Mountain Lord

"Mountain Lord?" Lu Chuan's heart tightened.

He remembered hearing the old hunters in the village mention it before. Tigers were the lords of all beasts, and tigers of different ages each had their own titles.

From one to six years old, they were called Big Cats; from six to twelve, Striped Fierce Tigers; from twelve to eighteen, White-Browed Great Worms. Only a ferocious tiger that had lived past twenty-four years was worthy of being honored as a Mountain Lord!

"Father, when was the last time you saw it?" Lu Chuan asked, his expression solemn.

"Several years ago." Lu Danian sank into his memories.

"That Mountain Lord had been entrenched deep within Mount Erlong, a hundred li to the north, for at least a dozen years. It had claimed the lives of many passersby, and every nearby village had heard about it."

"I'd always heard that the creature was ferocious, and moreover... quite intelligent."

Lu Chuan was puzzled. "That Mountain Lord has been around for more than a decade, yet no Martial Artist who broke through the Blood Pass has gone after it?"

Tiger Bone was a fine thing. The bones of this decades-old Mountain Lord were probably several times more potent than those of an ordinary tiger.

By all rights, Martial Artists in desperate need of a breakthrough should have gone to hunt it long ago.

"For so many years... it wasn't that no one had thought of getting rid of it. The nearby villages had even pooled their money to hire Martial Artists and organized several Tiger Hunting Teams to go up the mountain. But strangely enough, every time they surrounded the mountain, they returned empty-handed. They couldn't even find a single tiger hair."

"Seeking good fortune and avoiding disaster, even predicting a hunt... Could this Mountain Lord have already become an Exotic Beast?" Lu Chuan's interest surged when he heard this.

If it truly was an Exotic Beast, its Tiger Bone would naturally be worth even more, but its danger would also be far beyond that of an ordinary tiger.

"That's hard to say." Lu Danian shook his head.

"After all, so many years have passed. There probably isn't anyone who truly understands that tiger's background."

After asking for more specific information about Mount Erlong, Lu Chuan formed a rough picture in his mind.

He no longer hesitated and decided to enter the mountains.

No matter how formidable the Mountain Lord was, he was now a true Martial Artist who had broken through the Blood Pass. His qi and blood were abundant, his strength had soared, and he had Perfected Archery and a Mysterious Iron Arrowhead at his side. He had no reason to lose his nerve before the battle even began.

"I should make some more preparations." Lu Chuan pondered.

"This trip into Mount Erlong to hunt the tiger probably won't be over in a day or two. The terrain is complicated, and the beast is cunning. I need to bring more supplies."

Medicine was the top priority.

Hunting such a fierce beast would inevitably lead to injuries, so buying some wound medicine in advance could do no harm.

He immediately set off for Renhetang Pharmacy.

When he saw Zhao Xuanhe, Lu Chuan got straight to the point.

"Brother Zhao, I'm heading into the deep mountains. I'll be gone for quite some time, so I need to prepare a few things."

Seeing his serious expression, Zhao Xuanhe knew it had to be important. "May I ask what brings Brother Lu into the mountains this time?"

Lu Chuan hesitated briefly.

"A senior brother I know from my Martial Arts Hall has been stuck at First Qi and Blood Complete for some time. He urgently needs Tiger Bone as the primary ingredient to break through to Second Qi and Blood. That senior brother... failed once before. I often travel through the mountains, so I wanted to find him an opportunity."

Understanding and admiration appeared on Zhao Xuanhe's face.

"So that's how it is! Brother Lu has gone to such lengths for a friend and ventured deep into a dangerous place. That is truly loyalty! Tiger Bone is indeed a Precious Medicine with miraculous effects for Martial Artists breaking through their barriers."

"Since Brother Lu is heading there, you really can't afford to be careless with your preparations."

He turned and walked into the room behind the medicine cabinet, then returned with several bottles of pills.

"Brother Lu, take a look. This is top-grade Golden Wound Powder. It's quite effective at stopping bleeding and regenerating flesh. This is a Miasma Dispelling Pill, which can prevent miasma and damp toxins from invading the body. They're all essential when traveling through the mountains."

"Mm. I'll take one of each."

As Lu Chuan listened to Zhao Xuanhe's introduction, his mind was elsewhere.

His archery was accurate, but against a Mountain Lord that might have gained spiritual awareness, it might still not be enough.

He asked, "Brother Zhao, what I'm dealing with on this trip isn't ordinary. Do you have any poison here that can be applied to arrowheads?"

Zhao Xuanhe turned and took a small black jade bottle from deep within the medicine cabinet.

"If you're dealing with a formidable creature, then see what you think of this."

"Heart-Corroding Bone-Decaying Powder. Its nature is insidious and vicious, specifically designed to destroy the qi-and-blood foundations and meridians of living creatures. Forget fierce beasts—even a Martial Artist who has broken through to Second Qi and Blood would see their qi and blood rapidly wither after coming into contact with it."

He paused, then continued.

"But this stuff is troublesome to refine, and its ingredients are precious, so it isn't cheap. One pellet... costs Ten Taels of Silver."

The book title can't be found? Try searching for the author instead. Perhaps it was simply renamed!

Lu Chuan's heart gave a jolt.

The stuff was exactly what he needed, but the price of ten taels...

He had more than twenty taels of silver on him, but that money couldn't see the light of day.

He had spent ten taels on the Qi and Blood Pill before and could claim he had saved it up through hunting.

But if he took out another ten taels now to buy this poison, it would be far too conspicuous. If someone noticed and connected it to Wang Kun's disappearance, he would be in serious trouble.

Zhao Xuanhe assumed Lu Chuan was worrying that he didn't have enough money. After thinking it over, he smiled.

"Is Brother Lu a little short on cash? We haven't known each other for long, but I, Zhao, trust your character. How about this? Take this bottle of Heart-Corroding Bone-Decaying Powder on credit first. Once you're better off, you can come settle the account."

Lu Chuan was somewhat surprised and looked up at him.

Zhao Xuanhe's smile grew even more sincere.

"Brother Lu was willing to pay out of his own pocket and stand up to the Black Tiger Gang for a neighbor. Now, to help a fellow disciple, you're even daring to brave the deep mountains. That is true loyalty."

"I, Zhao Xuanhe, admire people like you from the bottom of my heart. I don't believe someone like Brother Lu would ever leave me at a loss."

His words gave Lu Chuan a way out while making it clear that he was willing to extend credit because he valued Lu Chuan's character.

This was the tangible benefit of a good reputation. Sometimes, it was even more useful than silver.

Lu Chuan felt a warmth in his chest. He clasped his fists and said earnestly.

"I'll remember this kindness, Brother Zhao. I truly need this medicine urgently, so I'll shamelessly take it on credit for now."

"Of course." Zhao Xuanhe smiled as he pushed over the small black bottle, then wrapped up the previous medicines as well.

"Golden Wound Powder, three taels. Miasma Dispelling Pill, one tael. Ten taels on credit for the Heart-Corroding Bone-Decaying Powder. Fourteen taels in total. I'll record it first."

"Brother Lu, the mountains are dangerous. Be extremely careful."

"Thank you, Brother Zhao!" Lu Chuan accepted the medicine bundle, then turned and left Renhetang Pharmacy.

When he returned home, he carefully dissolved the Heart-Corroding Bone-Decaying Powder and applied it to the Mysterious Iron Arrowhead.

As for the ordinary arrowheads, he didn't bother with them. After all, the lesson from the Black-Scaled Iron-Thread Snake was still fresh: ordinary arrowheads might not even be able to pierce the skin.

He sharpened his long saber until it gleamed like snow. Ropes, fire starters, a waterskin, salt, dried meat, and everything else were all fully prepared.

Once every preparation was complete, Lu Chuan said farewell to his parents.

Then he turned and strode out through the courtyard gate.

After walking for several days, Lu Chuan finally reached Mount Erlong by asking people for directions.

The mountain was treacherous, its forests deep and shrouded in mist. Merely standing outside it, Lu Chuan could already sense an ominous aura.

But this naturally wasn't enough to frighten Lu Chuan, who was fully prepared.

After entering the mountain, Lu Chuan moved constantly through the secluded forests and valleys.

It was early spring, and the accumulated snow had yet to melt. Relying on Eagle Eye, he searched for any traces the Mountain Lord might have left behind.

Huge claw marks, unusual markings...

But apart from traces of several old tiger trails and the footprints of some ordinary wild beasts, he found nothing.

The Mountain Lord seemed to know that someone had entered the mountain to seek it out and had vanished completely.

That evening, the sky was gloomy.

Lu Chuan found a mountain cave and planned to rest for the night.

His stomach was growling with hunger. His gaze swept across a patch of withered grass outside the cave, where a gray shadow seemed to flicker.

He drew his bow, nocked an arrow, and took aim, his movements flowing as one.

With a "whoosh," a plump hare fell dead where it stood.

He put away his bow and was just about to retrieve his dinner when a weak voice suddenly came from the woods beside him.

"Young... young hero... save... save me..."

Lu Chuan's movements halted abruptly, and his hand was already resting on the hilt of the long saber at his waist.

In these deep mountains and ancient forests, why would someone suddenly cry for help at night?