C13 Wasteland Crisis

The Devil Dragon Wasteland, vast and expansive, lies on the outskirts of the North Star Country.

Qiao Gao, like a skilled hunter, expertly led the group through twists and turns, easily evading the Corpse King's pursuit. They quickly left the mining area and arrived at the wasteland.

The Devil Dragon Wasteland had been lifeless for countless years. Legends say it holds the remnants of many ancient sects, most notably from one of the two great battles, the 'Ancient War.' A devil dragon, a divine beast, once died in battle here, its blood corroding all living things and seeping into the ground to form a vast mineral deposit.

The mining area lies underground, with the wasteland above it.

A millennium ago, the Devil Dragon Mining Area thrived, attracting countless warriors who extracted the minerals, leading to the rise of numerous dynasties and sects. However, as the years passed, everything faded into oblivion, especially after the second of the legendary battles, the 'World-Ending War.' Invaders from another realm stripped the mines bare, and nearly all the beasts were slain.

Desolation and barrenness became the eternal themes of this place.

As Qiao Gao emerged from the mining area, he surveyed his surroundings and quickly noticed the wasteland had undergone dramatic changes.

Qiao Gao noticed that the energy here was several times more concentrated than before! It was an astonishing change. The towering trees that had died out thousands of years ago now had green shoots sprouting from their charred, decayed trunks, as if they were about to be reborn!

A strong, metallic scent filled the air, causing Qiao Gao to frown. As he moved closer, he couldn't help but gasp. Not far away, a large group of beasts lay dead among the rocks. Most were first-tier beasts, but there were also some second-tier, and even a few third-tier ones.

Seeing the beasts' bodies, Hwang Ningxue's expression quickly turned serious. "The way these beasts are arranged is very deliberate, and all their cores have been taken, as if they were..."

"This is a soul-refining altar," Qiao Gao said gravely. "Someone has sacrificed these beasts' battle souls to extract the purest soul energy! We shouldn't stay here any longer; those people are likely still nearby. We need to leave immediately."

Hearing this, Hwang Ningxue nodded in agreement. Constructing a soul-refining altar and using such cruel methods to slaughter beasts and sacrifice their soul energy—such people are evil Soul Masters! If they encounter those wicked Soul Masters, their fate would be grim.

Legend has it that after the "War of Annihilation," the Devil Dragon Wasteland was cursed, imprisoning countless demonic deities. But now, the wasteland is coming back to life. Trees and flowers are sprouting up like a lush forest after a rainstorm, and even the ancient trees, untouched by time, are regaining their vitality.

Qiao Gao led a group of students through the dense forest, weaving between towering trees that reached over a hundred feet high, making it hard to tell which direction was which. As they ventured deeper, the roars of terrifying beasts grew louder. The most nerve-wracking part was when Qiao Gao led them directly past the lairs of third, fourth, and even fifth-rank beasts. Even the headmaster wouldn't dare bring so many new students through such dangerous territory.

"Hey, Qiao Gao, are you sure we're on the right path? It feels like we're going deeper into the wasteland," one student questioned, feeling uneasy.

"Yeah, we just passed a fifth-rank beast's lair. Are you sure you know what you're doing?" another chimed in.

"Quiet!" Qiao Gao snapped, turning back to hush them. "There are beasts fighting nearby!"

With the Devil Dragon Wasteland awakening, ancient ruins are emerging, filled with treasures and rare herbs. Beasts are battling fiercely for these riches.

In the distance, a massive serpent with black flames and wings stood suspended in the air, spewing dark fire toward the rocky mountain.

"Oh my God, it's a ninth-rank beast—a Black Flame Winged Serpent," a student exclaimed in shock.

Even though it was miles away, the oppressive aura of the Black Flame Winged Serpent made it hard for them to breathe. All the students, except for Qiao Gao and Hwang Ningxue, were trembling on the ground.

A ninth-rank beast was something even a Life Connecting Stage master would approach with caution, let alone these Vein Connecting Stage students.

On the enormous rocky mountain, a gigantic spider, hundreds of feet wide, moved. Its abdomen bore a ghastly human face, and its body gleamed like it was forged from gold. As it crawled over the hard rock, the stone crumbled like tofu beneath its eight legs.

This was another ninth-rank beast, the 'Golden Nether Spider,' rumored to have the bloodline of a golden deity, making it incredibly formidable.

The two ninth-rank beasts were battling over a mystical fruit at the mountain's peak. Despite the distance, Qiao Gao could sense the fruit's intense energy. What kind of mystical fruit could drive two such powerful beasts into a fierce battle? The distance was too great for Qiao Gao to see clearly.

"Roar~~"

"Back off, Winged Serpent! I found this spirit fruit first!" The Golden Nether Spider, with a hint of divine lineage, could actually speak.

In contrast, the Black Flame Winged Serpent could only communicate through its energy, exuding arrogance with its terrifying screeches.

The battle erupted fiercely, affecting the surrounding beasts. The shockwaves killed some high-level beasts, even those at Rank Seven, causing creatures within miles to flee in droves...

This was the cause of the beast tide in the Devil Dragon Wasteland. Qiao Gao's eyes lit up as he rushed forward, hoping to collect the beast cores or essence blood from the high-level beasts killed by the shockwaves.

Beast cores not only contained rich energy but also sealed the beast's soul. Thus, they could fetch a good price, especially those above Rank Three!

"Qiao Gao, are you crazy? Get us out of here! A fight between Rank Nine beasts could wipe us out with just a trace of its shockwave!"

"Someone's been knocked out, bleeding from every orifice."

Everyone was terrified, urging Qiao Gao to leave immediately. The pressure from the Rank Nine beasts was simply too overwhelming.

Qiao Gao was frustrated, staring at the pile of high-level beasts that had been killed by the aftermath of the battle. It was like a mountain of gold and silver, visible but out of reach! If he were alone, he might have had a chance to grab a few beast cores. However, with this group of Vein Connecting Stage students, he didn't want to stir up trouble.

"Let's go," Qiao Gao said reluctantly, casting one last look at the heap of high-level beast corpses before disappearing into the vast wilderness.

By evening, Qiao Gao had led them to the hills behind Great Flame City, not far from Flowing Cloud Academy. Hwang Ningxue was deeply impressed, looking at Qiao Gao in surprise. She often went out for training but wasn't as familiar with the Devil Dragon Mining Area as he was.

"Who exactly is this Qiao Gao?" Hwang Ningxue wondered, watching his retreating figure with curiosity.

Having survived the ordeal, the group of students was thrilled, loudly releasing the stress of the journey. Everyone had received tokens from Senior Hwang Ningxue, and as long as they completed the enrollment procedures at Flowing Cloud Academy the next morning, they would officially become students there.

Excitement buzzed through the group as they planned a celebration, inviting Qiao Gao to join them. He shook his head, declining. He felt his strength was still lacking, having only opened two energy veins. Even though one was the legendary Holy Rank vein, activating it required an immense amount of energy, presenting significant challenges.

Especially since he had crossed Bai Jutian, a ruthless and vengeful character. Even though he was the heir to his family, his standing wasn't all that secure. Despite inheriting the vast knowledge of the Myriad Tribulation Pill Monarch, he still needed time to grow.

"I need to get stronger quickly!" Qiao Gao thought to himself. With the revival of the Devil Dragon Wasteland, he instinctively felt that Great Flame City—no, even the entire North Star Country—was on the brink of change!