Deep in the dense forest, amidst a clearing about ten meters wide, various tree branches lay scattered, and a faint scent of urine lingered in the air.
Grey hairs were stuck on the tree trunks, each about two inches long.
At the sight of these hairs, Nie Li immediately recognized them as being from a demon beast known as a Fox Bear!
"Who's there?" A sudden alert voice sounded.
Nie Li looked over and saw a figure emerge from behind a tree.
To his surprise, it was Chen Linjian.
A moment later, a few others came out from behind him.
Two were Chen Linjian’s lackeys, and one was unexpectedly Shen Yue.
"What are you doing here?" Chen Linjian asked, looking at Nie Li.
"I was cultivating when I caught a strange scent in the air and followed it here," Nie Li replied, his gaze assessing Chen Linjian and Shen Yue.
They seemed familiar with each other but weren't exactly allies.
Otherwise, in his past life, Chen Linjian wouldn’t have killed so many from the Divine Sacred Family.
Shen Yue cast a cold glance at Nie Li, his gloomy gaze swallowed by the darkness.
A strange scent? Why hadn’t they noticed it before?
"My two followers found this spot while searching the forest, and Shen Yue came along with me to check it out," Chen Linjian said.
He and Shen Yue kept a friendly front, being heirs from peak families.
Shen Yue snorted, "Coming to this place alone in the middle of the night, he’s probably up to something."
Shen Yue wished for nothing more than to smear Nie Li.
Nie Li couldn't be bothered to argue.
With no evidence, it would be a ghost if Chen Linjian believed Shen Yue.
Chen Linjian looked between Shen Yue and Nie Li, aware of their ongoing conflict.
A student with no background daring to challenge the Divine Sacred Family...
Was Nie Li simply confident, or just foolish?
"This beast's lair has been abandoned for a long time," Shen Yue remarked, surveying the area.
Once Nie Li arrived, he no longer wished to linger around.
On their journey to the Ancient Orchid City Ruins, there would be plenty of opportunities to deal with Nie Li, no need for unnecessary words now.
"This demon beast lair indeed looks long abandoned," Chen Linjian agreed, looking at the scattered branches. “What do you think?” he asked Nie Li, acknowledging his extensive knowledge.
"There's some hair stuck on the tree trunk and how the lair was constructed—my guess is it belonged to a type of demon beast known as the Fox Bear. They're not large; an adult Fox Bear stands about one meter tall and two meters long at its prime. This lair is quite big, so it likely housed an entire Fox Bear tribe," Nie Li analyzed.
Hearing Nie Li's deduction, even Chen Linjian and his two lackeys were dumbfounded.
With just a little information, he deduced the type of beast that once lived here, which was truly impressive given that the Saint Ancestor Mountain Range housed tens of thousands of demon beasts.
It seemed like a wise move to bring Nie Li along, Chen Linjian thought.
"To conclude that it was a Fox Bear lair from these traces is a bit reckless, don’t you think?" Shen Yue retorted, opposing anything Nie Li said.
"Please continue," Chen Linjian encouraged Nie Li, ignoring Shen Yue.
Shen Yue opened his mouth, dissatisfied but silent.
Although he and Chen Linjian were both heirs from peak families, there were seven direct descendants in the Divine Sacred Family from his generation alone, each vying for attention.
Marrying Ye Ziyun was his opportunity to elevate his status in the family and secure succession.
Chen Linjian, on the other hand, was already marked from birth as the next family head, his talent exceptional.
Thus, Shen Yue didn't dare to strain relations with Chen Linjian.
Nie Li further explained, "Adult Fox Bears are typically at the Silver rank. Based on their lifestyle, they hibernate in caves for about three-fifths of the year to endure the coldest times in the Saint Ancestor Mountain Range. Only at early summer do they come out to hunt in the forests."
"This time of the year?" Chen Linjian asked, surprised.
"Exactly," Nie Li nodded.
"The faint urine smell lingers, meaning it couldn't be from last year, given that the wind and rain would've long eradicated it. Fox Bears are territorial creatures, marking zones with urine. I suspect they'll emerge soon!"
Nie Li's meticulous observation astounded Chen Linjian, earning his admiration.
It was like encountering a walking demon spirit encyclopedia.
"What should we do then?" Chen Linjian asked, now valuing Nie Li's opinion.
"We should move out at once, traveling at night. Fox Bears have keen noses and attacking us would lead to unnecessary battle and casualties, despite our ability to fend them off. Our target remains the Ancient Orchid City Ruins," Nie Li insisted.
He recalled Ye Ziyun mentioning in his past life a Fox Bear assault causing several fatalities on the same journey, confirming the danger here.
Chen Linjian pondered for a moment, "Very well, let's depart now!"
"Chen Shao, don’t trust him. The place is empty—no Fox Bear will show up. Traveling at night is more risky; we should wait for dawn," Shen Yue immediately contradicted.
Nie Li shrugged, indifferent to Chen Linjian's decision.
Staying or leaving posed no threat to him.
"Let's go!" Chen Linjian decided firmly, choosing line with Nie Li’s judgment.
Chen Linjian was wise, discerning whom to trust.
Back at their camp, Chen Linjian roused everyone from sleep.
"What’s happening, Chen Shao?"
"Why must we travel at night?"
Curious and perplexed, everyone questioned.
"Just follow orders!" Chen Linjian resolved quickly and led them out of the forest.
Nie Li joined Ye Ziyun, who, although puzzled, asked nothing further.
As they reached the forest's edge, a distant rumble shook the earth, and growls rolled from the forest depths.
Instantly, everyone understood.
"Chen Shao is wise!"
"It’s a relief Chen Shao led us out; otherwise, we’d have been ensnared in a battle with those Fox Bears!"
Praise for Chen Linjian abounded.
Yet he knew the credit belonged to Nie Li.
Without his caution, they’d have faced the beasts’ aggression, risking casualties despite likely victories.
In Chen Linjian's heart, Nie Li earned utmost respect.
Practically born a leader among peers, Chen Linjian conceded Nie Li's knowledge surpassed his own despite the age difference.
Shen Yue, meanwhile, stewed in vexation.
Yet again, Nie Li had been right, Fox Bears indeed roamed there.
These repeated encounters with Nie Li left him increasingly resentful.
Fortunately, three Silver-level experts tracked them, arranged discreetly by the presiding elder.
As Shen Yue kept a malicious eye on Nie Li, he awaited the chance to eliminate him should he stray.
Nie Li walked tranquilly at the group’s rear, alongside Ye Ziyun.
Watching his surroundings, a slight smirk played on his lips.
He sensed the shadowing presence of pursuers, no doubt sent by the Divine Sacred Family as inferred by Shen Yue's disturbed demeanor.
They were surely planning something against him!
Ye Ziyun and the others seemed oblivious to being followed, but Nie Li's sharp senses didn’t miss a thing.
Failing to detect a few Silver-level stalkers would be unthinkable.
"One, two, three... Three Silver-ranked!" Nie Li kept his composure, silently counting.
As dawn's light crept across the sky, Chen Linjian sidled up to Nie Li, acknowledging, “Thanks to Brother Nie Li’s foresight, we evaded the Fox Bears. While casualties wouldn’t reach disastrous proportions, they could still hit morale hard. I owe you one.”
Surprised, Ye Ziyun glanced at Nie Li, not having realized it was his alertness that saved them.
"No need to mention it."
Nie Li replied modestly, neither arrogant nor boastful.
Chen Linjian nodded slightly, growing more impressed by Nie Li's composed and capable demeanor since they'd met.
In a lowered voice, Nie Li warned, "Chen Shao, we're being followed."
Startled, Chen Linjian cast a glance back toward the forest.
"Don’t look! It’s three Silver-ranked people; unsure who’s behind them," Nie Li urged.
Chen Linjian quickly swung his gaze forward, feigning lightheartedness, though quietly asking, "Their intent?"
"They might be from the Dark Guild," Nie Li replied, covering for the true perpetrators, knowing well it was likely the Divine Sacred Family.
With Nie Li's mention of the notorious Dark Guild, Chen Linjian's eyes sharpened.
The Guild's infamy was unmatched in Glory City, being a clandestine organization formed by criminals, inimical to all major families with their covert murders and robberies.
"Leave it to me," Chen Linjian assured, patting Nie Li’s shoulder before striding ahead.
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(End of Chapter)