He clicked on one of the three S-level tasks—

[Task Level: S-]

[Task Objective: Pass Swimming Dragon's Test]

[Task Reward: 100,000 points (basic)]

[Task Details: ...

Swimming Dragon: A+ level, an expert in Dragon Sect ancient martial arts, proficient in Dragon Sect martial arts...]

"Dragon Sect martial arts?"

That's interesting...

「 」

In the empty room, a man in uniform was looking at the virtual screen in front of him.

At first, a video and a mecha anime were playing simultaneously, creating a chaotic mix of sound.

Quickly, he paused the anime, his expression growing more focused.

Gradually, this focus deepened.

The man began to frequently sip the drink in his hand, at first taking small, quick sips, then later gulping it down.

He stared unblinkingly at the screen, the light in his eyes growing brighter and brighter, until...

"Damn!"

The man slammed the table hard. He glared at the young Crimson Bear standing before him and cursed, "Pure Martial?! Why didn't you tell me this new blood is Pure Martial?!"

The young Crimson Bear looked startled and stammered, "I... I forgot."

"I think you're asking for a kick."

"..."

The man snorted. He said nothing more, but his expression grew excited as he quickly tapped his hand twice.

After a moment, an indifferent voice sounded by his ear.

"Hello?"

"Haha, Song."

The man laughed and dismissively waved away the young Crimson Bear, who was standing rigidly before him.

The latter obediently retreated, closing the door behind him.

"If you have something to say, say it quickly."

The indifferent voice, tinged with impatience, urged, "I'm in the middle of a mission right now..."

Vaguely, the background sound of explosions could be heard.

The man paid no mind. He smirked and said leisurely, "That Evil God Secret Realm last time... your team lost quite a few people, didn't they? I hear you've been looking to recruit lately?"

"Yeah. So what, have any recommendations?"

The voice replied casually, the sound of explosions in the background seeming to intensify.

"Oh, right. You're the chief examiner for the new blood assessments recently, hehe..."

The voice chuckled and replied, "Su, even if I am recruiting, I'm looking for elite Crimson Bear Level cultivators with Gold Bear potential. Don't even bother recommending those new bloods of yours. They're useless. If there's nothing else, I'm hanging up. I'm in the middle of a fight..."

As he said this, the voice seemed about to disconnect.

The man remained calm and interjected, "What about new blood with A-level capabilities? Interested?"

"Huh?"

The person on the other end of the line repeated, "Huh?" doubtfully, and the connection stabilized.

"Are you kidding me?"

The man nonchalantly tapped the virtual screen before him and replied lightly, "I've sent you the assessment footage. See for yourself."

Silence fell on the other end of the call.

Only the escalating sounds of battle could be heard.

"Pure Martial?! Break the Limit talent?"

Soon, a surprised gasp came through, quickly followed by an urgent tone of voice.

"Such promising talent! Where is he? Is he with you now? I'll take a good look when I get back."

"He's still in the assessment. Let me see..."

The man in the office tapped the screen. An image popped up, and his eyes lit up as he let out a sound of surprise.

"Good kid! He actually went to challenge Swimming Dragon. He's got guts. You remember Swimming Dragon, right? The one who..."

"I know him. Anyway, keep him there for me. I want this new blood for my team," the voice on the other end said rapidly.

The man chuckled, rose from his chair, and walked to the window, gazing at the distant, flowing Shuttle River.

"I'd gladly reserve him for you. But you know how it is—every team wants new blood of this caliber, a future, established Gold Bear. Once the assessment results are out, countless people will be clamoring for him. As the chief examiner, I expect my private messages to be flooded. By the time you get back, the untouched young maiden will already be a mother of two..."

"Alright, alright!"

The person on the other end interrupted impatiently, "I'm coming over right now! Wait for me."

With those words, he hung up.

"Hehe..."

The man in the room chuckled with a touch of smug satisfaction, as if he could see many wonderful things beckoning to him.

Soon, the smile vanished from his face, replaced by an expression of eager anticipation.

He picked up the wine glass on the table and quickly filled it with beer from a tap hidden underneath his desk.

Then he sat before the desk, facing the real-time surveillance feed, now maximized to full screen.

His eyes blazed as he firmly tugged at his tie, loosening it at the collar, as if preparing for something.

"An A-level new blood challenging an A-level Gold Bear, Pure Martial versus Pure Martial... Tsk, tsk. It's been too long since I've seen such a thrilling show... Just thinking about it gets me a little excited..."

「 」

Lu Yuan alighted from a small, unmanned aircraft.

These beetle-shaped flying contraptions, which looked like they had tiny bird wings, were a common sight near the center of Smokeless City.

Lu Yuan had found it quite novel on his first ride, but after a few more trips, the feeling faded.

White Dragon Dojo...

Lu Yuan gazed at the traditional-style sign hanging before the massive white building. His eyes flickered subtly before he calmly walked inside.

The dojo was practically deserted.

Lu Yuan walked straight through until he reached a spacious Martial Arts field, where he saw two figures sitting opposite each other.

One was a powerfully built, dark-skinned man, as formidable and mighty as a black bear king. He was bowing his head, listening with utmost respect to the teachings of a short-haired, average-looking middle-aged man.

Lu Yuan's sudden appearance drew their attention.

The short-haired middle-aged man swept a casual glance over Lu Yuan before looking away, his expression unchanged.

The burly, bear-like man, however, frowned slightly before rising and striding towards Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan immediately clasped his hands together and said very politely, "I have come to challenge Senior Swimming Dragon and accept his test."

The objective of this S-level mission was to pass Swimming Dragon's test.

The task details didn't specify Swimming Dragon's status as a death row inmate.

Therefore, Lu Yuan guessed that Swimming Dragon was most likely someone within Yellow Bear, possessing a special status, unlike other mission targets who could be killed indiscriminately.

"New blood?"

The bear-like man walked up to Lu Yuan, his gaze falling on the mission wristwatch Lu Yuan wore.

His expression turned cold. He strode closer, his massive frame looming over Lu Yuan, and said icily, "You want to challenge Instructor Swimming Dragon? You dare come here just because you passed an A-level mission? Do you even know this is an S-level mission point?"

"Er..."

Lu Yuan paused, blinking.

Soon, his brow furrowed slightly. After a moment's thought, he asked, "Are you a Crimson Bear?"

"Heh..."

The bear-like man crossed his thick arms over his chest and sneered coldly, "None of your damn business! If you don't have the strength, then scram! Instructor Swimming Dragon's trials are not for new blood like you to casually attempt!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw it.

The quiet, fair-skinned, and handsome young man before him, who looked more like a student, slowly shook his head.

Then, his body began to rapidly expand.

"CRACKLE! CRACKLE—"

His dark, cyan bulging muscles ripped through his clothes inch by inch, revealing thick, worm-like veins.

His long hair, previously tied at the back of his head, came undone on its own, fluttering despite the absence of wind.

In the blink of an eye, their relative positions seemed to shift.

The bear-like man, arms still crossed, stared blankly upward. He was looking up at the terrifying figure that now towered over him, almost completely blocking the light, like a dark cloud, an immense shadow, or a vast, undulating mountain range.

The figure looked down at him, its voice calm, "I'm just curious... If a Crimson Bear Level like you were to be thrashed by a new blood like me... would it leave a psychological scar that you'd carry for the rest of your life?"

"Guh... Uh..."

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