At My Mercy

After everyone had entered Baishiyu.

"Can't they make these damn clothes a little bigger?"

The bear-like man impatiently undid half his uniform before finally feeling like he could breathe properly.

Back in the monitoring room.

Five or six people occupied the spacious room. A 3D virtual sandbox floated across the entire south-facing wall.

Within the sandbox, everything inside Baishiyu's boundaries was displayed in vivid detail. The mountains, rocks, forests, and various terrains were all rendered with remarkable completeness, as though they had undergone an extremely meticulous scan.

Inside it.

Dots of red light flickered, each marked with a number from 1 to 180. Quite a few of those dots were moving rapidly.

Aside from the red dots, there were even more green ones.

All the green dots were moving quickly as well, their own numbers flashing beside them. These represented each examinee.

At that moment, the group sat together, chatting as they watched the virtual display.

For every Martial Artist Assessment, all sides sent representatives over to form a panel of five chief examiners. Li Xiongshan was the military's representative this time.

After glancing twice at the virtual display, he saw that a large number of green dots had already gathered around the nearest Sensor No. 180. Clearly, a bloody battle was underway.

But Li Xiongshan had no interest in who would have the last laugh. He merely asked the person beside him, "Are there any promising candidates this time?"

"There are a few."

Fu Hongtao, the Martial Artists Association representative, smiled. "Zhai Feng from Mountain City is an old hand at the assessment. This is his second time participating. He has 2,500 kilograms of force and his saber technique is at the Minor Achievement Realm."

"Sun Zicheng from Wuji Martial Hall, 2,400 kilograms of force."

"Zhang Feiyu from Wuji Martial Hall, 2,200 kilograms of force."

"And Zhao Cheng from the Sky Lake Association. His physical body has almost reached its limit, with a full 2,600 kilograms of force, though he is a little older."

"Wei Ting and Wei Qing, the brother and sister pair, both have over two thousand kilograms of force. One uses a saber and the other a sword, and both have reached the Minor Achievement Realm in martial arts. Wei Ting has even better talent. Her mid-grade martial technique, Drizzling Rain Sword Technique, is only one step away from the Greater Achievement Realm."

"..."

Fu Hongtao rattled off seven or eight names in one breath. They were all seeded competitors in this assessment, with either noteworthy strength or martial attainment.

"Oh, right, there's also someone named Su Bei. The Qi Force he can strike out of thin air carries 1,900 kilograms of force. His actual strength should exceed 2,300 kilograms. He's still young, so given time, he'll become quite formidable."

Hearing this, Li Xiongshan instead let out a soft sigh. "That's still not enough."

"Are there no examinees who have reached the physical limit?"

"The physical limit isn't so easy to reach. Every extra bit of strength becomes ten times harder to gain," someone from the Martial Department said. "Getting one every year or two would already be good."

"Zhao Cheng has 2,600 kilograms. Though he hasn't reached the theoretical 2,800 kilograms, he's already very close to the physical limit."

"I'd say he'll take first place this time."

The physical limit was a specialized term in Gene Martial Arts. After long periods of testing and research, the theoretical physical limit for a Quasi-Martial Artist was around 2,800 kilograms.

That record had been created by the current Legendary Martial Artist, Venerable Wugou. Those who came later could only approach it; no one had ever surpassed it.

Generally, reaching 2,700 kilograms could already be called the physical limit. Yet even those who could truly approach that standard were few and far between.

In their eyes, 2,600 kilograms was already infinitely close to the limit.

Li Xiongshan irritably tugged at his collar. "You all know why this assessment was suddenly changed. A Void Battlefield has abruptly opened, and the entry requirement is Quasi-Martial Artist."

"This has never happened before. It caught us completely off guard."

"At present, the military has provided one person, the Martial Department one, the Association one, and the top factions one. All of them are Quasi-Martial Artists who have reached the physical limit."

"We're still short one person. If no one manages to obtain the No. 1 tag this time, we can only pick another person from the various departments, but their strength may be somewhat lacking."

"We must choose the best of the best. Once they enter the Void Battlefield, they must immediately break through the Secret Treasury Gate!"

"This matter is still classified for now. I hope none of you leak it."

At those words, everyone's expressions turned solemn.

The Void Battlefield was both a martial artist's paradise and a martial artist's hell. But overall, the benefits outweighed the risks. If these Quasi-Martial Artists could emerge alive, it would be an enormous blessing!

"Then do you think anyone has a chance of taking the No. 1 tag this time?"

"I placed the No. 1 tag inside the nest of a high-grade Level One Exotic Beast. If someone is clever enough, it's not entirely impossible," Li Xiongshan said. "What it tests is still the examinee's overall ability."

When they heard that.

Everyone let out a quiet sigh.

A high-grade first-order Exotic Beast possessed strength no weaker than a First-order Martial Artist who cultivated a high-grade Gene Method. For these Quasi-Martial Artists to kill one was nothing more than a fool's dream.

"Then there's basically no hope. It's just a pity this came so suddenly. Otherwise, if we expanded the selection, I think some geniuses from martial arts families would be quite strong as well. All we can say is that their luck was bad, and they missed this opportunity."

"It's not entirely impossible."

The faction representative, who had remained silent until now, spoke teasingly. "If a contestant surpassed the currently known physical limit and had at least one or two martial techniques at the perfected realm, or even the Intent Realm, then they should have a pretty good chance."

"...Very funny."

Even Li Xiongshan, who was usually rather serious, could not help laughing. "The Martial Artist Assessment doesn't allow someone that absurdly strong to exist."

For a moment, the room was filled with cheerful laughter.

Meanwhile.

Su Bei, who had practically been called out by name and ID number, looked at Zhang Feiyu, who insisted on leaving, with some helplessness.

"Feiyu, are you really not coming with me? Don't worry, those petty thugs won't affect me."

He assumed Zhang Feiyu was afraid of the thugs Sun Zicheng had arranged and tried to reassure him.

Zhang Feiyu had helped him quite a bit over the past month. If they stayed together, they might get better results. Since Su Bei could help, he would.

"Really, no need, Brother Bei."

Zhang Feiyu spoke with a somewhat carefree air. "Uncle Chen may not understand, but how could I not?"

"Besides, I'm not weak. Advancing won't be a problem, so there's no need for me to follow you."

Su Bei said, "...All right, then."

Zhang Feiyu looked at the receiver in his hand. "I'll get going first. There's a No. 46 nearby, and the competition should not be too fierce."

Sometimes, Zhang Feiyu was clearheaded to an almost startling degree. He had an extremely accurate understanding of his own position. With his strength, he could actually compete for the top ten, but since he only wanted to advance, the number he got did not seem to matter much.

The two soon went their separate ways.

Su Bei looked at the receiver in his hand. Its range should cover a three-kilometer radius. Apart from a No. 46, there was also a No. 18 nearby. But that No. 18 was moving rapidly across the receiver, shooting out of its detection range in just a few flashes.

"This should be on an Exotic Beast. Judging by that speed, it can't be far from a Level One Exotic Beast."

"Then I'll use this Exotic Beast to kick things off."

Su Bei quietly considered it, but his body did not slow in the slightest. He stomped down violently, leaving a small crater with a bang, and shot away like an arrow leaving the bow, vanishing from the spot in the blink of an eye.

His explosive increase in strength had made him incredibly fast as well. He had long since broken through the 40 meters-per-second barrier, becoming little more than an afterimage in this forest.

From time to time, unranked Exotic Beasts sprang out to ambush him. Su Bei merely flicked them up with his spear tip. Under the surge of force, their bodies exploded, leaving them dead on the spot without even slowing him much.

Very soon.

Su Bei saw the No. 18 dot on the receiver, but it was no longer moving.

He charged straight through the forest and quickly came within a hundred meters of it. Only then did he slow down and walk toward the dot.

Passing through layers upon layers of branches and leaves, Su Bei saw the Exotic Beast's full appearance amid the dense, damp foliage.

"A Ghost-Faced Shadow Fox?"

More than ninety percent of its fur was black, threaded with strands of white hair. A thick tail hung behind it, while sharp claws lay hidden within its padded paws. Its entire body lay concealed in the shadows of a tree branch, making it hard to notice without a careful look.

It was around 1.7 to 1.8 meters long, roughly the size of a leopard from his previous life.

Not far from it, an unranked Steel-Toothed Rabbit was crouched in its nest.

No wonder it had suddenly stopped. It was hunting.

Ghost-Faced Shadow Foxes were considered high-bloodline Exotic Beasts. Once fully grown, they could reach the Level One Exotic Beast stage. They stood out for their speed and their powerful ability to hide.

They were called ghost-faced because their faces were terrifying. They did not resemble foxes at all, but rather hideous evil ghosts from paintings.

As a result, although Ghost-Faced Shadow Fox fur was originally a premium material, it sold rather poorly in the luxury market. Sometimes, it even had to be passed off as Shadow Fox fur to be sold.

Su Bei took a look. It really was ugly as hell.

He moved another thirty or forty meters closer before stopping. If he went any farther, he would probably alert the Ghost-Faced Shadow Fox.

His blood and qi surged wildly through his body, and the temperature of his skin abruptly rose. It felt as though limitless power was rushing through his legs.

Bang!

He gripped the spear with both hands and stomped down explosively. Blood and qi surged as his foot hit the ground, as though immense force had burst through the earth. The damp soil exploded apart in an instant!

Amid the flying dirt and sand, with a wild wind blowing around him, Su Bei became the forest's most terrifying hunter, crossing dozens of meters in less than a second!

Screech!

The Ghost-Faced Shadow Fox's ears twitched, and it immediately spotted Su Bei behind it. A trace of human-like astonishment appeared on its ugly face before it let out a piercing cry. Its body twisted, sharp fangs bared, and both claws extended to over twenty centimeters long. Like a shadow, it lunged at Su Bei in a counterattack.

Whoosh!

But almost the next instant, a spear tip burst out from the back of its skull. Su Bei gave his hand a shake, making the spear shaft tremble, and the Ghost-Faced Shadow Fox's head exploded instantly, leaving only a headless corpse behind.

In a single exchange, Su Bei killed it instantly.

Before Exotic Beasts entered the ranks, they were not very smart.

It had not run. It had actually dared to fight back. That was something Su Bei had not expected.

"Even before entering the ranks, a Ghost-Faced Shadow Fox is absolutely comparable to a top Quasi-Martial Artist. If it had been anyone else, they would probably have needed to put in some effort."

He rummaged through the Ghost-Faced Shadow Fox's body and found a small sensor attached beneath its thick fur.

"What a pity you ran into me," Su Bei softly sighed. "I really am too strong."

He put away the sensor.

"Let's continue."

"If Zhang Feiyu's rank is still lower than No. 18 near the end, I'll just give this one to him," Su Bei said to himself.

No. 18 was already a fairly high rank, but that was not his goal.

His goal was the top ten.

Only the top ten would draw the attention of major factions, and only the top ten would receive an Ascension Secret Treasure as a reward.

He had no background, unlike Zhang Feiyu, who only needed the status of a registered martial artist. Naturally, someone had already prepared an Ascension Secret Treasure for him.

So, Su Bei had to win.

When he had the chance to shine, he would shine as brightly as he could!

Missing this chance did not mean he would never have another, but it would inevitably cost him a great deal of time. On the path of martial arts, one step ahead meant staying ahead every step of the way.

Su Bei activated the receiver and began searching for his next target.

There were indeed quite a few sensor signals nearby, but their numbers were not particularly high. The highest was only around No. 30.

After making his preparations, Su Bei headed deeper inside.

The deeper he went, the more dangerous it became, but the corresponding tag numbers would also be higher.

Whoosh!

The next moment.

An arrow tore through the air, carrying a howling gust as it shot straight at the back of Su Bei's head!

But Su Bei seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. He swept his spear behind him.

Clang!

The sound of metal striking metal rang out in an instant. Sparks flew as the arrow was knocked aside. When it landed, it had already shattered into several pieces.

Su Bei frowned. The arrow carried considerable force, along with spiraling Qi Force. Even after traveling from who knew how far away, it still held nearly three thousand jin of force by the time it reached him.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The attacker clearly had not expected to succeed in a single strike. Leaves rustled through the trees as arrows came flying out one after another, each carrying fierce force as though they would not stop until he was dead.

Su Bei's spear danced in his hands, impenetrable as a wall. A barrage of clangs rang through the forest canopy as sparks scattered everywhere, creating a rather spectacular sight.

In that brief exchange, dozens of arrows had been fired at him!

That bow was definitely an excellent one!

Only a good bow could fire so many arrows in succession. Otherwise, its wielder would have long since exhausted his strength!

The other side was continuously moving as well, making it impossible for Su Bei to determine their position for the moment. He could only defend passively.

The feeling of having the enemy hidden in the dark while he stood exposed was truly unpleasant.

At least that good bow will comfort me later.

Suddenly.

Several more arrows shot in from one side. The technique behind these arrows was far inferior to the other person's; there was not even a trace of spiraling force.

Su Bei merely swept his spear, directly smashing the arrow shafts apart.

Two people?

Su Bei's thoughts shifted. At that moment, three arrows carrying spiraling Qi Force shot toward him. He pretended to be exhausted, and after blocking them, flung the spear in his hand several meters away.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Another three arrows!

This time, Su Bei could only dodge with footwork. The arrows carried spiraling force, and when they struck the ground, they exploded like small bombs, blasting small craters into the earth.

"He's exhausted!"

"His spear has fallen to the ground. He's empty-handed now, so no matter how good his spear technique is, he can't use it!"

"Attack together! Kill him!"

Within the dense forest.

Wen Xiangwei was cautious by nature, so he nocked several more arrows and fired them. By now, even he was feeling somewhat strained.

But seeing Su Bei dodge about in such a sorry state, he felt much more at ease.

He had obtained this bow by chance. He did not know what material it was made from, but it consumed very little strength while the arrows it fired were comparable to a full-power attack. It was thanks to this longbow that he and his brothers had been doing so well.

They had even killed a martial artist.

Normally, he disguised it as an ordinary longbow and did not dare reveal it easily.

"This kid is a real monster. Good thing we have this longbow, or we might really have capsized in a gutter!"

He had blocked nearly a hundred arrows!

Such abundant blood and qi was something Wen Xiangwei had never seen before.

Wen Xiangwei and the others had obtained plenty of information about Su Bei from their employer, and his exceptional spear technique had been prominently mentioned.

"Now that his blood and qi are depleted, he's empty-handed, and he has nowhere to use his spear technique."

"Isn't he just meat on the chopping block, completely at my mercy?"

"It would be best if I could force out the Gene Method he cultivates. If I had such abundant blood and qi, even a martial artist might not be beyond my reach!"

He thought happily to himself.