Hunting in the Ancestral Land differs from hunting in the Godly Transformation Land. While killing is not forbidden in the Ancestral Land, it's generally best avoided because the place is teeming with creatures far more powerful than humans.
Thus, unless there's deep-seated hatred, individuals rarely engage in internecine combat, as it benefits no one. Furthermore, the Ancestral Land doesn't reward those who kill the most.
The rule of the Ancestral Land is to survive and improve one's strength. Anyone who stays for a month and emerges successfully will have a chance to journey to the Central Continent.
Within the Ancestral Land lie many treasures left by ancient ancestors, including cultivation techniques. Finding even a few of these could greatly enhance one's power.
However, these places are usually the most perilous, and one might enter with life but not necessarily return with it.
To reach the Ancestral Land, one must traverse a vast primeval forest, then enter through a passage resembling an ancient teleportation array.
Ning Beichen and his group were the first to enter the Ancestral Land. After being teleported by the ancient array, they soon found themselves in a desert.
The teleportation into the Ancestral Land is unpredictable; not all groups are sent to the same location. The desert, therefore, presented a harsh environment.
There was no alternative, as no one could control where they were sent; it was purely a matter of luck.
Ning Beichen, however, was unfazed by being teleported to this location, as it made no difference to him.
"Captain, according to the rules, we need to survive here for a month. Should we set up camp, or head directly to the inheritance ground?" Yang Qianrou asked Ning Beichen.
"To the inheritance ground," Ning Beichen replied without hesitation.
"Alright, I'll inform them to depart," Yang Qianrou said promptly.
Ning Beichen nodded. Though the inheritance ground was dangerous, wasn't their purpose for entering the Ancestral Land precisely to undergo trials?
If they hid somewhere, what sort of trial would that be?
However, not long after they set out, they encountered troublesome creatures: desert sandworms.
These sandworms, lurking beneath the sand, ranged from tens of meters in length for the smaller ones to over a hundred meters for the larger ones. They could erupt from the desert floor at any moment to attack Ning Beichen and his group.
Furthermore, these creatures could disrupt human senses. While hidden beneath the sand, they were difficult to detect, only revealing themselves when they emerged.
On several occasions, Ning Beichen's team was attacked by sandworms. Fortunately, with Ning Beichen's timely warnings, no one was injured.
Although Ning Beichen couldn't sense them directly, his eyes possessed a special ability to discern the sandworms' presence through subtle shifts in the sand.
These sandworms, however, were not difficult to deal with. Without Ning Beichen's intervention, Yang Qianrou and the others could easily dispatch them.
The challenge lay in their ability to remain undetected. But with Ning Beichen present, their advantage was neutralized. Before they could even surface from the sand, Ning Beichen would detect them, alert his team, and pinpoint their location.
As a result, the desert soon became littered with the corpses of sandworms.
Unfortunately, these carcasses served no purpose and could not be eaten, much to everyone's regret.
With Ning Beichen around, the group felt an unprecedented sense of ease. They advanced aggressively, and whenever they encountered something they couldn't handle, Ning Beichen would easily eliminate it, ensuring their safety.
However, dangers lurked everywhere in the desert, not only sandworms but also colossal scorpions and scavenging vultures.
During the day, these threats were manageable, but at night, the desert became incredibly perilous.
One night, as everyone was resting, a deafening roar startled them awake. In the darkness, countless glowing orbs, each the size of a lantern, appeared.
"It's a pack of great wolves!" Yang Qianrou shouted.
The group immediately drew their weapons. In the desert, sandworms, scorpions, and vultures were not the primary concern; the greatest terror was the great wolves.
These great wolves possessed immense bodies, terrifying speed, astonishing strength, and could even wield abilities unique to their kind.
Encountering one or two was not a major issue; the group could defeat them together.
The true horror lay in encountering a wolf pack, especially in the obscuring darkness of night, when these great wolves were the most formidable creatures.
At Yang Qianrou's cry, a sense of panic spread through the group, their formation becoming somewhat disorganized.
"What are you panicking about? I'm here," Ning Beichen's voice cut through the air.
"Right, right! We have our captain, we have nothing to fear."
With Ning Beichen's words, the previously flustered subordinates quickly regained their composure. They gathered together, ready to fight the wolf pack.
In their minds, Ning Beichen was invincible; there was no problem he couldn't solve.
Ning Beichen also observed the lantern-like lights in the darkness, realizing they were the eyes of the great wolves.
He roughly counted them, estimating at least a hundred of these creatures, a number that even made him feel a prickle of unease.
This was not their first encounter with great wolves, but previously they had only faced individuals, at most two at a time.
Without Ning Beichen's direct involvement, it took the combined efforts of Yang Qianrou and the others to defeat a single great wolf. This time, the sheer number was overwhelming.
However, fleeing in the darkness was a last resort, and if Yang Qianrou and the others succumbed to fear, it would spell disaster.
Therefore, Ning Beichen, as their captain, could not falter. Not only must he remain calm, but he must also instill confidence in his team.
As the great wolves gradually closed in, Ning Beichen drew the bronze ancient sword from his back.
When the great wolves entered Ning Beichen's striking range, he let out a mighty roar. The bronze ancient sword in his hand transformed into a torrent of sword rain, surging towards the wolves.
Amidst their howls, some great wolves fell to Ning Beichen's sword rain. However, a significant number endured the onslaught and, with lightning-like speed, charged towards Ning Beichen and his group.
At this moment, Yang Qianrou gave the order, leading the charge against the great wolves.
Ning Beichen was also fully engaged, his bronze ancient sword slashing fiercely, each swing felling one or two great wolves.
Yet, the sheer number of great wolves was immense. Before long, casualties began to appear on Yang Qianrou's side, and screams of pain echoed through the darkness.