Group Invitation, Hunting Squad

In the heart of Gray Rock Valley, more than a dozen Rock Armored Boars had Lin Fan surrounded, leaving him no room to escape.

The boar king at the front stood out above all the others. It stood nearly two meters at the shoulder, its tusks as thick as a child's arm, their tips gleaming with a dark golden sheen. Its armor plates weren't grayish-brown, but a deep brown with a metallic luster. They were clearly thicker and harder than those of ordinary Rock Armored Boars.

"Roar—"

The boar king let out a low growl and stamped its forehooves into the ground. Several cracks split the earth.

The other Rock Armored Boars seemed to take this as an order and began slowly closing in.

Lin Fan gripped his long sword. Blood still dripped from the blade—the blood of the Rock Armored Boar he'd just fought.

He quickly surveyed his surroundings.

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

"Thirteen... plus the boar king." Lin Fan quickly calculated. "A head-on fight would be suicide."

His current condition: about sixty percent of his qi remained, he'd used up more than half his stamina, and his left arm had gone somewhat numb after being struck in the fight just now.

The one piece of good news was that the system's prompt tone had sounded again just moments ago:

[Second-tier lower-level Demonic Beast slain. Daily quest progress: 5/5]

[Daily quest complete!]

[Reward obtained: Skill Points x1, random Mortal Tier item x1]

[Random draw in progress...]

[Obtained: Mortal Tier Top Grade pill · Returning Origin Pill x3]

The Returning Origin Pill could quickly restore qi. Three should be enough.

But there was no time to take them.

The boar king had already attacked.

Unlike the ordinary Rock Armored Boars, it didn't charge straight at him. Instead, it advanced slowly with an intensely oppressive gait, its little eyes glinting with cunning.

This boar king had intelligence.

Lin Fan's heart tightened. He knew he couldn't wait any longer.

He had to strike first.

He stamped hard against the ground, his body shooting toward the left like an arrow loosed from its bow. Five Rock Armored Boars were there, but they stood far apart from one another. It was the weakest point in the encirclement.

"Roar!"

The boar king seemed to see through his intentions and let out a short, sharp roar.

The five Rock Armored Boars on the left charged at once. They didn't meet him head-on, but spread into a fan shape, trying to trap him.

"Too clever for your own good!" Lin Fan sneered, his speed only increasing.

Just as he was about to collide with the first Rock Armored Boar, he suddenly dropped low and slid beneath its belly.

The Rock Armored Boar couldn't react in time. It kept charging and crashed into the companion beside it.

"Bang!"

The two boars collided, dazed and reeling.

Lin Fan had already broken through the first line, but three more stood ahead.

He didn't stop, pressing forward.

Swordlight flashed.

"Gale Sword Technique · Triple Thrust!"

Profound Origin Qi enveloped the sword tip as three sword-images stabbed at the eyes of three Rock Armored Boars.

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"

The three boars shut their eyes at once. The sword tips struck their eyelids with the clang of metal.

Though he couldn't pierce them, the tremendous force drove the boars back again and again.

A gap opened in the encirclement.

Without hesitation, Lin Fan charged toward it.

But just then—

"Thud! Thud! Thud!"

Heavy footsteps sounded behind him, moving at astonishing speed.

The boar king was catching up!

Lin Fan could feel the terrifying pressure without even looking back. He twisted and rolled aside, and at almost the same moment, a dark blur skimmed past his back.

"Boom!"

The boar king slammed into a boulder, shattering it with a thunderous crash.

Flying stone fragments struck Lin Fan's chainmail with a series of metallic clinks.

"That was close..." Lin Fan broke into a cold sweat.

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

The boar king wheeled around, its eyes fixed on Lin Fan as hot white steam poured from its nostrils.

It was furious.

Lin Fan got to his feet, his sword hand trembling slightly.

Not from fear, but from excitement.

"Second-tier mid-level Demonic Beast... the equivalent of a 3rd Grade Martial Master." He licked his lips. "Over-level combat means ten times the proficiency."

System rule: Over-level Challenge granted ten times the proficiency.

How much would he gain if he killed this boar king?

Just thinking about it made his blood boil.

"Come on." Lin Fan drew a deep breath as the Profound Origin Qi in his dantian began to churn wildly.

First revolution of the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art, Mastery Level, 3,150 proficiency points.

He was only 1,850 points from Minor Accomplishment.

If he could kill this boar king, maybe...

But reality was cruel.

The boar king attacked again, faster and stronger this time.

Lin Fan barely dodged, but was clipped by the shockwave. He flew backward and slammed hard into a rock.

"Cough!" He spat out a mouthful of blood, feeling that at least one of his ribs had broken.

The boar king gave him no chance to catch his breath. It charged again.

Gritting his teeth, Lin Fan took a Returning Origin Pill from his Storage Space and swallowed it.

The pill entered his stomach and became a stream of heat, quickly restoring the qi he had spent.

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

"I have no choice but to risk it."

Just as the boar king was about to collide with him, Lin Fan activated the pendant.

"Hum—"

A pale green barrier appeared in an instant, shielding him within.

"Bang!"

The boar king crashed into the barrier. It shuddered violently but didn't break.

"It held!" Lin Fan was overjoyed.

It could withstand one full-force strike from a 3rd Grade Martial Master.

He seized the opportunity, bursting out of the barrier with his long sword thrust straight at the boar king's eye.

This time, he held nothing back.

He poured all his Profound Origin Qi into the blade, and the sword tip blazed with dazzling white light.

"Break!"

"Pfft!"

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

"Roar—!!!"

The boar king let out a shrill scream and shook its head wildly.

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

The boar king went completely berserk. It charged about recklessly, smashing the surrounding rocks to pieces.

The other Rock Armored Boars scattered in terror.

Lin Fan hit the ground and coughed up another mouthful of blood.

His ribs were broken, and his internal organs had been shaken by the impact.

But his eyes remained fixed on the boar king.

The sword was still in its eye, and Profound Origin Qi was steadily destroying its brain.

He only needed to hold on a little longer...

But the boar king's vitality was greater than he'd imagined.

Even blind in one eye, it remained ferocious. It found Lin Fan's position and charged again.

The barrier had already vanished, and the pendant had shattered.

Lin Fan had no means of defense left.

Was he going to die here? A surge of unwillingness welled up inside him.

Just then—

"Brother Fan! Duck!"

A familiar voice came from above.

Lin Fan didn't even think. He ducked at once.

"Whoosh—"

An arrow skimmed over his scalp and struck the boar king's other eye with perfect accuracy.

"Roar!!!"

Hit again, the boar king reared up in agony.

An opening!

Enduring the pain, Lin Fan took a second Returning Origin Pill from his Storage Space and swallowed it, then charged toward the boar king.

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

Fists tempered by perfected Iron Body Skill.

"Basic Fist Technique · Mountain-Breaking Fist!"

All his qi, all his strength, all his will—he gathered everything into this one punch.

"Bang!!!"

His fist slammed into the boar king's brow, the weakest point in its skull.

"Crack—"

The sound of its skull breaking rang clear.

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

[Basic Fist Technique Proficiency +20]

[Second-tier mid-level Demonic Beast slain. Proficiency +100 (Over-level Challenge, tenfold bonus)]

[Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art Proficiency +50 (limit burst)]

[Achievement unlocked: First Over-level Kill]

[Achievement reward obtained: Skill Points x3]

The string of system prompts lifted Lin Fan's spirits.

But he had no time to examine them, because the Rock Armored Boars were closing in again.

The boar king was dead, but the others were still here.

Lin Fan was in terrible shape and couldn't fight anymore.

Just as he prepared to risk his life, several figures leaped down from the rocks above and landed beside him.

"Brother Fan, are you all right?"

Chen Dahu was the first to rush over and support Lin Fan as he swayed on his feet.

Sun Wanting, Zhou Ming, and Bai Susu were right behind him.

Sun Wanting held a longbow. She had fired the arrow just now. Zhou Ming gripped two short blades, warily watching the surrounding Rock Armored Boars. Bai Susu quickly checked Lin Fan's injuries.

"Three broken ribs, internal organ trauma, and your qi is depleted." Bai Susu's brow furrowed. "You need treatment right away."

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

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

She loosed three arrows in quick succession, hitting three Rock Armored Boars in the eyes with perfect accuracy.

Zhou Ming darted out like a phantom, his short blades sweeping over the Rock Armored Boars' joints and severing their tendons.

Chen Dahu roared and swung his Thick-backed Chopping Knife, splitting one Rock Armored Boar in two with a single blow.

The three worked together seamlessly. In less than a quarter of an hour, the remaining Rock Armored Boars were either dead or fleeing.

The valley grew quiet once more, with only the corpses strewn across the ground and the heavy stench of blood remaining.

"Whew..." Lin Fan let out a breath and slumped to the ground.

Bai Susu immediately began treating him.

She took silver needles from her medical kit and inserted them into several of Lin Fan's acupoints to stop the internal bleeding. Then she took out some ointment and spread it over his broken ribs.

"This is Bone-Setting Ointment. Don't do anything strenuous for three days," Bai Susu instructed. "Your Internal Injury will need time to heal. I'll write you a prescription. Get the medicine when we're back and take it as directed."

"Thank you." Lin Fan nodded.

Only then did he take a good look at the four of them.

Chen Dahu had several claw marks on him, but they weren't deep. Sun Wanting's arm was bleeding; she seemed to have been cut by flying stones while drawing her bow. Zhou Ming was pale, clearly exhausted. Bai Susu was unharmed, though her expression was tired.

"What brings you here?" Lin Fan asked. "Wasn't the escort mission supposed to take five days?"

"It ended early." Sun Wanting said as she bandaged her wound. "The caravan was attacked by a pack of beasts halfway there and suffered heavy losses, so we had no choice but to turn back. The mission was only half completed. Each of us got 25 Academic Credits and 2,500 Huaxia Coins."

"When we got back to the academy, we heard you'd gone into the Wilderness alone." Chen Dahu gave a guileless grin. "So we hurried after you. Good thing we made it in time."

Lin Fan felt warmth bloom in his chest.

These people truly thought of him as a friend.

"Thanks," he said earnestly.

"Don't thank us too soon." Zhou Ming nudged his glasses up. "We had our reasons for saving you, too."

"Reasons?"

After finishing her bandages, Sun Wanting walked up to Lin Fan and looked him in the eye. "Lin Fan, I'd like to invite you to join our Hunting Group."

"Your Hunting Group?" Lin Fan stared at her in surprise.

"That's right." Sun Wanting nodded. "A permanent Hunting Group. I'll be the captain. The members are Chen Dahu, Zhou Ming, and Bai Susu. We're still missing one main damage dealer."

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

Lin Fan fell silent.

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

The advantages were greater safety and efficiency.

The drawback was... less freedom.

He liked acting alone. He could do whatever he wanted and train however he wanted.

But the reality was that one person's strength was limited.

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

"Brother Fan, join us!" Chen Dahu said excitedly. "We'll explore the Wilderness together, make a fortune, and grow stronger!"

Zhou Ming analyzed the situation calmly. "Lin Fan, what you need most right now is resources. Hunting Demonic Beasts alone is inefficient and dangerous. As a team, we can take on higher-level missions and hunt more valuable beasts. Even after splitting the rewards, we'll earn more than going solo."

"And with me around, you'll get treatment right away if you're hurt," Bai Susu said gently. "In the Wilderness, a good healer can save your life again and again."

One after another, the three tried to persuade him, all perfectly sincere.

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

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

"The Thunder Hunting Group?"

"My father founded it. Three years ago, it was nearly wiped out in a Beast Tide." Sun Wanting's voice was calm, but Lin Fan could hear the pain beneath it. "My father was badly wounded and had to retire. The others 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 think you're someone I can trust."

Lin Fan remained silent for a long moment.

He thought of the jade pendant Sun Wanting had given him, the Pulse Nourishing Pill her father had left behind, and the arrow she had just fired.

She was a girl who valued loyalty and affection.

"What are the team's rules?" Lin Fan asked.

Sun Wanting's eyes brightened. "First, the members must trust one another absolutely. No betrayals. Second, spoils are distributed according to contribution, fairly and openly. Third, when danger comes, we don't abandon anyone or give up on them. Fourth... that's all for now. We can work out the other details as we go."

"What about decision-making?"

"I'm the captain. I'm responsible for tactical command and accepting missions. But major decisions require a vote from everyone." Sun Wanting spoke earnestly. "I won't make decisions unilaterally."

Lin Fan nodded, then asked, "How strong are you all right now?"

"I'm a 3rd Grade Martial Master, skilled with the bow and at commanding," Sun Wanting said.

"Chen Dahu is a 2nd Grade Martial Artist, a powerhouse who specializes in defense."

"Zhou Ming is a 2nd Grade Martial Artist, a speed specialist who handles scouting and assassination."

"Bai Susu is a 2nd Grade Martial Artist and a healer, skilled at treatment and using poison."

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

"I'm a 2nd Grade Martial Artist. I'm an all-rounder." Lin Fan thought for a moment, then added, "My attack, defense, and speed are all decent."

That was putting it modestly.

With Iron Body Skill at Perfection, his physical body was comparable to that of a 4th Grade Great Martial Master. His Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art was at the proficient level, and the quality of his vital energy far surpassed that of others at the same rank. With the system's support, his actual combat strength was at least equivalent to a 3rd Grade Martial Master's.

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

Lin Fan took a deep breath.

He needed resources. He needed to grow stronger. He needed to protect his younger sister.

It was too hard to do alone.

"I'm in." Lin Fan held out his hand.

Sun Wanting smiled and clasped it. "Welcome to Thunder Team."

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

Zhou Ming nudged his glasses up, a hint of a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

Bai Susu smiled warmly. "Lin Fan, I look forward to working with you."

"Now, let's sort out the spoils first." Sun Wanting regained her brisk, capable air as captain. "Lin Fan killed the boar king, so the Demonic Core and the most valuable materials go to him. We'll distribute the other Rock Armored Boars according to contribution. Any objections?"

"None," everyone said, shaking their heads.

Lin Fan was a little surprised. "I get the whole boar king?"

"Those are the rules." Sun Wanting's expression turned serious. "Whoever kills it gets the lion's share. That's the rule of the Wilderness, and it's the rule of our team."

"Then... thanks."

Lin Fan didn't refuse again.

He began processing the boar king's corpse.

The Demonic Core was dark brown, a size larger than an ordinary Rock Armored Boar's, and pulsed with stronger energy. It was worth at least 5,000 Huaxia Coins.

Its tusks were intact and could be used to craft weapons or armor. Though many of its plates were damaged, they could still be sold. Its flesh, bones, and organs were all useful materials.

Once he stored everything in his Storage Space, it took up nearly half of it.

Looks like I need to raise my rank as soon as possible and expand my Storage Space, Lin Fan thought.

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

An hour later, they had finished sorting all the spoils.

"Not bad." Zhou Ming counted everything up. "Twelve ordinary Rock Armored Boars. The Demonic Cores and materials are worth about 20,000 Huaxia Coins altogether. Each of us should get around 5,000."

"With the boar king added in, Lin Fan made at least 10,000 today," Chen Dahu said enviously.

"He earned it," Sun Wanting said. "Without him killing the boar king, we wouldn't have had the chance to collect these ordinary Rock Armored Boars."

Lin Fan said nothing. He was checking the Status Panel.

Killing the boar king had just earned him 100 points of proficiency, with the tenfold bonus. Added to what he had before, his first revolution of the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art now had:

3300/5000.

He was still 1,700 points short.

And the Skill Points he'd earned from completing the mission just now came to 4: 1 from the daily mission and 3 from the achievement reward.

Four Skill Points were equivalent to 400 proficiency points.

If he put them all into the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art, that would bring it to 3700/5000.

He'd still be 1,300 points short.

If I train all night, I should be able to reach Minor Accomplishment, Lin Fan calculated.

At Minor Accomplishment Level, the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art would grant a 50% bonus, greatly increasing both the quality and quantity of his vital energy.

By then, his combat strength would climb another level.

"All right, pack up. We're heading back." Sun Wanting said. "Lin Fan's injured and needs to rest in the city. Besides, we've got plenty for today. We should quit while we're ahead."

Everyone nodded.

But Lin Fan suddenly remembered something.

"Wait." He looked at Sun Wanting. "Did you notice anything unusual on your way here?"

"Unusual?" Sun Wanting frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I feel like... someone was watching us from the shadows," Lin Fan said quietly.

It was just a gut feeling.

Ever since he entered Gray Rock Valley, he'd felt as if he were being watched. The feeling had grown stronger during the battle.

Sun Wanting's expression changed. She immediately gestured for everyone to be on guard.

Zhou Ming darted away, disappearing among the shadows of the rocks.

A short while later, he returned, his expression grave. "Three hundred zhang to the east, there are footprints. They're human, not from Demonic Beasts. At least three people. I don't know their cultivation, but they're professionals. They barely left any traces."

"Who are they?" Chen Dahu gripped his cleaver.

"I don't know." Zhou Ming shook his head. "But they were able to get within three hundred zhang of us without us noticing. They're no weaklings."

Sun Wanting considered for a moment, then said, "Whoever they are, we shouldn't stay here. Pull back immediately."

"Agreed." Lin Fan nodded.

The five packed up quickly and retraced their steps.

Everyone stayed on high alert along the way.

But the feeling of being watched didn't disappear until they had left Gray Rock Valley and entered the outskirts of Black Wind Ridge.

"Looks like they meant us no harm, or... they just don't want to make a move yet," Zhou Ming analyzed.

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

"It's possible." Sun Wanting's expression was grave. "Jiangnan City hasn't been peaceful lately. The Shadow Society has been growing more active. My father said they seemed to be gathering something."

Lin Fan thought of the wooden token on that dead assassin, with its eye-shaped emblem.

But he didn't say anything.

Some things were better known by as few people as possible.

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

Everyone nodded and picked up the pace.

By dusk, the five of them had returned to Jiangnan City.

Sun Wanting led them to a shop called the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, a place she knew well.

The shopkeeper was a chubby middle-aged man. As soon as he saw Sun Wanting, he greeted her with a beaming smile. "Miss Sun, another great haul?"

"Same as usual. Give us an appraisal and pay in cash." Sun Wanting was concise.

"Coming right up!"

The shopkeeper began tallying the materials.

The boar king's Demonic Core was valued at 5,200 Huaxia Coins.

The twelve ordinary Demonic Cores were worth an average of 1,500 each, totaling 18,000.

The tusks, plates, fur, flesh, and bones...

The final total came to 32,000 Huaxia Coins.

"Miss Sun, you're a regular, so I'll round it up for you—33,000." The shopkeeper grinned.

"Fine." Sun Wanting nodded.

According to their earlier agreement, Lin Fan would get the boar king's Demonic Core worth 5,200, plus a quarter of the remaining earnings—that is, (33,000 - 5,200) / 4 = 6,950.

That brought his total to 12,150 Huaxia Coins.

The other four each got 6,950.

The shopkeeper counted out the cash and handed each of them a thick wad of bills.

Lin Fan took his. It was thick and heavy.

It was the largest sum of money he'd received since transmigrating.

Now that I have money, I can buy more resources, he calculated.

"Lin Fan, you need to rest and recover," Bai Susu said. "Don't do any strenuous exercise for three days, and take your medicine on time. Here's a prescription. You can get it filled at a pharmacy."

She handed Lin Fan a piece of paper.

"Thanks." Lin Fan took it and looked over the prescription. It called for ordinary, inexpensive medicinal ingredients.

"Then that's it for today," Sun Wanting said. "Meet at the usual place tomorrow morning. I've accepted a new mission."

"What mission?" Chen Dahu asked.

"Hunting a Crimson Flame Tiger, a 2nd-tier upper-level Demonic Beast," Sun Wanting said. "The reward is high, but so is the risk. Lin Fan's injured, so he doesn't have to come."

"I'll come," Lin Fan said at once.

"Your injury..."

"I'm mostly healed." Lin Fan moved his body a little. "Besides, I need real combat experience."

He needed proficiency. He needed resources. He needed to grow stronger.

A minor injury was nothing.

Sun Wanting watched him for several seconds, then nodded. "All right. See you tomorrow."

The five went their separate ways.

Lin Fan went to the pharmacy to get his medicine, then returned to his dorm at the academy.

He shut the door and immediately brought up the Status Panel.

[Character: Lin Fan]

[Age: 16]

[Realm: 2nd Grade Martial Artist (1st Stage)]

[Vital Energy: 200/800 (Recovering)]

[Cultivation Art: Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art, First Revolution (Proficient 3300/5000)]

[Martial Techniques: Basic Fist Technique (Proficient), Basic Sword Technique (Proficient), Gale Sword Technique (Skilled), Iron Body Skill (Perfection)]

[Skill Points: 4]

[Storage Space: 1 cubic meter (0.6 used)]

"System, put all 4 Skill Points into the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art."

[Skill Points x4 consumed]

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

[Current Proficiency: 3700/5000]

1300 points to go.

Lin Fan took out a Returning Origin Pill, swallowed it, and began cultivating.

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

But with ordinary cultivation and the pill, he should be able to break through overnight.

Time passed.

The moon rose and set.

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

A soft crack sounded from within his body.

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

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

[Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art First Revolution reached Minor Accomplishment Level]

[Attribute bonuses gained: Vital Energy Cap +500, Vital Energy Recovery Speed +200%, Vital Energy Quality +100%]

[Profound Origin Qi strength doubled; automatic tempering effect increased threefold]

[Detected host's total Vital Energy has exceeded the critical threshold]

[Realm increased: 2nd Grade Martial Artist (Tier One) → 2nd Grade Martial Artist (Tier Two)]

He'd broken through!

Lin Fan felt the surging Vital Energy inside him. It was at least twice as powerful as before.

The Minor Accomplishment Level of the Nine Revolutions Mysterious Origin Art gave him a 50% boost. The effect was significant.

"Now, if I face the Boar King again, I shouldn't be in such a sorry state." He clenched his fist.

He got up, washed, and changed into clean clothes.

Then he put on the chainmail underneath—there were still two days left on the rental, so he might as well use it.

He packed medicine, weapons, and rations.

Then he headed out.

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

When Lin Fan reached North City Gate, Sun Wanting and the others had already arrived.

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

"I'm fine." Lin Fan rolled his arm. "It won't affect me in a fight."

"Good." Sun Wanting handed him a sheet of paper. "Here are the mission details. The target is a Crimson Flame Tiger, a high-rank, second-tier Demonic Beast, equivalent to a peak 3rd Grade Martial Master. It specializes in fire attacks and is fast and strong. Its habitat is Flame Valley, thirty li from here."

Lin Fan took the paper and skimmed it.

Mission reward: 100 Academic Credits and 10,000 Huaxia Coins. The tiger's hide, bones, and penis would be paid for separately.

"The reward is generous," Zhou Ming said, pushing up his glasses, "but the risk is high, too. Crimson Flame Tigers are solitary Demonic Beasts, but Flame Valley's environment is harsh and extremely hot, which will affect our fighting."

"I've prepared for that." Sun Wanting took five blue pills from her backpack. "Ice Condensation Pills. They can temporarily protect us from the heat, and each one lasts an hour. Two per person, so use them sparingly."

She handed out the pills.

"Any questions?" Sun Wanting asked the group.

"None." They shook their heads.

"Then let's go."

The five-person team left Jiangnan City and set out for Flame Valley.

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

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

Maybe this isn't so bad, he thought.

At least he wouldn't have to face every danger alone.

But just then, the system's Prompt Tone suddenly rang out:

[Detected host has joined a permanent team]

[Team function unlocked]

[Team mission issued: Hunt the Crimson Flame Tiger]

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

[Mission reward: Team skill "Cooperative Combat (Beginner)," Skill Points x2 (per person)]

[Failure penalty: None]

A team mission?

Lin Fan's eyes lit up.

Another way to earn Skill Points.

And a team skill... It sounded useful.

He looked ahead.

The sky in the direction of Flame Valley was faintly red.

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

But this time, he wasn't alone.