Chapter 4: Grade 2 Meant Something

Jin did not have a cultivation technique, which was unlike most of the Grade 2 cultivators. His grandfather Ming had noted that Jin had a great cultivation potential but even with his years of experience in the army, Ming could not find a suitable and decent cultivation technique for him. Hence, under Ming's tutelage, Jin trained by taking bits from a variety of cultivation manuals and martial arts to strengthen his body and his senses.

He increased his speed through the teachings of the Leopard Pounce Style, bolstered his strength through the Robust Bull Style and gained heightened sense from the Playful Platypus Style. His potential and hard work allowed him to move into Grade 2 when his body tempering of various styles showed its effect.

The weakness of such mixture of styles is that Jin could reach Grade 2, at most Grade 3. Ming decided to do this was to give Jin a strong foundation before he took on a cultivation worthy of his potential. Unfortunately, Ming passed away before he could fully research on a good cultivation manual for Jin to use.

With his senses heightened from the Playful Platypus style, he was able to deduce that the goblins were tired and looking for a place to rest. If they strike now, he might have an advantage against them.

He did not know whether the goblins themselves had cultivation or not since anything was possible. Regardless, he moved forward using the steps of a leopard and with a goblin in sight, he struck his sword down. Two slightly blurry beige coloured human silhouettes appeared behind Jin as he struck his sword against the unaware goblin.

The number of silhouettes showed the grade Jin was in. The colour of silhouettes showed the degree of strength Jin had in that particular grade and the human silhouettes indicated the type of cultivation Jin was using. Since Jin was not using any, his powers indicated a human silhouette instead.

If a cultivator used a Tiger cultivation technique at the peak of Grade 2, the user is able to show two lively tigers with highly defined coloured silhouettes. Something similar to an image seen in 4K HDR resolution. Likewise, if a cultivator just reached and obtained a Grade 2 cultivation level using the Snake cultivation technique, two snakes silhouettes will appear but they would appear extremely grainy, blurred and in black and white.

Hence in a Grade itself, there was some degree of power difference which the cultivators differentiated themselves.

To his surprise, the goblin nearly died from the sudden ambush and its pulse turned very weak in an instant. "Quickly Jin! Throw the phone at it! Do not let it die out!" Yun shouted within Jin's head. In a reflex move, Jin threw the phone at the dying goblin.

Yun managed to switch the phone's app in time to "Hunt! Hunt!" If one could look properly at the starting screen as Jin threw the phone, a panda wore a survival hat carrying a net was shown in it. The phone hit the dying goblin and the goblin was absorbed into the phone. The screen suddenly showed a loading progress bar.

"Taming in process, please hold." The bar continued to be filled until it reached 100%.

"Captured complete, please view Monster Card." The phone immediately flew back to Jin and he looked at the startled four goblins left. One was a spear wielder, a crossbow user, a cloaked goblin and a goblin carrying a bunch of items.

"Mission complete, do you wish to stay on longer to complete the optional objectives?" Yun asked objectively. "Let me try those optional ones." Jin was getting pumped up. It was a long time he felt this way.

The spear goblin went forth and gave a strong thrust towards Jin but he was able to dodge it barely in time. "Looks like I really lacked the practice." Jin took a step forward using the Leopard pounce and hit the spear goblin with the hilt of the sword with his right hand. He managed to stun it for a second, hence taking the chance to disarm the goblin by pulling the spear with his left hand.

Jin suddenly sensed a projectile coming towards him so he hid behind the spear goblin using it as a shield. Despite being in pain, the spear goblin took this opportunity to bite into Jin's left shoulder.

He shouted with some agony but continued his actions. He knew if he died here, it would just be so shameful as a Grade 2. Jin, therefore, gathered his strength via the Robust Bull Style and plunged the Grade 1 iron sword into the goblin with the two human silhouettes appearing behind him again.

Jin let go of the spear that he was trying to disarm and pulled his handphone from the side of his waist pouch. He gathered his strength and punched the goblin with his left hand that held the handphone.

The handphone app was remotely controlled by Yun so she once again activated the capture. The goblin was eventually captured by the phone again and the taming process was successful.

"Three more…! Wait where did the cloaked goblin go?" Jin suddenly felt an intent to kill from behind. He quickly turned his body and through basic electroreception training he had from the Playful Platypus Style, he estimated where the attack was coming from.

-Clink!-

Jin noticed that the cloaked goblin was masked as he saw some green liquid came off from the dagger when it collided with the sword. "Poison!?" Jin staggered a little and the dagger goblin stepped backwards and later lost into the forest.

"Master, Heal up!" Milk finished casting from her book and a sphere with an aura of healing was generated in front of Jin. As long as Jin was around it, he would receive boosted regeneration. Jin noticed his fatigue was slightly removed and the bite wound he received from the goblin closed up.

The dagger goblin noticed that Jin was not the only one around and the battle could have been won if not for the assistance of Milk. Hence, it quickly changed its target to Milk and dashed towards her.

Milk on the hand was not afraid as if she was expecting the attack. Jin realised his Leopard Style was not fast enough to even catch a goblin without cultivation but Milk had a "Leave it to me Master" kind of face.

True enough, as the dagger goblin pounced towards Milk, a light barrier stopped the goblin with the poisoned daggers in its track. Milk had cast 'Holy Shield' before casting 'Minor Healing' towards Jin.

Milk then took the book she was holding and bashed it into the dagger goblin's head. To Jin's amazement, two highly defined coloured angel silhouettes appeared behind Milk as she did that. An indent appeared in the dagger goblin's head and the book was stained with blood and brain mass.

Jin did not forget and immediately threw the phone towards the goblin. The goblin was successfully captured and tamed in an instant. "Optional Objectives completed, initiating the return," Yun said in Jin's head and he disappeared right before an incoming crossbow arrow missed its target.

When Jin opened his eyes and found that he was back at the house, he was panting a little and found his clothes stained with some blood. Milk looked at her book that still had some of the goblin's brain on it. "Master, since the hunt is done do call me again when you need my help! I had fun!"

Milk touched the handphone that Jin was holding and her presence was gone. "I guess being a high-level Grade 2 did mean something. I have to buck up more." Jin mumbled to himself.

"Yes Jin, your performance was below expectations," Yun said in a straight voice.

"Still, you completed your mission and I will issue you your rewards accordingly."

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