Volume One: Emerging Brilliance Chapter 115: Invitation and Refusal

The person in charge began counting the Star Beast ears on the table. A moment later, he looked up at Wang Jue with a smile and said, "You have a total of 48 Star Beast ears, and I can tell that each one was cut from a different creature. This means that in just one night, you hunted down 48 Tier 2 Star Beasts."

"I must say, Wang Jue, you currently have the highest number of kills in this batch. Even more surprising is that you’ve come out completely unscathed!"

After speaking, the official turned to the people behind him and called out, "Next."

Upon learning his score, Wang Jue left the area with a smile.

"The practical exam is passed. I am finally a true adventurer."

Wang Jue felt a sense of relief and excitement. Now, all he had to do was hunt Star Beasts to earn the points needed to level up.

As for those who had obtained their adventurer certification but chosen not to participate in the practical exam, while they were technically considered adventurers, their adventurer rank could never be upgraded. They merely held the title, and the benefits they received from the Martial Arts Association could not compare to those who had passed the practical test.

Wang Jue stood in the crowd, watching as the others turned in their Star Beast materials. He noticed that while some were completely uninjured, the vast majority bore minor wounds that would take a week or two to heal. There were even a few who had sustained severe injuries or were crippled.

"Hou Wen, eight fangs, twelve claws. Not bad. Next."

His brother from the same martial arts gym, Monkey, had also returned safely.

"Senior Brother," Wang Jue called out from the crowd.

"Haha, Junior Brother Wang!" Monkey ran over, laughing. "How did it go? How many Star Beasts did you bag?"

"48," Wang Jue replied, and the two moved to a quiet corner.

"Hiss... 48? My god, Junior Brother, you’re a monster. Those beasts are incredibly hard to kill." Monkey gasped, staring at him. "I killed seven, and I nearly lost my life doing it. You killed 48—I haven't even hunted a fraction of what you did."

"Haha," Wang Jue grinned. "Regardless of the count, we passed the exam."

Tier 2 Star Beasts were not to be underestimated. Even a warrior at the Red Star Mirror could easily capsize if they were careless enough to be surrounded by seven or eight of them.

The two spent the rest of the time watching the others.

"Wan Qianshan!"

"It’s Wan Qianshan, one of the three geniuses!"

"I wonder how many he hunted. It’s hard to say who is stronger between him and Wang Jue."

"Right, he and Song Xiaoqing are the only ones who can really challenge Wang Jue right now."

"Do you think there will be a dark horse this time?"

"Hard to say."

Listening to the chatter, Wang Jue and Monkey looked up in surprise.

Monkey looked stunned. "No way, Wan Qianshan waited until the very end to come out? Junior Brother, they say his physical fitness is on par with yours. I wonder how many he got."

The successful candidates in the front stared at Wan Qianshan’s backpack, while those who had failed the exam pricked up their ears to listen.

"My god!"

"That backpack is stuffed full!"

"It looks like a lot."

"Wow, there’s such a variety of materials."

A commotion broke out in the front, followed by the official’s voice: "Wan Qianshan, hmm, a total of 60 Star Beast materials. Haha, excellent! You’ve surpassed Wang Jue and are currently the top hunter in this batch."

"Holy crap, 60?"

"Are you kidding me?"

"He has over a dozen more than Wang Jue?"

"Wan Qianshan is truly impressive. 60 Star Beasts—that is terrifying strength."

"Among the three geniuses, Wan Qianshan must be the strongest!"

The adventurers, who had personally experienced the lethality of the Star Beasts, were left in awe.

"Junior Brother, I didn't think Wan Qianshan would hunt more than you," Monkey said, sighing. "He truly earns his title as one of the three geniuses."

"Heh, does killing more really matter?" Wang Jue laughed dismissively.

He had spent the entire previous night focusing on honing his footwork. If he had really wanted to hunt, with his abilities, he could have easily taken down over a hundred beasts by picking off lone targets. He didn't care about Wan Qianshan surpassing him. In his view, there was no prize for first place in this exam, so why stand out? Isn't it better to develop quietly?

"Wang Jue."

Suddenly, a voice came from the side.

"Hm?" Wang Jue turned around, puzzled.

A slender young man stood there, smiling. "Could you come with me? A friend would like to see you in the lounge ahead."

"Oh?" Wang Jue was curious. Who wanted to see him?

Despite his curiosity, Wang Jue didn't hesitate and followed the young man. Before entering the lounge, he took off his blood-stained combat suit, washed up, and changed into clean clothes.

Inside the lounge, a burly man sat with his eyes closed. Suddenly, he opened them, his gaze sharp as lightning as he looked at Wang Jue.

"Huh..." Wang Jue was startled. "It's him?"

He recognized the man—it was the one he had seen speaking with Ning Chuan earlier. He was the director of another town's Martial Arts Association branch, a titan even in this region.

"I’m Niu Zhen, director of the Qingshan Town branch of the Martial Arts Association," the burly man said with a smile. "Sit down, Wang Jue."

Wang Jue felt a bit uneasy sitting across from such a powerful figure. He knew that a branch director held immense influence, ranking among the top three in the entire Safe Zone. Their power was staggering; in their respective towns, they were practically untouchable.

"Why don't you sit? Are you afraid I'll eat you? Haha..." the man laughed.

Wang Jue smiled and sat down. "Director Niu, may I ask why you wanted to see me?"

"It’s simple," Niu Zhen said. "I looked into your background. You come from an ordinary family—your father runs a small noodle shop, and your mother helps out. When you tested your talent at seven, it was deemed low. Yet, you didn't give up. Without any special advantages, you relied on hard work to reach this level by sixteen. That is truly rare."

"Heh..." Wang Jue offered a complex smile.

It was true that his success was due to hard work, though his "cheat" was the primary contributor.

"Honestly, I admire you, and I think you have a very promising future," Niu Zhen said, his expression turning serious. "Wang Jue, I am formally inviting you to join our Qingshan Town branch!"

"I’m sorry, Director Niu, but I’m afraid I have to decline your kind offer," Wang Jue replied with a shake of his head.

"Refuse? Why?" Niu Zhen asked, surprised. "I know you haven't joined the Association yet, which is why I’m asking. I can promise you that I’ll handle the situation with Ning Chuan. The Qingshan branch is sincere in inviting you—join us!"

"I apologize, Mr. Niu," Wang Jue said with a slight bow. "Thank you for the offer, but I don't intend to join the Association. I prefer to remain an adventurer."

Niu Zhen froze. He had been rejected, and so bluntly?

"Wang Jue, won't you reconsider?" Niu Zhen frowned. "What’s so good about being an adventurer? How can it compare to the Association?"

As a branch director, he knew that while adventurers were nominally affiliated with the Association, they were practically independent. Joining the Association offered benefits and resources, whereas adventurers had to hunt beasts constantly to earn points. Joining meant accepting certain restrictions, while being an adventurer meant total freedom. He felt that a talent like Wang Jue should be choosing the stability of the Association.

"No, thank you," Wang Jue stood up and bowed slightly. "Mr. Niu, if there is nothing else, I will take my leave."

He knew that continuing the conversation after such a rejection would only create awkwardness.

Niu Zhen watched him closely. He was surprised that the young man remained unmoved by the temptation. He sighed, waved a hand, and said, "Fine, I won't pressure you. If you ever change your mind, the doors of the Qingshan branch are always open to you."

"Thank you, Mr. Niu," Wang Jue said, just as he was about to leave.

"Niu Zhen, you old bastard..."

Ning Chuan’s furious voice echoed from outside. Having heard the news, he burst in, launching into a tirade against Niu Zhen: "Are you trying to poach my talent right under my nose? Do you want to settle this with a real fight?"

"Ning Chuan, you son of a bitch, bring it on! You think I'm afraid of you?" Niu Zhen was hot-tempered and didn't want to lose face in front of Wang Jue. They were of equal rank and strength; neither could guarantee a victory if they truly fought.

"Hmph," Ning Chuan’s face went cold. "Fine. I’d like to see if your Qingshan branch is really as arrogant as you think, or if our Heping branch has more capital!"

Seeing the tension escalate, Wang Jue had to intervene. "Sirs, there's no need for this. I truly have no intention of joining the Association. I don't want to be restricted; I prefer the freedom of being an adventurer."

He wasn't lying. The more he learned about the Association, the more he understood its true nature. "Free lunches" didn't exist—and if they did, they were usually poisoned. He wasn't immune to poison, and he didn't want to die from it.