After a happy meal, Ling Tian and Lian Xin went out for a walk, looking around as they went:
It was a small village nestled among great mountains, home to a little over twenty simple households, most of them hunters. Perhaps because it was lunchtime, wisps of cooking smoke gathered halfway up the mountainside, lingering there like a veil draped over the green hills. The occasional bark of a dog or crow of a rooster made the place feel even more peaceful and secluded.
When they saw Ling Tian and Lian Xin come out, many neighbors greeted them warmly. Some of the teenagers even called out to Brother Tian and begged him to take them hunting on Qingyun Mountain.
That was right—the green mountain around them was called Qingyun Mountain. Generation after generation had called it that.
The mountain range stretched for dozens, even hundreds, of miles, cutting the little village off from the rest of the world. Only a single gorge connected it to the outside. The villagers hunted on Qingyun Mountain, trading the meat and hides they gathered for everyday necessities. The mountain teemed with game and other resources, so the people in the village lived comfortably, as if in a hidden paradise.
"Little Tian, you're feeling better? Why aren't you resting at home for a few more days? Your young wife was so worried the other day." A middle-aged woman greeted Ling Tian and Lian Xin warmly, a teasing note in her voice.
"Auntie Zhang, I wasn't worried at all." Lian Xin blushed. She hurriedly changed the subject. "Auntie Zhang, Uncle Li, we owe you so much this time. Once my husband's rested for a few days, I'll have him hunt some game for you."
"Don't mention it. It was nothing..." Uncle Li said nonchalantly. He rubbed