Niu Gang and the others left.
Xu Yuan and the other twenty-nine people who had passed the assessment each had a blue-green card in hand.
The card was about the size of an ID card, its front covered in cloud patterns, with the words "Azure Cloud" as sharp as blades!
On the back was an image of the spherical martial arts base, along with a figure seen from behind.
This was the pass to the Azure Cloud Martial Arts Base.
With it, they could train at the Azure Cloud Martial Arts Base for free for four months.
Even if they spent every day in nothing but the worst training room, those four months would still amount to freeloading a hundred and twenty thousand!
Yet at that moment, rather than feeling happy, everyone holding a pass wore a somber expression and remained silent.
Only after a long while did someone say stiffly, "They want us to hunt Weird Beasts? Is this some kind of mistake?"
"Exactly! How could we possibly kill Weird Beasts? Aren't they sending us to our deaths?"
Weird Beasts were ranked by the color of their eyes. From lowest to highest, they were white-eyed, green-eyed, blue-eyed, purple-eyed, and red-eyed.
Even the lowest-ranked white-eyed Weird Beasts had strength equivalent to a divine martial artist at the Skin Tempering Ninth Stage.
Were they strong?
That depended on whom you compared them to.
Compared to experts at the Bone Forging Realm and above, they naturally weren't much, but compared to everyone present, they were far too strong!
Even Zhang Juye and the other two strongest students were only at the Skin Grinding Seventh Stage.
Against a white-eyed Weird Beast, the three of them together could probably barely protect themselves.
As for everyone else, a white-eyed Weird Beast could swat one dead with a single claw!
How were they supposed to kill one?
Stuff it to death with their bodies?
"It won't be a death sentence. When we're carrying out missions, the teachers should be watching nearby."
Zhang Juye mused, "Otherwise, if someone actually died, Teacher Niu and the others would have a hard time answering for it."
"But what if something happens? If a Weird Beast goes berserk, the teachers might not be able to rescue us in time, right?" someone asked fearfully.
"If they can't rescue us in time, then whoever dies, dies."
Liu Yin bent his arms behind his head, looking utterly unconcerned. "If you don't dare take even a little risk, why bother cultivating? Go home and raise pigs!"
"Crude words, sound reasoning. Since we've chosen the martial path, facing Weird Beasts is only a matter of time. If you're really scared, quit now, before you get someone else hurt!"
Huang Yun spoke up, sweeping a somewhat contemptuous gaze over several boys who had acted particularly timid.
Those boys were deeply embarrassed and all lowered their heads.
"You two don't need to exaggerate so much either. There's danger, but it'll definitely be within manageable limits."
Zhang Juye spoke again. "Everyone, stop scaring yourselves. I believe the teachers won't act recklessly..."
The top students chimed in one after another and soon reassured the others.
Of course, some people scoffed at their words.
You're strong, so of course you aren't scared.
If I were at the Skin Grinding Seventh Stage too, I'd be even braver than you.
Easy to stand there talking when your own back doesn't ache!
But even those who thought that said nothing more.
What good would saying anything do?
They still had to follow the arrangements.
Were they supposed to quit the martial arts class?
They had finally passed the assessment after so much trouble. Who could bear to give that up?
Xu Yuan, on the other hand, was calm.
Although he was only at the Skin Tempering Second Tier, the weakest person present, he was actually the safest of them all.
He was a martial arts prodigy, after all. Niu Gang and the others definitely wouldn't dare let anything happen to him.
Besides, Niu Gang had said there were still over twenty days before their first mission. Who knew how strong he would be twenty days from now?
What if the Beast Ranking rewarded him with some incredible treasure that let him become a god in a single step?
After he indulged in fantasies for a while, the crowd soon dispersed, each with their own thoughts.
No one mentioned a group meal again.
Xu Yuan also left the examination hall, though he was in no hurry to leave.
Sun Hao was still registering. He had to wait for that guy.
Just then, however, Zhang Juye walked over.
"Xu Yuan, want to talk?"
"Hmm?"
Xu Yuan's gaze flickered. Vaguely guessing something, he nodded. "Fatty, wait here. When Rat comes out, catch him for me."
"Oh, sure. What about Zhang Baosheng?"
Xu Yuan recalled Zhang Baosheng's earlier expression, miserable enough to look as though his father had died. "Poor guy. Let him off this once. What can I say? I'm kindhearted."
You're kindhearted?
The corner of Zhang Juye's mouth twitched violently.
What kindhearted person harvested his classmates like chives?
But he said nothing and soon led Xu Yuan to a deserted corner.
"You're Master Bao, aren't you?"
Zhang Juye got straight to the point.
On Friday night, he had told Xu Yuan he could make money by setting up a stall at the base. The very next day, a mysterious master had appeared there, guaranteeing his students would learn.
If that were all, he naturally wouldn't have connected it to Xu Yuan.
Just as he hadn't given Xu Yuan a second glance when they met before the assessment.
But just now, Xu Yuan had displayed a Transformation Realm Savage Bull Heart-Shattering Butt. If Zhang Juye still didn't suspect anything, he might as well donate his brain.
"That's right. It's me."
Xu Yuan was quite straightforward. Other people might not guess who Master Bao was, but Zhang Juye certainly could.
There was no need to pretend.
Stubbornly pretending probably wouldn't do much good either. Given his family's influence in Yang City, once Zhang Juye had a target, tracking him down might not be particularly difficult.
"Just as I thought."
Zhang Juye smiled. "When you coach people in martial techniques, can you guarantee they'll learn at every level?"
"It's not that exaggerated. I can only do that below perfection. The Transformation Realm is too elusive. Hard to say."
In fact, he could guarantee teaching them the Transformation Realm too—at least for the Savage Bull Heart-Shattering Butt!
But he would keep something in reserve.
People who could train a martial technique to perfection weren't common, but there were still quite a few. Teaching someone else to perfection was astonishing, but not outrageous.
The Transformation Realm really was a little too outrageous.
"Is that so..."
Zhang Juye seemed somewhat disappointed, but still said, "How about a deal?"
"You want me to coach you in a martial technique?"
"Yes. Coach me to cultivate the Savage Bull Heart-Shattering Butt to the Transformation Realm, and I'll give you two hundred thousand!"
You filthy rich bastard!
Xu Yuan smacked his lips. "Coaching you to perfection is no problem, but as I said, the Transformation Realm is too elusive. I might not be able to teach you."
"That's fine!"
Zhang Juye waved a hand. "Coach me to perfection, and I'll give you thirty thousand! After that, give it a try. If I reach the Transformation Realm, I'll give you another hundred and seventy thousand. If I don't, I'll still give you thirty thousand for your trouble!"
Well, uh...
Isn't this asking me to make things up and scam him after perfection?
That wouldn't be very nice, would it?
But if he refused, the other party would probably start having other ideas.
Since that was the case, he could only reluctantly do a little scamming.
With that thought, Xu Yuan nodded. "All right, I'll take the deal. But you have to keep my identity as Master Bao secret."
"Of course!"
Zhang Juye smiled. "Also, if you're willing, we can make another deal."
"Hmm?"
"Choose the same tier-two martial technique as me, then teach me after you learn it."
"What are you choosing?"
"I already have a tier-two saber technique, so naturally, the Eightfold Surging Wave Slash!"
Xu Yuan shook his head. "I'm afraid that won't work. I'm planning to choose the Savage Bull Mountain-Treading Strike!"
The Savage Bull Heart-Shattering Butt and the Savage Bull Mountain-Treading Strike counted as a set of martial techniques. There was also a tier-three technique after them, the Savage Bull Spirit-Shaking Roar.
Collect them all, and he would have a smooth little combo.
"But if you've got the guts, you could choose it and pass it on to me. Once I learn it, I'll teach you." Xu Yuan grinned.
"Get lost!"
Zhang Juye rolled his eyes. "If I'm caught passing on a martial technique provided free by the state, I can forget about ever getting another free martial technique!"
"Speaking of which, how could you coach people in the Mountain-Crushing Strike and Wind-Swayed Sword back when you had your stall? Did someone give you the technique manuals?"
"No, I just watched people practice them a lot and taught myself. But without the manuals and visualization diagrams, I could only learn them to minor accomplishment."
Xu Yuan mixed truth with falsehood.
Learning the "form" of a martial technique by watching others practice it for a long time was normal for a martial arts prodigy.
Of course, the prerequisite was watching for a long time.
If he told anyone he could learn one after seeing it once, he would end up being sliced up for research.
Even so, Zhang Juye couldn't help baring his teeth. "You can learn just by watching? You really fucking deserve to die!"
"It's all right, I guess. When do we start the coaching? Today?"
"Not today. I have a charity banquet tonight, so I need to go home and get ready."
"A charity banquet?" Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow.
He had only seen those on television.
"Basically, they're asking us to donate. Otherwise, do you think government funding alone could let the school give us so many benefits?"
Zhang Juye curled his lips. "Sure, I took first place and get a fifty-thousand monthly allowance, but I haven't even recouped the cost."
"Anyway, I'm off. See you at the base tomorrow!"
With a wave, Zhang Juye quickly left.
Xu Yuan returned to the examination hall entrance and saw that Fatty had already caught Sun Hao.
At that moment, Sun Hao was pleading with Fatty in a panic. "Brother Fatty, can I call you Brother Fatty? Just let me go. I really have something urgent!"
"What's so urgent, Rat? You're not going to extort those ordinary students again, are you?" Xu Yuan approached with a faint, ambiguous smile.
Sun Hao's face stiffened, and panic flashed through his eyes.
Xu Yuan looked momentarily stunned. I was just guessing. Did I actually fucking hit the mark?
Tsk, tsk. Sun Hao really is one purebred scumbag!
"Brother... Brother Yuan, what are you talking about? I'm not planning to extort anyone. Really, it's just that my mom called me home for dinner..."
Watching Xu Yuan approach, Sun Hao spoke stiffly.
At that moment, he no longer dared to be snide toward Xu Yuan as he had that morning.
A Transformation Realm martial technique and ninth place in the class assessment—he couldn't afford to mess with him at all.
Xu Yuan didn't pursue whether he was going to extort anyone, either, and said cheerfully, "Dinner can wait. First, I'll take you to cleanse those sins of yours. Otherwise, you really will suffer a bloody calamity!"
"Brother Yuan, stop messing with me. What bloody calamity?" Sun Hao laughed dryly.
"Don't believe me? Fatty, do it. Beat him until he coughs up blood!"
"?????"
So that's what you mean by a bloody calamity?
Then why not just fucking say you'll beat me up if I don't listen?
Sun Hao cursed furiously inside, but hurriedly begged aloud, "No, no, no! Don't hit me! Brother Yuan, whatever you say goes. I'll listen, okay?"
"That's more like it!"
Smiling cheerfully, Xu Yuan immediately beckoned the two of them to follow him out of the school.
Bullying the innocent and weak would weigh on his conscience.
Dealing with scum like Sun Hao, though, really wouldn't burden him in the slightest.