Chapter 12：Call Me 'Brother” (I)

"By the way, are you joining the hunt this time?" Huo Lin'er asked. 

"Oh, of course, I'll. I heard that the first prize winner will receive a seventh-grade spiritual medicine, the Golden Elixir Pill. If I get the Golden Elixir Pill, I'll be able to cultivate my Body Tempering Art successfully," Ji Mo replied, "In a while, I'll go and sign up. Otherwise, it'll be too late. I heard today is the last day to sign up."

"Why are you still here? It will be too late after noon time." Huo Lin'er frowned. 

"Noon?" 

"Yes. The Hunting Competition registration is only open until noon. Did no one tell you?" Huo Lin'er blinked at him behind her luscious lashes. 

"My goodness! I heard those rascals say it's until the evening. In that case, Sister Huo, I'll take my leave. Please excuse me." Ji Mo jumped to his feet. Without straightening his crumpled clothes, he sprinted away in a cloud of dust. 

Looking at his frenzied actions, Huo Lin'er smiled. Throughout the period she had spent with him, she realized that he was not as despicable as rumored. On the contrary, he was quite likable. Furthermore, Ji Mo was also not as completely unskilled as they described. He had some skills in cultivation. 

Perhaps, it was Ji Mo's careless tongue and flippant exterior that gave people a misconception. 

At least, that was what Huo Lin'er thought. 

...

In the central square of Tianyuan Academy. 

At the moment, the central square was filled with more than a dozen people, all of them disciples of Tianyuan Academy. 

Currently, up to this point, most of the participants in the Hunting Competition had been decided. There was a set limit of two hundred people for the Hunting Competition, and there were only two slots left. 

It was not that Tianyuan Academy could not rally two hundred people for this competition, but simply because the Hunting Competition was organized annually. Therefore, some people had already participated in the past, especially those from higher levels. Some might feel that the Hunting Competition was not really beneficial, so they chose not to participate. 

Nevertheless, to the average disciple, the Hunting Competition had a lot of benefits in store for them. 

Amongst the bustling crowd, many had already signed up. The reason they still congregated around was in hopes that they could recruit a few allies to work together during the Hunting Competition. After all, they were not hunting ordinary beasts but demonic beasts. A powerful demonic beast was not inferior to a cultivator, and could even kill a cultivator. Hence, there was a certain amount of danger in the competition. 

"Senior Brother Ling, please write my name down," Ji Mo pushed through the crowd and spoke to a young disciple who was in charge of registration. 

"Ok." Senior Brother Ling nodded. Then, he looked up at Ji Mo and surprise flashed across his eyes. "Huh? You want to join the Hunting Competition?" 

"Typical. Why would I come here otherwise?" Ji Mo whispered, a bright glint flashing in his eyes. 

Immediately, a lot of eyes landed on Ji Mo. He was no stranger to any of them since he had spent two full years in Tianyuan Academy. While not everyone knew him personally, they had, at least, heard of him. Ji Mo was known to be a cowardly shrimp who only managed to cultivate to the third tier after two years. Even a sow was more talented than him. 

"What's he doing here? Joining the Hunting Competition with his abilities, is he trying to die?" 

Many people harbored such thoughts. 

"Do you really want to do this?" Senior Brother Ling raised his head to look at Ji Mo to confirm yet another time. 

"Of course." Ji Mo nodded. 

A look of impatience appeared on Senior Brother Ling's face. With a sneer, he said, "You do know how dangerous this Hunting Competition is, don't you? It's not like playing house. But if you insist on going, I won't stop you. I just hope that you'll come back alive." 

Many of the Tianyuan Academy disciples around them sighed in unison. Subsequently, everyone turned their heads to the side, worried that Ji Mo would try to engage them and join their teams. 

From their perspective, if a team member like Ji Mo joined the Hunting Competition, he would only add to their list of problems. He was completely useless, a deadweight. No one was willing to carry such a burden with them. 

"Excuse me!" At this moment, an arrogant voice boomed. From among the crowd, Ji Shan and Nangong Ye emerged. Trailing behind them was a beautiful girl with a slender figure. She was Du Jia. 

"Senior Brother Ling, Nan Gongye and I want to join the Hunting Competition. There are two more slots, right? Help us sign up," Ji Shan walked forward to tell Senior Brother Ling. Although he cast a look of feigned disinterest at Ji Mo, his eyes were filled with mockery. 

Looking at Ji Shan and Nan Gongye, Senior Brother Ling's face instantly changed to one that contained warmth and smiles. Especially when he saw Du Jia, he became very respectful. Du Jia was one of the top disciples of Tianyuan Academy and had achieved seventh-tier body tempering. Moreover, everyone knew that this woman had gotten very close to Nan Hao lately. 

In Tianyuan Academy, Nan Hao held an important position. He was a prodigy who was most likely to be admitted into the Tianshan Sword Sect. 

Seeing Du Jia, Ji Mo unconsciously clenched his fists and his gaze darkened significantly. He held pure contempt for this woman, not just because she had betrayed the marriage contract with him and fallen into Nan Hao's arms, but because she had leaked the news about the Heavenly Cauldron. 

Otherwise, none of all these would have happened. 

"Ji Shan, do you also want to join the Hunting Competition? Well, of course, but…" Senior Brother Ling gazed at Ji Mo unkindly. "There's only one slot left for the two of you…" 

"It doesn't matter. Even if that useless person went, he would just cause trouble. Just strike his name out," Ji Shan said casually. 

"Strike out? Ji Shan, whose name do you want to strike out?" Senior Brother Ling deliberately dawdled, throwing a jeering sideway glance at Ji Mo.

Ji Shan and Nan Gongye exchanged a look, both mirroring similar expressions of derision. Ji Shan walked to Ji Mo and patted him on the shoulder. "Ji Mo, this Hunting Competition is very dangerous. With your abilities, you'll just be a burden. Why don't you give up your slot to endorse Nan Gongye and me?" 

"Endorse you? Then, who will endorse me?" Ji Mo waved his hand.

Ji Shan's gaze turned icy. He sneered, "I'm doing this for your own good. You are Eldest Uncle's son. I don't want you to be killed by the demonic beasts. If that happens, Eldest Uncle will surely blame me for not taking good care of you." 

"You just take care of yourself. Don't worry about my affairs," Ji Mo replied in an equal vein. 

"You…" Ji Shan's expression turned thunderous. He did not expect Ji Mo to talk to him like this. In the past, Ji Mo had never dared to confront him directly because Ji Shan's skills were much better than his. If Ji Shan were to attack, even ten Ji Mos would not be able to withstand the blow. 

"I'm giving you one more chance, give up your name slot. Otherwise, even though we're cousins, I'll attack you." Ji Shan's gaze was completely icy cold by now. He felt slightly humiliated because Ji Mo had dared to defy him in front of such a big crowd.

Beside him, Nan Gonye quirked a mischievous smile as if he was watching a good show. 

Du Jia stayed silent but she also shot a disdainful look at Ji Mo. With regards to Ji Mo, she knew better than anyone that he would not dare to go head-to-head against Ji Shan. Although Ji Shan was his cousin, the difference in their abilities was too stark. 

In her eyes, Ji Mo was a weak coward who lacked ambition. He was like a used rice sack, the most useless of all waste.