Mountains and giant beasts, cabins in the woods

Liu Xingmo opened the door, feeling annoyed.

Tie Shengcai drove the insect cart, dragging the medicinal herbs, onto the cement and gravel road.

The middle-aged man was wearing a straw raincoat, his body covered in water droplets, indicating that he had probably gotten up to work in the early hours of the morning.

He looked apologetic: "It was very foggy today, and buying medicine took a lot of time."

"Okay. I understand. Cash on delivery." Liu Xingmo carried the two boxes of medicine.

Tie Shengcai took out the 140 yuan he had prepared beforehand and accepted the two medicine boxes. He took out a small medicine bottle, uncorked it, and poured the red, viscous liquid into his mouth.

"This feeling is appealing, very attractive. But some people back down as soon as they hear the name of the elixir. I should use my connections to sell the potion to the old folks who take care of the younger generation."

After saying that, he glanced sideways at the young man in front of him.

Liu Xingmo remained unmoved: "I don't need any connections; I can sell the potion directly."

Tie Shengcai grinned and said, "If you have any extra inventory, you can come to me anytime to deal with it!"

He carefully put away the medicine box, then drove the insect cart into the workshop entrance in the hall and began unloading.

Liu Xingmo used a spirit stone lamp for lighting and helped unload the goods.

The two started chatting.

"Where are my generator and light bulbs? Any news?" Liu Xingmo asked, picking up a large lotus leaf-shaped package.

"The order has already been placed. Once Manager Bai Machi leads the team past the sales point, the goods will be delivered."

"Manager Bai Machi, I see quite a few people with the surname Bai among you merchants?"

"Their ancestors were all kings and generals of the Yin Kingdom. Later, they intermarried with the Black Dragon Village and settled here. As long as they traded within the Yin Kingdom, they would receive preferential treatment." Tie Shengcai piled a package in the corner and sighed, "Alas! Our Tie family is not so good. Our ancestors were not very successful. They were bodyguards for the Heavenly Blade Society."

"Hey! No matter if you're surnamed Bai, Tie, or Liu, after all these generations, we're all descendants of the Mountain Goddess." Liu Xingmo said nonchalantly, "I take my family name Liu, and from childhood to adulthood, I've been treated the same as people with different surnames, without any special treatment."

"That's true. When you're out here making a living, it's all about skill. Alchemists and weapon refiners like your wife are respected everywhere." Tie Shengcai put down the last bundle of mint, shook his shoulders, and got back into the car. "I'm leaving now. See you tomorrow."

Okay! See you tomorrow.

A middle-aged man drove a buggy, carrying two boxes of medicine, and disappeared into the thick morning fog.

With a loud "bang!", Liu Xingmo slammed the door shut.

He rushed impatiently to the attic dining table, eating his already cold breakfast while replaying the delivery process in his mind.

It seems that the older a businessman gets, the more capable he becomes, but also the more cunning he becomes.

In my distant memory, my father was a stern, middle-aged man. When he went out to work, did he also bow and scrape, working hard to earn a living for his family and children?

Sadly, the person is gone forever. All that remains are blurry, faded memories.

After eating and drinking his fill, Liu Xingmo carried four medicine boxes, containing a total of 100 bottles of medicine, and went out the door, heading towards the nearby pasture.

The fog is very thick today.

However, now that spring is transitioning into summer, the southerly winds bring warm, humid air from the ocean, which condenses into fog and rain when it meets the local cool easterly winds.

The grassland at the foot of the mountain was a vast expanse of white.

As Liu Xingmo walked along the dirt road, he could only see the green leaves all around him, unable to make out the full view of the tall weeds.

I arrived at the farm by instinct and lifted the fence gate.

It was deserted and quiet; no gray wolves came to greet us with their tongues lolling out.

What's going on? Are those guys hungry? Are they sleeping in their dens?

Liu Xingmo called out loudly, "Third Sister! Are you there?"

There was no human response.

A mountain breeze carried moisture, and "pitter-patter!" raindrops fell on the grass.

Liu Xingmo then called out, "Third Sister? I'm going in if you're not here! The medicine can't get wet in the rain, or it will spoil."

"Pat! Pat! Pat!" The rhythmic patting sounds came from the old wooden house.

Those were buildings that originally existed on the ranch, warehouses built from old tree roots mixed with yellow mud and stones.

"Knock knock!" Liu Xingmo walked to the warehouse door and knocked.

"Slap! Slap! Slap!" The slapping sounds grew louder.

Liu Xingmo pushed open the door: "Third Sister, is that you?"

In the deep darkness, a pair of scarlet eyes shone. Within the blood-red irises were dark, deep vertical pupils, reflecting the only light—a tiny figure in the doorway.

"Shhh..." The rough friction sound echoed incessantly in the room. A huge object was coiling and circling in the pitch black.

Liu Xingmo quickly offered his congratulations: "Third Sister, congratulations on breaking through the difficult barrier and making further progress in your cultivation!"

There was no reply, only the rhythmic patting sound as a response.

Liu Xingmo asked curiously, "What's wrong? Why don't you communicate by speaking?"

"I've been lost for years, only now breaking free from my inner demons." A gentle, slightly sorrowful female voice seemed to penetrate straight to the soul, "Alas! Only today do I realize who I am..."

"If you can speak, then say so! This place is dark and creepy."

"Liu Xingmo, thank you for telling me that I can use telepathy." The woman's voice was calm, without joy or sorrow.

"You say you've seen through your inner demons, but you're still completely confused?"

Liu Xingmo bent down, laid down the medicine box on his back, and walked into the warehouse.

His eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and by the faint light scattering from the door, he could see a large, mottled snake with silver scales and red stripes, coiled among the messy furniture.

It seems that Liu San Niang has broken through the third-tier barrier and successfully transformed into beast form.

This guy is strange. I don't know how he manages to improve. I never see him seriously cultivating, but his strength is increasing by leaps and bounds. It's unbelievable.

Are there other special constitutions in this world besides those born with a special physique? Like celestial spiritual roots or earthly spiritual roots? I don't think so…

"Liu Xingmo, what do you want from me?" The enormous snake head loomed over, its long body coiling around the young man's slender frame.

"Of course, it's to sell medicine!" Liu Xingmo patted the medicine box on his back. "But it's foggy and rainy today, so there might not be many people on the street. It probably won't sell well."

"Wait a moment, I'll help you later." The snake nimbly slithered out of the warehouse through the narrow doorway.

The silver-red serpent stretched out its body amidst the raging wind and rain.

She looked around at the gray world, then lowered her head again: "Before that, I have something to ask you."

"What's going on, Third Sister? You've become more polite now that you've turned into an animal?" Liu Xingmo put down his medicine box and walked out of the warehouse. "Just say what you want, we're neighbors."

"I need food." The enormous snake head pressed down, flicking its forked red tongue and licking the young man's face.

"Wait a minute, let me go home and get a truckload."

"No, it's not for me to eat. I want you to feed the three-headed wolf."

The heavy rain broke through the thick fog.

Liu Xingmo saw a listless gray wolf lying in each of the three thatched huts.