After exchanging a glance with Xu Ruoyan, the Emperor seated on the throne spoke to the Eunuch at his side.
The old Eunuch bowed, then walked to the center of the training field. Once the area quieted, he raised his voice, which sounded like a drake’s, "You are all talented individuals whom we have invited from every corner of the land. First, I wish to thank you for traveling such great distances to participate in this Royal Autumn Hunt. Next, the official competition begins."
"The rules for the Royal Autumn Hunt are simple: use your utmost abilities to hunt and kill the Exotic Beasts in this hunting ground. The more powerful the Exotic Beast you slay, the better your score."
"The hunting ground is fraught with danger, even the possibility of death. If you encounter a formidable Exotic Beast that you cannot handle, prioritize your own survival!"
"The hunt will last for two days. Return here by sunset tomorrow and present your kills. Those who are late will be considered to have forfeited."
"The Royal Autumn Hunt begins now!"
As the old Eunuch’s words faded, the young geniuses each took their positions, then, one by one, they mounted their horses and charged into the hunting ground.
Ying Wuqing pushed off with his legs, leaping lightly into the air, showcasing his graceful and agile movement technique. He landed on the back of a fine steed, shot Ling Chen a glance, and said, "Boy, I will show Miss Xu who truly deserves her. I hope you won’t fall too far behind me. Giddyup!"
Ying Wuqing whipped the rump of his steed. The horse immediately bolted, vanishing into the hunting ground in a cloud of dust.
Ling Chen paid no mind to Ying Wuqing’s provocative stare. Riding his black-maned steed, he too galloped into the hunting ground, quickly disappearing from sight.
Watching Ling Chen vanish into the woods, a strange smile surfaced on Prince Tai’s face. He turned to his attendant and asked, "How are the arrangements for the task I assigned?"
"They have all been arranged properly," the attendant whispered.
A murderous glint flashed deep within Prince Tai’s eyes, vanishing as quickly as it appeared.
The Royal Hunting Ground, originally exclusive to the Imperial Clan, was a vast expanse of steep mountains, waterfalls, cliffs, deep valleys, and dense forests. The rare and Exotic Beasts inhabiting these mountains were mostly species seldom seen in the outside world; ordinary wild animals were few and far between.
Among these rare and Exotic Beasts, some were extremely powerful. Otherwise, the old Eunuch would not have stressed the importance of prioritizing their lives if they encountered an Exotic Beast beyond their capabilities.
Every individual was equipped with an Iron Hawk Bow, a military-grade Bow and Arrow of immense power. However, it required considerable strength to draw the bowstring, and only talented young warriors such as themselves could wield the Iron Hawk Bow for hunting.
Each Iron Hawk Bow came with three Divine Mechanism Arrows. These arrows possessed extremely strong penetrative power and were crucial for piercing the Scale Armor of formidable Exotic Beasts.
Sixty-nine young warriors entered the hunting ground, like a handful of sand scattered into the ocean. Before long, all of them had vanished into the dense wilderness.
A black shadow flashed through the waist-high thicket, instantly crossing twenty meters of open ground before vanishing into the distant dense forest.
The shadow’s speed was astounding; anyone who had not cultivated Martial Arts would be unable to see it clearly. Ling Chen, however, saw it clearly: an Exotic Beast resembling a leopard.
The Fang Leopard was no ordinary wild cat but a rare species, incredibly swift with razor-sharp teeth and claws, though its defenses were weak.
Its strength was comparable to a Fifth Level warrior, while its speed matched that of a Seventh Realm warrior.
To Ling Chen, the Fang Leopard was merely a low-grade Exotic Beast, not a worthy target.
At that moment, the sound of something slicing through the air came from another direction.
A Divine Mechanism Arrow arced through the air, striking the Fang Leopard squarely on the head.
The Divine Mechanism Arrow pierced the Fang Leopard’s skull. The Gunpowder packed into the arrowhead ignited instantly, sending sparks flying.
The Fang Leopard died instantly, collapsing beneath a tree.
Ying Wuqing rode over on his steed, not bothering to dismount. He leaned down, his body tilting towards the ground, and snatched the Divine Mechanism Arrow embedded in the Fang Leopard’s head, hoisting the creature into the air.
"Afraid to kill even a Fang Leopard? Haha! You need more courage in the hunting ground. How can you achieve anything significant if you’re so timid?" Ying Wuqing held up the Fang Leopard’s corpse, a disdainful grin on his face, looking highly pleased with himself.
In his view, Ling Chen had likely never witnessed bloodshed, let alone killed a person. To him, even slaying a mere beast seemed to require such excessive caution from Ling Chen.
"An Exotic Beast of this caliber isn’t worth my effort."
Ling Chen merely glanced at the Fang Leopard and stated indifferently.
Ying Wuqing’s expression immediately soured.
"The hunt is judged by the strength of the Exotic Beasts slain, not the quantity. What’s the point of killing such a weak creature? It’s merely a waste of energy."
Leaving those words behind, Ling Chen spurred his horse onward, disappearing into the depths of the dense forest.
He had to admit Ling Chen had a point. His attempt to humiliate Ling Chen had backfired; he had made a mistake and wasted a Divine Mechanism Arrow. Not only had he failed in his attempt, but Ling Chen had also mocked him.
"I’d like to see what kind of prey you manage to hunt."
Ying Wuqing’s expression turned frigid. Ling Chen’s brazen words had piqued his curiosity; he was eager to see what caliber of Exotic Beast Ling Chen would ultimately manage to hunt.
It would be utterly laughable if he couldn’t even bag a rabbit.
With that thought, he turned his horse around and galloped in a different direction.
Ling Chen proceeded at half speed, not his fastest. Rushing recklessly here could startle powerful Exotic Beasts he couldn’t handle, leaving no time to escape.
Within half an hour, Ling Chen encountered three low-grade Exotic Beasts: besides the Fang Leopard, there was a Saber-Toothed Tiger and a Lightning Mink. However, he didn’t engage any of them.
It was his principle: he wouldn’t act unless a significant gain was assured.
Ling Chen refused to believe that the vast Royal Hunting Ground contained only these common Exotic Beasts. There had to be higher-grade specimens. After all, the richer the ambient spiritual energy, the more powerful the Exotic Beasts it could nurture.
Legends from the Ancient Times spoke of countless god beasts: the Four Mythological Symbols, as well as the Phoenix, Kunpeng, Nine-Headed Snake, Gu Huo Bird, and many other powerful Exotic Beasts. Though these creatures were now considered extinct, their existence was undeniably recorded in ancient texts and could not have been mere fabrications.
This place was unlikely to harbor a legendary Exotic Beast like the Nine-Headed Snake, but Ling Chen believed that Exotic Beasts such as the Three-headed Serpent or four-headed serpents might still exist.
Suddenly, a deafening wolf’s howl echoed from the right.
That’s the howl of a Night Wolf King!
Joy surged in Ling Chen’s heart, and he immediately sped towards the sound. Soon, at the foot of a small hill, he spotted an enormous wolf. It was seven feet long, with a pitch-black coat, a single patch of white fur between its brows, and green eyes that glinted with cruel bloodlust.
The Night Wolf King. Although only a first-grade Exotic Beast, its power was comparable to a First Layer Martial Master.
He hadn’t expected to encounter one so quickly.
However, someone had arrived before him. A figure in a yellow dress was currently confronting the Night Wolf King.