How Much Cunning Can Be Found in the Schemes of Beasts?

Lu Xingshi and the village's able-bodied men numbered around thirty in all. Armed with machetes and axes, they entered the mountains together.

The Village Chief went with them as well, leading the way up front.

They quickly found the spot where Bearman and Desert Saber Gao Li had fought. It was easy enough to identify—the devastation left by their battle was a horrifying sight.

One had to remember that before Bearman fought Gao Li, it had already taken a slash from Lu Xingshi.

They also found half of the bear paw that Gao Li had severed.

"Village Chief, this is Great Hero Gao's saber." A villager found Gao Li's Thick Saber, its blade mottled with bloodstains, likely left behind when it had cut through the bear paw.

The saber was simply too distinctive to mistake at a glance.

"Young Hero Lu, why not use Great Hero Gao's saber for now? This blade is sharper." After taking it and examining it, the Village Chief spoke to Lu Xingshi.

Lu Xingshi naturally did not mind. He nodded at once. "All right, we'll do as you say."

As he took the saber, he discovered that it actually had attributes.

Yellow Sand Heavy Saber

Break Force +1

He did not yet know what the Break Force attribute did, but he could be certain that the weapons of First-Rate Experts were likely all attribute-bearing weapons like this.

Yet the moment it fell into his hand, the Yellow Sand Heavy Saber felt exceptionally weighty.

Judging by its weight, it was at least four times heavier than an ordinary saber.

No wonder it was so thick.

Even Lu Xingshi found it somewhat unwieldy to use, likely because of its shape.

Yet Gao Li had been able to wield this heavy saber and unleash the full power of his martial arts. His cultivation method and weapon were likely well suited to one another.

The village's seasoned hunters examined the area, then took the lead, following the traces Bearman had left behind.

The group soon tracked it to a concealed cave entrance. At the mouth of the cave, they saw scattered human bones, marked with teeth marks where they had been gnawed upon.

Bearman had likely used them to pass the time or pick its teeth.

Then there was the stench, a nauseating smell wafting out from far away.

Quite a few people changed color slightly at the sight.

"Bearman is hiding in there," one of the village hunters immediately said.

"Smoke it out. Smoke that beast out for me." The Village Chief did not send anyone inside to lure it out. Everyone knew how terrifying Bearman was. Even grievously injured, it was not something human strength could contend with. They were not First-Rate Experts like Gao Li.

The group quickly got to work, gathering dry branches and dead leaves from the surroundings. They piled them at the cave entrance and lit them directly with a fire starter.

The smoke flowed into the cave with the air current. They waited for a long time, yet there was no response whatsoever.

"Could this cave have another way for air to circulate?" Even the village hunters were puzzled. By all reason, that should not be possible.

"Wait. What if we've been misled?" Lu Xingshi's expression abruptly changed. They knew Bearman was cunning, capable even of speaking human words. That meant Bearman was no fool.

And if that was the case, it might have already guessed that they were coming, so it certainly would not return to its lair.

"That beast truly is crafty. Then where would it go?" The Village Chief was equally baffled.

"I may have guessed it. Quickly search for tracks nearby, preferably leading straight toward the village." Lu Xingshi knew Bearman was a vicious bear. If it went against the grain and headed straight into the village to eat people, would that not mean they had been lured away from the tiger on the mountain?

The Village Chief instantly understood Lu Xingshi's meaning. He immediately directed the others to search for tracks, urgency creeping into his voice.

After all, the village's able-bodied men had all come out with them. The only ones left behind were the old, the weak, the sick, and the disabled. Aside from the people of the Peaceful Merchant Company, who were young, there was no one with any ability to resist.

Only now did Lu Xingshi understand how troublesome Bearman was. Its strength was only one part of it; its cunning nature and animal identity were its greatest cover.

Who could have imagined that Bearman would be capable of such a maneuver? All he could say was that he, too, had underestimated it. Not just him—the Village Chief and everyone else had as well.

"Found it! Hurry, everyone, run!" After carefully inspecting the area, the hunter finally found the tracks Bearman had concealed.

Just as Lu Xingshi had said, Bearman had deliberately doubled back, circled around, and headed toward Que Mi Village.

Moreover, it had moved covertly and endured with astonishing restraint. Bearman had not only lost half a paw, but one of its leg tendons had been severed as well. Every step it took must have been excruciatingly painful.

Yet it had endured it.

That thirst for revenge was truly terrifying.

The group raced along the trail. Sure enough, after circling around, they could see Que Mi Village at the foot of the mountain in the distance.

"There's that monster!" A sharp-eyed villager spotted a moving black dot slowly making its way toward Que Mi Village.

Bearman might have been able to endure, but its speed had inevitably been affected. So even though they had wasted so much time, it was still some distance away from Que Mi Village.

"We can make it in time!" After judging the distance, the hunter immediately said.

"You're too slow with me here. I'll go ahead and hold Bearman back. Hurry and catch up behind me." With that, Lu Xingshi took a great stride and set off first, gradually disappearing into the distance before their eyes.

The reason Lu Xingshi had not gone ahead earlier was naturally because he had not known where Bearman was. The mountain paths were rugged, and one careless misstep could send him the wrong way. But after looking down from above just now, he had seen only one hidden trail. He merely needed to follow it downhill to find Bearman, without worrying about anything going wrong.

He naturally moved like the wind along the way. The mountain road was indeed rugged, slowing his overall speed.

Weeds and trees blocked his path, and he used the Yellow Sand Heavy Saber to hack his way through. At this point, he could not afford to worry about much else.

As he drew closer, Bearman heard the commotion as well and let out an uneasy growl.

"Why is it gone? It should be somewhere around here." Lu Xingshi abruptly stopped, sensing that something was wrong.

By all reason, he should have caught up to Bearman, yet he could not see it now—not even a trace of it.

Bearman was not small, and with its impaired movement, it could not have gone far.

"Did it hide?" Lu Xingshi's gaze swept over the surroundings, and he quickly discovered an unusual trace.

He followed it lightly and quietly, preparing to launch another sneak attack on Bearman.

But before long, a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"How much cunning can be found in the schemes of beasts? They only add to the laughter."

As expected, Bearman's intelligence was limited.

As he drew close, he suddenly spun around. The Yellow Sand Heavy Saber in his hand swept upward from below.

The badly injured Bearman pounced from behind him, only to take Lu Xingshi's slash head-on. It could not dodge in time—it was practically throwing itself onto the blade.