“Brother Tong! That boy called Binghe, can you tell what his background is?” Yun Xi asked. “He must be an elite disciple from the younger generation of the Feng family or Dragon Shadow Manor,” Tong Lei said in a deep voice.

“It’s just that I can’t figure out how, whether it’s the Feng family or Dragon Shadow Manor, their ultimate techniques are supposed to be kept secret. For this Binghe to possess the ultimate skills of both houses simultaneously is truly baffling.” “Besides, the younger generation masters in both houses are basically limited to about a dozen individuals, and none of them match his age and appearance,” Yun Shang remarked. “It seems we need to revise the data we have on the Feng family and Dragon Shadow Manor.” “Could it be that the two families have reached some kind of private agreement!” Yun Xi analyzed.

“It’s entirely possible they are doing this to enhance the strength of the next generation of disciples.” “We can’t jump to conclusions yet,” Tong Lei stated gravely. “Also, regardless of whether he belongs to the Feng family or Dragon Shadow Manor, appearing alone in the Demon Dragon Continent is highly unusual. If I’m not mistaken, he must be heading to the Demon Dragon World for cultivation.” “Are you suggesting that the boy intends to walk the Path of the Summit, just like Feng Yuanchuan and Jian Li did back then?” Yun Shang exclaimed in surprise.

“That should be correct,” Tong Lei confirmed. “This is the only mandatory path leading to the Eastern Suburbs of the Demon Dragon. Moreover, after leaving us, he headed southeast.

Where else do you think he would go besides the Eastern Suburbs of the Demon Dragon?” “This, this is too insane,” Yun Xi gasped. “He intends to complete the Path of the Summit all by himself.” “Brother Tong, do you think he can succeed?” Yun Shang asked. “I don’t know,” Tong Lei replied grimly.

“But one thing is certain: the Dragon Shadow Sword Technique and the Thunder Dou Qi can only unleash their true power when one reaches the cultivation level of the Crimson Moon Summit. If that boy truly manages to walk out of the Demon Dragon World alive, then even if Luo Meng and I combined forces, we wouldn't be his match.” “Ah!” Yun Shang and Yun Xi were both stunned into silence. ........................................

Two days later, I finally reached my destination, the Eastern Suburbs Town. Here, I made my final preparations. My horse was stabled at a ranch, and once everything was set, I proceeded on foot toward the Eastern Suburbs of the Demon Dragon.

Four hours later, in the distance, I caught sight of a range of rolling mountains. As I drew closer, what unfolded before me was a colossal wooden gate flanked by buildings resembling high city walls. These structures snaked along the steep cliffs, winding their way outward, resembling a massive, coiled dragon entrenched among the dense mountains.

Above the wooden gate hung a plaque inscribed with four ancient, powerful characters: Demon Dragon Eastern Suburbs. I had arrived. Was this the starting point for the cultivation path to the Crimson Moon Summit!

I mused inwardly. If I could successfully traverse this path, then the efforts of these past few years could finally come to a conclusion. Honestly, I never thought I would reach this point—growing from a complete novice in martial arts to a high-level Crimson Moon Warrior today.

Everything felt like a dream, and this dream needed to continue. Yes, once I successfully cultivated to the peak of a Crimson Moon Warrior, I would have a chance to enter the Celestial Demon Sacred Hall and undergo the assessment to become a Celestial Demon Warrior. If successful, I would have the opportunity to realize the dream I held from the beginning.

I can’t recall which novel I read that contained this line: Dreams are right beneath your feet; once you take the first step, you are not far from success. Since I have walked this far, I must persist and complete the rest, no matter what. With this thought, I felt an indescribable power surge through my entire being.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped through the wooden gate. Inside and outside the gate were two completely different worlds. Outside was still a vibrant, lush green forest teeming with life, but within the gate, it was desolate and barren, utterly devoid of any living thing.

Yet, even so, I could sense an invisible aura of killing intent permeating the surroundings, as if a primeval behemoth lay lurking in the shadows, scrutinizing my every move, sending inexplicable dread and shivers down my spine. The Demon Dragon World has always been considered the final proving ground for Rangers in the magical world. While it isn't the only one, it is undoubtedly the fastest shortcut, and it was the cultivation plan personally designed for me by Master Jian Li.

I trust that since my Master arranged this, he must have his reasons. Long before arriving at the Eastern Suburbs of the Demon Dragon, I had already pored over a vast amount of related material, and before setting out, I had also inquired with Ji Du about much information regarding the Demon Dragon World. I believed my preparations were sufficiently thorough, but even so, I maintained my vigilance, focusing intensely on every subtle movement around me.

For thousands of years, a saying has circulated among the Ranger community: Anyone who can fight their way from the Eastern Suburbs of the Demon Dragon all the way to the Blood Domain of the Demon Dragon will have reached the cultivation level of the Crimson Moon Summit. This level of cultivation is not solely reflected in Dou Qi prowess; it involves comprehensive enhancement across spirit, consciousness, technique, courage, and other integrated factors. While there are many Crimson Moon Summit Rangers on the continent, the majority of them have only reached that level in terms of Dou Qi cultivation.

As Ji Du put it, they only possess the strength of the Crimson Moon Summit, but they haven't mastered how to utilize that power. True summit status means that strength, speed, technique, spirit, belief, and realm must all reach their zenith. This is the true Crimson Moon Summit, and the most direct and effective way to achieve this is by fighting from the Eastern Suburbs to the Blood Domain of the Demon Dragon.

Similarly, the monsters lurking along the path from the Eastern Suburbs to the Great Blood Domain of the Demon Dragon are terrifying, formidable, and infinitely varied. In the past, most Rangers traveled in teams, fighting their way through to the Blood Domain. However, my situation is different because I am challenging this Path of the Summit alone.

Although it seems somewhat reckless, there have been others in history who walked this road—my Master Jian Li, Ji Du, Luo Hou, and others. Now, I will follow in their footsteps and embark on a new journey of cultivation. The sky was oppressively dark, choked with gray clouds, making it impossible to locate the sun.

I pulled out my magical compass, roughly determined my direction, and then spread out my map. At this moment, I was situated in the Eastern Suburbs of the Demon Dragon. Proceeding southeast would lead me to the Eastern Forest Sanctuary.

Having chosen my direction, I drew my sword and began to advance slowly toward the southeast. The surroundings were a uniform gray haze; objects beyond fifty meters were indistinguishable. The air was filled with a dry heat characteristic of desert plains.

I had walked for an indeterminate time, yet the area remained silent, forcing me to keep my already tense nerves from relaxing for even a moment. Swish! Suddenly, a faint, blurred sound of something cutting through the air approached from behind.

This subtle noise would have been impossible to detect without absolute alertness. By the time I reacted and spun around, two gray blurs were already hurtling toward my chest. So fast!

There wasn't even time to dodge. Instinctively, I activated Thunder Bodyguard. Even so, my chest felt as if it had been struck by two lead balls, causing intense pain that threatened to shatter my entire frame.

The two gray blurs that hit me rebounded swiftly, like soccer balls, bouncing on the ground before quickly fleeing into the distance. Although it was only a fleeting glimpse, I clearly made out their appearance. They were about the size of soccer balls, perfectly round, covered in a murky, repulsive, grayish-white slime.

In the center was a black, fist-sized spot resembling a pupil, emitting a cold, bloodthirsty glint. Below were two thin, elongated feet. They looked like a soccer-ball-sized eyeball that had sprouted two arm-sized legs.

It was the Demon Dragon Evil Eye! Indeed, these things, which inspired immediate revulsion, were the unique Demon Dragon creatures found in the Eastern Suburbs of the Demon Dragon: the Demon Dragon Evil Eyes. The Ranger Manual records that the Demon Dragon World is the ancient battlefield of ages past, where countless warriors fell.

Cursed by terrible dark magic, the spirits of those who died here mutated into various terrifying Demon Dragon creatures. The Demon Dragon Evil Eyes are the ocular remnants of warriors who were subjected to the cruel torture of having their eyes gouged out by their enemies after death; their bodies were refined into fearsome Demon Dragon Blade Soldiers and other Demon Dragon infantry, while their eyeballs were forged into the current Demon Dragon Evil Eyes. No one can precisely state when that great war took place; some say it was a conflict between gods.

The surviving Demon Dragon Cult Master is the only living remnant from that era. Legend has it that these Demon Dragon Evil Eyes persist, immortal and undying, to this day, sustained by the magical corruption of the Demon Dragon Cult Master. Though the Demon Dragon Evil Eye is the weakest among the Demon Dragon creatures, its small size, astonishing speed, and insidious, venomous combat style make it an opponent no Ranger dares to underestimate.

They never engage in frontal combat, usually attacking from an unexpected angle and adept at concealment. If a single strike fails, they immediately retreat, never lingering for a prolonged fight. This makes them the most detestable and troublesome opponents among the Demon Dragon creatures.

Of course, this is merely their tactic when few in number. If one encounters a large swarm of Demon Dragon Evil Eyes, one will truly understand terror. Swarms of Evil Eyes attack madly, their impact force capable of crushing a body to dust.

However, their most terrifying attack is not their impact but the highly corrosive slime that coats their surroundings. If struck by a Demon Dragon Evil Eye, one's body will inevitably be smeared with their mucus. Many armors cannot effectively defend against the corrosion of this slime.

If the armor is breached, contact with the skin results in unimaginable suffering. Ji Du once warned me that if their slime ever contacts you, it’s better to just end one's life. The methods of the Demon Dragon Evil Eye flashed rapidly through my mind.

Fortunately, the Thunder Bodyguard I used earlier repelled them, and their slime did not remain on my armor. Still, I couldn't help but feel a bone-chilling tremor. Heavens, these ambush predators that strike from behind are truly difficult opponents.

It felt like being stalked by a viper hidden in the darkness; you never know when it will strike, but if you relax even slightly, it will bite. Evidently, in the Eastern Suburbs of the Demon Dragon, the test is not how profound your Dou Qi is or how exquisite your technique, but how strong your spirit and will are. To avoid being caught unaware by their sneaky attacks, one must maintain sufficient vigilance, which demands prolonged mental focus.

Frankly, I would rather engage in a chaotic, head-on battle with a strength-focused opponent like the Skeleton Axe Fighter than confront elusive, cunning creatures like the Demon Dragon Evil Eyes. The two Demon Dragon Evil Eyes vanished the instant they hit the ground, clearly having burrowed away. However, the shock they delivered was immense.

I have always been confident in my own speed, never expecting to be struck squarely in the first exchange. If I hadn't relied on the formidable defensive power of the Thunder Dou Qi, I would have suffered a great loss. Clearly, against creatures like the Demon Dragon Evil Eyes, who excel in speed and employ unpredictable attacks, the only course of action is to maintain maximum focus while sharpening one's reaction speed to successfully ward off their sudden assaults.

Of course, all this flashed through my mind in an instant. I tensed, scrutinizing my surroundings. The Thunder Dou Qi was already circulating, forming a constant energy loop, laying down a thick Dou Qi wall around me—the only viable defense I could currently conceive against the Demon Dragon Evil Eyes’ attacks.

Yet, those two Demon Dragon Evil Eyes seemed to have vanished, never reappearing. I blasted the spot where they landed with my Dou Qi, creating a large crater, but it was empty. Just as my concentration began to waver slightly, another faint sound registered to my left.

I immediately lunged forward with an Electric Step. Whoosh! I felt a surge of energy slice past my back, but before I could recover, the ground ahead exploded, and a blurry gray shape shot directly toward my face.

Thump! I felt a heavy impact against my face. I nearly blacked out.

Although I wore the Black Iron Helmet, and the Thunder Dou Qi provided comprehensive, shield-like defense, the terrifying impact force was not entirely negated. But the attack didn't stop. As I was involuntarily thrown backward, I heard another faint sound of air being torn behind me.

Even though I had sensed the Evil Eye’s attack, I still couldn't evade it. Thump! My back was struck squarely again.

After I struggled to stabilize my forward momentum, the two Evil Eyes attacking me disappeared once more. “…” For a moment, I was stunned. Damn it, I’ve become their punching bag, hit four consecutive times!

If their strength had been slightly greater, or if I hadn't had the protection of the Thunder Bodyguard, I would have died four times over. The thought sent chills down my spine. If I can’t even handle the sneak attacks of the Demon Dragon Evil Eyes, perhaps I shouldn't proceed any further down this path.

It seems I must devise a method to detect the Evil Eyes’ attacks earlier. Only then can I prepare in advance. At this moment, I recalled the Eye of Deathly Desire that Ji Du had once mentioned to me.

How could I discover the Demon Dragon Evil Eyes’ attacks ahead of time? I subconsciously increased the intensity of my Thunder Dou Qi because I knew that relying solely on my own reflexes was impossible; their speed exceeded my reflexive capacity. Before figuring out a better method, relying on the Thunder Dou Qi and my armor for defense remained the more realistic option.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

While I was desperately thinking, I had already been struck countless times. However, now I was utterly determined: I planted my feet firmly in place and allowed the two Demon Dragon Evil Eyes to attack without restraint. I never thought I would find myself in such a wretched state, completely unable to retaliate against two Demon Dragon Evil Eyes.

Yet, these two creatures didn't alter their tactics because of my sluggish response; their attacks always targeted my blind spots and angles. Moreover, they never engaged in prolonged fights, striking once and immediately withdrawing. However, facing my almost rogue-like iron defense, the attacks of the two Demon Dragon Evil Eyes seemed weak and ineffectual.

And gradually, I began to synchronize with their rhythm! Suddenly, another faint sound of air being sliced! It was from the rear left!

This time, I must hit it! Almost simultaneously with perceiving the sound! I executed a Half-Moon Sweep, slashing toward the direction the sound originated!

Thump! Followed by a loud crash! Turning back, I saw a blob of blurry green fluid exploding in the air.

***Finally, I hit one! My spirits soared instantly! Simultaneously, I listened cautiously for sounds around me—the other cunning creature was still hiding in the shadows!

After a long wait, I heard another swish sound! It was from the right! Almost as the sound occurred, I instantly determined its source and struck out with a Half-Moon Lightning slash toward the right!

Thump! The same sound as before! The other Demon Dragon Evil Eye was also squarely hit by my Half-Moon Sword Qi.

Hah! That was terrifying! I felt a wave of exhaustion and instinctively let out a breath!

I hadn't expected my first foray onto the Path of the Summit to be such a humiliating experience against two soccer-ball-sized creatures. It was truly frustrating. I remained tense, observing the surrounding changes.

Their speed and angles were flawlessly perfect—truly innate assassins. If just two Demon Dragon Evil Eyes were this potent, the Demon Dragon Bullfrogs and Demon Dragon Spiked Frogs further ahead would surely be even more troublesome. The thought alone gave me a headache.

At this moment, my ingrained mindset as a transmigrator from the modern era began to assert itself. Clearly, the defense against the Demon Dragon Evil Eyes should be omnidirectional, and it requires a certain period of buffer time. My current reliance seemed to be purely on reacting to sound.

Although I could detect them when they launched their attack, the ensuing time was insufficient for me to evade or counterattack; it was even difficult to catch sight of them. Just two Evil Eyes had already left me running ragged. What would happen if there were more?

How would I cope then! It appears I must train myself to adapt to this bizarre, unpredictable mode of attack; otherwise, the road ahead will be extremely difficult. However, recalling that Master Jian Li and Ji Du both traversed the Eastern Suburbs of the Demon Dragon, it's clear they found methods to overcome the Demon Dragon Evil Eyes.

Since they conquered these difficulties, I surely can too. With this realization, I rallied my spirit once more! If I can’t adapt now, then I will force myself to adapt slowly.

I firmly believe that human adaptability evolves with environmental changes. If I can adapt to the sneak attacks of two Demon Dragon Evil Eyes, then I can certainly adapt to three, four… The Demon Dragon Evil Eyes in the Eastern Suburbs of the Demon Dragon are clearly designed to train one's hearing and reaction capabilities. Hearing the sound, then using that sound to pinpoint the Evil Eye’s location, and subsequently executing the appropriate defense or attack—this is the critical secret to dealing with them.

And this can only be improved through constant real combat and training. Rapid discernment, rapid reaction, rapid attack! As long as I master these three 'fast' qualities, no matter how elusive or ever-changing the Demon Dragon Evil Eyes are, they won't escape my pursuit.

Having understood this, I hesitated no longer! I continued advancing toward the southeast!