Sinister intentions

The Heavenly Prosperity Mountains!

Under the blazing sunlight, thick mountain mist rose in steaming clouds. In a patch of forest, Xue Fangsheng led Zhang Yong and the others among the ancient trees.

With a few more trips, even if we don't hunt down any Exotic Beasts, I'm confident I can reach Qi Gathering. Surpassing Xu Yang will be a breeze.

Feeling the energy within him surge day after day, Zhang Yong could not help growing excited.

When they followed a true martial artist into the mountains, they hunted wild animals whenever they grew hungry. Not only did they have meat at every meal, they could eat as much as they wanted.

Although they had much less time to practice, their blood and qi grew faster than when they trained at the martial arts school.

"Senior Brother Fang, are we going deeper?" Luo Dehu asked, a hint of reluctance in his voice.

They had already spent three days pushing into the Heavenly Prosperity Mountains. Any farther, and they would enter its heart.

Powerful Exotic Beasts lived in the heart of the Heavenly Prosperity Mountains. They were said to be capable of easily killing Marrow Cleansing martial masters.

"Luo Dehu, if you're scared, you can leave. That'll be one less person to split the money with."

Before Xue Fangsheng could speak, Tang Ruiyang cut in.

Going deeper was dangerous, but the rewards were greater too. If they caught a rare Exotic Beast, each person's share could be over ten taels of silver. They would not have to worry about money again before reaching Qi Gathering.

"Quiet!" Xue Fangsheng growled, tilting his head to listen.

No one dared speak again.

A little while later, Xue Fangsheng smiled. "I can't hear any birds nearby, and I haven't seen tracks from other wild animals. An Exotic Beast must have claimed this area. Find it!"

They had actually found another Exotic Beast!

Zhang Yong and the other six were delighted. They immediately scattered in every direction.

"I found tracks!"

A little while later, Tang Ruiyang returned with good news.

"Once we have our prey, you'll get an extra tael of silver."

Xue Fangsheng climbed a tree and imitated a series of birdcalls. Before long, Zhang Yong and the others had all returned, then followed Tang Ruiyang to another spot.

"These tracks are fresh. It should be nearby. A leopard, too. Let me lure it out."

Xue Fangsheng took a piece of meat he had prepared earlier from the bundle on his back and placed it on the ground. Then he took out a paper packet and sprinkled the powder inside evenly over the meat.

"Senior Brother Fang, what are you sprinkling on it?" Luo Dehu asked curiously.

Xue Fangsheng had not used this method when they hunted an Exotic Beast last time.

"This is Ten-Fragrance Muscle-Softening Powder. I paid a fortune for it on the black market. Even a Qi Gathering martial artist will collapse after inhaling a single breath of it, and Exotic Beasts adore its distinctive scent."

As he spoke, he produced a dagger. "Let out some blood. Add human blood to this, and I guarantee that leopard will be drooling. We'll take it down without so much as the effort of blowing away a speck of dust."

They all hesitated at the mention of drawing blood. But when Xue Fangsheng said anyone who did so would receive an extra tael, all seven scrambled for the dagger.

Unfortunately, Luo Dehu was the first to grab it.

He had a ruthless streak. Right then and there, he cut his hand, and blood streamed from the wound.

"Three people will be enough. The rest should save their strength to carry the Exotic Beast out of the mountains."

Seeing their eagerness, Xue Fangsheng immediately picked two more to draw blood along with Luo Dehu.

One was Tang Ruiyang, and the other was named Yang Dacai.

Tang Ruiyang was secretly delighted. He knew Xue Fangsheng was looking out for him. This way, he would receive a full two extra taels this time.

The three finished drawing blood, their faces pale. The smell of blood filled the forest and drifted away on the wind. Then Xue Fangsheng led them off to hide at a distance.

"It's here!"

Half an hour later, a leopard poked its head out from atop a large rock.

It looked no different from an ordinary leopard, except for a small, inch-long horn in the center of its forehead.

An unnatural sign at birth surely marked a monster.

Every Exotic Beast had some unusual feature on its body.

We're rich!

Everyone's heart jolted, and their breathing quickened.

Leopard Exotic Beasts fetched high prices, usually a tael of silver per jin. Judging by its size, the leopard before them should weigh around two hundred jin.

Even if Zhang Yong and the other six only received thirty percent of the proceeds, each could still get seven or eight taels.

After looking around warily for a while, the leopard Exotic Beast finally gave in and wolfed down the meat. It even licked every drop of blood from the leaves.

It did not linger after finishing and immediately turned to leave. But after only a few steps, it let out a low growl and collapsed limply to the ground.

"It worked! Drain its blood, then get out quickly!"

The fallen leaves concealing him burst apart as Xue Fangsheng sprang from the ground and raced toward the fallen Exotic Beast.

Exotic Beasts possessed vigorous vitality. Even something like Ten-Fragrance Muscle-Softening Powder could only paralyze one temporarily. He had to kill it quickly.

Otherwise, if such a powerful Exotic Beast recovered, he might not get the better of it.

Zhang Yong and the others rose from their hiding places nearby and hurried toward the Exotic Beast as well.

When they drained its blood, they could all take the opportunity to drink some. The benefits would be considerable.

Bam!

Xue Fangsheng struck with his palm, caving in the Exotic Beast's forehead. The force turned its brains to mush, and it immediately began drawing more breath than it released.

Then he lifted it, intending to test its weight.

"Roar..."

Suddenly, a roar rang out, shaking the trees.

Xue Fangsheng looked over in horror. A tiger had leaped out from somewhere nearby, its eyes fixed on the leopard in his hand.

Wind rose from the still ground, sending leaves rustling wildly. Xue Fangsheng's pupils contracted sharply. On the tiger's back were two fist-sized fleshy growths, densely covered in scales.

This was unmistakably another tiger bearing an unnatural feature.

"Run!"

Even an ordinary tiger could match a Qi Gathering martial artist. A mutated tiger that had become an Exotic Beast might prove too much even for a Marrow Cleansing martial master. He had never expected another Exotic Beast nearby.

Fortunately, he had prepared for this, and there happened to be an unlucky wretch close to where the Exotic Beast had appeared.

Xue Fangsheng took to his heels, fleeing for his life along the way they had come.

"Senior Brother Fang, save me!" A terrified scream rang out behind him. It came from the person closest to the Exotic Beast.

Save you? Did you really think that thirty-percent share would come so easily?

Xue Fangsheng sneered inwardly. He had brought so many people not just to have someone draw blood, but so that when they encountered a powerful Exotic Beast they could not defeat, he could outrun everyone else.

He looked back and saw that the unlucky wretch had already been

pinned to the ground by the tiger Exotic Beast, which bit his head off in one mouthful. The sight was bloody and horrifying.

"Split up, or none of us will survive!"

Seeing these mud-legged peasants actually running toward him, Xue Fangsheng shouted.

"Xue Fangsheng, may you die a miserable death!" Tang Ruiyang's eyes nearly split with rage.

However stupid he might be, he now understood why Xue Fangsheng had brought so many of them along to hunt Exotic Beasts. They were food he had prepared for the beasts.

Unfortunately, he had only run a short distance before the tiger Exotic Beast pounced on him.

He tried to fight back, but his punches could not even count as scratching an itch against the tiger's body. One hand was savagely torn off by its jaws, and his screams echoed through the mountain forest.

Hearing them as he sprinted away, Luo Dehu knew Tang Ruiyang was finished.

Beside himself with panic, he ran for his life. All his resolve to stake his life on becoming a martial artist shattered in that instant. He only wanted to live.

"Aah..."

Yang Dacai's scream rang out. Zhang Hong bitterly regretted his decision. Xue Fangsheng's intentions had been sinister, yet he had failed to see through them.

But he had been somewhat lucky. The tiger that had become an Exotic Beast was not pursuing him.

He only stopped when he could run no farther. Looking around, he found that of their party of eight, he alone remained. He had no idea whether the others were dead or alive.