The Stepping Stone Arranged by the Organizers

"The location for the practical training hunt has been decided. We need to go to a meeting now. Call Xie Kuang over to sit in."

"."

Zhao Gongzheng raised a brow and immediately noticed the students' gazes converging on one person.

It was not Xie Kuang, whom he had seen many times before, but rather the ordinary student who had challenged Wang Guanjia half a month ago.

"Director Zhao, Jiang Qiu is now the top Outstanding Student of our Field No. 8. He should be the one sitting in on the practical training hunt meeting."

Wu Shan also gestured to Jiang Qiu. "Put your spear away and come with me to the meeting."

Director Zhao's brow furrowed deeply as he murmured, "He's only been here half a month, hasn't he? He beat Xie Kuang?"

"He was the one who won two portions of Martial Spirit Incense yesterday."

Upon hearing that, Director Zhao fell silent. Jiang Qiu's figure was reflected in his deep eyes, carrying a glimmer like ancient jade catching sparks of fire.

"There are overlooked pearls even in the vast sea. After the practical training hunt, spend half a month teaching Ancient Martial Arts Spear Technique to Class Eight. Even if they have no hope of advancing through the college entrance exam, they can still make their way in the Military Department. More skills mean more opportunities."

"."

Wu Shan let out a long breath through his nose.

Seven days of teaching had turned into half a month.

Inside the Elite Training Hall's conference room, two pitch-black seats stood upon the stage, while the seats below were arranged in rising rows. Teachers and students gradually entered.

Jiang Qiu sat alone in the left corner of the fourth row. The empty seats to his right gradually filled with students his age, and hushed whispers drifted into his ears. "What's going on? Who's that? Didn't Xie Kuang come?"

"Tch, you don't know? His name is Jiang Qiu. During yesterday's Martial Spirit Incense distribution, he instantly defeated Xie Kuang. He's already comprehended Spear Shaft Shatters Armor!"

"Holy shit, Spear Shaft Shatters Armor? Who the hell is he?"

"We'll know once we ask the people from Field No. 8 later. Anyway, if he can instantly defeat Xie Kuang, his strength must not be far behind Li Juefeng's. He might even get to be the second person to choose the Initial Land for the practical training hunt."

Jiang Qiu said nothing. He leaned against the wall with his left fist propping up his face, while the fingers of his right hand tapped against the armrest.

A hunt naturally meant killing the demonic beasts that had appeared because of the secret realms. They were whetstones for the Outstanding Students, sharpening their spearheads.

For most high school students, this was practically their only opportunity to leave the city aside from the college entrance exam. They would face all sorts of low-tier and even mid-tier demonic beasts.

It was said that even low-tier demonic beast meat sold for two hundred yuan per pound, while mid-tier demonic beasts possessed certain parts worth developing.

At that thought, Jiang Qiu's gaze sharpened.

Once he left school, there would no longer be martial artists guarding him in hunting grounds. This was also an opportunity for him to earn money. The more he killed, the more he earned.

Food, water, electricity, clothes, pants, and wooden buckets all required money.

His savings were running low. He could not even bear to prepare a spare spear shaft, much less buy armor to raise his chances of passing the college entrance exam. As for those expensive body-tempering resources on the market that required prolonged medicinal baths, they were even further out of reach.

Cough, cough!

The microphone crackled through the entire conference room, immediately suppressing most of the noise and drawing Jiang Qiu's attention.

Zhao Gongzheng sat calmly in the seat on the left side of the stage. On the right sat a cold-faced middle-aged man with a long scar embedded across the bridge of his nose. The nameplate before him read—Li Ang.

"This meeting will mainly cover two points."

Zhao Gongzheng's voice was vigorous and clear. "First, the location.

"In recent years, the Demon King Crimson Flame Spider Matriarch of Northwest Province has turned her attention toward Tianshan City in the far north. Most of the demon clans capable of matching martial artists have been transferred away from the ruins of the many counties and towns outside the city, leaving behind mainly demonic beasts.

"Director Li and I have selected the most suitable location for our school's Outstanding Students to conduct their practical training hunt—Qingmu Town.

"A Small Secret Realm distortion appeared there not long ago. It has already gathered at least a thousand low-tier demonic beasts and several dozen mid-tier demonic beasts. There is even a fruit-bearing Demon Plant in the area near the center of the secret realm!"

As soon as those words fell, Jiang Qiu's left cheek instinctively lifted off his fist as he muttered, "A Demon Plant?"

It seemed to have been covered in general knowledge class. When a secret realm distortion appeared, it affected the environment of an entire area, and every living thing within it would be influenced.

When plants mutated to a certain degree under special conditions, they were called Demon Plants. They were also a type of demon, but they often possessed exceptional properties and were highly effective for body tempering, pharmaceutical production, and researching medicinal bath ingredients.

There had once been a news report about a fruitless Demon Plant selling for six hundred thousand!

"Damn, No.8 Middle School actually got first claim on such a great location this year?"

"Demon Plants usually aren't easy to deal with. Leaving one for the students to hunt might be too much for them."

"You can't put it that way. That Small Secret Realm in Qingmu Town is practically incapable of catalyzing a Demon Plant. Hardly any high schools went there in previous years. Since a Demon Plant has only just emerged there this year, it probably isn't very strong. Besides, Director Li's son, Li Juefeng—his strength should be enough."

The teachers in the front rows discussed quietly. Jiang Qiu subconsciously turned his head and glanced at the students in his row. There were six of them.

He did not see the rumored foremost genius of the eight fields.

"Second, the arrangements!"

Hearing the shout, Jiang Qiu lightly clenched his fists and looked toward Zhao Gongzheng on the stage, his eyes like jade emerging from water.

Now they were getting to the real point.

"As in previous years, the top Outstanding Student from each field will lead the other students in hunting under the covert protection of the heads of each field, with supervision from the Inspection Team of our Martial Inspection Department.

"Everything students obtain during the practical training hunt belongs to the students themselves. The school will buy it back, and there must be no incidents of teachers forcibly taking things from students.

"Furthermore, the top Outstanding Student from each field will receive one portion of Martial Spirit Incense. The best-performing student may additionally receive ten portions of Martial Spirit Incense and one portion of Spear Spirit Incense. Their supervising teacher will receive the right to distribute Martial Spirit Incense equal in quantity to the number of students in their field!"

Spear Spirit Incense?!

Jiang Qiu's eyes widened. His blood surged, and his fists creaked.

Could that really be used as a reward too?

In previous years, the best reward had only been ten portions of Martial Spirit Incense!

The moment those words fell, neither the students nor the teachers below the stage could suppress their murmurs. A Demon Plant, plus extra Spear Spirit Incense—it was like monstrous waves crashing toward them, sending their adrenaline soaring!

"Damn, since when has the Resource Department been this generous? They're actually using their treasured Spear Spirit Incense as a reward?"

"Why don't you look at who Li Juefeng's father is? Those are obviously resources his father specially prepared. What does it have to do with us?"

"Yeah. With Li Juefeng's talent and strength, he'll definitely perform the best. Once he gets the Spear Spirit Incense, his spear arts will surely take a huge step forward, and he'll completely comprehend his own Transformative Force!"

"Hey, even the Principal had planned to stockpile that stuff as strategic supplies. I never expected him to let one portion slip out as a reward. As expected of the director of the Resource Department."

Background, power, resources—Li Juefeng had an excellent birth and outstanding talent. This practical hunting exercise was merely a stepping stone for him; all the other students were just there to make him look good.

Thinking about it carefully, who exactly got to decide who had "performed the best"?

Maybe Li Juefeng had even been told the Demon Plant's location in advance. Everyone else would always be one step behind.

Jiang Qiu sighed inwardly. His fists slowly loosened, and the surge of blood receded.

Forget it. They were the organizers, while he was merely a participant. Coveting first place was unrealistic. When the time came, he could just kill more Demon Beasts and make money. Killing the most demons would also earn him two portions of Martial Spirit Incense.

The meeting continued. After Zhao Gongzheng finished explaining the details, the right to speak passed to Li Ang, whose scar was embedded across the bridge of his nose. "Regarding the choice of Initial Land, Field No. 1, where Li Juefeng is located, will be the first choice. The remaining fields will be ranked according to martial prowess."

Before he had even finished three sentences, Jiang Qiu gradually narrowed his eyes and leaned back against the wall. At that very moment, a familiar and unwelcome voice exploded like thunder: "I object!"