Successfully Joining

Inside a simply furnished room, Chen Xun stood before a burly man with a fierce bearing.

"Chen Xun, First Blood-Qi Transformation Limit cultivation. Are you sure you want to join our Hunting Team?"

"I'm sure."

Chen Xun nodded firmly.

"I looked over your records. You became a Martial Artist just over three months ago, yet you've already reached the First Blood-Qi Transformation Limit. Not bad."

"Furthermore, during the mission, you showed both courage and cunning. With nothing but a crossbow, you successfully killed several bandits, turned the unfavorable battle around, and ultimately escaped from the bandits' hands."

As he spoke, the burly man cast Chen Xun an approving glance.

"You're not bad. I'll give you a spot."

"My name is Xie Xiong. From now on, we're teammates."

As Xie Xiong spoke, he handed Chen Xun a token.

On the front of the token was the image of a tiger, while the back bore a black Li character.

"This is a Tiger Token. It proves that you belong to the Hunting Team."

"Above the Tiger Token is the Dragon Token, which only the Hunting Team captain can possess."

Xie Xiong explained it to Chen Xun.

"I understand."

Chen Xun hurriedly nodded.

"Once you have the Tiger Token, take it to the Dragon-Tiger Grounds in the inner courtyard. That is our Hunting Team's headquarters."

"There, you can use silver to buy Mutant Beast meat, Blood-Strength Pills, and even all sorts of martial techniques."

"These are all benefits reserved for us Hunting Team members. Where else could you buy such good things?"

Xie Xiong could not help sighing.

Then he looked at Chen Xun and let out a sigh. "Ah, if not for that incident, someone with your cultivation would never have been able to enter the Hunting Team."

"That incident? Could you tell me about it?"

Chen Xun could not help asking curiously.

"No. This is classified information. I cannot tell you, and you'd best not go poking around blindly."

Xie Xiong warned him with a stern expression.

"All right." Chen Xun went with the flow and did not press further.

"All right, go report to the Dragon-Tiger Grounds."

"Yes, Brother Xiong."

"Oh, and send the next person in while you're at it."

"Understood."

Chen Xun nodded, then turned and left.

When he opened the room's door, he saw a line of people standing outside.

Even though the Hunting Team was dangerous, many were still willing to take the risk and sign up, all for those benefits and the chance to grow stronger.

"You can go in."

Chen Xun spoke to the person at the front of the line.

"Thank you for letting me know."

The man cupped his hands toward Chen Xun. After hesitating for a moment, he still asked, "Um, did you pass the assessment?"

"I did."

Chen Xun did not hide it. He waved the Tiger Token in his hand before the man.

A look of envy immediately appeared in the other man's eyes.

"You really made it?"

"Would I lie about that?"

"Are you at the Qi-Blood Second Transformation?"

"Not yet. First Blood-Qi Transformation Limit."

"I'm at the same realm. Looks like my chances aren't small either."

The man immediately grew excited, and an extra measure of confidence appeared on his face.

"My name is Luo Tao. If I pass the assessment, I'll treat you to a meal."

"That sounds great. We'll be on the same team then, so it'll be a good chance to get to know each other."

Just like that, Chen Xun watched Luo Tao push open the door and enter, ready to undergo Xie Xiong's interview assessment.

Having heard their conversation, the others all looked at Chen Xun enviously as they watched him stride away.

"Damn Chen Xun, always showing off."

Within the crowd, Li Peng, who was also waiting in line to join the Hunting Team, looked at Chen Xun with such jealousy that fire nearly spewed from his eyes.

"If a mud-legged peasant like you can make it, then so can I."

Li Peng immediately became confident.

However, when it was finally his turn, Xie Xiong asked him a few questions and directly rejected him.

"Why did you eliminate me?"

"Your cultivation is too low, and your temperament is too poor."

"Why can Chen Xun pass the assessment?"

"Chen Xun? Oh, him." Xie Xiong flipped through the dossier in his hand, then came to a realization. Looking at Li Peng disdainfully, he said, "What do you have that lets you compare yourself to him?"

"What cultivation does Chen Xun have, and what cultivation do you have? On the same mission, what was your performance, and what was his?"

"No matter how you put it, he saved your life. It would have been one thing if you did not repay him, but you even slandered and reported him."

As he spoke, Xie Xiong waved Li Peng's dossier in his hand.

"Everything you've done has been recorded."

At those words, Li Peng's face instantly turned pale.

"Nothing to say now, right?"

"Get lost."

Li Peng was driven out once again, his face shifting between green and red.

Outside, there were still quite a few people in line. When they saw Li Peng emerge, they could not help looking over.

Though they could not hear Xie Xiong berating Li Peng, once Li Peng felt their gazes, he still felt as though thorns were pricking his back. Those looks seemed to be mocking him.

At that thought, Li Peng ran off without looking back, not daring to stay any longer.

At the same time, he hated Chen Xun to the bone.

"Chen Xun, this is all your fault."

Meanwhile, Chen Xun, whom Li Peng was fixated on, had already arrived at the Dragon-Tiger Grounds in the inner courtyard with the Tiger Token in hand.

The Dragon-Tiger Grounds covered a considerable area, containing two buildings and a plaza.

One of the buildings had three stories and resembled a small tower.

The other had only one floor, but its doors looked as though they had been cast from black iron, appearing exceptionally thick and heavy.

On the plaza, several weapon racks and dozens of stone locks of varying sizes were scattered around.

Chen Xun's gaze fell upon those weapons and stone locks. Then his eyes narrowed, locking tightly onto one particular stone lock.

"This is... Violet Light."

Chen Xun could not help being startled. He had actually encountered another purple item here.

Just as Chen Xun was spacing out, a pair of broad hands landed on his shoulders.

"Kid, what are you daydreaming about?"

Hearing that voice, Chen Xun gave a start and quickly looked toward it.

He saw a lean man who stood a head taller than him.

"Hello. I'm a newcomer here to report in. My name is Chen Xun. May I ask how I should address you?"

"Yang Feng."

"Greetings, Brother Feng."

"Not bad. You've got manners."

Yang Feng smiled, then suddenly broke into a violent coughing fit.

"Brother Feng, what's wrong?"

Chen Xun hurriedly asked.

"It's nothing. Just a minor injury. It's no big deal."

Yang Feng took out a porcelain bottle, poured out a green pill, and swallowed it as he waved Chen Xun off.

Seeing Yang Feng's face turn pale, Chen Xun knew he was lying, but he did not expose him.

Was it that incident that injured his body?

Unfortunately, I don't have the Green Pouch Medical Art equipped in my equipment slot, so I can't tell how serious his injuries are.

After swallowing the green pill, Yang Feng's complexion immediately improved, and a hint of color returned to his face.

"Sorry to make you see that."

Yang Feng smiled at Chen Xun.

"No, no." Chen Xun hurriedly waved his hands.

Yang Feng said nothing further and instead led Chen Xun into the first floor of the small tower.

Several newcomers like Chen Xun were already waiting inside.

The moment Chen Xun entered, their gazes naturally turned toward him.

"This is Chen Xun. Like you, he's also a newcomer. Get acquainted with each other."

After Yang Feng finished speaking, he stepped aside.

Then Chen Xun and the others exchanged names, gaining a preliminary understanding of one another.

Soon after, Chen Xun's attention was drawn to the ferocious mounted beast heads hanging around the walls.

"These are the heads of powerful Mutant Beasts killed by the Hunting Team. Hanging them here both displays our merits and battle achievements, and helps with cultivation as well."

A delicate-featured young man spoke to Chen Xun.

"Helps with cultivation? How does it help? Brother He, could you explain in detail?"

Chen Xun asked.

"Of course."

He Jin nodded. "This is also something I heard from Brother Yang Feng."

It turned out that the small tower Chen Xun was in was called the Tower of Ten Thousand Beasts, and it was filled with the heads of all kinds of powerful Mutant Beasts.

After these Mutant Beasts died, special methods were used to preserve them, ensuring that their ferocious aura did not dissipate.

Then, after taking a special medicinal powder and staring into a Mutant Beast's eyes, one would feel as though they were confronting the living beast itself, suffering immense pressure that tempered the spirit.

Once one's spirit was tempered to sufficient strength, the Visualization Method could progress rapidly, allowing one to open more Blood Pool Acupoints.

"Here, as long as you have money, you can exchange it for a better Acupoint-Seeking Secret Method."

As he said this, a look of anticipation surfaced in He Jin's eyes.