Forward Camp, Field of View!

After leaving the Market's array boundary and crossing a stretch of wilderness, they had to slow down.

They had reached the edge of the Hunting Grounds.

From time to time, they saw cultivators chasing demonic beasts and hacking at them, or demonic beasts chasing Rogue Cultivators down and gnawing on them.

No one in the party cared about these scattered little battles and little amusements between cultivators and demonic beasts. And seeing how strong and well-equipped their party was, few Rogue Cultivators or demonic beasts were willing to come near them.

They traveled steadily for over half an hour before the party had no choice but to stop.

Su Qing, who had been curled up against Bear Two's chest ever since entering the Hunting Grounds, lowered his eyes for a look.

From such a commanding height, his view was clear.

Ahead, in the valley the party had to pass through, a fierce battle was underway.

Men roared, horses neighed, and demonic beasts howled.

Mountain spring water tinkled through the valley, dyed crimson by human and beast blood.

There was only one demonic beast. It looked like a wolf but was not a wolf, with a wolf's head, a tiger's back, and a deer's tail. It was as large as a Mighty Ox. Whenever its wolfish jaws opened, someone was bound to be wounded or killed. It was vicious beyond measure.

This demonic beast was called a Wolf Tiger Beast, a Tier-1 Mid-Grade demonic beast. Among Tier 1 demonic beasts, it was not especially formidable. A team of three to five Mid Qi Refining Stage cultivators and Body Cultivators could handle it.

Yet the ones facing this demonic beast in the valley were all early Qi Refining stage cultivators.

Some rode Silver Armored Iron Horses and carried long spears, looking somewhat respectable.

But most merely held hoes, sickles, and other tools Spirit Planters used for farmwork.

With weapons that contained only a trace of spirit materials, and relying on nothing but a fierce breath of courage, they were trading human lives for wounds on the demonic beast's body.

"Have these Spirit Planters switched professions to become Monster Hunters?"

Su Qing watched a sturdy middle-aged woman slash down with her sickle, only to leave a negligible cut on the Wolf Tiger Beast before half her body was snatched away by its jaws. He secretly frowned and shook his head.

Ge Changyuan had told him that after the spirit fields outside the Market had been ravaged by demonic beasts, many Spirit Planters had lost their means of survival. Village after village had come out to hunt demonic beasts, heedless even of grievous casualties.

But witnessing it with his own eyes was another feeling entirely.

"Fellow Daoists behind us, please wait a moment. We'll slaughter this beast shortly and let you pass."

While Su Qing lamented their bitter fate, a middle-aged man emerged from the battling crowd, clasped his hands toward them, and shouted loudly.

Everyone understood what he meant.

If they intervened, these people might lose fewer men while taking down the demonic beast.

But then, who the beast would belong to would be hard to say.

They would rather endure it themselves than let others steal their prey.

That was the attitude of these former Spirit Planters in the valley.

Su Qing had intended to send a few Lizard Warriors to lend them a hand, but upon hearing this, he gave up the thought of helping.

He quietly waited for the battle to end.

The middle-aged man held a long spear and led four Iron Horse riders in a charge from behind the Wolf Tiger Beast. On both sides, people threw out hooked chains, rope snares, and all manner of tools to restrain the Wolf Tiger Beast's movements.

With several explosive swishes, five long spears stabbed in unison into the Wolf Tiger Beast's vulnerable rear. Its wolf head threw back as it let out a sky-shaking howl, then it frantically broke free of its restraints, twisting its waist to bite the riders.

But after succeeding in their strike, the Iron Horse riders fled in an instant. Once the others cast their hooked chains and rope snares again, they took up another long spear from horseback and repeated the tactic, each spear thrusting straight into the Wolf Tiger Beast's vulnerable spot.

The Iron Horses were covered in refined silver and wrought iron, with Chinese toon wood serving as their inner framework. They weighed over eight hundred jin. When they charged, their momentum was not small. It was only because this valley was difficult to maneuver in; otherwise, these Spirit Planters might have dealt with the Wolf Tiger Beast more easily.

Perhaps because the Hundred Treasures Pavilion party was watching from the side, both sides of the battle were somewhat unsettled. Each wanted to finish quickly, making the fight even fiercer and more dangerous than before.

In the end, after the price of two lives and several grievously wounded men, the Wolf Tiger Beast, blood streaming from its rear, finally could not hold on and collapsed limply to the ground.

The Spirit Planters did not dare celebrate at once. The same broad, burly middle-aged man, who seemed to have practiced a Yellow Grade Combat Skill, rode up before the party.

With a cautious, ingratiating smile, he cut off more than a hundred jin of wolf meat, then spoke with Ma Tuan for a while. Only after seeing the party pass through the valley and leave them behind did he finally let out a breath of relief.

The Hunting Grounds were unlike the Market. Here, the weak were meat for the strong. Stealing others' prey or having one's own prey stolen was commonplace. For the Hundred Treasures Pavilion party to let them go was already fortunate enough.

After passing through the valley, their field of view suddenly opened up.

As far as the eye could see lay an endless wilderness, overgrown with weeds and strewn with jagged rocks. The air carried a dry, scorching harshness.

Low Mountains stretched together in the distance, like ferocious beasts crouching upon the earth. Yet compared to the Hundred Beasts Mountain Range farther away, whose peaks rose beyond sight, these Low Mountains were like children who had yet to grow up, unable to inspire much awe.

As Su Qing knew, the Low Mountains contained the most demonic beasts. Tier 1 demonic beasts descended from the Hundred Beasts Mountain Range and poured into these Low Mountains, where powerful clans or individuals claimed mountains as kings. That was also the main battlefield of the Hunting Grounds.

Their destination, however, was one of the tallest and most imposing mountains among that cluster of Low Mountains.

Black Tiger Mountain, named for the Tier-2 Black Mountain Tiger that coiled within it.

But though they were said to be going to hunt this tiger, after traveling more than a hundred li farther, the party first stopped at the Forward Camp in the Hunting Grounds.

The moment they entered,

they saw Rogue Cultivators sitting cross-legged in meditation everywhere.

After only a few steps, they came across Bare-chested Meat Sellers butchering demonic beasts right on the ground. Beast blood seeped into the earth, turning the already dark-red soil around the meat stalls even redder.

Looking farther ahead, there were Artifact Refiners repairing Magic Artifacts for others, Spirit Pattern Masters busily mending patterns, and Spirit Healers carrying medicine chests as they hurried back and forth.

From Bear Two's chest, Su Qing took in the entire camp at a glance.

Rogue Cultivators crying out in pain from their wounds, Rogue Cultivators returning from great victories, Rogue Cultivators who had Achieved Nothing...

The stench of blood and flesh, the chaotic clamor, and the Tier 1 array blanketing the entire camp presented Su Qing with an atmosphere of savagery and ruggedness, yet unexpectedly bustling and fervent.

"Everyone, as agreed, we are responsible for your safety here, so that you may conduct business with peace of mind. But when the right time comes, you must also lend us a hand.

"For the coming days, please support one another, Fellow Daoists. Should you need us, simply give the word."

After Ma Tuan spoke, he placed a Spirit House at each of the four corners of the open area where they currently stood.

Afterward, Qing He invited Liang Hai Shun over and had him set up an array around their lodging site for protection.

Qing He was not satisfied with merely ordering Liang Hai Shun about. She leisurely soared into the air until she was level with Su Qing on Bear Two's chest. Her beautiful eyes blinked a few times before she asked with a smile,

"Now that we've arrived at the camp, won't Fellow Daoist come out of the Puppet?"

Su Qing opened the Hiding Cave and stood in its entrance, raising the Spirit Tea in his hand.

"This humble Daoist is unlike Fellow Daoist. Having just arrived in such a vicious place, I am still somewhat unaccustomed to it and do not wish to go out for now.

"There is still room in the cave. If Fellow Daoist does not mind, you may come in and sit awhile."

Su Qing spoke frankly. The Hiding Cave was both safe and comfortable. Until he had familiarized himself with this Forward Camp, he had no plans to go out.

Qing He glanced at the Hiding Cave, which was piled full of all kinds of supplies. She found this Fellow Daoist Su rather amusing. Smiling, she declined Su Qing's invitation before saying,

"The Forward Camp is a place where fish and dragons mingle. Demonic Cultivators may even be hiding here. Fellow Daoist is not wrong to be so cautious. But once Fellow Daoist Liang finishes setting up the array, Fellow Daoist may rest assured.

"Also, the baleful stench here is dense. Though Exorcists come daily to scatter Talisman Water and dispel evil and baleful energy, we still dare not wander about at night. When the time comes, we will need Fellow Daoist's Puppets to help us patrol and fill in the gaps."

Qing He's voice was gentle and courteous, and asking others for help felt pleasant coming from her. Since they had taken their Spirit Crystals, and they wanted the Puppets to help patrol, Su Qing naturally could not refuse. He agreed at once.

"Fellow Daoist truly will not come in and sit awhile?" Su Qing genuinely wanted to interact more with this Fellow Daoist, who could fight and also spoke so pleasantly.

"I'd better not. Fellow Daoist's place is a little too small..."

Qing He pressed her lips together in a smile and drifted back down to the ground.

Su Qing glanced around the Hiding Cave, which was only three to five square meters, and sighed inwardly. A small house really does make girls look down on you.

When he saw He Lian Xian below release a Spirit House that gleamed with golden light, he became even more dissatisfied with the Hiding Cave's living conditions.

"Make money! I have to make money! If I don't earn enough for a Tier-2 Spirit House on this trip, I absolutely won't go back!"

After declaring this with high aspirations, he still made no move. Standing within the Hiding Cave, he carefully surveyed the surroundings.

He planned to wait until deep night, when the Lizard Warriors were patrolling, before quietly releasing the Wood Spirit Servants.

Making money was important, but safety could not be ignored either. If he did not secure his field of view, he would have no peace of mind!