Chapter 4 - Promising Rookie
Scorch marks left in the grass led to where the mongoose had made its burrow. The mongoose was not outside its burrow, so Aster Wen started kicking, stabbing, and destroying it to make it come out. The mongoose scurried out of the burrow, and Aster Wen jumped away from it. It bared its teeth and ran towards him, jumping up to attack his legs. Dodging to the side, he slashed down with his dagger and cut into the mongoose. It landed on the ground and got its bearings. Being not that injured by the slash, Aster Wen knew that this would be a longer fight than the previous ones that he had been in. The knife had barely cut into the mongoose's hide, making this a battle of attrition unless he was able to pierce into its head with all his strength. But given the mongoose's swiftness and small body, it was improbable for such a thing to occur.
The mongoose ran forward again, but didn't jump this time and went for his ankles. It slashed at his right ankle, which he lifted to dodge the attack, but it turned its body to make its back legs slash across his left ankle. The claws went a centimeter into his ankle and out, with the wound being cauterized. Having to now put less pressure on his left leg, the fight would prove more difficult. But now that the mongoose had used that tactic, he could counter it. Before it got further away, he stabbed into its backside, the dagger sinking an inch into it. The mongoose screeched and slashed at his arm, leaving a millimeter deep cut in it as he removed the dagger from its body.
The mongoose started to run towards its burrow, but Aster Wen ran after it and jumped onto, causing it to squeal loudly. He stabbed his dagger into its body, hoping to pierce its heart or lungs. The mongoose slashed at his shoes, creating a wound in his foot, causing him to step off of it and retrieve his dagger. It snarled at him, as it seemed to have trouble breathing and its eyes started to droop. The mongoose swayed and fell onto the ground, the life beginning to leave its body. Before he could collect the body, another mongoose ran out of the burrow. Looking at the body of its fallen brethren, it screeched and ran forward to confront Aster Wen.
Having the experience of the previous battle with the mongoose, when it jumped to attack his legs, he slashed it down to the ground, before stomping on it backside, and stabbing into the area with its heart and lungs. It got a slash off onto his other foot, but the wound was inconsequential and would heal within the day. Stepping off of the second mongoose, he took back the dagger once more. Turning towards him, the mongoose bared its teeth, but it didn't have the strength to continue fighting, falling back to the ground.
Gathering the two mongooses, he limped his way back towards the contribution hall. As he had killed two of the monster beasts, he got double the rewards, bringing the total of his contribution points up to seventy-five. Putting the monster beasts on the processing station, he gathered the blood and monster cores, and went back to rest on his cot, leaving the contribution hall workers to talk about what a promising rookie the sect had accepted this time around.
Though most normal people could take down a Foundation Body second stage monster beast, most didn't try too, thinking the strength difference between them must be great. But only the later stages of the Foundation Body stages bring out the power difference. To have a new disciple of the sect go and hunt the Foundation Body second stage monster beasts, meant that they would be able to progress the fastest of those chosen in the year. This would, in turn, make the others want to catch up to him, bringing up all the others in the year with him. One of the greatest strengths of the Lone Phoenix Sect was this. Most rookies would be able to get the pill to progress into the Foundation Body first stage in the first week or two, but those who could do it within the first few days were few and far between. Those who made the pill themselves to do it were even rarer.
As he needed to heal, Aster Wen didn't take any more tasks for the day, deciding to meditate and familiarize himself with his dantian and meridians once more. With the labor of the day exhausting him of his energy, the wind had no effect on his sleep as he drifted off into unconsciousness. Aster Wen had a dreamless night go by as the starless night sky shone with only the light reflected off of the moon.
Waking up, he stretched his sore body, and put weight on his injured leg to test if it was better from yesterday. The pain was negligible, so went out to go to the contribution hall was once more. The next task he took was another solo hunting monster beast task. The beast was the Tyrant Salamander. It was a monster beast known for its high defense that liked basking in the sun. The thick hide from the Tyrant Salamander was useful to learn the basics of artifact refining, and if its core was to be used in conjunction with its hide it could create a defensive artifact of the Foundation Body grade. However, the contribution points needed to use the artifact refining furnace was a lot more than to use the alchemy furnace. This was to make sure that the one who would attempt to make an artifact had studied how to make one in a thorough manner. As such, it would be a longer time before Aster Wen started to learn artifact refining and make his own artifacts. Setting out, he headed up the mountain to a place where the sun bared down for the longest time during the day.