C84 Gongyang Qiusheng(1)

“Boom...”

Both fists hit the ground, sending sand flying everywhere. The perfected "Tyrannical Mountain Shattering Fist" left a large crater in the sand, but it was empty. The sense of danger that had made Woo Zhengyang uneasy vanished without a trace.

"What on earth was that thing? So strange," Woo Zhengyang wondered, puzzled.

With his current level of mastery, even a Reality Condensing Stage martial artist would be seriously injured by the perfected "Tyrannical Mountain Shattering Fist." Yet, whatever had alarmed Woo Zhengyang seemed unharmed.

Finding nothing, Woo Zhengyang moved on.

Before long, he spotted a figure lying on the sand. Judging by the clothing, it appeared to be a disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect. There was a crimson mark on the person's forehead, which, upon closer inspection, was dried blood, not vermilion.

Participants in the Mystic Trace Realm trial were at least top-tier Eight-star Martial Disciples. Even against a Nine-star Martial Disciple, they shouldn't be so easily defeated. The surroundings didn't suggest an ambush either.

Circling the body, Woo Zhengyang finally understood the cause of death. On one foot, the boot had some dried blood, and upon closer inspection, he found a small hole in the sole, about the size of a bean.

After a brief moment of thought, Woo Zhengyang realized that this person's death was likely linked to the creature he had just encountered. Fortunately, Woo Zhengyang had been alert and used his perfected "Tyrannical Mountain Shattering Fist" to drive the creature away. The unfortunate victim hadn't been so lucky; the creature had entered through his foot and exited through his forehead.

The creature's ability to withstand Woo Zhengyang's attack made sense now. Its small size and ability to hide in the sand provided excellent protection.

With the person already deceased, Woo Zhengyang didn't let the opportunity go to waste. He checked the man's belongings, placing the demon core and mystical herbs from the Mystic Trace Realm into his Hidden Heaven Bag. Although there were no herbs of the caliber of the Seven Star Flower or the Blue-Red Dual Color Grass, it was better than nothing.

Continuing forward, it wasn't long before another heart-stopping crisis emerged. This time, Woo Zhengyang remained calm, waiting until the creature was directly beneath him before leaping high into the air.

A shadow darted from the sand, and Woo Zhengyang finally got a clear look at it. The creature was no larger than a fingernail, entirely sand-colored, with needle-like points at both ends, making it impossible to distinguish its head from its tail.

Realizing it was airborne, the strange insect didn't pursue Woo Zhengyang further and immediately attempted to burrow back into the ground.

Woo Zhengyang was well-prepared and wasn't about to let the creature get away so easily. As soon as it landed, he unleashed his long-awaited "Tyrannical Mountain Shattering Fist," striking the strange insect with full force. A large crater formed, but despite the impact, the creature managed to burrow into the sand and escape.

Zhengyang's fist had clearly felt the creature's tough exterior. Its ends were especially sharp and dangerous. Without his Profound Heavy Gathering Silk Gloves, attempting such a move might have allowed the creature to exploit an opening and attack him instead.

Realizing his attack was ineffective, Zhengyang understood that while he could evade the creature, killing it was another matter. This highlighted the limitations of hand-to-hand combat; his attacks couldn't focus on a single point like a sword could.

Accepting this, Zhengyang decided not to linger in battle. After identifying the creature's characteristics, he picked up his pace. An hour passed, and the creature's attacks grew more frequent, sometimes even involving two or three at once. Zhengyang dodged when he could and used his "Tyrannical Mountain Shattering Fist" to fend them off when he couldn't.

The desert seemed endless, and Zhengyang began to doubt if he was heading in the right direction. Just as uncertainty crept in, he encountered other challengers on the same path.

This time, Woo Zhengyang encountered a few familiar faces, including the brothers Qian Fang and Qian Yuan from the Wind Howl Sect. They were walking with a young man in a blue shirt, who also appeared to be a disciple of their sect.

Upon seeing Woo Zhengyang, the brothers whispered something to the young man, who then approached Woo Zhengyang with a smile.

"Second-ranked outer disciple of the Wind Howl Sect, Gongyang Qiusheng," the young man introduced himself.

In martial circles, it’s customary to introduce oneself with their sect and rank. Woo Zhengyang wasn’t fond of including ranks, not because he was ranked last, but because it often seemed like a challenge to compare standings. Woo Zhengyang preferred to let his skills do the talking.

However, since Gongyang Qiusheng was being polite, Woo Zhengyang, despite his pride, responded courteously, "Nine hundred ninety-ninth disciple of the Profound Heaven Sect, Woo Zhengyang!"

Gongyang Qiusheng chuckled, "Your reputation precedes you, Brother Woo. Among the trial participants in the Mystic Trace Realm, you're already well-known. By the end of this trial, I suspect everyone in the country will know your name."