A terrifying force suddenly surged from the wrist Xu Feng had been grabbed by!
It was so savage, far beyond what Xu Feng had anticipated!
With the Blood Dragon State boosting him, he was confident his strength could hold its own against anyone in the A-Class realm. He could even briefly contend with lower-tier S-Class beings who were weaker in raw strength.
Yet Bai Luhao's seemingly casual tug was like a dragon whipping its tail—an overwhelming force he couldn't resist!
The invisibility orb's effect, struck by this tremendous force acting directly on his body, shattered instantly like a mirror hit by a pebble!
The air rippled and warped like water.
Xu Feng's full figure was exposed to everyone: two and a half meters tall, clad in a grotesque suit of dark red bio-armor!
"This strength... No wonder he's an S-Class Hunter!"
Xu Feng's heart tightened, and his face darkened beneath the armored mask.
"In his normal state, he's mid-tier A-Class. With the Blood Dragon State, his strength definitely reaches high-tier A-Class, maybe even touches the S-Class threshold...
Yet this guy pulled me out of invisibility with such ease?
The gulf between A-Class and S-Class is even wider than I imagined!"
He realized at once that his earlier assessment might have been too optimistic.
Bai Luhao wasn't an ordinary S-Class Hunter. He was mid-tier S-Class, and the strength of his transformed beastman form was one of his most terrifying advantages!
"Everyone, stay alert!"
Almost the instant Xu Feng appeared, Li Xuanbing's sharp shout rang out!
The experienced A-Class ice mage reacted swiftly. His staff flashed through the air, releasing a torrent of biting cold!
Crack, crack, crack—!
Massive ice walls, each several meters thick and radiating piercing cold, surged from the ground at astonishing speed.
In the blink of an eye, they enclosed the area where Xu Feng and Bai Luhao stood, forming an icy prison about a hundred meters across!
The walls gleamed like mirrors, reflecting the lava's crimson glow and the frost's deep blue. Powerful waves of magic pulsed from them.
They clearly wouldn't be easy to break!
Hand of Earth · Imprisonment!
Jin Changpu followed close behind, slamming his ocher staff into the ground!
The earth churned violently, and countless hands of quicksand, formed from hardened sand and stone, emerged from the ground within the ice walls.
They swarmed around Xu Feng and Bai Luhao, poised to strike.
At the slightest sign of movement from Xu Feng—if he tried to break out or turn invisible again—
the hands of quicksand would instantly harden into the toughest stone cage and bind him fast!
Piao Changfan controlled countless metal needles as fine as ox hairs, suspending them above the ice walls like a nebula.
Every needle pointed at Xu Feng, its tip glinting with deadly light.
The other melee fighters also drew their weapons and spread out in a semicircle, blocking every side of the ice walls. They watched him warily, their auras locked firmly onto the scarlet figure inside.
The entire raid team had surrounded Xu Feng in no time.
Seeing that Xu Feng was completely trapped and his teammates had secured the perimeter, Bai Luhao finally released the tiger claw gripping Xu Feng's wrist. He stepped back a few paces and folded his arms across his chest.
A wild, domineering grin split the grotesque face of the half-man half-tiger.
His golden eyes, bright as searchlights, openly sized up Xu Feng's unusual armor.
"Kid." Bai Luhao's voice rumbled like thunder, tinged with amusement. "You've been following us all this way, killing our monsters and stealing the kills our brothers worked so hard to weaken... Don't you think it's time we settled the score?"
He paused. The ferocity in his eyes eased, replaced by the keen interest of someone sizing up a rare prey.
"But..." Bai Luhao changed tack, his tone edged with admiration. "I have to say, you've got skill. Your stealth is a real specialty. You managed to steal all those kills right under my nose, so you've clearly got talent. And your destructive power's no joke—high-tier A-Class level..."
He stepped forward, and the invisible pressure grew heavier.
"How about this, kid? I'll give you a chance. Join the White Tiger Guild! With your abilities, you'd be more than qualified to lead an elite squad!
I'll offer you a base salary of... twenty million a month! Mission bonuses are extra! You'll get priority access to the guild's resources, equipment, and intelligence!
What do you say? Join me, and I guarantee you'll have a much brighter future than skulking around alone as the Wind Hidden One!"
The team members remained on guard, but their gazes toward Xu Feng had changed.
They looked at him with appraisal, curiosity, and a hint of You lucky bastard.
As far as they were concerned, the guildmaster's offer was already an incredible blessing for a solo A-Class Hunter.
A twenty-million monthly salary, along with the White Tiger Guild's backing and resources, was enough to make countless unaffiliated Hunters fight tooth and nail for the opportunity.
When Bai Luhao finished, he folded his arms and waited, entirely at ease.
He was sure that anyone who wasn't a fool would know what to choose.
Yet, despite being surrounded and faced with Bai Luhao's generous offer,
Xu Feng's eyes beneath the armor merely flickered.
He quietly watched Bai Luhao's self-assured expression and listened to his condescending, charity-like offer.
After a long pause, a soft, ambiguous laugh came from beneath the mask.
"Heh... A carrot and a stick. Nice strategy."
Xu Feng's disguised voice came through the chitinous mask, low and hoarse, yet exceptionally clear.
"Guildmaster Bai, you certainly know how to play your hand."
Bai Luhao raised an eyebrow, assuming Xu Feng was bargaining. He was about to sweeten the offer when Xu Feng abruptly changed the subject, his voice laced with undisguised mockery and fighting spirit:
"But... you want to recruit me? Make me work for you?"
He slowly raised his right arm, covered in dark red armor, and rolled his wrist. The spot where Bai Luhao had grabbed him was completely unmarked.
"Then let's see... whether you're actually strong enough to deserve that S-Class Hunter title!"
Before you continue