30: Bounty Hunter

“In at most four days, I will be able to complete the eighth cycle of the Crimson Tiger Art!”

Xiao Shi made this judgment, and at the same time picked up the Ji Wu Pill from before.

“If this Ji Wu Pill can further enhance my comprehension, perhaps the time will be even shorter!”

He knew clearly.

Although the cultivation of the Crimson Tiger Art primarily depends on innate talent.

However, comprehension is also an important factor that can accelerate cultivation speed.

Thinking of this, Xiao Shi decisively swallowed the Ji Wu Pill in his hand.

As the pill dissolved in his body.

Xiao Shi could clearly feel his mind becoming clearer, his thoughts more agile, and his understanding of the Crimson Tiger Art instantly rose to a new level.

At the same time, he also felt that he had taken many detours in the past when cultivating the Crimson Tiger Art, including Night Tiger.

The eighth cycle of the Crimson Tiger Art, which originally required four days to complete.

He now only needed three days to achieve it.

This feeling greatly excited him.

“This Ji Wu Pill of mine is only of rare quality. Just rare quality can give me a sense of enlightenment. If it were of peerless quality... I'm afraid I wouldn't even need four days; I could immediately complete the eighth cycle of the Crimson Tiger Art!”

At this moment, Xiao Shi’s desire for various items was incredibly strong.

Whether it was heavenly treasures, combat items, or pills that could accelerate cultivation, he wanted them all!

If it weren't for his insufficient strength.

He would have loved to directly wipe out the numerous bandit strongholds in Liuyue Mountain.

He believed that eliminating such a force... would surely yield many rewards.

During the day, Xiao Shi mainly focused on cultivating the Crimson Tiger Art, and at night, he began cultivating Night Tiger.

He had now cultivated Night Tiger to the second layer.

During this mission, the various improvements brought by Night Tiger also played a significant role.

If he could cultivate Night Tiger to the third layer, then his strength at night would be double that of his daytime strength!

However, the cultivation of Night Tiger was too difficult.

Even with Xiao Shi’s current improved comprehension, there wasn't a significant increase in his cultivation speed.

This also made him realize... the key to Night Tiger’s cultivation was not talent or comprehension; there might be other factors involved.

After some inquiry.

Xiao Shi found that this was indeed the case.

To accelerate the cultivation speed of Night Tiger, one often needed to use a type of dew called 'night frost dew' as an aid.

It was said that this dew was extremely difficult to collect.

It could provide excellent assistance to the cultivation of Night Tiger.

It could be exchanged directly at the Night Watch Division.

However, the price was quite expensive.

A bottle of night frost dew required three hundred contribution points.

Xiao Shi thought about it and decided not to rush to exchange it, planning to wait until after the mission settlement to decide whether to exchange it based on his available contribution points.

He cultivated continuously for two days like this.

The mission settlement finally came down.

Normally, the contribution points for completing a second-level mission are between 500-700. Based on Xiao Shi's mission situation this time, he directly received the highest 700 contribution points.

Although the mission was completed, Xiao Shi still had doubts about Kuangfeng Stronghold Lord’s action of baiting and killing Night Watch members.

Even though killing Night Watch members allowed one to obtain all their belongings, Xiao Shi felt that this alone did not seem to make the rewards proportional to the risks.

After all, not every Night Watch member was wealthy, and the gains after killing them might not be high.

And hunting Night Watch members itself carried high risks.

After all, among the Night Watch, there were also Entering Martial Realm Ninth Level strong practitioners.

Once such a strong practitioner was provoked, even with that woman's sneak attack, success would be difficult.

Xiao Shi felt that Kuangfeng Stronghold Lord was willing to take such risks to hunt Night Watch members, and there must be reasons he was unaware of.

Regarding this.

He went directly to the prison to drink with Yang Zhen and Wang Changhuan, and incidentally inquired with them.

Yang Zhen and Wang Changhuan were very happy to see Xiao Shi safely complete his mission; they had been somewhat worried about Xiao Shi before.

After all, the mortality rate for new recruits on their first mission was extremely high.

Now seeing Xiao Shi return safely, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

“After the first mission, subsequent missions can be received simultaneously with other Night Watch members. At that time, if you receive a mission you cannot complete, you can find other Night Watch members to exchange with.”

Wang Changhuan said with a smile.

Xiao Shi nodded.

Night Watch members usually perform one mission every ten days, and most mission deadlines are within ten days.

If a mission is completed early, there will be more time to rest and adjust, preparing for the next mission.

This time, Xiao Shi completed his mission relatively early.

There were still several days until the next mission could be received.

After some casual conversation.

Xiao Shi asked them about his doubts.

Yang Zhen took a sip of wine and said.

“This is normal. Our Night Watch members’ bodies can fetch quite a bounty. In this Seven Stars Province, many people are after us.”

“Claim a bounty?”

Xiao Shi was startled.

Wang Changhuan explained from the side.

“In Seven Stars Province, besides us forces led by Flying Origin Palace, there are also some forces hostile to Flying Origin Palace.”

“Senluo Organization is a massive organization hostile to Flying Origin Palace.”

“This organization is quite mysterious, and its movements are elusive and strange, making it difficult to eradicate.”

“They are active throughout Seven Stars Province, with numerous hidden strongholds. Besides frequently assassinating martial artists under our Flying Origin Palace forces, they also specially established a bounty list.”

“The list not only includes various strong practitioners and geniuses under the Flying Origin Palace forces. At the same time, anyone affiliated with the Flying Origin Palace forces, after being killed, can have their body used to claim a bounty from them.”

“Our Red Tiger Sect, as an affiliated sect of Flying Origin Palace, is naturally included in this category. As long as a Night Watch member is killed, their body can be used to claim a bounty.”

Xiao Shi suddenly understood.

No wonder Kuangfeng Stronghold Lord was willing to take the risk to hunt Night Watch members.

It turned out that what he was scheming for... was not the belongings on the Night Watch members!

But the bounty that could be claimed for the Night Watch members’ bodies!

“Bandit forces like those in Liuyue Mountain don’t dare to openly target us. At most, they will find an opportunity, like in your mission this time, to secretly kill us in the shadows.”

“But there is one type of person we need to be particularly wary of, and that is the Bounty Hunter from the Senluo Organization, who specializes in assassination missions!”

Yang Zhen’s expression became serious.

“These Bounty Hunters have numerous methods, appear and disappear like ghosts, and are powerful. They often target individuals on the bounty list for assassination.”

“There was once a Bounty Hunter who infiltrated our Jin Yun City to assassinate a Night Watch member on the list, and after successfully assassinating them, managed to escape from Jin Yun City.”