He found a concealed spot to tether the horse, hoisted the beef and mutton onto his shoulder, carefully made his way through, and stopped at the mouth of the valley.
Nothing here had changed since he left yesterday. Everything remained hushed and still, with only the occasional birdcall reaching his ears.
Li Cunxiao was extremely cautious. His hands still transformed into tiger claws, digging into the mountain wall. Only after confirming that nothing unusual was happening in the valley did he carry the pork, beef, and mutton to the lakeshore.
These were the bait he had prepared.
It was not as though he could not kill a few demons in the mountains and bring their flesh here. But Demon Meat brimmed with Blood Essence. If the Water Sprite ate it and became frenzied, accidents would be inevitable. That would be digging his own grave.
By contrast, these pigs, cattle, and sheep were ordinary livestock. If it ate them, it ate them. There was no fear of "feeding the enemy."
Of course, if the other party did not care for ordinary livestock at all, Li Cunxiao could only count himself unlucky, skip the intelligence-gathering stage, and go back to ask Zhang Lishi to act directly.
He set down the pork and beef in turn at spots a little farther from the lake, arranging them in a straight line.
Li Cunxiao stood far away. His right arm swelled with blood, becoming like a bear's paw. Narrowing his eyes, he threw it freehand.
The mutton splashed into the lake. Li Cunxiao shot away with a hum, kicking up a gust of wind. At the instant the mutton fully sank to the bottom, he flattened himself against the thick trunk of a tree near the valley entrance.
Outside the valley, Red Steed gave an