Chapter 102: Rankings

“Tier B2 rewards fifty thousand points.”

Shen An patiently explained to Gao Wu: “Log into the Hunter Association’s intranet, and you can exchange points for various resources—such as potions, weapons, biochemical battle armor, and even some special forbidden items…”

The Hunter Association is a branch of the Tianwu Society and its most crucial foundational organization.

Originally, the Martial Emperor established the Hunter Association to motivate martial artists and flexibly address various security issues arising from beast invasions.

For a century, the Hunter Association has been responsible externally for eliminating demon god cultists, beasts, and heinous criminals, while internally maintaining order within the Tianwu Society.

Supported by the alliance, the vast Hunter Association extends deep into various prefectures and cities, making it the most powerful civilian organization within the alliance.

The alliance’s Hunter Association operates independently at the prefecture level. Among the fourteen prefectures, the Northern Prefecture’s Hunter Association ranks only mid-tier, yet its century-long accumulation of resources remains substantial.

Gao Wu was just a humble martial artist, but even as a Level 7 Martial King, the Hunter Association could offer him corresponding rewards.

Upon hearing that the reward was merely fifty thousand points, Gao Wu was uncertain about their true value.

With curiosity, he asked, “Chairman, how exactly are points calculated? What can fifty thousand points get me?”

Although Gao Wu could have asked Song Mingyue for answers, Shen An was right there, so why look elsewhere?

More importantly, face-to-face communication is invaluable for building relationships.

Language is humanity’s most vital means of communication. Even though modern technology enables more efficient interaction, language remains paramount.

People can video chat on phones, but sound carries more weight than images; without sound, communication suffers greatly.

Moreover, as a junior, Gao Wu asking questions satisfied his curiosity and gave Shen An a chance to explain.

It is human nature to enjoy instructing others and expressing opinions, thereby gaining psychological satisfaction and a sense of superiority.

As long as Shen An had a normal disposition, he would be willing to clarify things for Gao Wu.

Besides, Gao Wu was only eighteen; if he made any missteps, Shen An would surely understand.

Another critical point: Shen An had already shown friendliness and approachability, so Gao Wu naturally wanted to respond positively.

A grand martial arts master who doesn’t put on airs—how could a young martial artist be arrogant?

Shen An valued Gao Wu greatly and patiently explained, “Our association’s points are quite precious.”

Considering Gao Wu was a newly minted hunter without mission experience, he thought for a moment and said, “You can think of one point as roughly equivalent to a thousand yuan.”

“Wow!” Gao Wu was both surprised and delighted. If points were worth that much, fifty thousand points equated to fifty million!

Excitedly, he asked Shen An, “Does that mean I’ve struck it rich?”

Shen An smiled and replied, “I’m just using an analogy. Points can’t be directly converted into alliance currency but circulate within the Northern Prefecture’s Hunter community, maintaining strong value.”

The martial arts master paused and emphasized, “That’s just my personal opinion. The matter still needs to be discussed in meetings before finalizing. I hope you understand.”

“I do, I do,” Gao Wu said earnestly. “I swear to never coexist with demon god cultists. Whether there are rewards or not, I’ll fight!”

He paused, then chuckled, “But of course, rewards make it even better.”

Shen An nodded in agreement. “The principle of good being rewarded and evil punished stems from this fundamental sense of fairness. Good deeds deserve positive reinforcement. This forms the foundation of organizations and society.”

Gao Wu looked admiringly at Shen An, truly a grandmaster whose words touched upon the grand perspectives of organization and society.

Shen An appreciated Gao Wu’s respectful expression and found him increasingly likable…

When An Ziru arrived calmly, she saw Shen An chatting warmly with Gao Wu and was somewhat surprised. Shen An appeared cheerful and amiable but was actually deeply calculating; it was rare to see him so happily engaged with a youth.

“Dean An, this is Gao Wu from Dongjiang—a very capable young man,” Shen An introduced, pausing briefly to emphasize Gao Wu’s talent and ability, choosing the word “capable.”

It neither sounded exaggerated nor diminished Gao Wu’s importance.

An Ziru glanced at the vast pile of beast corpses around. Although He Yuanfang had explained everything earlier, seeing the scene firsthand still weighed heavily on her heart.

The secret realm was right next to Anjing, heavily guarded, yet demon god cultists had infiltrated and held a sacrificial ritual.

Had Gao Wu not stopped them, the tragedy would have been unimaginable.

But Gao Wu was just a martial artist—how could he kill two warriors? As demon god cultists, they had power far surpassing ordinary warriors.

An Ziru did not doubt Gao Wu. Such a serious incident required internal investigation, especially for the key participant.

If he were a cultist, he would have shown signs.

This was not prejudice but a necessary process for all incidents.

Not only Gao Wu, but she, Shen An, and other committee members would also face scrutiny—no exceptions.

“Thank you for stopping the demon god cultists’ sacrificial ritual and foiling their conspiracy,” An Ziru formally expressed her gratitude.

Seeing An Ziru’s serious demeanor, Gao Wu responded formally, “I just happened upon it and did what I should.”

“You did very well.”

An Ziru praised him again, then turned to Shen An: “With such a huge breach, Chairman Shen, do you think the competition should continue?”

Shen An thought for a moment and shook his head: “I’m only responsible for security. From my perspective, it’s better to end the preliminary round to avoid risks.”

The Hunter Association was merely assisting with security; the real decision-makers were the committee’s several schools. Shen An thought ending the competition was best but would not propose it proactively.

An Ziru’s expression grew grave. “I need to discuss this with Chairman Song. This involves the state’s elites; there can be no further problems.”

Gao Wu listened quietly nearby. Such matters were not for him to intervene.

He wanted to return to camp and sleep, but knew that wasn’t realistic given the circumstances.

Seeing Gao Wu’s fatigue, Shen An took a golden vial from his waist slot and handed it to him: “You’re not needed here for now. Rest nearby. This is advanced platinum energy liquid—don’t drink too much.”

The martial arts master deliberately emphasized the potion’s usage, warning that it was dangerous and could be fatal if misused.

The golden vial held about two hundred milliliters. Gao Wu found a corner to sit and took a small sip.

He had used platinum energy liquid before but never an advanced version. The single sip felt like a bomb exploding in his stomach.

Pure, intense energy swiftly permeated his body. With his powerful constitution, he felt as if his entire body was burning.

This was no illusion; his skin reddened and warmed. Fortunately, his strong physique allowed him to regulate his breathing and quickly suppress the energy’s impact.

An Ziru glanced at Gao Wu from afar, saying to Shen An, “This child has a very good constitution.”

“Indeed, his physical talent is exceptional,” Shen An replied, having assessed Gao Wu enough to trust him with such an advanced energy liquid.

This energy supplement could sustain a martial artist’s high-intensity energy needs for three days in a single two-hundred-milliliter bottle.

Ordinary martial artists would be harmed by such concentrated energy liquid.

“This child is impressive.”

An Ziru said, “No matter the outcome of the Qilin Cup, I will offer him a special recruitment invitation. Once this matter concludes, I will also provide him with private compensation.”

Shen An smiled. “Thank you, Dean An.”

“He saved many lives; it’s well deserved,” An Ziru clarified that this was not a favor to Shen An but a rightful reward for Gao Wu’s merits.

Although Gao Wu’s spiritual strength was strong, he still focused on guiding energy transformation through breathing techniques to enhance his body.

Once his mental and physical energy fully recovered, Gao Wu put away the platinum energy liquid. The single sip was enough for a day’s consumption; no need to overuse it.

By then, several warriors arrived, photographing and recording the scene.

Committee Chairperson Song Yunzheng also arrived, with several martial arts masters gathered discussing matters.

Gao Wu resisted looking too much but could not suppress his curiosity.

Such a major event was not for him to speak on, so he need not worry. However, as a key participant, he could not miss the chance to learn the masters’ thoughts.

The crimson blood light condensed into a silent shadow spirit, floating near the martial arts masters.

Although the shadow spirit wielded the Destiny Sword and interacted with it, others could not detect its presence.

Being cautious, the spirit did not approach too close.

The masters, unaware of any spying, nonetheless prudently activated source force fields to prevent sound from leaking.

The shadow spirit observed the layered, thin membrane-like source force fields—structured and stable, supported by star-like acupoints within the masters’ bodies, materialized through their spiritual power.

They resembled immense spherical luminous umbrellas held by several people.

The shadow spirit reached out; its crimson arm passed silently through the source force field without disturbing it.

Then, it silently slipped through.

The masters’ conversation reached Gao Wu’s ears:

“Two identities have been confirmed; both are hunters from the Changling Hunter Association. However, no records show they entered the secret realm.”

“As to why there are no related records, that requires thorough investigation.”

Shen An did not know these two hunters personally. With over a million registered hunters in Anjing’s general association, he identified them only through facial recognition.

Song Yunzheng pondered and asked, “How did Gao Wu discover them? How did he kill two warriors?”

She stated, “According to the Dongjiang No. 1 Middle School team’s locator, Gao Wu’s camp is fifteen kilometers away. For him to arrive from so far and stop the ritual, killing the cultists, is truly astonishing.”

“Dean Song, you don’t actually suspect Gao Wu, do you?” Shen An shook his head slightly. “It’s precisely because it’s so strange that it proves Gao Wu’s innocence. If this had been prearranged, no such chaotic plan would unfold.”

An Ziru nodded. “That’s right. Gao Wu should have no issues. I see only two sets of warrior footprints on the ground. Gao Wu is likely a spiritual telepath. According to confidential Hunter Association files, he possesses very special physical and spiritual talents.”

Song Yunzheng raised doubts but did not truly suspect Gao Wu. She said, “Since such a serious problem arose, we all face scrutiny. This must be clearly explained to Gao Wu. He’s young; we must prevent any emotional issues…”

She emphasized, “As long as he is innocent, this great achievement belongs to him alone, no one can take it away.”

Shen An and An Ziru nodded.

Hearing this, Gao Wu relaxed and silently withdrew the shadow spirit.

With nothing better to do, he opened the Boundless Merit Book and saw an increase of 270,000 merits, bringing the total to 320,000.

The two demon god cultists must have killed many people, but their combined merits were less than Huang Hai’s—a poor showing!

If only the Phantom Slayer descended and killed them—who knew how many merits that would yield...

The thought flashed briefly in Gao Wu’s mind before he mentally admonished himself: “Sinful, sinful. That idea is too dangerous. I mustn’t fall into demonic ways for merits!”

At dawn, more people arrived. Various inspections and surveys took place that Gao Wu could barely comprehend.

Still, he seized the chance to volunteer helping clean the site.

Mainly, he dug for fragments of the Netherworld Gold Pearl embedded in the cliff. Although it looked simple, it was extremely troublesome.

Fragments splattered everywhere and were deeply lodged in the rock. Collecting them all was no easy task.

Gao Wu wielded his sword, digging about the cave randomly. Whenever he found small fragments, he absorbed them directly with his sword.

The Destiny Sword could absorb fragments; none of the accompanying warriors noticed anything unusual.

By eight in the morning, the sun shone high in a crystal-clear sky, with verdant mountains—a beautiful, clear day.

Shen An found Gao Wu and told him to return to the team and continue the competition, advising him not to publicize the incident for now.

Gao Wu was surprised; if he hadn’t stopped the two cultists, the students might have been wiped out, and yet the competition was still going on!

He had to admit that the committee leaders were truly bold, willing to risk everything to keep the contest underway.

He also felt regretful; some fragments remained in the cave, and with more time, he could have dug up more.

However, since these were special items related to demon gods, the matter was extremely sensitive. Although Shen An treated him well, Gao Wu could not casually ask for such things.

Fortunately, the Destiny Sword absorbed over one hundred fragments, increasing its weight by about three kilograms—a substantial gain.

Back at camp, Gao Wu saw Han Yang, Yang Ru, and the others chatting idly, not working at all.

They were very excited to see him return.

“What were you doing?”

“What happened?”

Yang Ru and the others eagerly questioned, faces full of curiosity.

They had all received Gao Wu’s distress signal over the public channel and had been anxiously guarding overnight without sleep.

At dawn, none dared to hunt, waiting for news from Gao Wu.

“It’s fine; let’s get back to work.” With Shen An’s instructions, Gao Wu naturally did not reveal details to Han Yang and the others.

They looked suspicious but refrained from pressing further without his explanation.

Gao Wu added, “The issue is resolved. Don’t worry. It’s confidential, so I can’t say more.”

Everyone relaxed, finding that reasonable.

Han Yang said, “Good, let’s hurry. There’s not much time left in the competition…”

Hunting beasts was difficult, and losing half a day made Han Yang anxious.

Gao Wu nodded but did not mention that all the surrounding beasts had been killed.

After all, he had cut many snow wolf tails at the ritual site, including three adult snow wolves whose source forces had solidified their tails, thick and tough as iron whips.

With those trophies, their team could easily advance.

He had not kept the items but asked the committee’s supervisory members to register them, which sufficed.

Besides, beasts were mobile; the committee had released many snow wolves here, and perhaps some from outside wandered in.

To avoid dampening everyone’s hunting enthusiasm, Gao Wu kept this information to himself.

Back in his tent, Gao Wu silently recited the Vermilion Bird Divine Light Mantra, repeatedly refining the Destiny Sword.

He spent most of the day dispelling the sword’s tainted aura.

The Destiny Sword, now three kilograms heavier, showed no change in appearance or size, but its toughness and hardness seemed improved—a sensation difficult to quantify but unmistakable to Gao Wu.

The team had struggled all day with no results; even the steady Han Yang grew anxious.

Only then did Gao Wu reveal he had already killed three Level-1 Snow Wolves, enough to advance.

Everyone was surprised—Gao Wu had been out hunting snow wolves alone at night? How had he found them in the dark?

Though skeptical, the others dared not question further.

By noon on the fourth day, all competing teams gathered at the secret realm’s entrance.

After four days of hunting, seven teams had withdrawn due to various incidents.

Eighty-three teams remained, with dozens injured.

Bai Yushuang, Bai Dìshan, Yuan Qiansheng, and Wang Zixuan led their teams at the front.

Among them, Anjing No. 1 Middle School, with Bai Yushuang and Yuan Qiansheng, was the most powerful, boasting two warriors.

No. 1 Middle School had always been the strongest in Anjing, with deep foundations. The other team members were also top-tier martial artists.

Though Bai Dìshan was a formidable warrior, he could not match No. 1 Middle School’s imposing presence—two junior warriors were simply too strong, enough to suppress all other teams.

Yuan Qiansheng glanced at Bai Dìshan and Wang Zixuan, whispering to Bai Yushuang, “Judging by their lack of confidence, their gains must be poor. We killed two Level-1 Snow Wolves and will surely take first place.”

Bai Yushuang responded with a faint hum.

If not for the Qilin Cup, she would never have allied with Yuan Qiansheng.

He was plain-looking and sullen, born of humble origins but arrogantly proud—trying to court her was laughable.

Bai Yushuang paid little mind to Bai Dìshan and Wang Zixuan.

Her alliance with Yuan Qiansheng gave her overwhelming advantage, making victory certain.

Her only thought now was to defeat Gao Wu on the stage and erase her humiliating loss in Dongjiang!

She glanced sideways at Gao Wu, who stood casually relaxed, chatting with Song Mingyue nearby.

After four days of hunting, all the youths were dusty, weary, and fatigued.

Only Gao Wu appeared clean and tidy as if freshly bathed, his battle uniform crisp and sharp.

A flashy golden Thunder Eagle gleamed at his waist, and at some point, he had donned large black sunglasses matching Song Mingyue’s.

He and Song Mingyue, clad in a sapphire-blue coat, stood together like two elegant cranes among a flock of rustic chickens.

Gao Wu noticed Bai Yushuang’s gaze and grinned at her—a clear provocation.

Bai Yushuang’s eyes instantly darkened; she pointed at Gao Wu, signaling that on the stage, she would teach him a lesson.

At that moment, An Ziru’s cold, sharp voice rang out from the front: “I now announce the competition results. First place in the preliminaries: Dongjiang No. 1 Middle School; second place: Anjing No. 1 Middle School…”

Bai Yujing’s cold smile froze upon hearing the rankings.

Not only Bai Yujing, but Yuan Qiansheng, Wang Zixuan, Bai Dìshan, and several other young warriors’ expressions changed drastically.

Many elite youths from Northern Prefecture were astonished—where had Dongjiang No. 1 Middle School come from?

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