Apocalypse: Grinding EXP through Hunting

The boar in the pigpen.

It wasn’t some ordinary Exotic Beast bred from a cross with an Extraordinary Exotic Beast at all.

It was a genuine Black Boar, on the verge of breaking the shackles of a High-level Exotic Beast to become Extraordinary.

The Black Boar, a type of wild boar.

The difference was that its body was on the smaller side.

It didn’t rely on brute force.

It was a rare Exotic Beast that survived by relying on Spiritual Power.

The Black Boar before him had been artificially raised to become Half-Step Extraordinary.

Elder Li had ill intentions when he’d asked Tang Wen to come to the pigpen.

However, there was one thing he hadn’t lied about.

The Black Boar was indeed very lazy.

After Tang Wen performed a few timely rounds of spiritual soothing,

the creature, already prone to lethargy, took a great liking to Tang Wen and directly ignored its original master’s secret command to attack, falling asleep instead.

The moment Tang Wen saw through the boar’s true strength,

he immediately pretended to lose his grip, dropping the pigpen structure he had lifted back onto the ground.

Elder Li, who was staring at him from behind, thus assumed he had been attacked by the Black Boar.

And struck without hesitation.

’The invisible person sounds young.’

’Even if he’s Extraordinary, he can’t be that strong.’

’Plus, his spirit was injured by the Black Boar.’

’With my vast experience in killing, won’t he be an easy catch?’

At this moment, their Spiritual Powers clashed violently.

Elder Li, who had killed countless people by forming a Wind Shield with air pressure to control the battlefield, could no longer afford to maintain control.

Something above his head shattered.

It was the Wind Shield he used for control.

The Wind Shield was broken.

The commotion from their battle could no longer be concealed.

The Nine-Story Black Tower collapsed and reformed, reformed and disintegrated again.

As the two wrestled with their minds, they gradually reached a stalemate.

The Nine-Story Black Tower, now only four or five stories high, slowly but resolutely pressed down on Elder Li.

The latter’s heart sank.

’I’m going to lose!’

’But... I didn’t miscalculate!’

’Could this invisible person be some old fossil with a young-sounding voice?’

’Otherwise, how could he have such terrifying Spiritual Power?’

’It seems I have no choice but to go all out tonight!’

A look of grim determination flashed in Elder Li’s eyes. He prepared to shatter his Sea of Consciousness and detonate the spiritual characters formed from his Meditation, forcibly killing Tang Wen!

But the price was immense. After this battle, Tang Wen would be dead, but his own life would be worse than death.

In an instant, Tang Wen sensed a sliver of danger.

He quickly eased the pressure and tried to stabilize the man with his words. "Are you with the Huang Family?"

Elder Li’s gaze was like a knife. "I’m not one of those animals!"

Tang Wen asked in confusion, "Then why did you attack me?"

Elder Li’s eyes were dim, yet his spirit was agitated, with a hint of mania. "My time is short. I want to use your Moon Traveling Clothes to go on a killing spree in the Huang Family’s residence."

"Where is [Instant Step]?"

"Under the bed in the house." He paused. "[Ghostly Shadows] is under the table."

Tang Wen thought for a moment and replied, "I hope that’s true. Can you kill the third son of the Huang Family Patriarch?"

"What do you mean?! You know his whereabouts?" Elder Li trembled with excitement.

Tang Wen nodded and withdrew the Dark Tower.

Elder Li let out a long sigh of relief, steadied himself, and turned to go back into the house.

A series of CLANGS and BANGS sounded out.

After three minutes, Elder Li emerged carrying two Stone Slabs on his back and a box in his hand.

Tang Wen’s Spiritual Power swept over them, and he felt a faint response from the Stone Slabs.

They were undoubtedly Contemplation Methods, but he would have to inspect them closely to know what kind they were.

Elder Li put down the Stone Slabs in Tang Wen’s direction.

He then backed away a dozen steps with the box, bent over, and opened it.

The box instantly overflowed with brilliant colors: Gold, jewels, and Luminous Pearls filled it to the brim.

"Tell me the whereabouts of that Huang Family brat, and it’s all yours! All of it!"

Without answering immediately, he gestured with his hand.

His Spiritual Power brought the Stone Slabs flying over to him.

After inspection, he confirmed they did indeed record two great Profound Techniques.

Tang Wen glanced at the box. "Huang San is a Sixth Grade Gangwu Realm expert. You can’t kill him alone. You need to wait for an opportunity."

"What opportunity?" The voice was impatient.

Tang Wen shook his head. "Keep your jewels. When the time comes, I’ll notify you. Then you can go to Four Seas Camp, spend all your money, and hire an Extraordinary Assassin. The two of you together might be able to kill a few members of the Huang Family’s Direct Lineage."

Elder Li’s body slumped, and he didn’t speak for a long while.

Dark Power enveloped the Stone Slabs, making them less conspicuous.

Tang Wen said no more, turning to vault over the wall and leave.

That man was a sharp blade indeed.

Unfortunately, his mind was solely focused on revenge.

Tang Wen had no idea what kind of grudge he held against the Huang Family.

He returned to his residence before dawn.

Tang Wen wrote a letter and gave it to a Blood Crow to deliver.

The letter detailed the matter concerning Elder Li.

He also told General Zhao to keep an eye on Li Zi for a month.

「The next day」

After a sleepless night, Tang Wen took his exclusive carriage to Seven Kills Hall.

He was preparing to begin a new round of closed-door cultivation.

[Ghostly Shadows] and [Instant Step].

He brought the two Dark Profound Techniques with him into the secluded Stone Tower.

"Young Master, this is the [Azure Stone Slab]. You are the first person to use it, and you have a full seven days."

As soon as he entered, a tall, buxom, beautiful young woman greeted him and handed over the familiar Stone Slab.

Tang Wen looked at the familiar yet strange woman. "You’re Liang Yu, right?"

"Yes, Young Master."

Facing his scrutinizing gaze, Liang Yu lowered her head, but no matter how she looked, she couldn’t see the tips of her black leather boots.

"Aren’t you my Guard Leader? Why aren’t you watching the house? What are you doing here?"

Liang Yu quickly explained, "The Hall Master sent me. To serve you."

"Alright. Sit down and eat."

"This...?" Liang Yu blinked repeatedly at Tang Wen.

It was inappropriate for a servant to eat at the master’s table.

Tang Wen took a large bite of food, wiped his mouth, and said, "Sit. You’ll be my concubine sooner or later anyway."

A brilliant light shone in Liang Yu’s eyes.

Behind them, the female housekeeper ground her molars, feeling nothing but pure jealousy.

Tang Wen shook his head and smiled. ’Who would’ve thought? Promising a beauty she could be my concubine has turned into just an empty promise.’

’The most important thing right now is to go into seclusion and temper myself. Everything else can wait!’

After glancing at the women’s pale, slender thighs, he continued:

"From now on, you will all wear long skirts and pants!"

It wasn’t that Tang Wen’s will was weak.

It was mainly that after days and nights of tempering, his body and mind were utterly exhausted.

He couldn’t withstand the temptation of beautiful women, bare beneath their skirts and unbound above.

「In the underground training chamber」

Tang Wen hugged the [Azure Stone Slab], curled into a fetal position, and immersed himself in the [Spiritual Meditation Method].

[Spiritual Power Lake connection detected. Begin absorption?]

’Begin.’

Nine ancient, primitive pictographs flashed faintly.

Spiritual Power poured in continuously.

The color of the characters shifted towards pitch black.

An unknown amount of time passed.

Tang Wen awoke.

[Essence: 15.99]

The last time he had used the [Azure Stone Slab] for cultivation,

his Spiritual Power Attribute had once reached [13.99].

However, it had quickly declined again.

In the end, it had stabilized at [13.51].

This rate of improvement was unimaginable to others.

Nngh!

His temples throbbed violently.

His mind was overly awake, his brain hyperactive.

He felt as if he’d downed a gallon of moonshine and then jumped into an ice-cold river to sober up.

His mind was so awake, he felt more wired than a madman.

Next on the agenda was to practice the [Instant Step] cultivation method through Visualization.

This was the plan he had set before his cultivation.

Half a minute later, his mind was immersed in the Contemplation Method, comprehending it over and over again.

Comprehending a Contemplation Method was what consumed the most Spiritual Power.

His overflowing Spiritual Power quickly stabilized.

After dozens of attempts, he had made no headway with [Instant Step].

Tang Wen stopped his attempts at comprehension and switched to practicing the [Spiritual Meditation Method].

Over thirty pictographs lit up in sequence.

Then the thirty-first.

The thirty-second.

The ancient and complex pictograph steadily took form.

’Hmm, let’s try again.’

He began to outline the thirty-third one. SWISH—the pictograph appeared and immediately collapsed.

He had failed.

The value in his Spiritual Power column stopped at [15.49].