Li Xingze: You're truly a talent!

After the school assembly ended, most students gradually left, eager to search for the Shadow Demon Beast.

"Hey hey, what are you doing?"

Mo Fan looked at Bai Zangfeng walking toward him, finding it utterly baffling.

Bai Zangfeng bypassed Mo Fan and came straight to Li Xingze, saying, "Team up with me. I won't treat you badly."

"???"

Li Xingze didn't catch on at first—who taught you to ask people with that attitude?

You're really something else!

Seeing Li Xingze unmoved, Bai Zangfeng continued, "Five million. If you help me catch the Shadow Demon Beast, I'll give you five million."

"Five million!"

Mo Fan's eyes went wide. Five million per person, that's twenty million for four—close to a Lightning Spiritual Seed.

"Bai Zangfeng, weren't you just saying you'd find the Shadow Demon Beast yourself? What you're doing now doesn't match what you said."

Zhao Manyan said with clear displeasure. Don't tarnish our friendship with your dirty money.

Li Xingze: Talking about feelings hurts the wallet. Let's just talk money.

Bai Zangfeng noticed Zhao Manyan nearby and frowned. How did Li Xingze end up with Zhao Manyan?

"Bai Zangfeng, I'm not interested in your money. If you hurry now, you might still find other teammates. If you're slow, no one will team up with you."

Li Xingze decisively refused. Five million for one chance to train at the Three Step Tower? Nothing's that simple.

Besides, there might be a Black Vatican spy among the freshmen. To keep Xu Zhaoting safe, he had to stay close.

Add Mo Fan and Zhao Manyan, and that made four.

"You! You'll regret this!"

With that parting shot, Bai Zangfeng slunk away.

Li Xingze's strength was obvious to everyone. Who wouldn't want to latch onto that? Bai Zangfeng was no exception.

"Ze-ge, I knew you wouldn't abandon us." Zhao Manyan said, deeply moved.

This was the Three Step Tower—something money couldn't buy!

"Ahem, don't get too settled. Let me find the Shadow Demon Beast first." Li Xingze showed no mercy.

He still had two canaries at home. Adding them would exceed the headcount.

"Uh..." Zhao Manyan's face darkened instantly. And here he was calling him "Ze-ge" all chummy.

Unlike Mo Fan and Xu Zhaoting, Zhao Manyan had the Zhao Clan backing him. He didn't lack the Three Step Tower at all.

Even lying down, he could still make the National Team and reach the Advanced Level.

After parting with the three, Li Xingze returned to the apartment. Blind searching wouldn't work.

The city had a ban on Summoned Beasts, so Li Xingze couldn't ride the Goldflame Dragon Lion all over town looking for the Shadow Demon Beast.

So, Li Xingze had Mo Fan go to Zhang Xiaohou for information on the Shadow Demon Beast, while he first had the Ice Emperor Hunter Group search the city.

To keep Xu Zhaoting and Zhang Lulu safe, Li Xingze had them stay at school until he found the Shadow Demon Beast and regrouped.

As for Zhao Manyan, the guy was loaded with magic tools and equipment from head to toe. No need to worry about him.

The moment Li Xingze stepped into the apartment, he saw Ai Tutu bouncing over excitedly, the swaying orbs making it hard to look away.

"Li Xingze, you're finally back! Sister Mu and I have been waiting for you forever."

Ai Tutu naturally grabbed Li Xingze's hand, as if afraid he'd run off.

"Waiting for me?"

Li Xingze glanced at Mu Nujiao, who had her back to him. She was packing things, her tempting rear perfectly framed, curves flawless, leading down to fair, long legs.

Those legs rivaled Xin Xia's—each had their own merits. Mu Nujiao's were long and straight, worth a year of admiration!

Ai Tutu didn't mind Li Xingze's gaze at all. It wasn't the first time. If Li Xingze didn't look at them, she'd worry about her and Sister Mu's appeal.

"This assessment mission allows teaming up, you know. Want to consider joining our team?"

Ai Tutu might be naive, but she wasn't stupid. Everyone among the freshmen knew Li Xingze's strength. Land him, and you'd already be halfway to winning.

"If you catch the Shadow Demon Beast, Sister Mu might just give you her heart." Ai Tutu tempted.

"Tutu!!"

Mu Nujiao, busy packing, hadn't missed their conversation. Hearing Ai Tutu tease her, she turned and shot her a glare.

"Sounds good. Then why not just invite Mu Nujiao alone?" Li Xingze said.

Hearing this, Ai Tutu panicked and quickly said, "Sister Mu and I are definitely a team. Don't you dare split us up. Right, Sister Mu?"

Mu Nujiao didn't answer.

Seeing that, Ai Tutu grew frantic. Was Sister Mu really going to abandon her?

"I'm the brains of the operation. You can't do without me." Ai Tutu said.

Li Xingze rolled his eyes and said impatiently, "Do you even know how to track a demon? Do you know the living habits of a Shadow Demon Beast?"

Ai Tutu puffed out her cheeks and huffed, "You cold-hearted jerk, and here I was thinking about how to help you win over Sister Mu."

"Really?" Li Xingze gave Ai Tutu a strange look.

She'd lost interest in him that fast? This crush-prone girl sure changed her tune quickly.

Whatever Ai Tutu was thinking, Li Xingze had no interest in teasing her further. Instead, he said:

"Don't throw a tantrum. I never said I was going to take your Sister Mu away. As for teaming up, let me find the Shadow Demon Beast first."

"You have a way to find the Shadow Demon Beast?"

Mu Nujiao shot him a curious look, seeing how confident Li Xingze was.

Finding a way to track the Shadow Demon Beast right from the start—really? Mu Nujiao grew more intrigued by Li Xingze.

"I'll keep that to myself for now. Just wait for my good news."

A glint flickered in Li Xingze's eyes. Finding the Shadow Demon Beast was the easy part; the real key was rooting out those Black Vatican bastards behind the scenes.

Thanks to the Gray-Robed Mage, Bo City hadn't suffered a devastating blow, but the people of Bo City harbored no less hatred for the Black Vatican.

The Magic Association had even erected a statue for the unknown Undead Forbidden Curse caster, drawing countless mages to Bo City on pilgrimage.

Once someone reached the Forbidden Curse level, even the most heinous villain could become a saint worshipped by the masses—let alone this one, who could unleash Forbidden Curse magic single-handedly as an Undead Forbidden Curse caster.

After a year of recovery, Bo City had been largely restored to its former state, with even more High-level Magisters appearing. Most were searching for traces of that Forbidden Curse caster.

Basically, they clung to the slim hope of being taken as disciples by the Forbidden Curse caster, never realizing that even the Forbidden Curse Society hadn't found him. How could they possibly succeed?