The Speedrun Begins with Choosing Hunter

Wan Jun Peak.

Bai Yuan, who had been sound asleep, suddenly sat up.

His abilities as a Demon Hunter made his perception of the outside world incredibly sharp, allowing him to sense vibrations far beyond the ordinary.

Bai Yuan frowned.

It was already midnight. ’How could there be so many people moving about on Wan Jun Peak?’

He immediately leaped out of bed, pushed open the wooden door, and walked out of his room.

Hearing the commotion, Liu Qing and Jiang Fei, wearing only their undergarments, slowly pushed open their door. Their eyes widened when they saw Bai Yuan with a saber on his back.

"Young Master..."

Bai Yuan said, "Come here. I’m taking you to the secret passage."

The commotion tonight was too unusual. He wasn’t sure if he could protect Liu Qing and Jiang Fei on his own.

Liu Qing and Jiang Fei watched as Bai Yuan opened a hidden passage in the room, the shock on their faces lingering.

They lived in the same courtyard with Bai Yuan day and night, yet they had no idea he had dug such a secret passage.

After sending Liu Qing and Jiang Fei into the secret passage, he headed down the mountain alone.

...

A bloodcurdling scream shattered the tranquility of Wan Jun Peak.

Chaos... Blood...

You Shengnan swung her Long Sword, gritting her teeth as she fought against the black-clothed men who had appeared on Wan Jun Peak at some unknown time.

Hearing the unceasing cries and screams around her, her heart sank.

The Divine Mansion Sect was heavily guarded, with the Divine Mansion Army patrolling the perimeter. It was impossible for so many enemies to have gotten in.

’Unless... the Divine Mansion Sect has already fallen.’

You Shengnan looked toward the twelve peaks in the distance. They were dotted with the light of fires, clearly not at peace either.

In that moment, she felt as if she had been plunged into an icy cavern.

’What in the world is happening?!’

Just as she was fighting for her life, a young man suddenly appeared in a small courtyard on the mountainside, and with him was Xiongshan.

"Junior Brother Bai!"

You Shengnan was overjoyed to see Bai Yuan appear.

Bai Yuan was the stabilizing force of Wan Jun Peak right now.

With a single slash, Bai Yuan killed the black-clothed man she had been fighting for dozens of exchanges.

You Shengnan quickly asked, "Who are these people?"

Bai Yuan’s brows were tightly knit. He took a deep breath. "The Lingzhou Army."

Hearing the two words "Lingzhou Army," You Shengnan felt an even deeper chill run through her.

As a disciple of the Divine Mansion Sect, she was well aware of the thousand-year feud between the sect and the Lingzhou Army. Since these were men from the Lingzhou Army, the Divine Mansion Sect was likely in grave danger tonight.

"Let’s go. We’ll head down the mountain first."

Bai Yuan made an immediate decision.

He didn’t lead You Shengnan and Xiongshan to the secret passage in the courtyard at the summit.

Since the Lingzhou Army had come with the intent to annihilate the sect, they must have arranged for experts to target him specifically.

By heading down the mountain earlier, Bai Yuan had avoided a direct confrontation with them. Going back up now would be walking right into them.

You Shengnan and Xiongshan exchanged a glance and immediately followed Bai Yuan, fighting their way down the mountain.

Along the way, Bai Yuan took down one black-clothed man with each slash of his saber. He found it quite satisfying, and he also managed to save quite a few disciples from Wan Jun Peak.

However, there were over a hundred black-clothed men who had stormed Wan Jun Peak, and all of them were elite soldiers. If Bai Yuan tried to save every single disciple, he would surely be exhausted to death.

So, naturally, he was selective.

Besides You Shengnan and Xiongshan, the first people he saved were, of course, the trio of Ma Dingjun, Cheng Li, and Li Ting, who had come here with him from Huwei Arts Hall.

When Bai Yuan arrived, Ma Dingjun, Cheng Li, and Li Ting had already gathered together.

This saved Bai Yuan a lot of trouble.

Suddenly, Bai Yuan stopped in his tracks and then reversed direction. He had sensed a familiar aura from the foot of the mountain—the Kaiyang Taoist.

’Longevity Palace really has joined forces with the Lingzhou Army.’

Although You Shengnan and the others didn’t know why Bai Yuan suddenly headed back up the mountain, they instinctively trusted his decision.

Before long, the group finally reached the eaves of Wan Jun Hall at the summit.

Just as they thought they finally had a chance to catch their breath, a sinister cackle echoed from nearby.

Shi Baishan appeared, walking slowly toward them with two burly, black-clothed men.

Shi Baishan looked at Bai Yuan with a cold smile. "Why aren’t you running anymore?"

He had originally brought men to ambush and kill Bai Yuan. Unexpectedly, when they snuck into the courtyard next to Wan Jun Hall, the place was already empty.

Just as they were searching, Bai Yuan had actually run back with a group of people.

Although Shi Baishan was puzzled, he wasn’t the least bit flustered.

The Divine Mansion Sect was crawling with men from the Lingzhou Army tonight; he had nothing to fear.

When You Shengnan saw Shi Baishan’s face clearly, her expression became extremely ugly. She rebuked him sharply, "Peak Master Shi, are you betraying the sect?!"

Hearing this, Shi Baishan’s sinister cackle grew even more unrestrained.

"This old man is rebelling today. What can you do about it?"

Shi Baishan didn’t want to waste any more words. Along with the two Lingzhou Army powerhouses beside him, he moved to surround and kill Bai Yuan.

Bai Yuan bent his knees slightly into a horse stance, the hilt of his long saber level with his shoulder. He slowly tightened his grip on the hilt, a hint of excitement even showing in his expression.

’Enhancement points. Who doesn’t love them?’

A thousand years of saber intent erupted forth in that instant.

The Lingzhou Army powerhouse at the front saw that incomparably brilliant slash, and his pupils contracted violently.

’This is a saber technique an Entry-level Powerhouse can use?!’

He wanted to retreat, but the slash was just too fast!

"Urk... AHH..."

The body of the Lingzhou Army powerhouse was severed at the waist by Bai Yuan’s slash. Due to inertia, the two halves of his body flew through the air for a long moment before landing.

Shi Baishan and the other Lingzhou Army powerhouse, who had been about to charge Bai Yuan, were so shocked by this horrifying scene that they froze in their tracks.

The shock in Shi Baishan’s heart was beyond measure.

"How is this possible?!"

He stared at Bai Yuan with wide eyes.

Shi Baishan still remembered that three years ago, Bai Yuan was just a nameless junior struggling for a spot as an Inner Sect Disciple. Now, he had grown to such a height that even Shi Baishan felt a sense of powerlessness against him.

’His talent is terrifyingly strong!’

"Attack together! Kill him!"

Shi Baishan no longer dared to charge forward himself.

The other Martial Artist was no fool either. He shuffled his feet cautiously, circling to trap Bai Yuan between them.

"You all go first," Bai Yuan said slowly.

Hearing Bai Yuan’s words, You Shengnan and the others gritted their teeth and ran toward his courtyard.

On the way up, Bai Yuan had already told them how to open the secret passage.

Shi Baishan only glanced at You Shengnan’s group before his gaze returned to Bai Yuan. Compared to hunting a flood dragon like Bai Yuan, letting a few small shrimp escape was no big deal.

Seeing You Shengnan and the others leave, a smile finally appeared on Bai Yuan’s face. He then cracked his neck.

’It’s been a while since I had a good slaughter...’

His Master-level Night Wanderer Step, enhanced by his Sword Ghost class, was displayed to its fullest extent. As if unbound by the laws of physics, his figure skimmed just above the ground, like a phantom.

Shi Baishan was greatly alarmed to see such a bizarre Body Technique.

Bai Yuan didn’t give them much time to be surprised, for his long saber was already at their feet.

Honed by countless battles, Bai Yuan had found the fastest way to kill: attacking the lower body. Ground-hugging attacks were far more effective than standing techniques. Perhaps this was the origin of the "leg-chopping monsters" of his previous life.

Neither Shi Baishan nor the other Lingzhou Army expert had ever seen such a strange method of attack, and the shocking image of Bai Yuan instantly killing the other powerhouse was still fresh in their minds.

They both tacitly chose to dodge to the side.

But in the eyes of Bai Yuan, who practiced the Broken River Saber Technique, they were full of openings.

The moment a Martial Artist moves, they reveal an opening. The more they move, the more openings they create. And the more openings, the closer they are to death.

With another slash, Bai Yuan anticipated the Lingzhou Army Entry-level Powerhouse’s movements, cutting off his path of retreat.

The powerful saber intent, combined with his ferocious power, left the man with no way out.

He could only raise his saber and block helplessly.

Bai Yuan obliged, raising his own saber and chopping down hard.

Amidst a series of bone-jarring, flesh-numbing CRACKS of metal, the Lingzhou Army Entry-level Powerhouse was brutally hacked into a meat pulp.

The Gui Shan Saber Technique was just that terrifying.

Bai Yuan wiped the blood from his cheek with the back of his hand and looked at Shi Baishan like a Demon God.

Shi Baishan’s expression was now ugly to the extreme.

’Fuck! Fuck!’

’Why is he so strong?!’

He couldn’t fathom how Bai Yuan, who was only in his early twenties, could be so monstrously powerful!

Bai Yuan had already killed two Entry-level Powerhouses in a row. Shi Baishan knew he was no match for him.

Just as Bai Yuan was walking toward him, saber in hand, Shi Baishan suddenly saw a figure slowly approaching from down the mountain.

It was the Kaiyang Taoist.

He instantly looked as if he’d seen his salvation. "Let’s kill this little bastard together!"

Bai Yuan frowned. He too had sensed the Kaiyang Taoist’s aura.

But then, the saber intent emanating from his body surged dramatically!

[In your 712th year of practicing the Broken River Saber, your saber technique has reached a state of perfection!]

...

[In your 835th year of practicing the Broken River Saber, your saber technique has reached its zenith.]

...

[In your 900th year of practicing the Broken River Saber, you... became a legend!]

...

Shi Baishan stared at the strange change coming over Bai Yuan, and a terrifying thought appeared in his mind.

’An epiphany!’

’He never imagined Bai Yuan would actually have an epiphany in the middle of a battle!’

’If Bai Yuan was this terrifying before his epiphany, what kind of horrifying existence would he become after it?!’

Shi Baishan didn’t dare to imagine. He couldn’t even wait for the Kaiyang Taoist to arrive. Gritting his teeth, he raised his sword and charged at Bai Yuan.

But it was as if Bai Yuan had anticipated his sword strike in advance.

The instant before Shi Baishan could act, Bai Yuan swung his long saber, striking first!

Shi Baishan felt that all his defenses were laughable before this one slash. The slash wasn’t fast, nor was it powerful, yet it was impossible to dodge. It had already anticipated his intentions; it was a blow he was fated to receive.

Shi Baishan’s pupils dilated, then lost their focus.

Crimson blood sprayed from his neck.

With a single slash, Bai Yuan had ended the life of this Peak Master of the Divine Mansion Sect.

Though they were both at the Entry-level, the gap between them was now as wide as a chasm.

Just as Shi Baishan’s body hit the ground, the Kaiyang Taoist finally arrived before Bai Yuan. He gazed at Bai Yuan with eyes as tranquil as an ancient well.

Bai Yuan calmly met the Kaiyang Taoist’s gaze.

Or rather, he was looking at the panel floating before his eyes.

[Name: Bai Yuan]

[Class: Demon Hunter, Sword Ghost, Boxer, Spirit Cooker, Screen Master]

[Skills: Broken River Saber (Legendary), Demon Qi Lure (Master), Thousand Faces Art (Master), Sunflower Acupoint-Striking (Proficient)...]

[Enhancement Points: 0]

The three gilded words "Broken River Saber" shone with particular brilliance on the panel.

He had Shi Baishan to thank for this.

Without him, his saber technique would never have reached the Legendary level so quickly.

Bai Yuan glanced at the corpse of Shi Baishan on the ground, his eyes wide open in death.

’He was a pretty good guy, huh?’