Entering Again

That day.

Within Yangping Mountain.

With a squelch, a plump white grub as long as a finger, with a single black horn on its head, was crushed beneath a black cloth boot, bursting into a spray of green fluid.

"Damn tree bugs, disgusting as hell. This slime won't wash off no matter what. I'll have to replace these shoes again when I get back."

Zhang Ding looked at the green mucus smeared all over his boots and could not help cursing.

"Brother Lin, don't underestimate bugs like these in the mountains. If one bites you, you won't be getting out of bed for two or three days."

Lin Sheng nodded behind him. He glanced at the insect's flattened body, which no longer resembled its original form, but his attention was focused more on several figures in plain clothes with headscarves in the distance.

Judging from their attire, these people clearly were not from their Beast Hunter Hall.

"They came in to hunt. They're not from our Beast Hunter Hall, so there's no need to bother with them."

Following Lin Sheng's gaze, Zhang Ding swept his eyes over them as well and explained indifferently.

"Yangping Mountain covers quite a large area and has countless wild beasts within it, including quite a few valuable exotic beasts. Our Town Mountain Tower can't possibly swallow it all by ourselves, so Yangping Mountain is open to outsiders. They only need to pay a sum of silver, and thirty percent of what they harvest in the mountains must be handed over."

"I see." Lin Sheng understood, though he had thought more deeply about it than Zhang Ding had.

Yangping Mountain truly was a rare treasure ground.

Its resources of exotic beasts were abundant. Town Mountain Tower had become one of the foremost powers in Lin'an County largely because of this mountain.

Lin Sheng absolutely did not believe that such a treasure ground would not attract covetous eyes. Even Ouyang, the Tower Master of Town Mountain Tower, was a great expert of the Blood Circulation realm, but he might not necessarily have been able to monopolize Yangping Mountain entirely.

In the end, some benefits still had to be ceded. After all, Town Mountain Tower was not the only force in Lin'an County City, nor were Blood Circulation realm experts found only within Town Mountain Tower.

Thus, opening it to outsiders was likely a concession made by Town Mountain Tower.

Many of those who entered the mountain to hunt probably had ties to the major powers within the city.

"Brother Lin, the Tusk Mountain Boar we're dealing with this time is a big fellow. Be careful when the time comes."

Zhang Ding suddenly spoke up to remind him.

"Yeah. That Tusk Mountain Boar is incredibly strong. Even Captain Wang might not beat that beast in a head-on contest of strength. And with its thick hide, ordinary people might not be able to cut through it even with blades and swords."

An old hunter behind them chimed in as well, an involuntary trace of gravity appearing on his face.

"Fortunately, those beasts are extremely stupid, and their fat bodies aren't very agile. As long as we set the traps in advance and stay careful, nothing major should happen."

As though afraid of frightening Lin Sheng, Zhang Ding added with a smile.

"I understand, Brother Zhang. I'll be careful."

Lin Sheng solemnly nodded at Zhang Ding's warning.

The Hundred Beasts Scroll naturally contained records concerning the Tusk Mountain Boar.

When he had accepted the mission, he had specifically looked over the information on the Tusk Mountain Boar. He had a certain understanding of it now. It truly was not something creatures like horned badgers could compare to.

"I wonder what grade this Tusk Mountain Boar is. It should be among the upper ranks of the ordinary grade."

Lin Sheng guessed inwardly.

He had never seen an upper-rank ordinary-grade beast before. He wondered what kind of bodily effect it would have. The more he thought about it, the more anticipation stirred in his heart.

Beyond its high returns, the benefit of the Beast Hunter Hall was that one could encounter all kinds of exotic beasts rarely seen under normal circumstances. To him, that was the most important thing.

Seeing that the atmosphere behind him had grown somewhat silent, Zhang Ding seemed to speak in an effort to liven things up.

"Brothers, don't just look at the risks of this mission. I heard Captain Wang say that a wealthy man in the county city wants a pair of Tusk Mountain Boar tusks to forge a pair of weapons. As long as we complete this mission, everyone in our Ninth Squad will receive a Blood Nourishing Pill as a reward, along with two taels of silver."

"Blood Nourishing Pills!?"

The people behind them were clearly surprised upon hearing Zhang Ding's words, but delight soon appeared on their faces. Evidently, Blood Nourishing Pills held considerable appeal for them.

The name Blood Nourishing Pill made it sound like a medicinal pill for replenishing blood and vital energy.

Seeing the change in their expressions, Lin Sheng also understood that these Blood Nourishing Pills seemed to be rather extraordinary.

Seemingly aware that Lin Sheng did not know much about such things, Zhang Ding explained as he cleared the way ahead.

"Brother Lin, Blood Nourishing Pills are good stuff. Unlike the ordinary blood and vitality tonics sold on the market, these pills are refined from genuine Spirit Beast Blood. Though the amount of Spirit Beast Blood in them is extremely thin, their effects are still beyond comparison with ordinary pills."

"For martial artists who haven't yet entered the Body Tempering realm, taking one can save two months of cultivation time. They are quite beneficial for condensing blood and vital energy. Even for martial artists who have already entered Body Tempering, though the effect is greatly diminished, they can still strengthen one's blood and vital energy by a fair amount. Even if you don't use it yourself, it can fetch a good price if sold."

"They can actually shorten cultivation time!?"

Lin Sheng showed a look of surprise upon hearing Zhang Ding's words.

If the Blood Nourishing Pill truly had such an effect, then it was indeed extraordinary.

It was only a pity that its effects would be greatly reduced for martial artists who had already entered the Body Tempering realm.

Yet for hunters who had not entered the Body Tempering realm, this pill truly carried no small temptation.

After all, in a place like the Beast Hunter Hall, entering Body Tempering earlier meant gaining another measure of strength to protect oneself. Both one's status and wages would also rise considerably over what they had been before.

Looking at it this way, the effects of this pill truly could not be underestimated.

As Lin Sheng pondered this, he finally understood why Spirit Beasts were worth so much.

Spirit Beast Blood diluted an unknown number of times could produce pills like Blood Nourishing Pills. Then just how powerful would pills made from undiluted blood be?

With nothing else to do, Lin Sheng voiced the question in his heart.

"Brother Zhang, are there any pills above the Blood Nourishing Pill?"

"Of course there are. Among pills refined from Spirit Beast Blood, Blood Nourishing Pills are merely the lowest grade. Above them are Blood Cultivating Pills."

Zhang Ding swung the woodcutter's blade in his hand, chopping apart the branches blocking their path, and answered without turning his head.

"The effects of Blood Cultivating Pills are far greater than those of Blood Nourishing Pills. They are immensely beneficial even to Body Tempering martial artists. Not only can they speed up and shorten progress through the Body Tempering realm, they can even slightly strengthen one's innate constitution. Though they cannot compare to Blood Coagulating Pills, they are still quite precious treasure pills."

As he spoke, a trace of longing inevitably appeared on Zhang Ding's face.

"If I could obtain a Blood Cultivating Pill, perhaps I, Zhang, might have a chance to break through to the Muscle Forging realm."