Spring Search, Summer Seedling, Autumn Hunt, and Winter Hunt were collectively known as the Four Hunts, each corresponding to a different season. Before these concepts came into being, demons and monsters had not yet become the wizards' greatest threat. At that time, wizards mainly hunted various Magical Creatures, such as fire dragons, Green Luans, giant kun, ba serpents, and even savage giant tribes.
Spring Search meant searching in spring and hunting Magical Creatures that were not pregnant; creatures already carrying young could not be hunted. Since spring was the breeding season for most Magical Creatures, wizards had to learn to hunt in moderation to avoid fishing a pond dry. Similarly, creatures in their nurturing period were also exempt.
Summer Seedling meant hunting Magical Creatures that harmed Spirit Herbs and magical potions during the summer. Since summer was when most Magic Plants flourished most abundantly, and wizards needed large quantities of Spirit Herbs to brew potions for daily use, protecting those plants from the depredations of Magical Creatures was imperative.
Autumn Hunt followed the grim spirit of autumn, hunting plump game during the season when vegetation withered. An ancient saying went, "On the day of the hunt, one observes omens for the precautions of the coming year." It meant that on the day autumn hunting began, one would inspect divinations to see whether there was anything requiring vigilance in the year ahead, such as foreign enemies or misfortune.
Winter Hunt was an encirclement hunt. No distinctions were made; anything could be hunted. Magical Creatures still rampaging in winter were dangerous to wizards. First University's annual Winter Hunt, for instance, was meant to prevent the Silent Black Tide from running rampant the following spring.
Of course, by now, whether it was a pregnant mountain ghost or an unpregnant Shui Xiao; whether it