Chapter 66: Does the Martial Arts Administration Really Hold So Much Power?-Spiritual Awakening: I Became a God by Testing Potions(A large bowl of dry noodles)

Zhang Chu even began to suspect that all the star beasts encountered in the Star Beast Hunting Ground were prearranged. In the next two hours, he didn't even catch a glimpse of another star beast. Fortunately, he possessed the advanced movement technique "Silver Flash." After a ten-minute chase, he caught up to a large herd of Ironclad Azure Bulls. Relying on his agile maneuvering and luring tactics, he singled out a few particularly hot-tempered bulls, drawing them away from the main group and dispatching them one by one.

"Ding-dong, host has slain one 1-Star Beast, strength +5, mental power +5."
"Ding-dong, host has slain two 1-Star Beasts, strength +10, mental power +10."

After several rounds, Zhang Chu was thoroughly familiar with the process of slaying Ironclad Azure Bulls. Step one: lure the bull within three meters. Step two: release Electric Vine Bind to knock the beast down. Step three: deliver a heavy punch to its eye to break its scale armor. Step four: finish it off with the Fire Sword Intent. Step five: extract the core, clean it, and swallow it.

Following this assembly-line routine, Zhang Chu slew twenty Ironclad Azure Bulls in two hours.

"Ding-dong, host has devoured two 1-Star Cores, strength +10!"
"Ding-dong, host has devoured one 1-Star Core, strength +5!"

After swallowing the core of the twentieth bull, Zhang Chu sought out a safe tree to digest his gains and brought up his personal status panel:

Name: Zhang Chu
Realm: 1-Star
Strength: 272/1000
Martial Skills: Sky Cannon (1-Star Low), Iron Mountain Shield (1-Star Low), Thirteen Swords of Fire (1-Star Low), Silver Flash (1-Star Low)
Mental Power: 171.5/1000
Psychic Skills: Electric Vine Bind (1-Star Low)

"It seems this trip was well worth it. If not for the time limit, I could keep going!"

There were fifteen minutes left of the allotted four hours. Zhang Chu calculated that fifteen minutes would barely allow him to catch up to the migration herd of Ironclad Azure Bulls; there wasn't enough time to kill a few more.

Moreover, he felt a faint dizziness in his head. Every use of the Psychic Skill "Electric Vine Bind" depleted his mental power, and after over twenty uses, he was reaching his limit. Thankfully, he had just taken a vial of energy-replenishing liquid, or he wouldn't have made it this far.

Even so, Zhang Chu was quite satisfied. As long as he returned once a day, in at most seven days, he could break through to a Two-Star Dual Force Warrior.

After a brief adjustment, he prepared to leave. Pressing the locator on his wristband, a holographic image of Zhou Xiaoyu appeared before him. "Hello Mr. Zhang Chu, I'm your 24-hour exclusive customer service representative Xiaoyu. How may I assist you?"

"End my training session," Zhang Chu replied.

"I have processed the end of your session. Your smart wristband will now guide you to the nearest teleportation array. Please reach the site within fifteen minutes and use your badge to activate the transmission. I will be waiting for you in front of the array at the Boundary Hall."

With that, Zhou Xiaoyu’s holographic projection vanished.

Three seconds later, a navigation hologram appeared on his wrist.

Destination: Teleportation Array Site 22
Distance: 12 kilometers
Estimated Time: 3 minutes
Safety Notice: Please remain aware of your surroundings en route to prevent star beast ambushes.

"The equipment at Boundary Hall is indeed far more advanced than at the Martial Center," Zhang Chu mused.

Following the navigation, he quickly sped toward the teleportation site. After covering about ten kilometers and passing through half a forest, he heard the sounds of a fierce struggle nearby. "Damn, could this be it for me?" a voice groaned.

He was very close.

Zhang Chu darted forward less than five hundred meters and saw a young man in a white tracksuit, covered in blood, tightly entwined with a massive, shaggy Earth Bear. The 1-Star Earth Bear was pressing down on him, its gaping jaws snapping at the youth's neck, but the young man was resisting with all his might.

The scene had a strangely ambiguous quality—almost as if the Earth Bear was in heat and couldn't distinguish between humans and beasts, forcing itself on the young man.

"Detected: Practitioner in mortal danger. Emergency evacuation?"
"Contacting Practitioner Fan Dayong. This is the Boundary Hall Safety Center, are you alright? Do you require remote evacuation?"

Fan Dayong’s stamina was rapidly draining, and the Earth Bear was about to succeed. His smart wristband vibrated incessantly, the Safety Center’s staff voices faintly audible.

Beep, beep, beep!

The wristband flashed red, the shrill alarm aggravating the Earth Bear, which swatted the device away.

"This guy looks familiar," Zhang Chu mused from his hiding spot, scrutinizing the battered Fan Dayong with a frown. Early twenties, with a cropped haircut that looked efficient; his physique was the kind that would make teenage girls swoon.

Suddenly, Zhang Chu’s eyes lit up. "No wonder he looks familiar—he bears a striking resemblance to Fan Tianlei. Could this be Fan Tianlei’s son?"

All of Binzhou knew that Fan Tianlei had two sons—one who’d made a name for himself and inspired envy, and another who was notorious for his recklessness.

Bang!

Zhang Chu leapt down. Just as the Earth Bear was about to bite Fan Dayong, a blazing sword intent pierced its heart from behind.

Having once tricked Fan Chengcheng out of six million, Zhang Chu had always felt a tinge of guilt. Saving Fan Dayong now—this made them even.

Zhang Chu didn’t reveal himself, simply turned and hurried toward the teleportation site. As he left, Fan Dayong kicked aside the bear’s corpse, staring in shock at Zhang Chu’s retreating figure.

"There really are selfless heroes these days. I thought he’d at least ask for something—maybe get my dad to pull some strings. This guy’s interesting. Once I get out, I’ll have Boundary Hall pull the records and see who this guy is."

Catching his breath, he dug out the Earth Bear’s core and retrieved his smart wristband. "I'm fine, no assistance needed."

Hearing Fan Dayong’s voice, the entire Boundary Hall Safety Center staff breathed a sigh of relief. Fan Dayong, son of Fan Tianlei and the Martial Bureau’s youngest deputy director, had only just advanced to Dual Force Warrior. If anything happened to this young master during training, none of them would escape blame.

Meanwhile, Zhang Chu, following the guidance, arrived at the hexagram teleportation site. He used his badge to activate the array.

"Three, two, one, transmitting."

A pillar of light enveloped him, and when Zhang Chu opened his eyes again, he was back in the Boundary Hall.

In front of him, Zhou Xiaoyu handed him a bottle of water. "Congratulations, Mr. Zhang Chu, you have safely completed your first Star Beast Hunt."

"Thank you," Zhang Chu replied, his expression a bit odd. He’d just checked his storage ring—during teleportation, the twenty Ironclad Azure Bulls’ corpses had been automatically stripped and left behind in the hunting grounds. His heart bled at the loss. Clearly, smuggling star beast corpses out for profit using the storage ring was impossible.

"Mr. Zhang Chu, I’ve been waiting for you," said a voice. As Zhang Chu sipped his water, Fan Tianlei appeared before him.

Seeing Fan Tianlei, Zhang Chu glanced at the teleportation array. Was news really traveling so fast? He had just saved Fan Tianlei’s son, and now Fan Tianlei was here to thank him in person?

"Director Fan, is there something I can help you with?" Zhang Chu smiled. The deputy director of the Martial Bureau wielded enormous power; even the strongest Dual Force Warriors were under its jurisdiction. Zhang Chu had no intention of crossing the Martial Bureau.

"I heard that Mr. Zhang Chu is in great need of access to the Star Beast Tree Hollow. But the old fools at the Binzhou Martial Research Institute’s Dual Force Society gave the slot to someone else. Today, I’m here on behalf of the Martial Bureau to give you a gift," Fan Tianlei said, producing a purple orb from his storage ring. "This is a Violet Light Pearl, your pass into the Star Beast Tree Hollow."

Staring at the Violet Light Pearl, Zhang Chu was stunned. Since when had he become so close to Fan Tianlei? And since when did the Martial Bureau wield such authority, handing out passes to the Star Beast Tree Hollow at will?