Fantasy: Immortality Begins with Absorbing Demons

Chapter 322 Making Money

"Hunting demons?" Han Yi asked, slightly surprised.

In fact, he had considered going out to hunt monsters before. Hunting monsters for money was one of the most reliable ways he could think of, and he had even explored the surrounding area in his spare time.

There are mountains and forests near Jingtian Village, but they are extremely rare, not to mention monsters, even ordinary wild animals are extremely rare.

There's no other reason than that martial arts are very popular in Yunzhou, and there are many highly skilled individuals. Even ordinary people can learn some basic kung fu.

As for monsters and wild beasts, they've probably been wiped out by these people long ago.

"You heard me right, it's about killing monsters, but not the kind that are easy to spot," Huang Rong added. "There are too many monsters in the mountains and fields, and they are too well hidden. Even if many people are capable of clearing them out once, the monsters reproduce too quickly, and soon they will sprout up again and again like bamboo shoots after a spring rain."

If the imperial army or even the elders of the Yuanmiao Sect were to be mobilized just to hunt down a single group of demonic beasts, it would be a huge waste of resources and far too troublesome. Therefore, in Yunzhou, the forces mobilized are all spontaneously organized by the people, such as the Demon Hunting Association with its powerful backing…”

"The Demon Hunting Society?" Upon hearing this familiar name, Han Yi felt a surge of warmth. His expression turned serious, and he suddenly felt that he might have a connection with this organization.

"The Demon Hunting Association, with the support of the Yuanmiao Sect and the imperial court, is equivalent to the government offering bounties. Capable martial artists can hunt demonic beasts in exchange for rewards."

This demon-hunting guild is spread throughout the entire state. Once a martial artist successfully slays a troublesome demon beast, they will become famous, and there are even monthly rankings... What martial artist doesn't love fame, especially since there's money to be made? So, demon hunting is a path that quite fits your requirements..."

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The next day, carrying the information he had obtained from Huang Rong, Han Yi packed a day's worth of food from the dining hall and headed to Huayang City.

Huayang City is the closest major city to Jingtian Village.

Although this city is not as tall, majestic and magnificent as the prefectural city, it is square on the outside and has eight interconnected and eight vertical streets in the middle, which are well-organized.

The main road paved with bluestone connects the streets, and there is a constant flow of people and vehicles coming and going. Everyone has a rosy complexion and hardly any dirt on their face.

After Han Yi identified himself as a disciple of the inner court of Jingtian Manor, the soldiers let him pass with friendly and respectful attitude.

Huayang City and Jingtian Village are not far apart; they are interdependent, mutually supportive, and have a deep connection.

Following Huang Rong's directions, Han Yi arrived at a main road in the middle of the city.

He ignored the numerous scantily clad young women passing by on the street and turned his gaze to a huge pavilion in front of him.

The pavilion is diamond-shaped, like a tall tower, with five or six stories high, and each floor is hung with a large number of exquisite red lanterns.

This pavilion was built in a very luxurious style, almost overshadowing the nearby government office.

A fairly large, square notice board stands in front of the door, covered with several notices and some bright red scratches.

"Look, they've changed the players?"

"The list of promising young talents has changed?"

"Yes, I heard that the Fang family's freak took down the Black Bear King all by himself."

"That's so perverted..."

Han Yi walked and stopped intermittently, following the crowd to the list.

He looked through them one by one: the Hidden Dragons and Phoenixes List, the Dragon and Tiger List, the Black List, the Rare Treasures List…

There is no first place in literature, but there is a second place in martial arts. This has always been the case. You may say you are good, but what about your achievements and reasons? You can't just talk the talk.

Anyone who has achieved academic success wants to know where their abilities rank in the broader context.

It's obvious that these rankings were deliberately created by the Demon Hunter Association, either to motivate martial artists or to promote martial arts culture.

In short, if you say you're strong, then go hunt monsters. If you can handle powerful monsters that others can't kill, then you'll be on the list.

"A martial artist should not be burdened by empty fame..." Han Yi shook his head.

Yunzhou is under the powerful suppression of the Yuanmiao Sect. In many cases, you can't just take action whenever you want. Taking action rashly will only bring you imprisonment.

A martial artist uses force to break the law. Martial artists train year-round, their blood and energy are boundless, their temperament is unpredictable, and they often prefer to use violence in most matters.

It is estimated that Yuanmiaozong also knew that suppressing the enemy would only lead to strong resistance, and that it was better to guide than to block, which is why he instructed the Demon Hunting Association to create this ranking system.

Aren't you full of energy and vitality? Then go hunt demons. It will not only keep Yunzhou stable, but also allow you to vent your martial arts emotions.

Furthermore, if hunting demons isn't enough, there's a leaderboard, right? You can openly challenge those ranked higher.

In this way, the fighting and chaos will be confined to a limited and controllable range, which will also save Yuanmiao Sect a lot of trouble.

"Brilliant, truly brilliant..." Han Yi exclaimed inwardly.

Fortunately, he wasn't the type to crave empty fame. He skipped over rankings of young martial artists, the most rapidly changing and promising "Hidden Dragons and Phoenixes" list, or even the so-called top ten masters in Yunzhou, and went straight to the Demon Beast Ranking. "Yunzhou, the top ten demon kings?" His gaze sharpened.

As Huang Rong said, martial arts are very popular in Yunzhou, and everyone knows a few basic skills. Therefore, there are few monsters in Yunzhou.

However, the true strength of a monster that can survive and still have a ranking is unimaginable.

"The Old Dragon Pool Dragon... the leader of the Ten Great Demon Kings of Yunzhou, who once annihilated an army of a thousand and killed twenty-three Great Master Martial Artists... If any brave warrior can kill him, he will be rewarded with 100,000 taels of gold, appointed as a captain by the imperial court, a mansion in the prefectural city, and ten Blood-Activating Fungus..."

"The Roc King of the Black Smoke Grand Canyon... one of the Ten Great Demon Kings of Yunzhou, whose flight is legendary, capable of covering a thousand miles in a single flap... a reward of fifty thousand taels of gold..."

"Old One-Eyed of White Bell Cave... White Wolf, one of the Ten Demon Kings of Yunzhou, is vicious and cunning by nature..."

... .....

"Autumn Wind Mountain Brown Bear King, Iron Back, one of the Ten Great Demon Kings of Yunzhou, with thick skin and flesh, strength exceeding ten thousand jin, copper skin and iron bones, once withstood a Grandmaster's palm strike without dying..." The last line had been crossed out with a large red ink pen, clearly indicating that it had been dealt with.

"The Fang family, Fang Jiulian..."

Han Yi listened silently to the chatter of those around him, his eyes flickering slightly.

The monsters that appear on the rankings are definitely not as ordinary as the written records suggest.

There are no clear distinctions in strength among demonic beasts; the standard is simply whether a martial artist of the same level can defeat them.

Weak monsters that ordinary people can hunt down with bows and arrows or traps are called wild beasts or ferocious beasts.

Above that, no matter how many ordinary people there are or how hard they try, they cannot kill them; these are called ferocious beasts.

"Ferocious beasts" is just a general term, encompassing monsters that can only be dealt with by martial artists.

Beasts roam in herds, and a thousand beasts reign supreme. The number of demonic beasts is vast, and even among these ferocious creatures, there are worlds apart. Some are incredibly powerful, capable of withstanding the attacks of a grandmaster without much trouble. Others are slightly weaker, at best able to contend with a martial artist.

Individuals that possess outstanding strength among monsters of the same level and are invincible in their class are called the kings, namely the demon kings or beast kings.

Just like the Blackbird King he encountered before.

He could easily defeat ordinary blackbirds with a single punch, but when he encountered the Blackbird King, he admitted he was no match for it. In the end, it was Tantai Xunzhen who unleashed his divine power, activated his bloodline, and defeated the Blackbird King.

"So, even the weakest of the ten demon kings on this list, the Brown Bear King, doesn't he possess combat power approaching that of a grandmaster?!"

If that's the case, then Fang Jiulian's strength...

Han Yi was immediately startled. It was infuriating to compare people like this; they were both young, yet his opponent already had the ability to defeat a demon king with the combat power of a grandmaster, while he…

Still struggling to make a living...

Next month's tuition, food expenses, and pomfret...

He shook his head and stopped looking at them.

He knew his own limitations. Even if these demon kings stood still and let him attack, they would most likely not be able to break through their defenses. They were simply beyond his ability to deal with.

Of course, things might change once our strength improves...

Just as he was pondering, a commotion suddenly broke out on the street.

"Long Yangzi is here!"

"Everyone, run!"

Han Yi looked around and discovered that someone was riding a horse in the street, which startled a group of merchants and pedestrians who were unable to dodge in time and had to scramble to avoid it.

The man sitting on the horse not only did not restrain himself, but instead spurred his horse and laughed loudly.

"Who is this?"

He grabbed a man next to him and asked. The man tried to break free, but found that the hand holding him was like an iron clamp, so he hurriedly replied, "It's You Baichang, the eldest son of the You family. He's a petty and lecherous man. You're so handsome, why don't you run away?"

"Huh?" Han Yi was taken aback.

What does this mean? He's a womanizer, what does that have to do with me?

"Young Master You is most fond of men, especially handsome men. If he takes a fancy to you, be careful not to be captured and taken to the You mansion to be tortured by him!" The man said a few words quickly, and before Han Yi could react, he pulled his arm back and quickly moved away.

"This..." Han Yi looked at the man on horseback, whose face was delicate and as beautiful and gentle as a woman's, and felt a chill run down his spine.

No wonder that all you see on the streets are men running around, while the women stand on both sides of the street, covering their mouths with handkerchiefs, smiling and watching the commotion.

There are actually wealthy people with such unique tastes and preferences?! "Forget it, forget it, I can't afford to mess with people like that!"

He hurriedly entered the Demon Hunting Tower before the arrival of Young Master You Baichang.

......

......

The Demon Hunting Tower has five floors in total. The first and second floors are actually like an inn, where people can eat, drink and rest, and can also generate a lot of profit for the Demon Hunting Association.

This is what they call "hunting demons to make money, and hunting demons to spend money."

Many people who have accepted the Demon Hunting Guild's missions like to rest here, drink and make merry, and exchange information to obtain the latest information on demon beasts.

As soon as Han Yi sat down, a waiter came over to make tea.

"Sir, are you here to accept a mission, hunt monsters, and earn rewards? Would you like a copy of the latest and most comprehensive list of rankings from this establishment?"

The waiter, with a small towel draped over his shoulder, asked with a smile, "Oh? What's the difference between this and the other lists hanging outside?" Han Yi became interested and casually tossed the waiter a small piece of silver.

The waiter immediately became enthusiastic: "Sir, you may not know this, but this paid list is much more detailed. It not only contains the latest information on monsters, but also includes a topographical map. Most importantly... it has detailed records of the gains and losses from each monster hunt."

"Sounds good. Give me a copy, the latest and complete one."

If a workman wants to be good, he must first sharpen his weapon.

Han Yi understood the meaning behind these words very well.

To successfully hunt monsters and earn money, thorough preparation is essential for achieving twice the result with half the effort.

Therefore, we cannot skimp on spending money on intelligence.

Soon after Han Yi paid, the waiter quickly handed him a booklet.

"The Seven-Fragrance Beast resembles a wolf or leopard, possessing a strong and agile physique, with mottled fur and a unique fragrance that changes according to its emotions... Value: One thousand taels of gold notes..."

"The Black Wild Sparrow, small and exquisite, with deep plumage like ink staining the night sky, long tail feathers that reveal the shape of its joints as they flutter. It is a ferocious beast that lives in packs, and no one can defeat it... Its value..."

"The Hundred-Refined Red Fish has scales like fire, a dazzling crimson... Its flesh and blood are highly nutritious, possessing kidney-tonifying and brain-boosting effects. It is rare in ordinary waters, and can only be obtained in the waters of deep caves..."

"It seems... there isn't a really suitable target..."

As he turned the pages, Han Yi frowned deeply.

These monsters are either very difficult to find, or the journey is long and extremely dangerous.

After counting, it seems that only the Hundred Refined Crimson Fish is near Jingtian Manor, and the difficulty and reward are acceptable.

but…...

"I can't possibly become a fisherman again in this strange world?" He shook his head. Putting aside the potential catch, the uncertainty of whether he would succeed in fishing was enough to give him a hard time.

Moreover, it's hard to say whether you'll actually catch any fish on this kind of fishing mission. Anyway, you have to prepare in advance for the food, lodging, bait, and fishing rods along the way; there's no way to cut corners.

This is no small sum of money!

"Fishing will bankrupt you for three years, birdwatching will ruin your life"—this saying is no joke.

"Well, after looking at them all, these are the only ones that seem suitable. The distance, the danger, and the reward are all pretty good... Or, I could go to the third floor and ask the manager of the Demon Hunting Guild..."

After much deliberation, Han Yi decided to investigate the situation further. If all else failed, he would choose one of the remaining tasks.

----------------------------------------------In the blink of an eye, another ten days or so have passed.

As usual, Han Yi arrived at the city gate early, before dawn, when it was still a little dark.

That day, he originally intended to go to the third floor to ask the person in charge of the Demon Hunting Association if there were any other options.

Unexpectedly, the Demon Hunter's Inn manager, who was initially quite impatient, changed his attitude completely upon hearing that Han Yi was an inner disciple of Jingtian Manor.

Following Han Yi's instructions, he was quickly assigned a task to clear out monsters.

Of course, although the monster-clearing missions here have the same names as those recorded in the booklets outside, their fundamental nature is completely different.