C19 Hunter Camp!

Some things go unsaid because they are mutually understood.

Lin Chen was acutely aware of why his body bore no trace of injury, despite the hundreds of bloody wounds he had sustained in his battle with the Ironback Wolf. Miraculously, they had vanished overnight.

His master, Chen Wuji, had saved him. Though Lin Chen was clueless about the method Chen Wuji used to grant him this rebirth, it was clear that his master had made a significant sacrifice, as evidenced by his deep slumber.

His heart swelled with gratitude. For years, his master had been the sole source of warmth in his life. Their time together may have been brief, but Lin Chen was certain that Chen Wuji genuinely regarded him as a successor.

"Master, rest assured, I won't disappoint you," Lin Chen declared with resolve, clutching the jade pendant in his hand and speaking into the silence.

He rose to his feet and surveyed the scene. He was still at the spot where he had collapsed the day before, surrounded by a macabre landscape of severed limbs and the Ironback Wolves' carcasses, which formed a grisly path drenched in blood—a scene reminiscent of an Asura's hell.

Lin Chen located the upper half of the Wolf King's body, its elongated eyes still wide with shock and dismay. He extracted the Ironback Wolf's fangs, storing them carefully. Then, he skinned the pelts of several peak Level 1 Ironback Wolves, rolled them up, and packed them away before departing. Lingering in this place, heavy with the scent of blood, was unwise; it could attract other Demonic Beasts.

The mountain range expedition had taught Lin Chen a valuable lesson: never to underestimate Demonic Beasts.

"I've reached the peak of Body Tempering Level 7. Thanks to my Divine Martial Bloodline, my actual strength rivals that of the Peak of Body Tempering. And with the Four Linked Forces technique under my belt," Lin Chen reflected, "I needn't worry about opponents at the Body Tempering Stage anymore. It's time to strategize for confrontations with Genuine Cultivators."

Chen Wuji had previously informed Lin Chen that mastering the Eight Linked Forces to Level 6 would allow him to sweep through any opponent in the Body Tempering Stage. Of course, he had set the bar quite high. In reality, achieving Level 6 was not something that could be accomplished in just a few weeks.

"I've given up on reaching the Six Linked Forces before the Clan Competition, but I should be able to manage the Five Linked Forces."

Yesterday, in a life-or-death moment, Lin Chen had an epiphany and mastered the Four Linked Forces just in time to kill the Ironback Wolf in a single strike. It was an incredibly fortunate coincidence. Lin Chen wasn't about to risk his life for a breakthrough; after all, he only had one life, and death was final.

"With one month and ten days left until the Clan Competition, I'll spend these days training in the Sunset Mountain Range. For safety's sake, I'll do as the other Hunters do—enter the mountains at dawn and return by dusk. If I run into trouble again without my master around, it would be tough to handle alone." Lin Chen gazed at the sky and sighed, murmuring to himself, "The Body Tempering Stage is still far too weak."

...

At the entrance to the Sunset Mountain Range, there was a small town known to everyone as the Hunter Camp.

Initially, the area was deserted, but as traffic to and from the mountains increased, the town sprang up. It was small but offered a full range of services.

There were trading posts, markets, taverns, inns, medical facilities, and weapon repair shops—nothing was missing.

Hunters emerged from the mountains in dribs and drabs, looking worse for wear. They were generally covered in dirt, but while the women tended to maintain their appearance, the men didn't bother as much. They were filthy and disheveled, often sporting injuries, but there were no dead bodies to be seen.

If a Hunter was killed by a beast, their comrades would bury them on the spot, perhaps a bit deeper if they were close, to prevent their bodies from being exhumed and devoured by Demonic Beasts. No one wanted to navigate the mountains carrying a corpse.

Seeing Hunters in such a bedraggled state was common, and tattered clothing was hardly noteworthy. However, Lin Chen, clad only in a pair of ragged shorts, was an unusual sight indeed.

As soon as Lin Chen made his appearance, he drew the attention of countless onlookers. He felt a mix of embarrassment and annoyance. There was no helping it; after being besieged by a pack of Ironback Wolves for nearly an hour, Lin Chen considered it an achievement to have kept his undergarments intact.

The crowd observed him keenly, yet not one person showed any sign of disdain. Quite the opposite, many wore solemn expressions, pondering as they watched Lin Chen, who was carrying an enormous bag towering four to five feet above his head, bulging and dripping blood from beneath.

"This young man has the look of a hero among men. Surely, he has reaped a bountiful harvest?" A smooth-faced middle-aged man approached Lin Chen with a bow and a beaming smile. "I'm a merchant, and I deal in valuable goods. I pay well. Perhaps you'd consider doing business with me?"

Before Lin Chen could reply, another voice chimed in, "I'm a merchant too, and I'm more generous than him. Come with me, and you won't regret it."

"Rubbish! Are you as generous as I am?"

"Humph! How many people have you swindled, and you still have the nerve to ask?"

The two merchants began to bicker. Lin Chen, wearing an impassive face, swiftly made his way through them, paying no heed to their squabble.

"Hey, hey, where are you going? We can negotiate the price!"

But in a moment, Lin Chen had vanished from their view. The merchants muttered complaints, then quickly donned smiles and greeted the other emerging Hunters.

Chen Wuji had once advised him not to flaunt his gains from the mountains, even after leaving them. The old adage 'wealth should not be flaunted' rings true; one should never underestimate human greed.

For trading, the Hunter Camp's trading center was the place to go, where order was maintained by professionals, and experts were present to deter any foolish behavior.

Lin Chen wasn't in a rush to visit the trading center to deal with his bag's contents. Instead, he sought out an inn first.

"Good sir, are you looking to stay the night or grab a bite to eat?"

Upon entering, a waiter promptly approached him.

"I need a room for three nights."

"Sure thing! That'll be twenty taels of silver."

"That much?"

Lin Chen was taken aback. Twenty taels could sustain an average family for several years without financial worry.

Noticing Lin Chen's silence, the waiter's smile vanished. He gave Lin Chen a once-over and said with a hint of disdain, "If it's too pricey for you, there's always the street. A night out there won't kill you."

It was an undisguised sneer, laced with mockery.

Lin Chen's eyes narrowed sharply, a chill flashing through them. His lips slowly twisted into a grimace, "Excuse me?"