Chapter 134: The People of Yin Mountain

Most of the hunters' attention was on the strong and mighty Zhang Lu, not because they bore ill will, but because Zhang Lu was out there in thin clothing, hurrying about despite the heavy snow that had sealed the mountain.

Clearly, he possessed genuine skill.

By contrast, Zhang Jian was dressed warmly and tightly; though he wore a sword at his waist, he looked much more frail.

"My lord, it smells wonderful!"

At this moment Zhang Lu had already smelled the aroma; over the campfire sat an uneven little pot, inside which a milky-white broth bubbled, making Zhang Lu's throat twitch.

These past days, master and servant had been eating only dried rations and fruit on the mountain; Zhang Jian didn't mind, but Zhang Lu found it hard to bear.

Zhang Jian also didn't stand on ceremony, smiling as he said,

"Thank you for your kindness, friends; we're hungry too, and we still have some dried rations and fruit—let's all dip them in the broth and eat together!"

Zhang Jian gave a faint smile, gesturing to Zhang Lu beside him to take out the dry rations from his bundle.

Inside were not only dried fruit, but also relatively rare nuts.

Seeing this, the hunters were not shy; each took a portion.

Zhang Jian also casually explained his own background, saying he was a candidate heading to the capital for the examinations; the hunters at first were evasive, but after the group became acquainted, they too could not help revealing their origins.

They were hunters who had fled to the mountains to escape disaster.

"My lord, let me be frank: we are the hunters of Zhou Family Village down below; the government's exactions are so harsh that we could barely survive, so we fled to the mountains—who else would go out hunting in this weather, only to be worn down by wind and snow?"

The hunters all nodded in deep agreement, yet remained relatively optimistic!

The leader, a hunter called Zhou San Ye, then took out an aged-looking dry tobacco pipe, carefully pinched out a strand, mixed it with some yellowish grass leaves, and cautiously took a puff; finding it overly bitter and astringent, his sallow face creased.

He gave a bitter laugh and said:

"In the mountains there is much hardship, but down below is no place for people to stay; in our Zhou Family Village and the surrounding towns, any lad who has grown a little is mostly seized by the officials and sent off as conscripts to fight the bandits; even if one survives luckily until the bandits arrive, they too will take away the able-bodied men; we have no choice but to hide in these mountains, relying on the great mountain for refuge."

Several hunters squatted by the fire, their expressions somewhat silent.

After a moment, the older hunter surnamed Wang laughed and said.

"We're still fortunate; we have some skill—either good at hunting or at treating wounds—and if we can get through this period, we might yet return home down the mountain."

The other five hunters nodded, their eyes showing hope.

Beside Zhang Jian, Zhang Lu's face showed great admiration:

"The hunters' skill is beyond doubt; in such cold weather we've wandered the mountain for days without finding game, yet these elders still managed such a haul—few could achieve that."

At this moment Zhang Lu glanced toward the depths of Immortal Rock.

There lay a considerable pile of game.

Most were hares, with foxes and gray wolves as well; though each animal was small, their numbers were not few.

Hearing this, the hunters' faces involuntarily broke into faint smiles.

Just then, a sudden flash of lightning split the cliff ahead; looking from the mountain base, amidst the pouring rain it seemed as if a bolt of lightning pierced heaven and earth.

The thunderclap caused everyone's smiles to fade.

They silently gazed at the thunder beyond heaven and earth.

But Zhang Jian suddenly frowned, gazing at a small path beside Immortal Rock in the darkness.

At some point, an invisible layer of mist arose in the mountains.

In the darkness, the mist was hard to discern with the naked eye.

But to Zhang Jian, a cultivator of his caliber, it was nowhere to hide.

A chill gleamed in the depths of his eyes.

But soon after, a strange footstep sound echoed from the darkness.

This sudden sound also drew the attention of several hunters.

"Could a wild beast be approaching?"

Several hunters instinctively gripped the bows and arrows slung on their backs, and several hunters warily eyed the path ahead of the mountain.

The elder Zhou San Ye furrowed his brows into a character-like shape and said in a low voice, "It shouldn't be; I smeared some beast excrement on the trail ahead—ordinary beasts wouldn't dare come near, right?"

He also glanced at Zhang Jian and his servant beside him.

But he saw Zhang Lu also rise to his feet, merely standing behind Zhang Jian rather than in front of him, which made his expression slightly surprised.

Zhang Jian's expression remained unchanged; he merely glanced into the dark depths and let out a soft hum, a deep bronze light flaring from the depths of his eyes, causing the many furtive sounds in the darkness to promptly retreat.

The terrifying atmosphere gradually dissipated in the mountains.

After the hunters felt a brief silence in the darkness, with no further sounds, they instantly relaxed.

But then Zhang Jian beside them suddenly lifted his head, looking toward the mountain path.

Then a footstep sound came; after a moment, a figure wearing a bamboo hat and leaning on a cane emerged slowly from the darkness—an elderly-looking old man, accompanied by two delicately featured little girls.

Seeing this trio suddenly emerge from the darkness, the hunters were somewhat surprised and also wary.

At this time, to see an old man with two young girls walk out—any normal person could sense the oddness of it.

At this moment the old man first glanced at the six hunters, then his gaze fell on Zhang Jian and his servant, especially when facing Zhang Jian, his brows knit tightly.

In his peripheral vision he caught sight of the game in the corner and said with a smile,

"This old man and his two granddaughters happened to pass by, missing a place to lodge; could you make room for us three to spend the night?"

"Well…"

The six hunters frowned at this, yet dared not readily agree.

Seeing the hunters' hesitant expressions, Zhang Jian said calmly, "This place originally belonged to you hunters, elders; I am a guest and ought not to speak much, but since you, sir, have already entered, let you stay the night."

Hearing this, the hunters exchanged glances; Zhou San Ye pondered a moment and then said, "Mr. Zhang is right—since he's come, let the old man come in; we still have something to eat!"

At this moment he was cautious, yet he still used a spare bowl nearby to ladle out a bowl of broth, merely placing it far away on a stone bench to the side.

But the old man wearing the bamboo hat merely glanced at it, paying no heed; instead, he brought his two granddaughters to the nearby fire and shook off the snow on his person.

Seeing the gazes of everyone upon him, he smiled and said.

The little old man is actually just like all of you; originally he too was from Yin Mountain. You suffered military disaster, while we suffered human calamity!

He sighed and said:

My family used to live in peace and contentment, growing up in a mountain valley of Yin Mountain's western part, lively and bustling, but one day evil people suddenly rushed into the mountains, killing, injuring, looting, and our large household was suddenly scattered!

Now only the little old man and his two granddaughters remain, depending on each other!

Upon hearing this, one of the young hunters could not help but ask: "Yin Mountain's western part—isn't that where we often hunt? But there are no settlements there; the surroundings have only jackals, wolves, leopards, and tigers."

Several hunters also exchanged glances, but in an instant Zhou San Ye's expression changed; he suddenly rose, his whole body turned cold, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

His gaze fixed firmly on the old man, as well as the two silent granddaughters beside him.