How treacherous the heart of the Eastwood Sanctuary truly was! What would I do if I encountered another swarm of Dragon-Blood Frogs attacking with such ferocity? I certainly couldn't rely on luck to break through every time. My primary goal here was cultivation—specifically, learning how to eliminate these Dragon creatures efficiently, not running away upon sight. At this rate, how long would it take to elevate my power to the peak of Scarlet Moon cultivation?

It seemed my earlier successes with Wind-Listening Perception and Lunar Blade Technique had made me complacent, leading me down a path favoring opportunistic, light-footed maneuvers. I failed to realize that these methods couldn't solve every problem, such as that recent, overwhelming barrage of wide-area, continuous attacks. The Lunar Blade could handle the first wave, but what about the second and third? There simply wasn't enough time to execute them.

Even my much-vaunted speed was useless in such a situation; no matter how fast I was, I couldn't dodge everything. Perhaps I needed to try changing my style, adopting a method like Xiang Long Zhan's—crushing the Dragon-Evil Eyes and Dragon-Blood Frogs head-on with overwhelming force.

Though, my current strength could likely dispatch them instantly. Maybe it was time to adjust my combat style—though this adjustment was specifically tailored for the Dragon-Blood Frogs and Dragon-Evil Eyes. I was certain that as more Dragon creatures appeared, my fighting style would require corresponding evolution.

I was beginning to understand why the Dragon Realm was considered a sacred training ground for achieving Scarlet Moon peak: success here demanded constant adaptation to the varied opponents encountered.

The shocking speed, cunning tactics, and frenzied group attacks of the Dragon-Evil Eye and Dragon-Blood Frog meant that relying on unchanging combat skills would guarantee defeat.

Only by finding their weaknesses could I triumph. Undeniably, my previous use of Aura Radar had overcome their insidious cunning and surprise-raid tactics.

Now, I faced their other aspect: group combat, marked by intensely dense attacks. I knew that if I couldn't overcome this hurdle, even a lucky passage into the next area of the Eastwood Sanctuary would lead to swift elimination.

It seemed I had no choice but to rely on my past experience playing Legend. History proved that Legend experience was often highly applicable on the Marfa Continent; the Sea of Fire Formation was a prime example.

At that moment, I remembered how Warriors in Legend loved to sweep the Crescent Moon attack while hugging a corner. I enjoyed doing this myself when I played Warrior. The purpose was simple: reduce the surface area exposed to attack while concentrating my offensive range. A Warrior's Crescent Moon sweep covered a full 180-degree arc in front of them.

Perhaps employing the 'corner-hugging Crescent Moon sweep' technique was the key to battling these detestable creatures. This way, the area I needed to defend would shrink significantly, forcing their attacks to come only from the front. I believed my current Aura cultivation was more than enough to defend against attacks coming from a single frontal arc.

With that thought, I could no longer sit still.

I moved along the base of the mountain wall, heading back into the Sanctuary. This approach ensured that if I encountered another large group of Dragon-Blood Frogs, I could find cover instantly and engage them under advantageous conditions.

Along the way, I still faced intermittent attacks from smaller skirmishes of Dragon-Blood Frogs, but I dealt with them easily.

Before long, I encountered a large contingent of Dragon-Blood Frogs swarming me.

Using Wind-Listening Perception, I felt surrounded again by countless Dragon-Blood Frogs. Without hesitation, I sprinted toward the nearest cliff wall. Not far off was a ninety-degree concave corner—the perfect, natural stronghold.

Noticing my peculiar movement, the frogs abandoned stealth and rushed after me in a dense, overwhelming tide. Those familiar with the movie Starship Troopers could visualize the scene, only these creatures were significantly smaller.

In a blink, I reached the base of the wall and spun around, deploying the Thunder Shield instantly. The dense wave of Dragon-Blood Frogs closed the distance to within thirty meters.

Crescent Moon Blade! Thunder Shield!

I dared not be careless, pressing against the wall as I fully channeled the Crescent Moon Blade. Potent arcs of crescent-shaped energy roared out, sweeping toward the densely packed Dragon-Evil Eyes and Dragon-Blood Frogs charging directly at me.

Splat, splat, splat... A symphony of bursting bodies erupted, filling the air with countless droplets of green ichor, violently thrown scattering by the furious crescent energy waves.

A significant portion of the frogs struck by the sweep were instantly annihilated. But the ensuing wave, charging relentlessly, quickly filled the gaps, slamming forward without losing speed.

However, unburdened by the need to cover flanks, I maintained my focus, pushing the Crescent Moon Blade to its limits. A continuous series of horizontal sweeps, both forward and reverse, sent torrents of crescent energy surging toward the surging masses like a raging ocean tide.

The sky ahead was entirely filled with the dense bodies of the Dragon-Blood Frogs, and many managed to close the distance to my position, only to slam into the Thunder Shield I projected before me. Since the defended area was reduced by more than half—just a two-square-meter arc in front of me—the shield’s strength was greatly enhanced. Even upon impact, they could not breach the Thunder Shield to strike my body. Moreover, upon collision, they were invariably repelled by the shield or obliterated by the Crescent Moon energy I unleashed.

For a time, the entire space was engulfed by the dull thud of exploding bodies and the crashing impact of Dragon-Blood Frogs hitting the Thunder Shield—a brutal battle of offense and defense commenced.

The dense Dragon-Evil Eyes and Dragon-Blood Frogs pressed forward, one wave more compact and frenzied than the last, seemingly endless, yet utterly unable to pierce my ironclad defense.

Under the effect of the Thunder Aura, my internal energy, while perhaps not inherently superior, possessed formidable endurance. Yet, even so, the internal Aura was depleting at an astonishing rate. Out of necessity, I held the Thunder Shield with all my might, my right hand wielding the sword to furiously sweep out crescent energy arcs, while my left hand ceaselessly fumbled through my satchel, pulling out bottle after bottle of potent Sun Water and gulping them down to replenish my rapidly dwindling stamina and Aura.

The Warrior's Crescent Moon Blade was showcased to its absolute peak in that moment. Countless crescent arcs acted like massive scythes of the Death God, mercilessly harvesting the fragile lives of the Dragon-Blood Frogs. But these Dragon creatures charged on, utterly fearless, battering my Thunder Shield. Only when the very last Dragon-Blood Frog exploded with a thud did the surroundings finally return to silence.

Hah! Nearly exhausted to death!

Before me, the corpses of the exploded Dragon-Blood Frogs were piled high, forming layers like a swamp—viscous, repulsive sludge spreading outwards. Countless fragments of flesh and gore lay scattered about, resembling a giant cauldron of soup, emitting faint green and blue vapors. Even wearing the poison-filtering Black Iron Helmet, I could faintly detect the acrid, sickening stench of decay.

I dared not linger. I quickly began picking my way across this disgusting mire of corpses.

Only after covering a considerable distance did I finally let out a breath of relief.

It seemed my corner-hugging Crescent Moon tactic was perfectly suited for these Dragon-Blood Frogs. Under those conditions, no matter how numerous they were, they couldn't breach my defensive line.

For the next few days, I continued advancing along the wall corners, heading southeast. I still encountered attacks from astonishing numbers of Dragon-Evil Eyes and Dragon-Blood Frogs, but my corner Crescent Moon swept them all away.

Furthermore, after several large-scale offensive-defensive battles, I sensed that my internal Aura was improving at a noticeable rate. Although the peak of Scarlet Moon still seemed distant, for my current level, such rapid Aura improvement was somewhat unexpected. Many gifted Rangers on the continent never reached Scarlet Moon peak in their entire lives. Even for the rare geniuses, the time required to progress from the late Scarlet Moon stage to the peak was immense. Those with influential family backgrounds, utilizing external aids, could drastically shorten this timeline, but even they would need at least eight to ten years. The majority spent over a decade, sometimes two, through arduous cultivation. The process was agonizingly slow, the growth of Aura maddeningly sluggish.

To feel such a distinct increase in my Aura was truly rare. I couldn't fathom why—was it because my monster-slaying speed was too fast?

Thinking back, Long Xin once mentioned that the speed of slaying monsters was directly proportional to the progress in cultivation. This notion had been proven true before. In Skeleton Cave, I mastered the Attack-Slaying Aura in just three days using the Hundred Battles Blade Technique. In Centipede Cave, it took me two years to reach early Scarlet Moon stage. But in the ZUMA Temple, I reached mid-Scarlet Moon in only four months, though Yan Luo played a critical role—I believed I couldn't have achieved that slaying speed alone without her magical cover.

In Demon Bone Cave, thanks to the Sea of Fire Formation, my slaying speed reached its limit, and the cultivation progress of Long Xin and the others accelerated dramatically, reaching high Scarlet Moon in less than half a year.

Now, entering the Dragon Eastern Suburbs, my corner Crescent Moon seemed even more astonishing than the Sea of Fire Formation previously. This wasn't due to the inherent power of my Crescent Moon, but rather the extreme fragility of the Dragon-Evil Eyes and Dragon-Blood Frogs—they couldn't withstand a single blow from me. Consequently, my monster-slaying speed surpassed even that achieved in Demon Bone Cave with the Sea of Fire Formation, which brought me considerable secret satisfaction.

In the days that followed, I continued advancing along the wall corners, constantly facing waves of Dragon-Blood Frogs and Dragon-Evil Eyes. But utilizing the wall cover, I repeated my successful strategy, obliterating them one by one. As I moved forward, the numbers of both creatures increased. Towards the end, I was virtually fighting my way through mounds of Dragon-Blood Frogs; I encountered large swarms after every short distance, and their attacks grew increasingly frenzied. At this point, I was like a small fish swimming against the current; every step forward required slaying countless Dragon-Blood Frogs. Though I was always left clinging to life, the Aura within me grew faster and thicker, allowing me to handle the onslaught of the frog swarms with increasing ease, shedding the panic and disarray of my initial encounters.

Finally, after a month, I reached the eastern end of the Eastwood Sanctuary. Before me stood an entrance resembling a valley; etched into the stone wall were four ancient, imposing characters: Demon Dragon Old Camp!

Hmph! This stretch was arduous, but I had successfully passed the second trial.

Taking a deep breath to calm the surging excitement, I stepped through the gate of the Demon Dragon Old Camp.

Before me lay a narrow, shadowy passage. It was clearly unused for a long time, permeated by an air of decaying dampness. The sides were lined with cut bluestone bricks, reinforcing the structure. At regular intervals, massive stone pillars supported the ceiling, their weathered surfaces indicating the passage had stood for ages.

I followed the corridor for a full four hours before the space suddenly opened up. I hadn't expected the passage to be so long.

The sky above remained the same dull gray, and the surrounding area was enveloped in a murky fog. Visibility extended barely fifty meters, and even within that range, things appeared blurry, creating a sense of claustrophobia.

Instinctively, I pricked up my ears, carefully sensing any fluctuations nearby. Nothing unusual registered. However, I did not lower my guard. Sword in hand, Thunder Shield raised, I cautiously probed forward.

According to the map, the Demon Dragon Old Camp was significantly larger than the Dragon Eastern Suburbs and the Eastwood Sanctuary, sharing a similar terrain. To the northeast of the Old Camp lay the checkpoint leading to the Dragon Altar.

The inhabitants of the Demon Dragon Old Camp were the Demon Dragon Troopers. The Ranger's Manual stated that Demon Dragon Troopers were originally the renowned Black-Armored Great Warriors of the ancient Marfa Empire, wielding massive, incredibly heavy broad-bladed sabers. During the great wars of the gods, they were the bravest of soldiers; when arrayed for a charge, even thousands of troops could not stop them. Upon death, they were refined by dark magic into the current Demon Dragon Troopers, their wickedness amplified by the Dragon Lord's dark influence, making them fiercer and more brutal than in life. Their enormous heavy broadswords could cleave metal and shatter stone—even those with bronze sinews and iron bones could not withstand a single strike.

These terrifying creatures possessed absurdly high individual combat prowess. In terms of sheer strength alone, each one possessed the cultivation level of Scarlet Moon peak, though their strength was manifested in physically devastating attacks rather than the ability to release Aura. Perhaps this was their only flaw.

But with their terrifying physical power and formidable swordsmanship, every single Demon Dragon Trooper was enough to strike fear into the hearts of every Ranger who faced them. It was rumored that each one had been an elite veteran of countless battlefields, their martial arts rooted in practical, frontline techniques. To ignore their superb combat skills and focus only on their warped physical strength would be tantamount to suicide.

Ji Du’s counsel to me was clear: when facing the Demon Dragon Troopers, it was best to treat each one as a powerful Scarlet Moon peak Warrior—and not just any practitioner who reached that level, but one whose technique, power, and speed were near-perfection.

If I encountered two Demon Dragon Troopers simultaneously, the wisest choice was immediate retreat, followed by seeking opportunities to defeat them one by one. The true terror of the Demon Dragon Troopers lay not in their formidable individual capacity, but in their near-flawless coordination with each other.

When two such Troopers acted together, their combined fighting power was not a simple one plus one equals two. If a standard had to be set, the power unleashed by two Demon Dragon Troopers was four times their individual strength—one plus one equals four.

This demonstrated how relentlessly difficult opponents the Demon Dragon Troopers were. And it wasn't even the limit; the strongest combination they excelled at was the coordinated charge of their battle formations. Ji Du’s advice to break them down individually and adapt to their fighting style during one-on-one combat, searching for their weaknesses before delivering a killing blow, remained the best strategy. As for what those weaknesses were, neither Jian Li nor Ji Du would tell me; these were things I had to discover myself, just as I had figured out methods against the Dragon-Blood Frogs and Dragon-Evil Eyes. I didn't know how Masters Ji Du and Jian Li had traversed this path, but I was certain that if they could do it, I could too.

As I recalled Ji Du’s advice, I continually pumped myself up, knowing that fear at this juncture was a death sentence; to be mentally defeated before the fight began would be disastrous.

After actively calming my slightly agitated nerves, I began cautiously advancing toward the northeast.