Trial Forest Outskirts

In the early morning three days later, before dawn.

Li Xuan stood in the open space outside the back door of the martial arts school, with another handyman beside him.

He was a middle-aged man in his forties named Wang Laoshi. True to his name, he was a man of few words who just worked diligently.

Standing before the two handymen were five outer disciples.

Leading them was a young man in his early twenties, dressed in a gray tight-fitting outfit with a black belt. Three silver lines were embroidered on his cuffs, clearly marking him as an elite outer disciple.

His face was handsome, yet an undisguised arrogance emanated from his brows.

"My name is Zhou Peng," the young man said, his voice clear and resonant. His gaze swept over the two handymen as if they were tools. "This time we're going into the Trial Forest to collect Iron Bone Grass. You two will be responsible for the baskets, water, and rations. Remember three things: don't look at what you shouldn't, don't ask what you shouldn't, and don't take what you shouldn't. Violators will die!"

The last word, "die," was spoken very softly, yet it made Wang Laoshi shiver.

Li Xuan lowered his head and replied, "Yes, Senior Brother Zhou."

His gaze swept over the other four disciples. Two men and two women, all wearing ordinary gray clothes with black belts and no embroidery. One of the male disciples, with a stern face, glanced at Li Xuan again, his eyes thoughtful.

"This is Senior Brother Chen Feng, this is Junior Sister Zhao, Junior Sister Qian, and Junior Brother Sun," Zhou Peng introduced them briefly before saying, "Let's go."

Six disciples and two handymen, a team of eight, left the martial arts school and headed towards the mountain forest to the north.

The Trial Forest was thirty miles north of Black Stone City, a primeval forest spanning a hundred square miles.

It was said that demonic beasts roamed in its depths, but the outer areas were relatively safe and were often used by the martial arts school as a training ground for disciples.

On the way, Zhou Peng walked at the front, with Chen Feng at the rear. The two female disciples chatted softly along the way, occasionally letting out light laughter.

Junior Brother Sun followed closely behind Zhou Peng, looking fawning.

Li Xuan carried a fifty-pound basket filled with supplies on his back.

Wang Laoshi carried even more, his back bent under the weight.

"Li... Li Xuan," Wang Laoshi panted, speaking in a low voice, "Did you hear? Three handymen died in the Trial Forest last month."

"I heard," Li Xuan replied, looking straight ahead.

"They all say they were trampled to death by an Ironhide Pig," Wang Laoshi's voice trembled, "Their chest bones were completely shattered. When they carried them back... sigh."

Li Xuan didn't respond.

He knew the dangers, of course, but the lure of fifty Contribution Points was too great. Moreover, the old handyman had specifically reminded him that besides Iron Bone Grass, other medicinal herbs, and even... demonic beasts, could be found in the Trial Forest.

Potential.

He needed more potential.

After about two hours of walking, with the sun directly overhead, the team entered a dense forest.

The trees towered, their branches and leaves blocking out the sky.

A thick layer of fallen leaves covered the ground, soft underfoot, and the air was filled with a damp, musty smell.

"Stop," Zhou Peng raised his hand. "Search in this area. Iron Bone Grass prefers shade and grows in the crevices of rocks on the shady side. Pair up and search separately. We'll gather here before sunset."

The disciples dispersed.

Zhou Peng looked at the two handymen. "You two stay here and guard the supplies. Start a fire and cook. We want hot food when we get back."

With that, he took Junior Brother Sun and headed east.

Chen Feng went west alone, and the two female disciples hesitated before choosing the south.

Only Li Xuan and Wang Laoshi remained.

"Let's start a fire," Wang Laoshi put down his basket and began gathering firewood.

Li Xuan, however, did not move.

He looked around, his nose twitching slightly.

Besides the smell of decaying leaves, there was a faint, fishy odor in the air.

Something was wrong.

Li Xuan scanned his surroundings and finally walked to a large tree, squatting down to examine it.

About three feet off the ground on the trunk, there was a fresh scratch mark.

A large chunk of bark had been scraped off, revealing the white wood beneath. A few coarse, black bristles were still stuck to the edge of the scratch.

They were as thick as a finger and as hard as steel needles.

An Ironhide Pig.

Li Xuan's pupils contracted.

This type of demonic beast was known for its tough hide and thick flesh. Adult Ironhide Pigs were difficult to injure even with ordinary swords.

Although it was only a low-level demonic beast, it was an extremely dangerous prey for a martial artist in the Body Tempering Realm.

No, this place was no longer safe.

They had to find Zhou Peng and the others and leave quickly, otherwise...

As for leaving by himself, not to mention the consequences of returning to the martial arts school alone, the mere possibility of encountering an Ironhide Pig halfway was enough reason for him not to act alone.

"Brother Wang, look here..." Li Xuan called Wang Laoshi over, pointing at the black mane. "What do you think this is?"

"An... an Ironhide Pig!!" Wang Laoshi fell to the ground, scrambling backward on all fours, utterly terrified and disoriented.

Seeing this, Li Xuan shook his head helplessly.

"Brother Wang," Li Xuan stood up, "get the fire going. Make it smoky."

"Why?"

"Demonic beasts are afraid of fire and smoke." Li Xuan said as he pulled two spare wooden sticks from his back basket, wrapping them with cloth to make a simple torch. "You stay here and guard. I'll go notify the senior brothers."

"You're going alone?" Wang Laoshi's face turned pale. "No, that's too dangerous!"

"It's safer than waiting for them to find us." Li Xuan lit the torch. "Remember, don't let the fire go out."

With that, he chased in the direction Zhou Peng had left.

On the eastern slope, the terrain was rough and rocky.

Zhou Peng was crouching beside a rock, carefully digging up a grayish-black herb.

It was Iron Bone Grass, with leaves like iron flakes and a tough stem, one of the main ingredients for refining Body Tempering Powder.

"Senior Brother Zhou," Junior Brother Sun said obsequiously from the side, "this one plant should fetch at least twenty Contribution Points, right?"

"More than that." Zhou Peng was in a good mood. "A good specimen can fetch thirty. If I can collect ten plants this trip, it'll be enough for me to exchange for a bottle of Bone Strengthening Pill."

"Congratulations, Senior Brother!"

Zhou Peng placed the Iron Bone Grass into a jade box and was about to get up when--

"Boom!"

The sound of trees falling echoed from afar.

Both of them turned their heads simultaneously.

In the dense forest a hundred paces away, a gray-black figure was charging towards them, having just broken a tree as thick as a bowl.

It was nearly six feet long and four feet high at the shoulder, covered in thick, iron-gray hide. Two curved tusks protruded from its mouth, gleaming coldly in the sunlight.

An adult Ironhide Pig!

Zhou Peng's expression changed, but he quickly regained his composure.

"Junior Brother Sun, attack from both sides!" He drew the long sword at his waist. "The Ironhide Pig's weak points are its eyes and behind its ears. Find an opportunity to wound it!"

"Y-yes!" Junior Brother Sun's voice trembled as he also drew his sword.

The Ironhide Pig was incredibly fast, reaching them in an instant.

Zhou Peng sidestepped the charge and thrust his long sword diagonally, aiming precisely for the Ironhide Pig's left eye.

The sword tip struck its eyelid, emitting a metallic clang and leaving only a white mark.

The Ironhide Pig yelped in pain and swung its head, its tusks sweeping towards Zhou Peng's abdomen.

Zhou Peng retreated rapidly, narrowly dodging the attack, but his robe was torn open.

"Such tough skin!" His heart sank.

This Ironhide Pig was stronger than he had anticipated; its skin and membrane were as tough as the defense of a Body Tempering fourth layer martial artist.

"Junior Brother Sun, attack its hind legs!" Zhou Peng shouted.

Junior Brother Sun gritted his teeth and charged, thrusting his sword at the Ironhide Pig's hind leg joint.

As if sensing the attack, the Ironhide Pig stomped its hind hoof--

Junior Brother Sun was kicked in the chest and sent flying backward, crashing into a rock and spitting out a mouthful of blood.

"Useless!" Zhou Peng cursed, but he was already considering retreating.

The Ironhide Pig turned, its blood-red eyes fixed on Zhou Peng, pawing the ground as it prepared to charge again.

Cold sweat beaded on Zhou Peng's palms as he gripped his sword.

He was at the Body Tempering third layer, considered upper-middle among the disciples.

But against this Ironhide Pig, his chances of winning were at most fifty percent.

And even if he won, he would surely be injured.

It wasn't worth it.

As he hesitated, a figure burst out from the side of the woods.

It was Li Xuan.

He held a torch high, shouting, "Senior Brother Zhou, lure it this way! There's a trap over there!"

Zhou Peng was stunned.

A trap? What trap?

But he didn't have time to think; the Ironhide Pig was already charging.

"Damn it!"

Zhou Peng turned and ran, heading in the direction Li Xuan pointed.

The Ironhide Pig pursued relentlessly.

Li Xuan watched the Ironhide Pig get closer and closer, his heart pounding.

He didn't have any traps; he'd just bluffed.

But he'd observed the previous fight. Although this Ironhide Pig was tough and thick-skinned, it was slow to turn, and when charging, its eyes would fixate on its target ahead.

If only...

Li Xuan took a deep breath, stuck the torch in the ground, and pulled a spare iron spear shaft from his back basket.

He'd found it in a scrap pile. It was six feet long, as thick as a thumb, and sharpened to a point at one end.

He'd originally intended it as a weapon for self-defense, but he hadn't expected to actually use it.

The Ironhide Pig was thirty paces away.

Twenty paces.

Ten paces!

Li Xuan moved.

He didn't flee. Instead, he charged towards the Ironhide Pig's flank.

"Are you trying to die?!" Zhou Peng looked back and saw him, his face a mixture of shock and anger.

The Ironhide Pig's attention was entirely on Zhou Peng, completely ignoring Li Xuan on its side.

Just as the Ironhide Pig was about to collide with Zhou Peng, Li Xuan leaped from the side onto the pig's flank.

He gripped the iron spear shaft with both hands, channeling all his strength into his arms, twisting his waist and legs, treating the shaft like a long spear--

The spear tip accurately pierced three inches behind the Ironhide Pig's ear.

That was where the skull was thin, and the skin and membrane were weakest.

Squelch!

The spear shaft sank half a foot into the flesh!

"Oooowww--!"

The Ironhide Pig let out a piercing scream, its charge abruptly halted. Its massive body crashed to the ground, limbs twitching wildly.

Li Xuan gripped the spear shaft tightly and twisted hard.

The shaft churned within the wound, and blood gushed out.

The Ironhide Pig's struggles grew weaker, and finally, it lay completely still.

Silence.

Only the rustling of the wind through the trees could be heard.

Zhou Peng stood frozen, looking at the Ironhide Pig on the ground, then at the blood-covered Li Xuan, his expression shifting uncertainly.

That spear thrust just now...

It was fast, accurate, and ruthless. The timing was perfect. Any sooner, and the Ironhide Pig would have turned to attack him; any later, and Zhou Peng himself might have been run down.

And it struck a vital point behind the ear.

This wasn't a coincidence. This handyman knew the Ironhide Pig's weakness.

"You..." Zhou Peng spoke, his voice a little dry.

Li Xuan pulled out the iron spear shaft, took two steps back, and lowered his head. "Senior Brother Zhou, please forgive me. I acted rashly in a moment of desperation. I ask for your punishment."

Punishment?

Zhou Peng stared at Li Xuan, his gaze complex.

Should he punish him? This handyman had just saved his life.

But a handyman had killed an Ironhide Pig that he himself wasn't sure he could handle, right in front of him...

Where would that leave his reputation?

"Senior Brother Zhou!"

The other three disciples heard the commotion and rushed over.

Chen Feng arrived first. He saw the Ironhide Pig's corpse on the ground and then looked at the iron spear shaft in Li Xuan's hand, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.

"What happened?" Junior Sister Zhao asked.

Zhou Peng took a deep breath and forced a smile. "It's nothing. We encountered an Ironhide Pig, and just as I was about to slay it, this handyman... helped by landing the finishing blow."

He emphasized the word "helped."

Chen Feng crouched down to examine the Ironhide Pig's body. He saw the wound behind its ear and looked at the spear shaft in Li Xuan's hand, saying nothing.

"Senior Brother is mighty!" Junior Brother Sun climbed up, clutching his chest, and said fawningly, "This Ironhide Pig is tough and thick-skinned. If Senior Brother hadn't kept it occupied, this handyman wouldn't have had a chance to land a blow."

Zhou Peng's expression improved.

He walked up to the Ironhide Pig, slit its throat with his sword to let out the remaining blood, and then began to skin it, remove its teeth, and dig out its heart.

Demonic beasts were treasures all over. The Ironhide Pig's hide could be used to make armor, its teeth were medicinal, and its heart blood was a material for refining Vitality Pills.

Li Xuan stood to the side, watching silently.

Killing the Ironhide Pig had given him 0.5 potential.

It was worth it.

But he didn't dare show it, just lowered his head like a statue.

"Li Xuan, right?" Zhou Peng finished skinning and rolled up the bloody pig hide, looking at Li Xuan. "You did well just now. When we get back, I'll mention it to Steward Zhao and give you... five Contribution Points."

Five.

Li Xuan sneered inwardly.

A complete Ironhide Pig, with its hide, teeth, and heart blood combined, was worth at least one hundred and fifty Contribution Points.

Zhou Peng was only giving him five, and acting like he was bestowing a great favor.

But he showed a grateful expression: "Thank you, Senior Brother Zhou!"

"Mm." Zhou Peng nodded with satisfaction, putting all the demonic beast materials into his own pouch. "Continue gathering herbs. We gather at sunset."

The crowd dispersed.

As Chen Feng walked past Li Xuan, his steps paused, and he said in a low voice, "Good with the spear."

Then he left.

Li Xuan watched his retreating back, lost in thought.

In the evening, the team returned to the meeting point.

Zhou Peng had a bountiful harvest: five stalks of Iron Bone Grass and one Ironhide Pig.

The other disciples also had their gains, the least with two stalks, the most with three.

Only Li Xuan and Wang Laoshi had empty baskets.

"Let's head back," Zhou Peng said spiritedly.

On the way, several disciples surrounded Zhou Peng, fawning over him.

"Senior Brother Zhou is amazing, killing an Ironhide Pig by himself!"

"I heard Ironhide Pig hide is incredibly tough, ordinary swords can barely wound it. Has Senior Brother's swordsmanship improved again?"

Zhou Peng smiled and agreed, occasionally glancing at Li Xuan, who was trailing at the back of the group.

Li Xuan kept his head down, carrying his basket, and said nothing.

But his hand quietly reached inside his clothes.

Hidden there was a small piece of Ironhide Pig heart meat, which he had secretly cut off when no one was looking.

Demonic beast heart meat greatly replenished vital energy and blood.

More importantly...

When they returned to the martial arts school, it was already dark.

Zhou Peng went to turn in his mission, while Li Xuan and Wang Laoshi returned to the woodshed courtyard.

"Li Xuan," Wang Laoshi said softly, "You were... really fierce today."

Li Xuan shook his head. "Just lucky."

"It wasn't luck," Wang Laoshi said seriously. "I saw it clearly. That thrust... even someone who's practiced might not be able to do it so accurately. Were you... before..."

"I used to hunt in the mountains," Li Xuan interrupted him. "Let's sleep, we have work tomorrow."

Wang Laoshi wanted to say more but stopped, finally sighing and lying down to sleep.

Li Xuan lay on the communal bed, looking at his status panel.

Adding the 0.04 he had left, it totaled 0.54.

He thought for a moment, then added 0.04 to Strength and 0.5 to Constitution.

[Strength: 0.92] → [Strength: 0.96]

[Constitution: 1.05] → [Constitution: 1.55]

A warm current surged through him.

His arm muscles bulged slightly, and his bones made fine cracking sounds.

Not enough.

Li Xuan closed his eyes, recalling the thrust from earlier that day.

The moment he thrust, his vital energy and blood automatically circulated according to the Cultivation Method's path, concentrating his strength at a single point...

If his Constitution hadn't broken through 1.0, and if he hadn't had the Cultivation Method's enhancement, he wouldn't have been able to pierce the Ironhide Pig's defenses at all.

Get stronger.

I must get stronger, faster.

As he was thinking, footsteps sounded from outside the door.

The old handyman pushed the door open, the lamplight illuminating his wrinkled face.

"You're alive?" the old handyman asked.

"Mm," Li Xuan sat up.

"How was the harvest?"

"Senior Brother Zhou gave me five Contribution Points."

The old handyman chuckled, his laughter hoarse, "Five? An Ironhide Pig is worth at least one hundred fifty, he's quite generous."

Li Xuan remained silent.

"But it's good," the old handyman sat by the bed, "at least he didn't cause you trouble. Zhou Peng... he's petty and cares about his reputation. You embarrassed him today, and it's considered restraint that he didn't lash out on the spot."

"This disciple understands," Li Xuan nodded.

The old handyman stared at him for a moment, then suddenly said, "Do you know Chen Feng?"

"Senior Brother Chen from the same team today?"

"Mm," the old handyman lowered his voice, "He's a distant nephew of Instructor Zhou, but he doesn't get along with Zhou Peng. He probably noticed the trick you pulled today."

Li Xuan's heart stirred, "You mean..."

"More friends, more paths," the old handyman stood up, "But don't rush to pick sides. The martial arts school is a deep pool."

The oil lamp went out.

The old handyman left.

Li Xuan lay in the darkness, his fingers caressing the demonic beast meat in his arms.

It was tough, cold, and carried a faint, fishy smell.

Tomorrow, I'll find a chance to eat it.

And then...

Continue to get stronger.

Outside the window, the moonlight was pale.

Deep within the martial arts school, in a quiet room.

Zhou Peng placed the Ironhide Pig's materials on the table. Sitting opposite him was a middle-aged man, bearing a three-tenths resemblance to him. This was his uncle, Wu Ming, an instructor in the outer court.

"Uncle, this is today's harvest," Zhou Peng said respectfully.

Wu Ming glanced at it and nodded, "Not bad. Although the Ironhide Pig is only a low-level demonic beast, the fact that you could kill it independently shows your cultivation has improved again."

Zhou Peng opened his mouth, but ultimately didn't bring up Li Xuan's matter.

It was too embarrassing.

"However..." Wu Ming changed the subject, "I heard that one of the handymen who went with you today performed well?"

Zhou Peng's expression changed slightly, "Who did you hear that from, Uncle?"

"Chen Feng," Wu Ming said calmly, "He said that the handyman pierced the Ironhide Pig's ear's vital spot with a single stab, and his timing was extremely precise, unlike a novice."

Zhou Peng gritted his teeth, "That handyman has some minor cleverness, but it was just luck..."

"Luck?" Wu Ming glanced at him, "Peng'er, you're at the Body Tempering third layer, and you still had to struggle against the Ironhide Pig. If that handyman could truly kill it in one blow, he either hid his strength, or... he has exceptional talent."

He paused, his voice turning cold, "Whichever it is, he's worth paying attention to. Find an opportunity and test him."

Zhou Peng lowered his head, "Yes."

"You may go," Wu Ming waved his hand.

Zhou Peng exited the quiet room, his expression grim.

Li Xuan, a mere handyman, had actually caught his uncle's attention.