Cultivation in the Hunting Grounds

The night passed without incident.

Lin Chuan performed his duties as a sentry with meticulous care, doing a better job than any other guard. Every half hour, he would activate his Tenseigan to scan the surroundings with the widest possible field of vision.

He had calculated this carefully. Even with the physical enhancements provided by cultivation, it would take a child under ten years old more than half an hour to reach his position from two kilometers away—and that was assuming they knew his location and headed straight for him. Furthermore, movement speed in a forest could not compare to that on a flat road, so a thirty-minute interval was more than enough for Lin Chuan to detect anyone approaching.

As for Spirit Beasts, the three of them had scouted the area when choosing their campsite; there were no signs of activity, making it relatively safe. Moreover, no Spirit Beast could escape the gaze of Lin Chuan's eyes.

When the sun rose the next morning, Lin Chuan woke the two who were sleeping soundly. Despite their aching bodies, Qin Lang and Bu Lianshi followed Lin Chuan as they set off once more into the depths of the hunting grounds, ready to embrace another day of combat and torment!

Compared to when they first entered the forest, Lin Chuan clearly sensed the dangers lurking all around. He no longer needed to use his Byakugan to deliberately search for Spirit Beasts; almost every time he activated it, he could spot several within a one-kilometer radius.

"Let's go. Our goal for today is thirty Spirit Beasts at the third level of the Qi Refining Stage!" Lin Chuan led the two in a certain direction.

Qin Lang and Bu Lianshi stared at Lin Chuan in horror, cold sweat streaming down their delicate faces. They knew all too well what a terrifying number thirty Spirit Beasts represented.

It didn't take a genius to realize that this quota was meant for the two of them to complete, as Lin Chuan had no intention of lifting a finger. They had been exhausted just killing a dozen or so yesterday, and now, the target had doubled.

"Lin Chuan, isn't our goal a bit too high? Isn't this a bit overambitious?" Qin Lang asked with a bitter face.

Bu Lianshi nodded vigorously beside him. Thirty Spirit Beasts at the third level of the Qi Refining Stage—how long would they have to fight to kill them all? Just thinking about it was terrifying.

Other groups might worry about not finding suitable prey, but their group had no such concerns. Whatever type of Spirit Beast you wanted, just say the word, and Lin Chuan would find it in minutes. Male or female, any species—you only had to ask.

"I think it's fine. Or would you rather switch to fourth-level Spirit Beasts? That way, you'd only need to kill five!" Lin Chuan said nonchalantly while scanning the surroundings with his Byakugan.

"Let's stick with the thirty third-level ones!" Qin Lang quickly replied, terrified that Lin Chuan might decide to make them hunt fifth-level beasts instead.

"Alright, let's go. I've already found six targets for you. You'd better put in some real effort now. Just thinking about it gets me excited! Hahaha!" Lin Chuan laughed, leading the two dejected children toward a spot where a Spirit Beast was already "waiting" to be slaughtered.

Although Qin Lang and Bu Lianshi complained, they understood in their hearts that Lin Chuan was doing this entirely for their benefit. Such training opportunities were virtually impossible to find outside.

Having an abundance of Spirit Beasts to practice combat techniques on, while being protected by someone with formidable strength—this was the kind of cultivation treatment usually reserved for the core disciples of great clans. Yet, here with Lin Chuan, they were enjoying it all.

Even though he seemed unreliable and clearly had a streak of laziness, this opportunity was incredibly rare for them. Everything the noble disciples had, Lin Chuan provided, and he would even point out the flaws in their combat techniques, giving them the most appropriate training.

Time slipped away amidst the fighting. Throughout the journey, aside from activating his Byakugan to check the environment and locate suitable beasts, Lin Chuan spent most of his time watching Qin Lang and Bu Lianshi fight.

If only I had a bag of melon seeds, it would be perfect, Lin Chuan thought. Watching the show while snacking—what a harmonious and meaningful life.

Of course, he didn't forget to cultivate. The Mystic Yellow Art circulated continuously through his meridians, drawing natural energy from the outside world through his acupuncture points, cycling it repeatedly before gathering it into his Dantian.

Although the effects weren't immediately obvious, Lin Chuan knew his progress was far faster than most. Furthermore, the spiritual energy in these hunting grounds was much denser than outside, making cultivation more efficient than in their house; he certainly wouldn't waste the time.

By noon, Qin Lang and Bu Lianshi had already completed more than half of their hunting quota. Even they were surprised by this speed; without realizing it, they had grown significantly. The Spirit Beasts that had been so difficult to handle yesterday had become easy prey for them to take down together today.

Their talent is not low at all, Lin Chuan mused. He had observed them during their cultivation sessions; the speed at which they absorbed spiritual energy was many times faster than the average person. While it didn't reach his level, it wasn't far off.

At the very least, they should have Heaven-grade Spirit Roots. I wonder why the Lin Clan didn't discover their talent, or did they deliberately hide something? These two children are definitely not simple. Lin Chuan lay down in the shade of a tree under the bright sun, tilting his head to watch the two figures fighting.

I have a feeling that being grouped with them wasn't a coincidence. And considering the identity of the original Lin Chuan, I fear there are many things I still don't know, Lin Chuan thought.

Lin Chuan had intended to slack off again for lunch, but Qin Lang resisted firmly, preferring death over eating another meal prepared by Lin Chuan. In the end, the arduous task fell to Bu Lianshi.

They still have the energy to boycott my cooking? It seems today's tasks were a bit too easy, Lin Chuan thought, immediately beginning to ponder what new tasks he should add to continue tormenting them in the afternoon.

After a short rest following lunch, the trio set off on their hunting journey once more. Lin Chuan had already decided on the next task: finding other groups of third-level Qi Refining cultivators to spar with Qin Lang and Bu Lianshi.

In the afternoon, Lin Chuan sat idly to the side, watching the two fight. He cultivated while yawning out of boredom, tossing a Spirit Core they had harvested from a beast in his hand. The object was crystal clear, containing pure spiritual energy.

Suddenly, a wild thought struck Lin Chuan as he stared at the core. "Can this thing... be eaten?"

After a moment of hesitation, he decided it shouldn't be a problem. He casually picked a first-level Spirit Core and tossed it into his mouth, crunching down on it. By the time Qin Lang and Bu Lianshi heard the strange sound and looked over, it was already too late.