"We've decided on the location for the combat hunt. It's time for the meeting. Have Xie Kuang sit in."
"..."
Zhao Gongzheng raised an eyebrow, immediately noticing that the students' gazes were converging on one person.
It wasn't Xie Kuang, whom he had seen many times, but rather the ordinary student who had challenged Wang Guanjia half a month ago.
"Director Zhao, the top student of our Training Ground 8 is now Jiang Qiu. He's the one who should be sitting in on the meeting for the combat hunt."
Wu Shan gestured to Jiang Qiu. "Put your spear away. You're coming with me to the meeting."
Director Zhao frowned deeply, murmuring, 'He's only been here for half a month, hasn't he? He beat Xie Kuang?'
"He's the one who took two portions of Wusu Fragrance yesterday."
Hearing this, Director Zhao fell silent. Jiang Qiu's figure was reflected in his deep eyes, which revealed a glint of light like a spark on ancient jade.
"A hidden pearl in the vast ocean. After the combat hunt is over, spend half a month teaching the Ancient Martial Spear Technique to Class Eight. Even if they have no hope of advancing through the college entrance exams, they can still make a career in the Military Department. More skills mean more opportunities."
"..."
A long, sharp exhale burst from Wu Shan's nose.
'Teaching for seven days has turned into half a month.'
...
In the conference hall of the Elite Training Hall, two imposing, black seats stood on the stage, with tiered rows of seats below. Teachers and students began to file in.
Jiang Qiu sat alone in the left corner of the fourth large row. The empty seats to his right were gradually filled by students his age. Whispers reached his ears: "What's going on? Who's that? Isn't Xie Kuang supposed to be here?"
"Tsk, you don't know? His name is Jiang Qiu. During the Wusu Fragrance distribution yesterday, Xie Kuang was instantly defeated by him. He's already mastered Spear Rod Armor Shattering!"
"Holy shit, Spear Rod Armor Shattering! Where the hell did he come from?!"
"We can ask someone from Training Ground 8 later. Anyway, since he could instantly defeat Xie Kuang, his strength can't be far off from Li Juefeng's. He'll probably get to be the second one to pick a starting point for the combat hunt..."
Jiang Qiu said nothing, his left fist propping up his face as he leaned against the wall, the fingers of his right hand drumming on the armrest.
The so-called hunt was, naturally, to kill the Demon Beasts that appeared because of the Secret Realms. They were the whetstones for the top students, meant to sharpen their spearheads.
This was practically the only chance for most high school students, aside from the college entrance exams, to leave the city. They would face all sorts of Low Tier or even Middle Tier Demon Beasts.
I've heard that just the meat from a Low Tier Demon Beast sells for two hundred yuan per half-kilo, and Middle Tier Demon Beasts have some even more valuable parts...
At this thought, Jiang Qiu's gaze sharpened.
'After leaving school, it'll be hard to find another hunt with Martial Artists providing protection. This is actually my chance to make some money. The more I kill, the more I earn.'
'Food, utilities, clothes, the wooden barrel... it all costs money.'
'My savings are running low. I can't even afford a spare spear shaft, or the armor that would improve my chances on the college entrance exams. And don't even get me started on the expensive Body Refining Resources on the market, the kind that require long-term medicated baths...'
AHEM!
The sound of a microphone echoed through the conference hall, instantly suppressing most of the noise and drawing Jiang Qiu's attention.
On the stage, Zhao Gongzheng sat calmly in the left seat. Another middle-aged man with a cold face and a long scar on the bridge of his nose sat to the right. The nameplate in front of him read—Li Ang.
"The content of this meeting will primarily revolve around two points."
Zhao Gongzheng's voice was strong and resonant, his words clear. "First, the location.
"In recent years, the Demon King of the Northwest Province—the Red Flame Spider Mother—has focused her attention on the northernmost Tianshan City. She has withdrawn a large number of the Demon Race, the ones capable of fighting Martial Artists, from the ruined towns outside the city. Now, it's basically just Demon Beasts left there.
"Director Li and I have already selected the most suitable location for our school's top students to conduct their combat hunt—Qingmu Town.
"A small Secret Realm distortion appeared there not long ago. It has already gathered at least a thousand Low Tier Demon Beasts and dozens of Middle Tier Demon Beasts. Near the Secret Realm's center, there's even a fruit-bearing Demon Plant!"
As soon as the words fell, Jiang Qiu's left cheek unconsciously pulled away from his fist. He murmured in a low voice, "A Demon Plant?"
'I think they mentioned this in general studies. When a Secret Realm distortion appears, it affects the local environment and all living things in it.'
'When a plant mutates to a certain degree under special conditions, it's called a Demon Plant. It's considered a type of demon, but it often contains outstanding attributes and has miraculous effects for Body Refining, alchemy, and researching materials for medicated baths.'
'There was once a news report that a non-fruiting Demon Plant sold for six hundred thousand!'
"Hiss... To think our Eighth Middle School managed to snag such a good location this year?"
"Demon Plants are usually no pushover. Leaving it for students to hunt... I'm afraid they won't be able to handle it."
"You can't say that. The small Secret Realm in Qingmu Town should be almost incapable of producing a Demon Plant. Not many high schools went there in past years. Since a Demon Plant barely managed to appear this year, it probably isn't that strong. Besides, there's Director Li's son, Li Juefeng—I think his strength is more than enough."
The teachers in the front few rows were discussing this in low voices. Jiang Qiu subconsciously turned his head and glanced at the other students in his row. Six of them.
'I don't see the legendary number one genius of the eight training grounds.'
"Second, the deployment!"
Hearing the announcement, Jiang Qiu loosely clenched his fists and looked towards Zhao Gongzheng on the stage, his eyes like jade emerging from water.
'Now for the important part.'
"As in previous years, the top student from each training ground will lead their classmates on the hunt. The supervisors of each ground will watch over you secretly, and my team from the Martial Inspection Department will be monitoring the entire operation.
"All spoils from the combat hunt belong to the students. The school will buy them back, and there shall be no instances of teachers forcibly taking things from students.
"Furthermore, the top student from each ground will receive one portion of Wusu Fragrance. The student with the best performance will receive an additional ten portions of Wusu Fragrance and one portion of Qiang Su Fragrance! Their supervising teacher will receive the right to distribute a number of Wusu Fragrance portions equal to the number of students on their team!"
Qiang Su Fragrance?!
Jiang Qiu's eyes widened, his blood surging as his fists made a cracking sound.
'Can they even give that away as a reward?'
'The best reward in previous years was always just ten portions of Wusu Fragrance!'
The moment he finished speaking, neither the students nor the teachers below the stage could suppress their murmurs. First a Demon Plant, and now an extra Qiang Su Fragrance—it was like a monstrous wave crashing down, sending their adrenaline skyrocketing!
"Holy shit, since when did the resource department get so generous? Pulling out their trump card, the Qiang Su Fragrance, as a reward?"
"Don't you know who Li Juefeng's father is? This is obviously a resource his dad specially prepared for him. What does it have to do with us?"
"Yeah, with Li Juefeng's talent and strength, he's guaranteed to have the best performance. After he gets the Qiang Su Fragrance, his Spear Dao will surely take a huge leap forward, and he'll completely master his own Huajin!"
"Sigh... Even the principal was planning to hoard that stuff as a strategic resource. I can't believe a portion was leaked out as a reward. As expected of the director of the resource department."
'Background, power, resources. Li Juefeng was born with it all, and his talent is extraordinary. This combat hunt is just a stepping stone for him. The rest of us are just here to make him look good.'
'And when you think about it, who's the one who gets to decide what 'best performance' even means?'
'The location of the Demon Plant has probably already been given to Li Juefeng. The rest of us will always be one step behind.'
Jiang Qiu sighed to himself. His fists slowly unclenched, and the surge of blood in his heart subsided.
'Forget it. They're the organizers, I'm just a participant. It's unrealistic to covet the top spot. It's fine if I just kill more Demon Beasts to make money. There's a reward of two Wusu Fragrance portions for killing the most, anyway...'
The meeting was still going on. After Zhao Gongzheng finished speaking, the floor was given to the scar-nosed Li Ang. "Regarding the selection of starting points, Training Ground 1, where Li Juefeng is, gets first choice. The rest of the grounds will be ranked by martial combat..."
Before he could even get a few words out, Jiang Qiu gradually narrowed his eyes and leaned back against the wall. It was at this exact moment that a familiar, unwelcome voice boomed like a clap of thunder, "I object!"