the challenge ahead.

In Liu Xingchang's view, the real contest only began on the third day of the competition. The initial two days served merely to weed out the novices and the overconfident.

With the sheer number of participants, this elimination approach was certainly the most effective selection method.

"Roar!"

Just then, Liu Xingchang's pupils contracted as a Lightning Leopard burst out of a dark cave ahead.

The Lightning Leopard was no match for Liu Xingchang, being merely a Rank One Demonic Beast.

Liu Xingchang nimbly sidestepped the leopard's onslaught and, with a swift counterstroke, decapitated it.

He stood still, eyeing the corpse of the Lightning Leopard with narrowed eyes and a puzzled frown. "That's not right," he mused aloud. "If these Demonic Beasts were mere illusions within the formation, they should have vanished by now. Why is the body still here?"

Stepping forward, Liu Xingchang crouched down and extracted the Demon Core from the leopard with his sword.

As he sensed the pure energy emanating from the Demon Core, his eyes brightened. "Both the Desolate Mountain and the Ancient Forest are mere illusions created by the formation. Thanks to the spirit light's protection, contestants are transported out alive upon death. But these Demonic Beasts are a different story. They're not illusions; they're real. And without the formation's spirit light for protection, their death is permanent. So..."

His thoughts were interrupted by a gruff, mocking laugh. "So, in addition to slaying other contestants for their spirit light, one can also hunt these Demonic Beasts for their Demon Cores. It's just a shame..."

Liu Xingchang rose to his feet, turning to face the source of the laughter. His eyebrows lifted in recognition as he saw that four of the five individuals before him were old acquaintances.

Back in White Rock Town, he had eliminated a member of a hunter squad. Now, standing before him were Leng Baiyu, Yang Changqing, and two others, along with a new ally they had recently befriended.

Liu Xingchang arched an eyebrow and remarked, "Unfortunately, what?"

The rugged youth among the five scoffed, "Unfortunately, even with your knowledge of the matter, you're no longer able to harvest these Demon Cores. You may have escaped from White Rock Town, but now you stand no chance. Do you really think you can take on all five of us alone?"

Their dispute quickly drew the attention of many onlookers, who cautiously gathered around, seemingly eager to profit from the confrontation.

A Little Beggar clad in a tattered robe scurried over and leaped into a dark cave.

At first glance, it appeared that the Little Beggar was diving into the cave to confront a Demonic Beast. But upon closer inspection, it was clear that despite his frenzied demeanor, after jumping in, he simply lay at the edge of the cave, peering out with just his eyes, silently watching Liu Xingchang and Leng Baiyu.

Everyone seemed keen on seizing the opportunity to benefit from the conflict.

In the midst of this, a red figure emerged atop the mountain. A closer look revealed a stunning woman dressed in a red robe, red boots, a red sash, and wielding a red whip.

This woman in red also turned her attention to Liu Xingchang and the others. While the rest were looking to gain from the skirmish, her eyes sparkled with curiosity.

She had witnessed Liu Xingchang's altercation with the five from the Great Pine Kingdom back in the restaurant. Now, just after entering the formation, she stumbled upon another small group that also bore a grudge against him.

What had Liu Xingchang done to provoke so many?

Did he truly possess the power to attract such trouble?

...

Meanwhile, outside the formation, in the plaza.

The Third Elder suddenly lifted his grizzled brows and announced, "Yan'er, I've located that young fellow."

The woman in white quickly followed the Third Elder's pointed direction, her willow-leaf eyebrows arching as a flicker of surprise crossed her eyes. She mused, "It's a small world when foes cross paths again."

Hearing the exchange, Third Elder Zhao Youqing turned and chuckled, "Sixth Senior Brother? Have you found the lad you've been searching for?"

The Third Elder offered a wry smile and said, "We've located him, but sadly, the lad's luck isn't the best right now. He's currently encircled by five opponents. It seems he might just get knocked out of the elimination round."

Zhao Youqing followed the Third Elder's gaze, pausing briefly before raising his eyebrows with an assuring smile, "Luck is part of one's strength, after all. Besides, winning and losing are all in a day's work for a soldier."

The Third Elder chuckled and shook his head, "It's not the loss that bothers me. It's that being defeated by five people at once hardly allows him to demonstrate his true abilities. Wouldn't that leave me with an unresolved feeling?"

Just then, Yan'er exclaimed with surprise, "Master, look!"

The Third Elder and Zhao Youqing immediately lifted their heads, their eyes darting swiftly toward the misty mirror that reflected Liu Xingchang's situation.