Chapter 21: The Deer Cry Mountain

  The deer call out, eating the wild celery!

  The name of Luming Mountain has nothing to do with these two sentences. It is called Luming Mountain because the mountain as a whole looks like a deer lowering its head to eat grass.

  The mountain is not very high, but the 26 peaks are steep in their own way. Especially some dangerous places, it's even more breathtaking.

  This Luoming Mountain is not very productive and is not a famous place, so except for a dozen or so small villages around the mountain that rely on the mountain for food, there are not many people paying attention to this place.

  On this day, on the main road leading to Lushan Mountain, there was an additional figure of a young man!

  It was high noon, the hottest time of day, but the scorching sunlight had no effect on the young man's body.

  The young man's skin was fair and smooth, without a speck of dust or a single drop of sweat.

  Walking under a big tree, the young man looked at the front of Luming Mountain and took out the water bag from his waist and drank two light sips.

  The water was sweet and had a faint honey flavor, which left Fang Ling with a lasting aftertaste.

  But what he remembered more was the expression on Huashu Ying's face when she tied the water bag for him.

  It has been half a month since Yu Zeren was beheaded. During this period, Fang Ling devoted himself to cultivation and handling family matters.

  With Yu Zeren's beheading, the Fang family once again became a topic of discussion among the people of Dingfang City. Some people who were originally wary of the Fang family also began to slowly get close to them, with Guan Wushang being the most obvious example.

  Ten days ago, Dingfang City Master Jin Shangming brought the city's leading figures to Fang's house, not only delivering the 5,000 taels of gold reward for Yu Zeren, but also presenting a hundred-mile plaque to the Fang family!

  The so-called "Baili" brand represents not only benefits but also identity.

  In the state of Lu, there was a strict hierarchical system for the major families. The Bai Li Pai represented that the family owning this plaque was a renowned and respected family within a hundred miles, enjoying half-reduced taxes.

  In the Square Castle, there are only about ten families with the Hundred Mile Sign.

  When the hundred-mile sign was rehung on the Fang family's door, Hua Shuying was so excited that she wanted to cry. Although Fang Ling didn't care about this kind of thing, seeing how much Hua Shuying cared, he went along with her personality and held a grand gathering.

  To the entire Square City: The declining Fang family has once again returned to the top-tier families of Square City.

  For more than a decade, Fang Ling's cultivation has not made much progress. Except for the success of Xue Huo Jue's cultivation, others can only be said to have slightly improved.

  As for going to Luming Mountain to take out the twelve corpses, Fang Ling's heart was extremely anxious, but in order to be steady, he still suppressed his temper and secretly left Dingfang City last night.

  After all, it's better if fewer people know about the corpse refining, as it can't be seen by others!

  According to the map, the twelve corpses were hidden in a cave in Dingjun Valley of Lushan Mountain. Fang Ling originally thought that once he arrived at Lushan Mountain, he could directly enter Dingjun Valley. It wasn't until now that he discovered things weren't as simple as he had imagined.

  The Luoshan Mountains stretch for hundreds of miles, which valley is Dingjun Mountain Pass?

  As a good tour guide, if you don't know, ask.

  A moment later, in a small village at the foot of Lushan Mountain, a young boy appeared picking herbs.

  The young man was elegant and had a bright smile, and he even gave the owner the salt and pepper that were most needed in the mountains. The 40-year-old hunter owner soon regarded the young man as one of his own people.

  Not only did he offer mountain spring water wine, but also had his wife cut down a piece of cured meat hanging under the eaves to go with the drink.

  And Liang's daughter, who was about the same age as the young man, had a rosy complexion that became even more radiant.

  When Fang Lin skillfully asked from a medicinal material to Dingjun Gorge, the hunter's head shook like a rattle drum: "Dingjun Gorge? What Dingjun Gorge? I've been hunting on this Luming Mountain for a lifetime, and I've never heard of such a place."

  "Xiao Ling, did your master remember the place wrongly?"

  Fang Ling made a determined expression: "Uncle Lu, my master shouldn't have remembered wrongly. Before I came this time, he specifically reminded me to go to Dingjun Gorge and said that some years ago when he went there, some medicinal materials were not enough for the year. This time we must bring those medicinal materials back!"

  Lu, the hunter, scratched his head and said: "If that's the case, I'll help you ask around."

  Li Cuin was straightforward and thick-skinned, saying he would go out immediately to help Fang Ling ask about the Dingjun Gorge.

  Unfortunately, half a time later, the hunter gave Fang Ling a negative answer: this Luoming Mountain, there is no place called Dingjun Valley.

  Did Yu Zeren find the wrong place?!

  Fang Ling pondered the map in his heart, and finally decided to personally enter the mountain to search for it. These twelve refined corpses had a crucial role in enhancing his strength, as long as there was a glimmer of hope, Fang Ling did not want to give up.

  Hunter heard that Fang Ling was going to the mountain to collect medicine, so he patted his chest and invited Fang Ling to go into the mountain together, coincidentally their village was preparing to collectively go hunting.

  Fang Ling did not object to this invitation.

  In this matter, Fang Ling did not expect to succeed overnight. The hunters were familiar with the entire mountain, and following them would increase the chances of finding Dingjun Valley. Moreover, hiding among the hunting team would also make himself less noticeable.

  After resting for a night in the village, the hunting team began to gather at the threshing ground of the village. For this small mountain village called Lujia Village, men going out to hunt was a big deal.

  The whole village gathered here, all with solemn faces, knelt down, a censer was placed on the ground, an elderly man walked forward, lit three incense sticks, bowed to the east, west, south and north, then devoutly kowtowed.

  As a passerby, Fang Ling always looked at this sacrificial ritual with curious eyes.

  Lujia Village sent out more than thirty men on this hunting trip, each with strong bones and flesh. According to Fang Ling's evaluation, although these people had not undergone systematic training, every one of them had a cultivation level of Qi Refining Second Layer.

  "Xiao Ling, be careful with everything!" Just as Fang Ling was about to set off with the team, Lu Da Shu's daughter, Lu Yueying, suddenly ran to Fang Ling's side and secretly stuffed a roasted yam egg into his arms. The yam egg, which had been dug out from the hot stove, had a pleasant smell of grass and wood smoke, warming his body. "If you see any fierce beasts, don't go forward!"

  This gentle and shy girl's words brought a burst of laughter. Some rough men even laughed with deep meaning, nodding their heads in unison.

  Although Fang Ling was a transmigrator, he had experienced one or two emotional entanglements during his university days. However, under the watchful eyes of everyone, this girl's affectionate behavior still made his expression involuntarily somewhat embarrassed. Yet, he couldn't bear to disappoint her good intentions, so he hastily nodded in agreement.

  Just then, someone said: "Uncle Lu, this time we go hunting, it's not about bringing people to have fun. I think, rather than bringing this kid who can't even hold a hunting knife as a burden, why not let him stay at home?"

  As soon as he spoke, someone immediately echoed: "Tiger brother is right, Uncle Lu, this hunting trip is not a joke, who will take care of him at that time!"

  If such sharp words were spoken in the past, Fang Lin might have argued a few sentences for himself, but with his increasing cultivation, or rather, with the improvement of his state of mind, he no longer took these cutting remarks to heart.

  Just as he was about to show off his skills to prove that he could take care of himself, Lu Yueying suddenly stepped forward with her hands on her hips and retorted to the first speaker, "Wang Hu, we mountain people value kindness and benevolence. What's more, Xiao Ling is a doctor! What nonsense are you spouting?"

  "Pharmacist? Hmph, calling him a medicine-picking child would be more fitting!" That was Wang Hu, a tall and sturdy man with an aura of wild beasts emanating from his entire body. Although he was still in the second layer of Qi training, Fang Lin could feel this man's power, which was at least 30% stronger than that of other men.

  "You..." Lu Yueying's face turned red with anger, her finger pointing at Wang Hu, her well-developed chest heaving violently, jumping up and down continuously.

  "Alright, you two stop arguing!" Mr. Lu waved his hand and said: "Helping the medicine master collect herbs is our hunter's rule, hurry up and prepare, let's enter the mountain."

  Lu Da Shu is still quite authoritative among the hunters, and once he speaks up, even the unruly Wang Hu dares not to utter another word.

  A group of people walked along the rugged mountain path, and these hunters were already accustomed to entering the mountains, so most people were very relaxed. Wang Hu and several young men talked loudly, and some even sang while walking!

  Among these people, there were only a few who would walk behind Fang Ling, especially a group of young people. From time to time, two sarcastic remarks came out of their conversation: "Thin and with little meat, let alone tigers and wolves, even if it's a fox, they'd have to chase after it all over the mountain..."

  Fang Ling smiled bitterly. These young people targeted themselves, probably because of Lu Yueying, that beautiful girl. This was truly a wronged self.

  Fortunately, Fang Ling didn't want to have too much contact with these hunters either. Their attitude was just right for Fang Ling to remain silent. Along the way, Fang Ling pretended to find a few medicinal herbs.

  Leading them was Uncle Lu, who was exceptionally familiar with the Deer Cry Mountain and had a clear division of labor for each hunter.

  "Everyone take a break!" When they came to a hillside, the sun had already risen to the top of their heads. Lu Da Shu looked at the sky and said in a low voice.

  The hunters, who were already quite tired from walking, sat down on the rocks in twos and threes, chatting and drinking water to rest. Fang Lin also took out his canteen and drank a couple of mouthfuls of water, feeling somewhat disappointed by the experience of entering the mountain that morning.

  Similar terrain to Dingjun Mountain, he didn't see it at all.

  "Xiao Ling, don't be on familiar terms with those kids!" Lu Da Shu walked to Fang Ling's side, handed him a piece of dried meat and said with a smile.

  Fang Ling took a piece of dried meat and smiled: "Uncle Lu, don't worry, I'm fine."

  "Haha, it's okay as long as nothing happens. By the way, after passing this road, there might be fierce beasts appearing. You walk in the middle of the team, even if you encounter a fierce beast, don't panic, stand in the middle, got it?"

  Mr. Lu said at last, with a solemn expression.

  Fang Ling understood Lu Da Shu's good intentions and nodded: "Lu Da Shu, rest assured that on this Lü Ming Shan, I still have some ability to protect myself."

  Lu Da Shu patted Fang Ling's shoulder with force and smiled: "Uncle believes you, but it's better if you do what I say!"

  Fang Ling couldn't help but feel that the other person's previous sentence was obviously meant to comfort him. But with the other person's kind intentions, he couldn't say anything else.

  "Ah!"

  A shrill cry of surprise suddenly came from a short distance away!

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