The Speedrun Begins with Choosing Hunter

After some thought, Bai Yuan took out the glazed vial containing the Water Spirit Soup.

Xiaoqing smelled the sweet, pure fragrance emanating from the glazed vial, its face showing a look of utter bliss.

It plunged its head right into the small vial, emitting soft gurgles as it swallowed.

In just a few moments, the Water Spirit Soup in the glazed vial was gone.

After drinking the Water Spirit Soup, Xiaoqing’s appearance didn’t seem to change much.

But only Bai Yuan could clearly sense that Xiaoqing’s venom had become more potent!

Xiaoqing was a Three-Metamorphosis Snake Demon, and while its physical strength was greatly diminished after molting, its original venom had been perfectly preserved.

That the Water Spirit Soup could enhance the venom of a Three-Metamorphosis Snake Demon... its applications were truly miraculous.

As anyone familiar with snakebites knows, the venom of sea snakes is far more potent than that of their land-dwelling counterparts—each species is incredibly deadly. Coincidentally, the Water Spirit aspect of the soup strengthened the power of Xiaoqing’s water-based venom.

Having eaten and drunk its fill, Xiaoqing affectionately rubbed its head against Bai Yuan.

Then it slithered up his pant leg, finally sliding into Bai Yuan’s sleeve.

...

Far away, at the Huwei Arts Hall, Sister Qiao was sparring with Li Ting.

The longspear thrust toward Li Ting from an exceedingly tricky angle, making it nearly impossible to defend against.

After a little over ten exchanges, Li Ting collapsed onto the ground, calling out her surrender.

She looked at Xiao Qiaoniang helplessly.

’Bai Yuan is already a monster,’ she thought. ’I didn’t expect this pretty woman to be just as fierce, not a bit inferior.’

’Even though I started training two years before her, my combat strength now is nowhere near Xiao Qiaoniang’s.’

’Could it be that the Bai Family just has good feng shui?’

Li Ting couldn’t help but wonder if she should talk to Xiao Qiaoniang about transferring ownership of Bai Yuan’s old wooden cabin in Baisha Town to her.

Otherwise, it was just too hard to explain why that pair was so freakishly talented.

Xiao Qiaoniang pursed her lips.

Since she began practicing martial arts, her figure had become even more shapely. A touch of heroic spirit now complemented her fiery beauty, drawing the furtive glances of many disciples at the Martial Arts Hall.

Some gossips had even dubbed her and Cheng Li the "Twin Jewels of the Martial Arts Hall."

Coincidentally, Cheng Li was Xiao Qiaoniang’s master. To have both women... tsk tsk, a man would practically ascend to the heavens.

However, Cheng Li was a True Disciple, and Xiao Qiaoniang, furthermore, was Bai Yuan’s woman.

Most of these disciples only dared to think about it; no one dared to act on it.

Just as Xiao Qiaoniang was about to step forward and help Li Ting up—

A pleasant, tingling current surged up from her Dantian.

’It’s Xiaoqing.’

In an instant, she knew the source of this current.

She felt her strength surge throughout her body. The Yijin Pass, which she had thought was still a long way off, was now within reach!

A trace of sweetness rose in Xiao Qiaoniang’s heart.

’Xiaoqing’s power has surged. This must be connected to Brother Yuan.’ 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Though they were a thousand miles apart, this connection through Xiaoqing made it feel as if he were right beside her.

’This feels so good.’

...

「Divine Mansion Sect, Main Peak, Law Enforcement Hall.」

"Younger Brother Bai, what is this?"

Li Da asked with some surprise, looking at the glazed vial in his hand.

He considered himself worldly and knowledgeable, yet he had never seen anything like it. After pulling out the wooden stopper, he saw a golden liquid inside the vial. It gave off an unusual fragrance that made his mouth water.

’No matter how I look at it, this seems more like... broth...’

Though this was Li Da’s private thought, he gave no outward sign of it.

Bai Yuan said, "Brother Li, this is a Spirit Medicine my master passed down to me. Its effects are comparable to five Blood Refining Pills. You can give it a try, but you can only drink half a tael at a time. You must remember this!"

’If I say I refined this Spirit Medicine myself, it will definitely make Li Da suspicious and could even attract trouble.’

So Bai Yuan simply borrowed Old Dong’s name. In any case, it wasn’t as if Li Da could go and confront the man to his face.

As soon as Li Da heard it was Dong Wanjun’s treasure, his interest was immediately piqued.

Who in the Divine Mansion Sect didn’t know that Peak Master Dong was a master of countless arts with profound and mysterious methods? Every treasure he revealed was a true eye-opener.

Following Bai Yuan’s instructions, he drank half a tael of the Water Spirit Soup.

Not even a moment after it entered his stomach, his eyes widened and he looked down at his Dantian in disbelief.

’A divine medicine!’

Li Da was astounded.

He had lost count of all the spiritual elixirs and treasure medicines he’d consumed over the years, and his standards were extremely high, but the small vial of liquid in his hand left him dumbfounded.

After all, the reason Martial Artists couldn’t constantly rely on medicine was the issue of pill toxins.

Yet this liquid was incredibly mild and contained no toxins at all.

Of course, it wasn’t completely without a flaw—it had to be expensive.

Li Da didn’t even have to ask; he knew the price of this medicine had to far exceed that of a Blood Refining Pill. He couldn’t afford to take it every day, even if he were able to.

It wasn’t just him; even the Peak Masters of the Thirteen Peaks couldn’t afford it.

’As expected of Peak Master Dong!’

His admiration for Dong Wanjun skyrocketed once again.

"Younger Brother Bai, if you get any more treasures like this in the future, you have to remember your old big brother, you hear?"

Li Da rubbed his hands together, speaking to Bai Yuan shamelessly.

For a Martial Artist, the temptation of this medicinal liquid was simply too great.

Bai Yuan replied, "Of course."

After making a bit more small talk with Li Da, he found an excuse and left the Law Enforcement Hall.

’The only reason Li Da holds me in such high regard is because of Dong Wanjun.’

’The gap in our power is too vast. No matter how much I try to leverage the connection, we can never be truly close.’

’All close relationships in this world ultimately rely on a foundation of strength. Otherwise, no matter how intimate you once were, you’ll eventually become strangers.’

’Such a thing was all too common, both in my past life and this one.’

...

「Several days passed in the blink of an eye.」

To Bai Yuan’s surprise, the Wang Family had made no move at all.

The Head of the Fang Family, Fang Shijie, had been nervously awaiting the Wang Family’s swift and brutal retaliation, but no move ever came.

This, however, only terrified him more.

The more anger that was accumulated, the more terrifying the explosion would be. When that time came, the entire Fang Family might not be able to withstand it.

What infuriated him even more was that Fang Ya seemed dead set on severing ties with the family and hadn’t returned even once.

This time, Fang Shijie had truly suffered a double loss—he’d lost his daughter and his gambit had failed.

Not only did the Wang Family not move against the Fang Family, but even Bai Yuan and Fang Ya were left in peace.

Although Li Da had intervened that night, logically, even if Elder Wang didn’t dare to make a move on Li Da himself, he should have sent his subordinates to make trouble for Bai Yuan and Fang Ya.

But after several days, there was still no sign of them making a move.

Bai Yuan had no interest in the Wang Family’s situation. He was busy slaying demons every day; he had no time to waste on such useless matters.

’As long as I keep getting stronger, it won’t matter if it’s Elder Wang or some other Elder. I’ll cut them all down!’

On this day.

Bai Yuan left his home as usual. He had accepted a mission at the Merit Hall the day before.

Coincidentally, the person he was meeting was Li Kang.

Over this period, he had not only gained enhancement points from completing missions, but had also accumulated a fair number of merit points.

He planned to go to the Herb Hall to buy a stalk of Wood Spirit Grass for his spirit-cooking.

Just as he pushed open the door, a tall figure appeared in front of the courtyard gate.

The figure was as solid as an iron tower, and his broad back completely blocked the sunlight from overhead.

It was none other than Bai Yuan’s senior martial brother, Xiongshan.

Xiongshan flashed his signature, good-natured smile.

"Junior Brother Bai, Master has told me to take you down the mountain with me."