The Elven Cultivator

The group left the settlement and walked along a winding forest path. Before long, they arrived before a patch of woodland tightly enclosed by living thorns.

A wall of thorns several meters high looked like a tangle of giant pythons. Its dark-brown vines were covered in sharp barbs, squirming slowly in the breeze and making a grating sound that set one's teeth on edge.

Faint, deep roars could be heard from within, as if some kind of beast was pacing about, unable to escape the thorny cage.

Finn stopped and turned to face the group.

"Before the course begins, I'll explain the rules."

"Hundreds of Lizard-men have been released into this area. Your task is to go inside and hunt them."

"In the very center of each Lizard-man's chest is a special scale with a number on it. This number represents the points you get for killing it. The more powerful the Lizard-man, the higher the number on its scale."

"After the course, we will tally everyone's points. The person with the highest score will receive a drop of Life Spring Water as a reward."

Finn paused, his gaze lingering for a moment on Anton and the other newcomers. "Among the newcomers participating in the combat course for the first time today, the one with the highest score will be rewarded with a branch of the Eternal Tree."

A suppressed stir immediately went through the crowd.

The newcomers' eyes, in particular, lit up.

Life Spring Water could rapidly heal injuries and cure most diseases, poisons, and curses.

Carrying a branch of the Eternal Tree not only allowed for quick stamina recovery but also protected against most toxins and curses.

Both were exceptionally precious treasures.

Even veterans like Eleanor, who had participated in the combat course many times, were visibly moved upon hearing the rewards.

Anton listened quietly, his gaze flickering slightly.

The Silver Moon Clan was backed by the two great treasures of the Life Spring Water and the Eternal Tree. The value of the precious materials they could produce annually was unimaginable to outsiders.

The Life Spring Water and branches of the Eternal Tree were just two examples.

Unfortunately, the Silver Moon Clan had to offer most of its precious materials as tribute to Kresol Dragon City each year, leaving only a small portion for themselves. As a result, their reserves were always stretched thin, and even their own people had to use them sparingly.

'Both the Life Spring Water and the branches of the Eternal Tree are incredibly rich in Life Force and elemental energy. If I can get my hands on them, they might be able to replace certain materials in Pill Formulas, or even be used directly for Alchemy or Artifact Refining.'

Anton calculated silently in his mind.

In the Cultivation Realm, the most valued qualities for Pills and Magical Artifacts were the Spiritual nature and vitality of their materials.

And these two items from the Elf Race were definitely Spiritual Materials on the level of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures in terms of quality.

'If I could get my hands on a batch...'

Anton's thoughts drifted, but he quickly shook his head with a self-deprecating smile.

These two items were prioritized for the Forest Guard's supply on a daily basis.

For ordinary Clan members, especially an underage Elf like him, wanting to use them in bulk was just a pipe dream.

Unless, one day, he became the Clan Leader of the Silver Moon Clan.

Romance had also been excited to hear the rewards, but her spirits deflated when she turned and saw Anton.

With Anton around, there was no way she could win the top prize for newcomers.

As for first place overall... although she was confident in her own abilities, she didn't think she could beat all the seniors.

Especially a genius like Eleanor.

Her talent might not be inferior to Eleanor's, but the latter had a full twenty-plus years of training on her. That was a gap that would be difficult to close in a short time.

"Looks like that branch from the Eternal Tree is yours," Romance muttered under her breath.

Anton smiled faintly but said nothing.

'It's not just the branch from the Eternal Tree; I'm getting that Life Spring Water, too.'

But the rewards were just a bonus. His real goal today was to add another layer to his own mystique.

"Quiet."

Finn's gaze swept over the crowd, his voice suddenly turning cold.

"Remember, the Lizard-men in the woods were captured during their invasion of the Silver Moon Forest. They killed our people and burned our trees. They are vicious invaders, not prisoners to be pitied."

"Do not show any compassion when you fight, and don't hold back. Mercy toward your enemy is cruelty to yourself. In the end, you'll be the ones to die."

The crowd fell silent. Many of the newcomers wore grave expressions.

Even the usually carefree Romance clenched her jaw.

"I expect you to perform well," Finn said finally. "Now, check your equipment and prepare to enter the woods."

As his voice fell, the living wall of thorns suddenly squirmed. The vines parted to either side like snakes, revealing a series of passages just wide enough for one person to pass through.

"See you on the other side, Anton."

Romance tightened her grip on her War Axe and was the first to step forward, entering one of the passages.

After she passed, the vines swiftly closed behind her.

Anton let out a soft chuckle and also chose a passage to enter.

In the distance, Eleanor glanced at Anton's retreating figure, silently tightened her grip on her Magic Staff, and strode into a passage.

Soon, as the young Elves passed through the passages one by one, the wall of thorns returned to its original state, sealing the woodland once more into a hunting ground.

The combat assessment had officially begun.

...

The moment he passed through the thorny passage, the light dimmed abruptly.

Above, thick branches intertwined to form a dome, with vines coiling and hanging down like pythons, slicing the daylight into countless tiny, dark-green speckles of light.

Anton's nostrils twitched slightly as he keenly detected the faint, foul stench in the air.

It was the unique scent of Lizard-men, a nauseating mix of soil, blood, and the distinct, cold aura of a cold-blooded animal.

Distant, indistinct roars and shouts could be heard, accompanied by the CLANGING of metal.

The assessment had just begun, and battles were already breaking out.

It seemed the Elves weren't the only ones eager to hunt the Lizard-men; the Lizard-men were also planning to drag a few Elves down with them before they died.

Anton's expression was calm as he moved through the forest like a ghost.

With his Star Shifting Step active, he left no trace on the leaves, not even disturbing a single fallen one as he passed.

He hadn't gone far when a bush ahead shook violently and a grayish-green figure lunged out.

Anton came to a sudden halt, getting a clear look at his attacker.

It was a burly Lizard-man, standing nearly two meters tall. Its body was covered in rough, dark-green scales with razor-sharp edges.

It had a triangular head with a long snout, revealing two rows of interlocking, serrated teeth. Its yellow, vertical pupils gleamed coldly in the dim light.

Most striking was the row of bony spines protruding from its back.

The spines ran from the nape of its neck to the tip of its tail. They were dark red, and faint, lava-like patterns seemed to flow across their surface, glowing faintly with each breath.

It was an external manifestation of Giant Dragon blood.

"The bloodline of a Radiant Ash Dragon?"

Anton raised an eyebrow, his eyes glinting.

'It seems the Lizard-man tribes to the north have some connection to that Radiant Ash Dragon in Kresol Dragon City.'

As the thought crossed his mind, the Lizard-man had already closed in, its sharp claws tearing through the air as they swiped viciously at Anton's face.

For Lizard-men possessing Giant Dragon blood, their claws were their best weapons, far superior to ordinary swords, blades, or spears.

And they had always been proud of it.

But today, this Lizard-man had met its match.

Facing the incoming claws, Anton didn't dodge. He didn't even draw his sword. Instead, he met the attack with a palm strike of his own, a crimson glow like molten rock flowing across his hand.

Forge-Melting Hand!

SIZZLE!

The instant palm and claw collided, the Lizard-man's claws were like dry twigs falling into magma. They charred and melted at a visible rate, and the acrid stench of burning flesh filled the air in an instant.

The Lizard-man only had time to let out a short, agonized cry before Anton's palm was already pressed against its forehead.

In a near-instant, the Lizard-man's head was cooked through by the extreme heat, and its scream cut off abruptly.

Anton pulled back his hand, and the Lizard-man's corpse collapsed with a THUD.

Its head had been completely scorched black, sizzling and emitting blue smoke. It gave off a bizarre smell of cooked meat and burnt bone.

He bent down and took a scale from the center of the corpse's chest. The number '1' was carved on it.

"A low-level White Rank Lizard-man is only worth one point, huh."

Anton casually put the scale away and glanced impassively at a tree forty or fifty meters away.

Although the presence was extremely faint, he could still sense someone hiding there.

After a moment's thought, Anton understood.

'To be able to blend one's presence with the surrounding flora so seamlessly... it has to be one of the Forest Guard's Elf Guards.'

This was clearly a precautionary measure arranged by the Forest Guard to ensure the assessment proceeded smoothly and to minimize Elf casualties.

Anton then glanced up at a gray sparrow circling above before retracting his gaze and continuing deeper into the woods.

Watching Anton disappear into the distance, the Elf Guard hidden in the treetop was filled with shock and uncertainty.

'Did he spot me?'

The Elf Guard shook his head.

'It must have been a coincidence. I'm hidden so well, how could a greenhorn like him possibly notice me?'

'That combat technique he just used was strange, though. I've never seen anything like it.'

In the woods, Anton's figure flashed by, almost leaving an afterimage.

The occasional roar of a Lizard-man could be heard in the distance, but he paid it no mind, speeding toward the heart of the forest.

He didn't intend to waste time searching for prey everywhere. If he was going to do this, he was going to do it big.

Pushing his Star Shifting Step to its limit, Anton soon arrived at a clearing in the center of the woods.

It was a natural depression, a low-lying area surrounded by steep earthen slopes. The tops of the slopes were covered in dense bushes and vines, forming a natural amphitheater.

Anton surveyed his surroundings and nodded in satisfaction. He then took a deep breath and suddenly opened his mouth.

A clear, soaring dragon's roar erupted, instantly echoing throughout the entire forest.

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