C42 He Got the Jade Plate

With only four days remaining until the conclusion of the Hunting Competition, the hundred Jade Plates that had been concealed were finally all uncovered after eleven days of relentless searching.

Of these hundred Jade Plates, the four great families held nearly sixty, while the remaining forty were distributed among contestants from various other families.

As the competition drew to a close, the battles between the families intensified, driven by the desire for the Jade Plates and fueled by longstanding grudges. Wei Lulin, having emerged from the tree hollow, made his way toward the heart of the Hunting Ground.

At the center of the Hunting Ground stood a raised platform where, on the competition's final day, the heads and top warriors of the families would convene, awaiting the contestants' arrival. It was there, in the competition's final moments, that the Jade Plates in the contestants' possession would determine the ultimate rankings.

To secure more Jade Plates, the contestants knew they had to reach the central area swiftly. That was the ultimate arena where the battle for the Jade Plates would be waged.

Wei Lulin, advancing rapidly, suddenly decelerated as he heard the sounds of combat to his right.

Initially, Wei Lulin, eager to find Jade Plates, had no intention of engaging in such skirmishes. His priority was to reach the center and claim the Jade Plates for himself.

However, a few words overheard from the fray made him halt in his tracks and swiftly move toward the source of the conflict.

The words hinted that one of the combatants possessed a Jade Plate, and Wei Lulin, who had none, felt a surge of urgency. With the prospect of a Jade Plate at stake, he was determined to join the fray.

The battlefield was not far from Wei Lulin, and with his deliberate use of the Footwork Martial Skill, he quickly reached the scene of the clash.

The fight involved fifteen combatants in total. One group consisted of eight, while their opponents numbered seven. Among the latter group, one fighter had attained the peak of the Qi Refining Stage Level Six, giving them an advantage despite their smaller numbers.

"Members of the Ding family, our strengths are not vastly different. Let's cease hostilities for now and settle our scores on the final day of the competition," proposed the strongest among the larger group, a warrior who had just reached the Qi Refining Stage Level Six, as he struggled to fend off attacks from his adversaries.

"Sun, I'll stop fighting if you insist, but first, you must hand over the Jade Plate you're holding," demanded the Ding family Expert while launching a full-force attack.

"That's impossible! We fought tooth and nail for these Jade Plates; we can't just hand them over to you!" the Sun family Expert retorted vehemently.

"If you won't surrender the Jade Plate, then you'll have to surrender your lives," the Ding family Expert sneered menacingly.

"No need for that. Just give the Jade Plates to me!" Upon arriving at the scene of the clash, Wei Lulin assessed the situation and noticed that the strongest among them was the expert at the Qi Refining Stage Level Six Peak. The rest were mostly at Levels Four and Five, with even a couple at Level Three.

Wei Lulin, having recently made a breakthrough in his cultivation, was in search of an opponent to gauge his new strength. The fighters before him were ideal for a practice bout.

Besides, the Ding family was an affiliate of the Jiaang family, and the Sun family was under the Yao family. Both factions were adversaries of the Wei family.

Wei Lulin saw an opportunity not only to acquire the Jade Plates but also to weaken his opponents' forces. How could he pass up such a chance?

Demanding the Jade Plates, Wei Lulin unsheathed his steel blade and charged into the fray.

"A Wei family disciple!" Upon hearing the interruption, members of both the Sun and Ding families hastily looked up to identify the newcomer, clad in the attire of the Wei family.

Initially, they were apprehensive, fearing the arrival of a Wei family powerhouse. However, when they realized the newcomer was merely at the Qi Refining Stage Level Four, their anxiety turned to delight.

Their anger stemmed from Wei Lulin's audacious demand for the Jade Plates, completely disregarding their prowess.

Their joy came from the prospect of personally defeating a Wei family expert, which would not only bring them substantial rewards upon returning home but also give them bragging rights in the presence of the fairer sex.

But their elation was short-lived as they were soon to receive a brutal reckoning.

Wei Lulin, like a ferocious tiger plunging into a flock of sheep, tore through the crowd, and in an instant, the air was filled with the spray of blood.

With a single slash, a head soared into the sky!

Another slash separated a corpse's upper body from its lower half.

Yet another move cleaved a warrior's body from bottom to top!

Wei Lulin, charging into the fray, relied on a few simple techniques of the Basic Blade Technique.

However, these often-overlooked fundamentals shone with an extraordinary brilliance in Wei Lulin's hands, sending shivers down the spines of the experts from both families.

After a series of over ten moves, only the strongest members of the Ding and Shu families remained. To them, Lulin was no longer the underdog but a ferocious beast ready to devour them at any moment.

"Esteemed Wei family member, please cease! I surrender," pleaded the Shu family Expert, witnessing Lulin's relentless assault. He promptly retrieved four Jade Plates from his robes and held them aloft.

Upon seeing the Jade Plates, Lulin's descending steel blade halted abruptly. His previously stern battle expression softened into a smile, and he spoke in a friendly tone, "Ah, had I known you'd bring out the Jade Plates, I wouldn't have bothered attacking. Think of the Spiritual Force I've wasted."

Despite his words, Lulin's blade remained poised above the Shu family Expert's head. He pointed to the ground with his right hand, signaling for the Jade Plates to be placed there.

The Shu family Expert complied, setting the Jade Plates down and then slowly backing away. Once he was three meters from Lulin, he suddenly spun around and sprinted from the scene.

After escaping dozens of meters, the Shu family Expert glanced back at Lulin and vowed never to engage him directly again—if he ever saw Lulin, he would turn and leave without hesitation.

"Who said you could go?" Lulin's voice cut through the air as he bent to pick up the dropped Jade Plates. The Ding family Expert, seizing the chance to slip away unnoticed, was stopped in his tracks by Lulin's stern command, his blade now pointing threateningly outward.

"What do you want?" The Ding family Expert's face was etched with intensity as he saw Wei Lulin raise his steel blade, its tip aimed directly at him. Despite his fierce demeanor, his voice betrayed a hint of uncertainty.

"What do I want?" Wei Lulin let out a cold laugh, skillfully using his Footwork Martial Skill to swiftly move beside the expert. Before the man could even react, the edge of the blade was pressed against his neck.

"I'll give you the Jade Plates." The cold steel against his skin made the Ding family Expert's voice quiver as he spoke.

He then extracted six Jade Plates from within his clothing and held them aloft.

"Good, you're quite compliant!" Wei Lulin remarked with a smirk. Without warning, he applied pressure to his wrist, and the steel blade sliced through the expert's neck.

"You're not honorable!" The Ding family Expert's accusation was cut short as he collapsed, lifeless.

Bending down, Wei Lulin contemptuously retrieved the Jade Plates from the man's grasp and said, "Expecting honor from me? You were far too naive!"