Chapter 34: The Earth Drake

The tension in the ruined plaza was thick, every cultivator locked in a cautious stance, their Qi coiling within their bodies, ready to react. The trial had already culled the reckless and the weak, but now—the real danger revealed itself.

A deep, guttural growl rumbled from beneath the stone. It wasn't the shifting of the ruins this time. This was something else. Something alive.

The ground splintered, jagged cracks splitting outward from the center of the plaza. The energy in the air grew suffocating, thick with ancient Qi, as if the ruins themselves were holding their breath.

Then, in an explosion of debris, the beast rose from the earth.

A Scarlet Fang Earth Drake.

Its massive form loomed over them, its scales a deep, molten crimson, pulsing faintly with embedded Qi. The drake's golden eyes scanned the cultivators with an eerie intelligence, its nostrils flaring as it took in the scent of intruders.

It was Foundation Establishment level.

The gathered cultivators tensed instinctively. None of them had expected a beast of this caliber to be part of the first trial.

Jin Ye's eyes flickered with interest. Finally, something worth killing.

The drake's Qi flared, sending a wave of suffocating pressure across the plaza. Weaker cultivators staggered, their knees buckling, struggling to breathe beneath its sheer force.

A few tried to move back, hoping to escape its notice.

Bad choice.

The drake reacted instantly.

With a flick of its tail, the ground beneath them shattered, sending a jagged slab of rock upward. The cultivators caught in its path barely had time to register the attack before they were crushed mid-air.

The remaining cultivators froze, finally understanding the gap in power.

Jin Ye watched as the crowd wavered. Already, some were reconsidering whether this trial was worth their lives.

He smirked. Cowards.

The sound of a sword unsheathing cut through the moment of hesitation.

From the left side of the plaza, a group of cultivators from the Zhao Clan stepped forward.

"Step back, rabble," one of them sneered. "This beast is ours."

Their leader, Zhao Tian, strode forward, his presence exuding confidence. His Qi surged violently, his technique activating—Titan's Bone Reinforcement.

Jin Ye raised an eyebrow. A body-refinement technique? Bold.

Without hesitation, Zhao Tian launched forward, his fist coated in earthen Qi, activating Mountain-Crushing Strike as he drove a punch toward the drake's side.

The moment of impact sent a shockwave through the battlefield—but the beast barely staggered.

The Scarlet Fang Earth Drake turned its massive head toward Zhao Tian, its golden eyes narrowing, and let out a low, almost mocking growl.

Then it moved.

Faster than anyone had anticipated.

Its claws ripped through the air, a blur of red scales and overwhelming force. Zhao Tian barely had time to reinforce his stance before the impact sent him flying, his body crashing into a nearby ruin wall.

Silence.

The Zhao Clan disciples froze, their confidence evaporating.

"Impossible…!" One of them muttered.

Jin Ye chuckled softly.

It was always the arrogant ones who got humbled first.

The Ren Clan, known for their formation mastery, tried next.

"Hold it down!" one of their disciples shouted.

Five cultivators leapt into position, their Qi flaring as they activated Titan Binding Array, a golden net of restrictive energy lashing out toward the beast.

The runes pulsed, tightening around the drake's legs, momentarily halting its movements.

The crowd stilled.

For a brief moment, it looked like they had gained control.

Then—the drake roared.

The force of its voice alone shattered the array, the golden bindings bursting apart like fragile threads.

Before the Ren Clan disciples could react, the beast's tail lashed out in a wide arc, cutting through the air with devastating speed.

Boom!

Two of them were sent flying, blood splattering across the broken stone. The others barely managed to dodge, their faces pale with fear.

It wasn't just strong.

It was smart.

Jin Ye smirked, tilting his head.

"A brute force fighter, a formation master, and none of them could even scratch it?" He glanced at Shen Li. "Starting to feel bad for them."

Shen Li chuckled. "Nah. This is hilarious."

Bai Xueqing watched with detached amusement, her violet eyes narrowing. "They're using power without thought. It's a waste."

Jin Ye agreed. They had been so sure of their techniques working that they hadn't even considered the possibility of failure.

And now?

Their confidence had turned into fear.

This beast wasn't something they could suppress through brute force or elaborate formations.

It required a different approach.

Jin Ye gripped his sword hilt, exhaling slowly.

"Guess we should clean up their mess."

Shen Li rolled his shoulders. "You got a plan?"

Jin Ye's smirk widened. "Of course."

He took a single step forward, his Qi flaring for the first time.

It was time to show them how a real fight was won.

Jin Ye's boots pressed lightly against the cracked stone as he stepped forward, his silver eyes locking onto the Scarlet Fang Earth Drake's movements.

Shen Li, standing just a few paces behind, chuckled. "Alright, strategist. Let's hear it. What's the plan?"

Bai Xueqing, arms crossed, smirked. "Do you even need to ask? He's been watching this thing longer than anyone."

Jin Ye didn't respond immediately. Instead, he let his fingers brush over the hilt of his sword, his breathing steady as he let his Qi flow naturally through his body.

The drake wasn't just a beast driven by instinct—it was adapting.

Every time a technique failed against it, its movements grew sharper, more efficient. The way it dispersed Qi attacks, the way it countered the Ren Clan's formations before they could fully take effect—

It wasn't just resisting them. It was learning.

But that also meant…

It had a rhythm.

Jin Ye's smirk widened.

"It slows down after a full-strength attack," he said finally, rolling his shoulders. "The moment it disperses energy from its Qi-infused scales, it leaves a gap."

Shen Li raised an eyebrow. "And you're sure?"

Jin Ye unsheathed his sword in a slow, deliberate motion. "I'll show you."

The Scarlet Fang Earth Drake's golden eyes snapped toward Jin Ye, as if sensing the shift in pressure around him.

The moment Jin Ye's Qi sharpened, the beast moved—lunging forward, its massive claw crashing down like a collapsing mountain.

Boom!

The impact tore through the stone, sending a shockwave outward, forcing cultivators to retreat.

Jin Ye vanished.

His Shadow Phantom Step activated, his body flickering into afterimages that confused the beast's perception.

From the side, Bai Xueqing's lips curled upward. "Hah. Slippery as always."

Shen Li shook his head. "That movement technique still gives me headaches."

The drake's claw swiped through empty air, chasing shadows that disappeared the moment it locked onto them.

And then—

The opening.

For just a fraction of a second, the drake's front leg stiffened, its Qi retracting inward as its energy rebalanced after its failed attack.

Jin Ye appeared behind its exposed side, blade already moving.

Flowing Phantom Blade.

His sword became a flickering arc of silver, slicing just beneath the beast's hardened scales, carving through the weakened Qi defenses.

For the first time—the drake roared in pain.

Blood sprayed.

Shen Li's eyes widened slightly. "He actually cut it."

The beast reared back, furious, its tail whipping toward Jin Ye in a deadly counterattack.

But Jin Ye had already shifted positions, vanishing into another seamless step of Shadow Phantom Step, appearing just outside the strike zone.

Shen Li's grin sharpened. "Alright, my turn."

His Qi flared violently, and then he exploded forward.

His Iron Wave Palm surged, his movements aggressive where Jin Ye's had been precise. He didn't weave around the attack—he met the beast's force head-on.

His palm struck the beast's open wound, amplifying the impact of Jin Ye's strike. The raw force sent another wave of blood flying.

The drake stumbled.

Bai Xueqing took a graceful step forward, her fingers tracing a rapid pattern in the air. Frost bloomed at her feet, surging forward in a wave of chilling mist.

Ice Lotus Formation.

A web of crystalline frost spread over the beast's injured limb, freezing it in place for just a second—but a second was all they needed.

Jin Ye moved one final time, sword humming as he aimed for the finishing blow.

His blade struck true, driving deep into the drake's exposed weak point, his Qi surging into the wound.

The beast let out a final, ear-splitting roar, its body convulsing as its life force faded.

And then—

Silence.

The Scarlet Fang Earth Drake collapsed, its massive body crashing into the ruins, dust rising in thick clouds around them.

The remaining cultivators, many of whom had struggled to even land a hit on the beast, now stood in stunned silence.

A Foundation Establishment-level beast—something entire groups had failed to subdue—had just been slain.

By three people.

More specifically—by one person who had taken the first, crucial strike.

The Zhao Clan disciples glared, their previous confidence shattered.

One of them, Zhao Tian, sneered. "A rogue cultivator like you doesn't deserve that kill."

Jin Ye flicked the blood from his sword, giving Zhao Tian a lazy glance. "Then why didn't you take it?"

Zhao Tian's jaw tightened, but he didn't answer.

Shen Li laughed. "Oh? So now we're gonna pretend that you lot weren't just flailing around before we stepped in?"

Bai Xueqing sighed dramatically, smirking. "Disappointing, really. I thought the great Zhao Clan produced warriors. Turns out, they just produce excuses."

The tension escalated.

The clans knew it now—Jin Ye wasn't just another competitor. He was a threat.

Before anyone could make another move, a low, deep hum resonated through the ruins.

The stone beneath them shifted.

Ancient runes lit up, glowing with residual Qi, and a powerful energy pulse spread outward.

Jin Ye's smirk faded slightly.

Something was awakening beneath the ruins.

And the trial wasn't over yet.