Chapter 61: Mountains And Forests (IV)

"Do I really carry the scent of Red Mountain Fragrance?"

Lin Zheyu walked through the forest at an unhurried pace. From time to time, he sniffed at his own clothes, yet detected nothing. It did not seem like Ma Wangcheng had lied to him, however. On his way earlier, he had indeed passed through a patch filled with bright red flowers.

With no path ahead, he had forced his way through the blossoms, and their fragrance had clung to his body. The flowers’ scent was faint, perceptible only within the thicket. Nothing could be smelled at all when one was just 2 meters away from the flowers. For such a subtle fragrance to still be detected from afar spoke volumes of Ma Wangcheng’s remarkable sense of smell.

I must be more careful in the future and find someone to teach me about this,

thought Lin Zheyu.

As Ma Wangcheng had said, many seasoned hunters could detect the scent of Red Mountain Fragrance. Clearly, it was a skill one could cultivate through training.

This time, he moved far more cautiously, avoiding contact with plants and flowers that might leave a lingering scent. Following the path Ma Wangcheng had pointed out, Lin Zheyu soon crossed the mountain and arrived at the foot of Beast Roar Mountain.

The moment he reached the foot of the mountain, he heard beastly roars echoing from within the mountain. Beast Roar Mountain was vast, a continuous range stretching beyond sight. Hunters and herb gatherers dared not venture too deeply inside. Those bold enough to do so often vanished into the depths of the forest.

Lin Zheyu had barely entered the mountain when he encountered a hunting party of five. He cast a glance from afar but did not approach. The five men appeared strong and sturdy, their muscles well-developed. Though none had reached the Bone Forging Realm, they were still quite capable fighters.

Beast Roar Mountain lived up to its name; it was teeming with ferocious beasts. Despite hunters’ relentless activity year after year, the number of wild beasts showed no sign of decline. They emerged endlessly from the deep mountains, roaming into the outer regions.

Rumor has it that living corpses look almost the same as ordinary people. I wonder what they truly are like.

Lin Zheyu was curious about the real strength of living corpses and whether he could defeat one with his current abilities. However, the caution ingrained in his very bones forced him to suppress this curiosity.

Though the Blood Qi Realm was said to be able to contend with living corpses, their copper skin, iron bones, and claws with Bale Yin poison made them formidable opponents. Lin Zheyu had no intention of taking such a risk.

With his abilities, time and money alone would be enough for him to grow stronger quickly. There was no need to let a shred of curiosity drive him into danger. His main goal on this trip was to scout and familiarize himself with the environment outside the city. The secondary objective was to lure Xing Jinglong out and eliminate him. If he encountered blind fools such as bandits, he would cut them down and rid the people of a scourge.

Rustle, rustle.

A light breeze stirred the forest, filling it with rustling sounds. Lin Zheyu moved swiftly through the woods, occasionally hearing beastly roars echoing in the distance.

Whoosh.

A brightly colored snake, as thick as a man’s thumb and 2 to 3 meters long, shot down from a tree, lunging at Lin Zheyu’s neck.

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Hissss.

The snake flicked its tongue, hissing menacingly. When the snake was only 20 or 30 centimeters from his face, his right hand shot out with speed and precision, pinching just behind its head and gripping it firmly.

The snake writhed and coiled tightly around his arm. Lin Zheyu forced its head against the hem of his clothes, then yanked sharply, tearing out its venomous fangs. Next, he looped the now fangless snake a few times, tied it into a knot, and slipped it into his pack. Such a snake could fetch a small price when taken back.

If one has the skill, hunting in the forests can indeed earn a fair income,

thought Lin Zheyu.

Along the way, he had encountered quite a few wild beasts. These creatures were extremely agile and hard to catch. Some hunting knowledge would be necessary. He estimated that skilled and seasoned hunters like Ma Wangcheng could earn no less than 10 taels of silver per month.

"Wasn’t it said that bandits roamed rampant here? How have I walked for so long without meeting any?" muttered Lin Zheyu to himself as he glanced around, searching for any sign of bandits.

He simply wanted to rid the people of harm. It was not for the silver they carried, for he was a man who despised evil with righteous fury.

However, if you speak of the Devil, it appears. After walking a few hundred meters further and passing a dense patch of forest, an arrow suddenly shot out from within.

Whoosh.

The arrow flew with great speed, aimed straight at Lin Zheyu’s chest.

Crack!

With a flash of blade light, Lin Zheyu swung his sword casually. The arrow snapped in half with a sharp crack and fell to the ground.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

The attackers clearly had no intention of leaving him alive, shooting more than a dozen arrows from the trees. Lin Zheyu’s figure shifted as he unleashed the Golden Goose Technique. His saber howled as he cleaved every arrow cleanly in two.

"This one’s tough. Retreat!"

In the forest, the bandit leader’s heart clenched at the sight, realizing they had encountered a true expert. He made a snap decision, discarding his crossbow without hesitation and bolting toward the escape route they had prepared. The others with crossbows, hearing his cry, panicked as well and scrambled after their leader.

They had spotted someone who looked like a young master from the city and casually fired a few arrows, thinking to dispose of him. They had not expected him to be so fierce, casually cutting down every arrow with his saber. Such skill clearly belonged to someone of the Organ Forging Realm, far beyond what they could contend with.

"Ah!"

After only a few steps, the man at the rear was struck by a sharp blade. With a wet slash, his body split in two as blood sprayed everywhere. The leader’s heart froze in terror. Lin Zheyu’s speed was incredible; he had appeared behind them in the blink of an eye!

Whoosh.

The man snatched two pouches from his chest and hurled them back at Lin Zheyu. A cloud of white powder spread rapidly through the air. By now, he no longer cared that his brothers were still behind him. Preserving his own life was all that mattered.

"That trick again!"

Lin Zheyu’s eyes narrowed as he halted his steps. Real combat was far more treacherous and vicious than the sparring taught by Master Liang. No one would foolishly fight head-on. Ambushes, surprise attacks, and poison powders were the most common tactics. But even poison depended on strength!

The strongest among these men was only in the Bone Forging Realm. With such pitiful strength, they could be dealt with easily without even coming close.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh.

Lin Zheyu drew five throwing knives from his pouch and flicked his wrist. The blades shot out with a whistle, piercing through the skulls of five men’s heads.

"Ahhh!"

Several screams rang out as the nameless bandits toppled forward, their bodies convulsing before their eyes lost all light.

"First kill of the day...

cough

, no, I mean ridding the people of evil," muttered Lin Zheyu.

He gazed at the six corpses on the ground with a calm heart. These men were vicious criminals, and their hands were undoubtedly stained with the blood of countless innocents. He waited until the white powder in the air had dispersed, then wrapped his hands in coarse cloth and carefully searched the bodies.

He increasingly felt the need to learn more about poisons. If he had known what kind of powder that man had thrown, he would not need to be so cautious now.

As expected, none of them carried silver,

thought Lin Zheyu.

He searched carefully but found no silver. These desperadoes often died while preying on others, falling victim to misfortune themselves. Every time they left home, they did so with death in mind. Their lives were hanging by a thread, so how could they possibly carry money with them?

On their bodies, he did not find a single coin, only small bottles and packets of powders in various colors. Some were for healing, and others for treating illness or countering poison. There were also poisoned hidden weapons and the like. In addition, there was a small pouch of freshly gathered wild herbs, likely stolen from some unfortunate herb gatherer.

"These things are not bad, though not easy to sell. If I can find the right channel, they might fetch a few taels of silver," said Lin Zheyu to himself. He examined the pile of assorted loot and found that these men had certainly prepared well in order to survive.