Chapter 34: Apprentice License
Li Chang’an was startled and turned towards the source of the voice. It was a burly man, similar in build to Duan Ben, wearing armor stained with purple blood that emitted dark energy.
A hunter!
The moment Li Chang’an saw the man, he knew his identity. Before Li Chang’an could speak, the man introduced himself, “I’m Wang Xiang, as you can see, I’m a hunter. I’ve heard about you from my companions, the genius swordsman.”
Li Chang’an scratched his head sheepishly, “Not really a genius, just the seniors’ praise.”
Wang Xiang’s eye twitched slightly, “Hunters don’t need such formalities. Next time, before being modest, remember to disperse your sword aura first, it would be more effective.”
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Li Chang’an looked down at himself, “I already released the Blade Breaker, how is there still some? Is it obvious?”
Wang Xiang was stunned, realizing the young man wasn’t pretending. “Didn’t Old Mu teach you the hunter’s breath-concealing technique?”
“No, after teaching me advanced sword techniques, he just let me practice on my own.”
In front of the guild cabin, Old Mu, holding a pipe, suddenly sneezed. “Achoo!” Rubbing his nose, he felt someone was talking about him. “I feel like I forgot something, never mind.”
Wang Xiang was speechless, wondering if Old Mu had forgotten how to teach. He patiently explained, “For ordinary beast masters, the residual sword aura on you isn’t very noticeable, just a bit unusual. But to those with advanced skills or sensitive beasts, your sword aura is quite sharp. If you encounter a powerful beast beyond your capability during a mission, it would be really dangerous.”
Li Chang’an understood and curiously asked, “Are there powerful beasts in the city?”
Wang Xiang saw through Li Chang’an’s thoughts and warned, “Generally no, but there are exceptions. Like the powerful beings that merged into Donghuang’s territory during the early days of the cataclysm and have been sleeping in secret realms. Or the massive earthquake in Suhe City, S Province, fifty years ago.”
“Was that earthquake caused by a beast?”
Li Chang’an was shocked, as the event had significantly altered the terrain of S Province and neighboring areas. Officially, it was just a regular earthquake, but it was actually triggered by a beast.
Wang Xiang gravely said, “It was caused by an ancient dragon. Donghuang’s research bureau detected traces of an unknown ancient dragon underground and named it ‘Zhenyuan Dragon’.”
Li Chang’an: “Is it appropriate to tell me such secrets?”
Wang Xiang resumed his elder brother demeanor, “It’s not really a secret among hunters, don’t worry too much. By the way, what did you encounter to develop such a sharp sword aura?”
Li Chang’an pointed to the unbutchered Black-Tusked Boar behind him, “That, the Black-Tusked Boar and the Boar King.”
Wang Xiang was surprised, “You killed them? You’re only a level 2 beast master, and the Boar King is at least a 3-star transcendent level.”
Transcendent 1-3 stars correspond to low-level beast masters levels 1-3, and elite 1-3 stars correspond to mid-level beast masters levels 4-6. Hence, Wang Xiang was amazed that Li Chang’an, a novice, could fight above his level.
Li Chang’an explained, “The Boar King was killed by my pet beast, the others by me.”
Wang Xiang: “Is there a difference?”
“That’s still impressive. Using an unengraved iron sword to cut through such tough beasts is quite hard.”
Li Chang’an scratched his head, “Ah? I used a wooden sword.”
Wang Xiang was utterly silent, “A wooden sword? Did you follow Old Mu’s misleading advice?”
“Was that misleading?” Now it was Li Chang’an’s turn to be shocked.
Wang Xiang patted Li Chang’an’s shoulder, reminiscing about unpleasant memories, “Listen to me, train as you will, but next time carry an iron sword, just in case.” Then he quickly ran off.
Li Chang’an wanted to ask more, but seeing Wang Xiang’s retreating figure, his outstretched hand hung awkwardly in the air.
“Tsk, why run so fast, kid? I won’t eat you,” said an old man appearing beside Li Chang’an, with white hair but a robust build surpassing most young men present.
Li Chang’an quickly stepped back, maintaining a ten-meter distance. The old man said, “Kid, don’t be scared, I’m not a bad guy.”
Li Chang’an thought, “Would a bad guy admit to being one?”
The old man sighed, took out a hunter badge with three silver stars, indicating he was a 3-star elite hunter, stronger than Li Chang’an’s father. After verifying the badge’s number and matching the old man’s appearance on the hunter website, Li Chang’an relaxed.
“Sorry, Mr. Lü Fengmao, I was too impulsive,” Li Chang’an apologized.
Lü Fengmao waved it off, “Stay cautious, you’ll live long.”
Li Chang’an cautiously asked, “Why are you here?”
A 3-star elite hunter was a big deal even in Z Province, let alone in the small city of Hongyan. Lü Fengmao explained he was there to give Li Chang’an a surprise, not to reprimand him.
He detailed the tradition of senior hunters mentoring novices without revealing themselves, ensuring both training effectiveness and safety. This tradition had significantly reduced casualties and increased the number of graduates.
Lü Fengmao was protecting Li Chang’an, partly due to the lack of new blood in Hongyan and the elders’ idleness, leading to elite hunters guarding novices.
Lü Fengmao noted, “You’re honest, using a wooden sword throughout. If not for your pet beast, you might have ended up as pig feed.”
Li Chang’an explained, “I didn’t want to carry an iron sword; it wouldn’t give me enough pressure. The Boar King’s appearance was within my expectations.” His pet, Mao Mao, was his final safeguard.
Lü Fengmao paused, recalling Li Chang’an’s battle, realizing it was true. “You’re quite the daredevil. Anyway, with your current strength, low-level tasks in the city aren’t challenging if you don’t take risks. Remember to carry an iron sword next time, and gather materials. After passing the assessment, go to Old Qin to craft equipment, saving time. Don’t worry about the initial hunter set materials; the guild will provide. Your task is to upgrade your initial gear to low-tier superior talisman quality upon becoming a hunter.”
Low-tier superior talisman quality?!