Chapter 355 - 317: A Genius Among the Mediocre

Chapter 355: Chapter 317: A Genius Among the Mediocre

"It’s been so long. How come there’s been no word from Lin Yi?"

Xingwu University.

Dormitory Zone 1, Cultivation Field.

Wei Nan, Zhou Qi, and the others had just finished practicing their martial arts techniques.

They sat in the rest area, drinking composite beverages to restore their depleted Qi and Blood.

This composite beverage was, in fact, a type of compound potion.

It incorporated flavors and textures more suited to a younger palate, which made it popular among them.

Gradually, it came to be known as a composite beverage.

In essence, however, it was still a compound potion.

It was used for temporarily replenishing depleted Qi and Blood, but its effects weren’t as good as a true compound potion.

Zhou Qi also nodded. "It’s been a month and a half since we got back from Lishui City, right?"

"And he hasn’t contacted you once?"

Wei Nan shook his head. "I’ve been texting and calling him almost every day, but his phone’s been off the whole time!"

Hearing this, Zhou Qi’s brows furrowed deeply.

Logically, Lin Yi wouldn’t just vanish without a reason.

They had known each other for almost a year now.

Nothing like this had ever happened before.

But this time, he had been missing for a month and a half without a single word.

It was starting to make them all a little worried.

Just then, Shen Mengyi walked out of the Cultivation Hall.

She had a towel draped around her neck and was also holding a bottle of composite beverage.

"Are you two still worrying about Senior Brother Lin?"

"What, you have news about him?" Wei Nan and Zhou Qi both looked over at her.

Shen Mengyi shook her head and walked over to sit on the sofa across from them.

"Even Sister Zhao Xue can’t find him. Where would I get any news about him!"

Hearing this, Wei Nan seemed to latch onto an important piece of information.

A glint flashed in his eyes. He quickly asked, "Sister Zhao Xue? Wait, what’s going on? Why do you say even Sister Zhao Xue can’t find him?"

Shen Mengyi froze, her gaze becoming evasive.

Finally, after hemming and hawing under Wei Nan and Zhou Qi’s relentless questioning, she smiled.

"Actually... Senior Brother Lin and Sister Zhao Xue are dating!"

"Huh? For real?"

This news was a total bombshell for Wei Nan and Zhou Qi.

But then Shen Mengyi quickly added, "No, no, that was just my own guess!"

"They might not have made it official yet, but I think they both have feelings for each other!"

"They’re just one step away from making it real. It’s only a matter of time!"

Shen Mengyi quickly changed her tune.

Wei Nan and Zhou Qi glanced at each other and both nodded.

"That’s true. With my brother’s talent, very few girls are worthy of him. Sister Zhao Xue is one of them, I guess!"

Zhou Qi nodded along. "I always thought they’d make a good pair. It would be great if they actually got together!"

The two of them both smiled, but a complex look entered Shen Mengyi’s eyes.

’When it came to romantic love, Shen Mengyi was a complete blank slate.’

’Her brother had always been very strict with her, not even allowing her to get close to boys.’

’She was clueless about such things.’

’It wasn’t until her brother died in battle at Wushan that her personality began to subtly change.’

’She threw all thoughts of romance to the back of her mind, focusing solely on fulfilling her big brother’s last wish.’

’To enter the Demon Hunting Bureau and become a true Demon Hunter.’

’Otherwise, she wouldn’t have made the firm decision to come to Xingwu University.’

’After arriving at the university, she had gradually come to understand.’

’Her previous feelings for Lin Yi weren’t romantic at all.’

’It was more a feeling of respect and admiration.’

’They were all third-year high school students of similar age.’

’But the talent and comprehension Lin Yi displayed were something they couldn’t hope to match.’

’And since it was during her adolescence, she developed a strange sense of worship for him, like a young fan meeting their idol.’

’He could only be admired from afar...’

’Now, Shen Mengyi always saw Lin Yi as the goal she was chasing.’

’Even though she knew in her heart that with her talent, she would probably never be able to catch up to Lin Yi.’

’But for her, catching up wasn’t that important.’

’As long as Lin Yi could keep running forward, acting as a beacon to light her path, that was enough.’

’It was just like when her brother was alive, constantly guiding her on which way to go.’

’Lin Yi was now like a guide leading her forward. As long as he was there, Shen Mengyi wouldn’t lose her way.’

"What are you guys doing here?"

Just then, Sun Tao walked over from not far away.

Seeing Wei Nan, Zhou Qi, and the others, he asked curiously.

"What do you think? We’re resting!" Wei Nan replied with a laugh.

"Quick, check your phones! There’s a message in the group chat!"

Sun Tao walked over and said to them.

But Wei Nan and Zhou Qi patted their pockets; they didn’t have their phones on them.

They had locked them in their lockers when they changed.

"I don’t have my phone. What’s up?"

Zhou Qi asked with a frown.

Shen Mengyi also leaned in curiously. Holding his phone, Sun Tao said, "It’s a message from the school’s Demon Hunting group chat!"

"And it’s a mission posted by the president of the Demon Hunting Association!"

"See for yourselves!"

Sun Tao handed his phone to Wei Nan and Zhou Qi.

Several heads huddled together.

Mission 1: Hunt and kill five or more Star-One demonic beasts. Reward: 50 academic credits, 3 bottles of Second-Grade Compound Potion.

Mission 2: Hunt and kill five or more Star-Two demonic beasts. Reward: 100 academic credits, 5 bottles of Second-Grade Compound Potion.

Mission 3: Hunt and kill five or more Star-Three demonic beasts. Reward: 100 academic credits, 6 bottles of Second-Grade Compound Potion.

Mission 4...

After they finished reading the missions posted in the group chat,

Wei Nan, Zhou Qi, and Shen Mengyi were all left speechless.

"Is this Demon Hunting Association completely broke?"

"They post Demon Hunting missions, but the rewards are so stingy!"

"Just six bottles of Second-Grade Compound Potion for killing five Star-Three or higher demonic beasts? Who is that even enough for?!"

Wei Nan couldn’t help but complain.

Zhou Qi nodded along. "Isn’t the school’s Demon Hunting Association supposed to be connected to the university?"

"And all the rewards for Demon Hunting are supposed to be provided by the school as compensation. How come we’re left with so little? Don’t tell me the president of the Demon Hunting Association embezzled the rest?"

"Holy shit, don’t just say stuff like that! That association president has connections. Be careful, or they’ll come after you!"

After he spoke, they all couldn’t help but laugh.

The school’s Demon Hunting Association had been temporarily established a month ago.

Ever since the demonic beasts began invading the city, the university had maintained an open policy.

As a result, many students had spontaneously formed teams to go out and hunt demons at night.

Perhaps because there were too many students hunting demons, and fearing a lack of management, the university established a Demon Hunting Association.

All Demon Hunting Squads must register with the Demon Hunting Association.

There was no limit to the number of people in each squad, but every member had to be registered.

Currently, Wei Nan and Zhou Qi’s squad had a total of seven people.

Besides the four of them, Wei Nan had also registered Lin Yi, Wei Shang, and Feng Lei.

Speaking of Wei Shang and Feng Lei,

since Wei Nan and the others returned from Lishui City, the two of them had only come back to the university once.

They asked about Lin Yi’s situation.

When they heard he had gone to Dragon Tiger Mountain, they didn’t ask anything else and left immediately.

They hadn’t returned to the university since.

After Wei Nan and the others had rested enough,

they stood up and walked toward the Cultivation Hall to continue their diligent training.

Currently, Wei Nan’s Cultivation Realm had reached Tier Three, Star Two, and he was pushing for Star Three.

Among their group, aside from Lin Yi who was a cultivation monster,

Zhou Qi had the best talent, having already reached Tier Four, Star Two.

He was just a hair’s breadth away from breaking through to Star Three.

Shen Mengyi had only just reached the Star-Two realm.

Sun Tao was slightly better off, already a Tier One, Star Two Martial Artist.

However, with realms like theirs,

they naturally couldn’t compare to Lin Yi.

But if you forgot about that monster Lin Yi and just compared their progress to the average university student,

Qin Zhaoxue’s talent was considered quite good at the university.

When she had just started her third year and was doing her internship, her realm was only at Star Four. Xu Tai, the successor of the spear arts, was also a third-year, and his current realm was also only Star Four.

For some talented students, reaching Star Four by their third year was already a sign of extraordinary ability.

Star Three was considered an extremely high level, while Star Two was merely average.

After all, among a hundred people, you’ll find all sorts.

Not everyone possessed supreme talent.

Some Martial Arts Students made rapid progress in the early stages,

much faster than their peers, but their progress would slow down noticeably in the later stages.

They might even stagnate completely, finding that increasing their Qi and Blood was harder than taking a dump.

Therefore, Wei Nan and Zhou Qi’s current cultivation progress was already much faster than most students’.

Of course, that was on the condition that they weren’t compared to Lin Yi.

This was just in comparison to other students at the university.

Besides, they were still just first-year freshmen. By the time they were third-years,

their cultivation might reach Star Four, or perhaps even Star Five.

You have to remember, even Chu Zhengxiong’s realm was only Star Six right now. Mo Yanfeng was also only at Star Six.

Their current Cultivation Realms were already quite impressive...

...

...

「The night grew dark.」

A wild wind howled.

Luofeng City, atop a tall building.

A dozen or so people in black had surrounded three members of a Demon Hunting Team.

They all bore injuries to varying degrees.

Blood flowed uncontrollably from one of the younger Demon Hunters.

His expression grew dazed.

His two colleagues, a man and a woman, were constantly talking to him,

trying to keep his spirits up.

Just then,

a figure emerged from the group of people in black, dressed in a long, dark robe.

His face was covered by a pitch-black smiley face mask.

He stared at the three of them and said in a low voice, "Captain Liu, I’ll give you one last chance. Join us and live. Otherwise... die!"

The words had barely fallen when the middle-aged man among the three Demon Hunters

glared at him, a contemptuous sneer playing on his lips.

"Join you heretics? And commit heinous crimes?"

Hearing this, the masked man threw his head back and laughed.

"It seems Captain Liu has some misconceptions about us. We are not heretics, nor do we commit heinous crimes. All we want to do is change this society, change this world!"

"Whether it’s the New District or the Old District!"

"The truth is, they’re already rotten to the core!"

"All we have to do is carve out the rotten flesh and let new flesh grow. If Captain Liu is willing to join us, I think this will definitely..."

"The hell you will!"

Before the masked man could finish, Captain Liu roared.

He kicked off the ground, and his entire being charged straight at the masked man.

Seeing this, the masked man shook his head in disappointment. "Alas, so stubborn..."