Men. There are no good ones.

Not only did Ruan Tang think so, but Xu Yiyi, who had just stepped through the light screen, felt the same way. She could sense the cold, menacing gaze from not far away—it belonged to Deng Shu.

Yiyi stared back, undaunted.

As the group's leader and a Ninth-Grade Great Martial Sect, how could Xu Wandao fail to notice the friction among these youths? He sighed, knowing the Martial Dao Association's original hopes for this trial were likely unachievable now.

"I don't want to see any casualties during this secret realm trial," Xu Wandao announced, his gaze intentionally resting on Deng Shu. "You are all the future pride of Hua Country and ought to support one another. Deng Shu, do you understand?"

"Yes, Senior Xu," Deng Shu replied, cupping his fist in a salute.

Though he was a disciple of the Penglai Sword Pavilion and the strongest Seventh-Grade Grandmaster of his generation in Hua Country, he didn't dare put on airs. After all, Xu Wandao's ancestor was the legendary man who "guarded Chang'an with his blade for three hundred years, and not once did a member of the Moon Clan enter the city."

In terms of reputation and status, Xu Yanyang was indisputably the number one figure in Hua Country, and his descendants, the Xu lineage, were worthy of respect.

Of course, respect was one thing, but the murderous intent in Deng Shu's heart hadn't diminished. He had merely hidden it from view.

"The site for this secret realm trial is Gudu Island," Xu Wandao began. "To say it's dangerous isn't quite right, but to say it's not dangerous is also wrong. It's complicated."

"Gudu Island?" Dongfang Duoduo's expression changed slightly. "Could it be—"

"That's right," Xu Wandao said with a chuckle. "It's the small barrier your grandfather discovered."

Dongfang Duoduo completely lost her composure. "I—I want to go home! I'm not going! What kind of secret realm trial is this? That place isn't fit for humans!"

"Sister Duoduo, what kind of place is it that scares you so much?" a few of the young Loose Cultivators asked as they gathered around, their own faces filled with alarm. Dongfang Duoduo was a late-stage Sixth-Grade martial artist, placing her at the very top of Hua Country's younger generation. For the secret realm to rattle her so badly, just how terrifying could it be?

"Gudu Island," a girl from the Dao Sect, Bai Yuan, spoke up, "is a type of Sea City."

"A Sea City!?"

Even the prodigies from the major sects and the Nine Pavilions perked up their ears. The term "Sea City" was synonymous with mystery and peril; two experts from the Human Race who had reached the Divine Gate Realm had perished in Sea Cities.

"To be precise, it's an island that a Sea City Demon King used to raise Gu," Bai Yuan explained. "The island is teeming with poisonous insects and venomous creatures from the ocean. After that Demon King died of an illness, the island was forgotten. If not for a senior from the Dongfang clan passing by fifty years ago, a Gu King capable of bringing disaster to the world might have emerged."

Dongfang Duoduo stomped her foot. She felt no sense of pride, only fear. "That island is crawling with bugs! And snakes and centipedes!"

"What's there to be afraid of?" Qian Xiao puffed out his chest. "We'll just smash them with one punch."

"Ten-meter-long poisonous snakes, five-meter-long centipedes, and poisonous mosquitoes the size of washbasins. One bite will leave you swollen for half a year..."

As soon as Dongfang Duoduo finished, the expressions of every girl present, including Xu Yiyi, changed. They instantly understood her dread of Gudu Island.

Several of the boys also looked nervous, but their pride wouldn't allow them to show any fear. They feigned nonchalance, turning to the girls they knew and saying casually, "Don't worry, I'll protect you."

Xu Wandao watched them with a strange expression. They were, after all, just a group of youths—naive and straightforward. He laughed heartily. "Relax. Since this is a trial, we won't let you fall into any real danger."

"Does that mean there's an antidote for the venom...?" Dongfang Duoduo asked, her eyes full of hope.

Xu Wandao shook his head. "There was supposed to be, but it's with another Ninth-Grade Martial Ancestor. He had something come up at the last minute and couldn't make it."

"We're doomed! Those bugs are disgusting!" Dongfang Duoduo gazed at the shimmering transport portals around them, cursing her lack of Space-System Divine Power that would allow her to escape this predicament.

But they were already here. Leaving was impossible.

The light from the portals didn't last long, fading after about a dozen breaths. The twenty-two people, including Xu Wandao, were transported from the hotel in downtown East Sea City to an isolated island. The island was a full five hundred nautical miles from the coast—truly remote.

"Sister Yiyi, this place... it's so scary," said Qian Xiao, his face turning deathly pale as he quickly covered his nose. Only a moment ago, he had been boasting about protecting his big sister.

They had materialized on a beach, but this was nothing like the clean, white sands of East Sea City. The sand beneath their feet was a sickening blood-red and reeked of rot. If one were to bend down and look closely, they would see all sorts of grotesque things mixed in with the grains: tentacles, snake scales, severed limbs... The sanguine color of the sand came from the blood of the island's inhabitants.

RUSTLE, RUSTLE...

The moon was veiled by thick, dark clouds, plunging the world into darkness. A light drizzle began to fall upon the island, the sound of the droplets surprisingly crisp and pleasant.

"This is Gudu Island," Xu Wandao said softly. "Though it is overrun with venomous creatures, it also holds many opportunities. For instance, the Wondrous Poison Herb."

The Wondrous Poison Herb was a natural treasure that grew only in places with a high density of venomous insects. It possessed extraordinary detoxifying properties and often fetched astronomical prices at martial artist auctions. This island was rich with them. Of course, guarding these treasures were ferocious Demonic Beasts.

"Each of you will receive a jade pendant from me. If you encounter a danger you cannot handle, crush it, and I will come at once," Xu Wandao instructed. "However, this is a trial, so unexpected situations can still occur. I hope you will support each other." He then handed a jade-green pendant containing a strand of his Divine Sense to each of the twenty-one youths.

"Thank you, Senior Xu," Deng Shu said, taking the lead with a cupped-fist salute. He shot a deep look at Xu Yiyi's group before turning and stepping into the darkness. He intended to gather as many Wondrous Poison Herbs as possible; opportunities to enter such a treasure trove were rare.

The other prodigies soon departed as well.

"Should we team up?" Although Dongfang Duoduo wasn't the oldest among the seven Loose Cultivators, her cultivation boundary was the highest, so she took the initiative to ask.

"Yes, yes, yes!" a girl nodded eagerly. "This place is too dangerous. We should stick together for safety!"

Five of the seven Loose Cultivators were girls, and all of them were wary of the island's venomous creatures. Traveling together was the best way to minimize the risk.

"What about you two?" Dongfang Duoduo asked, turning to Xu Yiyi and Qian Xiao.

Qian Xiao looked to his big sister.

Xu Yiyi shook her head. She didn't know these people well and didn't really trust them. Her father's stories had often warned that the most terrifying thing in the world was the human heart.

Dongfang Duoduo didn't insist. "Alright. The green mountains still stand and the Greenwater still flows. We'll meet again."

With that, she led the other six Loose Cultivators further into the island.

"Qian Xiao, let's go too," Xu Yiyi said, mustering her courage. "I want to pick some Wondrous Poison Herbs to sell. I'll use the money to buy a gift for Dad."

"Mhm, mhm!" Qian Xiao patted his chest. "Don't you worry, Sister Yiyi! I'll stand right behind you and protect you!"

"You walk in front."

"..."

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com