Chapter 10 : Chapter 10
Chapter 10: An Overwhelming Lead
This giant python’s body had already reached the Aperture Opening Realm?
Lu Zhan was startled.
Demon Beasts were already physically stronger than humans to begin with.
A body at the Aperture Opening Realm...
Lu Zhan did not have complete confidence in victory.
Just as he was about to withdraw, the system notification sounded.
【Ding! The system has detected a snake demon whose physical body has broken into the Aperture Opening Realm. Side Quest activated】
【Side Quest Description: Please kill the Aperture Opening Realm snake demon】
【Quest Reward: Perfection Martial Art Limit-Breaking Card】
【Effect: After a martial art has been cultivated to the Perfection stage, using a Limit-Breaking Card can break that martial art past its limits and raise it to the Entering the Divine stage】
“Oh? A Side Quest, and there’s even a Limit-Breaking Card.”
Lu Zhan stopped involuntarily and checked the effect of the card.
He had not realized how good it was until he looked. The moment he saw it, he could not take his eyes off it.
Since the card was this useful, he really could not bear to give up the quest.
“To hell with it. I’m going all in.”
“Even though I can still use Slaughter Points to deduce martial arts and push them to the Entering the Divine stage, I have a feeling the number of Slaughter Points needed to break the limit will be outrageous.”
“In that case, if I kill it, everything I gain is profit.”
Lu Zhan’s return came as a surprise to everyone.
Seeing this stranger throw himself back into danger, Wang Botao did not bother trying to persuade him anymore. After retreating from the battlefield, he directly swallowed a healing pill.
What shocked him, however, was that this unfamiliar youth managed to fight the giant python for more than ten minutes without falling into a disadvantage.
It was just a pity that the youth likewise could not do anything to the giant python.
Although the giant python had a weakness at the vital point seven inches below its head, it guarded that spot extremely tightly. Even though Lu Zhan’s Iron-Slaying Saber Art had already reached Perfection, he still could not gain the upper hand.
Ten minutes later, Lu Zhan was panting heavily.
He suddenly felt that the rewards from the system’s quests were indeed not so easy to obtain.
“Should I give up on the quest now?”
Very quickly, he shook his head. “No, no. I’ve already spent so much time here. How can I give up this easily?”
“Iron-Slaying Saber Art—die for me!”
He slashed three times in rapid succession.
The Longevity Saber scraped against the python’s scales, sending showers of sparks flying.
Suddenly, a system notification rang out.
【Ding! Congratulations, Host. Title First Showing of One’s Edge activated】
【First Showing of One’s Edge Effect 2: Resonance of Killing Intent】
【When dealing damage to an enemy, there is a 1% chance to trigger the effect ‘Karma Severing.’ Once triggered, your next attack will ignore the enemy’s defense】
In the next instant, the giant python, hard as iron, was cut cleanly in two at the waist by Lu Zhan without warning.
Lu Zhan froze slightly.
“This...”
Then he burst into laughter.
“Hahaha, your luck is really terrible. Out of all things, you actually triggered the 1% chance of ‘Karma Severing.’”
Lu Zhan was overjoyed.
【Ding! Congratulations, Host. You have killed an Aperture Opening Realm Demon Beast above your level and are rewarded with 1800 Slaughter Points (base Slaughter Points: 1500 + bonus for killing above your level: 300)】
【The title First Showing of One’s Edge has been activated. Additional Slaughter Points obtained: 180】
【The Host currently has 1980 Slaughter Points】
【The system has detected that the Host has completed the quest. Quest reward now being issued—Perfection Martial Art Limit-Breaking Card】
【Reward distribution complete. The item has been automatically stored in the inventory】
【A martial art that meets the conditions for using the Perfection Martial Art Limit-Breaking Card has been detected. Use it?】
“Yes!”
Lu Zhan did not hesitate and used it immediately.
【Congratulations, Host. You have comprehended the Entering the Divine Iron-Slaying Saber Art】
For a moment, all kinds of experience related to the Iron-Slaying Saber Art poured into his mind.
Lu Zhan felt that if he used the Iron-Slaying Saber Art again now, it would be as if the gods themselves were helping him.
Wang Botao stared blankly at Lu Zhan as he sheathed his saber.
“Damn! Everyone says I, Wang Botao, am a genius, but standing in front of this guy, why do I suddenly feel so ordinary?”
To be honest, Wang Botao had been dealt a serious blow.
He got to his feet and asked, “My name is Wang Botao. May I know what your name is, Senior?”
But Lu Zhan looked as though he had done nothing worth mentioning. His expression was as still as an ancient well, undisturbed by the slightest ripple. He turned and walked away, leaving behind only a calm voice.
“Lu Zhan.”
Looking at Lu Zhan’s departing figure, Wang Botao murmured, “Lu Zhan? Looks like another monster has appeared in Linhai City. Once we get out, if there’s a chance, I definitely want to team up with him.”
As long as one joined the Demon Extermination Bureau, everyone would have their own district to oversee.
Not everyone in this world had become a Martial Artist.
There were quite a few Martial Artists, but compared to ordinary people, they were still very few in number.
Soon, the assessment was about to end.
However, after killing the giant python, Lu Zhan went on to kill several more Demon Beasts.
Some were stronger, some weaker...
Then, after the full hour and a half of the assessment had passed, his vision blurred.
When he came back to himself, he had already appeared inside the Demon Extermination Bureau.
He let out a somewhat regretful sigh.
There were still so many Demon Beasts left in the Demon Nest. What a pity he could not hunt them all.
“Look, the expert is out!”
The moment Lu Zhan appeared, many people cried out in surprise.
By coincidence, Shangguan Ling was teleported out at a spot not far from Lu Zhan.
Seeing the admiring looks from everyone around him, Shangguan Ling naturally assumed they were cheering for him.
So he eagerly waved to the crowd in thanks.
After that, he spotted Wang Botao in the crowd and said with a note of showiness, “Hahaha, my apologies, my apologies.”
“Old Wang, it looks like first place in this assessment is mine.”
His mouth was saying sorry, but his face was blooming with delight.
The people on the stage, however, were completely baffled.
“What is Shangguan Ling doing?”
“No idea. He looks kind of dazed.”
...
Shangguan Ling and Wang Botao were obviously quite close.
Watching Shangguan Ling flaunt himself with exaggerated smugness, Wang Botao covered his face awkwardly.
At that moment, he truly wanted to pretend he did not know him.
But he knew Shangguan Ling’s temperament very well. The more you ignored him, the harder he jumped.
“Shangguan Ling, why don’t you look at the rankings before you start talking?”
Shangguan Ling, however, looked extremely pleased with himself.
“Fine, I’ll look. But Old Wang, don’t tell me you can’t accept losing? Didn’t you see how worshipfully everyone was looking at me?”
She curled his lip and turned around.
Eh?
What the hell?
He was so shocked that her eyes nearly popped out.
The person in first place was not him, but that was not even the most important part. The truly critical thing was that the first-place score was absurdly high.
First place: Lu Zhan
Realm: Seventh level of the Qi Condensation Realm
Points: 280
Second place: Shangguan Ling
Realm: Eighth level of the Qi Condensation Realm
Points: 90
Third place: Wang Botao
Realm: Seventh level of the Qi Condensation Realm
Points: 80
...
As for the densely packed scores below that, there were many zeros and tens, and not even that many twenties.
Shangguan Ling rubbed his eyes hard.
“Old Wang, with a score like that... I feel like my eyes must be playing tricks on me.”
Seeing this, Wang Botao also fell silent.
But when he saw that name, he understood at once.
“So it really was him!”
“You know him? Who is it that actually managed to steal the spotlight from both of us?”
Shangguan Ling looked distinctly unconvinced.
This time, he and Wang Botao had bet on who would win.
Now, he had won.
But somehow, it also felt as though he had not.
If he had the choice, he would rather have taken third place.
Because first and second place were too close together, his assessment result looked downright painful next to that score.
“There. Isn’t he standing right beside you?”
Wang Botao pointed at Lu Zhan next to Shangguan Ling.
At this moment, however, Lu Zhan had no attention to spare for the gazes around him.
Because all of his focus was fixed on the system.
The screen was packed with one reward after another, so many that it left him dizzy.