Mountains and giant beasts, cabins in the woods

The next day, the weather was fine and sunny.

It's time to leave the city, make the most of the luck we've accumulated over the past few days, and explore the hidden treasures in the mountains.

I don't know how far I'll go or what dangers I might encounter, so I can only try to travel as light as possible.

Besides his own blood-dropping device, Liu Xingmo's storage bag was filled with medicine in the rest of the space.

A metal tent was mounted on Bao Hei's tortoise shell, and the other packages contained only basic supplies and necessary equipment.

Liu Xingmo and Su Mali settled into their tent. Fuhei hovered overhead.

Liu San Niang also sat on the turtle's back, with two large, colorful snakes accompanying her on either side.

One turtle, one bird, two snakes, and three people set off.

The main road out of the city was quite empty. After arriving at the towering city wall, I announced my arrival and was then allowed to leave.

The massive wooden city gate, encased in steel, gradually opened as the ropes were turned, revealing a springtime mountain forest scene.

A touch of tender yellow tinged the gentle slopes in the distance, like new buds glistening in the sunlight, as if honey had been smeared on the mountain ridge, and the delicious color flowed down the valley, spreading all over the mountains and fields.

Amidst this vibrant scene, bees flitted about, butterflies danced, and magpies sang. A barely audible wolf howl seemed to mingle with the crisp sound of the stream.

They arrived outside the city, in the territory of wild beasts.

Fuhei eagerly spread its wings, passed through the dense branches of the ancient tree, and disappeared into the distance.

It had been stifled for too long, and its yearning for the sky was like a seed under a stone, which would eventually sprout one day.

It will come back; the little bird with a nest will no longer have to endure the wind and sun.

Liu Xingmo was multitasking, directing Bao Hei on the road while gathering information from Fu Hei.

Liu San Niang drew her long sword and carefully surveyed her surroundings. Two poisonous snakes also slithered into the shadows to drive away any threats lurking in the darkness.

She asked, "What should we do next?"

"Don't rush. Baohei's ability is rather strange; it requires finding clues about the treasure from other animals. Let's find a few large beasts first."

"Would that provide clues about other strange beasts?" Liu San Niang tilted her head, examining the old turtle's pointed head.

"That's how it is. Whether you can subdue them or not depends on you."

"I'll do my best, but I can only deal with small beasts and birds of level three or lower."

As they traversed mountains and valleys, Heilongzhai was left far behind.

The wide roads that appear in the mountains and forests are not created by humans, but are animal tracks left by wild animals that have walked through them over a long period of time.

Liu San Niang sniffed: "Be careful, some animals pass by here in the morning."

A short while later, Fuhei flew back and landed on the tip of a branch sprouting tender buds.

"What did you discover?"

Liu Xingmo carefully sensed the information conveyed by the soul imprint: brown fur, slender legs...

"It's a litter of Siberian roe deer! Quickly, lead us there."

In a mountain gully, three small deer are nibbling on new shoots; these are roe deer. Although called small, they are actually quite large, exceeding ten meters in length, making them truly giant beasts to humans.

Bao Hei cautiously approached, without attracting much attention.

It opened its mouth and spewed out an invisible black mist that swirled and coiled around the three roe deer.

It held its head high and ran back triumphantly.

Liu San Niang was puzzled: "You've found a clue? The strange beast you found is the leader of these roe deer? I might not be able to handle such a big guy..."

"It's not that simple. Let's take another look."

And so, relying on Fukui's reconnaissance, they searched for traces of large creatures.

Bao Hei released a large amount of misfortune, and the luck within him became increasingly pure, almost turning into a tangible golden light that was visible to the naked eye, making the bone tortoise shell shine brightly.

Thanks to the unique nature of luck, which can only be stored within living organisms and will not dissipate, it has been able to continuously compress to reach its current scale.

We camped on the mountain at night.

Find a sheltered rocky hollow and hide inside.

At times like these, you must not light a fire, or you will attract terrifying monsters.

Fortunately, thanks to Su Mali's skills, she was able to eat a hot meal.

She rested for a long time during the day and was responsible for keeping watch at night. With her eyesight and alertness, her safety was well guaranteed.

We set off again early the next morning.

A thin mist shrouded the mountains and forests, and the green leaves on the branches were glistening with moisture.

Last year's withered branches creaked at my feet, while newly sprouted buds emerged from under the decaying leaves, breaking through the soil and rocks, carrying a crisp, sweet scent.

Liu Xingmo felt it was time.

"Bao Hei! Activate divination! Fu Hei! Enhance your fortune!"

Bao Hei concentrated his mind and breath, and an invisible aura rose from his body, like a heavy mountain or a rushing river.

Immediately afterwards, Fuhei let out a cry that pierced through the white mist and echoed softly through the mountains and forests.

At this moment, Liu Xingmo clearly felt that the luck that had been compressed to the extreme was like an exploding firework, suddenly releasing brilliant light and heat.

Through the soul imprint, he vaguely saw something.

Beyond the rocks, across the river, somewhere, that thing exists.

Its sharp edge is fully revealed, its sword light is dazzling, like a sharp blade piercing between the mountains and fields.

What's going on? Could this treasure be a lost magical artifact?

Never mind, if it's valuable enough, then it doesn't matter.

Baohei finished its divination, panting heavily; it had never been so tired. Fuhei rested to the side, its chest expanding and contracting beneath its feathers; its howl was no ordinary sound.

Liu Xingmo issued the order to rest on the spot.

Liu San Niang was even more confused: "What's going on? What exactly did you discover?"

Liu Xingmo extended his left hand, tapping his thumb with each of his four fingers, and then said calmly, "I've calculated that a great treasure will appear in the southwest."

"What? Isn't it a strange beast?"

"You'll see when you see it. Don't worry, the stuff is yours; we agreed on this."

We continued traversing mountains and valleys, and after two days, we reached our destination.

It was a mountain hollow, surrounded by shrubs and sprouting grass. It looked ordinary, just a run-down place you could find anywhere in the mountains.

Liu San Niang sniffed and immediately furrowed her brows. Then she stuck out her long, thin red tongue and, like a venomous snake, tasted the air, trying to discern its flavors.

"Wait! There's a wild boar! This pungent stench means it's been alive for many years and is very strong! We need to hide quickly!"

In battles between cultivators of the same level, the Blood Path cultivator loses due to their size, and this gap only disappears at least at the fourth level.

Liu Xingmo quickly steered Bao Hei away. He cautiously looked back and saw a tall old pine tree shaking incessantly in the distant dense forest.

There really are wild boars! These animals love to rub against tree bark and scratch themselves.

They found a small hole in the ground and hid inside, where the three of them discussed their plan.

Liu Xingmo pulled out a map: "It's too far away. It'll probably be too late to go back and get reinforcements."

Liu Sanniang gritted her teeth and said, "We can only wait here. That guy will leave sooner or later."

"Could it have also discovered the treasure we were talking about?" asked Sumari.

The three looked at each other in bewilderment.