Inside the hidden door, an old man lay on a recliner, watching cartoons.

“So you’re back so soon. Must’ve had quite a haul. I’ve got some new exclusive info—want it or not?”

The old man didn’t even turn his head, speaking leisurely.

Samuel Thompson didn’t enter, nor did he reply. He said, “A level-one, beginner-stage demon beast. Alive.”

“Demon beasts have dropped in price lately. Level-one, intermediate-stage is only two hundred merit points now. Want one?”

“Screw you, I’ll scan your code.”

Samuel Thompson didn’t respond. The events of today had left him feeling a bit down.

On the recliner, the old man sat up slightly, tilted his head to glance at Samuel Thompson, and said, “Same old rules—front street, trash can, dig it out yourself.”

After scanning the code, Samuel Thompson turned and left, the hidden door slowly closing behind him.

……

Front Street.

People bustled back and forth, but Samuel Thompson paid no attention. He opened one of the trash cans and reached his hand inside.

Squelch.

With a small, deft knife, he skillfully slit the throat of the demon rat inside the bin.

Pressing his palm to the wound, a stream of crimson energy was absorbed into his hand.

He bagged the demon rat’s corpse and headed home.

……

At home in the Nanshan Community, after entering, he tossed the bag into a corner and slumped onto the sofa.

A lot had happened today.

“Eighteen years, and the true face is finally about to be revealed.”

After spacing out for a while, he closed his eyes slightly. In his mind, a bronze coffin floated in a hazy green light.

The demon beast blood energy he’d just absorbed seeped into the bronze coffin, beginning to dissolve the last traces of verdigris on its surface.

This thing was the culprit that brought him to this world.

Crack!

Half an hour later, his mind was filled with green light, and the lid of the bronze coffin slid open a tiny crack.

A crystal-clear drop of blood rolled out from the gap in the coffin.

“Demon blood?”

In the blink of an eye, the blood bead appeared in Samuel Thompson’s hand.

It was sparkling and translucent, holding its form, with extremely fine golden threads appearing within, but without any of the demonic aura typical of monsters.

He knew a bit about this—high-level demon blood would manifest as gold.

Ever since the demon beast tide three years ago, when he’d accidentally discovered the bronze coffin needed to devour demon beast blood energy, he’d fed it over a dozen beasts.

No demonic aura meant the demon blood’s energy was calm. After a moment’s hesitation, Samuel Thompson pressed the blood bead to his mouth.

As soon as it entered, a torrent of energy exploded inside him.

Crackling sounds echoed throughout his body; he felt as if he might burst.

“The energy in demon blood is too strong.”

Whoosh, whoosh...

He shoved the living room sofa and chairs into a corner, clearing space, then began to practice his punches.

The technique was called Tiger Taming Fist, one of several body-forging methods developed and issued by the Kunlun Academy over the years.

Practicing the fist technique set his whole body in motion, allowing him to absorb the blood energy and nourish his flesh and bones.

With each punch, the wind howled, like a tiger roaring in the mountains. The rampaging energy within him began to merge into his muscles and flesh.

“What the hell, can’t I just take a proper break during the holiday?

“Do I have to go to work tomorrow or not?!”

An hour later, Samuel Thompson slowly drew back his fists. Sensing the new strength in his body, he turned and walked into the small bedroom, taking out a black stone with three golden lines.

Black jade diamond stone—this type of stone had golden lines. One line could withstand a thousand kilograms of force, two lines two thousand, and so on.

The Stone-Splitting Stage, the realm after body-forging in martial arts, was based on this standard.

Crack!

The three-lined black jade diamond stone was easily crushed.

Four lines—crack!

Shattered.

Five lines.

Crack!

A fissure split along the golden line, running through the whole stone in Samuel Thompson’s palm.

Five thousand kilograms!

No, wait.

It should be at least five thousand kilograms!

Before this, he had 2,790 jin of strength. With his sword technique, he could burst past three thousand kilograms at full power.

Now, a single drop of demon blood had boosted his strength by at least two thousand kilograms.

“Demon beast...

Purified demon blood.”

At this thought, Samuel Thompson’s breathing grew heavy. Didn’t this mean that as long as there were demon beasts for him to hunt, he could gain endless cultivation resources?

Buzz—at that moment, a glow flickered on his right wrist. A video call interrupted his fantasies.

Immediately, Samuel Thompson frowned.

He was just imagining reaching the pinnacle of life, and someone had to be so rude—damn it.

“It’s him.”

The call connected, and a light screen projected out, revealing the stern face of Edward Carter.

“Samuel Thompson.”

“Father Henry Thompson, former Divine Arrow Army retired warrior, beginner-stage Ten-Thousand-Jin Realm, level-two demon-hunting medal recipient.

Mother Helen Wood, former Divine Arrow Army retired warrior, beginner-stage Thousand-Jin Realm, level-one demon-hunting medal recipient.

Samuel Thompson, eighteen years old. Assessment record from a month ago—strength: 1,230 kilograms, speed: 27 meters per second.”

Samuel Thompson nodded. He’d left those records on purpose; anyone with the right clearance could see them.

“The results are fake.”

“Mm~” Samuel Thompson nodded, calmly admitting it.