The Almighty Martial Arts System - Chapter 287

After a long journey of over twenty hours, at eleven in the morning, three off-road vehicles with eye-catching designs and even more eye-catching license plates entered the capital’s territory.

The hunting grounds were quite far from the city center—about a hundred and fifty kilometers away—so the group decided to skip the city and head straight to an upscale hotel near the hunting area. Jiang Fei didn’t detour to Bai Ruoxi’s place in the city center or stop by the headquarters of the Chinese Medicine Association either. Instead, he went straight to the suburbs with Ye Yuanyuan and the others.

He was currently traveling with Simba and the eagle—pets that were technically against the rules—and dealing with inspections along the way was already a hassle. There was a real chance they might attract police attention and have to answer questions. If he wanted to visit the city, it would have to wait until after the hunt, when they could relax and enjoy themselves properly.

Of course, Jiang Fei was already prepared: this hunting trip wouldn’t be just for fun. Trouble was definitely going to show up.

But now, having even killed Miyamoto Kazuma and learned the art of foresight, Jiang Fei wasn’t the least bit nervous—unless someone as formidable as his master, Xuan Jizi, showed up. And he estimated there were only a handful of people in all of China on that level—probably no more than you could count on one hand. Besides, even against experts like that, Jiang Fei wasn’t completely outmatched.

“This hotel is pretty nice. The owner behind this new hunting ground must have serious connections—not only building the largest-scale hunting grounds but also investing in such a luxurious high-end hotel here. Must be nice to have money to burn!” said the young man driving the Jeep Wrangler, his arm around his female companion.

His name was Yang Zaixing, though Jiang Fei didn’t know his background. But it was clear he came from a military family. He had a bit of a playful, rogue-like vibe, though it wasn’t over the top—nowhere near as lawless as Su Mengnan from the Swordsmanship Alliance.

“Yeah, there used to be four hunting grounds around here. Three of them were operating at a loss, and the only one turning a profit made just three or four million a year. It’s hardly a profitable business,” added the shorter young man driving the Dongfeng off-roader with a laugh. “But this new owner isn’t just opening a new hunting ground—they’re building a luxury hotel here too. I mean, who’s going to come all the way out here just to stay at a hotel? Aside from hunters, that is.”

Another young man in a baseball cap, Han Xu, stood not far from Jiang Fei and Ye Yuanyuan. He didn’t say anything, just rested his hands on his hips and squinted toward the distant mountains, watching Jiang Fei and Ye Yuanyuan with an enigmatic smile.

They were burning with curiosity about Jiang Fei.

What kind of man could make Ye Yuanyuan treat him so patiently? She’d even changed her plans for him, opting for a long, tedious road trip from Jincheng to the capital instead of a more convenient route. It wasn’t like they were taking the scenic Tibet highway—this route had no beautiful views. A road trip like this was practically self-punishment!

Yet Ye Yuanyuan had agreed to it for this guy. To those who knew her, it was absolutely unbelievable.

He didn’t seem all that special. He was good-looking, but not breathtakingly so. He had presence, but he wasn’t otherworldly. If anything, he came across as a pretty boy who wasn’t particularly skilled in either arts or martial arts. What could he possibly have that impressed the cold, violent Queen Ye?

Was it because of his dog and eagle?

But to be fair, these hunting enthusiasts were pretty knowledgeable about raising dogs and eagles. And they’d never seen anything quite like Simba and the eagle—both in terms of size and majestic demeanor.

During the journey, Simba and the eagle had stayed in Ye Yuanyuan’s off-roader, so the others hadn’t gotten a good look. But now that they’d arrived, with Simba on the ground and the eagle soaring overhead, everyone was thoroughly impressed.

They were all secretly looking forward to seeing how these two fierce creatures would perform once they entered the hunting grounds and headed up the mountain. It was bound to be interesting.

Hunting with animals was something even these experienced hunters rarely did. As seasoned players, they usually went after bigger game—challenging prey that ordinary pets wouldn’t be any help with.

Bringing regular pets along? Not only would they be useless in hunting, but they’d likely end up as prey themselves!

But having powerful companions like these? That would definitely be more exciting than just heading into the mountains with hunting rifles and crossbows.

“Let’s rest here at the hotel today and head into the hunting grounds tomorrow. After driving for over twenty hours, we’re all exhausted,” Yang Zaixing suggested, still holding his companion.

Everyone agreed. Not everyone was as tough as Jiang Fei—even with two people taking turns driving, such a long trip was draining.

It was already past eleven, nearly lunchtime, so they booked a table and gathered for a meal before heading upstairs to catch up on sleep.

“I wonder if we’ll run into those guys from the Northeast again this year. They lost to us in the hunting competition last year and weren’t happy about it—said they’d challenge us again this year. If we see them tomorrow, we’ll have to teach them another lesson!” Han Xu said jokingly during the meal.

Yang Zaixing slapped the table arrogantly. “Yeah! Those Northeasterners look big and intimidating, but they’re all show—like embroidered pillows. If we see them again, we’ll wipe the floor with them! Especially that tall girl—just thinking about her makes me laugh. Trying to compete with our Miss Ye? She doesn’t know her place!”

Jiang Fei listened quietly, rarely chiming in. He’d never been to a hunting ground before and wasn’t familiar with what they were discussing.

“Are you laughing because it’s funny, or because you’re itching for something else?” Yang Zaixing’s female companion asked with a meaningful glance, her tone teasing.

Caught red-handed, Yang Zaixing gave an awkward chuckle but didn’t bother denying it. He quickly raised his glass to change the subject.

Probably, that tall Northeastern girl Yang mentioned was quite attractive.

Before the meal was over, another car pulled up outside the hotel. More members of their hunting party had arrived. Yang Zaixing, Han Xu, and the other three men and women rose with smiles to greet them, while Jiang Fei and Ye Yuanyuan remained seated.

There were only two newcomers.

One was Wu Ke, a former promising military officer who had left to go into business and now managed assets worth billions. Jiang Fei knew him—they’d gotten quite familiar during his last trip to the capital.

The other was a pale, slender young man wearing gold-rimmed glasses.

He was genuinely frail—not just slim, but noticeably delicate. Standing over 1.75 meters tall, he probably weighed around 50 kilograms, maybe not even 55. His small, oval face was pale, as if he hadn’t seen the sun in years—like he’d just stepped out of a hospital room!

One look at him, and you could tell he’d been born with a weak constitution, raised on a steady diet of medicine. He gave off a very fragile impression.

With the gold-rimmed glasses, he looked even more scholarly. It was hard to imagine someone like him enjoying something as intense and vigorous as hunting. He seemed more like the type to sit in a café, listening to soft music, holding a book, and trying to impress girls with his melancholy.

But when the others saw this frail, glasses-wearing young man, they were visibly surprised—even Ye Yuanyuan reacted, muttering softly, “What’s he doing here?”

“You know him? Who is he?” Jiang Fei asked, a curious glint in his eyes.

Ye Yuanyuan nodded and coolly explained, “Yes. His name is Pang Xiong. He might look weak, but he’s no pushover! He’s not well-known in the capital or our Northwest circles, but those who know him are aware that he’s known as the ‘Blind Bear’ in the Jinling Military District. He easily took first place in the district’s martial arts tournament. Both Wu Ke and I have fought him before—together, we could barely hold our own against him…”

Jiang Fei wasn’t impressed. He just chuckled lightly and said, “Oh? So he’s a master?”

Seeing Jiang Fei’s reaction, Ye Yuanyuan’s serious expression suddenly softened.

She’d forgotten herself—praising someone’s combat skills in front of this freak was like boasting about sword skills in front of Guan Yu!

Pang Xiong was indeed strong. Even though the Jinling Military District wasn’t particularly known for producing fierce fighters, taking first place was no small feat. But no matter how skilled he was, could he compare to Miyamoto Kazuma?

The man beside her had killed Miyamoto Kazuma—a swordsmanship prodigy hailed as a once-in-decades talent, on track to become a Sword Saint. He had nothing to worry about…

The two newcomers entered the dining area and exchanged brief greetings with Ye Yuanyuan. Wu Ke smiled and introduced them: “Pang Xiong, this is Jiang Fei. You might act all tough in front of me, but today, in front of Jiang Fei, you’d better behave. Your skills are nowhere near his.”

The frail, glasses-wearing Pang Xiong reached out and shook Jiang Fei’s hand, a challenging glint in his eyes. “I’ve heard a lot about you. The waves you’ve been making in the martial arts world lately have reached even my ears. But since we’re at a hunting ground, this isn’t about swordsmanship. How about we compete in hunting tomorrow?”

Jiang Fei remained expressionless and replied with a smile, “This is practically my first time hunting—I have no experience. But I’m up for a friendly competition…”

Ye Yuanyuan and Wu Ke exchanged amused glances.

Yang Zaixing, Han Xu, and the other four still didn’t know Jiang Fei’s true identity. They found it strange that Pang Xiong would challenge Jiang Fei right off the bat.

Was this man, whom Ye Yuanyuan treated so differently, some kind of expert?