15: Chapter 15 First Hunt

The sky was just beginning to brighten when Lin Muchen arrived at the gathering point with his pack.

Eight or nine Disciples were already standing in the Outer Sect square, all at the Qi Refinement Stage's fourth to sixth layers, chatting in small groups.

Zhao Tieshan stood at the front, hands clasped behind his back. He gave a slight nod upon seeing Lin Muchen arrive.

"Everyone's here," Zhao Tieshan said, sweeping his gaze over the group. "This time, we're heading to Blackwind Forest. The target is the Ironhide Pig. Let me repeat the rules: operate in pairs, look out for each other. If you encounter danger, send a signal. Don't be stubborn. The mission lasts three days. The more you hunt, the greater the reward. Is that clear?"

"Clear!" the group responded.

"Good. Forming groups now," Zhao Tieshan said, pulling out a piece of paper. "I'll read the names. Wang Meng, Li Hu, you're a team. Zhang Qing, Liu Cheng, you're a team..."

As he listened, Lin Muchen felt a twinge of unease.

Please don't pair me with Wu Hai.

"Lin Muchen," Zhao Tieshan read his name.

Lin Muchen looked up.

"You're with Chen Shi."

A Disciple with dark skin and a sturdy build stepped forward, giving Lin Muchen a toothy grin.

Lin Muchen breathed a sigh of relief. He had some impression of Chen Shi—a man of few words but reliable, not the type to stir up trouble.

"Alright, let's move out," Zhao Tieshan said with a wave of his hand, leading the way out of the mountain gate.

The group followed, heading towards the back mountains.

Blackwind Forest wasn't far from the Qinglan Sect, and they arrived after walking for a little over two hours.

At the forest's edge, the trees began to thicken, and the light dimmed considerably.

"System, initiate a scan," Lin Muchen thought.

[Initiating environmental scan...]

[Scan range: Five hundred meters radius.]

[Life signals detected: Seventeen.]

[Yao Beast signals among them: Three.]

[Nearest Yao Beast: Located at the Host's ten o'clock direction, approximately eighty meters away. Energy response: First-order.]

[Preliminary judgment: Ironback Wolf.]

Ironback Wolf? Not an Ironhide Pig?

Lin Muchen looked towards the ten o'clock direction, where a patch of shrubbery lay.

"Senior Brother Chen," he whispered to Chen Shi beside him, "there seems to be something in those bushes over there."

Chen Shi squinted in that direction, his hand resting on the hilt of the knife at his waist.

"I'll go check," Lin Muchen said.

"Be careful," Chen Shi nodded.

Lin Muchen crept forward slowly.

He stopped when he was about thirty meters from the shrubbery.

[Target confirmed: First-order Ironback Wolf.]

[Status: Lurking.]

[Suggestion: Maintain distance. Can attempt a stone throw to probe.]

Lin Muchen bent down, picked up a rock, and hurled it forcefully into the bushes.

*Rustle—*

The bushes shook violently, and a grey shadow suddenly burst out!

It really was an Ironback Wolf, a full size larger than an ordinary wolf, the fur on its back standing on end like iron needles.

It bared its teeth, staring at Lin Muchen, a low growl rumbling in its throat.

"It's an Ironback Wolf!" a Disciple shouted from behind.

Zhao Tieshan's voice came: "Lin Muchen, can you handle it? If not, fall back!"

Lin Muchen didn't retreat.

He looked at the Ironback Wolf, quickly calculating in his mind.

Ironback Wolves were faster than Ironhide Pigs, but their defense was weaker, especially their underbelly.

"System, if I take one of its claw strikes head-on, can I withstand it?"

[Calculating based on Host's current Physical Body strength (0.61) and Ironback Wolf's attack power...]

[Withstandable, but will sustain minor injuries.]

[Suggestion: Can attempt to trade injury for injury, targeting its vital underbelly.]

[Simultaneously, can mobilize the Origin Star's Iron-toothed Ant Colony for visual interference.]

"How to interfere?"

[Consume 5 points to briefly project a phantom image of the Iron-toothed Ant Colony into the target's field of vision, lasting three seconds.]

[Effect: Distracts the target's attention.]

"Do it!"

[Exchange successful.]

[points -5.]

[Current points: -5 (Overdraft status).]

Lin Muchen: "..."

Well, I'll be. points can go negative.

But this wasn't the time to dwell on that.

The Ironback Wolf moved!

It pushed off with its hind legs, lunging forward, its claws aimed straight for Lin Muchen's face.

Lin Muchen didn't dodge. He raised his left arm to block.

*Rip—*

The claws tore through his sleeve, leaving three bloody gashes on his arm.

It hurt!

But Lin Muchen endured it. With his right hand clenched into a fist, he seized the moment when the wolf was mid-lunge and its belly was exposed, putting all his strength into a punch!

*Thud!*

The punch landed solidly on the wolf's belly.

The Ironback Wolf let out a pained yelp, its body twisting.

At that moment, Lin Muchen focused his will.

Suddenly, a vast, dark swarm of ant phantoms appeared before the Ironback Wolf's eyes, swarming densely towards its face!

The wolf shuddered in fright, its movements freezing for half a second.

That half-second was enough.

Lin Muchen lunged forward, his right fist transforming into a claw, brutally thrusting into the wound on the wolf's belly and yanking hard!

*Awoo—*

The Ironback Wolf collapsed to the ground, twitched a few times, and fell still.

[Battle concluded.]

[Target: First-order Ironback Wolf (Eliminated).]

[Battle data collection complete.]

[Analyzing...]

[Note: Host's combat techniques are crude and inefficient.]

[Can exchange for 'Basic Combat Techniques (Melee Volume)'. Price: 50 points.]

[Exchange?]

Lin Muchen panted, looking at the wound on his arm.

"Put it on tab. We'll talk after we get back."

[Debt recorded: 55 points.]

Chen Shi and the other Disciples gathered around.

"Junior Brother Lin, are you alright?" Chen Shi asked.

"Fine, just a scratch," Lin Muchen said, shaking his arm.

Zhao Tieshan walked over, examined the Ironback Wolf's corpse, then looked at Lin Muchen.

"Bold move, taking it head-on," he nodded. "Tend to your wound and process the wolf carcass. The pelt, teeth, and claws can all be exchanged for contribution points."

"Understood."

Lin Muchen took out some medicinal powder and sprinkled a bit on his arm.

As the powder settled on the wound, a cool sensation spread, and the bleeding quickly stopped.

He crouched down and began skinning the wolf.

[Scanning Ironback Wolf corpse and surrounding environment...]

[Abnormal energy fluctuation detected.]

[Source: Direction of wolf den, approximately five meters underground.]

[Composition analysis: Contains trace spirit iron elements.]

[Preliminary judgment: Small Spirit Iron Vein. Reserves unknown.]

[Suggestion: Mark location. Investigate separately later.]

A Spirit Iron Vein?

Lin Muchen's hands kept working, but he mentally noted the information.

The wolf den wasn't far ahead. He'd have to find an opportunity to come back and check.

After skinning the wolf and extracting the teeth and claws, the remaining flesh and blood weren't particularly useful, so he left them behind.

[Material collection complete.]

[points exchangeable: 80.]

[Exchange?]

"Exchange!"

[Exchange successful.]

[points +80.]

[Current points: 25.]

[Overdraft cleared.]

Not bad. Made a profit of twenty-five points, plus a set of wolf Materials.

Seeing that everyone had mostly finished packing up, Zhao Tieshan spoke: "Let's move forward. Ironhide Pigs often frequent the muddy areas deeper in the forest. Stay alert. This is just the beginning."

The team set off again.

Lin Muchen walked beside Chen Shi, reflecting on the recent battle as they went.

Taking that hit head-on was still a bit risky.

If the Ironback Wolf had been stronger, or if its claws had gone for the neck, it would have been troublesome.

"System, what exactly does that Basic Combat Techniques include?"

[Includes: Power application techniques, evasion footwork, vital point recognition, combo linking, and other fundamental content.]

[Upon exchange, knowledge can be directly instilled, forming muscle memory.]

[Can improve Host's melee efficiency by approximately 30%.]

"Thirty percent?" Lin Muchen was tempted.

If his efficiency had been thirty percent higher during the wolf fight, he might not have gotten injured.

"Exchange!"

[Exchange successful.]

[points -50.]

[Current points: -25.]

[Knowledge infusion commencing...]

A stream of information flooded Lin Muchen's mind.

How to throw a punch with less effort, how to sidestep a claw strike, the wolf's weak points besides the belly—the throat and the lower back...

A few seconds later, the infusion ended.

Lin Muchen felt his body become slightly lighter, and he suddenly had some 'insight' into how to fight.

"Those points were well spent," he muttered.

Chen Shi glanced at him. "Junior Brother Lin, what are you mumbling about?"

"Ah, nothing," Lin Muchen smiled. "Senior Brother Chen, how many Ironhide Pigs do you think we can hunt today?"

"Depends on luck," Chen Shi said. "Those things have thick hides, hard to kill. But with two people cooperating, getting one a day shouldn't be a problem."

Just as he finished speaking, a series of *grunt-snort* sounds came from ahead.

Zhao Tieshan raised his hand, and the team halted.

"Muddy area ahead. Ironhide Pigs," he whispered. "Groups, spread out and encircle them. Remember, aim for the belly and the eyes."

The group dispersed, slowly closing in.

Lin Muchen tightened his grip on his fists.