Chapter 140: The Essence of the Hunting Battle

Chapter 140: The Essence of the Hunting Battle

On the spaceship to White Jade Capital.

Ji Jingqiu sat by the porthole.

He had planned to come alone, but Ge Hong insisted on accompanying him.

"Brother Ji, this selection tournament is a bit different from the previous ones," Ge Hong said after studying the rules and procedures for a while. He looked up and spoke seriously, "This time, it's actually a survival hunting battle."

"A survival hunting battle?"

"Yeah, it's like dropping all the warriors onto a planet or a field, where they hunt and kill each other, and the one with the highest points wins in the end."

Ge Hong scratched his head, a hint of worry in his eyes. "It used to be a ring battle. I didn't expect it to be like this. Ring battles are relatively fair, but survival hunting battles depend more on luck and relationships."

"If you're unlucky, you might get ganged up on at the start, especially those with a big reputation. It's not uncommon for them to be eliminated right away by a group effort."

The Federation has found a special method to enter the opposite world? Looking out the porthole, the towering tower between heaven and earth was getting closer. Suddenly, Ji Jingqiu said:

In, 6, 1, 9? A book, 1. It's wrong, version%!'

But...

Ji Jingqiu found his name on the Superlative Body Technique rankings, but there was a (Temporary) next to it.

Doctor Chen scanned the crowd, his smile filled with deep meaning. "Whether it's true or not, you'll find out later. I can only remind you to endure and survive inside."

This was a city that had been reborn with new life amidst its ruins. Lush vegetation intertwined with the city's architecture, enveloping and collapsing buildings.

Soon, Zhuang Yanxing responded:

A game-like prompt banner appeared again—

Doctor Chen looked around and began the session with a brief introduction: "Everyone, originally, Elder Ning was supposed to come and boost your morale. But Elder Ning said that the top ten in this battle will have the opportunity to meet him."

Ji Jingqiu estimated the height to be around a hundred meters. He didn't take a detour but jumped straight down, running wildly down the steep cliff and finally leaping high into the air before landing in the forest.

"This competition is divided into hunting and exploration. Each time you gain the system's recognition for exploration, you'll receive points ranging from 1 to 10. Defeating a warrior will earn you 10 points, and you'll also gain all the points the defeated warrior had." "It's a simple competition. Have fun and enjoy the battle."

English?

"Those two don't pose a significant threat, but what about Ji Jingqiu?" Luo Tiancheng asked calmly, his gaze on Chu Qiuguang carrying a hint of strangeness.

A peak.

In the final moments of his descent, he suddenly opened his eyes.

The martial arts competition was never about theoretical strength.

Ji Jingqiu nodded thoughtfully and asked, "Is your senior brother participating this time?"

The report ended.

This battle would take place in a virtual world specially prepared by the Federation, with the gathering point being White Jade Capital...

He slowly closed his eyes.

He saw a blurry, massive figure with a human head and a serpent's body. It wore an imperial crown, a black cloak draped over its shoulders, and its massive serpent tail dragged on the ground. Its face was blurry and indistinct, like floating clouds and rippling water.

Then, another subtitle appeared.

His gaze turned serious.

Standing before him was Luo Tiancheng, who came from Celestial Net Corporation, a part of the vast Li Family's influence.

Ji Jingqiu rose from the cracked ground, dusting off the dirt and leaves from his body. He then sprinted towards the nearby city.

Ji Jingqiu noticed someone with peculiar eyes. Their pupils contained a miniature ancient wheel, engraved with archaic characters, emitting a profound and unfathomable aura. It seemed they had cultivated an extremely rare eye technique.

As expected, the Federation had been preparing for this.

Psychic Energy was a necessary condition for cultivating the Superlative Body Technique, but Ge Hong had formed the Middle Body Technique. Additionally, Ge Hong's mental cultivation was average, and he had yet to condense his Psychic Energy.

...

Doctor Chen shook his head. "No, the cost is too high."

At first glance, this person seemed to be at the peak of their life, but they underestimated the core disciples of Dragon Tiger Dojo, not taking them seriously at all.

Yin Wushuang's pupils suddenly constricted.

Apparently, this was the place they needed to explore and the battlefield prepared for them.

Yin Wushuang stood by, holding a sword, his expression calm.

6◇9◇Book◇Bar

Inside White Jade Capital.

He was a bit worried about Ji Jingqiu. After all, Ji Jingqiu had already made a name for himself among his peers. His fame skyrocketed after reaching the eighth layer, but he had fought relatively few battles against his peers, making him a prime example of instant fame.

【Main Quest 2: Enter the Imperial City】

Someone in the crowd shouted, "Doctor Chen, is this really a virtual world?"

The towering White Jade Capital, once soaring between heaven and earth, was now within sight, yet it was still too tall to see its top.

"Coordinates locked..."

What creature left this behind?

Whoever believes that is a fool.

Is this the world opposite of the wilderness?

Ji Jingqiu didn't draw his sword, but the word "Rest" on the banner caught his attention.

A representative from the Federation had already arrived to score this batch of competitors.

"White Jade Capital is just ahead. The suppression of mental power is significantly reduced here, so you can try to condense your Psychic Energy.

From a distance, they appeared like a row of towering masts.

Doctor Chen calmly stated, "Their descent is through a psychic projection, linked via Hela's core divine authority. In theory, both sides are synchronized and influenced." He provided an example, "Progress in cultivation over there can directly impact the original body in this world."

The monsters, labeled as "significantly weaker than before" in the subtitles, had incredibly resilient physiques.

Ji Jingqiu's arrival seemed to be a signal.

[You witnessed a portion of the Void Giant Beast's remains]



The list contained the names of 47 warriors with superior evaluations and 10 with superlative evaluations, updated as of the deadline.

The answer evidently didn't satisfy everyone, but it did confirm some of their speculations.

He glanced sideways, spotting a heavily armored monster. Its armor was forged from an unknown metal, adorned with intricate patterns that had mostly faded over time. The exposed skin revealed its distorted and twisted nature.

At the end of the list, there was a sentence:

Canglan City...

But that wasn't important.

He had reason to suspect that it was related to Hela, nicknamed "Dream God."

Ji Jingqiu put down the terminal as the spaceship began to decelerate for landing.

In the distance, the mountains undulated like a slumbering ancient serpent. The most striking sight was a series of gigantic white bone spikes, each several hundred meters tall, piercing the clouds and reaching higher than the peaks beneath Ji Jingqiu's feet.

Ji Jingqiu took a screenshot of his name and sent it to Zhuang Yanxing, then began browsing from the beginning, searching for his target.

Today was indeed a gathering of elites.

Doctor Chen smiled and said, "Our staff will call out some names shortly. Those called, please follow and leave together."

Luo Tiancheng nodded, "I have the same intention."

How did the Federation view this descent? [Main Quest 1: Defeat the enemy.]



Many people's expressions turned solemn, their eyes burning with anticipation. They knew that the Elder Ning mentioned was a Grandmaster stationed at the Four Guardians Star, Ning Fengyuan! This selection contest had no rewards, or perhaps the ticket to the Great Martial Arts Performance was the reward.

The psychic wave gently caressed his eyebrows, and a soft, warm humming sound seemed to emanate from his ears, landing on his heartstrings and bringing an indescribable sense of peace. It was like being a child, nestled in his mother's embrace, listening to a lullaby...

This generation of Mu De Dao Field's disciples, Chu Qiuguang, arrived at a corner, and with a psychic-shielded voice, he smiled and said, "Brother Luo, long time no see."

Ji Jingqiu felt as if he had entered a dream.

[Thank you for letting the heroic soul rest, obtaining a lawful imprint]



Seeing this, Ji Jingqiu stroked his chin.

"Search completed, confirmed!"

Ji Jingqiu's gaze shifted downward, revealing the outline of a dilapidated city at the foot of the mountain.

But for now...

...

As a core disciple of the dojo, Ji Jingqiu naturally felt the need to uphold the reputation of his sect.

In a fleeting glance.

Over a hundred warriors had gathered for today's event.

Temporary?

Feeling that his statement lacked conviction, he added, "Very big."

Subsequently, the warriors were led in batches into the depths of White Jade Capital.

"Brother Chu," Luo Tiancheng nodded, his eyes glancing at a corner of the hall where the two participants from Dragon Tiger Dojo stood. "This time, we'll have to work together."

Now, in a sense, they hadn't lied.

What was that sound? Just then, Ji Jingqiu heard heavy footsteps resonating from the courtyard beside him.

His entire being was like a long sword, slicing through the seemingly solidified air in the field, creating no disturbance as he entered the room.

...

According to Teacher Sui, this was a ruin hunting war, focusing on hunting and exploration, with final scores calculated based on overall performance.

But the question was, where did the Federation get these ruins, and in a virtual world?

"Search for the retention mechanism."

Several researchers in white lab coats emerged from the hall, led by Doctor Chen.

"Okay, Brother Ji," Ge Hong scratched his head and sat down on the ground.

Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed from the distance, accompanied by violent winds that blew Ji Jingqiu's hair.

[Please let the heroic soul rest.]



Ji Jingqiu had been to this courtyard before, in the virtual world where Mu Juncheng challenged him.

The general suddenly asked, "How many levels of warriors can this projection plan currently cover?"

The bullet comments appeared again—

Ji Jingqiu gently caressed the hilt of Qingzhu's sword, "This is my friend."

At that moment,

For example, the Mu De Dojo and warriors affiliated with the Li Family.

"Very good," Doctor Chen's expression turned solemn as he turned to the Federation official in the projection and nodded, "Minister Chen, the experiment has initially achieved a successful outcome."

The heavy armor fell to the ground.

Just three simple words silenced the general.

Everyone had a similar list of the Starlight Corporation's warriors, and most people had one.

Ji Jingqiu, holding his sword, stood at the edge of the cliff. The sun was scorching, and the wind on the mountain peak was fresh yet biting.

"Zero failures, 113 successful projections. The projection arrival is complete!"

It was no secret that the White Deer Taoist from the Dragon Tiger Dojo was renowned for his divination skills.

Over a hundred virtual projections stood in the conference room, each showing a random warrior who had been randomly teleported to the ruins.

"Yes, since it's an exploration, what exactly are we exploring?"

Doctor Chen issued the order to continuously monitor the projection experiment, ensuring the recording of every data point.

The middle-aged man in the projection, dressed in military attire, had the rank of a Federal Lieutenant General. He spoke in a deep voice, "Doctor Chen, what identities will they assume upon arrival? If something happens, will it affect their original bodies?"

"And if they die there, won't it also affect their original bodies?"

So, the Celestial Insight Master decided to start an intelligence company related to martial arts, screening talented warriors of the right age. Unexpectedly, the business thrived, and he eventually established the Celestial Insight Dojo.

Ji Jingqiu's gaze swept across the crowd, and he noticed that the number of attendees tonight was more than three times that of the previous night.

After leaving the jungle, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a magnificent city.

In the past month, Chu Qiuguang had made remarkable progress, achieving the reversal of innate talent and pushing the progress of the [Jumen Dao Body] to 94%. He also managed to master the third divine anomaly, the [Spring God Pure Land]! On the day he emerged from seclusion, he was officially recognized as a disciple of the Mu De Dojo.

Suddenly, a heavily armored guard let out an ear-splitting roar and charged forward, causing the ground to tremble slightly. The clanking of armor accompanied his running.

...

Chu Qiuguang smiled confidently, "Then let's see who has better luck after entering, me or Brother Luo, in encountering him first."

The Lieutenant General's eyes flashed, and he asked, "Can this method of arrival be applied on a large scale to our military?"

In that instant, the Mu De Dojo, which had not produced a disciple in this generation, had two Galactic Warriors, but the position of the Heart Insight Warrior remained vacant.

Yue Youcong stood with a smile, gesturing towards a young man beside Mu Juncheng.

"It's in progress..."

Ji Jingqiu quickly noticed a commonality on the chart. Those in the Superior category had at least perfected their power bodies and cultivated three divine anomalies, while those in the Superlative category had cultivated four divine anomalies.

The Celestial Insight Dojo was named after a dojo, but behind it was an intelligence company. According to Zhuang Yanxing's explanation, their master had been unable to find suitable disciples and struggled with the lack of a talent pool.

He took a deep breath, and his clothes fluttered in the wind. The sword in his hand was still the Qingzhu.

On the other side of the corridor, hurried footsteps could be heard.

"So, we set up a special return mechanism. When it's determined that they will definitely die, we'll pull them back here in advance."

"Boom—"

The Federal virtual world technology had always been a bit outrageous, perfectly replicating the physical data of the synchronized warriors and allowing them to exert their full strength, including psychic energy, a unique power.

As the crowd whispered and scrutinized each other, a figure that caught the attention of many entered the White Jade Capital.

By then, numerous participating warriors had arrived and were scattered throughout the hall.

The figure seemed unaffected by the pressure, taking each step firmly and powerfully, as if treading on everyone's heartstrings.

A line of subtitles appeared before Ji Jingqiu's eyes.

Ji Jingqiu took the process handbook and skimmed through it.

The Heart Insight Warriors were strong enough to guard a city, and if they could overcome the "loss," it would bring great convenience to the Federation's conquest of the Nine Provinces! Doctor Chen didn't elaborate further, such as how challenging it would be to master the core of Hela.

Ji Jingqiu entered a device similar to the psychic chamber, guided by the staff.

Ji Jingqiu walked into the city, his gaze lingering on a courtyard overgrown with wild grass and vines, deep in thought.

[Well, the evaluation has a time limit. Only about thirty warriors were qualified for the Superior category last month.]



Ge Hong was momentarily speechless.

...

He then entered another conference room.

The former had openly targeted him during the Four Guardians Star high-level meeting, labeling him as someone Hela was keeping an eye on. This raised concerns about potential instability due to his changed appearance and reduced strength.

His expression was peculiar.

...

The Lieutenant General's spirit lifted.

"The evaluation is complete, and there were no unexpected situations!"

Zhuang Yanxing provided him with the VIP version, which included not only names but also brief introductions, origins, power bodies, and preferred weapons.

Importantly, during that meeting, White Deer Senior Master had divined that no one from the Mu De Dojo would pass the selection contest.

[Once an elite, they were twisted by the Demon King's influence, becoming what they are today. Although their original appearance is gone, they remain loyal, guarding the Serpent Mother's realm and expelling all outsiders.]



As Ge Hong entered a meditative state, Ji Jingqiu took out the terminal and opened the Star Convergence Chart he had just obtained from Zhuang Yanxing.

"Should we confirm with the God Lord?"

Lawful Imprint?

Yin Wushuang frowned slightly. He had just experimented with the armor on the opponent, which was made of an unknown material. It was impossible to cut through, so he had to use his Qi to penetrate through the gaps in the armor and destroy the body within.

...

Chu Qiuguang smiled faintly, "With Shi Xuanzhen absent, how could the two of us be their match?"

This was definitely not a normal virtual world accessed through the Psychic Chamber.

"It depends on our control over Hela," Doctor Chen said gravely. "For now, we can only cover up to the True Seed Realm Warriors. If we can fully control Hela's core, we might even be able to cover the Psychic Realm!"

Suddenly, a formless psychic wave spread over him. It was so profound and vast, like an infinite sea. In front of it, Ji Jingqiu's mind felt as weak as a bowl of water.

There were over a hundred people in the room tonight, and tentatively, there were at least ten people who could be considered Superlative Body Technique practitioners! Among them, the person everyone wanted to meet the most was the figure entering the arena under the piercing gazes of the crowd, holding a sword.

Chu Qiuguang's eyes sparkled, "Ji Jingqiu, I was just looking for him!"

"Let me briefly introduce the competition process to everyone..."

Some warriors failed to break through, causing their overall scores to drop and be removed from the chart. As for Ji Ge...

[Thank you for letting the heroic spirit rest and obtaining a Lawful Imprint]



...

In the corner, Shi Xinnao, dressed in red, leaned against the wall, looking down at her toes.

[Imperial City Guard]



In the hall, where numerous talented warriors gathered, an intangible pressure built up as their auras intertwined and collided, creating invisible ripples.

He inhaled, and his lungs seemed to contain thunder, like muffled rolling thunder. Suddenly, his psychic energy surged.

- In the past competitions, there have always been talented warriors breaking through their original shackles and entering higher realms. There have also been dark horses emerging out of nowhere. This time is no exception, and the list is only for reference.

Zhuang Yanxing politely indicated that not removing Ji Jingqiu from the Superlative Body Technique practitioners was already a consideration of his previous performance and age advantage.

Meeting a martial arts grandmaster and receiving even a little guidance would be enough for them to benefit for a lifetime!

Zhuang Yanxing: "Please spare me!"

In the palm of that figure, countless vast and winding galaxies revolved, and countless worlds turned into illusions and vanished. The most important thing was that, according to Sui, these warriors could seize many benefits in this struggle, such as accelerating the casting of their power bodies.

After all, a survival battle is not a ring match; it's not about fairness but 'comprehensive strength'.

- The Federation's most stable source of students has been monopolized by official forces like the ten official academies for many years, while dojos and companies recruit students independently.

"Ji Ge, have you made any friends during this time? Let's take the opportunity to connect later!"

But after a month, many warriors achieved breakthrough progress, and their overall scores rose, entering the Superlative Body Technique category.

On the path of martial arts, luck and connections are also part of one's strength!

Combining Yue Youcong's previous information, the situation gradually became clearer.

...

The warriors who rushed into the Imperial City from all directions soon encountered the first Imperial City Guard and obtained their first 'reward'.

They immediately realized the grand gift the Federation had prepared for them. Someone suddenly thought, if killing monsters could earn rewards, what about defeating fellow warriors of the same level?

This was indeed a hunting war!

The strong grow stronger!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end