It was already late spring, but there was still a slight chill in the deep mountains and forests.
The experienced Old Sun had prepared thick clothing before ascending the mountain, to avoid the spring cold from invading his body!
Rustle! Rustle!
A rhythmic rustling sound came from the side of the difficult and rugged mountain path.
"It should be grass snakes; they all come out to move around after winter. In the past, when I couldn't catch any game during winter, I often dug up snake nests."
Hearing the sound, Old Sun suddenly reminisced about his younger days.
As people age, they tend to enjoy recalling the past; it is a common human tendency.
Li Qing closely followed Old Sun, his steps steady, eyes observing all directions and ears listening for any sounds. The movements in the surrounding forest were difficult to escape his perception.
Ever since he began cultivating martial arts, his hearing and vision had become much sharper.
"Old sir, at your age, you can still move swiftly in the mountains; I truly admire you," Li Qing exclaimed.
Old Sun's speed was surprisingly not slow at all. Even with vines wrapping around and the ground being extremely muddy, he still walked steadily.
"Hahaha, if I hadn't become familiar with these paths after so many years in the mountains, then I would have truly lived in vain!"
To hunt tigers in the mountains, one must go deep into the forest, as tigers generally only roam in the depths of the mountains, rarely appearing on the outskirts.
At this moment, Li Qing was wearing protective iron armor, the surface of which was covered with sharp iron spikes, an absolute weapon against tigers.
In addition, he held a wide-bladed hunting knife and had thirteen bone-piercing nails the size of fingers hidden in his bosom!
As long as he could find a tiger, he was very confident in being able to slay it.
It was precisely because of seeing Li Qing's equipment and his impressive martial arts prowess that Old Sun's family agreed to let him accompany Li Qing into the mountains to hunt for tigers.
"Old sir, a tomb was recently excavated at Xiao Cuiling; do you know its location? The tiger we are looking for should have traces there," Li Qing reminded.
Old Sun squinted his eyes, surveying the dense forest around them, and gasped, "I have some knowledge about it. That tomb was discovered by a hunter from our village when he set a trap; the news spread, and the court even sent soldiers to seal off the mountain."
"That tomb seems to be in a hollow on the western side of the mountain. Let's go check it out as you said."
It must be said that having an experienced old hunter accompany them into the mountains was extremely useful.
If Li Qing had ventured into the mountains alone, he would have likely gotten lost in no time, as the scenery around was truly difficult to distinguish.
Moreover, there were traps set by some hunters in the mountains; if one was not careful and missed the trap warnings, they could easily suffer severe injuries.
For example, bear traps, certain hanging ropes, or even some spike pits that had been dug out—one misstep could lead to broken arms or legs.
The air in the mountains was quite pleasant, filled with the scent of green leaves and earth, refreshing to the soul.
They had walked quite a distance, and Li Qing did not feel particularly tired; instead, he felt invigorated.
Surprisingly, Old Sun was only panting but did not seem exhausted.
This level of stamina surpassed that of many adults.
Li Qing was quite astonished, and he recalled a detail: the elders in Cui Mountain Village were in good spirits.
Although their living conditions were somewhat harsh, there were many elders like Old Sun who could live past seventy, outliving many people in the bustling cities outside.
'What a treasure of a mountain, nurturing people like this; no wonder someone would choose to bury a tomb here.'
Li Qing's eyes flickered as he thought this.
The two had been advancing in the mountains for quite a while, already very deep within.
The scenery around was quite primitive, with towering trees and treacherous terrain, the ground covered in vines and thorns, making progress even more difficult.
They had set out in the morning, and now night had fallen. After nearly a day's journey, they finally approached the hollow where the tomb was located.
With the faint moonlight filtering through, they could vaguely see tattered pieces of cloth hanging among the surrounding bushes.
These were remnants left from the bloody battle at Xiao Cuiling; even after such a long time, many torn garments could still be seen, indicating how fierce the battle that had occurred here was.
"Wait!" In the darkness, Old Sun suddenly stopped. He struck a fire stick, illuminating a small area.
In a patch of jungle, there were traces of something heavy having pressed down, irregularly bending forward.
"This is a path left by a giant python; be careful," Old Sun's tone became grave.
The danger posed by a giant python lurking in the night forest was certainly not inferior to that of a fierce tiger or a bear; once entangled, even an external strength martial artist would find it impossible to break free.
Li Qing's heart sank slightly, becoming more alert.
"Old sir, can we find traces of the tiger around here?" Li Qing asked.
Old Sun shook his head, "No. If it were during the heavy snow that sealed the mountain, it would have been easier to find tracks. Now that the snow has melted, we can only search slowly."
"Let's start a fire; it's best not to act rashly at night; there are many dangerous things in these mountains."
Saying this, Old Sun found a dry spot and quickly started a campfire.
As an old hunter, he knew best how to survive in this forest.
While the fire blazed, Li Qing wanted to explore further on his own, to see what the tomb that had caused such a stir in the martial world was like.
"I'll go check out that tomb; you stay here for now, Old sir," Li Qing said, lighting a torch from the campfire.
"Be careful on the way; the mountains at night are not peaceful!" Old Sun repeatedly reminded.
Li Qing casually responded and continued to explore the flat hollow, guided by the firelight.
The tomb was still some distance away; once he left the campfire, the surrounding environment suddenly became deep and dark.
Apart from the torch in Li Qing's hand, there was no other light, and even the thin moonlight was blocked by the dense foliage.
It was very dark!
Yet it was anything but quiet; the sounds of insects, distant roars of wild beasts, and the rustling of leaves stirred by the wind filled the air.
Various sounds intertwined, forming a strange and profound dark forest.
If someone with claustrophobia were trapped here, they would likely be paralyzed with fear.
Even Li Qing felt a bit uneasy, experiencing a genuine reverence for the darkness ahead.
After exploring for a while, the thickets ahead gradually became less dense, revealing a relatively flat terrain.
They were getting close to the location of the tomb.
Just as Li Qing was about to move forward for a closer look, a sudden crisp sound came from beneath his feet!
Crack!
It was not the sound of a branch breaking; the sensation was different.
Using the torchlight, Li Qing looked down and saw what he had stepped on.
It was a section of stark white bone, seemingly from an arm.
Li Qing, who did not believe in ghosts or gods, was not particularly frightened and continued to explore with a clear conscience.
Finally, a broken tombstone appeared ahead, and behind it, a half-collapsed tomb cave emerged.
Was this the tomb of Lin Yi, a martial arts genius from a previous dynasty?
A thought flashed through Li Qing's mind, and he curiously extended the torch forward to see what the inside of the tomb cave looked like.
However, the next moment, a face as pale as paper was abruptly illuminated by the torchlight, directly facing Li Qing!
!!!