The Real Challenge and the "Invisible" Intervention

The upgraded Iron Horse rolled out of the west gate of Thang Long Fortress, carrying the five members of the "Seed Squad" into the desolate lands beyond the Great Wall.

This was the first time they had officially stepped into the outside world as a team. The atmosphere in the vehicle was a mixture of excitement and tension.

Ly Thien Ba and Diep Chi, the team's two "heavy hitters," sat in the back seats, constantly checking their weapons. Quynh Nhu sat in the passenger seat, her eyes glued to the reconnaissance screens. To Quyen sat in the center, operating the tactical tablet.

As for Lam Minh, the captain and driver, he appeared completely at ease. He drove while listening to music, occasionally letting out a long yawn.

"Hey, Captain!" Quynh Nhu couldn't help but turn and grumble. "Can you be a little more serious? We're heading into enemy territory!"

"What's there to be tense about," Lam Minh shrugged. "Just think of it as a picnic. The scenery here is quite beautiful."

He was telling the truth. The world outside the Great Wall, though desolate and fraught with danger, possessed a very different kind of beauty. The majestic mountains, the vast forests, the winding rivers... all still retained their pristine, natural charm.

About two hours later, they reached the outskirts of Wolf Fang Canyon. Following the directions on the map, they parked the vehicle in a discreet location and began to enter on foot.

"According to data analysis," To Quyen said, her eyes never leaving the screen. "This canyon has complex terrain, an ideal hiding place for small and ferocious Madakaros species. Everyone be careful."

They entered the canyon in a standard combat formation. Ly Thien Ba and Diep Chi took the lead, acting as shields. Quynh Nhu was at the rear, covering their backs. To Quyen and Lam Minh were in the middle.

After walking for a while, Lam Minh's ears twitched slightly. He had sensed life approaching. About a dozen of them, with auras equivalent to Late-stage Qi Refining.

But he said nothing. He wanted this to be the team's first test.

"Stop!" To Quyen suddenly commanded. "There are biological signals approaching from both sides of the cliffs! Approximately 12 of them! Prepare for combat!"

The team immediately got into position.

GROWL!

From the cliffs above, a dozen wolf-like monsters with hard scales and three eyes leaped down, surrounding them.

"Iron-Scaled Wolves!" Diep Chi said. "This species moves very fast and has the ability to coordinate pack attacks!"

"No need to be afraid!" Ly Thien Ba roared. "Let's go!"

He and Diep Chi charged forward first. Ly Thien Ba used a giant war hammer, each swing carrying terrifying power. Diep Chi used a pair of dual swords, her swordsmanship flexible, constantly slashing at the wolves' weak points.

Quynh Nhu stood at a distance, continuously firing precise arrows, supporting the two on the front line and taking down any wolves that tried to attack from behind.

To Quyen continuously provided information. "Three on the left! Watch out for the alpha, it's about to use its acid spit skill!"

Only Lam Minh stood in one place, arms crossed, observing, occasionally letting out a yawn.

"Hey, Captain! Aren't you going to do anything?" Quynh Nhu shouted, having just shot down a wolf.

"You guys are doing so well, what's the point of me stepping in," Lam Minh replied nonchalantly. "I'm the captain; my job is to command and observe."

He was lying. He was actually using his spiritual sense to cover the entire battlefield, silently "prompting" his teammates.

When he saw a wolf about to pounce on Ly Thien Ba's back, he "accidentally" kicked a small pebble. The pebble flew and hit the wolf's leg, causing it to stumble and giving Ly Thien Ba a chance to turn around and smash it with his hammer.

When he saw Diep Chi was about to be hit by acid, he let out a soft "cough." Diep Chi, startled, instinctively stepped back, just in time to dodge the attack.

He did these things with such subtlety that no one noticed. To them, it was just luck or natural reflexes.

The battle ended after about ten minutes. The team had eliminated the entire pack of Iron-Scaled Wolves. Although they had a few minor injuries and were quite tired, they had won without Lam Minh having to lift a finger.

"We... we won!" Ly Thien Ba panted, but his face was filled with excitement. "We did it!"

"Excellent! Our coordination was great!" Diep Chi also smiled, a rare, confident smile.

They looked at each other, their eyes shining with pride. This was their first victory as a team.

Lam Minh walked over and patted each of them on the shoulder. "Good work. But don't get complacent. This was just the appetizer."

He looked deeper into the canyon, where a much stronger aura was hiding. An Early-stage Foundation Establishment creature, probably the lord of this area.

He knew that would be the real test for the team.

And if they couldn't handle it, then it would be time for the "bodyguard" like him to step in.

"Rest for 10 minutes," he ordered. "After that, we're going to hunt the 'big fish'."

...

After a ten-minute rest and tending to their minor injuries, the "Seed Squad" continued deeper into Wolf Fang Canyon. The exhilaration from their first victory remained, but they had also become more cautious after Lam Minh's warning.

"The strongest biological signal is up ahead, in a large cave," To Quyen reported, her voice a little tense. "Based on the energy it's radiating, it's at least ten times stronger than the alpha wolf from before. It's highly likely an Early-stage Foundation Establishment individual."

Hearing "Foundation Establishment Realm," the atmosphere immediately grew heavy. Even Ly Thien Ba, the most confident one, swallowed hard. He had "experienced" Lam Minh's power at the Early Foundation Establishment stage, and he knew it was a completely different level.

"Should we... continue?" Diep Chi asked timidly. "Our mission is just for surveying."

"This is the best opportunity for you all to understand what a true cultivator is," Lam Minh spoke up, his tone calm. "Our goal is not to kill it. Our goal is to approach the cave area and collect a soil and rock sample without being detected. If we are detected, the objective will change to... surviving and retreating. Understand?"

His words made everyone understand. This was a practical training exercise in stealth, coordination, and retreating before a much stronger enemy.

"Yes, Captain!" the whole team replied in unison.

They began to move more lightly and carefully. Lam Minh took the lead, using his spiritual sense to scout the path, avoiding areas that might cause noise. He signaled to them how to use the terrain, how to move in the shadows, how to hold their breath to minimize their presence.

Under his guidance, they managed to approach the cave entrance without attracting any attention.

Inside the dark cave, a giant monster was sleeping. It resembled a rhinoceros, but its entire body was covered in a thick, rocky shell, and on its head was not a horn, but a faintly glowing purple crystal.

"Crystal Rhino," To Quyen whispered over the comms. "Early-stage Foundation Establishment. Its weak points are its soft abdomen and the crystal on its head, but its rocky shell is almost immune to conventional physical attacks."

"Quynh Nhu, can you aim for that crystal?" Lam Minh asked.

"Too difficult," Quynh Nhu shook her head. "From this angle, it's almost impossible to hit. The slightest mistake and the bullet will just glance off the shell and wake it up."

"Alright. Plan B," Lam Minh said. "Ly Thien Ba, Diep Chi, you two will make a noise on the left side of the cave entrance to draw its attention. To Quyen, prepare an acoustic jamming device. Quynh Nhu, you provide cover. I'll be the one to sneak in and get the sample."

"You're going?" Quynh Nhu was worried. "It's too dangerous!"

"Don't worry. I'm the fastest runner on the team," Lam Minh winked.

The plan was set in motion.

Ly Thien Ba and Diep Chi threw a few large rocks to the left, creating loud noises. The Crystal Rhino stirred, growled, and turned its massive head in that direction.

Instantly, To Quyen activated the jamming device. A high-frequency sound wave was emitted, annoying the rhino and making it unable to pinpoint the exact location of the sound.

Taking advantage of that moment, Lam Minh moved.

He didn't run, but glided as lightly as a ghost, without a sound. The speed of a Peak Foundation Establishment cultivator was unleashed, but perfectly concealed. To the others, they only saw his figure blur for an instant and then disappear.

He entered the cave, quickly took a soil and rock sample, and then slipped back out. The entire process took less than five seconds.

"Retreat!" he ordered over the comms.

The team began to retreat in an orderly fashion.

But, the Crystal Rhino, despite being jammed, was still a Foundation Establishment-level monster. It had sensed that an intruder had just entered its territory.

It let out an angry roar. The crystal on its head flared to life. It didn't give chase, but stomped its foot hard on the ground.

RUMBLE!

The ground shook violently. From beneath the team's feet, dozens of sharp earth spikes suddenly shot up.

"WATCH OUT!"

The team frantically jumped back, but the earth spikes erupted too quickly and unexpectedly. Diep Chi, reacting a beat too slow, was about to be impaled through the leg by a spike.

Ly Thien Ba roared, about to charge forward to push her out of the way, but he wasn't fast enough.

At that hair's-breadth moment, a small pebble flew from nowhere and hit Diep Chi on the leg.

The impact wasn't strong, but it was enough to make her lose her balance and fall backward, narrowly dodging the earth spike.

"That was close!" Diep Chi sighed in relief, her heart pounding. She thought she had just gotten lucky.

The team didn't dare to stop, quickly fleeing from the rhino's attack range.

Only when they were at a safe distance did they stop to catch their breath.

"We... we succeeded!" Ly Thien Ba said, his voice full of excitement. "We completed a mission right under the nose of a Foundation Establishment creature!"

They had no idea that Diep Chi's "luck" was actually because Lam Minh, who was running at the very back, had "accidentally" flicked a pebble.

"See," Lam Minh said, patting their shoulders. "As long as you coordinate well, facing a Foundation Establishment creature isn't impossible. What was today's lesson?"

"To know the enemy's weakness and exploit it," To Quyen said.

"To trust your teammates," Ly Thien Ba said.

"To be careful and not get complacent," Diep Chi said.

Lam Minh nodded with satisfaction. "Good. You all learned something. Well, mission accomplished, let's head back."

The team happily made their way back. They had learned a valuable lesson without suffering any losses.

But they didn't know that later that night, after everyone was sound asleep in their tents, Lam Minh returned alone to the Crystal Rhino's cave.

He stood at the cave entrance, a cold smile on his face.

"Thanks for being a 'teaching aid' for my team," he whispered. "Now, it's time to pay the 'tuition fee.' 320,000 points... I'm here to collect."

The Thuan Thien sword was drawn from his storage ring, its jade-green light shining brightly in the dark night.