In One Blow

Ling Feng Yun slowly stood up from his knees, wiping the blood from his mouth. His pale face, covered in sweat, showed his anger and humiliation.

His eyes burned with fury as he looked at Ling Chenyuan and his son, fueling his hatred for them.

Ling Feng Yun had a difficult choice to make: he could either stay in the clan and accept his subordinate position, or he could leave and try to survive on his own.

This decision weighed heavily on him, as he knew he needed the clan's resources to achieve his goals, even though he hated being treated as inferior.

Ling Feng Yun remembered Ling Tian's words, which darkened his expression. "Ah, sorry about that," Tian had said, his mocking tone cutting through Ling Feng Yun.

Ling Feng Yun suppressed his reaction in front of Ling Chenyuan, clenched his teeth, and coldly asked, "What do you mean?"

Ling Tian responded with a sneer, "What do I mean? Ha...ha...everyone here now knows your greed for power and dissatisfaction with the position of Grand Elder, second only to the Clan Head.

They won't even grant you the Grand Elder position, as it would incite discontent among the people. And how could they accept a man who can betray his own clan and relatives? It would be like having a sword constantly hanging over their heads.

No sane person would desire that."

"He was right," Ling Feng Yun admitted with self-loathing. "

I was foolish. My thirst for power clouded my judgment. I should have known better than to challenge the supremacy of the Clan. I should have realized that I needed the clan more than it needed me."

He acknowledged his grave mistake and the price he now had to pay.

The thought of joining another clan crossed his mind, but he knew they would never fully trust him and might discard him once they had exploited him.

The irony of the situation did not escape him.

With a heavy heart, Ling Feng Yun turned to the Supreme Elder, bowing his head slightly as he reluctantly spoke, frustration and helplessness evident in his voice:

"Supreme Elder, I beg for your forgiveness for my blasphemous actions. I am aware of the grave mistake I have made, and I deeply regret allowing my greed for power to blind me. I still possess value to the clan, and I promise to never jeopardize its reputation again. I humbly implore your mercy."

The Supreme Elder listened to Ling Feng Yun's words with a cold expression, fully aware that the Grand Elder was only apologizing out of fear of the consequences.

The Supreme Elder doubted Ling Feng Yun's genuine change of heart.

"Very well," the Supreme Elder finally replied.

"I accept your apology. But remember this: should you ever betray the clan again, your fortune will not be as fortunate."

Ling Feng Yun bowed his head even lower and stated. "I understand, Supreme Elder."

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned and left quickly, not wanting to deal with the stares and whispers.

But he was determined to get revenge. He would not rest until he had achieved what he wanted.

Ling Clan

Meanwhile, back in the Ling Clan, Ling Tian prepared for the upcoming hunting contest. Changing into his hunting attire, he retrieved a box filled with arrows from under his bed.

Among them was a bottle containing black liquid, a poison given to him by his father.

The venom came from a Stage 3 beast called the Twin Horn Serpent.

The poison was potent enough to kill a martial disciple within 30 breaths and even bring down a Stage 2 beast within half an hour.

Ling Tian knew his own weakness and the likelihood of facing Stage 1 mid and late-tier beasts during the hunting contest.

Hence, he had prepared the Twin Horn Serpent poison arrows to gain an advantage and dare to participate.

Satisfied with his preparations, Ling Tian ventured into the moonlit forest.

In another part of the Ling clan, within a large manor, Ling Feng Yun paced back and forth, a wicked smile gracing his face.

Addressing the middle-aged man kneeling before him, he commanded coldly, "Ensure everything goes according to plan, without any mistakes."

"Yes, Grand Elder," the middle-aged man responded excitedly. He sneered and added, "I will ensure his demise."

The man was a martial disciple responsible for guarding the Level 2 beast area, preventing Stage 2 beasts from entering the Stage 1 area, and overseeing tests in the Stage 2 area to avoid unnecessary casualties caused by Stage 3 beasts.

"Very well," Ling Feng Yun declared. "Go now. Once your task is complete, leave the city, and I will summon you when I become the clan leader."

The man obeyed and departed silently, leaving Ling Feng Yun alone in the courtyard. As he gazed at the sky, bitterness consumed him.

"Ah, Ling Tian," he uttered. "You possess intelligence and wit, but unfortunately, you lack talent for cultivation. Your future is bleak, and..." His anger twisted his expression.

"I didn't want it to come to this, but you and your father have humiliated me before the clan, tarnishing my reputation and thwarting my plans. So, do not blame me for what lies ahead... Ha ha ha... ha ha!"

The Hunting Contest

The Hunting Competition began with Ling Tian's arrival at the moonlit forest on his steed. Confirming that all participants were present, Ling Chenyuan, the clan leader, proceeded to explain the rules.

"To pass the competition, each participant must obtain three beast cores corresponding to their level," he announced.

The score for a Beast core:

Beast Cores of the same level as the cultivator's cultivation level are worth 1 point.

Beast Cores one level higher than the cultivator's cultivation level are worth 2 points.

Beast Cores two levels higher than the cultivator's cultivation level are worth 3 points.

And so on.

The score for a cultivator:

The score for a cultivator is the sum of the scores of their cores.

However, beast cores that are one level lower than the cultivator's cultivation level are only worth 1 point if they have a total of 10 or more.

For example, a 3rd-level cultivator with a 3rd-level beast core would score 1 point.

A 3rd level cultivator with a 4th level beast core would score 2 points.

And a 3rd level cultivator with 10 2nd-level beast cores would score 1 point.

The crowd responded with murmurs of surprise and apprehension. The requirements for this year's contest had significantly increased compared to previous years.

In the past, only two beast cores of the corresponding level were needed to qualify. Ling Chenyuan's decision to raise the bar to three cores came as a surprise.

Among the spectators, Ling Tian maintained a calm demeanor, displaying only a hint of surprise.

He had anticipated the competition to become more challenging, considering the participants' increasing strength and the need to push their limits. Ling Tian contemplated the difficulty of hunting beasts at his own level.

These creatures possessed greater strength, and thicker hides, and some were renowned for their speed, like the Lightning Rabbit and Swiftwind Wolf.

Despite the increased difficulty, Ling Tian remained unfazed, thanks to the preparations he had made.

He knew that his arrows, infused with the venom of the Twin Horn Serpent, would grant him an advantage.

The potent poison could incapacitate even Level 2 beasts within a short timeframe.

Ling Tian drew reassurance from his strategic decision to bring these venom-infused arrows, knowing they would aid him in overcoming his adversaries.

As the elder in charge of the hunting competition raised his hand, signaling the start, the participants scattered into the dense forest.

"Hehehehe! You're nothing but trash, and I will make you suffer a hundredfold," Ling Feng Yun muttered quietly. "Don't you dare perish at the hands of some beast."

He was determined to make Ling Tian pay for humiliating him, but first, he had to secure his own kills. He would find Ling Tian on the final day.

As the participants entered the forest, their goals varied. Some just wanted to pass, while others wanted to win. Ling Tian, however, had his sights set on first place.

He was confident in his abilities and his secret weapon, the venom-infused arrows.

"Since I've chosen to compete, I should strive to be the first," Ling Tian arrogantly pondered, pressing further into the forest.

First Prey

After traversing through the dense forest for half an hour, Ling Tian's keen eyes detected movement among the bushes.

Moving with caution, he approached while maintaining a safe distance to avoid alerting his target.

As he came within 60 meters, the nature of the creature became clear. Ling Tian fixed his gaze on a small being, approximately 2 feet tall, with a blend of gray and white fur—a Swiftwind Rabbit.

A smirk formed on Ling Tian's face.

The Swiftwind Rabbit was a small creature known for its agility and extraordinary speed.

With its gray and white fur, it seamlessly blended into the moonlit forest, primarily active at night and seeking refuge in burrows during the day due to its inherently weak nature.

Although classified as a 6th-level common beast, it ranked among the weakest in terms of strength. However, its exceptional speed was unmatched within its rank.

Even if it was one of the strongest among mid-tier common beasts (levels 4, 5, and 6 are referred to as mid-tier), Ling Tian would still have been able to fight it off.

This was because, even though he was only in the third layer of body tempering, he was strong enough to fight a sixth-layer body tempering cultivator.

He did not know why this was the case, but he had been steadily growing stronger even though he had not been able to make a breakthrough in his cultivation.

However, there was a drawback to this: every time he wanted to break the limit of his body, he had to try harder than before.

While most Swiftwind Rabbits reached stage 2 and some even achieved stage 3 with fortuitous encounters or bloodline advantages, they could become as strong as other beasts of the same stage.

At stage 3, their bodies transformed into a human-like shape while retaining their rabbit features, gaining tremendous speed and strength.

They became one of the most formidable beings within their rank. Despite their seemingly adorable appearance, underestimating them could prove fatal.

Today, however, this little rabbit dared to venture out during daylight—a bold move, Ling Tian noted.

With his superior bodily strength honed through intense training, equivalent to the sixth level of the Body Tempering Layer, Ling Tian knew he outclassed the creature.

Closing the distance from 60 meters to 30 meters, Ling Tian took care not to startle it and risk losing his opportunity.

The Swiftwind Rabbit, startled by Ling Tian's sudden presence, attempted to flee, but it was too late.

Ling Tian sprang into action, his body moving with astonishing speed. In the blink of an eye, he caught up to the rabbit, punched hard, and swiftly snapped its neck in one blow.

A satisfied smile crossed Ling Tian's face. This kill was effortless and would significantly boost his ranking.

He was well on his way to securing the top position in the hunting competition.