Monster Paradise

Bang!

Two silhouettes backed off as a loud thud was heard. Lin Huang had been training with Liu Ming in the battle training ground these days. Although he had completed the sword skills integration, he did not want to stop leveling up his sword realm. He had been reading about sword skills at the library where most of them were regular and rare Skill Cards.

With his newfound understanding now, he could basically understand a normal sword skill by just reading about it once while he could pick up and master the rare sword skills after practicing it twice or thrice. He had been combining the sword skills integration into his Star Dome outline to remedy his lack of knowledge in sword realm foundation.

The Martial Hunter College had epic-level sword skills as well, but they were not complimentary. They could only be retrieved by redeeming contribution points. Lin Huang did not have to learn epic-level sword skills as the normal and rare sword skills that he had mastered were sufficient for him for the time being.

The teacher’s contribution points came mostly from teaching a class. Each student would equal to 1 contribution point whereby he would get 50 contribution points as most classes would have around 50 students. Lin Huang was only assigned one class per week which meant that he could only get 2,600 contribution points a year. Each epic-level combat skill would need at least 1,000 contribution points while higher combat skills would need 2,000 to 3,000 contribution points.

To Lin Huang, he would talk to Mr. Fu or buy them with Life Crystals if epic-level sword skills were really necessary. He thought that redeeming contribution points by teaching classes would not be favorable to him. Also, spending a year killing monsters and trading Life Crystals would be much faster than teaching for a year. With the money that he made from selling monsters, he would be able to purchase many combat skills.

Liu Ming sensed that Lin Huang’s new sword skills were not as powerful as before, but he could tell that his sword realm was strengthening. He insisted on training with Lin Huang as he could feel that his sword realm that had been stagnant was now improving. It was not that Lin Huang had inspired him, but Lin Huang’s condition reminded him of the time when he had started training swordsmanship. What Lin Huang was going through reminded him of why he started what he was doing.

Sword training was not mainly to breakthrough levels; it was passion and desire in the sword realm. The training these days reignited the passion that Liu Ming used to have before. He felt that he was around the same age as Lin Huang when they trained. He even forgot about his age, thinking that he was only a few years older than Lin Huang. It was like training and improving with a brother every day. His addressing Lin Huang ”brother” was different from before. It was no longer a formality, but a genuine brotherhood that had formed between the both of them.

Lin Huang could also sense that Liu Ming was much more sincere than before. He used to be distant, but he had become genuine these few days as they trained. He would even tell Lin Huang about his understanding of the sword realm. As long as Lin Huang had questions for him, he would not hold back on his explanation while sincerely teaching him what he knew. Lin Huang was grateful for this. Although he had no idea what had inspired the change, he knew that the brotherhood was real.

As they were training, Lin Huang’s Emperor’s Heart Ring vibrated. Liu Ming backed away while Lin Huang paused to pick up his phone. It was Yi Yeyu, so he answered the video call immediately.

”Good evening!” Lin Huang took out a towel from his storage space and wiped off the sweat on his face.

”What are you doing that you’re sweating so much?” Yi Yeyu asked.

”Training swordsmanship.” Lin Huang waved the sword in his hand.

”Alright then, you sword maniac.” Yi Yeyu knew that Lin Huang’s improvement was leaps and bounds better than hers.

”Oh, well, if you’re not talented, you’ll have to work harder.” Lin Huang smiled.

”You’re not talented?! If the renowned Sword Genius isn’t talented, then who in Division7 is?” Yi Yeyu rolled her eyes at Lin Huang.

”Well, I thought it rhymed, so I might as well say it. I’m not talking about myself.” Lin Huang rubbed his nose.

”You’re so shameless! All you’re doing is fishing for compliments,” Yi Yeyu teased.

”I guess so. Anyway, why did you call?” Lin Huang asked with a smile.

”Didn’t you ask me to call you?”

”I asked you to call me?” Lin Huang was surprised.

”I’m going to hang up if you really can’t recall,” Yi Yeyu threatened.

”You baby has hatched?!” Lin Huang suddenly recalled that he wanted the phoenix blood.

”Lucky for you that you remember! It hatched an hour ago,” Yi Yeyu said and stabilized her phone. She then picked up a red, fluffy baby monster that looked like a slightly bigger and odd chick.

”This is Xiao Hong. Say ’hi’ to Uncle Lin Huang.”

”Erm, I must say you’re worst than me when it comes to naming.” Lin Huang teased as he saw how hesitant the baby monster was.

”What do you know? It’s just a nickname!” Yi Yeyu said.

”So, what’s its real name?” Lin Huang asked in all seriousness.

”Its real name is… Ugh! What does that have to do with you?! I haven’t thought of its real name. What’s wrong with you?!” Yi Yeyu was embarrassed and mad.

”Sure, sure, you’re right about everything.” Lin Huang smiled and nodded. ”It’s not my baby anyway,” Lin Huang said under his breath.

”Lin Huang, tell me in my face if you don’t want the phoenix blood anymore! I’m hanging up!” Yi Yeyu could not take it anymore when she heard what Lin Huang said in the end.

”No, no, no. It’s all my fault, alright?” Lin Huang apologized. It was not easy for Yi Yeyu to finally promise to give him phoenix blood. If it failed, he would have to spend a lot of time and effort looking for an ancient bird monster’s blood for Thunder.

”So, do I send over the blood or what?” Yi Yeyu asked.

”It’s alright. I need fresh blood. I’ll go to you in a few days when I’m free. Please send me your address.” Lin Huang shook his head. He wanted to drop by her place when he was unlocking Bloody so that he did not have to make two trips.

”Sure, I’ll send you the address later. I’ll hang up if there’s nothing else.” Yi Yeyu was obviously still chuffed at Lin Huang. Now that she had a new toy, she was not interested in chatting further.

”Alright then, I’ll let you know before I head there.”

”Girlfriend?” Liu Ming looked playfully at Lin Huang after the call ended.

”No, we’re just friends,” Lin Huang denied right away.

”A philosopher once said that there’s no pure friendship between a boy and a girl.” Liu Ming squinted at Lin Huang, his face even cheekier now.

”Our friendship isn’t pure. We have a financial relationship whereby I owe her money.” Lin Huang looked at Liu Ming in all seriousness.

”Uhh…” Liu Ming was speechless.

Lin Huang was talking about the time when Tyrant had accidentally damaged the hotel during the Reserve Hunter assessment last year. That was how Lin Huang ended up owing Yi Yeyu money. In reality, the hotel belonged to the Hunter Association, so the damage would be borne by the Hunter Association, and Yi Yeyu did not have to pay anything. When Lin Huang insisted on paying her back, Yi Yeyu had replied, ”I don’t want your money, I want to be your creditor.” That was how they ended up in such an odd relationship.