The mission drew near; the girl passed on her techniques

Early the next morning, in the Prosperous Age Grand View residential complex.

"Strange, don't you love spirit meat most? Why aren't you eating today? You aren't sick, are you?"

Xu Yuan had just come downstairs when he saw Old Master Lu with a tobacco pipe in his mouth, feeding Little Blackie dried spirit meat.

Little Blackie lay lazily on a bench, eyes half-open, barely acknowledging Old Master Lu at all. Old Master Lu was so anxious that he scratched his head and ears.

Xu Yuan watched with amusement. Last night, he had let Little Blackie eat his fill, and the cat had eaten five or six thousand worth of dried spirit meat in one sitting. It would have been a miracle if he could eat more now.

Speaking of which, Little Blackie had become the cat king of this neighborhood precisely because he had eaten plenty of spirit meat. But according to Little Blackie himself, eating spirit meat no longer seemed to strengthen his physique.

Xu Yuan guessed that the spirit meat's grade might not be high enough.

Whether Zhang Yaying had bought it or Old Master Lu had bought it for Little Blackie, it was all just spirit meat from White-Pupil Grade Weird Beasts.

If he wanted Little Blackie to keep getting stronger, he would probably need spirit meat from Green-Pupil Level Weird Beasts.

But that was far too expensive. One jin of fresh meat cost over a hundred thousand, and it was hard to buy in a small place like Yang City. Whenever any reached the market, the wealthy would snap it up immediately.

After all, it could strengthen the body; it was not merely delicious.

"Ahem, off to the martial arts base, young Xu?"

Perhaps feeling that talking to a cat damaged his image as a Bone Forging expert, Old Master Lu cleared his throat twice and assumed a stern air before Xu Yuan.

Xu Yuan did not expose him, either, and said with a smile, "Yes, Elder Lu. You've raised Little Blackie to be really sturdy."

Old Master Lu was quite pleased to hear that. "You know what to say, kid. Let me give you a bit of news."

Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow. "What news?"

"Remember that Weird Beast that entered the city the day before yesterday? The Divine Guard Army followed its trail and found a litter of mutated piglets on White Beggar Mountain."

"Uh, what use is that news?" Xu Yuan did not quite follow.

Old Master Lu offered no explanation, only saying, "A friend in the Divine Guard Army told me. It's guaranteed accurate. As for what use it is, figure that out yourself."

Xu Yuan's pupils contracted. Could Old Man Lu know I can absorb Weird Beasts?

But on second thought, that was impossible. If Old Man Lu knew about that, he would probably have already captured him and interrogated him for his cultivation method.

"All right. Thank you, Elder Lu."

Xu Yuan thanked him and continued toward the complex gates, pondering Old Man Lu's words as he walked.

Piglets... Could the martial arts class be going after that litter of piglets on our first Weird Beast hunt?

Xu Yuan's eyes lit up.

That's very likely.

The martial arts students were not particularly strong and had no experience. For their first Weird Beast hunt, they would certainly pick something easy, then gradually increase the difficulty, advancing step by step.

"So does that mean the day we go out hunting Weird Beasts is almost here?"

Excitement flashed in Xu Yuan's eyes.

But to ensure the students' safety, the Divine Guard Army would probably have to clear out the other Weird Beasts near that litter of piglets. There was no telling how long that would take.

The itch in his heart made Xu Yuan want to visit White Beggar Mountain himself.

Of course, for now, he could only think about it. Even putting aside whether he could find the place, venturing out with his meager strength and no experience outside would be no different from seeking death.

Better wait for the main group.

I'll tag along with the main group to gain some experience first, then find a chance to go solo!

With that thought, Xu Yuan left the complex and boarded the bus to the base.

Just then, the phone in his pocket vibrated twice. Xu Yuan took it out and saw messages from Luo Yaoxi.

[Little Luo, Little Luo, pass every exam: Xu Yuan, have you left yet?]

[Little Luo, Little Luo, pass every exam: Xu Yuan, I'm almost at the base!]

The two had reconnected on Heavenly Messenger last night and discussed the combat lessons.

At the time, the girl's every word had brimmed with excitement and anticipation, leaving Xu Yuan utterly baffled. Are all top students this terrifying? Can they get excited about learning anything?

[Xu Yuan: Just left. I'll be there in about an hour.]

[Little Luo, Little Luo, pass every exam: Then I'll wait for you at the entrance!]

When he arrived at the martial arts base, the girl was indeed waiting at the entrance.

Her lively eyes watched the passersby, but they all ignored her as though they could not see her.

Xu Yuan suddenly felt that Luo Yaoxi would make a very suitable assassin. An ability that made people overlook her would be terrifying for assassinations!

"By the way, doesn't keeping that divine ability active all day tire you out?"

Walking up to Luo Yaoxi, Xu Yuan asked curiously.

By now, he was basically certain that Luo Yaoxi's divine ability required deliberate activation. Otherwise, if it were a passive effect, he could not possibly remain unaffected.

"Everyone's very weak, so it barely drains me."

Luo Yaoxi spoke with a serious expression, then quite naturally caught Xu Yuan's wrist and pulled him through the base's gates.

The corner of Xu Yuan's mouth twitched. You're pretty arrogant, calling everyone weak.

"Then how strong are you now?"

"Skin Tempering Sixth Stage, almost seventh. But that's not the kind of weakness I meant. It's..."

Luo Yaoxi thought for a moment, then said in a somewhat uncertain tone, "Their mental power is weak."

Xu Yuan: "..."

We're already talking about mental power?

Still, making people overlook and forget her was indeed something on the mental level.

Besides, this girl had only begun cultivating half a month ago, yet she was already almost at Skin Grinding Seventh Stage!

Even Zhang Juye and the others with fourth-tier talent had taken two years to reach Skin Grinding Seventh Stage. Just how high was this girl's Divine Talent?

"What tier is your talent?" Xu Yuan could not be bothered to guess and asked outright.

Luo Yaoxi shook her head. "I don't know. Teacher Niu didn't tell me."

As they spoke, they had already reached the base's fifth floor.

Luo Yaoxi used her pass to open a training room, and a collection of equipment Xu Yuan had never seen immediately came into view.

"This is it. I'll pass the martial skill cultivation methods on to you first, then you teach me how to fight!" Luo Yaoxi raised her fist, eager to try.

"Sure, then give me the electronic slip." Xu Yuan held out his hand.

He assumed that, like the second-tier martial skills taught in the martial arts class, Luo Yaoxi's two third-tier martial skills were stored in an electronic slip.

But Luo Yaoxi looked bewildered. "Electronic slip? I don't have one. Teacher Niu passed them on to me using a memory jade talisman."

"Then where's the memory jade talisman?"

"It's gone."

"Then how are you going to pass them on to me? Recite them?"

"No." Luo Yaoxi's pretty face flushed faintly.

Xu Yuan: "???"

Why is she blushing?

The next instant, a fragrant breeze swept toward him. Luo Yaoxi suddenly stepped in front of Xu Yuan and rose onto her toes, pressing her forehead, like white mutton-fat jade, against his.

Xu Yuan felt a cool, soft touch against his forehead, while the girl's faintly trembling eyelashes filled his vision.

What is this?

Xu Yuan wanted to ask, but before he could speak, he felt a stream of information flow gently into his mind like water.

Holy shit! Mental power transmission?

Wait, she won't discover the Beast Ranking, will she?

Xu Yuan was startled, but immediately gained a glimmer of understanding. The Beast Ranking did not exist inside his skull, but within a profound, mysterious mental space.

Besides, this mental power was merely transmitting information, with no intention of prying into him.

Soon, the cultivation methods for the two third-tier martial skills, Shadowless Step and Instant-Space God-Exterminating Kill, were imprinted in Xu Yuan's memory.

Xu Yuan thought it was over, but then a different kind of information came through:

Don't move. I'll secretly pass the cultivation method on to you too!

PS: I'm not feeling in great shape. I don't know when I'll finish the next chapter, and it'll probably be very late by the time I do. Read it tomorrow, everyone.