The early autumn morning light had yet to disperse the mist over the training grounds. A considerable number of students had already gathered before the Apex Monument. Silas, maintaining the appearance of Finn Cole, stood quietly on the periphery of the crowd, his gaze calmly sweeping over the ranking list.
"Have you all heard about the new military decree?" a student dressed in luxurious robes spoke softly, yet his voice carried clearly to those around him. "Those who break through to the second rank during their academy years must serve for five years after graduation."
A lanky student beside him immediately chimed in, "Five years? Isn't that throwing us into a fire pit? My father says the border conflicts are intense right now. The number of officers who died in battle last year was thirty percent higher than the year before."
"Even more frightening is losing the protection of our families," another student lowered his voice. "In the military, those without connections will always be cannon fodder. My uncle has been stationed at the eastern fortress for ten years, and he's still just a squad leader."
Worried expressions appeared on everyone's faces, except for Silas, whose eyes flashed with a sharp, calculating light.
Compulsory service? This was the opportunity he had been waiting for. In a completely new environment, no one would know Finn Cole, no one would know his past. The military's promotion system relied entirely on strength, and that was precisely the arena where he excelled. Danger? That was merely an excuse for the weak. Deep in the mines, under the claws of magical beasts, he had long understood one truth: true danger always came hand-in-hand with opportunity.
After three months of tempering, his physical body had reached the early second rank, but his spiritual energy cultivation remained stagnant at the peak of the first rank. More importantly, breaking through to the second rank required fusing with a powerful Fated Beast, which demanded vast amounts of rare resources and meticulous preparation. His previous purchases of magical beast blood for tempering had already exhausted all of his savings.
His eyes roamed over the Apex Monument, finally settling on the 198th position. There was carved the name "Hawk," a student renowned for his late first-rank strength and his ferocious battle-axe techniques.
Silas walked steadily towards the registration attendant, his voice clear and even. "Finn Cole, applying to challenge the 198th ranked Hawk."
As his words fell, an uproar immediately erupted around him.
"Who is this Finn?Never heard of him."
"A mere early first-rank dares to challenge Hawk?He's just asking for humiliation."
Half an hour later, the dueling platform was packed to the brim. Hawk stood with a double-edged battle-axe resting on his shoulder, sneering as he looked Silas over. "Kid, it's not too late to get on your knees and beg for mercy now."
Silas calmly raised his spear in salute."I seek your guidance."
The bell signaling the start of the fight rang out. Hawk pounced like a tiger, his battle-axe descending with a sound that ripped through the air. This time, Silas did not hold back completely. He stabilized his spiritual energy at the late first-rank level, his spear striking out like a swimming dragon.
For the first five exchanges, he only used exquisite footwork to evade, familiarizing himself with Hawk's combat rhythm.
In the sixth exchange,his spear tip clashed with the battle-axe for the first time, sparks flying.
By the tenth exchange,he began to counterattack. The basic spear techniques glowed with astonishing power in his hands, each move accurately striking the weakest points in Hawk's assaults.
"This Finn... when did he break through to the late first-rank?" someone exclaimed below the stage.
"And his basic spear techniques,how are they so masterful?"
On the twentieth exchange, Silas seized a tiny opening in Hawk's defense. His spear shot forth like a striking serpent, instantly breaking through the axe's shadows and coming to a steady halt three inches from Hawk's throat.
"I concede defeat." Silas retracted his spear and stood straight, his breathing as steady as ever.
Hawk stood frozen in place,his face full of disbelief.
This victory allowed Silas to initially establish an image of a "diligent, hardworking, late-blooming" student within the academy. Rising to rank 198 meant he could earn eighty more contribution points monthly, but this was still a drop in the bucket compared to the resources needed for his breakthrough.
In the afternoon, he went to the city's famous intelligence agency, the "Hundred Knowledge Pavilion." It was an imposing five-story wooden tower, its upturned eaves adorned with carvings of a hundred birds paying homage to a phoenix. The golden plaque at the entrance, inscribed with "Knowledge of All Under Heaven," glittered brilliantly in the sunlight.
"Consultation fee, ten low-rank spirit stones," the grey-robed elder behind the counter said without looking up.
Silas silently paid the stones;it was the largest sum he could currently afford.
The elder finally looked up, assessing him. "What do you want to know?"
"Ways to make money fast.Reliable ones."
The elder pondered for a moment. "Deep in the black market, there's a place called the 'Shadow Pavilion.' If you pass their test, the rewards are substantial. However..." he said meaningfully, "...the missions there are anything but simple. The entry requirement is at least second-rank cultivation."
After paying another five spirit stones for the specific address, Silas wound his way through several twisting alleys, arriving at an inconspicuous estate deep within the black market. Pushing open the mottled wooden gate, he found a completely different world inside.
A man with intersecting scars on his face blocked his path, emanating the powerful aura of the mid second-rank. "A newcomer? The Shadow Pavilion's rule: you need at least second-rank cultivation to accept missions."
"I'd like to try," Silas said calmly.
The scarred man snorted coldly. "Then let me see what you're made of."
The test took place in a secret chamber. The scarred man wielded twin blades, his attacks like a violent storm. Silas knew he could no longer hold back. He instantly pushed his aura to its peak, the traits of his Nine-Beasts Perfection surging within him.
On the first move, he used the Rock-Clawed Weasel's energy claws to deflect the twin blades, sparks flying everywhere.
By the fifth move,he executed the Drifting Leaf Step, his body moving like a ghost to avoid a fatal strike.
On the tenth move,he mobilized the Drum-Sac Poison Viper's flexibility, performing an incredible evasive maneuver.
"Interesting." A flicker of surprise passed through the scarred man's eyes, and his attacks became even more fierce.
Silas had to use more of his trump cards. He relied on the Savage Tiger's strength to withstand a heavy slash, used the Slime-like beast's trait to dissipate the impact force, and utilized the Python's flexibility to maneuver deftly in the confined space. After twenty exchanges, though slightly disheveled, he had never shown signs of defeat.
"Stop!" The scarred man suddenly sheathed his blades, giving Silas a deep look. "You do qualify." He tossed Silas a black token. "This is the Shadow Pavilion's token. Remember the rules: we don't ask about origins, we only recognize results."
Silas sent his spiritual sense into the token, and a massive amount of mission information instantly flooded his mind:
· Assassination Mission: Assassinate Derek Wood, steward of the Wood Family. Target frequents the southern city gambling den, accompanied by an early second-rank guard. Bounty: 800 low-rank spirit stones. (Note: This mission involves internal family conflict.)
· Hunting Mission: Hunt the Rock-Armored Bear in the eastern caves of the Magical Beast Mountains, retrieve its intact gall bladder. Target is an early second-rank magical beast, proficient in earth defensive spells. Bounty: 500 low-rank spirit stones.
· Gathering Mission: Collect ten mature, high-quality Moonlight Grass. Time limit: three days. Bounty: 300 low-rank spirit stones.
· Beast-Seeking Mission: Find a rare Thunder-Striped Tiger cub. Must be alive. Bounty: 2,000 low-rank spirit stones.
· Guard Mission: Escort a merchant convoy to the northern border fortress, requires traversing the Black Witch Forest. Bounty: 1,500 low-rank spirit stones.
Seeing the Thunder-Striped Tiger mission, Silas's heart stirred. This beast was known for its speed and explosive power. If used as his Fated Beast, it could perfectly compensate for his current lack of offensive methods. But the difficulty of capturing a cub alive...
He finally settled on the first three missions. The assassination would test his practical combat abilities, hunting the Rock-Armored Bear would yield valuable materials, and gathering the Moonlight Grass would allow him to fully utilize the advantages of his Law of Life.
When he left the Shadow Pavilion, the setting sun had begun to sink below the horizon. Silas tightened his grip on the token in his hand, a sharp light gleaming in his eyes.
Tonight, the hunt begins.