The Hunt Begins

Time in cultivation always flew by, and as the Hunting Competition drew near, Qingyang Town's liveliness reached its peak. From a hundred miles around, countless forces swarmed in, pushing the town's foot traffic to its highest point in years.

Though the major powers of Qingyang Town were the Hunting Competition's main players, plenty of other factions also took part. Their ambitions, however, weren't as fierce as the four great families—they simply wanted to use this event to train their younger generation.

The Hunting Competition was held at the Beast Horn Arena outside Qingyang Town, the most imposing structure in the area. It covered an enormous expanse, even enclosing a stretch of jungle dozens of miles wide. At the heart of that jungle stood a massive platform carved from a small mountain peak, where the competition's champion would be crowned.

Under countless expectant gazes, the hands of time turned to the day of the Hunting Competition. Qingyang Town's atmosphere erupted into a frenzy. Crowds surged toward the Beast Horn Arena in a spectacle that stirred the blood.

"So this is where the hunt begins?" Lin Dong stood on a high platform, looking down at the dense jungle below with some surprise.

"Yeah, this is where the dream starts." Lin Changqiang was equally moved. Beyond the clan's internal struggles, this hunt was where Lin Dong would truly shine.

"A dream? You mean that dream of reaching the Pinnacle of Martial Arts, roaming the world, and righting every wrong we see?" Lin Dong suddenly grabbed Lin Changqiang's right hand and lifted it between their chests, smiling as he said something that could make Lin Changqiang cringe hard enough to dig a three-room apartment—completely oblivious. "Then let's work hard together."

"Eww~" Lin Changqiang yanked his hand away with a look of disgust and quickly stepped back several paces. After all, behind the two of them stood every core member of the Lin Family! At the head was the old patriarch Lin Zhentian, with Lin Xiao, Lin Ken, and others flanking him.

Lin Zhentian watched Lin Dong and Lin Changqiang with a beaming smile, his eyes full of pride. Their recent performances had earned his increasing attention, and he'd even offered to personally teach them Martial Arts, though that suggestion had ultimately been declined.

"That jungle below connects to the deep mountains and is filled with fierce beasts. Everyone in the Hunting Competition gets an Identity Token and enters it. In there, you'll have to rely on your own skills to escape the beasts' attacks." Lin Xiao, seeing his endlessly grinning father, twitched his mouth and took it upon himself to explain the rules. "Also, you'll need to collect ten Identity Tokens from others to qualify for the central platform. The hunt isn't just for beasts—it's mostly for people!"

Lin Dong's heart tightened, and his rising excitement cooled. Beside him, Qing Tan and Liu Yan grew worried. Lin Changqiang, however, blinked. "Death Forest, Heaven and Earth Scroll, and Central Tower? It's just like the Chunin Exam from Naruto."

"Heh, with both of them at the Ninth Layer of Body Tempering, making it to the platform will be a breeze." Lin Ken smiled approvingly from the side.

Hearing this, Lin Zhentian's smile grew even warmer. After all, aside from Lin Dong's family and Lin Changqiang, he was the only one in the Lin Family who knew they'd already broken through to the Earthly Yuan Stage.

"Oh, if it isn't Lin Zhentian. Haven't seen you in a few days—looking a bit washed up, huh?" Just as the Lin Family was chatting, a mocking voice rang out from nearby. At the sound, Lin Zhentian and the others frowned, their smiles fading.

They turned to see a large group approaching, and the crowd in their path quickly parted, showing clear fear.

At the front of the group walked two men side by side. One wore a light gray silk robe and looked about the same age as Lin Zhentian. His sunken eyes and prominent hooked nose gave him a sharp, cold demeanor. The other, a middle-aged man, wore a constant smile that seemed friendly, but those who knew him well knew he was nothing but a smiling tiger.

"Those two old geezers are the clan heads of the Lei and Xie Families. The one who just spoke is Xie Qian of the Xie Family, and the other is Lei Bao of the Lei Family." Lin Xiao quietly introduced them to the younger generation.

Lin Changqiang glanced at them and lost interest. They weren't Lei Tiger or Xie Xun, so why bother?

Lin Dong, however, looked at their old rivals, Lei Li and Xie Yingying. As if sensing his gaze, they turned to meet it. Lei Li's face twisted into a playful smirk, while Xie Yingying drew a hand across her throat like a blade in a threatening gesture.

"Heh, I've just been plagued by petty people lately—makes me sick." Lin Zhentian smiled brightly at the approaching Lei and Xie Families. If you ignored the tone and just looked at their expressions, you'd think they were old friends.

Lei Bao let out a cold, humorless laugh in response. His gaze swept over the Lin Family and stopped on Lin Xiao. Sensing the powerful Yuan Power radiating from the latter, Lei Bao's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. So it was true—Lin Xiao's strength had recovered.

"Every hunt costs so many stakes, anyone would feel bitter. No wonder you get queasy come hunting season." Xie Qian sneered with a fake smile.

At the mockery in his words, the Lin Family members flushed with anger, but Lin Zhentian waved them off with a faint smile. "I suspect this time, it'll be the Lei and Xie Families feeling the bitterness."

"I hear the Lin Family has produced two geniuses recently. These must be them, right? One with a resolute face, the other with an impressive bearing." Lei Bao's sunken eyes suddenly fixed on Lin Dong and Lin Changqiang. A cold smile crept across his aged face. "I wonder if they're all show and no substance?"

Lin Dong felt a chill under that icy stare, but then he saw Lin Changqiang step forward boldly, positioning himself in front of him and offering Lei Bao a cupped-fist salute.

"Thank you for your concern, elder. I stand by my name—I am Lin Changqiang of the Lin Family!" He paused, sweeping his gaze around, then locked eyes with Lei Bao without a trace of fear. "I'm not targeting anyone in particular, but I'll say this: every single junior from the Lei and Xie Families here—every last one of them—is trash!"

The moment Lin Changqiang finished, the younger members of the Lei and Xie Families erupted.

"Lin Changqiang! You're all talk! Dare to duel me?"

"You, come here!"

"You've got no real skill—you don't even dare face me head-on!"

In the end, it was Lei Bao who raised his hand to silence them. "We'll see how it goes once the hunt begins. Just make sure your Lin Family has the stakes ready!" With that, he led his group past the Lin Family and into the arena.