On the map, a new swarm of red dots appeared once again.
"My obedient little darlings, go now. Wipe out the other fierce beasts for me. If you see humans, destroy the jade pendants at their waists."
At the center of a vast plain, Yun Jin issued another command.
Countless fierce beasts surged like a flood, rushing toward other regions.
Yun Jin rubbed her temples.
The world of fierce beasts was nakedly survival of the fittest. By taking control of the leaders of two beast hordes, and the sub-leaders under them, she had effectively seized dominance over entire swarms. But the number of beasts was simply too great.
Even though she selectively controlled only a portion, the total she now directly commanded already neared a thousand. After holding control over so many beasts in succession, she felt as if she were reaching her limit.
For now, this amount would suffice. Those thousand directly bound to her will were enough, because beneath their command, tens of thousands more fierce beasts obeyed. The movements of this beast army were enough to turn the entire region upside down.
Yun Jin glanced at her points.
She had originally been at the very bottom.
But ever since the Nine-headed Golden Lion had set out, her score had skyrocketed.
Whenever the beasts she controlled died, or slew other beasts, the points were all credited to her.
In the span of just two days, Yun Jin had not only risen to first place, but first by a monumental gulf.
And still, her beast army continued to ceaselessly harvest points for her.
In the plaza—
The water curtain faithfully recorded every outrageous maneuver Yun Jin made.
The onlookers were struck silent. They all knew that the Primordial Soul was the weakness of fierce beasts. Yet even so, their soul strength, while weaker than spirit beasts or humans, could not be so feeble as to allow one person to control nearly a thousand at once. Was this not simply too exaggerated?
Every single one of those beasts had at least Tribulation-stage strength.
Liu Hua could not help but think. If Yun Jin's Soul Control Art was so terrifying, then inside Sky City she could summon a beast army at any moment. If she truly directed such a horde to attack Xinghe Sect…
The thought made his scalp crawl with cold dread. Though the weather was not hot, he sat sweating like a common mortal, restless and uneasy.
Inside the danger zone—
The competition had only just begun. The contestants were carefully avoiding beast hordes, seeking instead solitary fierce beasts.
Several Xinghe Sect participants had been lucky. Using secret arts to link up, they discovered fellow sect members nearby. One among them was even a Mahayana-stage powerhouse. Very quickly, they formed a unit—one Mahayana cultivator leading three Tribulation cultivators.
"With me here, we can attempt a stronger beast. When the time comes, all of you stay behind me, I'll take the lead…" The Mahayana cultivator was still speaking when—
His eyes suddenly narrowed, staring into the distance.
What was happening?
They had competed many times and knew the terrain of this area well enough. Their present location should have been relatively safe, still some distance from the major beast gathering zones.
So why—
Why could he suddenly sense the aura of a beast horde?
"Quickly, leave this place!" His expression changed as he bolted away. He had no wish to be eliminated at the start. The three Tribulation cultivators followed at once.
But then—
Ahead of them, deafening roars erupted. Another beast horde surged straight toward them. Now they were sandwiched between two massive beast packs, trembling all over.
"Elder, what… what do we do!" one of the Tribulation cultivators cried out, voice shaking.
The Mahayana cultivator's face twisted grimly. "Unlucky. We've been caught in the middle of two beast groups fighting over territory."
Indeed, the two hordes seemed to be clashing for dominance. And the four of them were stuck in between. These beasts had no rational thought. If dragged too deep into the fight, their only choice would be to crush their jade pendants.
"We try to escape first." The Mahayana cultivator gritted his teeth.
Otherwise, they would have no option but to retreat through elimination—life came first. No sooner had his words fallen—
The beasts behind them suddenly locked their gazes upon the group.
In the next instant—
The leading beast roared and charged straight at them.
"Follow my lead! Do not panic! Guard your vital points and rush toward the opposite beast horde. Once they clash, we'll have a chance." The Mahayana cultivator barked the command. Even as he spoke, he acted, shielding his dantian and charging forward with all his might.
The lead beast lashed out. Its tongue shot forward, whipping at them.
The Xinghe Sect cultivators were relieved for a heartbeat. Fortunately, they had already protected their vital points. They should be able to withstand this strike. If they endured, they could make it to the opposite horde and perhaps escape elimination.
But then—
Horror dawned upon them.
The beast was not aiming at their vitals.
Its target was… their waists?
What was so important there?
Wait!
The Mahayana cultivator's face paled in realization.
A brittle cracking sound rang out.
At his feet, a small teleportation array flared into existence.
His expression went ashen.
"Elder, you…" The three Tribulation cultivators stared, bewildered.
Crack. Crack. Crack.
Their own jade pendants shattered in turn. Teleportation arrays lit up beneath their feet. In an instant, all four of them were transmitted back to the plaza. Though now far from the battlefield, none of them felt relief. They had been… forced out?
"Sect Master!" The Mahayana elder saw Liu Hua's dark face and hurried to explain. "It is not that we were useless. We truly had a chance to escape. But who could have imagined those fierce beasts would target our jade pendants! We did not guard against that, and so we were eliminated."
Speaking of this, he felt bitter resentment. For so many years, their jade pendants had always hung at their waists by rule. Against other contestants, of course they would guard them carefully, lest they be stolen or shattered.
But this time—
They had faced beasts!
When had anyone ever seen fierce beasts treat jade pendants as targets?
Absurd. This was utterly absurd!
"I understand…" Liu Hua felt numb all over.
The Xinghe Sect cultivators were the first victims of Yun Jin's outrageous strategy, but certainly not the last.
In the eyes of the contestants, fierce beasts were vast in power, yet simple-minded.
Who could have foreseen—
That Yun Jin would command them to strike at jade pendants.
For contestants caught unprepared, elimination was guaranteed.