The first rays of dawn pierced through the wooden shutters of the inn, catching the sharp glint in Su Han's eyes as they snapped open.

  ?Su Han didn't linger in bed; he knew a new day meant new opportunities.

  ?Rising with a sense of purpose, he reached for the bundle of clothes he had purchased the previous evening.

  ?These were sturdy, clean traveler's gear that felt like silk compared to the blood-soaked rags he had discarded.

  ?After a quick, refreshing wash that seemed to strip away the lingering exhaustion of battle, Su Han stepped out of the inn.

  ?He looked every bit like a refined yet formidable wanderer, ready to face the world.

  ?The market was already a beehive of activity, teeming with warriors and traders looking for a quick profit.

  ?Su Han didn't waste time wandering aimlessly. He headed straight for a small administrative cabin at the market's edge.

  ?"I want to set up a roadside stall," Su Han stated simply, his voice firm as he looked at the man behind the counter.

  ?"For how long?" the official grunted without looking up from his ledger.

  ?Su Han did a quick mental calculation. "Two hours."

  ?"40 Silver Coins," the official replied.

  ?Su Han handed over the coins without a single word. He understood the deal—this entire outpost was the playground of the Mountain Ghost Syndicate.

  ?They managed the security, owned the infrastructure, and enforced the rules with an iron hand.

  ?If you wanted to trade, you paid their tax. There were no exceptions.

  ?In return, the official handed him a piece of cloth emblazoned with the Syndicate's mark—a small, stylized ghost.

  ?This was a temporary permit; Su Han knew that anyone trading without this cloth would soon face the Syndicate's brutal enforcers.

  ?Su Han found a suitable spot, spread the marked cloth on the ground, and began to display his wares.

  ?From his bundle, he produced the items he had retrieved from the System Inventory: the rusted daggers of fallen enemies, martial arts scrolls, and beast materials.

  ?He kept the Venom-Tooth Dagger and the Nine-Times Slash technique tucked away, hidden from prying eyes.

  ?Most importantly, Su Han had been careful not to pull anything out of thin air in public.

  ?In this lawless frontier, a Spatial Ring was a sign of immense wealth and a target for every thief.

  ?Displaying such a treasure would either mark Su Han as a powerful lord or a suicidal fool.

  ?At Body Refining Level 3, Su Han knew he was neither.

  ?Within minutes, a small crowd gathered. A lean warrior picked up a jagged dagger Su Han had looted from a Level 2 bandit.

  ?"How much for this?" the man asked, testing the weight of the Yellow-Grade Low-Tier weapon.

  ?Su Han recalled his father's teachings on equipment tiers: Yellow, Mysterious, Earth, and Heaven.

  ?In a place like Lingshan Town, a Low-Tier Yellow weapon usually fetched between 5,000 to 8,000 Silver Coins.

  ?"15,000 Silver Coins," Su Han said calmly, his expression unreadable.

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  ?The man's brows shot up in shock. "15,000? Boy, are you trying to rob me?"

  ?"Everyone knows a Low-Tier blade like this is worth 8,000 at most!" the warrior argued.

  ?Su Han offered a faint, knowing smile. "True, in a city market it might be cheap."

  ?"But we are at the edge of the Black Wolf Mountains. Supplies are scarce, and danger is immediate."

  ?"Besides, look at the tempering on this steel. 15,000 is a bargain for your life," Su Han added, his tone cold and logical.

  ?After a tense round of haggling, the man begrudgingly handed over 11,000 Silver Coins.

  ?Soon after, another cultivator bought the rest of the beast materials for 2,500 Silver Coins.

  ?By the end of his two hours, Su Han's stall was empty, and his pockets were heavy with 32,000 Silver Coins.

  ?He returned the permit cloth and headed back to the apothecary he had visited before.

  ?Su Han bought 50 Level 1 Healing Pills, but his preparations were not finished.

  ?He intended to venture deeper into the mountain range—a place where the toxins were far more lethal.

  ?"Do you have a Level 2 Anti-Toxin?" Su Han asked the old man behind the counter.

  ?His Dragon Bloodline made him immune to Level 1 poisons, but Su Han wasn't willing to gamble his life against unknown venoms.

  ?The apothecary looked at him with renewed interest. "I have it. But it's expensive."

  ?"How much?" Su Han inquired.

  ?The old man held up one finger, a predatory grin spreading across his face.

  ?"10,000 Silver Coins for a High-Grade Yellow Level Anti-Toxin."

  ?Su Han felt a pang of pain in his heart as he handed over the coins. His hard-earned pile of silver was shrinking fast.

  ?'Strength is expensive,' Su Han thought grimly.

  ?Now fully geared and healed, he was ready to depart, but a sudden shout from the recruitment area caught his ear.

  ?"Seeking one more warrior for an expedition! Mission: Hunt the Four-Colored Poisonous Serpent!"

  ?Su Han paused. He was unfamiliar with the deeper territories, and the risks there were exponential.

  ?Joining a professional team would give Su Han valuable experience and navigation knowledge.

  ?He looked toward the source and saw the banner of the Iron-Fist Mercenaries.

  ?Su Han was genuinely surprised. How could a powerhouse like them be short on manpower?

  ?He leaned toward a nearby spectator and asked what was happening.

  ?"It's their code," the man whispered. "The Iron-Fists never venture out with fewer than ten members for a sanctioned mission."

  ?"Their main squad left earlier, and this secondary team of seven has been stuck waiting for three more recruits."

  ?"And the requirements?" Su Han asked.

  ?"At least Body Refining Level 3," the man replied. "Though, honestly, they look down on Level 3s."

  ?"The weakest link in that team right now is a Level 4 cultivator. It's a death trap for the unprepared," the stranger warned.

  ?Su Han scanned the crowd. No one was stepping forward to take the risk.

  ?He needed the geographical expertise and the safety of a group to reach the inner peaks.

  ?Su Han didn't care about their elitist stares. He began to walk forward.

  ?As he reached the front, his eyes landed on the team leader. For a fleeting second, even Su Han was stunned.

  ?She was breathtakingly beautiful, but she carried an aura of absolute authority that commanded respect.

  ?Clad in tight-fitting black leather armor that hugged her powerful physique, she was a sight to behold.

  ?Most of the men gathered weren't there for the mission; they were there just to gawk at Captain Zhao.

  ?Su Han composed himself and addressed the recruiter. "I'm joining."

  ?The man looked Su Han up and down, a look of pure disbelief crossing his face.

  ?"Kid, do you even know the stakes? We need a Level 3 warrior, minimum."

  ?Su Han ignored the skepticism in the man's voice. "I am at the third level of Body Refining. I'm in."

  ?Suddenly, a loud, mocking laugh erupted from the team.

  ?It was Wang Pen, a cultivator at the fourth level of Body Refining.

  ?"Listen, brat," Wang Pen sneered, looking at Su Han with pure disdain.

  ?"This isn't a playground. Don't think someone is going to protect you."

  ?"We're here for a mission, not a field trip," Wang Pen added, a greasy smirk crawling across his face as he glanced at the Captain.

  ?"Or maybe you're just here to stare at Captain Zhao's beauty?"

  ?The lust in Wang Pen's eyes was unmistakable as he threw accusations at Su Han.

  ?Su Han met his gaze with eyes like chips of ice, his expression devoid of emotion.

  ?"My reasons are my own. I meet the requirements. What does that have to do with you?"

  ?Wang Pen's face flushed a deep crimson, his anger boiling over.

  ?He stepped forward, thrusting a finger toward Su Han's face. "You little brat! How dare you speak to me like that?"

  ?Wang Pen braced himself, ready to strike and humiliate the newcomer in front of everyone.

  ?Suddenly, a voice—sweet and melodic, yet sharp as a winter frost—echoed from behind them.

  ?"He meets the requirements. That makes ten. Stop wasting time and prepare to move out."

  ?It was Captain Zhao. Her voice acted like a physical barrier, stopping Wang Pen in his tracks.

  ?Wang Pen glared at Su Han with poisonous eyes but didn't dare move another inch.

  ?The Captain was as lethal as she was beautiful, famous for her strict discipline.

  ?Su Han returned a cold, subtle smile, his eyes fixed on the path ahead.

  ?The mission was about to begin, but the forest wasn't the only place where predators lurked.

  ?Would Wang Pen strike from the shadows, or would he wait for the chaos of the hunt?

  ?And as they ventured toward the lair of the serpent, would Su Han be forced to reveal the true power hidden beneath his Level 3 exterior?