Team Invitation, Hunting Squad

In the center of Gray Rock Valley, over a dozen Rock Armored Boars had Lin Fan completely surrounded.

The boar king at the front was particularly conspicuous—its shoulder height was nearly two meters, its tusks were as thick as a child's arms, and their tips gleamed with a dark golden luster. Its armor plates weren't gray-brown but a deep brown with a metallic sheen, clearly thicker and harder than those of ordinary Rock Armored Boars.

"Roar—"

The boar king let out a low growl, its front hooves heavily striking the ground, cracking it open in several places.

As if receiving a command, the other Rock Armored Boars began to slowly close in.

Lin Fan gripped his longsword, its blade still dripping blood—the blood of the Rock Armored Boar he'd just dealt with.

He quickly scanned his surroundings.

Five on the left, four on the right, three behind, and the boar king with two others in front.

"Thirteen... plus a boar king," Lin Fan calculated rapidly in his mind. "A direct confrontation means certain death."

His current condition: Origin Energy was about sixty percent remaining, stamina was over half depleted, and his left arm felt numb after being hit during the last fight.

The only good news was that the system's notification sound had just chimed again:

[Killed a Tier 2 Lower Rank Demonic Beast, Daily Quest Progress: 5/5]
[Daily Quest Complete!]
[Rewards Obtained: Skill Points x1, Random Mortal Tier Item x1]
[Random Draw in progress...]
[Obtained: Mortal Tier Top Grade Pill · Returning Origin Pill x3]

Returning Origin Pills could quickly restore Origin Energy. Three of them should be enough.

But there was no time to take them.

Because the boar king had already launched its attack.

Unlike ordinary Rock Armored Boars that charged directly, it approached with a slow, incredibly oppressive gait, its small eyes flashing with cunning.

This boar king had intelligence.

Lin Fan's heart tightened, knowing he couldn't wait any longer.

He had to strike first.

He stomped his foot hard, his body shooting out like an arrow loosed from a bow towards the left—there were five Rock Armored Boars there, but they were spaced farther apart, forming a weak point in the encirclement.

"Roar!"

The boar king seemed to see through his intentions, letting out a short roar.

The five Rock Armored Boars on the left simultaneously charged. Instead of meeting him head-on, they fanned out into a semicircle, attempting to trap Lin Fan.

"Too clever!" Lin Fan sneered, his speed not decreasing but increasing.

At the instant he was about to collide with the first Rock Armored Boar, he suddenly ducked, sliding underneath its belly.

The Rock Armored Boar, unable to react in time, continued its charge and crashed into its neighbor.

"Bang!"

The two boars collided, dazed.

Lin Fan had broken through the first line of defense, but three more were ahead.

He didn't stop, continuing his charge.

Sword light flashed.

"Gale Sword Technique · Triple Stab!"

Profound Origin Qi enveloped the tip of his sword, and three sword shadows simultaneously stabbed towards the eyes of the three Rock Armored Boars.

"Pfft, pfft, pfft!"

The three boars closed their eyes simultaneously. The sword tips struck their eyelids, producing a metallic clang.

Although they didn't pierce through, the immense impact forced them to retreat repeatedly.

A gap appeared in the encirclement.

Lin Fan didn't hesitate and charged towards the opening.

But just then—

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

Heavy footsteps sounded from behind him, astonishingly fast.

The boar king had caught up!

Lin Fan could feel the terrifying pressure without even looking back. He rolled to the side, and almost simultaneously, a dark shadow whizzed past his back.

"Boom!"

The boar king slammed into a large rock, which shattered with a roar.

Flying debris struck Lin Fan's chainmail, making a "ding-dang" sound.

"That was close..." Lin Fan broke out in a cold sweat.

If he hadn't reacted quickly, that charge would have killed him.

The Boar King turned its body, its eyes fixed on Lin Fan, hot white mist snorting from its nostrils.

It was angry.

Lin Fan stood up, his sword-gripping hand trembling slightly.

Not from fear, but from excitement.

"Tier 2 Mid-stage Demonic Beast... equivalent to a 3rd Grade Martial Master." He licked his lips. "Fighting above my level grants tenfold proficiency."

System Rule: Challenging enemies above one's level grants tenfold proficiency.

If he killed this Boar King, how much would he gain?

Just thinking about it made his blood boil.

"Come on." Lin Fan took a deep breath, the Profound Origin Qi in his dantian beginning to circulate wildly.

Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art, first turn, Proficient level, 3150 proficiency points.

Only 1850 points away from Minor Accomplishment.

If he could kill this Boar King, maybe...

But reality was cruel.

The Boar King attacked again, this time faster and stronger.

Lin Fan barely dodged, but was hit by the residual force, sent flying backward, and crashed heavily onto the rocks.

"Cough!" He coughed up blood, feeling at least one rib broken.

The Boar King gave him no chance to breathe and charged again.

Lin Fan gritted his teeth, took a Returning Origin Pill from his Storage Space, and popped it into his mouth.

The pill entered his abdomen, turning into a warm current that quickly replenished his depleted Origin Energy.

At the same time, he took out the protective jade pendant Sun Wanting had given him and held it in his hand.

"I have no choice but to go all out."

Just as the Boar King was about to collide, Lin Fan activated the jade pendant.

"Hum--"

A faint cyan light shield instantly appeared, protecting him.

"Bang!"

The Boar King crashed into the light shield. The shield vibrated violently but did not break.

"It blocked!" Lin Fan rejoiced inwardly.

A full-power strike from a 3rd Grade Martial Master could be blocked once.

He seized the opportunity, rushing out of the light shield, his long sword thrusting directly at the Boar King's eyes.

This time, he held nothing back.

All his Profound Origin Qi was injected into the sword, and the sword tip emitted a dazzling white light.

"Break!"

"Puchi!"

The sword tip pierced the Boar King's left eye, sinking half a foot deep.

"Roar--!!!"

The Boar King let out a piercing scream, shaking its head wildly.

Lin Fan was flung away, but the sword remained stuck in the Boar King's eye.

The Boar King went completely mad, charging recklessly and smashing the surrounding rocks to pieces.

The other Rock Armored Boars scattered in fear.

Lin Fan landed, coughing up more blood.

His ribs were broken, and his internal organs had suffered shock trauma.

But his eyes were fixed on the Boar King.

The sword was still in its eye, and Profound Origin Qi was continuously destroying the Boar King's brain.

Just a little longer...

But the Boar King's vitality was stronger than he had imagined.

Although it had lost an eye, it was still ferocious. It located Lin Fan and charged again.

The light shield had vanished, and the jade pendant was shattered.

Lin Fan had no more defenses.

"Am I going to die here?" A sense of unwillingness welled up in his heart.

Just then--

"Brother Fan! Get down!"

A familiar voice came from above.

Without a second thought, Lin Fan immediately lowered his head.

"Whoosh--"

An arrow grazed his scalp and flew past, precisely striking the boar king's other eye.

"Roar!!!"

The boar king, hit by the arrow again, rose to its feet in pain.

An opportunity!

Lin Fan endured the intense pain, took out a second Returning Origin Pill from his Storage Space, and charged towards the boar king.

He had no sword, but he still had his fists.

Fists honed to Perfection by the Iron Body Skill.

"Basic Fist Technique · Mountain Collapse!"

All his Origin Energy, all his strength, all his will, converged into this single punch.

"Bang!!!"

His fist heavily smashed into the boar king's brow—the most vulnerable part of its skull.

"Crack--"

The sound of the skull shattering was clearly audible.

The boar king's massive body crashed to the ground, twitched a few times, and then lay still.

[Basic Fist Technique Proficiency +20]

[Killed a Rank 2 Mid-tier Demonic Beast, Proficiency +100 (Challenging a higher rank, tenfold bonus)]

[Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art Proficiency +50 (Extreme Burst)]

[Achievement Unlocked: First Higher-Rank Kill]

[Received Achievement Reward: Skill Points x3]

A series of system prompts invigorated Lin Fan.

But he didn't have time to examine them closely, as the surrounding Rock Armored Boars began to close in again.

The boar king was dead, but they were still here.

Lin Fan was in terrible condition and could not fight anymore.

Just as he was preparing to fight desperately, several figures leaped down from the rocks above, landing beside him.

"Brother Fan, are you alright?"

Chen Dahu was the first to rush over, supporting the swaying Lin Fan.

Behind him, Sun Wanting, Zhou Ming, and Bai Susu had all arrived.

Sun Wanting held a longbow; it was she who had shot the arrow just now. Zhou Ming gripped two short blades, warily eyeing the surrounding Rock Armored Boars. Bai Susu was quickly checking Lin Fan's injuries.

"Three ribs are broken, internal organs are concussed, and your Origin Energy is depleted," Bai Susu said, her brow furrowed. "You need immediate treatment."

"Let's deal with these beasts first," Sun Wanting said coldly, drawing her bow again.

"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!"

Three arrows were fired in quick succession, accurately hitting the eyes of three Rock Armored Boars.

Zhou Ming moved like a phantom, his short blades slicing through the joints of the Rock Armored Boars, severing their tendons.

Chen Dahu roared, swinging his heavy saber, cleaving a Rock Armored Boar in two with a single strike.

The three worked together with perfect coordination. In less than fifteen minutes, the remaining Rock Armored Boars were either dead or had fled.

The valley gradually returned to silence, leaving only a ground full of corpses and a heavy smell of blood.

"Hoo..." Lin Fan sighed in relief and slumped to the ground.

Bai Susu immediately began his treatment.

She took out silver needles from her portable medical kit and inserted them into several of Lin Fan's acupoints to stop the internal bleeding. She then took out ointment and applied it to his broken ribs.

"This is 'Bone-Mending Ointment.' Avoid strenuous activity for three days," Bai Susu instructed. "Your internal injuries need recuperation. I'll write you a prescription, and you can get the medicine when we get back."

"Thank you," Lin Fan nodded.

Only then did he get a clear look at the four of them.

Chen Dahu had a few claw marks on him, but they weren't deep. Sun Wanting's arm was bleeding; it seemed she had been scratched by debris while drawing her bow. Zhou Ming's face was pale, clearly having expended a lot of energy. Bai Susu, on the other hand, was unharmed but looked exhausted.

"Why are you guys here?" Lin Fan asked. "Isn't the escort mission supposed to take five days?"

"It ended early," Sun Wanting said as she bandaged her wound. "The caravan encountered a beast stampede halfway and suffered heavy losses, so they had to turn back. The mission is considered half-complete. Everyone received 25 Academic Credits and 2500 Huaxia Coin."

"When we got back to the academy, we heard you went into the wilderness alone," Chen Dahu said with a simple, honest laugh. "So we hurried over. Luckily, we caught up."

Lin Fan felt a warmth spread through his heart.

These people truly considered him a friend.

"Thank you," he said earnestly.

"Don't thank us too soon," Zhou Ming said, adjusting his glasses. "We have our own motives for saving you."

"Motives?"

Sun Wanting finished bandaging her wound and walked up to Lin Fan, looking him straight in the eye. "Lin Fan, I want to invite you to join our Hunting Group."

"Hunting Group?" Lin Fan was taken aback.

"Yes," Sun Wanting nodded. "A permanent Hunting Group. I'll be the captain, and the members include Chen Dahu, Zhou Ming, and Bai Susu. We're currently missing a main damage dealer."

She paused and continued, "I've seen you fight. You're strong, have good combat awareness, and... you're willing to risk everything. We need someone like you."

Lin Fan fell silent.

Joining a permanent team meant frequently acting together, sharing resources, and shouldering risks.

The benefits were guaranteed safety and higher efficiency.

The drawback was... less freedom.

He liked acting alone, doing whatever he wanted, practicing whatever he wanted.

But the reality was, one person's strength was ultimately limited.

Like today, if Sun Wanting and the others hadn't arrived in time, he might already be dead.

"Brother Fan, join us!" Chen Dahu exclaimed excitedly. "Let's venture into the wilderness together, earn big money, and become strong!"

Zhou Ming analyzed calmly, "Lin Fan, what you lack most right now is resources. Hunting Demonic Beasts alone is inefficient and risky. But with a team, we can take on higher-level missions and hunt more valuable Demonic Beasts. Even after splitting the profits, it'll be more than going solo."

Bai Susu said softly, "Besides, with me here, you can get timely treatment if you're injured. In the wilderness, a good physician can save your life many times over."

The three took turns persuading him, their attitudes sincere.

Lin Fan looked at Sun Wanting. "Why do you want to form a team?"

Sun Wanting's eyes darkened. "To rebuild the Thunder Hunting Group."

"Thunder Hunting Group?"

"It was founded by my father. Three years ago, it was almost wiped out in a beast tide," Sun Wanting said calmly, but Lin Fan could hear the pain in her voice. "My father was severely injured and retired. My brothers either died or scattered. I want to rebuild it, but I can't do it alone."

She looked at Lin Fan. "I need teammates, comrades I can trust. And you, Lin Fan, I believe you are trustworthy."

Lin Fan remained silent for a longer time.

He remembered the jade pendant Sun Wanting had given him, the Pulse Nourishing Pill left by her father, and the arrow she had just shot.

This was a girl who valued loyalty and righteousness.

"What are the rules for the team?" Lin Fan asked.

Sun Wanting's eyes lit up. "First, absolute trust among members, no betrayal. Second, spoils of war are distributed based on contribution, fair and public. Third, in times of danger, no one is abandoned. Fourth... that's all for now. Other details can be refined later."

"What about decision-making power?"

"I'm the captain, responsible for tactical command and mission acceptance. But major decisions require a unanimous vote," Sun Wanting said seriously. "I won't be autocratic."

Lin Fan nodded and asked again, "What's your current strength?"

"I'm a 3rd Grade Martial Master, skilled in archery and command," Sun Wanting said.

"Chen Dahu, a 2nd Grade Martial Artist, strength-type, mainly defense."

"Zhou Ming, a 2nd Grade Martial Artist, speed-type, mainly reconnaissance and assassination."

"Bai Susu, a 2nd Grade Martial Artist, physician, skilled in healing and poison."

After finishing, she looked at Lin Fan. "And you?"

"2nd Grade Martial Artist, all-rounder," Lin Fan said after thinking for a moment. "My offense, defense, and speed are all decent."

This was a modest assessment.

With his Iron Body Skill at Perfection, his physical body was comparable to a 4th Grade Great Martial Master. His Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art was mastered, and the quality of his Origin Energy far surpassed that of his peers. Coupled with the system's assistance, his actual combat strength was at least equivalent to a 3rd Grade Martial Master.

"Good," Sun Wanting nodded. "So, what's your decision?"

Lin Fan took a deep breath.

He needed resources, he needed to become stronger, and he needed to protect his sister.

Alone, it was too difficult.

"I'll join," Lin Fan extended his hand.

Sun Wanting smiled and shook his hand. "Welcome to the Thunder Team."

Chen Dahu clapped his hands excitedly, "That's great! Brother Fan, we're comrades from now on!"

Zhou Ming pushed up his glasses, a smile also appearing at the corner of his mouth.

Bai Susu smiled gently, "Lin Fan, please guide me in the future."

"Alright, let's deal with the spoils of war first." Sun Wanting regained her professional demeanor as captain. "The Boar King was killed by Lin Fan, so the Demonic Core and the most valuable materials belong to him. The other Rock Armored Boars will be distributed based on contribution. Any questions?"

"No," everyone shook their heads.

Lin Fan was a bit surprised, "I get the Boar King all to myself?"

"Rules are rules," Sun Wanting said seriously. "Whoever kills it gets the lion's share. These are the rules of the wilderness, and the rules of our team."

"Then... thank you."

Lin Fan no longer refused.

He began to process the Boar King's corpse.

The Demonic Core was dark brown, a size larger than that of a normal Rock Armored Boar, and its energy fluctuations were more intense. It was worth at least 5,000 Huaxia Coin.

The tusks were intact and could be used to refine weapons or armor. Although the scales were damaged in many places, they could still be sold for money. The flesh, bones, and internal organs were all materials.

He stored everything in his Storage Space, which took up almost half of it.

Looks like I need to improve my cultivation realm quickly and expand my Storage Space, Lin Fan thought.

The others were also processing the bodies of the other Rock Armored Boars.

An hour later, all the spoils of war were processed.

"A good harvest," Zhou Ming tallied. "Twelve ordinary Rock Armored Boars, their Demonic Cores and materials combined are worth about twenty thousand Huaxia Coin. Each person can get about five thousand."

"Including the Boar King's, Lin Fan earned at least ten thousand today," Chen Dahu said enviously.

"That's what he deserves," Sun Wanting said. "If he hadn't killed the Boar King, we wouldn't have had the chance to deal with these ordinary Rock Armored Boars."

Lin Fan didn't speak; he was checking his system Panel.

Killing the Boar King just now had earned him 100 Proficiency Points (ten times bonus). Combined with the previous points, the Proficiency for the first turn of the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art was now:

3300/5000.

He still needed 1700 points.

And the Skill Points he obtained from completing the mission just now were 4 points (1 point from a daily task, 3 points from an achievement reward).

4 Skill Points equaled 400 Proficiency Points.

If he added all of them to the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art, it would be 3700/5000.

He still needed 1300 points.

If I cultivate for a whole night, I should be able to break through to Minor Accomplishment, Lin Fan calculated in his mind.

The Minor Accomplishment level of the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art would provide a 50% bonus, significantly increasing the quality and quantity of his Origin Energy.

At that time, his combat power would reach another level.

"Alright, pack up and prepare to return," Sun Wanting said. "Lin Fan is injured and needs to return to the city to recuperate. Besides, we've already gained enough today; it's good to know when to stop."

Everyone nodded.

Lin Fan suddenly remembered something.

"Wait a moment," he looked at Sun Wanting. "Did you notice anything unusual when you arrived?"

"Unusual?" Sun Wanting frowned. "What unusual?"

"I feel like... someone was watching us from the shadows," Lin Fan said in a low voice.

This was his intuition.

Ever since they entered Gray Rock Valley, he had a feeling of being spied upon. It became even stronger during the battle just now.

Sun Wanting's expression changed, and she immediately signaled everyone to be alert.

Zhou Ming flickered and disappeared into the shadows of the rocks.

A moment later, he returned with a grim expression. "Three hundred zhang to the east, there are footprints. Not from Demonic Beasts, but from humans. At least three of them. Their cultivation is unknown, but they were very professional, leaving almost no traces."

"Who?" Chen Dahu gripped his cleaver.

"I don't know," Zhou Ming shook his head. "But to be able to approach within three hundred zhang without us noticing, their strength is not weak."

Sun Wanting pondered for a moment and said, "No matter who it is, this place is not suitable for lingering. We retreat immediately."

"Agreed," Lin Fan nodded.

The five quickly packed up and returned along the same path.

Along the way, everyone was very vigilant.

But it wasn't until they left Gray Rock Valley and entered the outer perimeter of Black Wind Ridge that the feeling of being watched disappeared.

"It seems the other party had no ill intentions, or... they didn't want to make a move for now," Zhou Ming analyzed.

"Could it be the Shadow Society?" Lin Fan asked.

"It's possible." Sun Wanting's expression was grave. "Jiangnan City has been restless lately, and the Shadow Society's activities have become more frequent. My father said they seem to be collecting something."

Lin Fan recalled the wooden token on the dead soldier, the eye pattern on it.

But he didn't say it out loud.

Some things are better known by fewer people.

"Let's head back to the city first," Sun Wanting quickened her pace. "Lin Fan needs treatment, and these materials should be sold as soon as possible."

Everyone nodded and picked up their pace.

As dusk fell, the five of them returned to Jiangnan City.

Sun Wanting, familiar with the way, led them to a shop called "Hundred Treasures Pavilion."

The shopkeeper, a chubby middle-aged man, greeted them with a smile upon seeing Sun Wanting. "Miss Sun, another bountiful harvest?"

"Same as usual, appraise and pay in cash," Sun Wanting said concisely.

"Alright!"

The shopkeeper began to tally the materials.

Pig King Demonic Core, appraised at 5200 Huaxia Coin.

Twelve ordinary Demonic Cores, averaging 1500 each, totaling 18000.

Fangs, scales, fur, flesh, bones…

The final total: thirty-two thousand Huaxia Coin.

"Miss Sun, you're a regular customer, so I'll round it up for you to thirty-three thousand," the shopkeeper said with a smile.

"Okay," Sun Wanting nodded.

According to the previous distribution, Lin Fan received the 5200 for the Pig King Demonic Core, plus a quarter of the other earnings, which was (33000 - 5200) / 4 = 6950.

His total came to 12150 Huaxia Coin.

The other four each received 6950.

"Here you go." The shopkeeper counted out the cash and handed each person a stack of bills.

Lin Fan took his, a thick, heavy stack.

This was the largest sum of money he had received since his transmigration.

With money, I can buy more resources, he mused.

"Lin Fan, your injuries need rest," Bai Susu said. "Avoid strenuous activity for three days and take your medicine on time. Here's the prescription; just get the medicine from the pharmacy."

She handed Lin Fan a piece of paper.

"Thank you." Lin Fan took it and glanced at the prescription. They were all common medicinal herbs, not expensive.

"That's all for today," Sun Wanting said. "Tomorrow morning, meet at the usual spot. I've accepted a new mission."

"What mission?" Chen Dahu asked.

"Hunting a Crimson Flame Tiger, a Rank 2 Upper-tier Demonic Beast," Sun Wanting replied. "The reward is high, but so is the risk. Lin Fan, you don't have to participate since you're injured."

"I'll participate," Lin Fan said immediately.

"Your injuries…"

"They're already mostly healed." Lin Fan moved his body. "Besides, I need practical combat experience."

He needed proficiency, resources, and to become stronger.

A minor injury was nothing.

Sun Wanting looked at him for a few seconds and nodded. "Alright, see you tomorrow then."

The five parted ways.

Lin Fan first went to the pharmacy to get his medicine, then returned to his academy dormitory.

Closing the door, he immediately brought up his system panel.

[Character: Lin Fan]
[Age: 16]
[Realm: 2nd Grade Martial Artist (Tier 1)]
[Origin Energy: 200/800 (Recovering)]
[Cultivation Method: Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art - First Revolution (Proficient 3300/5000)]
[Martial Skills: Basic Fist Technique (Proficient), Basic Sword Technique (Proficient), Gale Sword Technique (Skilled), Iron Body Skill (Perfection)]
[Skill Points: 4]
[Storage Space: 1 cubic meter (Used 0.6)]

"System, add all 4 Skill Points to the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art."

[Consuming Skill Points x4]

[Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art First Revolution Proficiency +400]

[Current Proficiency: 3700/5000]

Only 1300 points left.

Lin Fan took out a Returning Origin Pill and swallowed it, then began to cultivate.

This time, he didn't activate five times speed—his body was injured and couldn't handle it.

But with normal cultivation and the pill, he should be able to break through in one night.

Time passed.

The moon rose and set.

When the first rays of dawn shone into the dormitory, Lin Fan opened his eyes.

A light "crack" sounded from within his body.

It wasn't a bone breaking, but a bottleneck shattering.

[Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art First Revolution Proficiency Reached 5000/5000]

[Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art First Revolution Minor Accomplishment Achieved]

[Attribute Bonus Obtained: Origin Energy Cap +500, Origin Energy Recovery Speed +200%, Origin Energy Quality Increased by 100%]

[Profound Origin Qi Strength Doubled, Automatic Tempering Effect Tripled]

[Detected Host's Total Origin Energy Exceeding Critical Value]

[Realm Advancement: 2nd Grade Martial Artist (Tier 1) → 2nd Grade Martial Artist (Tier 2)]

He broke through!

Lin Fan felt the surging Origin Energy within his body, at least twice as strong as before.

The Minor Accomplishment level of the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art provided a 50% bonus, making its effects significant.

"Now, if I fight the Pig King again, I shouldn't be so pathetic," he clenched his fist.

He got up, washed, and changed into a clean set of clothes.

Then, he put on his chainmail underneath—the rental period had two more days, so he might as well use it.

He prepared his medicine, weapons, and rations.

Then, he went out.

The academy was still quiet in the early morning, with only a few students practicing.

When Lin Fan arrived at the North City Gate, Sun Wanting and the other three were already there.

"You're here," Sun Wanting nodded. "How's your injury?"

"Healed," Lin Fan moved his arm. "It won't affect combat."

"That's good." Sun Wanting handed him a piece of paper. "Mission details: Crimson Flame Tiger, Tier 2 High-grade, equivalent to the peak of a 3rd Grade Martial Master. It's skilled in fire-element attacks, fast, and strong. Its habitat is in 'Flame Valley,' thirty miles from here."

Lin Fan took it and quickly scanned it.

Mission rewards: 100 Academic Credits, 10000 Huaxia Coin. Tiger hide, tiger bones, and tiger penis are calculated separately.

"The reward is quite generous," Zhou Ming adjusted his glasses. "But the risk is also high. The Crimson Flame Tiger is a solitary Demonic Beast, and the environment in Flame Valley is harsh, with extremely high temperatures that will affect combat."

"I've prepared," Sun Wanting took out five blue pills from her backpack. "Ice Condensation Pills. They can temporarily resist high temperatures, with each pill lasting for one hour. Two per person, use them sparingly."

She distributed the pills.

"Any other questions?" Sun Wanting looked at everyone.

"No," everyone shook their heads.

"Then let's go."

The five-person team left Jiangnan City and headed towards Flame Valley.

This was Lin Fan's first time acting as a team member.

He glanced at his teammates: the steady Sun Wanting, the honest Chen Dahu, the shrewd Zhou Ming, and the gentle Bai Susu.

Perhaps, this isn't so bad, he thought.

At least, he no longer had to face all the dangers alone.

But just then, the system notification suddenly chimed:

[Detected Host Joining a Fixed Team]

[Team Function Unlocked]

[Team Mission Issued: Hunt Crimson Flame Tiger]

[Mission Requirements: All team members must survive the hunt]

[Mission Rewards: Team Skill 'Cooperative Combat (Beginner)', Skill Points x2 (per person)]

[Failure Penalty: None]

Team quest?

Lin Fan's eyes lit up.

Another way to earn Skill Points.

And team skills... sounded very useful.

He looked ahead.

In the direction of Flame Valley, the sky was faintly red.

There, there were powerful Demonic Beasts, generous rewards, and unknown dangers.

But this time, he wasn't alone.