Chapter 11 Hunter's Badge

Words : 2376 Updated : Oct 8th, 2023

"Damn it, this has to be fake!" Carl's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the word "Passed" on the test form, feeling as though he had just been slapped hard in the face. "Bullshit! Who would dare fake the hunter's test results?" Barret grinned, glaring at Carl. "That's Elder Benson's signature on the form. Are you really going to question a senior elder?" From the conversation around him, Stanley learned that the white-robed elder who had overseen his test was none other than Elder Benson Zhuang, a senior figure in the Qing Yun City Hunter's Guild. Not only that, Benson was a third-level formation mage! In all of Qing Yun City, there were no more than five formation mages who had reached the third level. Zora stood there, stunned, particularly after remembering her earlier comment about chasing after Stanley if he passed the test. Seeing Stanley grinning at her, Zora's face flushed red. "Hmph, little brother, let's talk about this when you're a bit older," she said with a slight pout, her lips looking quite seductive, clearly trying to wiggle out of her earlier words. "Haha, this kid's bold! He's already eyeing the top beauty of the Qing Yun City Hunter's Guild. He's got potential!" "Hey, Carl, didn't you say earlier that if this little brother passed the test, you'd take off your head and let him kick it around like a ball?" "Yeah, come on, if you're a man, hand over your head!" The crowd in the hall began to tease Carl relentlessly. At this moment, Zora handed Stanley a badge with two crossed swords. "Congratulations, little brother, you're officially a hunter now." The badge was white, with the Hunter's Guild emblem and a single star, signifying that Stanley was now a one-star hunter. The hunter ranks were divided into nine levels. One to three stars signified a junior hunter, four to six stars were intermediate hunters, and seven to nine stars represented senior hunters. The higher a hunter's rank, the greater the benefits they would receive. However, in the Qing Yun City Hunter's Guild, the highest badge available was three stars. To obtain a four-star badge or higher, hunters had to travel to the capital of Yun Long Shire County. Carl's face was as dark as coal. Losing 1,000 taels of silver was bad enough, but being mocked by his fellow hunters had made him lose all his dignity. Of course, no one seriously expected Carl to remove his head. The joke was just that—a joke, meant to embarrass him further. Thud! A money pouch landed in front of Stanley. Barret, the large and burly man, grinned. "Little brother, this is 500 taels of silver. Carl bet me that you wouldn't pass the test, and the wager was 1,000 taels. We'll split it evenly." Stanley hesitated for a moment. To him, 500 taels was a huge sum of money, and the bet between Barret and Carl technically had nothing to do with him. By rights, Barret didn't need to share his winnings. "Barret, this is your money. I can't accept it," Stanley politely declined, not comfortable with accepting such a large gift without reason. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have won the bet. Don't be so modest, or you'll make me look bad," Barret insisted. For Barret, the money wasn't the real prize—humiliating his long-time rival Carl was the true victory. Stanley smiled. Since Barret had already made his intentions clear, it would have been rude to refuse any further. "Well then, thank you for your kindness," Stanley said, accepting the money pouch. A boy not yet fourteen was a rare sight in the hunter's guild, where most hunters were over twenty-five years old. Barret, in good spirits, insisted on taking Stanley for a drink. Stanley had never had alcohol in his life, but he was soon dragged to a table in the hall by Barret. There were five people seated at the table, including Stanley and Barret. One was a skinny man with a cold expression, while the other two were twin sisters. Their looks were average, but their curvaceous figures were accentuated by tight-fitting martial robes. "Stanley, let me introduce you…" Through Barret's introductions, Stanley learned that the cold-faced man was named Kent Guo, while the twin sisters were Thera and Sigrid. Barret, Kent, Thera, and Sigrid formed a hunter team. Barret, the team leader, was a second-level Qi Hai Realm warrior, Kent was at the ninth level of the Lian Ti Realm, and the sisters were both at the eighth level of the Lian Ti Realm. In the world of Tian Wu Country and beyond, hunter teams like Barret's were the most common among martial artists. "Stanley, as I mentioned earlier, if you passed the test, I'd invite you to join my team. So, what do you say?" Barret took a swig of wine and smiled. Half an hour ago, no one in the guild had believed Stanley could pass the test, including Barret. His earlier comments had been half-joking. He hadn't expected Stanley to succeed. But the results had shocked everyone. Stanley had passed the test with the minimum requirement of being at the fifth level of the Lian Ti Realm and earned a one-star hunter's badge. Since hunters valued their reputation, Barret's invitation was more than just an offer; it was a fulfillment of his promise. Hunting in the mountains and swamps was dangerous. Demon beasts were fierce and powerful. Unless one was a martial expert with overwhelming strength, most hunters relied on teamwork for survival. Especially when dealing with packs of demon beasts, the importance of a well-coordinated team couldn't be overstated. "Captain, I don't think that's a good idea," Kent suddenly spoke, frowning. "Stanley may have passed the test, but he's only at the fifth level of the Lian Ti Realm. If we let him join, he'll just hold us back," Kent argued. As the second strongest member of the team, Kent's opinion carried some weight. Barret frowned. "How many people at the fifth level of the Lian Ti Realm can pass the hunter's test? Stanley is only thirteen. He has a lot of potential. One day, his strength could surpass mine. You need to think long-term." Despite Barret's reasoning, Kent was still reluctant. "If we were taking a rich kid out for some experience in the mountains, I wouldn't mind. But to bring a fifth-level Lian Ti Realm kid onto the team as a full member? I don't agree." "Besides, he doesn't even have a proper weapon. What's he going to do—punch a demon beast to death?" Kent added with a trace of disdain in his voice, giving Stanley a dismissive glance. Stanley didn't respond. He hadn't planned on joining any team from the start. "Barret, I appreciate your offer, but if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave," Stanley said calmly. He didn't see any point in arguing with Kent. Even though his cultivation level was low, he had his own methods and resources. He could find his own way to survive. Without waiting for a response, Stanley stood up and walked towards the guild's exit. "Kent, even if you don't agree, there's no need to be so rude," Barret said, clearly annoyed. Kent wasn't fazed. He snorted, "I'm just looking out for him. If we brought him hunting, he'd drag us down. Worse, he might get himself killed." Most experienced hunters had little respect for so-called "young geniuses." No matter how fast they progressed in cultivation, without real experience in life-or-death situations, they would never become true experts. This was why many noble children hired hunter teams for protection when they ventured into the mountains. Barret's team had taken on several such missions in the past. As Stanley reached the guild's exit, he glanced back and caught Zora looking at him. Surprised, Zora quickly averted her gaze, her face flushing. Stanley chuckled and left the hunter's guild. When Zora finally looked up again, Stanley was already gone. "My cultivation should reach the sixth level of the Lian Ti Realm in the next few days. I'll wait until I've broken through before going hunting," Stanley thought as he walked through the bustling streets. "Hunting isn't a trivial matter. I'll need to make some preparations in the meantime." With that in mind, Stanley headed toward the northern part of the city, where the marketplace was located. The first shop he saw sold formation devices. In Qing Yun City, apart from the Hunter's Guild, there were also guilds for formation mages, alchemists, and blacksmiths. Formation mages were one of the special professions among martial artists. They used the properties of various materials, combined with secret techniques, to create or set up devices with unique abilities. For example, a Spirit Gathering Formation could gather spiritual energy from the heavens and the earth, speeding up a martial artist's cultivation. It was one of the most basic and common formations. Depending on the formation's effect, they were divided into nine levels, corresponding to the ranks of formation mages, from first level to ninth level. Formation mages were highly sought after by martial artists. Many of the devices they created were in great demand, and powerful organizations often hired skilled formation mages to set up large-scale formations. As a result, many major powers trained their own formation mages. However, producing high-level formation mages was extremely difficult. Not only did it require immense talent, but a strong lineage and proper instruction were also essential. Moreover, high-level formation mages often possessed formidable combat capabilities, to the point where even powerful organizations had to show them respect. In addition to formation mages, alchemists and blacksmiths also held special status, making these three professions unique in the world of martial cultivation. "What the…? A first-level Spirit Gathering Formation costs 10,000 taels of silver?" Inside the shop, Stanley's eyes widened as he looked at a palm-sized white disc etched with intricate runes. His face fell instantly. A first-level formation was designed for martial artists in the Lian Ti Realm, and this disc-shaped object was a formation device. A first-level Spirit Gathering Formation could increase the cultivation speed of a Lian Ti Realm martial artist by three times, making it an item only accessible to the wealthiest noble families. Stanley patted the money pouch at his waist. Five hundred taels of silver was already a fortune to him. But 10,000 taels? That was an entirely different world.

Chapter 11 Hunter's Badge

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