The morning mist had not yet fully dispersed as nineteen figures quietly stepped into the edge of the northwestern region of Bone Eagle Cliff.

Unlike the southeast and northeast, the terrain in the northwest was more fragmented.

Countless stone pillars formed by wind erosion were as dense as a thicket of blades, cutting the sky into countless tiny fragments of grayish-white.

The ground was soft, grayish-white sand mixed with bone fragments and feathers, making a soft rustling sound when stepped upon.

Lin Feng stopped on a protruding boulder.

Behind him, eighteen people lined up quietly. The ten Beacon Guards remained as silent as iron, their halberds held vertically, eyes looking straight ahead.

Zhao Hu, Tie Dun, Wang Wu, and others were lined up on both sides, each gripping their weapons; Su Yurou stood at the rear of the group, holding that pale green short staff.

She recalled the Healing Manual she had studied repeatedly during those boring days in Mount Zhenyue City.

Stay in the back, maintain vision, prioritize protecting the front row, and be frugal with Mana points.

"This is the spot."

Lin Feng's voice came from atop the boulder; it wasn't loud, but it fell clearly into everyone's ears.

He didn't look back, his gaze sweeping over the jagged Stone Forest ahead and the few grayish-white shadows circling faintly in the sky.

"For the next few days, I will only watch the battle and will not take action."

A slight commotion rippled through the team, but it quickly subsided.

Zhao Hu was the first to react, a flash of realization crossing his eyes.

The Lord was training the troops, letting them truly learn to rely on themselves to fight instead of always depending on his terrifying long spear.

He tightened his grip on his guardian round shield and said in a heavy voice, "Understood."

Lin Feng nodded, sat cross-legged on the boulder, and placed the Wildfire Spear across his knees.

"Zhao Hu, you take command."

Zhao Hu took a deep breath and strode to the front of the team. He scanned everyone, his gaze lingering longest on those ten silent Beacon Guards.

"Beacon Guards, hear my command!"

The ten Garrison Soldiers looked at him in unison, their movements as synchronized as a single person.

Zhao Hu was secretly startled, but he didn't show it on his face as he quickly ordered:

"Form—Array!"

The ten Garrison Soldiers moved immediately. They formed pairs, back-to-back, with their long halberds slanted forward, forming five small battle arrays that supported each other from different angles.

The halberd tips were like a forest, glinting coldly, their spacing as precise as if measured with a ruler.

Zhao Hu's pupils constricted slightly. This formation speed, this level of coordination... he had seen too many bandits and militias, but none could complete such a standard defensive formation in a single breath.

"Tie Dun, take Scarface Liu and A Wang to guard the left flank.

Wang Wu, you and Arrow Eye provide long-range support from the rear, prioritizing the shooting of Bone Eagles attempting to take flight. Shadow Snake, roam freely and finish off those with low health."

Zhao Hu quickly assigned tasks, "Miss Su, stand between Wang Wu and Arrow Eye, and be ready to heal at any time. The Beacon Guards' formation is the core!"

"Understood!" everyone responded in unison.

Su Yurou gripped her short staff and jogged to the space between Wang Wu and Arrow Eye.

Just as the formation was completed!

A piercing screech came from the sky!

Three grayish-white shadows dove down from the clouds! With wingspans of over three meters and claws like hooks, they were three Level 12 Bone Eagles!

"They're coming! Hold steady!" Zhao Hu roared, raising his guardian round shield high!

The first Bone Eagle dove to thirty meters!

The Beacon Guards moved.

The pair of Garrison Soldiers at the very front stepped forward half a pace simultaneously, their halberd tips thrusting upward! Their movements were uniform, as if cast from the same mold!

"Ha!"

The halberd tips rose like a forest, stabbing straight toward the sky!

The first Bone Eagle's claws collided with the halberd tips! Sparks flew everywhere!

-60! -61!

The Bone Eagle let out a cry of pain, its claws pierced by the halberds, blood splattering!

But at the same time, the massive inertia of the dive caused the two Garrison Soldiers' figures to sway, their feet sinking three inches into the sand.

Damage numbers of -15 floated above each of their heads; even though the impact of the Bone Eagle's dive was blocked, a portion of it was still transmitted to them.

"The second one is about to land!" Zhao Hu roared.

Sure enough, seeing the first one obstructed, the second Bone Eagle folded its wings and actually bypassed the Beacon Guards' halberd array, landing directly on the sandy ground at the flank of the formation, its claws sweeping toward a Garrison Soldier's back!

But the back-to-back formation showed its value at this moment.

The comrade behind that Garrison Soldier reacted by instinct, the halberd in his hand sweeping out fiercely!

Puchi!

The halberd blade sliced across the Bone Eagle's left wing, -60!

The Bone Eagle cried out in pain and was about to counterattack!

Shadow Snake's claw blades had already arrived!

Like a true ghost, she glided out silently from the shadows of the flank, her dark green claw blades accurately cutting into the base of the Bone Eagle's right wing!

-65!

The Bone Eagle's right wing instantly lost strength, and it tumbled sideways!

"Kill!" Tie Dun roared as he charged from the flank, his ironwall greatshield carrying massive force as it slammed heavily onto the Bone Eagle's head!

-55!

The soul fire in the Bone Eagle's eyes flickered violently, on the verge of being extinguished.

Arrow Eye's arrow arrived just in time!

Swoosh—!

A feathered arrow pierced the Bone Eagle's eye socket, -70!

【Assisted in killing Lv12 Bone Eagle, Experience Points +140】

The second one, dead!

Meanwhile, the first Bone Eagle was still struggling with those two Garrison Soldiers.

Its claws tore frantically, trying to break through the halberd blockade, but the two Garrison Soldiers coordinated perfectly, one stabbing while the other retracted, one advancing while the other retreated, their halberd tips always sealing off its path of attack.

Seeing things were going poorly, the third Bone Eagle flapped its wings vigorously, trying to gain altitude.

"Thinking of running?" Wang Wu cold-snorted, instantly drawing his Black Iron Longbow to its limit!

The bowstring thrummed!

A feathered arrow, like black lightning, accurately pierced into the Bone Eagle's abdominal cavity!

-65!

The Bone Eagle's body tilted, and its altitude dropped sharply!

Arrow Eye's second arrow had already arrived!

-70!

The third Bone Eagle fell!

The last one had its chest pierced by two long halberds of the Beacon Guards at the same time, -60! -60!

【Assisted in killing Lv12 Bone Eagle, Experience Points +140】

From the moment the three Bone Eagles appeared to their total annihilation, it took less than a minute.

The battlefield fell into a brief silence.

Su Yurou gripped her short staff, staring blankly at the scene. Before she could even react, the battle was over.

"Quick! Check for injuries!" Zhao Hu's shout brought her back to her senses.

She hurriedly ran toward the two Garrison Soldiers who had faced the first Bone Eagle head-on.

Both men were injured. The first one had his left arm slashed by the Bone Eagle's claws, his leather armor torn, revealing a bloody wound that was continuously losing health. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

The second one was turned pale by the impact; although there were no external injuries, his internal organs had clearly suffered from the shock.

Su Yurou took a deep breath and raised her short staff.

【Skill: Healing Spell】

A soft white light drifted from the tip of the staff and fell upon the first Garrison Soldier.

+50!

The blood at the wound stopped instantly, and the flesh began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The Garrison Soldier looked down at his arm, a flash of surprise in his eyes, and then nodded slightly to Su Yurou.

Su Yurou silently calculated: one Healing Spell cost 20 Mana points. Her current Intelligence was 11, and her maximum Mana was 210, so she had 190 points left.

She glanced at her short staff, then at the battlefield. The corpses of the three Bone Eagles were slowly dissipating, leaving behind a few white crystals and miscellaneous materials.

"Miss Su, well done." Zhao Hu patted her shoulder, his eyes full of praise.

Su Yurou let out a soft breath, the tension in her heart fading slightly, replaced by a faint sense of security.

Lin Feng remained sitting cross-legged on the boulder, watching all of this with a calm gaze.

He didn't speak, /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ but he nodded slightly.

The first day was off to a good start.