Visitors from the Qing Kingdom

[Scouting and Concealment (Beginner): 30/200]

GOOGLE Search TWKAN

[Effect: Track Trails and Recognize Paths, Conceal Aura]

After the [Scouting and Concealment] skill entered the beginner realm, Li Yi's ability to gather information grew ever more formidable.

As he rummaged through the spoils, sunlight filtered through the leaves and spilled into the forest. A flash of light caught Li Yi's eye, and he glanced over instinctively, only to see a faint banyan tree pattern in the corner of the robe.

The Qing Kingdom worshipped banyan trees, using one as its national emblem.

Looking at the banyan emblem on the clothes, Li Yi's heart stirred, and he repeatedly examined the two men's fingers.

"These calluses could only have been left by years of training with weapons in hand."

The thought struck him like lightning. Piecing together all the clues, he understood in an instant.

These two were spies sent by the Qing Kingdom!

"But I'm only a newcomer who hasn't even passed the rookie assessment. I have no access to military secrets, and I come from a hunter's family. Logically, I shouldn't have been a target for these spies at all!"

Once he realized the two were spies, Li Yi hastily wiped away every trace that might expose information about himself. Then, after sprinkling beast-luring powder over the corpses, he swiftly left the scene.

Though Hundred Trees Forest was called a forest, it was in truth a stretch of mountains.

After running for an hour, Li Yi hid in a mountain cave and took out dried meat to replenish his energy.

Throughout his flight, Li Yi had been pondering why these two spies had set an ambush to assassinate him.

Cao Li? Or the Revenue Office?

Li Yi chewed on dried meat as he thought.

"Wait, then why has the Revenue Office been so eager to recruit me, even willing to threaten me with my family?"

By all rights, I am fairly upright, and in Blackstone Town I usually present myself as dull and wooden. If the Revenue Office wanted someone to run its dirty errands, I shouldn't have been the first choice!

At that thought, Li Yi's suspicion toward the Revenue Office grew even stronger.

Thinking of Wang Dagui, who had worked for the Revenue Office and died by his own hand, a conjecture surfaced in Li Yi's mind.

Could it be that the Revenue Office had secretly colluded with the Qing Kingdom, while Wang Dagui was its errand-runner, holding evidence of its dealings with the Qing Kingdom?

And since he was the prime suspect in Wang Dagui's death, the Revenue Office feared he had obtained that evidence. That was why it had wanted to recruit him into its ranks.

But he had rejected the Revenue Office's recruitment several times. Humiliated into rage, it had been eager to destroy the evidence, so it contacted Qing Kingdom spies and sought to use the Hundred Trees Forest assessment to get him killed.

All of a sudden, Li Yi recalled Wu Chuansheng saying that in past rookie assessments, the supervisors merely went through the motions and would not personally enter the assessment grounds.

Yet this time, numerous examiners had personally led patrols.

It seemed that the Revenue Office had come to Hundred Trees Forest to oversee the battle precisely because it wanted to confirm his death as quickly as possible.

With that realization, Li Yi's resolve to kill the Revenue Office, which had already been firm, only hardened further.

"However, the most urgent matter is to complete the mission first."

"While completing the mission, I'll keep increasing the experience of [Scouting and Concealment], and take the opportunity to find the Revenue Office's trail and kill it!"

With a plan in mind, Li Yi quickly finished the dried meat in his hand. Gripping the Army-Breaking Bow, he left the cave and began searching the mountains for traces of wild beasts.

Several hundred people scattered through Hundred Trees Forest would not even raise a ripple.

Using this cave as his base and relying on the two skills [Hunting] and [Scouting and Concealment], Li Yi spent just one day hunting two huge wild boars, four wild wolves, and one fierce tiger.

If he hunted one more black bear and one giant python, he could complete this mission.

But the good fortune of the first day seemed to have drained all of Li Yi's luck.

Throughout the entire second day, Li Yi found no trace of any large ferocious beast.

"Looks like I've killed off all the overlords in this area."

With a sigh, Li Yi packed all the hunted game in the cave into his luggage and left it.

For powerful wild beasts like these, each claimed its own hunting territory.

Over the past two days, Li Yi had more or less killed all the fierce beasts in this area. If he wanted to hunt a bear and a snake, he could only leave for a new stretch of forest.

With beast hides and claws slung over his back, Li Yi looked at the forest before him and began to think.

No matter how fierce a beast was, it could not live without food.

Animals such as deer and sheep, which provided abundant meat, lived in places rich in water and grass.

If he wanted results, he needed to find a place with plentiful water and grass next, and try hunting at night!

After searching for two full days without finding a bear or giant python, Li Yi could only take a risk and decide to try hunting at night.

Having made up his mind, Li Yi climbed a large tree and surveyed the surroundings. Before long, he fixed his eyes on a small lake in the distance.

Wherever there was a lake, deer and sheep often appeared. Besides, fierce beasts also needed a fixed water source to replenish their daily moisture.

In the mountains, there was a saying: a mountain may look close enough to run to, yet it could run a horse to death.

The lake looked nearby, but it took Li Yi more than half an hour to reach the stream.

As he hurried toward the lake, his skills continued gaining experience.

Splash!

A waterbird was startled from the grass and flapped its wings as it took flight.

Near the lake, three to five wild deer were lowering their heads to drink.

Watching this scene, Li Yi quietly took out the Army-Breaking Bow. After sprinkling some scent-masking medicinal powder over himself, he lowered his body and crawled behind a massive boulder.

From where the boulder stood, he had a full view of the entire lake. The lake was not very large, and nearly all of it lay within the range of Li Yi's Army-Breaking Bow.

Waiting for prey was a skill every hunter had to master.

As time passed, the sun sank westward, and patches of golden clouds slowly emerged along the horizon.

"Dusk is here. These beasts should be coming out to forage soon."

Li Yi's gaze sharpened as he surveyed his surroundings.

Suddenly, Li Yi's nose twitched slightly. He caught a faint fishy stench in the wind.

The next instant, the lake water churned, and a huge snake burst forth, clamping its jaws tightly around a wild deer.

The bitten deer struggled desperately while its companions scattered with cries.

This giant python was as thick as an adult man's thigh. It paid no heed to the deer that had fled, and with a twist of its body, it squeezed the deer to death.

"This is a heaven-sent opportunity!"

Watching the giant python coil around and kill the deer, Li Yi's heart stirred. He took out an arrow and nocked it onto the Army-Breaking Bow.

These were fine iron arrows he had asked Wu Chuansheng to purchase. They could easily pierce the flesh and hide of such beasts.

Even a huge wild boar with thick hide and tough flesh could be pierced with ease under the armor-piercing effect of the [Archery] skill.

The arrowhead was aimed at the beast, but Li Yi did not act in haste.

After killing the deer, the giant python opened its maw wide and began swallowing the deer inch by inch.

When snakes fed, they swallowed their food whole. During the period when they were eating and immediately after swallowing their prey, they were at their most vulnerable.

About the time it took to burn an incense stick later, the giant python had swallowed the entire deer.

Seeing the huge bulge on the snake's body, Li Yi's expression tightened.

"Now!"

His body moved with his intent!

Whoosh~

With a crisp twang, the iron arrow in Li Yi's hand shot out like lightning, striking the giant python's head in the blink of an eye.

This giant python was as thick as an adult man's thigh—a true snake king.

After its head was struck, its body writhed madly, trying to vomit out the deer inside it so it could retaliate.

But Li Yi gave it no chance. Iron arrows flew out one after another, pinning the python firmly to the lakeshore.

Streams of foul-smelling snake blood poured from its wounds and flowed into the lake.

Before long, the giant python, with four or five iron arrows embedded in its body, breathed its last. Its upper half was nailed to the ground, while its lower half floated in the water.

"Now all that's left is a bear!"

At that thought, joy rose in Li Yi's heart. He hurried forward, drew his dagger, and prepared to cut apart the snake's corpse and collect proof that he had completed the task.

In just a few breaths, Li Yi arrived beside the snake's body.

A dense stench of blood rushed into Li Yi's mouth and nose, making him instinctively wrinkle his nose.

Something was wrong!

Smelling that blood stench, Li Yi's expression changed drastically, and he abruptly leaped backward.

Splash!

A huge burst of water exploded from the lake. A burly man wielding a water-parting spike leaped out of it.

The man's blood and vitality surged powerfully, his eyes gleaming with spirit. In the light of the setting sun, Li Yi could vaguely see a faint tough sheen glimmering across his skin.

A powerful expert at the second level of Body Tempering—the Tough Skin Realm!

Li Yi's expression tightened. His feet tapped rapidly against the ground as he dashed toward the forest.

But in the next instant, a large tree in the forest exploded apart, and a burly man wielding a long spear leaped out. From a patch of earth, another burly man carrying a broadsword emerged, blocking Li Yi's path.

These two were likewise seasoned second-level Body Tempering practitioners!

In an instant, the three men surrounded Li Yi by the lake in a pincer formation.

"Kid, end your own life, and I can leave you an intact corpse!" The man with the water-parting spike shook the droplets from his body and revealed a cold smile.

"Second Brother, why waste words on him? Let me chop him into minced meat, blade by blade!" The man with the broadsword licked his lips, his eyes filled with cruelty.

As for the man with the long spear, he said nothing and simply approached Li Yi at an unhurried pace.

"These three are expert assassins!"

Even with the aid of two skills, Li Yi had failed to detect their presence at once. It was clear that these three were seasoned killers with exceptionally formidable methods.

"Who sent you?"

As he spoke, Li Yi took the pack off his back.

The spear-wielding man was presumably the leader of the three. With a glance, he stopped the blade-wielding man and said in a low voice, "This kid was able to detect your tracks. He's no simple opponent. Stop wasting words—take him down quickly. We can't let him interfere with the grand plan!"

At those words, all three men charged Li Yi with vicious grins.

Li Yi's heart sank. He drew the Army-Breaking Bow to its fullest and, with a casual sweep of his hand, nocked three iron arrows.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

A triple shot!

The three iron arrows flew straight at the man wielding the water-dividing spikes.

But the man circulated the blood and vitality throughout his body, crossing his two water-dividing spikes before him and blocking all three arrows.

"Not bad, not bad. You made me take three steps back, kid. Your archery is pretty good!"

The man glanced down at the footprints on the ground, then charged Li Yi with his water-dividing spikes whirling.

He couldn't let the three of them form an encirclement!

Facing this deadly trap, Li Yi stopped holding back and drew his bow once more.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

A triple shot!

Since they were all aimed at the same target, Li Yi did not use the Arrow-Fighting Art.

"The same trick won't work on me!"

Watching the arrows draw ever closer, the man roared and once again swung his twin water-dividing spikes up before his chest.

Clang!

The man staggered back half a step as the first arrow fell to the ground.

Clang!

This time, the man's hands trembled, and he was forced back a full step. The second arrow also dropped to the ground.

Clang!

"Keep struggling!"

The man grinned viciously, but in the next instant, terror flooded his face.

Looking down, he saw a black arrow had already pierced through his heart. As for the two water-dividing spikes in his hands, they had snapped apart.

After firing that arrow, Li Yi put away the Army-Breaking Bow and drew the Plum Blossom Spear, gripping it in hand.

When Li Yi had bought the Army-Breaking Bow from Old Zhang, he had also obtained three armor-piercing arrows that came with it.

These three armor-piercing arrows had been forged from the flesh and bones of exotic beasts, and their power was astonishing.

With Li Yi concealing one armor-piercing arrow among two ordinary iron arrows and catching him off guard, this man was doomed to die!

"Second Brother!"

The blade-wielding man glared furiously at Li Yi, his gaze constantly sweeping the ground.

After those two triple shots, the distance between Li Yi and the remaining two had closed considerably. There was no longer enough room to use the Army-Breaking Bow.

But Li Yi knew more than just archery!

Looking at the enraged blade-wielding man, Li Yi frowned and asked, "Did the Household Office send you?"

Thinking of those two spies from before, Li Yi immediately identified the Household Office as the mastermind behind this.

"Hmph. I never waste words on dead men!"

"Third Brother, get him!"

The spear-wielding man snorted coldly. Taking a single stride forward with his spear in hand, he thrust its tip at Li Yi.

Li Yi's expression tightened. The [Gale Breathing Method] activated instantly, and the blood and vitality throughout his body surged.

Though this breathing method specialized in speed, after Li Yi entered the Blood-Strengthening Realm of the first Body-Tempering stage, it could also enhance his strength.

In the next moment, Li Yi swept out with the Plum Blossom Spear in his hand, blocking the spear tip thrust by the spear-wielding man.

[Gale-Rending Formation-Breaking Spear]!

This was the powerful spear technique he had obtained from Li Erniu. With life and death hanging in the balance, Li Yi entered a state of utter focus, seeing nothing but the two men before him.

Block!

Thrust!

Stab!

Move after move of spearplay held the spear-wielding man at bay. At the same time, Li Yi kept moving his feet, exploiting the traits of the [Gale Breathing Method] to dodge and weave, constantly evading the blade-wielding man's slashing edge.

After swiftly killing one man, Li Yi broke the three-man encirclement, gaining more room to maneuver.

Using trees, boulders, streams, and other obstacles, Li Yi successfully held the other two at bay, avoiding the peril of being caught in a pincer attack.

"This target's tough! We have to end this quickly!"

The sounds of the three fighting carried farther and farther.

Throughout Hundred Trees Forest, squads of veteran soldiers patrolled to oversee the newcomers' assessment and prevent accidents.

If the patrolling veterans noticed something amiss and came over, the mission would fail!

With that thought, the man with the spear suddenly turned ruthless. He continuously circulated his Breathing Method, his blood and qi surging like a dragon. The spear in his hand grew heavier and heavier, relentlessly compressing Li Yi's room to maneuver.

[Gale Breathing Method] and [Gale-Rending Formation-Breaking Spear] began to faintly coordinate under the sustained pressure of the two men.

Li Yi moved swift as the wind and fast as lightning, his footwork nimble as a breeze and his spearplay fierce as a gale. For a time, the experience of both skills steadily increased.

After thrusting who knew how many times, Li Yi suddenly entered a state of complete absorption, the spear techniques in his hands growing ever more ferocious.

[Gale-Rending Formation-Breaking Spear (Proficient): 10/800]

[Effect: The spear strikes like a dragon; can unleash three consecutive thrusts in an instant; arm strength increased]

Between life and death, the skill experience for [Gale-Rending Formation-Breaking Spear] filled up, advancing from Beginner to the realm of Proficient.

And as the skill advanced, Li Yi gained an insight as well. A spear technique he had never been able to grasp before now surged into his mind!

[Gale-Rending Formation-Breaking Spear]!

"Gale Triple Thrust!"

This was a killing move recorded in the spear manual!

The Plum Blossom Spear in Li Yi's hands swept again and again. Streams of force emerged at its tip, then, under Li Yi's control, fused together and clung tightly to the spearhead.

"Die!"

Like a mad demon, Li Yi thrust out his spear!

The layered force on the strike erupted in an instant. In the blink of an eye, it sent the spear from the man's hand flying. The Plum Blossom Spear continued without losing momentum, driving straight ahead and piercing his chest.

"What spear technique is this?" The man with the spear stared in shock at the weapon that had punched through his chest.

But then his expression turned savage, and he clamped both hands around the shaft.

"Quick, kill him!"

He roared repeatedly at the man with the saber.

Li Yi yanked hard several times, but could not pull back the Plum Blossom Spear at all. The saber-wielding man, consumed by fury, slashed down, his blade already upon him.

Between life and death lay a great terror!

With the blade right before him, every hair on Li Yi's body stood on end. In that fleeting instant between life and death, he released the spear shaft and rolled aside, dodging the edge.

But after the deaths of his two companions, the saber-wielding man had already gone mad. His broadsword hacked wildly, tightly pursuing Li Yi's figure.

Even though Li Yi was using the [Gale Breathing Method] with all his strength, he was still wounded by the blade, his body covered in cuts.

What should he do!

Watching the blade draw ever closer, Li Yi could only retreat toward the lake.

If it came to it, he could only jump into the lake and gamble!

Hundred Trees Forest was crawling with venomous insects and filled with bloodsucking leeches. In Li Yi's current state, entering the lake would certainly draw a great number of poisonous bugs and leeches.

Facing the blade head-on meant certain death.

Jumping into the lake meant a slim chance at life.

Just as Li Yi found himself trapped between advancing and retreating, a thunderous shout rang out through the forest:

"What thief dares harm my brother!"

Hearing that voice, Li Yi paused in his motion to leap into the lake. He rolled on the spot, then looked up to see a burly man charging toward him in great strides.

It was Han Jia!

Seeing that brawny figure, Li Yi unconsciously let out a breath of relief.

"Another one coming to die!" The saber-wielding man's expression was crazed as he swung at Li Yi again and again.

"Kid, you're dead for sure. No one can save you!"

Han Jia was twenty meters away. It would take him three breaths to reach them, while the saber-wielding man's blade would strike Li Yi in just one.

"Worthless rabble, and you dare bark so wildly!"

Even a clay figurine had three parts anger.

After being attacked and nearly killed time and again, the rage in Li Yi's heart was no less than that of the saber-wielding man who had lost his two brothers.

"Die!"

Li Yi swung his fist and charged forward.

[Eight Extremes Fist (Mastery): 230/800]

[Effect: Constitution enhanced, vitality and blood like mercury]

The breathing technique Li Yi cultivated did not excel at fighting through vitality and blood, but at this moment, the [Eight Extremes Fist] passive triggered instantly, making Li Yi's vitality and blood erupt continuously and compensating for his weakness.

Clang!

Li Yi gripped his saber like a fist and threw a punch, using the short blade in his hand to knock aside the broadsword.

Thanks to Li Yi buying time, Han Jia, still in peak condition, had already reached the lakeside.

"Slash!"

Han Jia swung his nine-ring broadsword with all his might, knocking the broadsword from the knife-wielding man's hand with a single strike!

Although Han Jia had yet to enter the first level of body refinement, he had been born with immense strength. Even many veteran soldiers at the second level of Qi Refinement could not match him in sheer power, and the nine-ring broadsword in his hand was itself a heavy weapon.

Meanwhile, the knife-wielding man had already expended much of his vitality and blood against Li Yi, and fury had clouded his mind.

Thus, in their very first exchange, his weapon was sent flying.

"Good chance!"

Seeing the man's broadsword leave his grip, Li Yi took three quick steps forward. His fists became phantoms as he attacked without defending!

[Eight Extremes Fist]!

The Eight Extremes Fist Li Yi had practiced for over a decade erupted forth, driving the burly man back again and again. Seizing the opening, Han Jia dragged up his nine-ring broadsword and chopped down once more!

"Argh!"

With a scream, one of the knife-wielding man's hands fell to the ground.

Bang!

Li Yi seized the opportunity and knocked him to the ground with a punch.

Looking at the knife-wielding man's deathly pale face, Li Yi hurriedly asked, "Who exactly sent you to kill me?!"

Seeing Han Jia standing beside him with his weapon in hand, glaring like a tiger eyeing its prey, the knife-wielding man stared resentfully at Li Yi.

"Heh heh. Even if I die, I won't tell you!"

"And don't celebrate too soon. I'll be waiting for you below!"

The next moment, black blood spilled from the corner of the man's mouth. His head lolled to one side, and he collapsed to the ground.

"He took poison and killed himself."

Li Yi pried open his mouth, looked at the poisoned blood inside, and sighed.

"Are you okay?!"

Han Jia had no mind for anything else. He hurried forward and supported Li Yi.

As Han Jia held him up, Li Yi unconsciously let out a breath of relief.

The moment that breath left him, waves of agonizing pain surged up at once.

Li Yi's body was covered in wounds. After repeatedly erupting with vitality and blood, even his clothes had been soaked through with blood.

Though he had successfully killed three assassins in return, Li Yi himself had been gravely wounded.

Seeing this, Han Jia took out some healing medicine and sprinkled it over Li Yi's wounds.

"Head west. There's a cave there—it's very safe."

Enduring the searing pain, Li Yi directed Han Jia to pack their belongings, carry him on his back, and hurry toward the cave where they had stayed before.

Relying on the many medicines Wu Chuansheng had purchased earlier, Li Yi's injuries were brought under control, though he still found it difficult to move.

Fortunately, Han Jia had previously happened to hunt a black bear. After dividing the prey between them, both of them had fulfilled their mission objectives.

Early the next morning, Han Jia carried Li Yi on his back and chose the quickest route out of Hundred Trees Forest.

The journey in had been hard; the journey out was easy.

In less than two hours, Han Jia had carried Li Yi out of Hundred Trees Forest.

However, this was not one of the designated entrances or exits, and not a soul could be seen nearby.

After getting their bearings, Han Jia continued carrying Li Yi and returned to the military camp.

At this time, the camp contained quite a few injured newcomers who had failed the assessment, so Li Yi's injuries did not draw much attention.

After registering their prey and receiving proof that they had completed their mission, the two returned to their tent.

After helping Li Yi change his medicine, Han Jia pulled a letter from his clothes and handed it to Li Yi.

"Brother Yi, I picked this up in Hundred Trees Forest. Can you help me see what it says?"

Han Jia only recognized his own name and knew nothing else.

Seeing this, Li Yi stretched out his less injured hand and took the letter.

A moment later, after reading it, Li Yi's expression became extremely complicated.

He had never imagined that his guess had actually been right!

The letter Han Jia had found by chance was actually correspondence between the Minister of Revenue and a Qing Kingdom general!