The night descended, the incessant, noisy squawks of the Demon Dragon Moths still grating on my nerves, breeding a deep, inexplicable irritation. Did these things ever know silence? Peering through the gaps, I studied the exterior intently, yet the darkness rendered everything invisible.

Finally, the interior of the cavern was pitch black—a realm where one could not see one's own hand! The clamor from outside gradually ceased.

Hah! I finally waited for the dark. A surge of joy filled me. Now it was my turn to unleash my power. Having discovered a method to counter their thermal sensing, coupled with the cloak of night, even proximity would not betray my presence to them.

With the aid of the Dead Desire Eye, I could clearly observe their every move; it was as if I stood in an invincible position. With that thought, I hesitated no longer, cautiously pushing aside the stone wall and activating the Dead Desire Eye.

I strode toward that vast swarm of Demon Dragon Moths! Perhaps due to the time of day, the majority were settled on the ground, seemingly resting. Few flew in the sky, emitting only occasional, muffled cries—like roosters whose throats were being squeezed, urgent, indistinct, brief.

The ground!

A dense, packed mass of Demon Dragon Moths huddled together, resembling undulating hills, a sight that filled me with dread. Although my initial conjecture had been proven true, I instinctively slowed my pace, halting about two hundred meters away to meticulously observe their reactions. They seemed utterly unaware of my presence.

Each one lay like a brooding hen, their fist-sized eyes slightly closed—they were asleep! This was an unexpected, major discovery. If this was true, my subsequent actions would be even safer.

I swiftly galvanized my spirit and continued advancing due north. However, since dense clusters of Demon Dragon Moths surrounded me everywhere, I had no choice but to cut a path through their midst!

Soon, I stood before one Demon Dragon Moth at the periphery. Under the Dead Desire Eye, what I perceived was a peculiar three-dimensional image composed only of shades of pale gold, green, and fiery red, mixed together—something akin to thermal imaging. This prevented me from discerning the creature's precise appearance, allowing me only to vaguely make out its shape and volume. Of course, this was more than enough for my purpose; if I could see the different parts of their bodies, I could sever their heads.

Years of intense cultivation experience told me that the more formidable the monster slain, the greater the boost to my own cultivation. These behemoths now offered almost no means of resistance against me, and I was not willing to forfeit such a golden opportunity.

At this moment, I was barely five meters from the Demon Dragon Moth before me, yet it remained utterly unresponsive. Compared to its colossal body, its head, only the size of a water bucket, appeared remarkably small. Its mouth ended in a long, thick proboscis resembling a tube, flanked on both sides by two rows of sharp, serrated teeth that opened and closed. Even in slumber, it chewed subconsciously, as if tearing at some prey, occasionally punctuated by a gurgle! Gurgle!—the sound of swallowing.

Its six limbs were powerful, supporting the entire body in an 'M' shape. A closer look revealed six legs; the four closer to the abdomen and thorax were noticeably thick and strong.

The two limbs beneath the neck, however, appeared short and delicate, quivering slightly every now and then, feeling much like the nimble hands of a human. As for the back, its enormous wings were already tightly folded.

It looked like a moth magnified countless times, crouched on the ground. It was a pity that, under the effect of the Dead Desire Eye, I could not see their true colors, which left me feeling a slight regret.

After careful observation, I located the optimal spot for a strike. I trusted that Demon Dragon creatures would instantly perish upon decapitation. The neck connecting the head and body appeared to be the most vulnerable area.

This is it. After surveying the surroundings once more to ensure everything was clear, I raised the Dragon Shadow Sword, aiming for the neck of the sleeping Demon Dragon Moth. For safety, I dared not infuse any Dou Qi into this strike, relying solely on muscle power and the keen edge of the Dragon Shadow Sword.

Whoosh! A single slash!

Thwack! The massive head rolled away like a tumbling gourd. The colossal body of the Demon Dragon Moth didn't even tremble.

Hah! That was easy, just like cutting vegetables! A thrill shot through me. I immediately charged toward the dense swarm of Demon Dragon Moths. As I advanced, I swung, slicing at countless heads resting on the ground. The scene was eerily bizarre, as if those giants had lined up, washed their necks, and positioned themselves perfectly for my blade.

Wherever I passed, countless heads tumbled down like spilled beans, emitting soft, dull thuds. Yet, compared to the sounds of grinding jaws and swallowing echoing all around, these noises were utterly insignificant.

Not a single Demon Dragon Moth sensed anything amiss! Honestly, I never imagined these fiendishly powerful brutes would ever face such an end, their heads sheared off before they even had a chance to retaliate.

I advanced in a straight line, harvesting heads along the way—a sensation of unparalleled leisure and contentment.

Furthermore, the Dou Qi within me was rapidly increasing; I felt I wasn't far from reaching the peak of the Crimson Moon realm.

......................

And so I continued my northbound trek. As dawn approached, I found a mountain wall, dug a cave, sealed myself inside, and blocked the entrance with large stones. When night fell, I would emerge to slaughter the ground-crouching Demon Dragon Moths.

Days blurred into a month like this! I finally reached the northernmost boundary!

Like the preceding checkpoints, a colossal mountain gate stood before me. Aided by the faint light of dawn, I made out three ancient characters carved upon it—Demon Dragon Ridge!

Beyond the gate lay a narrow, winding passage! After following the tunnel for more than five hours, I finally entered the territory of the Demon Dragon Ridge.

I habitually surveyed the surrounding environment; it seemed no different from the West Demon Dragon Pass! Still a world of gray, shrouded in mist, where a few stunted, listless saplings could be vaguely discerned amidst clumps of withered grass and shrubs.

The ground appeared flatter, harder, and the air felt slightly damper than in other regions.

I retrieved the map and the magical orientation device from my pack. After roughly determining my bearing, I unfurled the map.

According to the map's guidance, I was currently situated directly south of the Demon Dragon Ridge. To my left was another pass leading to the East Demon Dragon Pass, approximately five hundred li away.

And the Dragon Origin Blood Road lay at the northwestern terminus of the Demon Dragon Ridge—the entrance to my next trial!

I meticulously recalled every piece of data concerning the Demon Dragon Ridge stored in my mind.

Jidu had informed me that the creatures inhabiting the Demon Dragon Ridge were two other formidable species from the Demon Dragon lineage: the Demon Dragon Strongmen and the Demon Dragon Generals. In the ancient Demon Dragon Legion, the Strongmen, Generals, and Moths were heralded as the "Three Giants" of the Demon Dragons. This implied that the Strongmen and Generals, like the Demon Dragon Moths, were terrifyingly powerful beyond measure!

The Ranger's Manual also contained explicit records!

Demon Dragon Strongman!

In antiquity, they were the guardian warriors of the Mapa Empire, possessing immense strength. Their weapon was a massive hammer connected by a thick iron chain. Wielding this terrifying armament, they could smash away large sections of even thick city walls; they were historical masters of siege warfare. Clad in impenetrable armor, even the giant ballistae defending the ramparts could not harm them; their physical and magical defenses reached awe-inspiring, terrifying heights.

Upon death, they were corrupted by the dark magic of the Demon Dragon Pope, transforming into the Strongmen who guard the Demon Dragon World. Compared to the past, the current Demon Dragon Strongmen were even more savage and bloodthirsty. Among the rangers who traversed the Path to the Summit throughout history, fewer than one in a hundred who passed the West Demon Dragon Pass managed to reach the Demon Dragon Blood Domain; most of those perished at the hands of the Demon Dragon Moths. Those who were lucky enough to breach this far would inevitably face the formidable obstruction of the Demon Dragon Strongmen and Generals.

Demon Dragon General!

Bulky, infinitely strong demon giants whose sole purpose was slaughter. Summoned from the darkness by the power of the Dragon, they wielded spiked clubs; every swing of the club caused the mountains to tremble and the earth to crack. Most people, let alone fighting them, would be struck with terror merely seeing them.

Just thinking about it sent a chill down my spine! I wondered if the Generals and Strongmen were truly as exaggerated as the texts claimed. However, Jidu repeatedly cautioned me to be extremely careful starting from the West Demon Dragon Pass, suggesting these two types of creatures might be even more terrifying than recorded.

With this thought, I forced myself to calm down. Regardless, I had come this far; retreat was out of the question. Moreover, I was eager to personally witness just how formidable the Demon Dragon Strongmen and Generals were.

Facing the near-cowardly aerial strategy of the Demon Dragon Moths might have left me helpless, but as long as the enemy relied on ground combat, I believed I could find a way to overcome even the most powerful foes.

Of course, the first essential step was data collection, a habit ingrained through long-term training. As the saying goes: know your enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated. Naturally, for safety, I made thorough preparations.

I spent a day crafting three additional sets of backup thin-film ice armor jackets. After rechecking my gear and confirming everything was in order, I stepped out toward the northwest.

Although I wore the thin-film ice armor, I used the Dead Desire Eye to cautiously observe my surroundings. After all, I couldn't be sure by what means the Demon Dragon Strongmen and Generals sensed changes in their environment.

Stomp! Stomp! Stomp! From a distance, I felt deep, heavy fluctuations. With the Dead Desire Eye active, I saw a massive silhouette pacing back and forth about three hundred meters ahead!

Clearly, it had not detected my presence. I rejoiced inwardly and cautiously approached it.

Gradually, the distance closed: one hundred meters, eighty, sixty, fifty. Just as I was about to inch closer—

ROAR! ROAR! ROAR! Like the roar of a furious lion, the colossal figure instantly spun around, its fist-sized eyes shifting unpredictably as they fixed upon my location, as if sensing something amiss.

I immediately dropped to the ground, daring not move. It seemed that while their thermal sensing couldn't detect my presence, their other senses were highly developed. At fifty meters, they noticed something was wrong.

However, one thing was certain: the thin-film ice armor was effective against that behemoth from a distance.

In the three-dimensional image provided by the Dead Desire Eye, I clearly saw that the brute was a head taller than a Demon Dragon Blade Soldier, standing at least 3.7 meters high. In its hand, it held a chain object as thick as my thigh, both ends affixed with a massive, densely spiked, hard metal ball!

This, apparently, was a Demon Dragon Strongman. The mere sight of its weapon made me feel a chilling dread, urging me to turn tail and flee.

ROAR! ROAR! After bellowing twice, the Demon Dragon Strongman resumed its slow patrol, and I subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.

Frankly, I was thoroughly startled. It seemed one could not afford to be careless when dealing with the Demon Dragon Strongmen.

I tried to close the distance again, quickly reaching thirty meters! But at that moment, as if guided by an uncanny impulse, the Demon Dragon Strongman turned its head. Its bell-sized eyes locked directly onto me.

“............” It seemed unprepared for me to approach so closely. A flicker of confusion crossed its blood-red eyes, but it was over in an instant.

I suddenly accelerated and rushed forward! This dash maneuver had been drilled countless times during my confrontations with the Demon Dragon Blade Soldiers.

ROAR! The Demon Dragon Strongman reacted swiftly, wildly swinging its massive chain-hammer toward me.

Whoosh! The thirty-meter gap vanished in the blink of an eye! Under the Dead Desire Eye, I easily evaded the wolf-tooth hammer’s attack, closing in on the Demon Dragon Strongman. Then, leaping high, the Dragon Shadow Sword flashed out, its target the throat of the Strongman.

Clang! ROAR!

The sword strike hit as if cutting against a sheet of hardened steel. A terrifying recoil instantly shot up, shaking the Dragon Shadow Sword so violently I nearly dropped it.

"Ah!" I was greatly alarmed. What kind of defense was this, that even its throat was so tough? Simultaneously, the Strongman’s enormous left fist shot out like lightning, smashing toward me while I was airborne.

Good heavens, its reaction speed was too fast! It counter-attacked so quickly. I immediately parried the punch with my sword!

Ding! With a sharp sound, the Dragon Shadow Sword tapped the fist thrown by the Demon Dragon Strongman. Utilizing the Strongman's incredible power, I was flung back at least thirty meters!

ROAR! ROAR! Through the mist, the colossal form of the Demon Dragon Strongman instantly caught up.

Whoosh! The chain-hammer struck out even faster.

This creature was simply too infuriating. If it came down to speed and technique, I was confident I could suppress him. As for strength, although there was a significant gap, relying on the Dead Desire Eye and astonishing speed meant the Strongman’s brute force was ineffective against me, as I never met its power head-on.

The only true headache was the Demon Dragon Strongman's astonishing defense. That full-force slash hadn't even scratched its hide, which was deeply surprising.

With this realization, I hesitated no longer. It seemed the only option was to employ the Berserk method to enhance my strength again.

In a flash of thought, I channeled my Thunder Dou Qi to its absolute maximum state, carefully directing the Dou Qi toward both arms.

ROAR ROAR ROAR! The Demon Dragon Strongman’s chain-hammer launched relentless assaults, resembling a gigantic windmill smashing everything nearby into dust. But under the state of the Dead Desire Eye, no matter how it attacked, it could not touch my form.

While skillfully evading the Strongman’s onslaught, I carefully controlled the intensity of my Dou Qi.

Two streams of scorching energy rapidly flooded my arms, and my mind was once again filled with that intense sensation of slaughter and desire. I felt as if my entire body were a bomb about to explode.

The entire world was once again dyed in that hazy, blood-red hue. Everything was exactly the same as the strike that felled the Demon Dragon Moth. The azure Dragon Shadow Sword was now encircled by a dazzling, seven-colored stream of light.

The Dou Qi accumulated more and more; my arms felt like balloons about to burst. Now was the time.

"AARGH!" With a frantic roar, the Dragon Shadow Sword shot out instantly!

Amidst a piercing whistle, that seven-colored stream of light from memory reappeared, like a brilliant meteor slicing through the night sky! Dragging a long ribbon of rainbow-like light, it shot toward the rapidly approaching Demon Dragon Strongman!

CRACK! RUMBLE!

A massive explosion accompanied a world-shaking tremor. The surrounding space was once again enveloped in a strange tearing and distortion, followed by the earth-shattering wail of the Demon Dragon Moths!

In the mist, a dazzling seven-colored sphere of light instantly erupted! Countless fragments of debris scattered like shrapnel! Splattering green ichor mixed with the surrounding fog and flying limbs and severed parts, once again shrouding the entire world in a hazy, gruesome green!

Although I had witnessed the terrifying power of the Myriad Soul Pursuit when driven into a Berserk state before, unleashing it again now still left me deeply shaken. This power was outrageously strong.

I truly hadn't expected someone with my physique to be capable of executing such a devastating finishing move.

.........................

It took a while before I managed to calm myself!

Perhaps every ranger who made it this far had to comprehend their own ultimate technique. I believed that facing creatures like the Demon Dragon Strongmen—beasts whose strength, speed, technique, and defense could all be described as monstrous—without a move capable of instant annihilation, the path ahead would be impossible to tread.

By drawing upon the hidden potential of my bloodline and harnessing the power of the Berserk state, I could easily defeat the Demon Dragon Strongmen. But what did Jidu and Master Jianli rely on?

I couldn't guess their ultimate techniques, but I was certain the power they wielded back then could not have been inferior to my Berserk state. Thinking of this, I could no longer contain the excitement and fervor within my heart.

It turned out the so-called Path to the Summit was about finding the strength most suited to oneself. I didn't know what path Jidu and Master Jianli found suitable for them, but my power was undoubtedly derived from the Berserk state.

In any case, I had to master this power, wield it with perfect fluidity. Although I knew that with the thin-film ice armor, I could easily pass through the Demon Dragon Ridge under the cover of night, doing so would negate the purpose of cultivation.

My actions against the Demon Dragon Moths were a necessity, though they could also be viewed as a crucial stage in mastering stealth and concealment. However, for the road ahead, I decided to proceed purely on my own strength, without any trickery or shortcuts.

I was confident that once I controlled the Berserk state, even facing more Demon Dragon Strongmen, they would be no match for me.