Teaming Up

"I will now announce the rules of this competition! Killing a first-rank lower-grade ferocious beast earns one point, a first-rank middle-grade beast earns two points, a first-rank upper-grade beast earns three points, a second-rank lower-grade beast earns ten points, a second-rank middle-grade beast earns fifteen points, a second-rank upper-grade beast earns thirty points, a third-rank lower-grade beast earns two hundred points, a third-rank middle-grade beast earns three hundred points, and a third-rank upper-grade beast earns six hundred points."

"Besides hunting ferocious beasts, defeating other competitors will allow you to seize their points."

"This competition will be held in Number Thirteen Forest outside the city and will last ten days."

"Participants may form teams, but no team may have more than five members. Team members cannot plunder each other's points by attacking one another."

"The champion of this competition will receive a five-million prize and fifty spirit stones. The top ten participants will all receive rewards."

"Participants may not bring their own weapons and may only choose from the standard weapons we provide. Of course, after entering Number Thirteen Forest, you may make your own weapons."

"You may now form teams and choose your weapons!"

Zhao Feihe stepped forward and looked down at the more than one hundred participating students below as he spoke indifferently.

"Lingxiu, how about teaming up with me?"

Yang Lie walked straight up to Fang Lingxiu and invited her.

This Hunting Beast Tournament simulated the activities of hunting beast groups and lasted a full ten days. That meant they had to form teams; lone wolves would be in great danger.

Before reaching the Golden Core Realm, martial artists basically operated in teams no matter what they did. The most crucial reason was sleep!

If they did not sleep, a martial artist's combat strength would steadily weaken. An Essence Solidification Realm martial artist who went five days without sleep would become utterly exhausted and, with the slightest lapse of attention, sleep as soundly as a dead pig.

Quite a few overconfident lone martial artists who went hunting had been killed by ferocious beasts in their sleep.

In the wilderness, at least two people were needed to travel together. Of course, five people generally made up a team in the wild. It was the standard arrangement and the optimal configuration established through scientific testing.

Li Lingxiu gave a hearty smile. "Sure!"

"Hold on!"

A voice rang out as four exceptionally outstanding young men and women approached from the side.

"Lingxiu, team up with us! We already have four people, so with you, we'll have exactly five! The five of us working together will have a much better chance than just the two of you!"

A tall, black-clad, strikingly beautiful and handsome mature-looking woman came up to Li Lingxiu and invited her.

Yang Lie glanced at the mature-looking woman and recognized her as Lu Fenfang, a second-year genius. The sunny, handsome young man beside her was likewise a second-year genius, Luo Nianxiong. Lu Fenfang and Luo Nianxiong were both prominent figures at Beihe Number One High School and promising candidates for First-Rate University.

Fang Lingxiu politely declined, "Sorry, Senior Sister, but I've already agreed to team up with Yang Lie!"

Lu Fenfang smiled confidently. "Lingxiu, don't be in such a hurry! This is Ning Feiyan from Second High School. She is at the second level of the Essence Solidification Realm and is proficient in the Ten Absolute Needle Technique. This is Zhang Hua from Fourth High School. He is at the third level of the Essence Solidification Realm and is skilled in archery. The five of us working together will definitely make it into the top ten of this competition."

Yang Lie's gaze immediately fell on Ning Feiyan. She was a petite, delicate beauty with short hair, the sort who could see her ankles just by looking down.

The Ten Absolute Needle Technique was a Profound Rank Martial Skill. It could both heal and attack enemies. However, cultivating the Ten Absolute Needle Technique also required cultivating a special technique and converting one's true qi into specialized healing true qi.

The true qi Yang Lie had cultivated through the Dragon Snake Stance Method and Snake Fist was fierce and overbearing, completely incapable of healing others.

Healing-type martial artists were extremely popular in any team. Of course, in terms of combat power, they generally fell far short of hard-hitting martial artists like Yang Lie.

Fang Lingxiu smiled confidently. "Senior Sister, since I've already agreed to Yang Lie, I won't go back on my word! Besides, I'm also looking forward to fighting Senior Sister and the seniors!"

Regret flashed through Lu Fenfang's eyes. "In that case, we'll meet in the arena!"

"See you in the arena!"

Only then did Lu Fenfang leave with the other three.

Fang Lingxiu gave a dazzling smile. "How about our team being just the two of us? You only need to stand watch while I sleep. Leave everything else to me!"

Yang Lie nodded slightly. "All right!"

After registering, the two selected their supplies and boarded an armored vehicle prepared by the authorities, speeding away from the Base City.

The moment they passed through the gates of the Base City, Yang Lie saw enormous shell craters scattered everywhere outside. The ground was riddled with pits, and beyond that stretched dense forests as far as the eye could see. Many ferocious beasts lurked within those forests.

The human race of Konghe Star had to continually hunt the ferocious beasts in the forests, wipe out all the beasts in a given area, extend a hundred miles deeper inward, and cultivate enough strong experts before gathering most of their resources to establish another new frontier city.

The number of ferocious beasts on Konghe Star far exceeded that of humans. In recent years, the Ferocious Beastmen, whose wisdom had been awakened after contamination by Evil God Power, had become even more difficult to deal with. Konghe Star's human race could only advance steadily and expand slowly.

The armored vehicle carried Yang Lie and Fang Lingxiu into a forest before dropping them off directly.

"The electronic badges you received contain an electronic map. For the next ten days, your activity range will be limited to the area shown on that map. If you wish to surrender, select withdrawal on the electronic badge! Go!"

A black-clad staff member gave them a few instructions before leaving directly.

Yang Lie and Fang Lingxiu stepped into the forest.

Almost at the same time, rays of light flashed in the center of the Great Arena, and projection screens appeared in the air.

The figures of the participants appeared on the screens.

The Zhao Family had employed powerful technology to deploy countless surveillance devices throughout the competitors' forest. This allowed not only for a live broadcast, but also for timely rescue of students in danger.

Outside that Great Forest, numerous experts from the Zhao Family, the military, and the Public Security Bureau had gathered.

"Old Qian, I didn't expect you to come watch a competition for little ones like these!"

Two people sat in the seats of honor in the arena's VIP section. One was Zhao Feihe, and the other was Qian Ming.

Although Zhao Feihe possessed only Heaven and Human Realm cultivation, he was a member of the Zhao Family. Even though he was not from the direct line, his status was no lower than that of a Golden Core Realm expert like Qian Ming. The two also belonged to the Zhao Family Head's faction and had quite a good relationship.

Qian Ming said, "One of my nephews is taking part in this competition too."

Zhao Feihe asked curiously, "Which one?"

"That one!"

Qian Ming flicked a finger, and a small screen appeared before them.

Zhao Feihe praised, "Yang Lie, an elite at the second level of the Essence Solidification Realm! To have this cultivation level while only in his first year of high school, his talent is quite good. It looks like he has a real chance of getting into a First-Rate University!"