Apocalypse: Grinding EXP through Hunting

Several days passed in a flash.

The news of Tang Wen becoming the Seventh Young Master caused quite a stir both inside and outside the gang.

But everyone knew the current situation in the Black Water Gang.

The Third Young Master—Shui Yun—was basically the designated successor.

Tang Wen was just a Martial Artist, and he was assigned to Shui Yun’s Seven Kills Hall.

So, his appointment didn’t make many waves.

Wu Hao and his subordinates also naturally followed suit, becoming his guards.

"CAW."

In the courtyard.

The Brown-tailed Crow descended from the sky.

It landed in front of the plate prepared for it and expertly began eating the meat.

Not long ago, Tang Wen had used Extraordinary Blood Marrow to catalyze its growth.

It had become a High-level Exotic Beast.

And the Brown-tailed Crow truly lived up to its reputation as a rare, highly intelligent Exotic Beast.

After evolving, its Invisibility Ability had grown even stronger.

In the dead of night, if it remained motionless,

even Tang Wen had to rely on the connection between master and tamed beast to pinpoint its location.

At the same time, its ability to command flocks of crows had increased more than tenfold.

In just a few days, almost all the crows within the Black Water Gang’s territory in Ganshan City had become the Brown-tailed Crow’s underlings.

Their numbers reached well over several hundred.

The sky was filled with its eyes.

As an undercover agent who had already climbed to a "quasi-high-level" position,

Tang Wen’s sense of security had greatly increased.

He even slept more soundly than before.

"In a couple of days, I’m going into seclusion at the gang’s headquarters. If anything happens at home, go find someone at the Beast Taming Garden next door."

Looking at the silent Sister Shui, Xiaorou whispered into the ear of a clearly enjoying Tang Wen:

"Don’t you worry, Young Master. Everyone knows you’re the esteemed Seventh Young Master of the Black Water Gang. Nothing will happen at home."

Tang Wen didn’t open his eyes.

Xiaorou rested on his broad shoulders, her eyes smoldering as she gazed at his stunning profile.

After a moment, unable to resist, she began rubbing her pretty face against his back like a cat.

Several hours passed, and the night grew deep and still.

Dressed in black, Tang Wen suddenly walked out of his room.

He looked toward the Beast Taming Garden with a startled expression.

The Brown-tailed Crow, hidden in the darkness, had just sent him a warning.

Someone had come to the Beast Taming Garden.

The visitor knew the location of the safe house.

The Brown-tailed Crow sent an image:

A slender, graceful figure placed a hand on the edge of the stone pool.

Throughout the entire space, the darkness suddenly deepened.

Tang Wen was stunned. ’Another Extraordinary who cultivates the Night Divine Fist?’

Under the shroud of darkness, the massive stone pool was moved without making the slightest sound.

The slender figure leaped into the safe house.

’It must be a woman. Judging by her strength, she’s nowhere near the Fifth Grade.’

’Otherwise, the Brown-tailed Crow wouldn’t have been able to spot her at all.’

’Nor is she in the Sixth Grade Gangwu Realm.’

’If she were, she would have noticed the Brown-tailed Crow.’

’Most likely, she’s an Extraordinary.’

’At the Seventh Grade Realm.’

Generally speaking, this is divided into: Initial Entry into the Extraordinary, Veteran Extraordinary, and Peak Extraordinary.

Three levels.

Judging from the way she used her night ability, coordinating with her Spiritual Power to move the stone pool,

’she must be at least a Veteran Extraordinary.’

Tang Wen frowned. ’Where is the Sand Wolf?’

’I specifically ordered the Sand Wolf to keep a secret watch on this place.’

’How could that guy be so useless?’

He extended his senses for a moment and perceived that the Sand Wolf was already fast asleep.

It was even letting out soft snores.

Tang Wen was about to curse a few times.

Suddenly, he remembered what his subordinate guarding the garden had said during the day: recently, the income from breeding services had skyrocketed.

After all, with Tang Wen’s status as a Young Master,

the gang not only turned a blind eye to his private assets, pretending not to see them,

but many people, trying to curry favor, also sent some business to Tang Wen’s Beast Taming Garden.

Among these, the business of breeding with female canines was the most frequent.

’It seems the Sand Wolf has been worked to exhaustion.’

’It’s only a Middle-level Exotic Beast.’

’I should strengthen it later.’

He listened quietly to the chirping insects and barking dogs of the night.

Tang Wen stood in the shadows of a corner in the courtyard, his Breath Concealment Technique operating at full power, ready to strike at any moment.

Speaking of which, ever since setting off for Ganshan City and learning the Breath Concealment Technique on the way, he had spent a great deal of time each day practicing this skill.

[Breath Concealment Technique, Mastery (301/3000)]

A Master Level Breath Concealment Technique was enough to perfectly hide his Extraordinary aura.

Thus, he could disguise himself as an ordinary, minor Martial Artist.

This disguise could not only fool an Extraordinary of the same level but, as long as he didn’t make a move, could even deceive a Fifth-Grade Powerhouse at close range.

A few minutes passed.

The Female Extraordinary emerged from the safe house.

She returned the pool to its original position and cautiously scanned her surroundings.

Only after repeatedly confirming that no one was around did she, like a black shadow, vault over the wall on the side far from Tang Wen’s courtyard and leave.

After leaving, she deliberately took a long, roundabout path, then veered back toward the direction of Tang Wen’s courtyard.

Obviously, she also knew that the Black Water Gang’s Seventh Young Master lived nearby.

There were certainly experts guarding him in secret.

She didn’t dare get too close.

Tang Wen hesitated for a long time but decided not to follow.

He had the Brown-tailed Crow dispatch hundreds of crows, making them quietly land along the Female Extraordinary’s expected path.

On treetops, on gates, behind high walls...

There was one every hundred meters or so.

They watched everything that passed with narrowed eyes.

The Female Extraordinary took a winding path, using small alleys and climbing over high walls.

She was terrified of being followed.

She was completely unaware that the inconspicuous little crows along the way were watching her the entire time.

Seeing her extreme caution, Tang Wen inferred: ’The force behind her probably isn’t a major one.’

’There’s definitely no Fifth-Grade expert.’

’Otherwise, there would be no need to be this careful.’

She arrived at an empty courtyard.

The Female Extraordinary looked up, just as the crow on the elm tree became alert.

’I feel like I’ve seen a few crows along the way.’

’Were there always this many crows in the city before?’

Her expression instantly darkened, and a thicker darkness immediately enveloped the sky above the small courtyard.

The crow on the tree was captured alive before it could even let out a cry.

A powerful Spiritual Power swept over its entire body.

The Female Extraordinary relaxed slightly.

’This crow shows no signs of being controlled.’

’Still, I must be careful.’

She thought for a moment, then released the crow.

Watching it fly away in fright in the opposite direction from which she had come, she finally felt a little at ease.

The Female Extraordinary returned to the house and didn’t come out again.

Meanwhile, several hundred meters away, a bird slightly larger than an ordinary crow kept a constant watch on her courtyard.

Out of caution,

Tang Wen didn’t dare have the Brown-tailed Crow watch the Female Extraordinary directly.

But the Brown-tailed Crow saw everything that happened in the courtyard with perfect clarity.

The night passed.

The Female Extraordinary never came out.

However, this didn’t necessarily mean that courtyard was her final hiding place.

’What if there’s a secret passage in the house?’

Tang "Undercover" "High-Level" Wen subconsciously thought.

After all, he also had plans to dig a tunnel.

He just hadn’t gotten around to implementing them yet.

’But even if there is a tunnel, it probably doesn’t go too far.’

’This is Ganshan City. I wouldn’t say it’s overflowing with experts, but it’s definitely full of hidden talents.’

’Who’s to say whether there are hidden masters in any given city block?’

’The Female Extraordinary wouldn’t dig her tunnel too far.’

’I’ll just have the crows monitor the entire area.’

Under the cover of darkness, the flock of crows broke up, scattering to build nests in the nearby trees.

The Brown-tailed Crow left the city and went into the mountain forests to subjugate more ordinary crows and slowly bring them into the city.

After daybreak, Tang Wen took a carriage to the Seven Kills Hall.

The carriage driver and the Guard at the gate diligently moved his luggage into the Stone Tower in the courtyard.

The Stone Tower was used for seclusion; the underground level was for training, while the floors above were for resting.

It was staffed with eight Maids of the Martial Apprentice Level to take care of his daily life.

The head housekeeper, a woman, led Tang Wen on a tour of the tower.

It was a small, three-story tower with a terrace on the top floor.

The second floor was the bedroom, and the first floor was the living room and dining room.

"There’s no kitchen?"

The housekeeper explained,

"That’s right, Young Master. Cooking is too noisy and produces smells, which would disturb your seclusion. Meals are prepared in another building and will be brought over immediately."

Tang Wen also keenly perceived that the eight Maids, including the housekeeper, seemed to have a foundation in Qinggong.

They walked very lightly.

Clearly, this was also to avoid disturbing the person in seclusion.

’This is the Stone Tower where Shui Yun goes into seclusion, so it’s natural for it to have these kinds of arrangements.’

After a short rest, Tang Wen looked toward the entrance.

Shui Yun had arrived, a group of guards in tow.