Chapter 13: So expensive, I can't afford it at all

However, what surprised Hao Zhuang was that this young man named Lin Li had an incredibly fast reaction speed.

Most of the dozen or so punches he had returned to his opponent were blocked by the young man’s hands, with only a small portion landing on his body.

"Remember, you are a practitioner, not some thug who only knows how to fight with brute force. When you swing your fists at me, use your spiritual energy!"

With only thirty seconds left on the timer under the ring, Hao Zhuang, who was handling the situation with ease, lectured Lin Li while throwing punches at the desperately defending youth.

"Bang."

Just as Hao Zhuang finished speaking, Lin Li suddenly erupted. He lifted his right leg and kicked toward his opponent's stomach.

Hao Zhuang leaped backward, easily dodging Lin Li’s sudden burst of aggression, and landed five meters away.

"You think I don't want to use spiritual energy? It’s just not the time to use it yet," Lin Li said, baring his teeth as he nursed the few punches he’d taken to his chest and stomach.

"Oh? Then go ahead and use it! Time is almost up. I’ll tell you now, I haven't been serious until now. In the final ten seconds, I’m going to increase my attack intensity and beat you until you can't stand up," Hao Zhuang said to Lin Li with a smile.

Unfortunately, his smile froze the moment he finished speaking, and the expression on the face of the staff member under the ring froze along with it.

"Poof."

A small fireball the size of a pigeon egg appeared at Lin Li’s fingertips. In just a few seconds, the pigeon-egg-sized fireball rapidly expanded.

Within five seconds, the small fireball had turned into a large one the size of a soccer ball.

Hao Zhuang, who possessed the strength of a Tier 2 early-stage practitioner, instantly sensed the lethality of the fireball. If he took this fireball head-on, while it wouldn't kill him, it would leave him severely injured.

Just as Lin Li was preparing to launch the fireball in his hand at the examiner in front of him, he heard the man say, "I didn't expect you to have awakened a fire ability. Not bad! You’ve passed this exam."

"Huh?" Lin Li, who was ready to fire the ball, hadn't expected Hao Zhuang to announce that he had passed.

"Alright, hurry up and deactivate your ability! Don't blow up this ring," Hao Zhuang said to Lin Li.

Having been suppressed and beaten for two minutes, he really wanted to throw that fireball at the guy to vent his frustration.

Alas, the exam was already over, and he no longer had a reason to throw it.

As he deactivated his ability, the fireball floating at his fingertips instantly vanished.

Hao Zhuang walked up to Lin Li, staring at him with piercing eyes.

*Why is this guy looking at me like that? He doesn't have that kind of hobby, does he?* Lin Li felt his scalp tingle under Hao Zhuang’s gaze.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, he heard the man say, "Do you want to join our exotic beast hunter squad?"

"Join your exotic beast hunter squad?" Lin Li asked in return.

"Our squad is short a person. Although you lack combat experience and experience fighting exotic beasts, I think highly of you. How about it? Want to join us?" Hao Zhuang invited.

Lin Li pondered for a moment, then shook his head at Hao Zhuang. "Thank you for the invitation, but I don't have any plans to join an exotic beast hunter squad for the time being."

Although his invitation was rejected by the newcomer, Hao Zhuang didn't get angry. Instead, he let out a hearty laugh and pulled a business card from his pocket to hand to Lin Li.

"This is my card. If you change your mind later, feel free to contact me anytime."

Lin Li took the card, nodded with a smile, and then followed the staff member out of the exam hall toward the place where he would receive his exotic beast hunter qualification certificate.

Back in the empty No. 6 exam hall, Hao Zhuang stood on the ring and muttered to himself, "This young man named Lin Li has an astonishing growth rate!

In those two-plus minutes of sparring, he quickly adapted to my attack rhythm and was even able to make effective counterattacks. I fear he will become an incredible figure in the future."

…………

"Pitter-patter..."

Dark, gloomy clouds began to release rain. Blown by the wind, the raindrops slapped against the glass window, forming streaks of water as they flowed down.

Looking at the palm-sized exotic beast hunter qualification certificate in his hand, a happy smile appeared on Lin Li’s face. His plan had taken another step forward.

"Hiss..."

The pain in his right arm made Lin Li gasp. During the previous exam, his right arm had blocked many of Hao Zhuang’s punches for him.

He hadn't been able to see the extent of the injury earlier, but now his arm was bruised and blue.

"I remember there’s still half a bottle of safflower oil at home. When I get back, I’ll have to rub it in well to help the bruising fade as quickly as possible."

Muttering to himself, he opened his folding umbrella and walked into the rain, heading toward the distant street corner.

Reaching the corner, he crossed the traffic light, turned right, and walked a short distance until a weapon shop appeared before him.

Practitioners have weapons specifically for practitioners. The shop in front of him, named "Jinghe," was a weapon shop catering specifically to them.

Everything sold inside was a spiritual weapon crafted from various spiritual materials.

"Welcome," the beautiful sales clerk greeted Lin Li as he walked into the shop.

To his surprise, the sales clerk was wearing a traditional qipao that accentuated her figure.

Her pretty face and slender figure, paired with the traditional qipao, were a perfect match, and Lin Li couldn't help but take a few extra looks.

"Is there anything you need, sir?" the beautiful sales clerk asked with a smile.

"Ahem." Lin Li withdrew his gaze and coughed lightly to hide his embarrassment at being captivated by her beautiful qipao.

"I’d like to buy a spiritual weapon. Could you please recommend one for me?"

"Certainly, sir. Please follow me this way." The beautiful sales clerk nodded with a smile and led Lin Li deeper into the shop.

There were quite a few people looking at weapons in the shop, mostly over thirty years old, exuding a rugged aura. One look told you they were likely exotic beast hunters who frequently dealt with beasts in the wild.

"Please look, sir. This is a newly arrived spiritual longsword, priced at one million yuan. This spiritual longblade is priced at 1.5 million yuan. And this spiritual spear is two million yuan... and this spiritual firearm is ten million yuan."

"..." Lin Li, who only had a budget of 500,000, remained silent, quietly watching the beautiful sales clerk eloquently introduce one expensive spiritual weapon after another.

Ten minutes later, the beautiful sales clerk had introduced every spiritual weapon on the display case priced over a million yuan.

At this moment, she noticed that the young customer in front of her was staring at one of the lowest-priced spiritual weapons in the shop.

…………

PS: Thanks to "08a" for the 100-point tip.

(End of chapter)