The Hunt

"Miss! Miss, I have wonderful news!"

The back hall of Spring Return Hall was steeped in the fragrance of herbs.

Manager Ren came rushing in, panting so hard his voice cracked with excitement.

Hearing him, Ren Zhining slowly emerged from her room. Her eyes were red from crying, and Lvzhu stood beside her, gently patting her back.

"Uncle... why are you so excited?"

Ren Zhining forced herself to stay calm, but her voice was still hoarse from crying.

For the past few days, Ren Zhining had wept day and night. After all, only one day remained before the deadline of her agreement with Xie Chong, and she still had no way out. She could only resign herself to it and begin preparing her dowry and wedding dress.

But the more she prepared, the more despairing she became.

If she hadn't needed to protect Spring Return Hall and keep the other servants safe, she would have left long ago.

"Miss, you don't have to marry him!"

Seeing Ren Zhining's red eyes, Manager Ren hurriedly said, "That Xie Chong is dead! He really is dead!"

"Dead? Really?"

Lvzhu, standing nearby, stared at Manager Ren in disbelief.

Manager Ren nodded repeatedly and explained, "It's absolutely true! I went to the east gate to buy medicinal herbs early this morning and saw a group of constables blocking off an alley in the distance. I pushed my way in and saw Xie Chong lying there!"

"His older sister was there too. She even fainted from crying several times!"

Lvzhu clapped her hands until they were red, her excitement impossible to hide. "Miss! If Xie Chong is dead, then you don't have to marry him! This is the best news imaginable!"

Ren Zhining had still been feeling upset, but as soon as she heard this, the heavy stone in her heart seemed to vanish. Even her breathing felt lighter. She couldn't help asking, "Uncle... did they say how Xie Chong died?"

"It seems... someone beat him to death."

Manager Ren shook his head as he explained, "They haven't found the killer yet."

"I heard Head Constable Zhao and the others discussing it. They think the killer was a Second Blood Martial Artist who used a spear."

"Both his fingers were pierced through by a sharp weapon."

"A Second Blood Martial Artist? And one who uses a spear..."

Ren Zhining repeated softly. For some reason, Chen Jing's expression from that day surfaced in her mind.

But the thought lasted only an instant before she dismissed it.

After all, if Chen Jing had been a Second Blood Martial Artist, Xie Chong wouldn't have dared force Chen Chunmiao to marry him back then.

Lvzhu, meanwhile, grew happier the more she thought about it. She said excitedly, "Miss, we should thank that great hero properly! He saved you for the rest of your life!"

"We should thank him..."

Ren Zhining answered softly. "It's just... I don't know who he is."

Her voice was gentle, yet carried a relief she hadn't felt in a long time.

Over the next few days, under Hu Duanzhuo's pressure, Head Constable Zhao rushed about almost day and night, questioning every Second Blood Martial Artist in Red Rock County who used a spear.

But none of those Second Blood Martial Artists had any grudge against Xie Chong, and Xie Chong would never have dared provoke one. Besides, they all had alibis for the time of his death.

So the investigation into the killer reached a dead end.

At that moment, Chen Jing was at the Fist Academy, continuing to practice his fist techniques.

With the boost from Blood Qi Powder, Chen Jing could clearly feel his blood qi condensing even faster.

Five Harms Technique had already been helping him, and now his progress had accelerated by leaps and bounds. At this rate, he would be able to attempt a breakthrough to Blood River in about two months.

The Exemption Bead in Chen Jing's mind had also finished condensing the day before, thanks to the increase in meat, along with the boost from Exotic Beast Meat and Blood Qi Powder.

"Whew..."

After completing a set of fist techniques, Chen Jing slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

Now that he had broken through to Blood Creek, Five Harms Technique had become less effective at helping him condense blood qi. Once he broke through to Blood River, it might become even slower!

It seemed he needed to find an evil technique that could condense blood qi more quickly.

I wonder if the Ghost Market has any evil techniques that suit me...

As he thought, Chen Jing resumed practicing his fist techniques.

Just then, he heard footsteps behind him.

Zhuang Tao smiled and patted Chen Jing on the shoulder. "Junior Brother Chen, are you free lately?"

Chen Jing stopped and asked, "Nothing much going on. Why?"

"My family's Beast-Hunting Squad is going to hunt Exotic Beasts tomorrow. We're planning to bring you along, so I wanted to see if you have time."

Chen Jing naturally agreed at once.

After all, he had already started taking money from the Zhuang Family, so he ought to do some work. Otherwise, he'd feel a little guilty about taking the money for nothing.

The next day, just as dawn began to break, Chen Jing arrived at Zhuang Tao's home.

Zhuang Tao's home was in the southern part of the city, near the Inner City.

As soon as Chen Jing reached the Zhuang Family's gate, a servant who had been waiting there ushered him inside.

When he entered the courtyard, Chen Jing saw that more than a dozen burly martial artists had already gathered there.

Some were stretching, some sharpening their blades, while others were playing with hunting dogs. The atmosphere was tense yet excited.

There were three or four First Blood Martial Artists, while the rest were ordinary people with abundant blood qi.

Zhuang Tao was seated nearby with a middle-aged man who wore a handlebar mustache and had a White-headed Eagle perched on his shoulder. They were studying a piece of sheepskin.

When Chen Jing arrived, Zhuang Tao nodded to him, then led him aside and explained, "Junior Brother Chen, this is my second uncle, Zhuang Huan. Just call him Uncle Huan."

Chen Jing didn't hesitate. "Uncle Huan."

Zhuang Tao then introduced Chen Jing to Zhuang Huan. "Uncle Huan, this is Chen Jing, the good friend I told you about from the Fist Academy. Please look after him during the hunt."

Zhuang Huan was a seasoned hunter through and through. His gaze was steady and keen. After looking Chen Jing up and down, he nodded. "Since you're Little Tao's friend, I'll call you Little Jing. I'll be sure to look after you on this hunt."

"This is your first hunt, so memorize the rules."

"First, follow orders. Do what we do."

"Second, don't rush, panic, or try to snatch the kill."

"Third, how much meat you take depends on how many Exotic Beasts you hunt."

"Make a big catch and you'll be rewarded. Make a small one and you'll still get a base wage."

As he spoke, Zhuang Huan patted Chen Jing on the shoulder. "It's your first time with the squad. Just keep your cool and don't put too much pressure on yourself."

"Mm."

Chen Jing answered at once.

Then Zhuang Tao took a piece of hide armor with a beast-skin sheen from a rack and handed it to Chen Jing. "Here, Junior Brother Chen, put this on. On your first hunt, protecting your life is what matters most."

Chen Jing took the armor. Its surface had been worn smooth and tough by time. After putting it on, he tightened the straps and caught the faint, lingering stench of beast blood.

After a short rest, the group filed out of the Zhuang Family's gate. At Zhuang Huan's low command, the dozen or so hunters set off in a grand procession toward the city gate.

As they left Red Rock City through the west gate, the morning sun was just rising over the horizon.

Zhuang Huan pulled open the leather cover on his shoulder and flicked his wrist, sending his White-headed Eagle into the air.

The White-headed Eagle beat its wings and soared overhead, its gaze sharp enough to pierce through the mountain forests.

"Move out! Keep up!"

Zhuang Huan strode forward. The hunting dogs gave a couple of soft whines, then pressed their noses to the ground and began sniffing.

They were all seasoned hunters, and Chen Jing was a First Blood Martial Artist. Their pace was naturally astonishingly fast. In half a day, they covered twenty li. The land had grown desolate, with fewer grasses and denser trees.

"Little Jing."

Leading the hunting dogs with a steady stride, Zhuang Huan suddenly said, "We're heading to Cold Mountain, fifty li from here. Have you been there before?"

Chen Jing shook his head. "No."

In truth, if not for this hunt, Chen Jing would barely have set foot beyond the city.

After hearing this, Zhuang Huan chuckled. "Then I'd better tell you all about it, so you don't take one step inside and end up in Yama Hall."

He raised a hand and pointed toward the sprawling mountain ridges ahead. "Cold Mountain is the largest mountain in Cold Mountain Prefecture. It stretches five hundred li around, with ridges winding for more than a hundred li."

"The mountain is heavy with sinister energy, and its trees grow so thick that no light can pass through. The farther in you go, the more dangerous it gets... That place is a true burial ground."

Zhuang Huan paused, his voice low. "There are plenty of Exotic Beasts inside. Rabbits, foxes, deer, and wolves are nothing. The real trouble is the ferocious beasts. Once one sets its sights on you, it can swallow a martial artist whole."

"And the Exotic Beasts aren't the only danger in there. If you run into bandits or cutthroats, you're in just as much danger!"

With that, Zhuang Huan glanced at Chen Jing. His tone was steady, carrying the weight of an elder's warning. "A novice entering Cold Mountain for the first time without an experienced hunter to guide him... nine out of ten will fall."

"'Ten go in, none come out' isn't something I say just to scare you."

Chen Jing silently nodded.

Hearing this, the hunters around them all grinned. Some even murmured, "Master Huan's scaring another rookie. We've been hunting so many times—when have we ever run into trouble?"

A hunter beside them shook his head. "You can't put it that way. If Master Huan hadn't been leading us, and if we hadn't stayed out of the mountain's depths, of course nothing would've happened!"