Up the mountain

Two men emerged from the main gate, one dressed entirely in black and the other wearing chain mail.

Each had a weapon hanging at his waist, and both looked thoroughly prepared.

The two senior brothers had only just come out when they spotted Fang Zelin standing nearby, and each immediately gave him a smile.

"You don't need to be too nervous. We're bringing you along this time mainly so you can experience what a real fight feels like."

"Once you set foot on the path of martial arts, you'll inevitably cross blades with others. It's good to get a taste of it beforehand."

Hearing the two of them say this, Fang Zelin naturally nodded repeatedly.

Once they confirmed that everything was ready, the four set off at once.

They left the county town and followed the main road toward Wangqing Mountain.

At around a quarter past nine, the four finally reached the foot of Wangqing Mountain.

Senior Brother Pang and the other two froze for a moment at the sight.

The mountain path ahead was filled with groups of people, all in high spirits, shouting as they made their way up the mountain.

"Why are there so many people?"

Looking at the crowd before him, Senior Brother Pang could not help asking instinctively.

Before anyone beside him could answer, someone up ahead shouted loudly.

"Put your backs into it, brothers! Let's get into the mountain, find that man-killing beast, and kill it!"

"Once we're up there, no fighting over it! Take it slow!"

The loud shouts left all three men beside Fang Zelin looking numb.

Were these fellows not afraid of dying?

They still did not know what that beast was, but it certainly would not be easy to deal with.

More than thirty people had already died in the mountain.

"It may be foolhardy courage, but they do have some chivalry in their hearts."

The three senior brothers could not understand these people, but seeing them dare approach the mountain despite knowing a fierce beast was harming people here, they offered a word of praise.

Unfortunately, it was still nothing more than foolhardy courage.

Still, the three said no more about it.

"Let's go around them. They're blocking the path."

Senior Brother Pang made the suggestion to the three beside him.

The other two nodded, then activated their Qi Force and headed to the side.

With their Qi Force activated, it was as though they had used lightness skills, and the three slipped nimbly into the forest.

Seeing this, Fang Zelin hurriedly summoned a little Qi Force as well. As it circulated through his body, he naturally grew lighter.

He had learned this back at the martial arts school.

Although he was a little slower than his three senior brothers, he could still skim over the grass as he went.

The people nearby heard only a whistling sound beside their ears.

Then they saw four people beside them fly toward the forest as though treading on air.

"Lightness skills!"

Someone nearby immediately cried out at the sight, their voice then filling with envy.

They had already learned about the martial arts school and how its instructors were well versed in martial arts.

That had given them the idea of joining the school to study under a master, so they could become stronger afterward.

After all, this was a game world that was nearly one hundred percent realistic. Gaining great power here was a temptation many could not resist.

But these were merely thoughts. Even now, most had not obtained that much silver, and entering the school to practice martial arts was nothing but a fool's dream.

Yet now, they were watching the people beside them hurry forward, light as swallows and incredibly fast.

The visual impact left quite a few of those present rooted to the spot.

"We've really got to earn some silver! Once we learn that, we'll be able to practically fly like them too."

"Why have people who look like martial arts experts shown up now? Could they be after the bounty too?"

"Surely not? They're already martial arts experts. Would they still care about that little bit?"

Everyone began talking at once.

But while they were still admiring them, the four disappeared from their sight.

"At this stage, no players have gotten into the martial arts school yet, right?"

Someone thought for a moment and asked.

They wanted to know whether they had fallen too far behind.

"No, but I heard someone got as much as five taels of silver through a lucky coincidence. He could've joined the school to learn martial arts, but he went to the Spring Flower Pavilion instead."

"The Spring Flower Pavilion?"

Someone nearby froze at this. "What sort of place is that? Why does it cost so much silver?"

The speaker looked at them as though they were an idiot. "Are you stupid? You actually don't know what that place is? Let me tell you, that place is..."

As the speaker continued, the passersby traveling alongside them could not help crowding closer, looking as though they wanted every last detail.

Meanwhile, Fang Zelin and his three senior brothers had already entered the forest.

"We don't know where that beast is, but from what I heard earlier, most of the bodies were found near a valley up ahead. Let's go take a look."

Senior Brother Pang took out the information he had gathered earlier and spoke after examining it carefully.

The three had no objections. They nodded at once and headed toward the valley ahead.

"This is Wangqing Mountain. A fierce beast that's harmed over thirty people is probably no ordinary creature. It may well be that fiend. Be careful not to beat the grass and startle the snake."

The underworld official beside Zhang Weichu cautioned him while carefully surveying their surroundings.

The City God had sent the two underworld officials here to investigate. If a fiend truly was causing trouble, the City God would dispatch the martial judge and other capable officials to slay it.

Zhang Weichu immediately nodded and continued forward alongside him.

But after searching for most of the morning, they still had not seen the beast.

The two underworld officials' expressions gradually darkened.

"This beast is so hard to find. Could it really have become a spirit and be hiding from us on purpose?"

Zhang Weichu also sensed that something was wrong. After all, he had once spent a whole year as a water ghost, so he could consider some things from the other side's perspective.

The underworld official beside him nodded at this and was about to say something when his expression suddenly changed.

"This is bad. Why are so many people coming up the mountain today?"

He had just sensed large numbers of people beginning to climb the mountain.

Did these fellows not know there was a man-eating beast in the mountain?

"We need to persuade them to leave. If any of them end up alone later, they'll surely draw that beast into devouring them."

With that, Zhang Weichu prepared to act.

Whatever happened, they had to get these fellows to go back first.

Having so many people around would make things difficult too.

The other underworld official immediately nodded at his words.

As the two underworld officials vanished and headed down the mountain, a milu deer slowly rose to its feet not far away. Its eyes held a trace of viciousness, and its antlers were stained with considerable blood.