Hunting Competition

"Heh, you're quite clever."

Lin Xiao tacitly acknowledged Lin Dong's guess, then lowered his voice. "I've already begun cultivating that Pure Yang Art. A first-rate Cultivation Technique Manual truly is extraordinary."

After mastering the Pure Yang Art himself, Lin Dong had shared its secrets with Lin Xiao and Qing Tan. Knowing that his son had always possessed many secrets since childhood, Lin Xiao wisely chose not to ask where the Pure Yang Art had come from.

"Hmm, now that Grandpa has entered the Yuan Dan Stage as well, when will our Lin Family make a move against the Lei and Xie Families and dominate Qingyang Town?"

Lin Dong glanced at the two family seating areas in the distance, both displaying considerable pomp. Watching a bunch of Sky Origin Stage nobodies put on airs was truly exhausting. He really wanted to casually slap them all to death.

"We need an excuse to act against them. An excuse that gives us just cause."

Lin Xiao had also noticed the Lei and Xie Families making their grand entrance.

"An excuse?"

Lin Dong's heart stirred. Ironwood Manor and the Yang Yuan Stone Mine might be a good excuse. It was time to take them.

"Lin Dong..."

Just as Lin Dong was lost in thought, a figure darted over.

The newcomer was a youth about Lin Dong's age. On the chest of his robe was an emblem embroidered with a large blade that seemed to dance wildly in a gale.

"Wu Yun, it's you."

Lin Dong smiled upon seeing the newcomer. He was Wu Yun, the strongest of the younger generation of the Savage Blade Martial Hall, with a cultivation at Body Tempering Layer Nine.

"Lei Li of the Lei Family has already entered the Earth Origin Stage. He won't be easy to deal with. If there's a chance later, how about the two of us join forces?"

After bowing to Lin Xiao, Wu Yun spoke rapidly.

"Sure."

Lin Dong immediately nodded, but inwardly thought, Join forces? Do I need to join forces to deal with a bunch of brats? Joining hands with you would only slow me down. Once we enter the forest, I'll ditch you right away.

"Hehe, then it's settled."

Having received Lin Dong's agreement, Wu Yun chuckled and swiftly departed.

As the oldest-established force in Qingyang Town, the Lei Family's patriarch, Lei Bao, rose with reserved dignity and announced the competition rules.

The rules were simple. Each participant would carry an identity token. Those who safely crossed the perilous forest and gathered ten identity tokens could enter the final battle on the stone platform in the central plaza of the Beast Horn Arena.

"I hereby announce the official start of Qingyang Town's Hunting Competition!"

Following Lei Bao's furious roar, imbued with Origin Energy, more than a hundred contestants shot forward like arrows released from their bows, plunging into the lush green forest and vanishing from sight.

"Fire Python Tiger Cub, Little Flame, here I come."

The moment Lin Dong entered the dense forest, he activated his Origin Energy and flashed away, shooting straight toward its depths.

He had no need for Wu Yun to tell him where the Fire Python Tiger was. Although the forest encompassed by the Beast Horn Arena spanned dozens of miles, it was not difficult for a Three Seal Talisman Master to sense a Sky Origin Stage Fire Python Tiger.

Half an hour later.

The forest shook as Wu Yun rushed over with a young woman clad in fitted leather attire. The young woman was Wu Yun's friend, Mu Lingsha, the manor lord's daughter from Mu Family Manor, with a cultivation at Body Tempering Layer Eight.

"Huh? Where exactly did that kid Lin Dong go? I clearly saw him coming along this route. We searched all the way here, yet we still couldn't find him?"

Wu Yun stopped and let out a deep sigh.

He had just discovered Lei Li, Xie Yingying, and the others besieging a Fire Python Tiger—a female beast that had recently given birth and was injured. He had intended to join Lin Dong in intercepting the three cubs, but who would have thought that they simply could not find any trace of Lin Dong?

Meanwhile, Lin Dong, who had ventured more than ten miles into the forest, had already collected ten identity tokens. He then released his Mental Energy and swiftly scanned every suspicious location along the way.

"Hm? There are Earth Origin Stage energy fluctuations over there!"

Lin Dong, who was rapidly weaving through towering ancient trees, abruptly halted. After nimbly changing direction, he accelerated and charged away.

In an open woodland clearing, disciples from the two families led by Lei Li and Xie Yingying were tensely besieging a Demonic Beast over ten feet tall. Its body was covered in fur that resembled flames, its head was a savage tiger head, and its tail coiled across its back. As its forked tongue flicked out, it resembled a living fire python.

A Sky Origin Stage Demonic Beast—the Fire Python Tiger!

This Demonic Beast, which would reach the Sky Origin Stage upon adulthood, was clearly not in good condition. Blood flowed continuously from its abdomen. Already severely wounded, it soon unwillingly drew its final breath under Lei Li and the others' assault.

"Heh, arriving early is no match for arriving at the right time. All of you, lie down."

Lin Dong, who had hurried over, did not reveal himself at all. With a thought, the vast Mental Energy within his Niwan Palace surged forth like a towering tide, transforming into a violent mental storm that crashed toward the dozen or so people present.

Thud! Thud!

Under the attack of Lin Dong, a peak Three Seal Talisman Master, Lei Li and the others did not even have time to grunt before collapsing unconscious one after another.

Without even looking at the unconscious crowd, Lin Dong walked straight past them and arrived before the three Fire Python Tiger Cubs behind a large rock.

"This one should be Little Flame."

Lin Dong looked toward the weakest of the three cubs. Just now, it had caused the Ancestral Stone to twitch slightly. It was a Fire Python Tiger Cub with a mutated constitution and limitless potential.

"Fine, consider yourselves lucky to have met me."

With a sweep of Lin Dong's hand, the three Fire Python Tiger Cubs were taken into the Ancestral Stone Space. He would personally raise Little Flame in the future, while the other two Fire Python Tigers could guard the Lin Family estate.

Inside the Ancestral Stone Space, Little Marten, who had been lazily sleeping, stared blankly at the three Demonic Beast cubs that had suddenly appeared before him. He muttered, "What are these things? Third brother? What third brother? Lin Dong, explain yourself!!!"

"Hm? That direction... it seems to be Wu Yun and the others. Sorry, but it seems you arrived a step too late."

After storing away the three Fire Python Tiger Cubs, Lin Dong suddenly raised his head and looked in one direction. A smile of unclear meaning appeared on his face before he immediately flashed away.

In the distance, Wu Yun and Mu Lingsha were cautiously approaching their destination.

"Huh? What's going on? How could Lei Li, Xie Yingying, and their dozen companions all be unconscious at the same time? And the three Fire Python Tiger Cubs are gone? At the very least, a Sky Origin Stage expert must have acted, right?"

Mu Lingsha had just poked her head out when her cherry lips parted slightly. She stared in astonishment at the members of the Lei and Xie Families sprawled across the ground.

"A Sky Origin Stage expert acted? We need to leave, quickly. This isn't a place to linger."

Wu Yun's expression abruptly changed. He grabbed Mu Lingsha and rapidly retreated.

"That's right, Wu Yun. Let's go. We need to avoid this place."

Mu Lingsha quickly came to her senses as well. It was obvious that an expert had ambushed Lei Li and the others, then stolen the Fire Python Tiger Cubs.

If Lei Li and the others happened to awaken, or if someone else passing by discovered them, they would certainly assume that Wu Yun and Mu Lingsha had done it. Then they would be unable to explain themselves, and it might even provoke several major forces in Qingyang Town into war.

Terrified as though they had seen a ghost, Wu Yun and Mu Lingsha fled the area at once. They still had to pretend that nothing had happened and continue with the competition.