Gao Wu insists on cultivating immortality.

Chapter 102 Ranking
"B2 will be awarded 50,000 points."

Shen An patiently explained to Gao Wu, "You can log into the Hunter Guild's intranet and exchange points for various resources, such as potions, weapons, bio-armor, and even some special forbidden items..."

The Hunter Association is a branch of the Tianwu Association and also its most important foundational organization.

Emperor Wu established the Hunter Association to motivate warriors and to flexibly address various security issues arising from the invasion of alien beasts.

For a century, the Hunter Association has been responsible for eliminating demon god followers, alien beasts, and heinous criminals, while maintaining order within the Heavenly Martial Society.

With the support of the Alliance, the massive Hunter Association has spread to various cities and states, and is the most powerful civilian organization within the Alliance.

The Alliance Hunter Association is a self-contained entity based on the state. The Northern State Hunter Association is only considered to be in the middle among the fourteen states. Even so, the Northern State Hunter Association has accumulated a wealth of experience over the past century.

Don't underestimate Gao Wu just because he's a minor martial artist. Even if he were a level seven martial king, the Hunter Association would still offer him corresponding rewards and resources.

When Gao Wu heard that it was only 50,000 points, he was a little unsure of the value of those 50,000 points.

He asked with a curious look, "President, how exactly are our points calculated? What can we do with 50,000 points?"

Actually, he could find the answer to this question by asking Song Mingyue, but since Shen An is right here, why should he go to such lengths?

Most importantly, this face-to-face communication method is crucial and makes it easier to build relationships.

Language is the most important means of communication for humankind. Even though modern technology has made communication more efficient, language remains the most crucial method of communication.

People can video chat with their phones, but sound is more important than visuals. The absence of a picture doesn't hinder communication, but the absence of sound makes a huge difference.

Besides, he's a junior, so asking him questions would satisfy his curiosity and give Shen An a chance to explain.

The problem with people is that they love to teach others. People simply enjoy pointing out others' opinions and expressing their own, thereby gaining a sense of superiority and satisfaction.

If Shen An has a normal personality, he will definitely be willing to answer his questions.

To put it another way, he's only eighteen years old. Even if he did something wrong, Shen An would surely understand and be forgiving.

Another very important point is that Shen An has already shown a friendly and approachable attitude, so Gao Wu should naturally respond positively.

Even a dignified martial arts master doesn't put on airs, so what is there for a mere martial artist to be proud of?

Shen An indeed valued Gao Wu highly, and he patiently explained to Gao Wu, "Our association's points are still very valuable."

Considering that Gao Wu had only recently become a hunter and hadn't actually carried out any missions, he thought for a moment and said, "You can convert it like this: one point is equivalent to one thousand yuan."

"Wow!" Gao Wu was both surprised and delighted. Points were so valuable. Fifty thousand points were equivalent to fifty million!

He excitedly said to Shen An, "Then I'm rich!"

Shen An laughed as well: "I was just giving an example. Points can't be directly exchanged for Alliance Coins, but they can circulate among the hunters of the Northern Continent, so they still hold their value very well."

The martial arts master paused for a moment and then emphasized, "This is just my personal opinion. We need to hold a meeting to discuss it before we can make a decision. I hope you understand."

"I understand, I understand," Gao Wu said righteously. "I am sworn to be at odds with the followers of the Demon God. I'll do it no matter what the reward is!"

He paused for a moment, then chuckled and said, "Of course, it would be even better if there were a reward."

Shen An nodded in agreement: "The idea that good deeds are rewarded and evil deeds are punished is based on this most basic sense of fairness. Good behavior should be positively rewarded, which is also the foundation for maintaining an organization and society."

Gao Wu looked at him with admiration. He was indeed a big shot, speaking from a grand perspective on organizations and society.

Shen An was quite pleased with Gao Wu's admiring expression, and found Gao Wu increasingly pleasing to the eye...

When An Ziru arrived, she saw Shen An chatting enthusiastically with Gao Wu, which surprised her. Shen An appeared to be friendly and approachable, but in reality, this fat man was extremely shrewd. It was quite rare to see him chatting so happily with a young man.

"Dean An, this is Gao Wu from Dongjiang. A very, very capable young man." Shen An paused when introducing Gao Wu, but he still emphasized Gao Wu's talent and ability, using the word "capable".

It was neither exaggerated nor inappropriate, yet it conveyed his high regard for Gao Wu.

An Ziru glanced at the large number of wild animal carcasses around her. Although He Yuanfang had already made things clear, seeing the scene with her own eyes still weighed heavily on her heart.

The secret realm is right next to Anjing, heavily guarded, yet it was infiltrated by believers of the demon god, who even held a sacrificial ceremony.

If Gao Wu hadn't stopped them, who knows how much of a tragedy would have occurred.

How could Gao Wu, a mere martial artist, kill two warriors? As followers of the Demon God, they also received the Demon God's power, making them far superior to ordinary warriors.

An Ziru did not doubt Gao Wu; given the severity of the accident, Gao Wu, as the most important person involved, would inevitably have to undergo an internal investigation.

If he were a follower of the demon god, he would definitely give himself away.

This is not a prejudice against advanced martial arts, but a necessary procedure for all accidents.

Not only Gao Wu will be investigated, but she and Shen An and other members of the organizing committee will also be investigated; no one will be exempt.

"Thank you for stopping the demon god's followers' sacrificial ritual and thwarting their plot."

An Ziru formally expressed his gratitude to Gao Wu. Seeing how serious An Ziru was, Gao Wu also formally said, "I just happened to run into him and did what I was supposed to do."

"You did very well."

An Ziru praised him again, then turned to Shen An and said, "With such a big blunder, President Shen, do you think the competition should continue?"

Shen An thought for a moment and shook his head, saying, "I'm only in charge of security matters. In my opinion, it's naturally better to end the preliminary rounds to avoid risks."

The Hunter Association only assists with security matters; the real decision-making for this competition rests with the organizing committee and a few academies. Shen An felt it would be better to end the competition, but he wouldn't suggest it.

An Ziru said solemnly, "I need to discuss this matter with Chairman Song. It involves the elites of the entire prefecture, and we absolutely cannot allow any more problems to arise."

Gao Wu listened quietly from the side; it was not his place to interrupt on such an important matter.

He actually wanted to go back to camp and get a good night's sleep. But he knew that wasn't realistic; after such a serious incident, how could he be allowed to escape?

Shen An noticed that Gao Wu looked tired, so he took out a bottle of golden potion from his waist and handed it to Gao Wu: "We don't need you here for the time being, go and rest over there. This is high-grade platinum energy liquid, be careful not to drink too much."

The martial arts master specifically emphasized to Gao Wu the proper way to use the potion, as it was extremely dangerous for martial artists and could easily lead to death if not handled correctly.

The golden potion was only about 200 milliliters. Gao Wu found a corner to sit down, opened the cap, and took a small sip.

He had used platinum energy liquid before, but never advanced potions. After just one small sip, he felt as if a bomb had exploded in his stomach.

The pure and powerful energy quickly permeated his entire body through his stomach, and with his strong physique, he felt as if his whole body was on fire, inside and out.

This wasn't an illusion; his skin was indeed hot and red. Fortunately, his constitution was too strong, and with proper breathing, he quickly suppressed the energy surge…

An Ziru glanced at Gao Wu from afar and said to Shen An, "This child has a really good constitution."

"Yes, he has exceptional physical talent." Shen An knew a bit about Gao Wu, which was why he dared to give Gao Wu the high-grade platinum energy liquid.

This stuff is a supplement for martial arts masters; a 200ml bottle of energy liquid can meet their high-intensity energy needs for three days.

For an ordinary martial artist, drinking such a pure energy liquid would be harmful.

"This child is good."

An Ziru said, "No matter what the outcome of the Qilin Cup is, I will give him a special invitation. Once this matter is settled, I will also give him a personal compensation."

Shen An smiled and said, "Thank you, Dean An."

"He saved many people, it's only right." An Ziru did this not to do Shen An a favor, but entirely because Gao Wu deserved these rewards for his merits.

Although Gao Wu possesses strong spiritual power, he must now concentrate on using breathing techniques to guide energy conversion and enhance his body.

Once his mental and physical strength had fully recovered, Gao Wu put away the bottle of platinum energy liquid. That one sip was enough for a day's use; there was no need to use more.

Several samurai have already arrived and are taking photos and documenting the scene.

Song Yunzhen, the chairman of the organizing committee, also arrived, and several martial arts masters were gathered together discussing something.

Gao Wu didn't want to look too closely. However, he couldn't suppress his curiosity.

Such an important matter shouldn't be his concern, and he shouldn't need to worry about it. However, as an important party involved, he certainly couldn't miss the opportunity to learn the thoughts of several martial arts masters.

The crimson blood light condensed into a Yin spirit that silently emerged and floated to the side of several martial arts masters.

Even if the Yin God wields the Heavenly Fate Sword, he only interacts with the sword. Others still cannot detect the Yin God's presence.

Just to be on the safe side, the Yin spirit did not get too close.

The martial arts masters hadn't expected anyone to dare spy on them. Out of caution, they naturally deployed their source energy fields to prevent sound from spreading outwards. The Yin Spirit could observe those layers of thin-film source energy fields. This orderly source energy was supported by the star-like acupoints within the martial arts masters' bodies and manifested through their spiritual power.

It looked like several people holding up giant spherical umbrellas of light, and the entire source force field structure was clear and stable.

Yin Shen reached out and tested it; his crimson arm passed silently through the source force field without causing any interference.

Then, the Yin Spirit silently penetrated the source force field. Simultaneously, the voices of several martial arts masters conversing reached Gao Wu's ears.

"The identities of the two individuals have been confirmed; they are both hunters from the Long Ridge Hunter Association. However, there is no record of them entering the secret realm."

"As for why there are no relevant records, that needs to be investigated thoroughly."

Shen An did not know these two hunters. There are more than a million registered hunters in Anjing General Association. He only found their files by using facial recognition.

Song Yunzhen pondered for a moment and then asked, "How did Gao Wu discover them? And how did he kill the two warriors?"

She said, "According to the locator of the Dongjiang No. 1 Middle School team, Gao Wu's camp is a full fifteen kilometers away from here. It's really unbelievable that Gao Wu would travel such a long distance to stop the sacrificial ceremony and kill the demon god's followers."

"Dean Song, you don't doubt Gao Wu, do you?" Shen An shook his head slightly. "It's precisely because it's so strange that it proves Gao Wu is innocent. If it were pre-planned, how could such a messy plan have come about?"

An Ziru nodded in agreement: "That makes sense. Gao Wu should be fine. I only saw two warrior footprints on the ground, so Gao Wu should be a psychic. According to the Hunter Association's confidential files, Gao Wu also has very special talents in both body and mind."

Song Yunzhen was merely raising concerns; she didn't actually believe Gao Wu was guilty. She said, "Such a serious problem has arisen; we all need to be investigated. This matter needs to be clarified with Gao Wu. He's young; we shouldn't let this cause any emotional distress..."

She then emphasized, "As long as he's alright, this huge achievement is his, and no one can take it away from him."

Shen An and An Ziru both nodded.

Gao Wu was relieved to hear this, and he quietly withdrew his Yin spirit.

With nothing to do, he opened the Book of Immeasurable Merit and saw that there were 270,000 more merits, bringing the total number of merits to 320,000.

The two demon god followers must have killed quite a few people, but the combined merit points they gave were less than Huang Hai's, so it wasn't very good!
If the Phantom Slayer were to descend and kill these two, who knows how much merit that would accumulate...

The thought only flashed through Gao Wu's mind for a moment. He silently cursed himself, "What a sin! This idea is too dangerous. I can't fall into the demonic path for the sake of merit!"
After daybreak, even more people arrived at the scene. Various inspections and surveys were conducted, which Gao Wu found somewhat perplexing.

However, he still seized the opportunity to offer to help clean up the scene.

The main task is to excavate fragments of the Netherworld Golden Pearl from the mountainside. This job looks simple, but it is actually extremely troublesome.

Fragments were scattered everywhere, some even embedding themselves deep within the rock. Collecting all the fragments wouldn't be easy.

Gao Wu, sword in hand, dug around inside the cave, absorbing any small fragments he encountered with his sword.

The Heavenly Sword could directly absorb fragments, and none of the samurai working together noticed anything unusual.

At eight o'clock in the morning, the sun was high in the sky, the sky was clear and blue, and the mountains were green. It was a beautiful sunny day.

Shen An found Gao Wu and asked him to return to the team to continue the competition. He instructed Gao Wu not to publicize the matter for the time being.

Gao Wu was a little surprised. If he hadn't stopped the two demon god followers, the students in the competition might have been wiped out. Despite such a big incident, the competition was still going to continue!
It must be said that the leaders of the organizing committee are very courageous, willing to take huge risks to continue the competition.

He was also a little disappointed, as there were still some fragments left in the cave, and if he had more time, he could have dug out some more.

However, such special items involving demons and gods are extremely sensitive. Although Shen An treated him very well, he couldn't just ask for such things without any scruples.

Fortunately, the Heavenly Destiny Sword absorbed more than a hundred fragments, increasing its weight by three kilograms... so the harvest was quite substantial.

Back at the camp, Gao Wu saw Han Yang, Yang Ru, and the others chatting idly together, not doing any work at all.

Han Yang and the others were very excited to see Gao Wu return.

"What have you been doing?"

"What happened?"

Yang Ru and the others couldn't wait to ask questions, their faces full of curiosity.

They all received Gao Wu's distress signal on the public channel, which made them very nervous, and they stayed up half the night watching.

When dawn broke, none of them dared to go hunting; they simply waited for Gao Wu's news.

"It's alright, let's continue with our work." With Shen An's instructions, Gao Wu naturally wouldn't tell Han Yang and the others the specifics.

The group looked on with suspicion, but since Gao Wu didn't say anything, they didn't press him further.

Gao Wu could only explain again, "The matter has been resolved, so don't worry. Because it needs to be kept secret, it's not convenient for me to tell you."

Everyone was relieved; this made sense.

Han Yang said, "It's good that you're alright. Let's get started quickly, there's not much time left in the match..."

Hunting exotic beasts is no easy task, and after wasting half a day, Han Yang was starting to get anxious.

Gao Wu nodded, but he didn't mention that the surrounding beasts had been wiped out. In any case, he had cut off quite a few snow wolf tails at the sacrificial site, including three adult snow wolves that had already condensed their source power, their tails as thick and hard as iron whips.

With these prey alone, their team could easily advance. He didn't take any of the items; he simply had the organizing committee's monitoring members register them, and that was enough.

Besides, wild animals are naturally active. The organizing committee has released quite a few snow wolves here, so it's possible that more snow wolves from outside might wander over.

In order not to dampen everyone's enthusiasm for hunting, Gao Wu didn't mention these things.

Back in his tent, Gao Wu silently recited the Vermilion Bird Divine Light Mantra and repeatedly refined the Heavenly Mandate Sword. He spent most of the day refining all the impurities on the sword.

The Destiny Sword, despite gaining three kilograms in weight, maintained the same dimensions; however, its toughness and hardness appeared to have improved. This is difficult to quantify precisely; it's more of a feeling experienced by those in high-level martial arts...

The team had been busy all day without any results, and even the most composed Han Yang was getting impatient. Gao Wu then revealed that he had already killed three level-one snow wolves, enough to advance.

Everyone was surprised. Gao Wu went out in the middle of the night just to hunt snow wolves? The key question is, how did he find snow wolves so late at night?
Seeing that Gao Wu spoke with such seriousness, the others, though skeptical, did not dare to ask too many questions.

On the fourth day at noon, all participating teams gathered at the entrance to the secret realm.

After four days of hunting, seven teams withdrew from the competition due to various accidents.

The remaining 83 teams also had dozens of members injured.

Bai Yushuang, Bai Dishan, Yuan Qiansheng, and Wang Zixuan led the team and stood at the front.

Among them, the team from Anjing No. 1 Middle School, where Bai Yushuang and Yuan Qiansheng were located, had the strongest momentum, after all, their team had two warriors.

No. 1 Middle School has always been the strongest middle school in Anjing, with a solid foundation, and the other team members are all top-level martial artists.

Even with the formidable warriors of Baidi Mountain standing to the side, their imposing presence couldn't compare to that of the No. 1 Middle School. There was nothing that could be done about it.

Two novice samurai—that's still far too strong. Enough to overwhelm any team.

Yuan Qiansheng glanced at Bai Dishan and Wang Zixuan, then whispered to Bai Yushuang, "Judging from their lack of confidence, their harvest probably wasn't great. This time we killed two level-one snow wolves, so we're guaranteed to be number one."

Bai Yushuang gave a soft hum in response.

If it weren't for the Qilin Cup, Bai Yushuang would never have stood with Yuan Qiansheng.

This guy is plain-looking and has a gloomy personality. Despite coming from a poor background, he's incredibly arrogant and conceited. And he wants to date her! How ridiculous.

Bai Yushuang didn't take Baidishan and Wang Zixuan seriously. Her advantage as a team with Yuan Qiansheng was too great; they were absolutely certain of winning the championship this time.

All she wants to do now is to defeat Gao Wu in the arena and wash away the shame of her crushing defeat in Dongjiang!

Bai Yushuang glanced sideways at Gao Wu behind her. He was standing there in a relaxed posture, chatting with Song Mingyue beside him.

After four days of hunting, all the boys were covered in dust and exhausted.

Only Gao Wu was clean and tidy, as if he had just taken a shower. His combat suit was surprisingly crisp and stylish, and the exaggerated golden thunder eagle at his waist shone with golden light. He also had large sunglasses on his face, just like Song Mingyue's.

Standing next to Song Mingyue, who was wearing a royal blue trench coat, they looked like two cranes standing among a flock of chickens.

Gao Wu noticed Bai Yushuang's gaze and grinned at her, which Bai Yushuang saw as a complete provocation. Her gaze immediately turned cold, and she pointed at Gao Wu, indicating that she would teach him a lesson when they got on the stage.

At this moment, An Ziru's cold and stern voice came from the front: "Now I announce the results of the competition. First place in the preliminary round goes to Dongjiang No.1 Middle School, and second place goes to Anjing No.1 Middle School..."

Upon hearing the ranking, Bai Yujing's cold smile froze instantly.

Not only Bai Yujing, but also Yuan Qiansheng, Wang Zixuan, Bai Dishan and other young warriors had their expressions change drastically. Many of the young talents from Beizhou who participated in the competition were also full of surprise. Where did Dongjiang No.1 Middle School come from?
(Two chapters and nine thousand words, that counts as three chapters, right? My monthly votes have vanished! Please give me your monthly votes!)

(End of this chapter)