"Pluto! Pluto! I wonder what kind of seedling Pluto can nurture?" Lin Yun muttered in his heart, feeling unprepared to score high in the second evaluation. To play it safe, he decided to rely on Pluto to absorb and nourish some kind of seedling.

Once he'd made up his mind, Lin Yun suddenly felt a sense of joy under the pressure.

The time to enter the Netherworld was approaching quickly. Most of the students here were alert and tense. No one knew just how dangerous Hades truly was. If they were injured, they wouldn't be able to perform well in the exam and would lose everything.

The portal opened, and a wave of dread enveloped the atmosphere like a fine mist over his desk. The Night Beast Gate slowly revealed its exit. In less than ten minutes, more than half of the students had already been teleported into the evaluation grounds of the Nether Beasts. The Nether Beast environment was expansive, unveiling a vast map devoid of mysterious mountains, with overgrown, chaotic jungle and deep, ominous pits scattered everywhere. The entire place exuded an aura of pure danger.

As soon as Lin Yun arrived there, he felt an overwhelming sense of peril.

The rules mentioned that students would be spread out, making it difficult for them to encounter each other. With over a thousand students, each would be sent to a different location, and every location had a set amount of Pluto energy present, so there was no need to worry about being teleported to a place devoid of it.

Lin Yun climbed to a higher vantage point, surveying the area where he'd been sent. The surroundings were filled with towering trees, each one over half a meter thick. Their trunks were as solid as barrels.

In such a place resembling a primeval forest, Lin Yun felt like he was constantly being watched. As a newcomer, he knew he couldn't let his guard down for even a moment.

After walking cautiously in this wilderness for several hours, Lin Yun moved step by step, appearing exceedingly vigilant. After all, this was a survival environment. At any moment, he could encounter a lesser creature from the Underworld, which would be a lucky break. But if he ran into a powerful beast, Lin Yun would be forced to flee.

Yun Lin crouched behind a massive boulder, ready to ambush a hare if the chance arose. Naturally, such waits rarely paid off. About ten breaths later, a White Cloud Leopard emerged from the forest like a ghost. Towering at three meters tall, it was twice the size of an ordinary leopard. Its razor-sharp claws and fan-like talons could tear through steel, and a single bite from its powerful jaws could break bones and sever tendons.

"A White Cloud Leopard. It seems to be within the class of creatures Pluto energy can handle," Lin Yun whispered to himself.

The White Cloud Leopard, though only a first-class beast from the Netherworld, was not something Lin Yunhao could take lightly. This creature was agile and cunning, a formidable presence within its rank. One careless move, and Lin Yun risked multiple injuries from its claws. To make matters worse, the White Cloud Leopard also possessed the ability to unleash ranged fire attacks.

Unwilling to face it head-on, Lin Yun climbed stealthily to the top of a rock, planning to leap down from above in a surprise attack. While the idea seemed clever, the odds of success appeared slim. Yet, no matter how low the chances, Lin Yun resolved to give it a try.

At the top of the rock, Lin Yun concentrated, channeling meditation energy into his right hand. His right hand transformed into a meter-long Magic Blood Blade. The White Cloud Leopard, with its keen senses, noticed movement overhead. It growled fiercely, tilting its head upwards.

Its roar echoed through the mountain, radiating immense power.

Lin Yun gritted his teeth, seized the opportunity, and leaped down, pouring all his strength into the Demon Blood Saber. He shouted aloud as black energy enveloped the blade, sharpening its edge instantly. Lin Yun aimed meticulously at the leopard's head.

ROAR...

The White Cloud Leopard let out an agonized cry as the sharp blade pierced through its skull, and blood gushed onto the Blood Blade. Struggling fiercely, the leopard tried to shake him off, but Lin Yun clung tightly to its neck, refusing to loosen his grip. Eventually, due to the excessive blood loss, the White Cloud Leopard collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

Lin Yun wiped the sweat from his forehead. It was his first time killing a Ghost Beast. His heart pounded with both tension and exhilaration.

This magical blade could slice through the ground twenty meters below in ordinary terrains. Yet, in this Dark World, it managed to penetrate less than half a meter. This evident difference highlighted just how dense and solid the space in this realm was compared to outside boundaries.

Lin Yun retracted the Demon Blood Saber, restoring his right hand to normal. To ensure the White Cloud Leopard's vitality wasn't wasted, Lin Yun placed his hand on the creature. Although there were faint traces of life remaining, Lin Yun activated the Chaos Absorption Technique to absorb its power.

The White Cloud Leopard's spiritual energy flowed incessantly into Lin Yun's body, gathering in his consciousness to nourish the seedlings of meaning. Yet, even after its entire spiritual energy was drained in under three seconds, the amount absorbed was laughably insufficient. The spiritual power was so meager that it failed even to make the seedlings sprout. Instead, they only showed slight cracks.

"How much power is needed just to germinate them?" Lin Yun leaned wearily against the stone.

"You'll need to absorb the energy of at least a hundred such leopards to make the seedlings sprout," voiced Mystic Jade within Lin Yun's consciousness.

"A hundred?! My heavens! Killing just one is this difficult, and you expect me to kill a hundred? By the time I'm done, I won't even be able to stand anymore." Lin Yun wiped the sweat from his brow, taking a moment to rest and replenish his strength.

"Be careful; a Third Level Pluto Beast is approaching," Mystic Jade suddenly warned him of the impending danger.

"A Third Level Pluto Beast? Don't scare me," Lin Yun murmured nervously, scanning his surroundings. He wasn't even close to handling a Level Six Pluto Beast, let alone a Third Level one. At his current level, he was utterly unprepared.

In the forest's depths, a wave of heat seemed to hit his face. Lin Yun's heart swirled with anxiety as he spotted a powerful Chaotic Beast in the distance.

The Third Level Chaos Beast was undoubtedly formidable, and Lin Shuo could only wait for an opening. He decided to hide behind a rock for now, hoping to catch a glimpse of this mighty creature while staying relatively safe.

Curiosity killed the cat, as they say, but Lin Shuo firmly believed his curiosity wouldn't be his undoing.

After several breaths, a massive lion with fiery red mane, nearly five meters long, emerged. With each step, the ground beneath its paws cracked and trembled violently.

Its sheer size dwarfed the White Cloud Leopard, easily doubling it. Lin Shuo was certain this was the Red Flame Lion, an advanced creature possessing second-rank fire abilities. Its fiery mane blazed like madness.

The lion approached the corpse of the White Cloud Leopard. Bowing slightly, it bit into the carcass with its sharp teeth, tearing through the flesh effortlessly. Within minutes, the Red Flame Lion consumed the leopard entirely, leaving nothing but bare bones.

"So, it came to scavenge prey, but what exactly is a Third Level Chaos Beast like this called?" Lin Shuo whispered quietly, not daring to move an inch behind the rock, fearing the lion might notice the slightest stir or sound.

"That's a Red Flame Lion, a Third Level Chaos Beast capable of manipulating the surrounding Flame Element. It's one of the more challenging beasts in chaotic regions. However, if you could collect its dark energy, it would certainly be sufficient to nurture your seedlings," Mystic Jade's voice echoed in Lin Yun's mind.

"Stop it! I'm not fighting that thing!" Lin Shuo retorted. "I'd have to be insane to step out and face it now."

After finishing its feast, the satisfied lion closed its eyes, lying on the ground to rest.

"Now that it's full, it'll sleep like any lazy animal. This is my chance to quietly slip away," Lin Shuo muttered, taking the opportunity to cautiously retreat.