Whoosh!
Just as despair was about to swallow everyone whole, a sharp sound rang out.
Shinra Tensei!
A cluster of Golden Ant Guards was struck by a violent repulsive force and blasted away in an instant.
The swamp that had been crawling with ant guards was suddenly cleared, forming an open space nearly ten meters wide.
Luo Bing stood right at the center of it.
He looked down at his hands and muttered in surprise,
"So I can actually regulate spiritual energy consumption and adjust the power of Shinra Tensei…"
Many of the ant guards that were flung away had been torn apart on the spot.
"Ding! You have slain a B-rank Tier-1 alien beast. Reward: 23 points. Drop: Designated Ninjutsu Fragment (Common) 1/10."
"Ding! You have slain a B-rank Tier-1 alien beast. Reward: 30 points. Drop: Soldier Pills ×10."
"Ding! You have slain a B-rank Tier-1 alien beast. Reward: 22 points."
"Ding! ..."
Inside the barrier, the trapped examinees watched as Luo Bing casually wiped out Golden Ant Guards like he was cleaning a desktop.
Hope ignited once more in their hearts.
"Brothers, praying actually worked! An angel really came to save us!"
"Isn't that Luo Bing, the S+ talent guy? I had no idea his ability was this insane!"
"Yeah! This is way stronger than my guardian beast!"
"I actually believed those Beast Tamer supremacists who said an S+ talent who can't be a Beast Tamer is a joke. Looking back, I'm the real idiot!"
Even Feng Lan—who had been calm and composed the entire time—finally dropped the act.
Beaming with excitement, he waved frantically at Luo Bing.
"Master! Over here! Protect us!"
Feng Lan had always believed he was the protagonist of this world, destined to stand at its peak.
Otherwise, how could he have been born into a prestigious family, sailed smoothly through life, and even recently awakened a double cultivation system?
Now, the moment he encountered a life-or-death crisis, a powerful savior appeared.
Wasn't that ironclad proof?
Someone this strong was obviously a subordinate from his past life.
Yes—definitely.
He had already suspected he was the reincarnation of a Glory King.
Now he was certain.
Luo Bing raised one hand, spiritual energy gathering in his palm.
Banshō Ten'in!
Several Golden Ant Guards rushing toward him shuddered as a powerful attractive force yanked them aside.
The path ahead instantly cleared.
Luo Bing strode over to the trapped group and said helplessly,
"Everyone, my spiritual ability is powerful, but it consumes an enormous amount of energy."
"There are at least two hundred Golden Ant Guards here. With what little energy I have left, I can't carve out a path for long."
The people inside the barrier immediately grew anxious.
"Then… then what do we do?"
"Any operation requires funding," Luo Bing replied calmly.
"If any of you still have spirit stones, all difficulties can be resolved."
A trace of slyness flashed through his eyes.
This was his real objective.
Although killing ant guards earned points, compared to a 2000-point random upgrade ticket, the gains were painfully slow.
Spirit stones, on the other hand, boosted him at rocket speed.
Of course, even if they didn't have any spirit stones, he would still save them.
He needed the ant guards' points anyway—saving them was just a bonus.
The others all looked troubled.
They had only just become Beast Tamers—how could they possibly have spirit stones?
"I do!" Feng Lan raised his hand eagerly.
He immediately took out all the spirit stones from his storage ring and handed them to Luo Bing.
+50 Seventh-Grade Spirit Stones
Seeing the system notification, Luo Bing's heart leapt with joy.
He'd known this sword-carrying kid wasn't ordinary.
Sure enough—generous spender.
This guy was solid. Definitely worth dealing with.
Fifty seventh-grade spirit stones should boost his progress by a huge margin.
Way better than grinding monsters like a wage slave.
"Be honest," Feng Lan lowered his voice and whispered,
"Are you my subordinate from a past life, secretly protecting me all along?"
Luo Bing stared at him in confusion.
Is this guy mentally ill?
Delusions of grandeur?
Still, abiding by the principle that customers are gods, he replied politely,
"Who the hell are you?"
"You don't recognize me? Then why did you show up just in time to save me?"
Feng Lan looked like his worldview had shattered, as if his entire life had taken a critical hit.
Given the spirit stones, Luo Bing was willing to chat a bit more—worth at least another fifty stones.
But suddenly, a furious roar cut their conversation short.
Hissssss!
The ant guards surrounding them—who had been wary of Luo Bing's strange power—suddenly went berserk upon hearing the roar.
Their eyes turned blood-red, antennae twitching violently.
The frenzy spread through the ant swarm, boiling over.
"It's the Ant Queen!" someone shouted.
"She's buffed the colony with Bloodlust—this is bad!"
Luo Bing sighed helplessly.
"Forget it. The risk's too high. I can't handle this."
With that, he turned as if to leave.
His acting was flawless—like a market auntie entering the bargaining phase.
A true veteran.
"Master, don't go!" Feng Lan cried out, grabbing Luo Bing desperately.
"I'm the eldest son of the Feng family of the Imperial Capital! If you save me, you'll be richly rewarded!"
Normally, Feng Lan would never say something so un-protagonist-like.
But after the recent blow, doubts crept into his belief.
What if I'm not the protagonist?
Then wouldn't I really die here?
At that point—who cared about pride?
Luo Bing saw his reaction and tried to raise the price.
"No, no, I really can't. Totally impossible. For real."
"Master, my sister—Feng Xue—is naturally beautiful and brilliant. If you're willing—no, if brother-in-law doesn't mind, I'll personally set you two up!"
Not tempted by power? Then try beauty!
In his desperation, Feng Lan was even willing to sell out his sister.
"Feng Xue?!"
The other examinees' eyes bulged.
"You mean that genius girl who's consistently top two at Imperial Capital University?!"
"She's rejected countless admirers—Master Luo, you really need to grasp the depth of this opportunity!"
"Master Luo, for the sake of a beautiful girl, please save us!"
Luo Bing remained unmoved.
"Women only slow down the speed at which I draw my sword."
After long-term exposure to Yang Yiyi, he had developed resistance.
Using women to tempt him?
Nice try.
"It's a pity you can't contract spirit beasts," Feng Lan sighed.
"Otherwise, I have an item you'd definitely want."
A glint flashed through Luo Bing's eyes.
"Oh? Do tell."
"I have a Divine Beast Detector. It can quickly locate that divine beast that's been appearing in the Valley of the End."
"I was so focused on watching the detector that I got surrounded by alien beasts."
Luo Bing chuckled.
"My talent grows over time. Just because I couldn't contract spirit beasts before doesn't mean I can't now."
Feng Lan's face lit up.
"As long as you save me, the Divine Beast Detector is yours."
"Deal."
Luo Bing nodded decisively.
Even after sending out fifty rats, he still hadn't gotten any divine beast clues.
Clearly, divine beasts weren't that easy to find.
That made the detector absolutely worth it.
At the same time—
Nearby, White Zetsu—cloaked in a hooded robe and wearing an Anbu-style mask—leapt straight into the ant swarm.
At Radiant Silver Tier 1, even his most basic taijutsu easily sent the frenzied ant guards flying.
After all, crossing an entire major realm was the difference between heaven and earth.
Advance Chapters available on Patreon
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