Cunning Fox Ambush

"Boss, look! A Magic Core!!!"

At that moment, a mercenary suddenly shouted excitedly, standing up with a blood-streaked White Ice Crystal Core raised in his hand.

A First-order Crimson Ice Serpent was not particularly strong among magical beasts. Getting one crystal core from the corpses of these ten Crimson Ice Serpents was already fairly lucky. One had to know that when hunting magical beasts in the wild, it was not uncommon to suffer heavy casualties and return empty-handed.

The man's shout naturally drew many gazes, and everyone looked enviously at the Magic Core in his hand.

"Watch out!!!"

Yan Qingshan, who had just been guiding an apprentice to bandage a mercenary's wounds, suddenly sensed danger. He immediately picked up the powerful crossbow, already loaded with its string drawn taut and the safety engaged. Raising it in his left hand, he released the safety, adjusted his aim with his right hand, and swiftly pulled the trigger.

The auxiliary calculation function activated. Wind speed, distance, the attacker's movement speed and route—this data continuously updated before his eyes, calculating the next trajectory as well as the angle and path required for his shot.

With a sharp whistle, a Wolf Tooth Crossbow Bolt streaked past, nearly grazing the mercenary's cheek. Just as Yan Qingshan fired, bushes four steps behind the mercenary suddenly stirred. A green shadow leaped from the tree canopy, claws bared as it lunged for the man's back.

Its fur was emerald green, its slender body resembling a Forest Wolf but smaller and swifter. Its foul-smelling maw was filled with fangs glinting with Cold Light and dripping saliva, while its scarlet tongue was covered in fleshy barbs.

A Cunning Wood Fox, a First-order Wood Attribute magical beast. Though medium-sized, it was quite intelligent, extremely cunning, and difficult to kill. It excelled at ambushes in the forest, moving like the wind and retreating immediately after a strike. It rarely attacked proactively, but this time, it was clearly after the Magic Core.

Yan Qingshan's warning had come too abruptly. Before most people could react, the Wolf Tooth Crossbow Bolt had already flown. It arced past the mercenary's cheek and accurately shot into the Cunning Wood Fox's gaping bloody mouth, piercing through its throat and into its body, nearly running through the entire fox.

Bang...

The struck Cunning Wood Fox continued forward from inertia, slamming into the stunned mercenary's back and knocking him staggering to the ground. The emerald fox's limbs twitched as blood continually bubbled from the corners of its mouth. Soon, it fell silent.

"Get up already!"

Mang Ba shouted as he strode to the mercenary, who had nearly been frightened senseless. He reached out and pulled him up, carefully checked him over, and after confirming that he was merely badly shaken and otherwise unharmed, shoved him aside.

Mang Ba gripped the Cunning Wood Fox by the back of its neck, then grasped the fletching and pulled out the entire Wolf Tooth Crossbow Bolt. After confirming that the magical beast was completely dead, he inserted two fingers into its mouth and searched around its upper palate. He shook his head in disappointment, then turned and carried the corpse toward Yan Qingshan.

"What a pity, Qingshan. This Cunning Wood Fox didn't have a Magic Core. But that shot of yours was truly impressive. It pierced its throat and internal organs without damaging its fur in the slightest. Such an intact Cunning Wood Fox pelt isn't worth any less than a Magic Core."

Mang Ba set the Cunning Wood Fox's body beside Yan Qingshan, then took out a rag and wiped the blood from the Wolf Tooth Crossbow Bolt. "This Wolf Tooth Crossbow Bolt really is good, though there are truly few who can use it as well as you. This bolt is barely damaged and can still be used again."

"Not bad."

Yan Qingshan took the Wolf Tooth Crossbow Bolt and glanced at the bloodied wolf fang at its tip, which gleamed with Cold Light. He nodded and returned it to his quiver. Back when the Azure Wood Wolf had been brought to Myriad Medicine Hall, Yan Qingshan had asked someone to deal with it after he woke up. He had kept the Magic Core himself for healing and cultivation.

He had entrusted the Azure Wood Wolf's hide, flesh, bones, and claws to others for processing, gaining a tidy sum in the process. Using the Azure Wood Wolf's sharpest fangs, he had commissioned a quiver of Wolf Tooth Crossbow Bolts. He had also spent heavily to acquire a powerful crossbow capable of injuring magical beasts. After practicing for so long, he had become somewhat proficient.

"But your eyesight and vigilance really are impressive, kid. I didn't even notice that Cunning Wood Fox. Good thing you reacted quickly. Yang Wu is the only man holding up his family. He has no brothers, and his kid isn't even ten yet. If he had died..."

Mang Ba helped Yan Qingshan deal with the Cunning Wood Fox's corpse, ensuring that its pelt retained its value. As he worked, he unconsciously rambled on, but suddenly stopped near the end. He looked worriedly at Yan Qingshan, as though realizing he had said something wrong.

"When you're out here, you still have to be careful."

Yan Qingshan merely shook his head. There were far too many people in Qingshan Town with circumstances like Yang Wu's. The Yan Family had once been much the same, perhaps even worse. During the two years since Father Yan's death, Yan Qingshan had lived with great difficulty. If he had been the original owner of this body, he might truly have been stirred by the scene.

Yan Qingshan took out a rough piece of hide and wiped the tips of the arrows in his quiver one by one, while the corner of his eye continued to scan the surroundings, searching and sensing for danger.

Mang Ba was right to call him vigilant. He truly could sense danger far better than ordinary people. Shuguang could grant people all manner of abilities once thought unimaginable, including extreme perception and observation. Its operating principle was similar to expanding one's safety distance.

Even if an ordinary person's perception range were amplified, it would only extend to around one meter. Yet in his previous life, some formidable individuals could perceive everything within their sight. Even with their backs turned toward places they could not see, they still possessed clarity of perception more than ten times that of ordinary people.

After awakening, Yan Qingshan had discovered that his Mental Power—his perceptive ability—far surpassed that of ordinary people. Everything within ten meters was nearly as clear as if it were right before his eyes. Even what he could not see could be outlined through the Sound of Wind, smells, and other details, allowing his sharp five senses to perceive it distinctly.

That was why he had chosen to enter the mountains under such poor conditions to search for that cliff cave opportunity. He believed that with his unique perception, given enough time and effort, he would always be able to find some clues. Once he had the ability, he would not need to waste even more time searching slowly.

The attacks by the Crimson Ice Serpents and the Cunning Wood Fox were only the beginning. There were truly quite a few magical beasts in this cool forest, and the unending dangers left everyone in a sorry state.

Of course, after seeing the commotion Yan Qingshan and the others had caused, most magical beasts chose to leave rather than confront them head-on. There were also stubborn ones, however, that chose to clash directly with the mercenaries.

After several mercenaries surrounded and killed a Serpent-tailed Leopard, the group finally stopped and cleared out a simple camp for a rest.

This small forest did not require much room for a party of more than a hundred to rest. There was no need to go overboard. They only needed to clear an Open Space along the outskirts and drive away some magical beasts. If they slaughtered too many, the smell of blood might attract high-level magical beasts. Even a Second-order Magical Beast was not something they could handle.

The carriage stopped beneath the canopy of a large tree, and Yan Qingshan slowly climbed down, setting foot on solid ground. The bumpy journey had made him rather uncomfortable.

Though he had to pretend to be injured, it was normal enough to walk around and stretch his limbs, wasn't it?

Walking alone, Yan Qingshan could sense the change in the mercenaries' gazes around him. In this circle, where status was determined by strength, as long as one displayed remarkable ability, one could earn others' respect and awe. It was a simple and direct rule.

He had killed a Cunning Wood Fox with a single arrow. Whether it had been luck or not, his actions and strength had been acknowledged. That would be somewhat beneficial for the work ahead.

In the crude camp, more than a dozen mercenaries were scattered around the perimeter on guard, while the others sat where they were, recovering the strength they had spent on the journey.

The apprentice trainees in the herb-gathering party searched for medicinal herbs around the camp one by one. Some mercenaries followed beside them, seemingly hoping to pick up a few skills.

The apprentices did not drive them away. Their strength was insufficient, and the Magical Beast Mountain Range was fraught with danger. With mercenaries nearby, they would have someone to lend a hand if danger arose.

Yan Qingshan walked away from the crowd, warily sensing his surroundings. After leaving the small Dense Forest, he found a somewhat steep cliff before him. Standing atop it and looking into the distance, he saw lush green woods spreading across the horizon, a rather beautiful sight.

Yan Qingshan's gaze roamed around the cliff, constantly sweeping over the area. But if someone observed carefully, they would notice that most of his attention was focused below the cliff, as though he were searching for something.

"Qingshan, what are you worrying about, kid? Don't tell me you've read too many adventure novels and are planning to jump off a cliff to find an opportunity!"

A hearty laugh suddenly came from behind him. Yan Qingshan's body stiffened, then his expression shifted. He turned with a smile. "What are you talking about, Uncle Mang Ba? I'm looking for medicinal herbs, aren't I? What a pity, this White Orchid Fruit isn't ripe yet!"

Yan Qingshan smacked his lips and touched his nose, pointing at a medicinal plant nearby. At the edge of the cliff, in the direction he indicated, a plant with pale white flowers had just begun to bloom. At the center of its flower bud was a half-red, half-green fruit, carrying a faint fragrance.

The plant was hidden among the grass, surrounded by similar white wildflowers. From afar, it only looked slightly larger than the other flowers, inconspicuous among the blossoms. Without careful observation, one truly would not notice the difference.

"It really is a White Orchid Fruit. An Intermediate Medicinal Material, it generally only grows along cliff edges. Though its yield is not low, this herb is a favorite food of bird-type magical beasts. Usually, as soon as it grows, it gets eaten by magical beasts. It is one of the rarer Intermediate Medicinal Materials."

Mang Ba had not come alone. Besides him, Xiao Yi Xian had also arrived. Hearing Yan Qingshan mention the White Orchid Fruit, she stepped past him in a few strides and bent down to inspect it before the white flowers.

After examining it for a long time, Xiao Yi Xian looked up in disappointment. "What a pity! It hasn't ripened yet. If it were a ripe White Orchid Fruit, the fruit would be completely red. A mature White Orchid Fruit is an Intermediate Medicinal Material—it would start at no less than Four Thousand Gold Coins at Myriad Medicine Hall!"

"What! How much? Four Thousand Gold Coins!"

Mang Ba and another mercenary's eyes widened as they pointed at the White Orchid Fruit. "Such a tiny Little Thing costs four thousand? That expensive!"

Xiao Yi Xian pouted. "Mature White Orchid Fruits are Intermediate Medicinal Materials sought after by many alchemists. They are especially suitable for raising magical beasts, so naturally they are very expensive. What a pity this one hasn't ripened yet. Picking it would be useless."