Hidden Deeply

Outside Aunt Wang's house.

"Dad!"

"Dad!"

The two little ones cried and wailed, tears streaming down their faces and over their little cheeks, red from the frozen ground. They looked utterly pitiful.

Uncle Wang had been seized for conscription and silently followed behind the yamen runners.

The county needed to recruit five thousand soldiers, and naturally, they started with the poorer villages. The yamen runners showed no mercy when dragging people away.

Uncle Wang was an honest man of few words. At this moment, he forcibly held back his grief and fury, not daring to look back.

Aunt Wang chased after them from a distance, trembling as she held out the Big Coins their family had saved to the yamen runners. With a pleading smile, she said, "Sir, our whole family depends on this man. Could you please make an exception?"

The yamen runner waved her away. "Go back, go back, go back. Isn't every family like this?"

Aunt Wang forced a smile, her eyes full of ingratiation and pity. "Sir, it's mainly because the two children are still so young—"

"Don't you have yourself?" the yamen runner said.

Another yamen runner beside him said, "Enough nonsense. Hurry up and move."

Aunt Wang still tried to press forward, but the yamen runner beside her impatiently gripped the hilt of the saber at his waist and stood there with a savage look.

Aunt Wang was instantly frightened.

The two little ones behind her were so terrified that they no longer dared to cry.

At that moment, Uncle Wang turned his head and looked at Aunt Wang. "Go back. Take care of the children."

"Children's father..."

Aunt Wang knew there was no undoing this. She began to cry as well, rubbing her eyes and saying, "Then take care of yourself."

Parting in life and death—

Perhaps it came in the most ordinary moments.

After this departure, would they ever meet again? Who could know?

A man seized for conscription to kill bandits was as good as dead.

After Uncle Wang left, Aunt Wang clutched her two children and wailed loudly.

One of the yamen runners then casually walked to the house next to Aunt Wang's, held up a registry, and shouted, "Li Yuan's house, right? Come out!!"

At that moment, Yan Yu hurried out, her makeup making her look gray and fat. Her face was haggard, and her eyes were as red as peaches, clearly showing that she had just been crying.

The yamen runner had no interest in an ugly woman and did not even want to spare her another glance. He impatiently asked, "Where's Li Yuan?"

Yan Yu's lips moved as if she wanted to speak, but she immediately choked up. She lowered her head and raised a hand to wipe away the tears that would not stop falling, an uncontrollable whimper escaping her lips.

The yamen runner impatiently asked, "What's going on?"

Only then did Yan Yu take several deep breaths and suppress her sorrow. "M-my man went up the mountain the day before yesterday and still hasn't returned."

Suddenly, her tearful eyes brightened, as though she had found hope. "Sir, y-you... please be kind. Help me look for him on the mountain, please, all right?"

The yamen runner gripped his saber hilt and shot her a vicious glare. Yan Yu immediately stopped advancing.

The yamen runner discussed it with the one beside him before sneering. "Could he have fled into the mountains to dodge conscription?"

Yan Yu seemed frightened and hurriedly said, "No, absolutely not. You hadn't even come the day before yesterday. How could my man have known about this?"

The yamen runner threatened, "Dodging conscription means beheading. If you know anything and fail to report it, you'll suffer punishment too. Think carefully."

Yan Yu shook her head repeatedly, flusteredly repeating, "How could my man have known there would be conscription today?"

The yamen runner looked at the other yamen runner.

Understanding, the other yamen runner went around questioning the strong men who had been seized, then ran back and said, "It should be true.

"Li Yuan was one of the more capable hunters in the village. Maybe because he had some skills, he often went alone in the mountains. A few days ago, a Blind Bear kicked him around, tearing off a huge patch of skin from his leg.

"It snowed the day before yesterday. After he went into the mountains, he really never returned. The villagers say he may already be dead in the mountains."

The yamen runner nodded, shoved Yan Yu aside, and searched the house. Seeing no one inside, he ran off to the next house.

Yan Yu cried as she weakly collapsed to the ground. After a long while, she used the fence to support herself as she rose and walked desolately back into the house.

The moment she entered, she hurriedly shut the door tight and gently rubbed her chest, tightly bound beneath wrappings.

Turning her head—

Outside the window, Azure Mountain bore a burden of snow.

In such freezing weather, not even birds could be seen.

Was he safe?

Whooo—

The mountains were like frozen flesh, the wind like whirling blades.

Blade after blade scraped across the mountains' skin, cutting up sheets of snowy grit and frozen dust.

Beyond Second Layer Mountain, Li Yuan wore a cloak made from Roe Deer hide. His left hand was raised to shield his face from the blowing snow, while his right tightly gripped the icy Firewood Chopping Knife as he walked through the vast snow with the blade in hand.

His strength was now "9–10." Even without knowing any saber techniques, he could use his raw strength to kill the boars, bears, and tigers in these mountains.

His blood and qi were abundant, and he was already a Ranked Martial Warrior. Along with this warm Roe Deer hide, he could survive even in such a deadly place.

Over the past few days, Yan Niangzi had secretly been gathering information about the Red Lotus Bandits. Once she learned that they might be heading toward Shanbao County, Li Yuan resolutely decided to hide in the mountains first.

If his guess was wrong, he could simply hide for a few days before returning.

If it was right, he could avoid conscription.

And sure enough, he had been right.

Early that morning, he heard chaotic sounds coming from Little Ink Village. Li Yuan knew he had guessed correctly—the government had truly begun seizing men to fight the bandits.

If he had been home, he would certainly have been taken too. There was no escaping that.

His pounding heart finally calmed a little, and he let out a long breath.

Hiding in the mountains to evade conscription was punishable by beheading as well, but it was still far better than being directly dragged away to fight.

Lucky. So lucky...

At this moment, he glanced at his own information.

Name: Li Yuan

Points: 145

Realm: Ninth Rank (Flesh Refinement)

Technique: Willow Return Technique (100/100)

Skills: Expert Archery (0/80); Advanced Tracking (0/40)

Divine Ability: Eternal Life

Equipment Bar: Unlocked

Ever since his relationship with Yan Niangzi had deepened, he could gain 7 free points each day.

And twenty days had passed since he last added points.

"Starting today, I'll have to sneak back every night. But if anyone discovers me, there are only two paths—either kill them to silence them, or flee with Sister Yan."

"Since that's the case, I need to put in some effort."

"Add points!!"

Li Yuan targeted the "+" after Advanced Tracking (0/40) and frantically tapped it forty times.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!

As he added points, memories began appearing in his mind.

They were memories of his diligent training.

To track a wild beast, he had crawled through tall grass, completely ignoring mosquito bites as he gritted his teeth and endured the itching and pain all over his body. To track enemy movements, he had raced across a thousand miles day and night, yet after approaching the enemy, he still had to remain cautious and not make the slightest mistake. He constantly tempered himself through real combat while reflecting on the weak points in his skills.

At last, heaven rewarded hard work. One day, he attained enlightenment!

His tracking ability rose to a new level and entered an entirely new stage.

Abundant experience poured into his mind. His muscles and nerves underwent subtle adjustments as well, heightening his sensitivity to his surroundings and making him better at concealing his presence.

Li Yuan glanced at his information. It had changed to Expert Tracking (0/80), while he still had 105 points remaining.

After a brief moment of thought, Li Yuan decided to add them all at once.

After all, no one could ever discover his secret nightly returns.

For one night or two, perhaps he could hide himself well enough. But if it went on for a long time, could he still manage it?

"Not enough. Still not enough."

"If even the slightest accident happens, it'll be too late for regret. I have to make this as foolproof as possible."

"Keep adding points!"

Li Yuan once again frantically tapped the "+" after Expert Tracking (0/80) eighty times.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

New memories flooded into his mind.

He was already an expert in tracking, but he could no longer improve through his own efforts. He had heard of more advanced tracking techniques, but those were not something a mere Ranked Martial Warrior like him could hope for.

But on this day, a stroke of fortune arrived. An old man with a blurred face casually offered him some guidance. He suddenly understood, and the bottleneck that had not loosened in a long time finally began to shake.

He broke through and grew stronger. He could easily track wild beasts and enemies, and he could also easily infiltrate every household in the village. His presence became fainter, and he became skilled in all manner of methods for concealing his aura and movements.

Li Yuan looked over himself again. His overall strength had not changed. Apparently, overall strength only accounted for abilities useful in direct combat, while tracking was considered "soft power."

However, the panel had changed.

Name: Li Yuan

Points: 25

Realm: Ninth Rank (Flesh Refinement)

Technique: Willow Return Technique (100/100)

Skills: Expert Archery (0/80); Grandmaster Tracking (0/160)

Divine Ability: Eternal Life

Equipment Bar: Unlocked