Hunting

"Miss! Miss, wonderful news!"

Inside the back hall of Spring Return Hall, the scent of medicinal herbs lingered in the air.

Manager Ren rushed in, panting heavily, his voice cracking with excitement.

Hearing Manager Ren, Ren Zhining slowly walked out from her room, her eyes red and swollen from crying, while Lvzhu patted her back gently.

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

Ren Zhining forced herself to remain calm, though her voice still held the hoarseness of one who had been weeping.

For the past few days, Ren Zhining had shed tears day and night. After all, only one day remained before the deadline set by Xie Chong, and with no way out, she had begun preparing her dowry and wedding attire in a state of resignation.

Yet, the more she prepared, the more desperate she felt.

Had it not been for the need to protect Spring Return Hall and the lives of the other servants, she would have fled long ago.

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

Seeing Ren Zhining's bloodshot eyes, Manager Ren quickly exclaimed, "That Xie Chong, he's dead! He's truly dead!"

"Dead? Is that for real?"

Lvzhu, standing to the side, looked at Manager Ren in utter disbelief.

Manager Ren nodded repeatedly and explained, "It is absolutely certain! I went to the East Gate to buy herbs early this morning and saw a group of constables blocking an alley from afar. I squeezed through the crowd and saw that the one lying inside was indeed Xie Chong!"

"His sister was there too, and she fainted from grief several times!"

Lvzhu clapped her hands until they turned red, her voice brimming with irrepressible excitement, "Miss! Since Xie Chong is dead, you don't have to marry him! This is the best news ever!"

Ren Zhining had been feeling quite miserable, but upon hearing this, the heavy stone in her heart seemed to vanish instantly. Even her breathing grew lighter, and she couldn't help but ask, "Uncle... did they say how Xie Chong died?"

"It seems... he was beaten to death."

Manager Ren shook his head and explained, "But the culprit hasn't been found yet."

"I heard Head Constable Zhao and the others discussing it; they say the killer must be a Second Blood martial artist who uses a spear."

"Both of his fingers were snapped off by a sharp weapon."

"A Second Blood martial artist? And one who uses a spear..."

Ren Zhining repeated softly, the image of Chen Jing's expression from that day surfacing in her mind for no apparent reason.

However, she dismissed the thought as quickly as it had appeared.

After all, if Chen Jing were a Second Blood martial artist, Xie Chong would never have dared to force Chen Chunmiao to marry him.

Lvzhu, meanwhile, was growing happier the more she thought about it, exclaiming, "Miss, we must properly thank that hero! He has saved you for a lifetime!"

"We should indeed thank him..."

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

Her voice was frail, yet it carried a long-lost sense of relief.

Over the next few days, under pressure from Hu Duanzhuo, Head Constable Zhao ran about almost day and night, questioning every Second Blood martial artist in Red Rock County who used a spear.

But those Second Blood martial artists had no grudge against Xie Chong—nor was it likely Xie Chong would have provoked one—and they all had alibis for the time of the incident.

Thus, the investigation into the killer reached a stalemate.

Meanwhile, at the Fist Academy, Chen Jing continued to practice his fist techniques.

Now, with the aid of Blood Qi Powder, Chen Jing clearly felt the speed at which he condensed his blood qi had accelerated once more.

Already bolstered by the Five Harms Technique, his progress was now advancing by leaps and bounds. At this rate, he would be able to attempt a breakthrough to the Blood River stage in about two months.

As for the Exemption Bead in Chen Jing's mind, thanks to the improved diet of Exotic Beast Meat and the boost from the Blood Qi Powder, it had finished condensing yesterday.

"Hoo..."

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

Now that he had broken through to the Blood Creek stage, the Five Harms Technique's effect on his blood qi condensation had slowed down, and it would likely be even slower once he reached the Blood River stage!

It seemed necessary to find an evil technique that could condense blood qi more rapidly.

"I wonder if there are any suitable evil techniques left in the Ghost Market..."

Chen Jing thought to himself while continuing his practice.

As he pondered, footsteps sounded behind him.

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

Hearing Zhuang Tao's inquiry, Chen Jing stopped his movements and replied, "Nothing much, what is it?"

Zhuang Tao said, "My family's beast-hunting team is going to hunt exotic beasts tomorrow, and we're planning to bring you along, so I wanted to see if you had the time."

Hearing this, Chen Jing agreed without hesitation.

After all, he had already started receiving money from the Zhuang Family, so he naturally ought to do some work; otherwise, he would feel guilty for taking the pay for nothing.

The next day, just as the sky was beginning to brighten, Chen Jing arrived at Zhuang Tao's home.

Zhuang Tao's home was located in the south of the city, near the inner city.

As soon as Chen Jing reached the gate of the Zhuang Family, he was welcomed inside by a servant who had been waiting for him.

Walking into the courtyard, Chen Jing discovered that over a dozen sturdy martial artists had already gathered there.

Some were stretching their muscles, some were sharpening their blades, and others were teasing the hunting dogs; the atmosphere was tense yet filled with excitement.

Among them were three or four First Blood Martial Artist, while the rest were ordinary people with robust vitality.

Zhuang Tao and another middle-aged man with a handlebar mustache and a white-headed eagle perched on his shoulder sat on chairs to the side, carefully examining a piece of parchment.

Once Chen Jing approached, Zhuang Tao nodded at him, then pulled him aside to explain, "Junior Brother Chen, this is my second uncle, Zhuang Huan. You can just call him Uncle Huan."

Hearing this, Chen Jing did not hesitate in the slightest and called out, "Uncle Huan."

Zhuang Tao then introduced Chen Jing to Zhuang Huan, "Uncle Huan, this is Chen Jing, the good brother I told you about from the Fist Academy. Please take good care of him when you go hunting."

Zhuang Huan was a seasoned hunter through and through. With a steady and powerful gaze, he looked Chen Jing up and down before nodding, "Since you are a friend of Tao's, I will call you Little Jing. I will naturally look after you during this hunt."

"Since this is your first hunt, remember the rules well."

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

"Second, don't be anxious, don't panic, and don't be greedy."

"Third, how much meat you get depends on how many exotic beasts you can hunt."

"There are rewards for more kills, and a base salary for fewer."

As he spoke, Zhuang Huan patted Chen Jing on the shoulder, "It's your first time with the team; just stay steady and don't put too much pressure on yourself."

"Understood."

Chen Jing responded quickly.

Afterward, Zhuang Tao took a piece of leather armor that shimmered with the luster of beast hide from a rack and handed it to Chen Jing, saying, "Here, Junior Brother Chen, put this on. For your first hunt, protecting your life is the most important thing."

Chen Jing took the leather armor; the surface had been worn tough by time. After putting it on and tightening the straps, he could faintly smell the lingering stench of dried beast blood.

After a brief rest, the group filed out of the Zhuang Family gate. Following a low shout from Zhuang Huan, the hunting party of over a dozen people marched imposingly toward the city gate.

As they exited the west gate of Red Rock City, the morning sun was just peeking over the horizon.

Zhuang Huan tore open the leather hood on his shoulder and flicked his wrist, releasing his white-headed eagle.

The white-headed eagle spread its wings and soared high into the sky, its eyes as sharp as if they could pierce through the mountain forests.

"Move out, keep up!"

Zhuang Huan took long strides forward, and the hunting dogs let out a few whimpers, their noses pressed to the ground to pick up scents.

Everyone was a veteran hunter, and with Chen Jing also being a First Blood Martial Artist, their pace was naturally astonishingly fast. In half a day, they had covered twenty miles; the terrain had become desolate, with grass thinning and the forest growing denser.

"Little Jing."

Zhuang Huan, leading the hunting dogs with a steady gait, suddenly spoke up, "We are heading to Cold Mountain, fifty miles away. Have you been there before?"

Chen Jing shook his head, "Never."

In truth, if not for this hunt, Chen Jing would not have stepped more than a few paces outside the city.

Hearing this, Zhuang Huan chuckled, "Then I must tell you properly, lest you step into the gates of the underworld the moment you arrive."

Zhuang Huan then pointed toward the rolling mountain shadows ahead, "Cold Mountain is the largest mountain in our Cold Mountain Prefecture. It spans five hundred miles in circumference, with the mountain range winding for over a hundred miles."

"The mountain is heavy with yin energy, and the forest is so dense that light cannot penetrate it. The further in you go, the more dangerous it becomes... that place is a true graveyard."

Zhuang Huan paused, his voice dropping, "There are many exotic beasts inside. Rabbits, foxes, deer, and wolves are nothing; the key is those ferocious exotic beasts. Once they lock onto you, they can kill a martial artist in a single bite."

"And the exotic beasts are only one of the dangers. If you encounter mountain bandits or outlaws, that is also incredibly perilous!"

Having said that, Zhuang Huan glanced at Chen Jing, his tone steady yet carrying the weight of an elder, "If a novice enters Cold Mountain for the first time without an experienced hunter leading them... nine out of ten will fall."

"Ten deaths and no life—I am not trying to scare you."

Chen Jing nodded in silence.

The surrounding hunters heard this and began to smirk, with some whispering, "Master Huan is trying to fool the newcomer again. We've hunted so many times, when has there ever been any danger?"

The hunter beside him shook his head and said, "You can't say it like that. If it weren't for Master Huan leading us, and the fact that we haven't ventured deep into the mountains, of course we'd be fine!"