Gao Wu: Oh no! Young Master Zhen is a cultivator!

Ji Yang moved to the flanks, his palms erupting with lightning, bolts of lightning striking down one after another.

He specifically targeted the Rending Wind Wolves that were pouncing on his teammates, suppressing the beasts' offensive.

Shen Muye moved swiftly through the gaps in the wolf pack, using his extreme speed to eliminate any straggling wolves on the flanks.

He wielded his short blade, delivering close-quarters attacks, restraining scattered monsters, and relieving pressure on the team.

Jiang Jingxing unleashed his full power, continuously spewing forth blazing pillars of fire, the scorching flames sweeping in all directions.

The approaching Rending Wind Wolves were forced back and burned by the raging flames, unable to get even half a step closer to the squad's formation.

Su Man remained stationed at the rear throughout the entire operation, with white light flashing from her hands from time to time.

She focused intently on healing her teammates' injuries and stabilizing the team's overall condition.

The six-person team was locked in a fierce battle with the wolf pack, while Lin Ran was in the depths of the secret realm, chasing after the fleeing mutated fruit tree at full speed.

He mobilized all his spiritual power, unleashing his earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a type of escape technique) speed to its maximum, and finally caught up with the mutated fruit tree that was fleeing with all its might.

As he drew near, he reached out and precisely grabbed the bluish-gray trunk, forcefully pulling the entire fruit tree out of the ground.

Then, he leaped lightly, his body soaring into the air, hovering in mid-air with the fruit tree.

"Trying to run? You think you can get away with this?"

The mutated fruit tree could not make a sound; its massive trunk swayed gently, and its branches and leaves trembled slightly.

The remaining ripe spiritual fruits on the branches all fell off, flying one by one towards Lin Ran, carrying a clear intention to curry favor.

Lin Ran caught a spiritual fruit with his fingertips, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"Looks like you have a pretty strong survival instinct."

He casually took a bite of the spiritual fruit, and the sweet, soft juice instantly filled his mouth.

A surge of pure and rich spiritual energy flowed down his throat, quickly spreading to his limbs and bones.

The gentle spiritual energy washes over the meridians and nourishes the body; its quality is in no way inferior to that of a fifth-tier exotic beast crystal core.

A hint of joy flashed in Lin Ran's eyes, but he pretended to be serious.

"Alright then, I'm a kind-hearted person and won't make things difficult for you. I'll help you move today, and all the fruits you bear will be mine. You just need to focus on developing your character. Any objections?"

The mutated fruit tree hovered silently in mid-air, its branches and leaves spread out steadily without any unusual movement.

Of course, even if it could understand, it probably wouldn't speak.

Lin Ran nodded slightly, his expression serious: "Since you're not saying anything, I'll take that as your agreement."

With a thought, he unfolded the Nine Heavens Cave Heaven, and the void portal quietly opened.

"Get out of here!"

The entire fruit tree transformed into a stream of light and instantly disappeared into the Nine Heavens Cave.

Lin Ran raised his hand and patted his sleeves, looking relaxed: "The harvest was pretty good, it's time to go back."

He changed direction, his figure transforming into a streak of light, and quickly fled back along the original path.

As soon as we approached the rest area, the sounds of fierce fighting could be clearly heard.

Lin Ran hovered high in the sky, looking down at the battlefield below.

The open space was littered with wolf carcasses; more than a dozen Riftwind Wolves lay dead on the ground, already lifeless.

The remaining wolves remained fearless and continued to charge at the six-man squad.

All six members of the squad had varying degrees of abrasions and burns, and their armor was stained with blood.

Everyone remained firmly in their positions, their formation did not break down, and no one suffered serious injuries or collapsed.

The two sides engaged in a back-and-forth battle, resulting in a stalemate.

Lin Ran did not appear immediately, but stood quietly in the air observing the battle.

He took out a crimson spirit fruit from his fingertips, slowly took a bite, and quietly observed the six people's combat training.

On the ground battlefield, the six became more and more stable as the battle progressed, and their combat experience was rapidly accumulated in the fighting.

Sun Hao no longer stubbornly defends; he uses the attacks of the alien beasts to deflect their force.

Chen Yue's mental interference became increasingly precise, specifically targeting the wolf king and disrupting its command rhythm.

Shen Muye's positioning and maneuvering became increasingly cunning, repeatedly cutting off the wolf pack's encirclement routes.

Jiang Jingxing's flame output is controlled with ease and precision.

Suman's timing for treatment is precise; she can always intervene in time when her teammates' injuries worsen.

The wolf population has continued to decline sharply, with only a handful of Riftwind Wolves remaining.

The wolf king looked at the wolf corpses scattered on the ground, his majestic eyes flashing with anxiety and ferocity.

"Awoo!"

A long, drawn-out wolf howl echoed through the forest, signaling a retreat.

Upon hearing the sound, the remaining Rending Wind Wolves immediately retreated, turning around and fleeing into the depths of the dense forest with the Wolf Dynasty.

Lin Ran then slowly descended from the sky, his figure as fast as lightning, instantly passing in front of the six people.

The Jinghong Sword suddenly gleamed with a cold light, its sharp blade energy sweeping across all directions.

Puff puff!

Several soft sounds rang out in succession, and the fleeing wolf king and the remaining Riftwind Wolves were all instantly killed.

The entire set of killing moves was fluid and smooth, taking less than three seconds in total.

Lin Ran sheathed his sword and slowly turned to look at the crowd.

"How are you? Are you alright?"

Sun Hao gasped for breath, trying to calm the surging spiritual energy within him, and gently shook his head.

"It's nothing, just minor injuries."

Lin Ran's gaze swept over the injuries and disheveled armor of everyone present, and he slowly spoke.

"Very good. Your victory over the wolf pack proves that you have acquired a basic ability to protect yourself."

Jiang Jingxing raised his hand and gently pressed the abrasion on his arm, his eyes filled with light and joy.

"So, is this a test that Consultant Lin has set for us?"

Lin Ran coughed lightly a few times, his expression serious: "Ahem... This was just a small test, and I'm very satisfied with your performance!"

He chuckled inwardly, naturally not revealing the truth that he had just left the battlefield to search for treasure.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jingxing was greatly encouraged, and most of his fatigue disappeared.

"So, can we continue deeper into the secret realm and undergo more trials?"

"Of course!" Lin Ran said calmly, his tone composed. "Rest for ten minutes, clean up the battlefield, and then continue the exploration."

Everyone immediately responded, quickly adjusted their posture, and began clearing away the surrounding monster corpses.

After a short rest, everyone's spiritual energy was fully restored, and they returned to their peak condition.

The six men organized their equipment, lined up, and awaited further instructions.

"Let's go." As soon as Lin Ran finished speaking, he took the lead and headed deeper into the secret realm.

The six followed closely behind, their formation tight, and they steadily advanced forward.

Along the way, various low-level mutated creatures appeared one after another.

The third-tier Gale Wolves, the fourth-tier Thorn Porcupines, and occasionally a few mutated snakes emerging from the mud.

The six-person team is becoming increasingly coordinated, and they can control the pace of offense and defense with ease.

Lin Ran refrained from intervening throughout the entire process, only offering a few pointers when necessary.

Their nanotech armor was covered in scratches and bloodstains, but their eyes grew even more determined.

After everyone had completely cleared the area around the entrance to the rift, Lin Ran announced the return journey.

"That's about enough. We can't possibly kill all the mutated creatures in the secret realm," Lin Ran said.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Jingxing stepped forward, his eyes filled with a hint of lingering interest.

"Advisor Lin, shall we explore deeper? There are bound to be even stronger beasts inside."

"There's no need," Lin Ran said calmly.

"The secret realm cannot be completely cleared out, and the strange beasts breed and repeat the cycle. It is meaningless to exterminate them all."

Sun Hao nodded slightly and echoed his agreement.

"Indeed, as long as there are no strange beasts roaming within a kilometer radius of the rift entrance, this secret realm will remain within a safe threshold for the time being."

"The city's defense forces are stationed and patrolling around the clock. If any unusual activity occurs, the Special Affairs Bureau can enter the area again to clear it out at any time."

"Our investigation and cleanup mission has been successfully completed."

Everyone nodded, put away their weapons, and tidied their armor and personal equipment.

The six people lined up and turned around, following behind Lin Ran, steadily turning back towards the spatial rift.

A chilling wind blew through the forest, rustling the leaves and causing the once tranquil dense forest to tremble suddenly.

The heavy ground resounded with dull thuds as the rumbling grew louder and louder as it approached.

Boom!Boom!Boom!

Heavy, powerful stomping sounds echoed continuously, causing the entire woodland to tremble slightly.