After the Wuli Army returned to the imperial capital, Li Qing immediately rented a horse-drawn carriage, bringing along his forged equipment, and hurried towards the south to Xiao Cuiling. What he intended to hunt was a ferocious tiger that preyed on humans, not some creature kept in a zoo for viewing. The latter had its ferocity extinguished, while the former, lurking in the deep mountains and forests, could easily claim the life of an external strength expert if they were not careful.
Spring had long arrived, and the accumulated snow on the official road had already melted. The carriage rolled over the gravel on the road, causing the vehicle to jolt. The curtain was half-lifted, and a faint fragrance of flowers wafted in.
The carriage was driven by a coachman Li Qing had specifically hired, while he himself remained inside, closing his eyes to rest and practicing the Golden Body Technique while remaining vigilant for any potential accidents around him.
Xiao Cuiling was quite a distance from Shengtian City, taking about three to four days of travel before the coachman’s voice rang out, “We’ve arrived at Xiao Cuiling; ahead is Cuishan Village. The carriage cannot go up, we can only walk.”
Upon hearing this, Li Qing stopped his practice of the Golden Body Technique, opened his eyes, and gradually retracted the gleam of light within them.
“Ha!” Ever since he discovered the secret of practicing the Golden Body Technique and the Turtle Breathing Technique simultaneously, he had never ceased his training in these two arts. Although his progress in the Golden Body Technique remained slow, the Turtle Breathing Technique had made significant advancements. His internal strength was not particularly profound, but it was now sufficient for practical combat, proving to be quite useful.
Lifting the curtain, Li Qing gazed at the continuous mountain range ahead and said, “Find a place to park the carriage; I’ll go up the mountain myself.”
“Alright!” the coachman replied readily.
The path up the mountain was somewhat rugged, but for Li Qing, such terrain was nothing. In a short while, he arrived steadily at Cuishan Village. This was a settlement established at the foot of the mountain, aptly named as the villagers primarily relied on hunting for their livelihood. Many households displayed various animal skins and bones at their doorsteps, exuding a primitive charm.
“Old man, who is the most skilled hunter in your village?” Li Qing, dressed in a green robe, approached an elderly man leisurely sitting at the village entrance. The old man had sparse hair, a face full of wrinkles, and squinted eyes.
Upon hearing Li Qing’s voice, he leisurely turned his head to scrutinize the young man who was clearly not a villager.
“Hey, you’re looking for a skilled hunter? Which man in our village isn’t a top-notch hunter? Once we enter the mountains, it’s like going home!” the old man chuckled.
“But if we’re talking about the best hunter, I’ll claim second place; who dares to claim first?”
Before Li Qing could continue his inquiry, the door of a nearby house suddenly swung open, and an old voice filled with disdain emerged.
“During the day, I can hear you bragging, old Sun. How dare you say you’re the best hunter in our village?”
Another old man stepped out, looking at the old man beside Li Qing with a face full of contempt.
Old Sun immediately became displeased and retorted, “Old Wu, what do you mean? Do you think you’re better at hunting than I am?”
“Of course! Back in the day, when the village couldn’t even catch food, I was the one who hunted the first wild boar. That taste…” Old Wu’s expression turned nostalgic.
However, Li Qing had no interest in listening to their bickering. Perhaps these two old men were formidable hunters in their youth, but at their current age, they likely struggled to climb the mountains.
Just as he was about to interrupt their argument, Old Sun’s next words raised Li Qing’s eyebrows.
“Hmph, what’s a wild boar? I once hunted a tiger in the mountains! At that time, I was truly impressive!” Old Sun said proudly. Old Wu, not to be outdone, countered, “That palm-sized tiger of yours is worth mentioning? Do you want me to take you to see the bear skin hanging in my house?”
“That bear was definitely fiercer than your tiger!”
“You’re talking nonsense! How can a bear compare to a tiger?!”
“You’re the one talking nonsense; a tiger can’t compare to a bear!”
Listening to the two old men’s words made Li Qing’s eyelids twitch. They were indeed formidable hunters in their youth, discussing bears and tigers.
“Gentlemen, I plan to go up the mountain to hunt a tiger. Could you two help introduce me to a reliable hunter?” Li Qing interrupted their endless debate.
Ultimately, he wanted someone agile; although both old men had impressive hunting records, their age made it a troublesome matter to go up the mountain.
Upon hearing that Li Qing wanted to hunt a tiger, both old men turned their heads, scrutinizing him repeatedly.
“Young man, a tiger is not an easy prey. A few years ago, several young masters from wealthy families in the imperial capital came to hunt tigers, but they encountered a tough wild boar and ended up in a dire situation, with several bones broken.”
“Yeah, I advise you to give up on this thought.”
Li Qing smiled, took out a piece of gold leaf, and fiddled with it in his hand, saying, “As long as you can lead me to track the tiger, I will personally hunt it.”
Personally hunt it?
Both old men widened their eyes in disbelief, staring at Li Qing.
Old Sun tentatively asked, “Young man, are you a martial artist?”
Li Qing smiled without answering, continuing to flick the gold leaf in his hand.
Old Wu shook his head, saying, “Even if you are an external strength expert, going up the mountain empty-handed like this will be very difficult to fight against a tiger! It’s a death wish!”
“When the time comes, I will bring armor and weapons up the mountain. How to hunt the tiger is my own business; once I find the tiger, the hunter can leave.”
“Once successful, I will only take the tiger bones and tiger whip; I don’t want the tiger skin, and I will also give a sum of silver.”
The most valuable part of a tiger is indeed its skin, which can fetch a good price. Adding in the extra silver from Li Qing, it was indeed a generous reward!
Upon hearing these conditions, Old Sun displayed a hesitant expression, looking quite conflicted.
Seeing this, Old Wu reminded, “Old Sun, you’re not thinking of going up the mountain yourself, are you? At your age, shouldn’t you take it easy?”
After a long while, Old Sun spoke, “I’m not like you, with no ties; if I die, no one will know.”
“My grandson was just born not long ago, and I want to send him to the imperial capital to study, not wanting him to continue as a hunter.”
However, Li Qing frowned and said, “Old man, can your legs still manage the mountain?”
“Why not? Don’t look at me being old; once I enter the mountains, it’s like returning home!” Old Sun proudly raised his head and continued, “How about it, young man? If you want a hunter, I’ll accompany you up the mountain this time. No one in the village is more experienced than me!”
At this moment, Old Wu remained silent, merely observing.
Li Qing’s gaze flickered, then he smiled, “Alright! It’s a deal!”
(End of Chapter)