Mountains and giant beasts, cabins in the woods

Liu Xingmo crawled out of the haystack.

The early-rising woodcutters were cooking meat soup in large pots, and some had already started eating. Their faces were beaming with warm smiles, for this autumn had brought another bumper harvest.

Liu Xingmo and Liu Yizhu ate and drank for free, then waved goodbye to the burly men, got on their carts, and headed towards the town.

The return journey was also a long one, especially when the truck was fully loaded with goods.

Liu Xingmo would occasionally jump from his seat onto Bao Hei's back, which was pulling the carriage, to replenish the contracted beast with his own blood and energy.

Baohei was exhausted. It was the first time in its life that it had done such heavy work, and it collapsed from exhaustion several times.

The arduous journey was meaningful. Liu Xingmo's blood and energy flowed smoothly and freely, and Bao Hei gradually adapted to the external assistance, showing faint signs of breaking through to the next level.

As darkness fell, we arrived at the main road in West Town.

Liu Yizhu said a brief goodbye and prepared to leave.

Liu Xingmo called out to stop them, "Wait a minute! We're almost at my doorstep, why don't you come in and sit down?"

"No, I'm not used to that."

"Wait a minute, I'll bring you some delicious orange wine! There's too much stuff, I can't finish it all, it'll spoil if I leave it any longer."

"I... okay then."

Liu Xingmo quickly returned to his peach orchard and brought out a large barrel of wine. After thinking for a moment, he also put all the blood-activating potions in his house into a large bottle.

Back on the main road, Liu Yizhu waited listlessly.

"Take this barrel of orange wine and drink it!" Liu Xingmo carried the barrel onto Liu Yizhu's cart.

"Yes, thank you."

"The contents of this bottle are a blood-qi potion made by disassembling the formula of the Blood Qi Pill and purifying it using Western technology. It has the same effect as the Blood Qi Pill, so you can take it and use it too."

"I do not want."

"It's not a free gift; I want you to be the brand ambassador for my products. Basically, I want you to tell others how great this potion is. That way, I can make a lot of money and provide you with even more potions for free!"

"Will this... really work?"

"Of course! I'm telling you, you should at least set aside a dollar each week to buy a newspaper. That way you'll know I'm not lying!"

"Okay, I'll give it a try."

An ugly smile appeared on Liu Yizhu's face, and then the man flicked the reins and drove away.

Liu Xingmo let out a long sigh and returned home.

They piled firewood into haystacks under the tree and fed all the contracted beasts.

Upon arriving at the alchemy workshop, Sumali was still intently concocting potions. Without looking up, she said, "Xingmo, why did you use the firewood you bought for two days?"

"We've gone quite a distance this time! But that's not important. Mary, guess who I ran into? A genius with an innate physique, Liu Yizhu!"

"The guy who lost the bullfrog last time? Is he giving you trouble?"

"No, we had a great chat! I even asked him to help me with the potion, we're sure to make a fortune next year!"

"Really?" Sumali put down her work, looked up at her husband, and said, "I have good news for you. I'm ready and can advance to the second tier at any time!"

"Really? That's wonderful!" Liu Xingmo rushed over and hugged his wife.

……

Early the next morning.

When Liu Xingmo woke up, he shook Su Mali awake.

"Mary! Hurry up and get ready. We're going to the Midtown Pharmacy today to buy some good stuff to help you advance smoothly."

"I can do it without any external help..." Sumali murmured, then burrowed deeper into the covers.

"Oh dear, this is a rare delicacy! It won't do any harm to eat it!" Liu Xingmo yanked off the silk and goose down quilt. "Get up! The sun's already high in the sky!"

"I'm a vampire... I don't want to be in the sun..." Sumali rolled over in bed, lay down, and continued sleeping.

"You're a wonderful person in every way, so why can't you break the habit of sleeping in? Next time I run into dear Miss Setia, I'll definitely have to talk to her about it..."

Sumali sprang up abruptly and quickly put on her clothes.

After having breakfast, the two took their wallets and went to Birch Avenue.

This wide road is suspended dozens of meters in the air, smoothly passing through the rugged terrain of the mountains and forests, leading directly to the city center.

Vehicles of all sizes came and went in an endless stream, causing the wooden plank road beneath their feet to tremble slightly.

When a gray hare pulled the bus to the station, Liu Xingmo and Su Mali boarded the bus hand in hand and tossed in two iron coins.

The two found an empty seat in the corner and sat down, and the wooden carriage began to move forward.

The mountains in autumn have an indescribable desolation. Bare trees line both sides of the road, and smooth pebbles lie on the dry riverbed.

The bus stopped at stations frequently, and all sorts of people boarded, gradually filling the carriages.

Liu Xingmo clutched the money bag with both hands.

I brought 20,000 yuan with me today.

As a bestselling novelist, all the tips Liu Xingmo received over the past eight years are in this bag.

I'm going to buy some magic potion today.

As a promising new generation talent, Liu Xingmo is qualified to purchase other spiritual medicines, as long as he can afford it.

The Wild Rabbit Bus traversed mountains and valleys, the trees along the road gradually thinning out, until it finally arrived at the vast plain between the mountains.

From here, the city center takes on a completely different appearance.

Countless thick, short, and straight wooden stakes stand densely packed on the flat ground. Nine great rivers flow down from the surrounding mountains, weaving a fine network of waterways among the stakes.

The Wild Rabbit Bus headed downhill, and Midtown came into view.

Bright red tiles cover the buildings, and babbling streams flow through the streets and alleys.

Sumali stuck her head halfway out of the car window; the mountain breeze blew her black hair, and her fair face was bathed in the morning sun.

Liu Xingmo asked, "How does it compare to your hometown?"

"Tranquil and peaceful, like a dream during a light afternoon nap." Sumali's cool voice carried a sense of tranquility.

"Oh, is the West very chaotic?"

"It's so chaotic that it lacks a proper history."

"Why did you and Setia come to Black Dragon Stronghold? Is there some kind of vampire hunting activity in the West?"

"In recent years, only witch hunts have taken place. However, the battles between vampires and vampire demons are extremely fierce, often affecting families. Therefore, the Grand Duke of Silvermoon Castle, who is also Miss Setia's father, sent us to the Eastern lands to seek refuge with our ancient allies."

"Unbelievable. My ancestors and your ancestors had a connection."

"The great war a thousand years ago involved most of the world. It's not surprising that Black Dragon Stronghold and Silver Moon Fortress, as forces that control the secrets of blood, cooperated."

"This is incredibly weird! Our bloodline has nothing to do with blood; we simply control blood energy!"

"Vampires can transform into bats, and you can transform into animals. Vampires have incredibly powerful bodies, and so do you. To me, they're the same."

"Alright." Liu Xingmo reluctantly accepted his wife's opinion. Then, a sudden thought struck him. "By the way! Do you think I could buy some Blood Path Secret Techniques from Setia?"

"Hmm~ Many vampire spells rely on bloodlines to be cast. You can only use them successfully if you receive the Embrace."

"It doesn't need to be that amazing, just find a few that are usable. Can you give me a heads-up?"

"Okay, then."