The Mo family's investigation had locked onto Shadow and several rival families as primary suspects, never imagining a mere Martial Apprentice could have executed such precision killing.
Their search was doomed from the beginning.
Shadow was dead. How could they hunt a corpse?
As long as Ye Tian concealed the Black Shadow Knife and avoided demonstrating shadow talent publicly, discovery remained impossible. The perfect crime had created the perfect cover.
Ten days of careful normalcy followed Mo Shaobei's execution. Ye Tian maintained his standard academy routine—Body Forging Method practice, casual interactions with classmates, the facade of an ordinary student progressing at unremarkable speed.
Meanwhile, Linhai Base erupted in barely controlled chaos.
Mo family fury had exploded into open conflict with suspected rival houses. Secret killings, property destruction, and escalating violence threatened base-wide civil war until the Lin family—Linhai Base's supreme power—intervened with overwhelming force.
The disputes ceased, but tensions remained volcanic.
Mo family bounties on Shadow's head grew to astronomical levels. The moment that assassin surfaced anywhere within their territory, death would follow within hours.
But Shadow would never appear again.
As calm gradually returned to the base, Ye Tian prepared for his next evolutionary phase. The trial's beast blood had been exhausted weeks ago, and his strength gains had plateaued without additional enhancement resources.
Time to hunt genuine fierce beasts in the wilderness.
Only concentrated beast blood could accelerate his cultivation toward Martial Artist breakthrough. Even after achieving that status, rapid advancement would still require substantial bloodline supplements.
The plan demanded extended absence from the base—potentially days or weeks depending on hunting success. Ye Yu required careful explanation.
"The academy selected outstanding Martial Apprentices for intensive closed training. I might not return for quite some time."
His sister's innocent trust made deception effortless. She possessed no understanding of academy operations or wilderness dangers.
Equipment preparation consumed the morning. Two blades: the Black Shadow Knife for solitary hunting, a newly purchased fine iron blade for public encounters. Basic survival supplies, cooking implements, first aid materials.
Everything necessary for extended wilderness survival.
East City Gate - Departure
Patrol soldiers lounged near the massive gateway—mostly Martial Apprentices commanded by a single Martial Artist squad leader. Warriors were too valuable for routine guard duty, though the base maintained substantial military reserves for fierce beast incursions.
Soldiering represented one of the few advancement paths available to commoners. High risk, but successful warriors earned respect, resources, and family security that ordinary labor could never provide.
Of course, beast-related casualties created constant recruitment needs.
Ye Tian passed through checkpoint procedures with bureaucratic efficiency. Behind him, one soldier shook his head with weary familiarity.
"Another Martial Apprentice chasing overnight wealth. Kid probably thinks wilderness is like the base interior. Give it twenty-four hours—if he's lucky enough to survive that long."
The assessment wasn't entirely wrong. Desperate Martial Apprentices regularly ventured into dangerous territory hoping to discover beast corpses or valuable materials. Occasionally, fortune rewarded such risks with years of comfortable living.
More often, it rewarded them with death.
The Wilderness Approach
Two kilometers beyond base perimeter remained relatively secure—regular warrior patrols eliminated most threats within this buffer zone. Only during beast tide events did creatures penetrate so close to civilization.
Real hunting required deeper wilderness penetration.
Ye Tian's destination: Xiaoqingshan (Little Green Mountain).
Originally a modest mountain range, the Earth's hundredfold expansion had transformed it into a vast wilderness complex. Ancient trees towered like cathedral pillars, their canopy blocking sunlight and creating perpetual twilight beneath. Fierce beasts thrived in such primordial conditions.
"Rumors suggest high-level fierce beasts inhabit the deepest regions—possibly even advanced specimens that only Great Martial Artists can challenge."
The thought sent both terror and anticipation through his nervous system. Such creatures remained far beyond his current capabilities, but their existence proved advancement possibilities.
His target was peripheral hunting—inferior and elementary fierce beasts manageable with careful tactics.
First Contact
Less than ten minutes from base perimeter, destiny provided opportunity.
"Iron Armored Bull."
The massive creature measured three meters in length, muscle and bone wrapped in natural armor that gleamed like polished steel. This was no spotted snake—Iron Armored Bulls represented genuine fierce beast classification with strength and defense far exceeding their pseudo counterparts.
Average early-stage Martial Artists struggled against such opponents alone. Standard protocol demanded team hunting for reliable success.
Ye Tian drew his fine iron blade and activated speed talent. Shadow Kill technique unleashed its bronze-level precision toward the bull's neck.
CLANG!
Steel rang against armor plate, leaving only superficial scratching where lethal damage should have manifested.
"Inadequate weapon quality. Eight hundred pounds of force can't penetrate genuine fierce beast defense."
Strategic adaptation was immediate. The Black Shadow Knife emerged from concealment—no witnesses existed to compromise his cover identity.
"Kill."
Triple-speed enhancement transformed him into a blur of lethal motion. The Iron Armored Bull's massive strength was offset by proportionally sluggish reflexes—it couldn't track his supernatural velocity.
Superior weaponry carved through armor that had deflected inferior steel. Precision strikes accumulated damage faster than the beast could compensate through regeneration.
One minute of continuous assault brought the giant crashing down, arterial blood pooling beneath its motionless bulk.
Beast blood collection required immediate attention. His container filled with precious enhancement fluid—enough for several days of accelerated cultivation.
Ten pounds of Iron Armored beef joined his supplies. Beast meat possessed legendary flavor and nutritional value far exceeding ordinary livestock.
Journey Continues
The hour-long trek to Xiaoqingshan revealed wilderness's true nature. Multiple beast encounters forced desperate shadow talent usage—concealment within darkness while predators passed mere meters away.
One particular presence radiated such overwhelming pressure that approaching within a hundred meters would have meant certain death. Whatever creature possessed that aura operated on levels that made warriors seem like insects.
"Fifty percent mortality rate for solo wilderness ventures—if not higher."
His parents' old warnings echoed with new meaning. Linhai Base occupied a resource-poor region that powerful beasts generally ignored. If significant territories or materials existed nearby, the settlement would have been obliterated decades ago.
They survived through insignificance rather than strength.
Xiaoqingshan Base Camp
The mountain range loomed before him like a wall of green shadow, ancient trees creating labyrinthine passages between trunks wider than houses. Somewhere within that primordial maze waited opportunities for advancement—and countless ways to die.
Rather than immediate hunting, tactical prudence demanded preparation. The Iron Armored Bull's blood could enhance his capabilities significantly before attempting further encounters.
A thorough search revealed the perfect temporary shelter—a narrow cave concealed behind fallen logs and overgrown vegetation. Hidden from casual observation, defensible against smaller predators, with escape routes if larger threats discovered his presence.
Time to transform beast blood into personal power.
The real hunt would begin soon enough.
[End of Chapter 17]