"Zhang He, 10 points!"
"Li You, 15 points!"
"Bao Lei, 23 points!"
"Xue Hai, 0 points!"
The scoring teacher's voice carried clinical indifference as he catalogued each student's meager achievements. His eyes lingered on Xue Hai's battered form—torn clothing, fresh bruises, the defeated posture of someone thoroughly robbed and beaten.
Zero sympathy flickered in the official's expression. Weakness invited predation. Natural selection at its purest.
"Li Yunxing, 195 points!"
Second Academy students erupted in prideful cheers. Li Yunxing represented their institution's honor, a genius who'd exceeded all reasonable expectations for their modest academy.
"Pathetic. Only 195 points, and you thought you could challenge me?"
Mo Shaobei emerged from the wilderness zone like a conquering general, his sneer dripping with aristocratic contempt. Three massive bags hung from his shoulders—testament to systematic hunting prowess.
The scoring teacher's calculations required several minutes of careful verification before announcing: "Mo Shaobei, 427 points!"
"Impossible!"
Li Yunxing's composure cracked. "You must have robbed other students!"
"This is pure ability."
Mo Shaobei's laugh carried genuine amusement at such accusations.
Li Yunxing's face flushed crimson, but no counterargument emerged. The calculation spoke for themselves.
"Four hundred twenty-seven points! Mo Shaobei should claim first place easily. Among First Academy's five geniuses, his strength is supreme—practically the top Martial Apprentice in all Linhai Base!"
"You don't know about the fierce beast incident? A genuine fierce beast spotted snake appeared in the trial zone. Multiple warriors besieged it successfully, but someone stole the final kill. That creature's eyes are worth one thousand points!"
"Who claimed the fierce beast spotted snake? The eyeballs alone guarantee first place!"
"Lucky? Maybe. But imagine the courage required to steal from Mo Shaobei's group. That person better hope his identity remains secret—Mo Shaobei's fury will be legendary."
"First place reward includes three intermediate beast blood vials plus one hundred thousand yuan. Offending Mo Shaobei might be worth such prizes."
"Mo Shaobei belongs to the Mo family—Linhai Base nobility. He can't commit violence openly, but subtle harassment will make that person's life miserable."
Mo Shaobei ignored the surrounding chatter, his attention fixed on the wilderness entrance with predatory intensity.
"Whoever you are, I don't believe you'll surrender first place voluntarily. Once your identity is revealed, death will seem preferable to my revenge."
Killing intent radiated from his position like heat from forge flames.
The trial's time limit approached its final moments when a lone figure emerged from the forest depths. A teenager carrying one large pack and one smaller container approached the scoring station with casual confidence.
Ye Tian.
"Teacher, please calculate my results."
He transferred both bags to the official with polite courtesy, though satisfaction gleamed in his dark eyes.
The scoring teacher examined contents methodically. "Total of 163 points—excellent performance, definitely top-ten material."
"I have one additional item."
Ye Tian produced the fierce beast spotted snake's eyes with theatrical timing.
Supernatural pressure emanated from the preserved organs—residual beast aura that made nearby students instinctively step backward.
"The fierce beast spotted snake eyes!"
Shock transformed the teacher's professional composure. "This material counts as 1000 points. Your final score: 1163 points!"
Silence.
Then a dozen pairs of hostile eyes locked onto Ye Tian's position like targeting systems acquiring their mark.
"Who are you to steal our fierce beast spotted snake eyeballs?"
Mo Shaobei's voice could have frozen flowing water.
A younger First Academy student whispered urgently: "Boss, he's from Fifth Academy!"
Fifth Academy?
Mo Shaobei's rage intensified exponentially. Fifth Academy represented the absolute bottom of academic hierarchy—insects beneath his notice. For such lowly scum to claim his rightful prize was beyond insult. It was blasphemy against the natural order.
His family status guaranteed intermediate beast blood access eventually. Martial Artist advancement was inevitable, bringing elevated family position and unlimited resources. But public humiliation? Unforgivable.
"Amusing. 'Your' fierce beast spotted snake eyeballs?"
Ye Tian's tone carried steel beneath silk. "The beasts in this trial zone don't belong to your family. I encountered prey, killed it, claimed the spoils. Standard hunting protocol."
He felt zero fear of Mo Shaobei's threats. Once intermediate beast blood accelerated his cultivation, Martial Artist status was guaranteed within weeks. Continued talent copying would elevate him far beyond Mo Shaobei's reach.
Besides, Linhai Base's laws protected him from direct retaliation. If Mo Shaobei escalated beyond petty harassment, he'd discover what real regret tasted like.
Mo Shaobei understood verbal confrontation's futility. His glare promised future violence.
"Remember this moment, boy. You'll regret this choice."
Other First Academy students radiated similar hostility, but remained silent. Mo Shaobei's revenge would be sufficient—they need only wait patiently for the entertainment.
Trial concluded.
Ye Tian claimed his prizes as victor: three intermediate fierce beast blood vials plus 100,000 yuan. Perfect foundation for the next phase of advancement.
Three Days Later
Ye Tian had deliberately avoided immediate intermediate blood consumption, instead focusing on foundation consolidation. The remaining inferior beast blood required complete refinement before attempting higher-grade enhancement.
His strength calculations showed dramatic improvement—420 pounds of force, firmly establishing him at intermediate Martial Apprentice level.
But greater power awaited.
"How much enhancement will intermediate fierce beast blood provide?"
He studied the precious vial with anticipation bordering on hunger. The dark liquid seemed to pulse with internal energy, promising transformation beyond his current imagination.
Caution demanded measured consumption. One small sip, not the entire container.
BOOM!
Violence exploded through his circulatory system as intermediate beast blood integrated with his physiology. The pain dwarfed anything he'd experienced—liquid agony that rewrote every nerve pathway simultaneously.
But the benefits...
His body moved automatically into Body Forging Method sequences, instinct overriding conscious thought. Time became meaningless as cultivation cycles blended into continuous transformation. Pain and enhancement merged into singular experience.
Finally, exhaustion forced cessation of the endless training rhythm.
"Eight complete sessions?"
Amazement colored his assessment. Eight consecutive Body Forging Method cycles should have crippled him permanently, but intermediate beast blood had sustained the impossible training duration while leaving him energized rather than depleted.
Mathematical analysis revealed staggering implications.
"Eightfold cultivation enhancement!"
If intermediate fierce beast blood continued supporting such acceleration, Martial Artist advancement could be achieved within a single month rather than years of grinding effort.
The power gap between resource levels was absolutely terrifying.
[End of Chapter 12]