Chapter 119

The mountain wind wailed, and the hunter, wrapped in an animal-skin vest, tracked along the way.

When he went deep into the wild forest and there were more insects and wild beasts, the hunter took a stick of grass incense from his animal-skin bag and lit it.

Wisps of white smoke rose, and the hunter used the grass incense, which was as thick as a child's arm, to fumigate his body.

Only after the human scent on his body was completely covered by the strong medicinal smell did the hunter step into the deep forest where few people ventured.

Passing through the forest and climbing the high mountain, the hunter whistled. Before long, several black dots in the distant sky drew closer.

"Caw, caw—"

The wailing mountain wind was accompanied by low, hoarse, noisy sounds. Several crows, blacker than coal, landed in front of the hunter.

The leading crow was already old, its feathers no longer shiny.

It landed at the very front, pacing with uneven steps, and came before the hunter.

"Mountain Boy, what are you doing here looking for me?" the crow spoke.

A simple, honest smile appeared on the hunter's dark red face.

He carefully took out a piece of cloth from his bosom, which contained more than a dozen seeds of the Tongue-Pressing Grass.

The hunter picked one out and put it back in his pocket, then distributed the rest to the crows in front of him.

Watching the crows in the 'Revolving Lantern' eating them like candy, Xu Qing was amazed. Weren't these crows afraid of the poison of the Tongue-Pressing Grass?

He continued to watch. The old crow opened its mouth again with that hoarse, old-smoker voice, but this time it carried some surprise.

"Mountain Boy, where did you find so many Tongue-Pressing Grass seeds?"

The hunter grinned and said: "They were all saved up over the years. When I was a child, my father often said that Tongue-Pressing Grass is a ghost grass to others, but to the old crows on Luan-Shi Mountain, it is a spiritual medicine that can increase wisdom."

"As long as there are Tongue-Pressing Grass seeds, you can ask the old crows of Luan-Shi Mountain to help with things."

Crows feed their parents, and lambs kneel to suckle; the hunter, who often chased mountains, was obviously very familiar with the nature of these crows.

"That is indeed the case. The crows of my Luan-Shi Mountain have always been like this, but there is one thing we must agree on first."

"Please speak, Master Crow."

"Matters have their sizes. If the thing you ask for is too dangerous and we cannot handle it, then don't complain to us later."

The hunter smiled freely: "It's just a small matter. It's neither stealing nor robbing. For Master Crow, it will surely only have benefits and no harm."

"Is it really that simple? Tell me about it."

"I want to ask Master Crow to help find someone."

"What kind of person?"

"An old man who herds sheep..."

West of Jinmen, there is a mountain range called Yanjing Mountain, also known as Xijing Mountain.

Xijing Mountain stretches for nine hundred miles, with countless rare birds and beasts, and many mountain villages scattered within.

On this day, the hunter stood on a high ridge, squinting his eyes to look at a village.

Above his head, a group of crows circled back and forth, making bursts of cawing sounds.

The hunter looked up and made a gesture, and the flock of crows flew into the mountains and forests and disappeared.

Outside Huangpi Village, a sheep-herder wearing tattered cloth cotton-padded clothes passed by.

He puffed on his dry tobacco pipe a few times, smiling as he watched the children chasing and playing at the village entrance, blowing clouds and mist from his mouth.

After the children had finished playing and returned to their homes, the hunter standing on the high ridge took out his hunting bow, nocked an arrow coated with poison on the string, and aimed from afar at the old sheep-herder cooling off under a tree at the village entrance.

"Twang—"

The bowstring vibrated. The sheep-herder who was smoking his dry pipe in the distance felt his hair stand on end. Without thinking, he rolled on the ground like a donkey.

With a 'thud,' the powerful arrow pierced deeply into the tree trunk behind the sheep-herder.

The entire arrow was embedded, leaving only the tail feathers trembling. The sheep-herder's murky eyes even became a bit clearer because of this.

High ground at the village entrance.

The hunter's eyes narrowed slightly.

Although he was hunting a human this time, he still followed past experience and chose to hunt from the downwind side.

He originally thought that this arrow would definitely not miss, but he didn't expect the other party to notice it. Even a mountain fox's sense of smell shouldn't be that sensitive.

No wonder the immortals of the Yellow Immortal Hall were unwilling to step in.

Failing the first strike, the sturdy and robust hunter was not annoyed.

As a mountain-chasing hunter, the thing he lacked least was patience when hunting.

Drawing the bow and nocking an arrow, he shot several more arrows. The hunter squinted and saw that the old man had already hidden behind the tree.

Sighing slightly, the hunter put away his bow and crossbow with regret.

Just in the first encounter, he had fallen into a disadvantage.

However, the hunter did not give up hunting because of this. He jumped off the ridge, holding a hunting knife, and approached the old sheep-herder with unhurried steps.

Approaching the flock of sheep that had no smell of mutton, the big sheep circled the lambs, stepping uneasily with their hooves and bleating.

When he came within a few feet of the sheep-herder, the hunter stopped.

"Old man, you shouldn't be harming people in my mountains. Why don't I set a path for you: return the children you've abducted these past few days and promise never to set foot here again, and I'll spare your life..."

While speaking, the hunter moved his feet calmly, continuing to approach the sheep-herder.

"Hehe." The sheep-herder seemed not to see the hunter's movements. He took a step forward and said with a smile: "Young man, I haven't abducted your children, so why are you in such a hurry?"

"If you want to buy sheep, bring some mountain treasures that are worth looking at to exchange. If you don't have any, I advise you to mind your own business."

At this moment, the hunter's hand had subconsciously rested on the hilt of his knife.

And the sheep-herder raised his pipe and took a puff.

Then, as if nothing had happened, he turned the pipe bowl upside down towards his own lips.

His mouth, full of yellow teeth, blew into the smoldering tobacco in the pipe bowl, and suddenly bright sparks flew out.

"You old scoundrel! Your grandfather doesn't have mountain treasures, but I do have a mountain knife!"

When the distance to the sheep-herder was close enough for the blade to reach, the hunter could no longer suppress the anger in his heart.

Holding a mountain-cleaving knife, he looked like a bear standing on its hind legs. It was unknown what method he used, but his aura suddenly climbed to a level far exceeding that of an ordinary martial artist.

The mountain-cleaving knife was powerful and heavy. Just as it was about to split the other party in two, the sheep-herder two steps away suddenly raised his pipe and began to blow at the scalding pipe bowl.

The sound of the wind mixed with countless sparks and smoke sprayed over. Xu Qing only saw the 'Revolving Lantern' go black, and then only some sounds of fighting continued.

The scene before him was like watching a silent play, except it wasn't the sound that was silent, but the picture.

Xu Qing listened with wide eyes, but was helpless.

He still wanted to know what methods the old sheep-herder had, but this opening puff of the pipe had left him blind.

When the black screen appeared with light again, only the hunter remained.

At this time, the hunter was lying on the ground, surrounded by several birds. There were crows holding clear dew, dripping it onto his smoky, scorched eyes.

Before long, the hunter could vaguely see some scenes, but in Xu Qing's perspective, it was like adding a layer of mist. Everything was blurry, and things beyond two steps were already 'unrecognizable.'

The old crow's hoarse voice sounded: "That sheep-herder was kind-hearted to spare your life, but your eyes are not easy to cure."

Hearing this, the hunter also made a hoarse sound, as if he had swallowed hot coals in his throat.

"I can't live anymore. That old man has evil methods; my internal organs have already turned to charcoal. If it weren't for this, how would he have been willing to leave so easily..."

The old crow said in surprise: "What nonsense are you talking about? If you are dead, who am I talking to?"

The hunter made a sound like a bellows.

"I swallowed a grass seed. Before the Tongue-Pressing Grass drains the blood and energy from my body, I will not die."

The old crow looked at the hunter who was slowly sitting up, his eyes filled with not only confusion but also some admiration.

"Tongue-Pressing Grass is overcome by crows. If you want to detoxify, just open your mouth and let me spit a mouthful of saliva, and it will come out by itself."

"But according to what you said, detoxifying you will instead harm you..."

"Mountain Boy, this matter is too difficult; I really can't help you."

The hunter didn't care. He stood up, staggered a few steps, and said: "My life is not important, but if Master Crow really wants to help, why not help me pass on some messages in a few days so that those immortals in the mountains all know..."

The message the hunter wanted passed on was none other than the 'rumor' that the Yellow Immortal Hall had accepted the order to punish the sheep-herder.

Hearing this, the old crow was obviously a bit embarrassed.

"Huang Laoxu is very vengeful. If he finds out I spread rumors, he will definitely come to find trouble with me..."

The hunter looked in the direction of Huangpi Village and said: "This matter is not difficult to handle. I have my own way to make him agree to this matter himself."

Fifty miles south of Huangpi Village.

A hunter was chasing mountains.

"Over here, please look back!"

"I am a mountain dweller in these mountains. May I ask if the Yellow Immortal of the Yellow Immortal Hall is practicing here?"

"Hee hee, he called me a little immortal; we are immortals too!"

"Little Er is a little immortal, then I am a big immortal, and Grandpa Yellow is an old immortal..."

"Quiet, everyone!"

Amidst the shrill cries of a group of children, an older one spoke up to stop the noise.

The hunter looked sideways and saw that it was a yellow weasel with thick, shiny fur learning to speak like a human.

"The kind person really knows how to speak. This old man is named Huang Laoxu, and I am the immortal of the Yellow Immortal Hall, and also the master of this fifty-mile Huangtiao Mountain..."

Huang Laoxu's eyes rolled around, and his gaze couldn't stop looking at the wild game the hunter was carrying.

Those were several fresh pheasants.

The hunter's gaze swept over these groups of yellow weasels and finally landed on Huang Laoxu: "Disciple of the mountain people pays respects to the immortal."

"I heard that the hall worshiped in Huangpi Village is also the Yellow Immortal Hall of the immortal. I wonder if this is true?"

Huang Laoxu said with a smile: "Within a hundred miles of Huangtiao Mountain, ninety-nine percent worship my Yellow Immortal Hall, and Huangpi Village is naturally no exception."

The hunter said calmly: "Since that is the case, the disciple has a small matter to ask for, and I hope the immortal can help."

"Tell me what it is. If it's a small matter, there's no need for this immortal to step in; the little immortals under my hall can solve it."

"It's not a big matter. It's just that the disciple lost some small items at home a few days ago. I think they were stolen by a passing thief. The immortal just needs to step in and find the thief and the lost items."

When Huang Laoxu heard this, it turned out to be a trivial matter of finding lost items, which was just right for the little immortals in the hall to use for practice.

Calling over his own grandson, who had the most talent and the highest cultivation, Huang Laoxu handed this job to him.

The little yellow weasel only had about fifty years of cultivation and did not yet know the sinister nature of the human heart.

The hunter was worried that Huang Laoxu would be hard to fool. Now that a naive little yellow weasel had come, he had to dig a deep pit and let this group of immortals jump into it.

At first, when the little Yellow Immortal heard the hunter say that other villagers also needed to find lost items, he found it troublesome. But when the hunter said that the conditions could be whatever he wanted and that the offerings would not be lacking afterward, the little Yellow Immortal fell for it.

If this business was successful, wouldn't his grandfather look at him with admiration? Walking in the hall in the future would be prestigious.

"Kind person, you are generous! Then one old chicken per immortal, plus a basket of boiled eggs—they must be double-yolked!"

The little Yellow Immortal didn't know the price of the Yellow Immortal Hall's services or how many offerings were needed; he just said what he liked.

"..."

Hearing the other party's lion's share, the hunter's eyelids couldn't help but tremble.

One chicken per yellow weasel—who knew how many wives and concubines the old yellow weasel had married over the years, and how many litters of children, grandchildren, nephews, and nieces had been born.

Furthermore, a basket of double-yolked eggs wasn't easy to find. These weren't testicles on an animal; they were mostly pairs!

The hunter had no choice but to bargain with the little Yellow Immortal.

Moreover, he had to keep the price down, otherwise the old Yellow Immortal would inevitably notice the problem.

For a small matter, you ask for such a high price—isn't it obvious there's a problem!

After finally settling the matter of the errand, the hunter breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you, Immortal. These pheasants are a gift to the Immortal as an offering. If there is any place where we need the Immortal in the future, we will make it convenient."

Leaving Huangtiao Mountain, the hunter hurried home. By the time he reached his door, the deflated hunter was already as pale as gold and about to die.

His pregnant wife was at a loss, only dragging his body and crying.

"Don't cry. Let me tell you a good thing: the most famous Yellow Immortal Hall in the ten miles and eight villages has promised me to find the children lost in the village and punish the human trafficker who abducted them. When you handle my funeral, remember to tell everyone this good news..."

"It's just that it will be hard for you in the future." After explaining the main business, the hunter looked at his wife, and his last breath dissipated in a sigh.

A tragic song of a righteous man, a brave man cutting off his wrist.

After Xu Qing finished the transcendence of the hunter's corpse and watched the other party's 'Revolving Lantern,' he found that it didn't match the despicable human image Huang Laoxu had described at all.

It's just a pity that the righteous man exhausted all his efforts, and the Yellow Immortal Hall he sought was not the sheep-herder's opponent.

But fortunately, Jinmen still had the Cat Immortal Hall sitting in town.

In the end, the 'Transcendence Sutra' gave two 'Earth-rank' rewards.

One was 'Ta-Wai-Yin' (Language of Others), and the other was 'Mountain-Chasing Art.'

'Ta-Wai-Yin' allows one to hear the words of ghosts and gods and communicate with birds, beasts, and insects. It is a wonderful method that goes from deep to shallow and returns to simplicity.

Xuanyu once told Xu Qing that for monsters to learn human speech, they must first learn bird speech. Those who learn bird speech must learn the bird speech of the four seas and nine continents. Only after mastering all kinds of syllables can they achieve human speech.

And for humans to learn the language of birds and beasts, they only need a clear mind to perceive nature and understand the words of birds and beasts.

Looking at the 'Mountain-Chasing Art,' it contains various practical secret methods for Mountain-Chasers to patrol the mountains and forests. Whether it is treasure hunting, exploring secrets, or identifying various rare mountain treasures, the Mountain-Chasing Art has them all recorded.

Besides these, it also contains many secret formulas to avoid the intrusion of poisonous snakes and insects, the 'Bear-Walking Qi-Strengthening Method' to increase strength when climbing mountains, and the 'Armor-Horse Talisman' for lightness...

In just a short moment, Xu Qing went from a town zombie who didn't understand foreign languages or wilderness survival to a Mountain-Chaser proficient in the language of birds and beasts and the way of mountain-chasing.

(End of chapter)