Chapter 19: Koel

The Hunters Guild was always the busiest place in every city.

Dustin Li entered quietly, a wide-brimmed hat shadowing his face.

In the world of warriors, anonymity was not unusual. Many had their own reasons for covering their faces—be it personal habits, past grudges, or undisclosed purposes. The guild hall was full of such individuals, making his presence unremarkable.

Scanning the crowd, he noted that most of the hunters he had once seen were gone, likely out on long hunts. A few familiar faces remained, but no one paid him much attention.

With a one-star hunter's badge pinned to his chest, he walked straight to the counter.

"Welcome, hunter. What can I do for you?"

The woman who greeted him with a professional smile was Shannon, widely regarded as the most beautiful woman in Novaridge City's Hunters Guild.

"I need information on the best hunting grounds near Novaridge City for someone at the ninth level of Body Refinement," Dustin Li said flatly.

Shannon's brows furrowed slightly.

That voice… it sounded vaguely familiar. Young. Perhaps a little inexperienced?

Still, she dismissed the thought and answered with a practiced smile. "If you need a hunting map, it'll cost one thousand taels of silver."

Dustin Li didn't hesitate. He placed a silver note on the counter.

To his past self, one thousand taels would have been an unattainable fortune. But now? A single first-tier monster could easily fetch tens of thousands of taels.

Shannon, unaware that the man before her was the same young hunter who had once earned her scorn, handed him the map without another word.

The map detailed the hunting zones surrounding Novaridge City, marked in three colors:

Yellow: Safe for Body Refinement warriors below the eighth level. This included Shiwu Mountain.

Red: More dangerous, usually requiring at least an Energy Gathering Realm warrior to enter.

Black: The most treacherous regions, where even high-level Innate Realm masters dared not venture.

Dustin Li's eyes settled on a red-marked location:

Eight Wonders Mountain.

A region teeming with first-tier monsters, with the occasional second-tier beast lurking in the depths. As long as he avoided going too deep, it would be an ideal place to train.

Just as he finished studying the map, a boisterous voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Shannon! Six cups of shochu!"

A towering man clad in black armor strode forward, his deep voice booming.

Behind him, five others followed—dusty, armor slightly damaged, exhaustion visible in their eyes. And yet, beneath that weariness, a fierce excitement burned.

Dustin Li immediately recognized them.

Tatum. Becket. The twin sisters, And two unfamiliar faces—likely new recruits.

Before he could leave, the scene caught his interest.

Tatum, grinning, tossed six low-grade vitality stones onto the counter.

"Had a good hunt, did you?" Shannon asked with a smile.

"Of course!" Tatum laughed heartily. "Bagged a big one this time."

Dustin Li's gaze flicked to the silver wrist guard on Tatum's arm.

A second-tier array device—the Storage Wrist Guard.

It could store items within a pocket dimension, making it incredibly valuable. Even the cheapest one cost at least five hundred vitality stones. A treasure Dustin Li could only dream of affording.

From their conversation, he learned that Tatum's team had ventured into Eight Wonders Mountain and successfully hunted a second-tier beast—a Unicorn White Rhino.

Even for an Energy Gathering Realm warrior like Tatum, subduing such a creature was no easy feat. It required careful planning and teamwork.

But the reward?

Four hundred low-grade vitality stones.

Dustin Li took a sharp breath.

In Novaridge City, true wealth wasn't measured in gold or silver—it was measured in vitality stones.

Ordinary goods could be bought with coin, but the items that truly mattered? Those required vitality stones.

With this realization, he turned away. There was no reason to linger.

Eight Wonders Mountain lay ahead.

Journey to Eight Wonders Mountain

The journey took half a day by horseback.

With most of his savings spent on a Spirit Gathering Array, vitality stones, and Energy Nourishing Pills, his funds were running low. Gritting his teeth, he spent another thousand taels to purchase a yellow-maned horse—and became a pauper once more.

"Gotta spend money to make money," he muttered.

With a sword at his back and determination in his heart, he set off.

Near Eight Wonders Mountain was a stronghold, a settlement the size of a small village, where warriors could rest and resupply.

Upon arrival, Dustin Li paid ten taels of silver to stable his horse.

Just as he turned away, a familiar figure entered his line of sight.

Lennox.

The same hunter he had encountered in Shiwu Mountain.

However, Lennox's old companions—Kao and Onyx—were gone. Likely replaced after their deaths.

But something else caught Dustin Li's attention.

A man in light armor carrying an iron spear turned in his direction, a cold smirk curling at the corner of his lips.

Under the shadow of his hat, Dustin Li frowned.

Who was this man?

The Hunter Becomes the Hunted

Meanwhile, just out of earshot, a hushed conversation took place.

"That kid? He's our target?" Lennox asked.

The light-armored man—Koel—nodded.

"The Zhang family is offering five hundred low-grade vitality stones for his head."

Lennox hesitated. "What's his background? Why such a high bounty?"

Koel snorted. "Just some commoner brat. I heard he crippled the Zhang family's young master." He then fixed Lennox with a sharp stare. "Listen well. This kid is a student of Martial Hall. If word gets out, we'll be hunted down."

Lennox tensed.

The Martial Hall was known for fiercely protecting its students. Killing one was a death sentence.

However, if it happened outside the city, and there were no witnesses…

"Understood," Lennox muttered. He was already on this path—there was no turning back.

Koel smirked. "Good."

Their Energy Gathering Realm hunting party had set its sights on Dustin Li.

And once marked by hunters like them, there was no escape.

First Hunt in Eight Wonders Mountain

Oblivious to the danger closing in, Dustin Li ventured into the dense forest of Eight Wonders Mountain.

Here, the number of monsters was staggering.

Back in Shiwu Mountain, he could go days without encountering a beast. But here? His senses picked up over twenty monsters nearby.

A particularly strong life force caught his attention.

It was equivalent to the Iron-Tailed Tiger Demon he had slain before—a perfect test for his new strength.

Swiftly, he moved through the trees, his Pure Yang Qi pulsing through his veins.

His target?

A Black Armored Wolf—one of the strongest first-tier monsters.

As he prepared for battle, however, his instincts flared.

A group of warriors was approaching—fanning out in a formation meant to trap him.

Something was wrong.

Dustin Li was being hunted.