Before deciding to hunt the Bluefire Stag, Zhang Ruochen carefully calculated his chances.
Given his current cultivation, there was indeed a vast gap between him and the Bluefire Stag's power. Moreover, he couldn't use his true martial weapons because the Flash Soul Sword and the Abyss Ancient Sword were stored in the spatial crystal. Using them would expose the existence of the spatial crystal.
Against any other first-tier upper-rank beast, Zhang Ruochen had no chance of winning.
However, the Bluefire Stag was different. Its advantage lay in its speed, while its attack power and defense were far inferior to those of other first-tier upper-rank beasts.
Zhang Ruochen's advantage was his spiritual power, comparable to that of a Heaven Extremity Great Perfection warrior, combined with his rich combat experience, allowing him to anticipate the stag's movements and respond with agility.
Thus, the Bluefire Stag's terrifying speed might not necessarily overwhelm Zhang Ruochen.
"Roar!"
Zhang Ruochen, like a provocateur, let out a loud roar at the Bluefire Stag.
"Whoosh!"
The Bluefire Stag, enraged, ignited its flames brighter, turning into a blue blur as it instantly charged at Zhang Ruochen.
Just before the stag reached him, Zhang Ruochen kicked off the ground, propelling himself seven meters into the air.
"Flying Dragon in the Sky!"
Powerful true energy surged through his eleven meridians, his body emanating a low, resonant dragon's roar as he mustered all his strength, striking down with a fierce palm.
But the stag's speed was overwhelming, and Zhang Ruochen's palm missed, hitting the ground instead.
"Whoosh!"
A blue shadow flashed, and the stag appeared before him, its antlers aiming straight for his chest.
Zhang Ruochen struck back with a palm, meeting the stag's force head-on.
"Bang!"
A powerful impact surged through his palm, causing his right arm to go numb instantly.
Zhang Ruochen retreated swiftly, glancing at his right arm to find it burned by the stag's flames. His sleeve had turned to ash, exposing his wrist and forearm.
Circulating true energy through his meridians, he gradually regained feeling in his numb arm.
"Crack!"
The Bluefire Stag charged at him again, appearing before him in an instant.
At that moment, the Ninth Princess, standing in the distance, unleashed two Thunder Arrows, both aimed at the stag's eyes.
"Bang!" "Bang!"
The stag reacted quickly, using its sturdy antlers to deflect both arrows.
"Rampaging Beast Strike!"
Seizing the opportunity, Zhang Ruochen charged, using the momentum of his body to unleash a palm strike with the power of sixteen oxen, aimed at the stag's head.
The stag let out a wail as a gash opened on its forehead, slowing its reactions.
"Thwack!"
Taking advantage of the moment, the Ninth Princess nocked her final Thunder Arrow and fired. The arrow pierced through the stag's left eye with pinpoint accuracy.
"Boom!"
The arrowhead exploded, tearing apart the left side of the stag's head, and its eyeball burst into a mist of blood.
Zhang Ruochen somersaulted to the Saber-toothed Crimson Tiger's carcass nearby, snapping off a half-foot-long tooth from its mouth.
The severely injured Bluefire Stag's flames dimmed as it turned to flee.
Gripping the tiger tooth like a short blade, Zhang Ruochen leapt off a tree trunk, using its rebound to propel himself forward.
"Thwack!"
The sharp tiger tooth pierced the stag's forehead, puncturing its skull.
"Thud!"
The stag struggled briefly before collapsing to the ground, gasping for breath.
Zhang Ruochen pulled out the tooth and thrust it into the stag's abdomen, ending its life.
The Ninth Princess hurried over, staring at the stag's corpse in disbelief. "Ninth Brother… you killed a first-tier upper-rank beast."
Zhang Ruochen glanced at her, stood up, and casually wrapped his burnt hand with a cloth. "Not just me, but us."
The Ninth Princess knew that she hadn't been of much help. If Zhang Ruochen hadn't struck the stag's head, slowing it down, her Thunder Arrow would never have hit its eye.
Nevertheless, she was still overjoyed, having played a part in hunting a first-tier upper-rank beast and succeeding.
Overwhelmed with excitement, the Ninth Princess jumped forward, hugging Zhang Ruochen tightly.
"Ninth Brother, we are the perfect battle partners. Our teamwork is amazing!"
Her soft arms wrapped around his neck, and her ample chest pressed against him, almost knocking him to the ground.
Zhang Ruochen raised an arm to her shoulder, keeping some distance as he calmly said, "We should head back."
Seeing Zhang Ruochen's aloofness, the Ninth Princess pouted, stamping her foot in frustration. "I'm your sister; I won't bite. Why do you always act like you dislike me?"
Zhang Ruochen walked out of Tiger Roar Slope, mounted the antelope, and glanced back at her. "Let's go."
The Ninth Princess rolled her eyes, placing her hand in his as she leapt onto the antelope behind him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her face on his back as she teased, "Your Highness, Ninth Prince, quickly take your beautiful sister away from this blood-soaked place!"
Zhang Ruochen shook his head slightly and spurred the antelope, charging out of the forest and galloping toward the royal hunting grounds.
…
Of the forty-three young warriors who participated in the hunt, twenty-six had already returned to the royal hunting grounds, leaving only seventeen still unaccounted for.
Those who had not returned by now were either killed by beasts or had yet to hunt one down.
"Min'er, how did the hunt go this time?" Concubine Huo, mother of the Fifth Prince, asked.
The Fifth Prince wore a confident smile. "Mother, rest assured. No one will have a better result than mine in this hunt."
"If so, that would be ideal." Concubine Huo smiled and nodded.
Lin Fengxian also glanced at Lin Ningshan, asking, "Shan'er, this is your first time hunting in Wangshan. Did you encounter many difficulties?"
Lin Ningshan shook her head confidently. "The hunt was easier than I imagined, with no difficulties at all. I'm confident I can rank in the top ten for this round."
She glanced toward the direction of Wangshan and, seeing that Zhang Ruochen had not yet returned, felt even more pleased. She thought to herself, "It seems he hasn't hunted any beasts yet. After all, he's only been training for three months. Consuming precious herbs can boost strength quickly, but it doesn't build battle experience."
At this moment, Consort Lin grew anxious, her eyes fixed longingly on the direction of Wangshan.
Soon after, the young warriors began returning one after another.
Those who returned at this point mostly wore gloomy expressions, clearly unsuccessful in their hunt.
"Why haven't the Ninth Prince and Ninth Princess returned yet? I hope nothing bad happened."
Everyone began to worry, as past hunts in Wangshan had claimed the lives of young warriors.
The Yunwu Commandery Prince frowned, ready to send people to search for the Ninth Prince and Ninth Princess.
Suddenly, a voice rang out from the crowd, "They're back! The Ninth Prince and the Ninth Princess are returning together!"
Consort Lin, Lin Ningshan, and the other princes and princesses turned their eyes toward Wangshan, seeing the Ninth Prince and Ninth Princess riding together, galloping toward them.
Upon arriving at the royal hunting grounds, Zhang Ruochen and the Ninth Princess dismounted and approached the Yunwu Commandery Prince.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!" Zhang Ruochen said.
"Greetings, Father!" the Ninth Princess said.
The Yunwu Commandery Prince laughed heartily. "Ninth Son, why are you and Xi'er riding the same antelope?"
The Ninth Princess quickly explained, "Father, the Ninth Brother and I were attacked by an Ironhide Savage Bull in Wangshan. My mount was severely injured, so I had to share a ride with the Ninth Brother."
The Yunwu Commandery Prince looked at Zhang Ruochen. "Ninth Son, is this true?"
"It is," Zhang Ruochen confirmed.
The Yunwu Commandery Prince nodded, noting Zhang Ruochen's injured arm. "Ninth Son, this was your first Wangshan hunt and your first battle with beasts. Since you only unlocked your Divine Martial Imprint three months ago, it's understandable if you didn't hunt any beasts. Don't be discouraged."
"I understand."
Zhang Ruochen didn't explain further and responded calmly.
The Ninth Princess's lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she ultimately stayed silent.
The Sixth and Fifth Princes were pleased to see Zhang Ruochen injured.
Lin Ningshan's lips curled into a slight smirk. Although Zhang Ruochen had made a big impression in the strength assessment, when it came to fighting beasts, he was still far behind.