Hidden Dragon in the Abyss

Two days after Shen Fan entered Bone Forging, the Martial Hall issued them a mission to enter the outskirts of the Black Dragon Mountain Range and gather herbs.

Steward Zhang, dressed in silk, arrived at the hall where the disciples practiced martial arts.

"Alright, I won't waste words. Based on your strength, I'll assign each of you corresponding collection quotas. If you fail to gather enough medicinal herbs, it can only mean you've been slacking off, and punishment will be unavoidable.

"But if you work hard enough and far exceed the quotas I set, rest assured—the Martial Hall will not treat you poorly. Wealth, cultivation methods—anything the Martial Hall possesses can be given to you as a reward!"

The moment Shen Fan heard this, his heart stirred.

After all, this was an opportunity to obtain higher-level cultivation methods. If possible, he wanted to acquire one this way.

After Steward Zhang finished speaking, he began assigning quotas.

For new disciples like Shen Fan, who had only entered the hall two months ago, the assigned tasks were the lightest. They only needed to gather three low-grade medicinal herbs per person each day.

Shen Fan breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that, thinking Steward Zhang was fairly just.

New disciples like them generally only possessed Skin Refining strength, so they only needed to gather three low-grade medicinal herbs each day.

But the older disciples, even those at Skin Refining, had to gather five medicinal herbs a day. Those at Muscle Refining had to gather three low-grade medicinal herbs and one mid-grade medicinal herb.

The stronger the disciples, the heavier their gathering tasks became.

Generally speaking, medicinal herbs less than thirty years old were low-grade herbs, while those between thirty and fifty years old were mid-grade herbs. Herbs at that age would already attract wild beasts to guard them.

Those between fifty and a hundred years old were called high-grade medicinal herbs, and beasts would certainly guard them, because such herbs were close to surpassing a century in age and had a chance of growing into Spiritual Medicine!

Spiritual Medicine was a precious resource effective even on Demonic Beasts, something Innate Martial Artists greatly coveted.

Shen Fan only needed to gather low-grade medicinal herbs, so there was basically no danger. And with his Bone Forging strength, even gathering mid-grade medicinal herbs would not be a problem.

But the other disciples did not possess strength as formidable as his. To complete the mission more safely, many began forming factions and teams.

"Come join us! We have Senior Brother Zhou, a Bone Forging martial artist, leading our group. You only need to hand over one low-grade medicinal herb a day to join our team—don't miss this chance!"

"Our squad has three Muscle Refining senior brothers! Come join us!"

For a time, the entire hall became as lively as a marketplace, leaving Shen Fan somewhat speechless.

These newly formed small groups generally had Muscle Refining, or even Bone Forging, martial artists holding down the fort, which attracted even more people to join.

But naturally, joining required paying a price.

Shen Fan had no intention of being taken for a sucker. His strength already placed him among the strongest people present; if he joined them, it was hard to say who would be protecting whom!

Just as Shen Fan was about to leave, someone called out to stop him.

"Junior Brother Shen, would you like to join my team?" Liu Zhen came before Shen Fan with a group of his teammates and asked warmly.

Seeing that it was Liu Zhen, Shen Fan paused. For the moment, he could not think of a suitable way to refuse. After all, Liu Zhen had been the one to bring him in, so there was some bond between them.

Seeing Shen Fan's hesitation, Liu Zhen assumed Shen Fan was embarrassed to join because his strength was too low. He laughed heartily and said, "Junior Brother Shen, don't worry. Our team has several Skin Refining disciples too. Just come on in!"

Shen Fan had no choice. Just as he was about to agree, he heard a strange, mocking voice rise up.

"Well, well, well. Isn't this the junior brother who has been painstakingly practicing the Three Yuan Art? I wonder how that Three Yuan Art is coming along. Is it more profound than the Fist Techniques we practice?"

Li Hai spoke in a sinister tone, drawing everyone's attention in their direction.

"Junior Brother, back then we earnestly advised you not to practice that Health Cultivation Method. Even Senior Brother Chen Chong tried to persuade you. Yet I seem to have noticed that you practice that useless cultivation method every day, don't you?"

"I wonder how strong you are now, Junior Brother. Can you withstand one punch from this senior brother?"

Li Hai said provocatively.

The looks in everyone else's eyes turned strange as well.

Practicing a Health Cultivation Method was something all martial artists despised.

For a moment, even more people cast scrutinizing looks at Shen Fan.

Even Liu Zhen found it difficult to speak up in Shen Fan's defense.

At that moment, one of Liu Zhen's teammates behind him stepped forward and said, "Junior Brother Shen, since you practice a Health Cultivation Method, perhaps you shouldn't join our team after all. We need to gather mid-grade medicinal herbs, and we may very well encounter wild beasts!"

He did not finish the rest, but everyone present understood. They simply looked down on Shen Fan and did not want him dragging them down.

Liu Zhen shot the man a glare, but after opening his mouth, he ultimately remained silent.

Clearly, upon hearing that Shen Fan had been diligently practicing a Health Cultivation Method, he too had begun to look down on Shen Fan.

Watching Shen Fan be cast aside, Li Hai felt rather pleased with himself. Today, one reason was to vent Senior Brother Chen Chong's anger, while the other was that Li Hai wanted to use Shen Fan as a stepping stone to join a good team.

First, he needed to make a name for himself and draw others' attention.

Clearly, Li Hai's first step had already succeeded.

"Well, Junior Brother Shen? You should leave. Stop making a spectacle of yourself here. I, Li Hai, have already reached the peak of Skin Refining. Joining Senior Brother Liu's team is what truly suits me!"

With the map fully unrolled, the dagger was finally revealed. Li Hai smiled smugly.

Liu Zhen also looked toward Junior Brother Li. Judging by his condition, he indeed seemed noticeably stronger than Shen Fan.

Liu Zhen could not help nodding inwardly, then quietly moved two steps away from Shen Fan.

Shen Fan opened his mouth, but in the end said nothing. He had not wanted to join anyone else's team to begin with, so this was fine too.

But this Li Hai was truly a bit disgusting.

Shen Fan looked at the man and etched his appearance deep into his memory. When he got the chance someday, he would definitely teach this fellow how to behave!

Besides, disciples were not allowed to casually attack and injure others in this hall.

Speechless, Shen Fan could only turn and leave.

No one tried to keep him. After all, what strength could a newly initiated disciple who cultivated something like the Three Yuan Art possibly have? What was there to win over?

That was what everyone present thought.

Yet no one knew that Shen Fan was already a Bone Forging expert. Even Liu Zhen could not guarantee that he would certainly defeat Shen Fan.

As for the likes of Li Hai, Shen Fan felt that if he had to throw a second punch to beat this fellow to death, it would be disrespectful to himself!

How dared a mere Skin Refining cultivator provoke a Bone Forging expert!

After Shen Fan left, the hall grew lively once more. Only one person watched Shen Fan's departing back with a thoughtful expression.

That person was Steward Zhang. As the Martial Hall's steward, he was not only a Blood Condensation expert, but had also cultivated a special Martial Arts technique that allowed him to sense others' blood qi.

In his perception, Shen Fan's blood qi was actually far stronger than that of everyone present, even reaching one-third of his own.

That was enough to prove that this youngster had already stepped into Bone Forging.

And possessing one-third of his blood qi meant that Shen Fan had reached a considerable depth in the Bone Forging realm. After all, he was a veteran Blood Condensation Martial Artist; his blood qi was ten times that of an ordinary Bone Forging Martial Artist!

"A Hidden Dragon in the Abyss, this little fellow!"

Steward Zhang gave Shen Fan an exceedingly high evaluation.

It was not only Shen Fan's blood qi that had astonished him. More importantly, he had sensed a threat from Shen Fan!

For a Bone Forging Martial Artist to threaten a veteran Blood Condensation expert like himself—what did that mean? The answer was self-evident.

Only after Shen Fan had Completely Disappeared did Steward Zhang finally withdraw his gaze.

Watching the disciples present form factions with fervent enthusiasm, he could not help but shake his head.

At that moment, he understood one saying more deeply than ever: sheep need the herd; fierce beasts walk alone!