The Unseen Territory

The neat rows of ridges stretched one after another. From stalk to leaf to grain, the crops gleamed brilliantly, like golden ornaments, especially conspicuous amid the pitch-black mountains, shrouded in mystery.

Everyone present was drawn in by Feng Yi'an's words. Such a spectacle existed in the night-mist-shrouded mountains? "Who was cultivating it?" Xu Yueping asked.

Feng Yi'an shook his head. The Mountain Patrol who had gotten lost had stumbled upon the place by accident, but they had not dared approach.

They reported it immediately afterward, and higher-ups had gone there in person, yet they could not find it no matter how they searched.

Old Man Liu, already over seventy, sighed. "The night is boundless. Between deep mountains and great marshes, there are too many unknown things. The vast uninhabited regions are exceedingly dangerous; even a distant city lord would find it difficult to venture deep inside."

"Grandfather Liu, have you encountered some strange things too?" Qin Ming asked.

Old Man Liu nodded, a reminiscence appearing on his face. "Forget the wilderness. There are oddities even near where we live."

Back then, he had still been a boy, flying kites with his companions at the village entrance. When they reeled in the string at last, they found it sticky—the kite was stained with blood.

"Right at our village entrance?" Yang Yongqing was startled and could not help looking toward the night sky beyond the window.

After hesitating, Qin Ming said, "Could a bird have been injured and then flown into the kite?"

"Perhaps. When my grandfather saw the bloodied kite string, his expression changed at once. He told me to bury the matter deep in my belly. In the blink of an eye, decades have passed," Old Man Liu said.

When something like that happened right outside one's doorstep, it always left people uneasy.

Xu Yueping said, "Let Brother Feng tell us more about things in the mountains."

"Have you ever heard of mountain beasts weeping at graves?" Feng Yi'an spoke of it cautiously, with reverence, his expression extremely complicated.

"What kind of grave?" someone asked. They traveled through the mountains all year round, yet had never encountered such a thing.

Feng Yi'an said, "A Beast Tomb."

"Wild beasts practice burial too?" Xu Yueping asked in astonishment.

Feng Yi'an nodded. "The uninhabited regions blanketed in night mist inspire awe. Any bizarre thing can happen there."

That Day, the old leader of the Mountain Patrol Group sensed something unusual in the mountains. Fearing that some mysterious creature had evolved another step and might bring calamity, he quietly approached.

"The old leader wanted firsthand information—to see what kind of 'strange insect' or 'Famous Beast' was enhancing itself—so that we could prepare defenses and strike back precisely."

After all, creatures that had mutated multiple times each possessed different abilities. To deal with them, different measures and methods had to be prepared.

On the way, the old leader suddenly realized that the abnormal sound was actually weeping. Yet he did not stop. Soon after, he saw a White-Haired Old Beast sobbing quietly, weeping at a grave in the night. It was deeply chilling.

Feng Yi'an said, "That dilapidated earthen grave had existed for at least a thousand years, because the ancient cypress growing from it had lived for no less than a millennium."

The old leader saw the white-haired mountain beast kowtow like a human. A rain of light fell around the earthen grave, illuminating the pitch-black forest.

Afterward, birds of prey descended from the night sky, while monsters climbed ashore from the swamp, all joining the worship.

Feng Yi'an stopped there.

"What happened afterward?" someone urged.

Feng Yi'an said, "The old leader risked approaching closer to see the White-Haired Old Beast's true appearance. He intended to return and consult the records, to see whether there was any local documentation and prepare targeted defenses."

The White-Haired Old Beast kowtowed and shed tears, then inexplicably began to mutate. Weeping at the grave seemed to be some mysterious ritual that elevated its level of life.

The old leader quietly withdrew, but began coughing blood On the Way, and his entire body became unbearably itchy. Though he returned alive and reported what he had seen, his flesh later rotted away and he died.

"The higher-ups dispatched a large force, and a great battle was fought in the mountains. They say that fortunately, the message had been delivered in time. Otherwise, once the White-Haired Old Beast truly came into its own, a terrible disaster would have followed."

Everyone felt weighed down. Beyond the mountains, life was usually fairly peaceful, but hidden places held untold truths. Someone was silently guarding the mountains, fighting and killing.

Old Man Liu, his white hair thick and his face covered in wrinkles, sighed. "There were more than one or two people like the old leader. A Close Friend I met in my youth spent his years guarding the mountains and blocking dangerous aberrant creatures. In the end, when he grew old, I do not know whether he died inside the mountains. He never appeared again."

Feng Yi'an nodded. "Most members of our Mountain Patrol Group have suffered grave injuries. Some cannot even die a peaceful death, leaving not even their bones behind."

He used the old leader's master as an example. "Back then, that Old Senior possessed extraordinary skill and immense prestige. He had already retired with honor after losing an arm, but when he heard that a dangerous Mountain Monster had appeared, he feared the younger generation could not stop it. He prevented others from going to their deaths, while he himself dragged his maimed body into battle."

After one battle, although the old leader's master badly wounded the Mountain Monster, he too died a miserable death. Aside from a vast expanse of bloodstains, only half a saber remained.

"That Old Senior's greatest wish in life was to be buried outside the mountains, together with his deceased wife and children. Yet his wish came to nothing. His soul could not return home, and he Fell Into the pitch-black mountains," Feng Yi'an said, shaking his head with a sigh.

The old man's wife and children had died young when the Mountain Monster wreaked havoc years ago. From then on, he never remarried.

The Mountain Patrol Group brought back his bloodstained broken saber and buried it beside the graves of his wife and children.

Upon hearing this, Qin Ming found even the spicy old wine tasteless. He remained silent.

Feng Yi'an was downcast. "By the end, among the Mountain Patrol, aside from the crippled and the dead, there are also those who go mad and remain in the mountains. They eat raw, bloody meat with fur like wild beasts, turning into monsters through and through. Sigh, who knows how our group will end up? Perhaps the mountains will be our final resting place."

The atmosphere at the wine table was somewhat stifling. The mountains were changing now, and perhaps a mountain sweep was imminent. No one knew what would happen next.

Feng Yi'an drained his cup and said, "Brother Xu, I must trouble you to plant the medicinal seeds."

He solemnly took a wooden box from his robes. Inside, after opening it, were four black seeds, each as large as a kidney bean.

Xu Yueping froze. "They have to be planted in winter?"

Feng Yi'an's expression turned solemn. "Put them in the Fire Spring to nourish now, and they will flourish in early spring. In this coming battle, the Mountain Patrol Group will definitely stand at the forefront. For some brothers, their lives are probably beginning their countdown. Even if they survive, they may be half-crippled. No one knows whether they can hold on until Black Moon matures. This is life-saving medicine for many people, Old Xu. You must take it seriously!"

Black Moon took root in the Fire Spring. Its leaves resembled orchids, and once its plump buds bloomed, every petal looked like a black crescent moon, scattering Dark Light amid curling white mist.

Feng Yi'an wiped a trace of wine from his great beard, rose, and Took Leave. "Thank you for your hospitality, Brother Xu. If I return alive after the mountain sweep, we shall gather again."

"Brother Feng is highly skilled. You will surely turn misfortune into fortune," Xu Yueping said.

Those present saw Feng Yi'an off to the village entrance and watched him vanish into the night.

"The times are hard. The Mountain Patrol Group is still considerate—they only sent four seeds. The spiritual essence drawn from the Fire Spring can bear it," someone said.

The Mountain Patrol not only monitored the dangers in the mountains, but also guarded them. Places everywhere were willing to grow life-saving medicinal herbs for them and did not resist it.

By agreement, every village had to provide four to eight Black Moon plants each year. With only four plants, the crops in the Fire Field would not be affected so severely.

Those present dispersed.

Old Man Liu had yet to leave. Staring at the four black seeds, he said, "They really cultivated them."

As Qin Ming left, he noticed that Xu Yueping seemed burdened with worries.

There were many more people on the streets, all carrying bows, arrows, and hunting forks, preparing to enter the mountains.

Yesterday, they had questioned Qin Ming in detail about the situation in the mountains. Early this morning, they began taking action.

Mainly because every household was running low on stored grain, and food was scarce.

"Great haul! We killed two Saberhorn Deer!"

When a group returned, they brought good news and a bountiful harvest.

"At present, the outer reaches of the forest have calmed down. As long as we do not venture too deep, we can hunt cautiously."

Next Day, even more people entered the mountains in groups and brought back quite a lot of prey.

Many children cheered. Unafraid of the cold, they puffed out white mist as they ran back and forth through the streets as though it were New Year's. The village atmosphere clearly improved.

"Uncle, come to my house and try something fresh. We're eating Roe Deer Meat today." Wen Rui happily came to call Qin Ming.

After eating the game meat, Qin Ming walked out of Lu Ze's home and happened to see Xu Yueping returning from the village entrance with a frown.

"Uncle Xu, did you go see someone off?"

"Yes. People from the Mountain Patrol Group came and urged me to plant the Black Moon seeds," Xu Yueping said.

Qin Ming felt that the Mountain Patrol truly had it Not Easy. Facing all manner of dangers, they could be crippled or even killed at any moment.

Seeing Xu Yueping burdened with worries and Frowning Deeply, he did not Say More.

That day, the last group to enter the mountains caused a commotion when they returned. Most had been injured, stained with blood, and all their prey had been lost.

"That was close. We ran into a mutated Snow Ape. One of Old Chen's arms was nearly torn off." The villagers who had escaped still trembled with lingering fear.

"A blessing amid misfortune—we drove it back with bows and arrows and escaped." Having survived the disaster, they said they had ventured too deep into the mountains this time and could not act rashly again.

The heavy night mist dispersed, and a new day arrived. Though people had been injured yesterday, it did not frighten off the others, because this time a New Life Evolver accompanied them.

However, not much time passed before one group returned. Many were bloodied, and that New Life Evolver was the most severely injured.

His left shoulder blade was shattered, one leg bent unnaturally, and part of his chest had caved in. His mouth was full of bloody foam; no one knew whether he would survive.

"What happened?"

"We encountered a Blood Bear!" someone said, their lips trembling.

The Blood Bear was an extremely powerful mutated creature. Its fur was blood-red, and it was violent and ferocious. Even a New Life Evolver might not survive an encounter with one.

"Where's Brother Lu?" Qin Ming hurried into the neighboring courtyard.

"He entered the mountains." Once Liang Wanqing learned the situation, she immediately became anxious.

"I'll go find him!" Qin Ming turned and left.

When Xu Yueping learned that another group had yet to return, he immediately panicked and called for all the New Life Evolvers to enter the mountains together.

Qin Ming ran at the very front, throwing up great waves of snow on both sides. Xu Yueping, closest to him, was so stunned he lost focus, while the others had long since been left out of sight.

Near the forest, Qin Ming stopped, because a group of people was staggering out.

At a glance, he saw Lu Ze being carried out.

"Brother Lu!" He rushed over.

Lu Ze's face was yellow as gold paper, his eyes closed. His clothes were tattered and smeared with blood. His chest and abdomen were injured most severely, with at least three broken ribs.

Crying came from nearby. Of the severely injured people carried back, two had already drawn their last breaths.

"Did the Blood Bear injure you?" Qin Ming asked.

Someone, still frightened, said, "Yes. If the Mountain Patrol had not appeared, many more of us might have died."

Qin Ming stared into the dim forest and drew his gleaming short blade.

Xu Yueping arrived and stopped him. "Do not take the risk. Go back first!"

When Liang Wanqing saw Lu Ze being carried back, her face turned Pale Face. She stumbled over in terror, while the two children burst into loud sobs.

"Sister-in-law, Brother Lu merely fainted," Qin Ming said.

He had inspected him carefully. Lu Ze's broken ribs had not pierced his internal organs. After Qin Ming set them and treated the wounds, the problem was not serious.

This time, many people had been injured. Standing in the street, one could hear the cries of old people and children.

The village atmosphere was oppressive. Xu Yueping ordered that from now on, no one was permitted to enter the mountains.

Qin Ming entered Xu Yueping's courtyard and found Old Man Liu and Yang Yongqing there as well.

"You want to kill the Blood Bear?" Xu Yueping asked from inside the house.

Qin Ming spoke quietly. "Brother Lu bears wounds left by bear claws, but several of his ribs look more like they were broken by fists."

"You feel that too? Then it was most likely done by people." Xu Yueping sprang to his feet, anger appearing on his face. "Some people have gone too far!"

Qin Ming had sensed it long ago and formed some suspicions.

Because ever since Xu Yueping received the four seeds, he had been weighed down by worry.

"Why?" Qin Ming asked. Guessing was one thing, but he found it hard to accept in his heart.

Xu Yueping's voice was low. "The Mountain Patrol Group forced me to plant the Black Moon seeds immediately. I refused. I never expected them to retaliate like this."

Old Man Liu said, "There is something wrong with the seeds. They should have mutated and will absorb a tremendous amount of spiritual essence from the Fire Spring, affecting the cultivation of the Fire Field. There may be famine next year."

Qin Ming could not calm his thoughts. That bearded Feng Yi'an had seemed so forthright, recounting some of the tragic Past Events of the Mountain Patrol, moving people deeply—yet he had done such a thing.

Yang Yongqing said, "Everything Feng Yi'an Mentioned was true, but it has nothing to do with the core members of this current group!"

Qin Ming recalled what he had said before: some Mountain Patrol were very responsible.

At the time, Qin Ming had felt that Yang Yongqing seemed to be implying that some were also deeply irresponsible, though he had expressed it with great restraint.

Old Man Liu lowered his voice. "This group has hunted Blood Bears before. I strongly suspect someone is wearing that bear hide and committing evil now."

Upon hearing this, a blaze of anger rose in Qin Ming's heart. The Mountain Patrol were supposed to guard the mountains, protect the people, and be respected—yet what were they doing? On the surface, they were bold and responsible, but in secret they committed evil, their hands stained with villagers' blood. Where had their conscience gone? "Is Brother Xu at home?" Feng Yi'an led four Mountain Patrol members into the courtyard.

"It was all our fault. We failed in our duty this time and could not protect the villagers." The bearded Feng Yi'an wore a guilty expression and said they would immediately go Pursue and Kill the Blood Bear.

The knuckles of Xu Yueping's fingers inside his sleeve had turned white from clenching, yet he could not lash out. He still had to maintain a proper demeanor and deal with them.

His heart ached beyond measure. After killing people, they had come to apologize at his door. It was like sitting astride someone's neck, looking down at them, smiling as they mocked them.

Qin Ming sat quietly, temporarily suppressing the urge to draw his blade.

Thanks to sss Xi, A True Gentleman Never Looks at Snow White, Li Li Xi Xi, Xiao Wu Wu Wu Wu, and Names Shouldn't Be Too Long, Just About Right. Many thanks for the support, Alliance Leader!