Devin and Jinwoo watch the scene unfold from a distance, their hearts heavy as they witness the cruel theft of the newborn deer.
Despite a small desire to intervene and save the baby deer, Devin and Jinwoo decide against it. They are aware of the dangers of getting involved in such matters, and they are not willing to take on three cultivators, especially one at the 7th level of the Qi condensation realm.
The shady looking man leads the trip and approach the deer. A male deer steps out from the others and warns off the approaching men.
The male deer is also at 7th level of the Qi condensation realm. It's vigilance stops the plan the three men had been hatching. They had intended to have the two cultivators with the lower cultivation to initially approach and draw the attention of the herd.
While the weaker mother and child run away, the shady looking man would approach stealthily, and ambush them.
The shady looking man, known as Kim Tae-ho, sneered as he watched the male deer charge at him. He waited for an opportunity for a long time. Higher cultivation level deer were worth a fortune on the black market, and he was not about to let this one get away.
He brandished his sword, a sleek and deadly weapon that he had spent a small fortune on. It was worth every coin, he thought to himself as he expertly parried the deer's attacks.
The deer was strong, its muscles rippling with power as it tried to push past Kim Tae-ho's defenses. But the man was no amateur. He had been in countless battles before, and he knew all the tricks of the trade. He fought with a cunning and ruthless efficiency, never letting the deer get the upper hand.
Despite its best efforts, the deer was no match for Kim Tae-ho. With a final, well-placed strike, the man delivered the killing blow and watched as the deer crumpled to the ground.
Panting and sweating, Kim Tae-ho grinned to himself. This deer would fetch him a nice price, he thought as he began to skin it. He would have to move quickly, he knew. The other cultivators in the area would be after the deer's valuable meat as well. But he was one step ahead of them, as always.
The two other cultivators were unable to stop the mother deer and her baby from escaping. The herd dispersed and ran off into the forest.
As he worked, Kim Tae-ho couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. He may not have caught the baby deer, but this adult deer would more than make up for it.
Devin and Jinwoo watch in silence as the shady looking man and his companions load the captured deer onto their carriage.