Chapter 268

Someone appeared at Elephant Trunk Ridge.

This discovery made Chen Wuji's thoughts suddenly become heavy.

"Look carefully around nearby to see if there are any other traces," Chen Wuji ordered.

Chen Wushuang and a few people, their human ginseng finds uneven, replied with a sound, then scattered again, heads down, searching for traces.

Not long after, someone shouted, "Family Head, there are footprints here."

Chen Wuji hurried over.

The location of the footprints was not far from where the Panlong ginseng had been dug, only about twenty steps away. Because of the terrain, that spot had not been covered by fallen leaves, revealing brown soil.

The footprints were already faint, but still vaguely discernible.

About forty-two yards in size, a large foot, but…

It was actually barefoot.

The positions of the big toe and heel were quite clear.

Chen Wuji was somewhat dazed at the time, "Running barefoot in these wild mountains? What iron soles!"

"Family Head, maybe it's a wild man," Chen Bang said, "There used to be such legends in the mountains; my grandfather used to scare me with this, saying if I didn't behave, the wild man would carry me off."

"Have you seen one?" Chen Wuji asked.

Chen Luozi and a few others all shook their heads.

"I haven't seen one either, and I often run in the mountains. I've seen plenty of strange animals, but I've never seen a strange person," Chen Wuji said.

"However, we can probably rule out Qiang scouts; the Qiang people came from afar, and if they dared to wander these mountains barefoot, they'd be asking for a short life."

As for the owner of these footprints, Chen Wuji leaned more toward a hunter, or perhaps an itinerant doctor.

Although this place is already deep within Shenxian Ling, it's inevitable that skilled, bold hunters would venture in to hunt more game.

Perhaps they had been wandering in the mountains for several days before returning.

As for itinerant doctors, such people mostly have eccentric personalities, differing from ordinary folks, and many go barefoot.

In Chinese medicine, there is a saying that going barefoot benefits health and makes it easier to draw the earth's energy.

This saying is used by many itinerant doctors who practice cultivation.

In later times, doctors and cultivation are two entirely different concepts, but in this era, doctors ought to be considered the group most versed in cultivation.

Zhang Lao initially taught Xiaoyu not medical skills, but the methods of cultivation.

"I agree," Chen Luozi said, "Scouts cross mountains and ridges daily, traveling dozens of li; if they went barefoot they'd surely die halfway, let alone spy on enemy situations."

Chen Wuji nodded, "No need to worry about this; let's keep looking."

The group abandoned those chaotic large footprints and continued searching ahead.

After only a few dozen steps, they encountered another pile of footprints and a spot of long‑stale human waste, still barefoot prints; Chen Wuji merely glanced at it and quickly covered his nose and left.

The smell was not pleasant.

"Wait!"

Chen Wuji's steps halted abruptly, calling the others to stop.

"Do you smell anything?" Chen Wuji asked.

Chen Luozi pointed to the pile by the tree roots, "Although there isn't much of it, it really stinks."

"I can't smell that thing, right? Why ask this? I seem to smell firewood, and a bit… roasted meat, is that the smell of roasted meat?" Chen Wuji held his breath and concentrated, carefully distinguishing the faint scent in the air.

This scent is very faint, almost imperceptible.

But here the vegetation is lush, the mix of plants and soil giving off a slight dampness, making this faint smoky scent stand out, and though faint, it can still stimulate the sense of smell.

"Anything?" Chen Luozi sniffed, asking doubtfully.

He smelled nothing.

"It really seems there is…" a clansman said slowly, "but I'm not entirely sure."

"Let's go forward and see," Chen Wuji said.

The scent is very faint, and he cannot determine which direction it comes from.

After walking a stretch forward, Chen Luozi suddenly said, "There really is; someone is roasting meat, as if it's coming from that side of the mountain."

Chen Wuji also basically confirmed it.

"Everyone be careful, we'll approach slowly," Chen Wuji said.

Everyone nodded and quickly drew their knives.

Chen Wuji took down the bow and arrow on his back, placed the arrow on the string, and lightly hooked his finger.

This posture allows him to launch that arrow at the first sign of trouble.

Rotting twigs under their feet crackled softly; they tried to control their steps to avoid making too much noise, then slowly walked toward the source of the scent.

The mountain is large, the scent is scattered, and without wind it's impossible to pinpoint exactly where it comes from; they can only walk and check, heading toward the side where the smell is relatively stronger.

Slowly and warily crossing the small hill ahead, they didn't need to confirm again; what they sought had already appeared before their eyes.

On the sunny side of this mountain there is a small lake, its shore crowded with strange trees.

And among those interlaced oak branches, they had erected two simple shelters made of branches.

The shelters face the lake; in front of them, several long spears are haphazardly stuck in the ground, with clothing hanging on them.

The spears appear to be freshly made; their wooden shafts are still damp, not fully dried.

At that moment, several people were sitting by the campfire roasting fish.

Six men sat in a circle; beside the central fire lay two disheveled women, performing poses that made one blush, sometimes lifting their legs, sometimes kneeling like puppies.

Those men watched while clapping and cheering, occasionally someone couldn't resist reaching out to grab a handful.

"Family Head, it looks like a hunter's household," Chen Bang whispered.

Chen Wuji gave a soft hum, "Where would you find such a hunter's household?"

"No, what I mean is, some hunters who fled into the mountains." Chen Bang explained briefly.

Chen Wuji examined carefully, shook his head, "Not really like that, the shelter was just built recently, the leaves on it haven't completely dried and changed color, there are no other living utensils around, nor any other people—it's not a hunter's."

There are indeed hunters who have fled into the mountains nearby, and they are not few.

But every one of these people was crushed by the court's taxes, and they had no choice but to bring their families and hide in the mountains to avoid the court's taxes.

If Chen Wuji had just crossed over then, and his luck were a bit worse, he would probably have ended up the same way.

A tax of several thousand wen is, for most families, completely an astronomical figure.

"Probably not hunters." Chen Luozi also said.

"Hunters who flee into the mountains usually have families and also have a settled place, even if only for short-term residence, it wouldn't be this shabby. However, it's possible that these hunters banded together to come to this mountain range to hunt; they also have a habit of pillaging, so snatching a couple of women wouldn't be unusual."

Chen Wuji reminded, "Take a look at their bows."