Open Strife and Shadowy Battles, Beast Horde Attack (4,000-Word Update at Noon, 6,000 More Tonight)

Looking at the high-spirited young man before him, itching for a fight, Shen He had wanted to offer a few words of dissuasion. But when the words reached his lips, he swallowed them back down.

Li Cunxiao had broken through two realms in two months—he was naturally an outstanding talent, radiant as the sun. But was Ye Chengxiao's achievement of reaching Blood Qi Perfection in less than a year, then breaking through to the Muscle Realm within another month, really any less impressive?

He was far inferior to either of them. Since that was the case, why insist on standing here and playing the villain?

He was here to recruit talent for the family. Why did he have to offend one person for the sake of another?

Besides, Li Cunxiao and Ye Chengxiao were both at the Muscle Realm. If they truly fought, they would probably be evenly matched, while he himself was already a warrior at the Second Accomplishment of Tempering.

Let these two heroes have a bout. Once they reached a stalemate, he could step in as their senior brother to mediate. Wouldn't that earn him a favor from both sides?

Moreover, Shen He had not failed to show goodwill toward Li Cunxiao over the past four or five days. Yet this Li Sanlang was utterly impervious to oil and salt.

Whether invited to eat and drink or to visit the pleasure quarters and hear songs, he politely declined them all.

All day long, he kept his head down and practiced martial arts. Otherwise, he mingled with those escorts and laborers, and no one knew what he was after.

Even when Xiao Mei, such a stunning beauty, invited him, he remained unmoved. He was practically a block of wood; there was no opportunity at all to win him over or show him goodwill.

Shen He knew that Xiao Mei was proud at heart. She had likely suffered a setback with Li Cunxiao, which was why she had egged Ye Chengxiao on to stand up for her.

Now that he thought about it, letting Junior Disciple Ye make a fuss and stir up a few ripples might not be a bad thing!

"Junior Disciple Ye, since you have already made up your mind, I will not be the one to spoil the mood. Matches and contests between martial artists are perfectly normal."

"But I must remind you of one thing. The Autumn Hunt concerns the Flying Tiger Escort Agency's reputation. It is no problem if you wish to compete with Li Cunxiao, but you must never make things difficult for Master Zhang."

Ye Chengxiao had assumed that Shen He would continue trying to dissuade him for the sake of Li Cunxiao, this "genius." The outcome was wholly unexpected.

He could not help but feel a measure of goodwill toward this senior brother, so he simply laid out his plans in full.

"Senior Brother speaks rightly. If fellow disciples fight among themselves before other factions, then even if we win, we have truly lost."

"Since we have come for the Autumn Hunt, I will compete with Li Cunxiao in hunting demons. When the time comes, the difference in our strength will be clear at a glance."

"And let Master Zhang see that while Li Cunxiao may be formidable, I, Ye Chengxiao, am no ordinary man either!"

And while he was at it, he would let those people of the Ye Family—especially Ye Rongzu—see it as well.

A few despicable tricks could only sicken him for a while. In the end, they could not stop him from shattering the Muscle Realm bottleneck. From this day onward, he would no longer be shackled by those mediocre fools of the Main Branch!

"Fine ambition, Junior Brother!"

Shen He fanned the flames from the side, his expression utterly sincere.

"Let the world see that the Flying Tiger Escort Agency has more than one fierce tiger—more than just Li Sanlang!"

After traveling for more than half a day, the party arrived at the foot of Pingqiu Mountain. The servants of each household busied themselves pitching tents, lighting fires, and preparing food.

Not far away, the young ladies of the various households stepped down from their carriages one after another and began setting up a place for feasting.

The Imperial Ming Relics recorded: "When noble ladies wandered the fields in spring and encountered famous flowers, they would spread mats upon the grass and pass red skirts among themselves, fastening and hanging them to form banquet curtains."

It meant that when young ladies of distinguished families went on spring outings, they would use the grass as their banquet mat, plant bamboo poles around them, then join their skirts together and hang them from the poles. Thus they made a temporary canopy, with a charm all its own.

Ye Rongzu, Song Qingshan, and Xiao Ji had not given up on the idea of a Marriage Alliance. They practically dragged Li Cunxiao over, babbling about beauties like paintings, living splendor and fragrant color, far surpassing the withered desolation of the mountains and wilds.

It had to be said that these young ladies born to wealthy households, thanks to generations of refined bloodlines, were basically impossible to find ugly.

Each wore splendid garments, short jackets and long skirts. Their piled-up hair and cloudlike tresses were adorned with floral ornaments, their brows painted with delicate designs. Every one of them possessed a thousand charming airs, a feast for the eyes.

Among them, Xiao Mei stood out the most. Compared with the other youthful girls, she wore heavy makeup, with half her creamy breasts exposed. Like a ripe peach, she eclipsed Zhang Yuelu, Jiang Qi, and the rest.

But once the young ladies raised their various skirts, naturally nothing could be seen anymore.

Xiao Ji wore an expression of deep regret. Li Cunxiao saw clearly that among the three, this cousin from the main family had stared at Xiao Mei the longest.

People said the Xiao Family was renowned for its dual-cultivation secret arts. Could it be that there were some shameful affairs within the clan that could not be spoken of to outsiders?

"Brother Li is truly a great talent. But I heard that the Flying Tiger Escort Agency still has a young tiger—he seems to be someone from Brother Ye's family?"

Xiao Ji also noticed the strange looks from the others, yet his expression remained unchanged as he casually tossed the topic onto Ye Rongzu.

The latter's face indeed turned cold. "You mean that Ye Chengxiao from the collateral branch?"

"He does have some talent, but his nature is unruly, and he bears considerable resentment toward the Main Branch. He treats even his Clan Kin this way—what young tiger is he supposed to be?"

Having said this, Ye Rongzu suddenly looked at Li Cunxiao.

"Brother Li, as the eldest son of the Main Branch, there are many things I cannot conveniently do. You are Ye Chengxiao's senior brother, so I hope you will temper him well on my behalf."

Li Cunxiao could not help frowning. "An elder brother is like a father. Brother Ye has his own Family Law—how could an outsider like me presume to interfere?"

"My younger brother is young and this is his first time leaving the city. I am worried about him, so I must go check on him. Gentlemen, we shall meet again later."

With that, he gave them no chance to respond and rode off with a slap of the reins.

The three watched Li Cunxiao's receding back. Xiao Ji suddenly spoke.

"This Li Cunxiao truly is impervious to oil and salt. I had long heard he did not care for pleasure, but who would have thought he did not care to hear either good words or bad ones?"

"Is that so? I think this Li Sanlang is a rare and remarkably clever man."

Song Qingshan sneered, then also rode away. On the gentle hillside, only Xiao Ji and Ye Rongzu remained.

"Even Song Qingshan can see it. No wonder Li Cunxiao refuses to take the bait. Young Master Ye, are you really going to watch that threat from the collateral branch grow stronger?"

"Back then, it took the two of us two years to reach Blood Qi Perfection as well. Tsk, tsk, Ye Chengxiao..."

Ye Rongzu's face remained expressionless. "A threat? He's not worthy."

"What kind of genius is a genius who hasn't grown yet?"

At that, Xiao Ji gave him a meaningful look.

"But I heard that kid has already broken through to the Sinew and Flesh Realm?"

"Xiao Mei told you?" Ye Rongzu frowned.

"You don't seem very surprised," Xiao Ji said, somewhat taken aback.

In order to make a name for himself in one fell swoop, Ye Chengxiao had still kept the matter somewhat secret. He had told only his beloved Senior Sister Xiao about his breakthrough.

"Do you really think Ye Chengxiao is some once-in-an-age genius? Without the clan's Chastity Cultivation Technique preserving his primordial Yang energy, without the thirty-year Aged Yellow Essence his parents had exhausted their family fortune to buy, what gave him the right to break through to the Sinew and Flesh Realm in barely a month, without mishap or danger?"

"The clan has treated him more than generously, yet all it raised was an ungrateful wretch."

In just a few words, Ye Rongzu had denounced Ye Chengxiao until he was utterly worthless. Yet Xiao Ji merely smiled upon hearing it, believing only half of what had been said.

Did he, as a member of the Xiao Family's main branch, not understand the filth within great clans?

The main line and collateral branches might share blood, but when they truly fought, they were even more ruthless than when dealing with outsiders.

Still, the man's words did explain where the news had come from. After all, so long as a person lived, they would leave traces behind.

If Ye Chengxiao's parents wanted to buy great medicine for their son, they would inevitably have to move silver around. Transactions involving hundreds or thousands of taels could not be hidden from attentive members of the same clan.

"Since you know all that, I don't believe Young Master Ye is magnanimous enough to tolerate others. How about this? Tomorrow, when we enter the mountains for the Autumn Hunt, I'll do you a small favor."

"You know as well as I do that the mountains are full of demons. Young people are hot-blooded; if they carelessly wander too deep inside and encounter a Second Order Demon alone, I'm afraid..."

"I'm afraid his fellow disciples traveling with him, such as Li Cunxiao, will also be caught up in it. When the time comes, Zhang Lishi's fury will all be vented on the Ye Family. Will you be content to sit by and watch from the sidelines?"

Ye Rongzu sneered. He squeezed his legs around his horse's belly, then tossed back a remark over his shoulder as he left.

"Xiao Ji, if you truly like eating Pig-Boar-Snake Meat that much, I advise your Xiao Family to kneel before the Murong family sooner rather than later and be their dogs. Wag your tails, and you'll have bones to gnaw on. Why rack your brains here? Hyah!"

The unrestrained smile on Xiao Ji's face finally vanished. His right hand involuntarily clenched around his riding crop. After the other man had gone far away, he could no longer hold back. His short whip lashed out like a black serpent, coiling around a small tree as thick as a bowl before releasing it.

Not a sound was made; not even a scrap of bark fell away.

At that moment, footsteps suddenly sounded behind him. Xiao Mei approached, swaying her water-snake waist, and lightly tapped the spot struck by the whip with a finger.

The palm-thick trunk instantly crumbled into powder, sifting down in a shower. With a crack, the small tree snapped and fell.

"Elder Brother's Spirit Snake Whip has become ever more unfathomable. With Third Training Completion, breaking through to the Viscera Realm is just around the corner."

Xiao Mei's voice was soft and languid. It had originally been a flattering remark, but the instant Xiao Ji heard it, anger flared within him.

He was about the same age as Ye Rongzu and Shi Tie, yet the latter had broken through to the Viscera Realm years ago, while he remained at Third Training Completion. This was simply poking at his scar.

Xiao Ji sprang from his horse. His five fingers shot out like a black python, wrapping around Xiao Mei's unprepared arms. In an instant, her slender waist was already gripped in his palm, his voice hoarse and low.

"I'm very angry right now."

Feeling the scorching heat from his broad palm, Xiao Mei was initially somewhat panicked, but she quickly calmed herself.

"Are we not dealing with Ye Chengxiao's matter anymore?"

Xiao Ji immediately cooled down.

The woman before him was not some furnace cauldron in the residence that he could pluck at will. She was the intermediary between the Xiao Family and the Flying Tiger Escort Agency, and she also indirectly affected the struggle within the Ye Family.

His hand slowly loosened, and the predatory look in his eyes softened as well.

"Of course we are. But this Autumn Hunt, forget it. Return the beast bait to me."

The moment she got the chance, Xiao Mei immediately retreated three zhang, her gaze toward Xiao Ji filled with wariness.

At his words, she took a mechanism-locked contraption from her sleeve and casually tossed it over. He caught it in one hand.

"Do not make a move against Ye Chengxiao yet. That Li Cunxiao is a shrewd man. We need to leave a chess piece in the escort agency to keep him in check."

"When he is no longer useful, you may deal with him however you please."

After saying this, Xiao Ji swung back onto his horse and rode away with a crack of his whip, leaving Xiao Mei standing there, gnashing her teeth. A moment later, she too departed in resentment.

Pingqiu Mountain was not just a single mountain, but a chain of seven peaks. The Firewood Gang merely occupied the one nearest to Chu Hill, calling it the main peak.

After years of management, the formidable demons within had long since been exterminated. Moreover, it was the Firewood Gang's lair, so naturally they could not offer it up for outsiders to hunt.

Thus, the true grounds of the Autumn Hunt lay in the other six peaks of Pingqiu Mountain.

The Mountain Forest stretched on without end. Below the mountainsides, everything was a withered yellow, the branches bare and leafless. Above the mountainsides, however, greenery became more abundant.

In the deep mountains and ancient forests, streams murmured and caves dotted the land. Who knew which spot might conceal demons and savage beasts preparing for winter, ready to emerge and seize people as stored provisions.

"Therefore, once you enter the mountains, remember not to venture too deeply without thought. Especially Sanlang and Yue'er—no matter how much you hunt, nothing is more important than safety."

Before entering the mountains, Zhang Lishi specifically called Li Cunxiao and Zhang Yuelu aside to give them careful instructions. Ye Chengxiao, standing within the group, felt a sour ache in his heart as he watched, but he forcibly endured it.

The time to hold his head high was not yet.

"...In short, with your Eldest Senior Brother watching over you, simply be cautious."

It was rare for Zhang Lishi to be this talkative. Only after he had finished did he turn and head toward the great tent.

Murong Bai and the other powerful figures of the county were all in the tent as well. While waiting for the younger generation's contest to produce its results, the various families of the city had gathered, taking the opportunity to negotiate and exchange benefits among themselves.

"Go on ahead, junior brothers. I'll be watching from nearby."

Shi Tie left them with a reassuring smile. Only after Li Cunxiao and the others had gone some distance did he follow with the likewise late-arriving Ye Rongzu and company.

These young masters were called young, but most were actually well past thirty, fathers to several children.

Yesterday, they had gathered around Li Cunxiao to fish for a golden son-in-law. Today's Autumn Hunt belonged to the youths; every clan had younger descendants participating, and mindful of their status, they did not care to join in the bustle.

Each brought along a Third Realm retainer from their clan and traveled with Shi Tie, content to watch this clash of dragons and tigers.

"I thought it would be a clash of dragons and tigers. Who knew it would be Catching a turtle in a jar?"

Seeing the weapon marks on the beasts and demons that had fallen to arrows, Li Cunxiao could not help curling his lip.

Naturally. If it truly depended on luck alone, with everyone combing the mountains for prey, what if they ended up empty-handed? Would that not be a tremendous loss of face?

Thus, not long after entering the mountains, attentive servants began driving over scattered groups of beasts that had been prepared beforehand. The young masters immediately became like peacocks spreading their tails, competing to shoot game and attract the few women in the party.

Though the dynasty's customs were open, and it was commonplace for women to play polo or gamble at pai gow, few could truly train martial arts to the point of manipulating Blood Essence.

They were usually enthusiastic about hunting as well, but demons might be encountered today, so every one of them had stayed behind at camp to play cuju. Even Xiao Mei had not joined for some reason, leaving Ye Chengxiao secretly disappointed.

Therefore, only a few women from the Murong Family, Ye Family, Zhang Family of the escort agency, and Jiang Family were present in today's party.

All of them wore round-collared robes in men's attire, dashing and valiant, drawing every eye.

But Li Cunxiao had no such stray thoughts. Whether demon or beast, he simply drew his bow and loosed arrows, constantly testing the results of his recent training.

If chaos engulfed the realm in the future, skill in mounted archery would be of great use in the army.

Ye Chengxiao was holding back, intending to make a stunning debut. He did not even spare ordinary prey a glance, and so had yet to make a move.

The parties from the various city families gradually entered the Mountain Forest, soon to split up at a fork in the road.

Everything appeared to be going smoothly, but at that moment, a gust of sand and dust suddenly swept out from the distant forest.

As everyone wondered how there could be dust within the Mountain Forest, a dark cloud shrieked as it burst forth. Once they saw it clearly, every face changed—

Flying through the air was, astonishingly, a swarm of weasel-like demons!