To find what they needed, it was natural to thoroughly explore this area before venturing deeper. Otherwise, not only would it be inefficient, but also far too dangerous. Thus, the group continued forward, but instead of charging ahead, they veered to the side. Unfortunately, there was still no progress.
After about a quarter of an hour, the tranquility of the forest began to ease Ming Ren's nerves. Confused, he glanced around and asked in a low voice, "Why haven't we encountered any fierce beasts? Doesn't the book say they're abundant here?"
Hu Yu glanced ahead, speaking in a calm tone, "Zhou Tong has avoided the dangerous areas."
"When did this happen? I didn't know about it." Ming Ren tilted his head in confusion.
Hu Yu yawned as he gazed up at the gloomy canopy, where droplets of water occasionally fell from the leaves. "In simple terms, fierce beasts have their own territories," he began, explaining briefly. The gist was as follows:
A territory is the domain that a fierce beast marks as its own. Unless it's hungry, it won't easily hunt outside of its territory. Therefore, the absence of beasts isn't due to their scarcity but because Zhou Tong, with his experience, skillfully avoided the territories of the beasts. These "territories" weren't demarcated with ropes or anything similar, but rather with saliva, urine, or even toxins spread at the boundaries. Unless one is an experienced veteran mercenary, it's hard to recognize them, which often leads to attacks by powerful beasts, typically when a group of inexperienced mercenaries is led by a novice.
Thus, it could be inferred that Zhou Tong was highly experienced.
Ming Ren, impressed, said, "Brother Hu, you really know a lot. I feel like I've wasted over ten years studying poetry."
"It's just some trivial matters, nothing worth mentioning," Hu Yu replied nonchalantly, his eyes scanning Ming Ren. He was beginning to take an interest in this chance encounter with the young man.
Ming Ren, dressed in white, appeared frail and easily winded after walking a few steps, almost as if he wasn't a cultivator at all. Yet, he had managed to hire someone like Zhou Tong, which spoke volumes about his background. It was strange that someone with such a background lacked any cultivation.
Seemingly noticing Hu Yu's slightly puzzled gaze, Ming Ren scratched his head shyly. "Brother Hu, are you curious why I have no cultivation?"
Hu Yu raised an eyebrow in surprise but didn't try to hide his curiosity. "Indeed, I am a little curious. Would you mind sharing?"
Ming Ren smiled and said, "What's there to hide? My father has always urged me to cultivate, but I've never been fond of swords or martial arts."
It was rare to find someone in a martial-dominated world who didn't like cultivation.
Hu Yu, lost in thought, recalled a young man from his past who had been similar—dressed in white, holding poetry books, standing in the wind. He smiled lightly. "I actually know someone who doesn't like cultivation either."
Ming Ren's eyes lit up with excitement. "There's someone like me? Can you introduce me to him?"
Hu Yu shook his head gently. "His name is Ming De. He's far away now, and we'll probably never meet."
"Ming De?" Ming Ren's mouth opened slightly, as if he had heard something unexpected.
"What's wrong?" Hu Yu asked, tilting his head in concern.
Ming Ren cleared his throat, shaking his head. "Haha, nothing. Just thought of something irrelevant."
Such a reaction indicated that there was more to it, but Hu Yu chose to respect his privacy and not press further.
The group continued on, with most of the journey feeling rather boring. Hu Yu occasionally exchanged words with Ming Ren, while the mercenaries remained silent, vigilantly scanning their surroundings.
Ming Ren pushed aside a vine blocking the path and looked up at the occasionally dripping green canopy. He called out anxiously, "Uncle Zhou, is there really no sign of anything?"
"Master, quiet! Don't attract the beasts!" Zhou Tong made a hushing gesture. "Water Cloud Bamboo and the Panther Tiger are rare creatures. They're not easy to find. It'll probably take a few days."
"Then… are we spending the night here?" Ming Ren asked in disappointment.
Zhou Tong shook his head. "We must leave before nightfall. Without a powerful cultivator guarding us, the forest at night is not a place for us to stay."
"I see… alright." Ming Ren sighed, disappointed, and looked around as if wanting to help, but he saw no sign of bamboo.
Hu Yu pondered for a moment. "It's too inefficient to search tomorrow."
If he stayed out too long, the Lin family would likely cause an uproar. Besides, with no cultivation, it was inconvenient for him to act too conspicuously.
The rustling sound of leaves was heard, as if the wind was moving them.
Zhou Tong, ahead of the group, raised a hand to signal them to stop. He stared at the treetops for what seemed like half a stick of incense before saying, "It's safe."
Only then did the group continue their journey.
However, Hu Yu didn't immediately move forward.
"Why are you stopping, Brother Hu?" Ming Ren asked curiously.
Hu Yu answered calmly, "There's something ahead."
Zhou Tong chuckled. "I've already checked. There's nothing there."
Hu Yu glanced at him and then pointed at a crooked tree ahead.
Zhou Tong and the mercenaries turned their heads to look. After a moment, they all shook their heads in confusion. There was nothing but vines hanging from the crooked tree.
Zhou Tong frowned. "Little brother, it's just a tree."
"A tree?" Hu Yu picked up a stone from the ground, casually tossing it from a distance. Zhou Tong and the others followed the stone's trajectory with their eyes.
A sharp crack echoed, followed by the sound of rustling. A vine hanging from the crooked tree twisted and fell to the ground.
"Be on guard!" Zhou Tong's face changed dramatically as he ordered the mercenaries to distance themselves from the vine. Swords and knives were drawn with a metallic sound.
Hu Yu's expression remained calm as he spoke slowly, "This is called the Vine Lin. It moves slowly, has weak offensive capabilities, but its camouflage is incredibly strong. It also possesses deadly poison—touch it, and you'll die."
"This is the first time I've seen such a creature," Zhou Tong said, his mouth agape in shock.
"You don't understand. It's not a fierce beast, but a low-level demon beast," Hu Yu explained briefly.
Ming Ren, feeling a bit uneasy as he watched the wriggling Vine Lin, swallowed nervously and asked, "What's the difference between a demon beast and a fierce beast?"
Zhou Tong's face grew serious as he took over the explanation. "Demon beasts generally reside deep within the Domain of the Fallen Immortals. Unlike the reckless fierce beasts, they possess a certain level of intelligence. The stronger they are, the longer they live, and the purer their bloodline, the more intelligent they become. It's said that at a certain level, they can even transform into human form."
Ming Ren's eyes widened in shock. "Such creatures exist? I've never heard of them in books."
"That's why people say 'A scholar is of no use,'" Hu Yu explained coldly. "Relying only on written records makes one no better than a frog at the bottom of a well."
Ming Ren fell into deep thought after hearing this.
At that moment, one of the mercenaries scratched his head awkwardly and asked, "Captain, what should we do now?"
Zhou Tong stared at the Vine Lin, his expression conflicted.
Catching it was too dangerous—it was a fierce beast after all. But if they didn't, it would be a waste. Demon beasts were worth ten times the value of fierce bea