novelraw Chapter 19 – Chen Hu
Chapter 19 – Chen Hu
The Hunter Guild has always been the liveliest place in every city.
To avoid attracting attention, Luo Xiu wore a straw hat as he arrived here.
Many martial artists have peculiar habits or hidden motives, which is why they conceal their faces. In the hall of the Hunter Guild, there were quite a few such people, so no one paid much attention to Luo Xiu.
Most hunters spend long periods outside. After so many days apart, Luo Xiu returned to this place and only saw a few familiar faces.
He wore a one-star hunter emblem on his chest and walked straight to the counter.
"Hello, hunter. How can I assist you?" Jiang Shanshan, known as the most beautiful woman in the Qingyun City Hunter Guild, asked with a smile.
"I'd like to inquire about places suitable for hunting at the Body Refining Realm, Ninth Layer, near Qingyun City," Luo Xiu asked.
Jiang Shanshan furrowed her delicate brows slightly. For some reason, the voice of this person wearing a straw hat sounded somewhat familiar, even a bit... youthful?
However, Jiang Shanshan didn't think much of it and smiled, "If you want to purchase a hunting map, it will cost a thousand silver."
"Give me one," Luo Xiu said, placing a silver note on the counter.
In the past, a thousand silver would have been an astronomical amount for him, but now it was insignificant.
Casually hunting a first-level demonic beast could easily earn him over ten thousand silver.
Jiang Shanshan naturally wouldn't have guessed that the person before her, wearing a straw hat, was the young man who had teased her not long ago.
Spending a thousand silver, Luo Xiu obtained a map that covered the area centered around Qingyun City, with suitable hunting regions marked.
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Among them, the yellow areas were suitable for those below the Body Refining level eight, with Shuiwu Mountain among them.
The red areas were relatively dangerous, generally only entered by teams led by Qi Sea Realm Martial Artists.
The most dangerous were the areas covered in black, which even the high-ranking Innate Realm Martial Masters of Qingyun City dared not venture into lightly.
"Yaqi Mountain, mostly first-level demonic beasts, with second-level demonic beasts appearing deeper inside, marked as a red area."
Quickly, Luo Xiu identified a suitable area for himself. As long as he didn't venture too deep, he could ensure his safety.
"Shanshan, bring me six cups of Fiery Liquor!"
At this moment, a burly man in black armor, standing eight feet tall, strode in, calling out boldly.
Behind this burly man were five others, all looking travel-worn, with slightly damaged clothing and armor, appearing quite fatigued.
However, Luo Xiu noticed that despite their fatigue, their eyes were filled with undisguised excitement.
Soon, six cups of Fiery Liquor were brought over. This liquor was very strong, burning like fire as it went down, hence the name. Many hunters who hovered between life and death, licking blood off their blades, loved its intensity.
"Zhou Long, it seems like you had a good haul," Jiang Shanshan said with a smile.
These hunters were Zhou Long and his group, whom Luo Xiu knew. Guo Ang and the Ji surname twin sisters were among them, along with two unfamiliar faces, likely new members of the team.
"Haha, of course! This time we got a big one!" Zhou Long laughed heartily, placing six low-grade Yuan Qi Stones on the counter.
Luo Xiu squinted his eyes, noticing the silver bracer on Zhou Long's wrist. It was a second-tier formation device called a Storage Bracer, with a space inside for storing items.
However, such a second-tier formation device was expensive, costing at least five hundred low-grade Yuan Qi Stones, leaving Luo Xiu envious.
From the conversation between Zhou Long and Jiang Shanshan, Luo Xiu learned that Zhou Long had led a team into Yaqi Mountain and hunted a second-level demonic beast, the One-Horned White Rhino. This beast had thick skin and flesh, resistant to blades and swords.
Even though Zhou Long was a Qi Sea Realm Martial Artist, it took considerable effort from the group to hunt it down.
The value of a One-Horned White Rhino was about four hundred low-grade Yuan Qi Stones, a price that left Luo Xiu speechless.
After putting away the map, Luo Xiu didn't linger in the Hunter Guild and left directly.
According to the map, Yaqi Mountain was farther from Qingyun City than Shuiwu Mountain, taking more than half a day to reach by horse.
The thirty thousand silver he had initially was mostly spent on a Spirit Gathering Formation device, Yuan Qi Stones, and Qi Nourishing Pills, leaving him with little. Gritting his teeth, Luo Xiu spent another thousand silver to buy a horse, once again becoming penniless.
"You can't catch a wolf without sacrificing the child. Though the money is spent, it can be earned back!"
With that, one man, one sword, and one yellow-maned horse, Luo Xiu left Qingyun City, heading straight for Yaqi Mountain.
Near Yaqi Mountain, there was a village-sized stronghold where martial artists hunting and training in the mountains would come for various supplies and rest.
Half a day later, Luo Xiu arrived at the Yaqi Mountain Stronghold.
The place was bustling with martial artists, and many merchants were stationed there, purchasing various materials and treasures from the martial artists.
The stronghold had a designated area for storing horses, costing ten silver a day.
"Hmm?"
Just as Luo Xiu stored his horse, he suddenly saw a somewhat familiar figure. It was Yuan Dashan, whom he had encountered while hunting the Iron-Tailed Tiger Demon at Shuiwu Mountain.
However, the people around Yuan Dashan had changed. After Wang Yun and Zhang Hun died, his hunting team likely disbanded, and he joined another team.
Yuan Dashan didn't notice Luo Xiu. Even if he did, with the straw hat, he wouldn't recognize him.
At that moment, the person who seemed to be the leader of Yuan Dashan's team suddenly looked at Luo Xiu, a meaningful smile playing at the corner of his mouth.
This was a tall middle-aged man, carrying an iron spear on his back, wearing light armor, with a fierce and murderous aura between his brows.
Under the shadow of the straw hat, Luo Xiu frowned. He didn't know this person and couldn't understand his intentions.
"Brothers, that kid is our target this time. The Zhang Clan is offering five hundred low-grade Yuan Qi Stones for his life," the light-armored man said in a low voice.
"Big brother, who is this kid that the Zhang Clan is willing to spend so many Yuan Qi Stones to hire us?" Yuan Dashan asked quietly.
The light-armored man pursed his lips, "Just a commoner kid. I heard he crippled the son of the Zhang Clan's head. But that's none of our business; we just need to kill and get paid!"
Saying this, the light-armored man stared at Yuan Dashan, saying sternly, "This kid is a Martial Hall student. If word gets out, we'll be hunted by the Martial Hall. You're new to this, but you're also experienced in this line of work. I don't need to explain the rules to you, do I?"
Upon hearing this, Yuan Dashan's heart couldn't help but skip a beat. The Martial Hall nurtures young people and naturally protects its students. So even with the greatest enmity, if you kill someone within the Martial Hall, no matter your background, it's a dead end.
However, outside, if Martial Hall students are killed or injured, the Martial Hall won't intervene. But if it's found to be premeditated murder, it violates the rules, and you'll be hunted by the Martial Hall.
The Qingyun City Martial Hall has been established for over eight hundred years, and many similar incidents have occurred. Even families with significant backgrounds have been uprooted and exterminated!
"Don't worry, big brother, I understand the rules," Yuan Dashan quickly said. He knew very well that once he boarded Chen Hu's ship, there was no turning back.
Chen Hu was the leader of this team, a Qi Sea Realm Martial Artist!
In the Yaqi Mountain area, teams with Qi Sea Realm Martial Artists were top-notch hunting teams. A Martial Hall student at the Body Refining Realm being targeted had only one outcome: death.
...
Luo Xiu was unaware that he had been targeted. After all, he was just a fourteen-year-old boy, too inexperienced and naive, thinking that wearing a straw hat would prevent others from recognizing him.
In fact, ever since he left the Martial Hall, the Zhang Clan had been secretly following him.
"Roar!"
In the forest of Yaqi Mountain, the roars of beasts occasionally echoed. Luo Xiu moved swiftly through the woods, sensing an astonishing number of demonic beasts in this mountain forest.
During his training and hunting period at Shuiwu Mountain, there were times when he wouldn't encounter a single demonic beast for days. But here, just within Luo Xiu's perception, there were over twenty demonic beasts.
This was the periphery of Yaqi Mountain, where second-level demonic beasts generally wouldn't appear. However, even among first-level demonic beasts, there was a significant difference in strength. Some powerful first-level demonic beasts could even kill second-level demonic beasts.
Based on the life aura he sensed, Luo Xiu could roughly determine the strength of each demonic beast. Eventually, he locked onto a life aura comparable to the Iron-Tailed Tiger Demon he had killed at Shuiwu Mountain, equivalent to the Body Refining Realm, Ninth Layer.
However, when Luo Xiu killed the Iron-Tailed Tiger Demon, he relied on a technique that directly damaged the vital meridians. If he relied solely on his combat ability, he would have been no match for the Iron-Tailed Tiger Demon.
But now, his cultivation had advanced to the Body Refining level seven, and he had mastered the Pure Yang Technique, greatly enhancing his strength. He wanted to test himself against a demonic beast.
"Snap!"
With a light step on the tree trunk, Luo Xiu leaped towards his locked target.
Having grown accustomed to the forest environment, Luo Xiu moved swiftly like a leopard, quickly reaching his destination and hiding behind a bush, squinting to observe.
It was a wolf beast, but instead of fur, it had black scales that shimmered with a cold light in the dim forest light.
The Black-Armored Wolf, a top-tier first-level demonic beast, far more formidable than the Ironback Demon Wolf from the hunter assessment.
At this moment, the Black-Armored Wolf was pressing down on a bloody prey with its claws, tearing and devouring it.
"The Black-Armored Wolf excels in speed and sharp claws. I'll use it as my first sparring partner in Yaqi Mountain!"
With this thought, Luo Xiu slightly arched his back and shot out from the bush.
"Howl!"
The Black-Armored Wolf howled, its blood-red, fierce eyes locking onto the human figure rushing towards it.
Suddenly, the Black-Armored Wolf lunged at Luo Xiu with incredible speed, leaving faint afterimages in the air. Its claws, suddenly extended, were like sharp blades, gleaming with a cold light.
Luo Xiu dared not confront it head-on, swiftly dodging to the side while launching an attack, using the Tiger Stance of the Dragon-Tiger Fist against the Black-Armored Wolf, which was unable to dodge in mid-air.
But at that moment...
"Swish!"
A cold light swiftly slashed towards Luo Xiu's neck.
"What speed!" Luo Xiu quickly dodged using his Major Achievement Inch Step Movement Technique. The Black-Armored Wolf couldn't dodge in mid-air, but its claw speed was too fast.
"Soaring Dragon Stance!"
Luo Xiu immediately changed his move, delivering a fierce strike that sent the Black-Armored Wolf rolling away.
This strike didn't use the technique to damage vital meridians. Even so, if a Martial Apprentice were hit, they would suffer broken bones and tendons, unable to get up. Yet the Black-Armored Wolf remained unharmed.
"What tough scales!" Luo Xiu snorted, drawing the long sword from his back.
Though he hadn't practiced sword martial techniques, with inner qi enhancement, his attack power naturally surpassed that of his fists.
The Black-Armored Wolf lunged again, and Luo Xiu, using his Major Achievement Inch Step Movement Technique, continuously dodged. The inner qi-enhanced sword clashed with the wolf's claws, the clanging sound echoing through the forest.
The Black-Armored Wolf growled, its claws digging into the soil, suddenly leaping like an arrow towards Luo Xiu.
Feeling the foul wind rushing towards him, Luo Xiu's lips curled into a cold smile. Through the previous exchanges, he had roughly figured out this beast's moves.
Demonic beasts, after all, are demonic beasts. Though smarter than wild beasts, their combat methods rely more on primal instincts, lacking any real strategy.
Luo Xiu bent his legs, his body almost touching the ground. As the Black-Armored Wolf leaped over him, he thrust his Azure Edge Sword at its neck.
"Slash!"
The inner qi-enhanced Azure Edge Sword had immense piercing power. Hot blood spurted out as the Black-Armored Wolf landed three meters away, collapsing to the ground, its life force waning.
Scarlet blood flowed, quickly staining the earth around the wolf's corpse.
This was the advantage of weapons. Without the Azure Edge Sword, Luo Xiu would have expended much more effort to kill the Black-Armored Wolf with his fists.
And the Azure Edge Sword was just an ordinary weapon. If it were a War Armament, even a Human-Grade Low Tier Battle Sword, it could easily slay a first-level demonic beast without inner qi enhancement.
The most valuable parts of the Black-Armored Wolf were its claws and fangs. The black scales could also be sold, but collecting them was too troublesome, so Luo Xiu decided to forgo them.
After storing the collected materials in his bag, Luo Xiu suddenly frowned. In his perception, several human martial artist auras were approaching his location in a fan shape, forming an encirclement.