Storms in Linshan Town

"When you head up the mountain in the future, don't be greedy or reckless."

"There have been a lot of unfamiliar martial artists in town lately, so keep your guard up."

At the entrance to the west gate of Linshan Town, the captain of the self-defense force tucked a piece of silver into his pocket, waved his hand to signal them through, and offered a few extra words of advice to Qin Meng and his group. Having received a benefit, his tone had softened considerably.

Qin Meng thanked him and led his team into the town.

Li Tiezhu and Wang Tieniu still wore expressions of shock—while being questioned at the town gate just moments ago, they had unexpectedly heard some news:

The night before, the residence of the owner of the Hongyun Gambling House had been bloodied, with nearly twenty people killed.

It was said that the killer was ruthless and specialized in decapitation. According to survivors, the culprit was a mountain bandit who claimed to be Song Jiang, also known as Song Gongming, from Liangshan Marsh.

Even the Leiming Martial Hall had suffered a loss, with one of their martial artists in the Body Forging Realm killed.

This bloody incident had left the townspeople in a state of panic, and the county had already sent reinforcements to investigate.

The reason Li Tiezhu and the others were so shocked was that they had seen it with their own eyes—

Only a few days ago, that Shopkeeper Lin had colluded with others and brought men to Luming Fort to collect debts. Yet, only a few days later, he had met such an end.

"Good riddance," Li Tiezhu muttered, looking at Qin Meng in front of him.

"Exactly," Wang Tieniu said, his voice loud and unrestrained. "My old man always said that guy did nothing but evil; dying is the only way to get some satisfaction!"

"Keep your voice down," Qin Meng glanced back at him. "Don't pry into other people's business. We'll take Xiaoshan to the apothecary first, sell the game, and then head back to the fort."

"Once we have the money, buy plenty of medicinal herbs. Go back and train hard to increase your strength as quickly as possible. This winter... I fear it won't be simple."

"Understood," the others quickly replied, falling silent.

The group quickened their pace. On the bluestone road of the market town, a heavy scent of blood permeated the air, accompanied by the dull thud of the sleds grinding against the ground.

Qin Meng walked in the lead, holding a hemp rope in one hand. Experienced as he was, he knew that the branches and thatch covering the sleds concealed most of their contents.

However, the sled dragged by Li Tiezhu and Wang Tieniu was piled high, and the protruding wolf tails and deer antlers were enough to draw the eyes of passersby.

Many sharp-eyed onlookers gasped when they caught sight of the wolf heads and tails.

Fierce wolves from the mountains were not easy to deal with, and there were eight or nine of them on the sleds. Qin Meng, Li Tiezhu, and the others were dressed in tattered, blood-stained clothes, and the onlookers cast looks of shock and awe their way.

No ruffians or idlers dared to come and cause trouble.

They were only interested in petty gains, not in courting death.

Those who could make a living in the mountains and fight against wolf packs were not to be trifled with. In this northern border region, strength was what mattered most of the time.

Qin Meng's senses were sharp, and he noticed a few malicious gazes hidden deep in the crowd, but he didn't pay them any mind. A few petty thugs were not worth worrying about.

Amidst the whispers and discussions, the group made their way through half the street.

Suddenly, the sound of horns, horse hooves, and carriage wheels echoed from the north.

Pedestrians stopped in their tracks, stepping aside to watch.

"A Northern Frontier caravan?"

"It's just the vanguard; the main force is still behind!"

The attention on Qin Meng and his companions was quickly eclipsed by the approaching procession from the north.

Wang Tieniu's eyes lit up, and he explained excitedly, "Brother Meng, the Northern Frontier caravan is back from beyond the pass. There will be a massive market here in a few days."

Qin Meng's memories regarding the caravan were vague. Seeing that Wang Tieniu knew about it, he asked him for details. This Northern Frontier caravan was backed by the Prince of the North and the imperial court.

It was a trade expedition composed of martial artists. They didn't just hunt exotic beasts or conduct trade; they specialized in collecting medicinal herbs, furs, and exotic beast materials from beyond the pass.

By now, the procession had entered the town.

There were about two hundred people, yet their presence was overwhelming. Every one of them was lean and tough, with dark, weathered skin and eyes as sharp as hawks, carrying the traces of wind, frost, and a faint, murderous aura.

They wore uniform dark leather tunics with a rugged design. The horses they rode were tall and powerful, far superior to ordinary warhorses. Most chilling of all, some of the lead horses had short, visible fangs protruding from their lips, glinting with a cold, sinister light.

Many of the men bore the marks of recent combat. Their horses were laden with bulging packs and leather bags, many stained with dark red blotches, emitting a complex, pungent scent.

Dozens of heavy carts, pulled by exotic beasts of burden and covered in oilcloth, rumbled along with heavy, rhythmic thuds.

The guards were particularly formidable; their life force surged, and their murderous intent was palpable—far beyond that of the disciples at the Leiming Martial Hall. Qin Meng felt an instinctive sense of danger.

The entire procession moved in silent, orderly fashion, with nothing but the sound of hooves and wheels.

As the raw, iron-blooded, and solemn atmosphere washed over the street, the crowd became increasingly boisterous, their eyes filled with awe and envy.

Qin Meng stood still, watching, his heart surging with waves of emotion.

In his eyes, these men possessed life force as surging as a furnace. Any one of them, pulled at random, would be significantly stronger than Zhao Tie, whom he had killed that night.

Exotic beasts, martial halls, the rules of the Bian Fort...

These challenges, which he once had to treat with the utmost seriousness, suddenly seemed like a mere corner of something small when faced with this group representing a much vaster world.

The great wilderness beyond the pass, rare and exotic beasts, powerful monsters, unfathomable forces...

Suddenly, Qin Meng's pupils contracted violently. The black energy radiating from a carriage in the center of the procession carried a cold, evil aura. Even from dozens of steps away, the mere sight of it made him shudder.

An inexplicable sense of palpitations erupted from the depths of his heart. Qin Meng immediately averted his gaze. He realized there was something wrong with that carriage—was it an alien race or an evil spirit?

Alas, the knowledge of his original self was truly too shallow.

A strong sense of longing and urgency welled up within him, only to be immediately suppressed by a deeper realization. He said calmly to Li Tiezhu and the others, who were still looking around in excitement:

"Let's go, quickly, to the pharmacy."

At the very moment Qin Meng looked away, an old man in black robes, who had been resting with his eyes closed inside a carriage, suddenly opened them, a flash of doubt in his gaze. The light inside the carriage was dim, vaguely reflecting two black silhouettes...

Meanwhile, Qin Meng and his group stopped in front of Jisheng Pharmacy.

Li Tiezhu helped Qin Xiaoshan, whose face was still pale, down and went inside to find the resident physician. After examining him, the physician confirmed that his injuries had stabilized. Although he had lost a significant amount of blood, strangely, his vital energy and blood deficiency were not as severe as expected.

At the time, Qin Xiaoshan's condition had been critical, and Qin Meng had made him eat a few slices of raw demon salamander meat. The bleeding from the wounds on his leg and shoulder had stopped rapidly.

The flesh and blood of a demonic beast were truly extraordinary.

Especially for a special demonic beast like the demon salamander, it had miraculous effects on healing injuries.

Qin Xiaoshan rested in the pharmacy to wait.

Qin Meng, Li Tiezhu, and the others dragged the sleds full of wolves and deer to Chen's Fur Shop nearby. They kept the blood wolf but sold all the green wolves in a bundle.

The shopkeeper was a lean, thin old man. His eyes lit up when he saw so many intact wolf carcasses.

After an inspection and some bargaining, he bought all nine high-quality green wolf pelts for ten taels of silver each.

Wolf meat had a coarse texture, but it was highly nourishing for vital energy and blood, making it a hot commodity. Before they could even process it, several restaurant and eatery buyers who had caught wind of the news arrived, initiating a bidding war right in the backyard.

Li Tiezhu and Wang Tieniu took charge of this, selling the venison as the situation allowed.

Qin Meng said his goodbyes, shouldered two roe deer, and headed to Kexianju Restaurant.

"Oh, Meng-ge, I've been waiting for you!"

Shopkeeper Hu greeted him immediately upon hearing his voice, his face wreathed in smiles. The two spotted deer he had purchased last time had earned him a tidy profit after he sold the velvet antlers to Leiming Martial Hall, and the wild venison had attracted many customers; business had been very good lately.

This shrewd shopkeeper naturally hoped Qin Meng would bring more game. As soon as he heard Qin Meng had arrived, he dropped his ledger and rushed out.

"Meng-ge, are you selling both of these roe deer?"

"Yes." Qin Meng nodded and set the game down.

Except for keeping the hearts and the roe deer hides, he sold everything else to Shopkeeper Hu.

Seeing that no one was around, Qin Meng pulled him aside and asked in a low voice, "Shopkeeper Hu, I hunted a demon wolf today. Do you want it?"

"A demon wolf? Of course I do!" Shopkeeper Hu didn't hesitate, then asked, "Demonic beasts are rare and the price is not low. What do you want for it?"

"A primary cultivation technique. If you have one that suits me, we can trade." Qin Meng asked tentatively, taking a shot in the dark.

"A cultivation technique?" Shopkeeper Hu was stunned, then shook his head with a bitter smile. "Meng-ge, cultivation techniques are held by the imperial court and sect factions. I'm just an old man who keeps the books and clicks an abacus; how would I have something like that?"

"However..." He shifted his tone, a cunning smile appearing on his round face.

"Right, my companion hunted a spotted deer. I'll have him send over half of it." Qin Meng glanced at him sideways, offering the favor calmly.

"That would be wonderful!" Shopkeeper Hu's eyes lit up, and he lowered his voice. "A new Duobao Pavilion opened in the east of town a few days ago. It's very grand, with a wide range of business and deep pockets. It's said they have significant backing. You could go and try your luck there."

"Alright, thank you."

Qin Meng took the silver, promised that the venison would be delivered shortly, and turned to leave.

He intended to head to the Duobao Pavilion to try his luck and see if he could obtain a cultivation technique. If that didn't work, he would have no choice but to go to the county seat, or even the Yang Province capital.