Suddenly, howls echoed from all around, and a large number of wolves appeared, they to numbered approximately a hundred.
Xue Shen recognized them immediately, their eyes matching the wolves that had attacked the man-eating bear.
Lin Gao and Yan Gao stepped out of the carriage, weapons drawn and ready.
"My god, so many beasts!" Yan Gao exclaimed.
"Wolf packs don't normally number in the hundreds... What the hell is happening?" Lin Gao's face turned serious as he stared at the large pack of wolves.
Da Xiong's expression also turned serious. "This is insane. Since when do wolf packs number to hundreds!?"
People in other carriages shouted in confusion.
"Oi, monster hunters! Do you know what's happening? Since when did wolf packs increase so drastically?!"
"Is this what monster hunters deal with daily?"
"We don't know either! Wolf packs usually number eight, eighteen at most, but a hundred is unheard of!" Lin Gao shouted.
Xue Shen stared at the large pack of wolves. All his mind could think of was "Free EXP," but he was also a bit worried that their numbers might overwhelm him. He thought that maybe he could kill some and retreat—that seemed logical to him. His life mattered above all; he couldn't afford to die before reaching his goal. No ifs, no buts—he simply couldn't. If he failed, all those suffering existences would continue foolishly playing the game of life, and only he seemed to understand this. If he truly perished, he wouldn't be able to liberate the world.
"Prepare for battle," Quan Ning ordered.
Xue Shen stepped off the carriage, a plan forming in his mind. He would kill some wolves for EXP, but if the battle turned hopeless and lost, he wouldn't hesitate to flee.
Quan Ning dismounted and charged at the wolves. With a single slash of his sword, ten wolf heads were chopped clean off.
The ten wolves' heads were gone just like that!
Xue Shen's eyebrows perked up, and his face looked a bit shocked as Quan Ning effortlessly killed off ten wolves just like that.
"First time seeing a cultivator?" Lin Gao asked, staring at Xue Shen.
"He's a cultivator?" Xue Shen turned to Lin Gao, his eyes flicking toward the Ning Elder as he asked.
"Indeed, friend. That elder from the Ning family is a cultivator," Lin Gao replied.
'That's a cultivator… in this world, huh…' Xue Shen's mind raced, trying to estimate how strong this Ning elder was compared to Yunluo cultivators. He couldn't make an accurate guess from just wolves. Then a thought struck him: 'If I killed him… how much EXP would I get?' Excitement surged as he imagined the EXP he'd receive from liberating Quan Ning of this world.
"WHAT ARE YOU PEOPLE STANDING AROUND FOR?" Quan Ning, the elder of the Ning family, yelled out loudly, his eyes glaring at everyone.
"MUST I KILL ALL THE WOLVES HERE?!" he yelled out angrily.
"Understood, Elder!" Fifteen soldiers on horseback said, immediately charging forward.
Watching the Ning family elder power in action, Xue Shen decided to charge forward and fight alongside the hunters and other guilds.
Xue Shen moved with incredible speed, charging just behind Quan Ning. Suddenly, a wolf appeared beside him, with one strike he sliced its head cleanly off.
[Ding! 20 EXP]
[Ding! Level up]
[Ding! 2 EXP to Blade Mastery]
Also Da Xiong, Lin Gao, and Yan Gao charged in, just behind Xue Shen seemingly following him.
Another wolf lunged at Xue Shen from the right. He aimed for its head and, to the shock of three hunters, he had split its body cleanly in two. Like clockwork, another wolf lunged at him, and he swung his blade at its stomach, cutting it in half as well.
[Ding! 20 EXP]
[Ding! 2 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 20 EXP]
[Ding! 2 EXP to Blade Mastery]
Da Xiong swung his halberd, and sliced a wolf that was within his reach, though he couldn't split it in half like Xue Shen, but that blow was more than enough to kill it.
Lin Gao and Yan Gao coordinated efficiently. Lin Gao would thrust at wolves with his sword while Yan Gao guarded him with her bow, picking off any wolf that came close.
The Escort Guild worked together in a perfect formation. Unlike the Monster Hunter Guild, they all wielded spears and thrust them into any wolf that approached.
The Guardian Guild, all carrying swords and shields, formed a shield wall, and sliced any approaching wolves that came close.
The fifteen horsemen rode in a circling formation around the carriages, cutting down any wolves that came near. Five of them remained guarding the enclosed carriage.
But Xue Shen and the monster hunters were outside these formations, charging directly toward Quan Ning's position.
Suddenly, four wolves lunged at Xue Shen, but with ease, he sliced horizontally, splitting all four wolves in half.
[Ding! 20 EXP]
[Ding! Level up]
[Ding! 2 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 20 EXP]
[Ding! 2 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 20 EXP]
[Ding! 2 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 20 EXP]
[Ding! 2 EXP to Blade Mastery]
Da Xiong, Lin Gao, and Yan Gao watched, their faces full of shock. Even Quan Ning noticed it. Because of his Qi Sense, he had detected the four wolves approaching Xue Shen, he had intended to save the young man but Xue Shen handled it himself.
'Is he a cultivator!?' Lin Gao and Yan Gao thought.
'So strong! Has he gotten stronger?' Da Xiong thought.
"Are you a cultivator?" Quan Ning stared directly at him and asked, suspicion in his eyes. The speed and strength Xue Shen displayed, like slicing four wolves at once, was the strength akin to that of cultivators.
Xue Shen stepped back and replied, "No, sir, I am not."
"That's strange… how are you so powerful?" Quan Ning asked, suspicion in his voice not being able to believe it.
"I've been battling since I was young, sir," Xue Shen said, improvising poorly as he couldn't think of anything else.
"I see…" Quan Ning murmured, as he eyed Xue Shen with suspicion.
Then they eventually returned to battle. Xue Shen was smiling amidst all the chaos; he was having fun. He didn't even think when striking—he just wildly swung his blade, cutting down anything that came near him. "So much EXP, hahaha, THIS IS AMAZING!!" Xue Shen thought.
[Ding! 20 EXP]
[Ding! 2 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 20 EXP]
[Ding! 2 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 20 EXP]
[Ding! 2 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 20 EXP]
[Ding! Level up]
[Ding! 2 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 20 EXP]
[Ding! 2 EXP to Blade Mastery]
… Etc.
Several minutes later, all the wolves had been slain by the entourage. Xue Shen smiled at the influx of notifications for EXP and level ups. He had killed a total of fifteen wolves and earned 300 EXP. 'This was a good harvest..' he thought.
The three hunters stared at Xue Shen in disbelief at what they had witnessed.
"He was just swinging wildly and he killed so many!" Lin Gao exclaimed to Yan Gao.
'I truly stood no chance..' Da Xiong thought to himself thinking back to his duel with Xue Shenz
Xue Shen, was lost in his own world, he was too focused on all the notifications of EXP he had received.
'Stats.'
[Name: Xue Shen]
[Level: 9 | EXP: 81|90]
[Gender: Male]
[Age: 22 | Lifespan: 70]
[Race: Human]
[Cultivation: Mortal]
[Bloodline: None]
[Physique: None]
[Spiritual Roots: 1 | Status: Rootless]
[Active Passives: Heavy Blade - 5% dmg]
[Talents: None]
[Unspent Stat Points: 8]
[Constitution: 0.4 +^]
[Strength: 4.5 +^]
[Dexterity: 3.8 +^]
[Intelligence: 1 +^]
[Endurance: 2.8 +^]
[Perception: 1.9 +^]
[Charisma: 2 +^]
[Luck: 0]
[Skills: Blade Mastery: Level 1 | 34.5/100]
[Techniques: None]
'8 stat points!!' Xue Shen grinned ear to ear. 'This was truly one of the best hunts I've had thus far..' he thought..
'That should allow me to get a passive…' he thought, assuming most of the system's functions worked the same as in the past.
[Constitution: 0.4 -> 1.4]
[Strength: 4.5 -> 10.5]
[Endurance: 2.8 -> 3.8]
[Congrats, host! You've reached 10 stats on strength stat. You've unlocked 3 passives, though you can only choose one out of the 3, so please chose wisely]
'Perfect it seems the stat passives are still the same.'
[Monstrous Power: 10% increase in attack dmg]
[Brute: 15% increase in blunt weapons dmg when wielding blunt weapons]
[Titan's Fist: Fist based attacks are 100% more effective]
'Give me monstrous Strength..' Xue Shen thought, picking "monstrous power"
Everyone else looked tired, including Xue Shen. Only Quan Ning remained unfazed. Even though he had killed over fivety wolves, it looked as if it hadn't even taken a toll on him
But just as everyone was about to celebrate their victory, Quan Ning yelled out again.
"COME OUT!!" His face twisted into a grim one.
'Hm? Xue Shen's looking around… There's more? Perfect,' he thought. The more EXP he could farm, the better. But then he noticed the sudden change in Quan Ning's expression, and curiosity struck him—what could have caused such a grim look?
Everyone else's faces mirrored the same worry expression. Except Xue Shen. They had all just survived, but they were all mostly wounded and exhausted, there was no way they could endure another wave of wolves.
But what they didn't expect was that it wasn't more wolves—instead…
A man in dark robes emerged from the shadows of the trees, a sword in hand. This time it wasn't beasts but men: around thirty soldiers stood directly behind him, all dressed in black robes. As the man approached, he yelled out.
"Quan Ning! You bastard!" he shouted, glaring at Quan Ning.
Quan Ning's eyes widened—he recognized the voice instantly.
"Bao Jia?!"
"GOOD! You still remember me!" Bao Jia's voice was one of anger, his eyes burning with bloodlust. "We've come to repay the debt of the Jia clan for what the Ning family did!"
'What kind of plot is this?' Xue Shen's gaze flicked between Quan Ning and Bao Jia, his curiosity growing.
"Husband, what should we do?" Yan Gao asked, turning to Lin Gao.
"All we can do is place our hopes on Mr. Quan Ning," Lin Gao said, sweeping his gaze over the entourage. They were exhausted, wounded, and barely holding on. If they had to fight again, many would die.
"Hah… we're far too tired to fight anymore," Da Xiong muttered, his face grim.
"It's your family's fault!" Quan Ning sneered. "If they hadn't acted so arrogantly and surrendered, we wouldn't have had to eliminate them!"
"SURRENDER? ITS YOU COWARDS, WHO SHOULD BE ASHAMED FOR HAVING SURRENDERED TO THOSES BASTARDS!" Bao Jia shouted back, both of them clearly arguing about something.
With a swift motion, Bao Jia unlifted his hood, revealing a hideous and disfigured face. Quan Ning's expression twisted with horror as he stared at Bao Jia face.
"Do you have nothing to say?!" Bao Jia shouted.
"Come then! I'll wipe out your Jia bloodline for good once and for all!" Quan Ning spat on the ground.
"HAHA! You think just because you became a cultivator you're stronger than anyone else? I'll show you! Come my clansmen, come let's kill these Ning bastards!"
The dark-robed men charged from the forest. Bao Jia fixed his eyes only on Quan Ning, he lunged at him, his sword ready to strike.
The entourage watched, all frightened and trembling, praying the Ning elder could prevail. Still, though tired they tightened their formations to brace against the enemy attack.
Quan Ning, eager to finish the fight swiftly, charged forward towards Bao Jia. Their swords clashing against each other.
Clink. Clank.
"Impossible!" Quan Ning, face filled with shock as he felt Bao Jia's strength. "You… you've become a cultivator?!"
"What? You can, but I can't?!" Bao Jia sneered, as pressed his sword against Quan Ning's
Their blades collided again and again, neither gaining the upper hand on each other, it seemed they were equals in strength and skill.
Meanwhile, Bao Jia's soldiers rushed the Ning entourage.
"DIE!!" two Jia soldiers yelled, striking at Xue Shen simultaneously.
But to their horror, Xue Shen wasn't even looking at them, his eyes remained locked on the duel. With a single horizontal sweep of his blade, both men's heads flew.
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! Level Up]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Congratulations to the host for achieving level 10! As a reward for your great achievement, you have been awarded 4 stat points!. The next levels now reward 4 stat points!]
Upon hearing the announcement, Xue Shen said out loud, "All in dexterity!"
[Dexterity: 3.8-> 7.8]
"WHAT?!" Lin Gao, Yan Gao, and Da Xiong stared in disbelief at Xue Shen's overwhelming power.
In their minds, they had already come to the conclusion that 'He's a cultivator!'
As Xue Shen watched Bao Jia and Quan Ning battle, his lips curled into a grin as he saw that they were equally matched. A dark thought crept into his mind, 'If they wear each other down… wouldn't I be able to kill everyone here?'
Xue Shen pondered this, his imagination running wild with thoughts of liberating every soul here.
Unable to contain his excitement and eager to gain more EXP, he immediately charged at the dark-robed men.
He moved so fast that it caught them completely off guard.
"Fool! If you wished to die so early, you could just have said so!" one of the dark-robed men said as he saw Xue Shen charging at him.
But to the horror of the dark-robed man, Xue Shen swung his blade at his stomach, easily splitting his body in half, then turned and split another man's body in half.
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
Xue Shen was yelling in the midst of all this, his eyes changing from a blank expression to one of enjoyment and pleasure like this was his natural nature.
"Let me bring you all to death's embrace!" Xue Shen shouted as he cleaved all of the dark-robed men, their blood smearing his face and body.
The entourage stared at the blood-crazed Xue Shen, trembling at his merciless slaughter. Yet they were also relieved to see his power and realize he was on their side. Nobody was paying attention to Bao and Quan's battle—instead, all eyes were on Xue Shen's carnage. He looked like a god of war, cutting down anyone who came close.
"What a lunatic!" Yan Gao whispered, watching Xue Shen slaughter the dark-robed men.
"MONST—!" One of the dark-robed men screamed before Xue Shen swung his blade downward, slicing him in half even his genitalia was sliced.
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
"A–a CULTIVATOR!" another yelled, that was their only conclusion for why he was so powerful.
"SURROUND HIM!" one of the men said, yelling out orders.
Some of the dark-robed men were already faltering, they had thought killing the Ning family entourage would be easy. But seeing Xue Shen killing them with ease, fear had gripped all their hearts.
"WE CAN'T FIGHT THAT!" another robed man said with fear in his voice.
"Uaghhh…" one man groaned as his arm was dismembered by a swing of Xue Shen blade.
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
"RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!" one dark-robed man screamed, running for his life.
The sudden shout made all the dark-robed men falter, they all ran. But the boost in Xue Shen's dexterity made him incredibly fast, he slaughtered anyone who tried to escape.
The sight before everyone was that of a butcher, mercilessly cutting down anything in his path. They watched as Xue Shen swung his blade around wildly, effortlessly dismembering and killing every man in front of him
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
"Is he.. even a human.." one of the men from the escort guild said with fear in his voice.
His body trembling at the sight of Xue Shen carnage.
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
[Ding! 10 EXP]
[Ding! 1 EXP to Blade Mastery]
Four minutes later, the entire entourage stared at Xue Shen all with frightened expressions.
"WHAT A MONSTER!"
"He… he killed all those people!"
"That's... a monster hunter?.."
Everybody was thankful they had Xue Shen on their side but also terrified of his power. He had just killed every dark-robed man with ease and he didn't even bat an eye nor suffered any injuries.
"Is this even the power of a Tier 2 Monster Hunter!?" Lin Gao exclaimed. "Hah… this child is stronger than any Tier 1 hunter I've ever seen..."
Xue Shen stood in the bloodbath he had created, his body drenched in blood. Corpses and severed limbs littered the ground beneath him. His eyes fixed on the battle between Bao and Quan, who hadn't even noticed his carnage, too focused on their duel.
Quan Ning showed signs of exhaustion. Seeing this, Bao Jia pressed the attack onward, leaving Quan no room to retaliate. Amidst their clashing of swords, Bao Jia finally found an opening and slashed Quan's face.
"Urgh…" Quan Ning groaned. Now purely on the defensive, he had accidentally revealed an opening when his face was cut.
Bao Jia thrusted with his sword and pierced right through Quan Ning's unguarded stomach.
"UAGHH!" Quan Ning pulled back, breathing heavily, he showed signs of exhaustion.
"Haha, getting tired?" Bao Jia sneered.
Quan Ning put his other hand on his stomach and held his sword in the other hand.
Xue Shen stared at the battle. It seems the outcome had already been decided. He had already made up his mind and charged into the battle between the two intending to kill them both.