Chapter 82 - Selfish Pursuit for One’s Future

Chapter 82: Selfish Pursuit for One’s Future

The duo was very excited to have reached the outskirts of the forest, but before they even had a chance to react, both of them received heavy blows to the head, and their bodies were flung through the air as they fell unconscious.
Bam!
Qi Ying landed right beside them.

Three badges? Not bad!

Qi Ying took the badges from them with a smile.

Striking right when the prey was at their most relaxed and careless state was the surest and most efficient course of action.
However, a lot of time had already passed.
If he wanted to secure more badges, he would then have to take more initiative rather than just hiding in the shadows.

Most people appear to be on the plains.

Qi Ying mused to himself as he rushed through the grasslands, leaving the unconscious duo behind him.
…

Is that Qi Ying?

Many people outside the hunting grounds began to catch sight of him on the light screens.
Qi Ying was a renowned figure in the Celestial River County.
Many people wanted to see if he would be able to survive the combined assault from the three major families. It seemed quite implausible, but perhaps he could make it into the top ten and enter Yun Xiao Academy as well?

At the same time, a number surfaced on the screen.

Four
.
Everyone gave cries of surprise.

Damn! He’s already taken three badges!


I didn’t even see how he did that!


We’ll be able to see him in action soon. It looks like he’s heading for the grasslands to steal more badges.

In the air above, there were a few flying supervisors on patrol.
Qin Susu was flying languidly at an altitude close to a thousand feet, and her eyes had been fixed on Qi Ying the entire time.
As such, she had witnessed everything that had happened.
However, she managed to repress the urge to show herself even when Madam Butterfly was picking on him.

She was well aware of how much resistance there would be between Qi Ying and herself.
If anyone were to discover their secret relationship, Qi Ying would be in severe strife.
There was even a point in time not too long ago, when she wished that Qi Ying would live out a safe life as an ordinary man. She was prepared to seal away everything that had happened on the Nameless Mountain, as fond and wistful memories for her to reminisce about in the coming years.
However, she had been stunned by Qi Ying’s performance just then.
He had been just a normal person three months prior.
So how had he suddenly become a Fifth Energy Martial Stage warrior?
Furthermore, she could tell that his aura was quite stable and condensed, so he hadn’t attained his cultivation base through reckless consumption of pills… If he really could stand out in the tournament and enter Yun Xiao Academy, there would be infinite possibilities opening up to him in the future.
After all, disciples of Yun Xiao Academy were all elite young warriors of the kingdom.
If he could make the cut, then countless prospects would be opened up for him!
Qin Susu began to get carried away by her train of thought.

‘Just what has Qi Ying experienced in these past three months?’ 

At that moment.
Whoosh!
A figure suddenly flew toward her.
Qin Susu stopped cold in her tracks.

What is it, Young Master Yan?

The man who had come to see her was Yan Beigui. He was quite young, but he was already well known in the capital for being a man of many talents. He was a fine scholar as well as a powerful warrior, and was a frequent guest to the imperial palace.
Yan Beigui smiled and replied,
I’m on patrol and just happened to be passing through. I noticed that there seems to be something on your mind, so I came over for a chat.

Qin Susu knew that she must have seemed a little absentminded just then, so she explained,
Thanks for your concern, but I’m only feeling a little weary as I didn’t sleep very well last night. By the way, where is Uncle Nine? Why haven’t I seen him around today?

She hurriedly changed the subject.

Yan Beigui replied,
He said he had something to do today, so he couldn’t come. Three supervisors are enough anyway; I’m sure we’ll be able to hold down the fort.


Oh, let me go have a look over there…

Qin Susu didn’t really want to speak with Yan Beigui, so she turned and flew away.
Yan Beigui looked on at her departing figure with a complex expression on his face.
I don’t understand women!

…
Not only were there warriors scattered all over the hunting grounds, there were also beasts of various power levels. Some of them had always been native inhabitants, while others were placed there explicitly for the tournament. Furthermore, in order to throw more challenges at the participants, some of the beasts were trained to hunt down warriors with badges.
Thus, there were also battles taking place between warriors and beasts.

Let’s go!

Bam bam!
Amid a flurry of sword and saber projections, a Yellow Tier High-Rank Demonic Smoke Lion fell dead to the ground, and large clouds of purple smoke billowed out from its body.

Disperse!

A young man in a suit of silver armor yelled, and the twenty or so people around him immediately rushed away from the lion’s carcass.
The purple smoke wafted through the air, and all plants that came into contact with it instantly wilted away.
The Demonic Smoke Lion wasn’t all that powerful, but its poison was very dangerous, and could pose a significant threat to Energy Martial Stage warriors.

Thank god for Young Master Duan Lang. Otherwise, we would’ve had a lot more trouble dealing with that lion!

A member of the Duan family heaved a long sigh of relief.
The young man clad in silver armor was none other than Duan Lang, who was one of the most exceptional young talents of the Duan family in the past few years!
After joining the county army, he continued to grow stronger, and had since developed into quite an important military figure.
He was one of the strongest candidates fighting for a berth at the Yun Xiao Academy!
Duan Lang remained expressionless and said,
Keep attacking any warriors you encounter, those that are not part of the Duan family!


Wait!

Duan Gucheng interjected,
Our main mission is to find and kill Qi Ying! We have to join forces with the Wang and Su families first!

Duan Lang glanced at him with a cold expression.
I call the shots here! All of the badges must belong to our Duan family! Qi Ying is just a pitiful underprivileged warrior. Only princesses like you would fall prey to someone like him. If I encounter him, I would be able to kill him in the blink of an eye… Our most powerful opponents are those two Spirit Martial Stage guys!


Killing Qi Ying is an order from our family leader!

Duan Gucheng retorted with narrowed eyes.

That doesn’t contradict with what I’m doing!
Duan Lang turned away and rallied the troops,
Everyone, come with me!

Whoosh!
All of the Duan family members followed in his footsteps.

Bstard!

Duan Gucheng stomped his foot into the ground.
Not just the Duan family, but the Wang and An families who had initially planned to join forces, were also diverging from that course of action. That was due to the fact that all three families were led by their most powerful participants in the tournaments, and all of those members were also from the county army.
Those who joined the army were constantly away from their families, and gradually, the importance of their family ties would begin to fade in their hearts. As such, they were not as inclined to follow the orders of their family leaders.
Instead, what was important to them was their future!
In contrast with taking care of some random brat, they would much rather fight for a glorious future for themselves.
As for that Qi Ying… If he really was that powerful, then he would definitely plunder quite a few badges for himself. Thus, they could just hunt him down later on; in doing so, they would be killing two birds with one stone by completing the mission assigned by their family leaders, while simultaneously securing more badges!
The three major families were extremely formidable, and could crush anyone they encountered.
There was no one who could stop them.
Clang!
A silver light flashed past.
A Ninth Energy Martial Stage armor-clad warrior had been surrounded by close to twenty people, and someone finally managed to slit his throat, upon which he fell dead to the ground.

Hehe… That’s what you get for opposing me in the army! All your badges are mine now!
Sun Zhixing of the Sun family wore a sinister smile on his face, as he picked up four badges from the dead body.
Everyone, continue to hunt down warriors who appear to have badges on them! If they have badges, kill them and take their badges! If they don’t, kill them anyway!