Immortal Refiner

After the Wu Li Army returned to the imperial capital, Li Qing wasted no time in renting a carriage. Equipped with his newly forged gear, he headed straight for the Small Jade Ridge to the south.

His target was a man-eating tiger, not the kind kept in zoos for display.

The latter had its ferocity tamed, while the former, lurking in the deep mountains and forests, could easily claim the life of even an Outer Strength expert if one wasn’t careful.

Spring had long arrived, and the snow that once covered the official road had completely melted.

The carriage jolted as it rolled over the gravel path, its curtain half-drawn, allowing a faint floral fragrance to waft inside.

The carriage was driven by a coachman Li Qing had specifically hired, while he himself remained inside, eyes closed, cultivating the Golden Body Technique while staying alert for any potential dangers.

The Small Jade Ridge was quite a distance from Shengtian City, and after nearly three to four days of travel, the coachman finally called out, ”We’ve arrived at the Small Jade Ridge. Up ahead is Jade Mountain Village. The carriage can’t go any further; you’ll have to walk from here.”

Hearing this, Li Qing ceased his cultivation of the Golden Body Technique. He opened his eyes, a glint of sharpness slowly fading away.

”Phew!”

Ever since he discovered the secret of simultaneously cultivating the Golden Body Technique and the Turtle Breathing Art, he had never stopped practicing these two skills.

While his progress with the Golden Body Technique remained slow, he had made significant strides with the Turtle Breathing Art.

His internal energy wasn’t particularly profound yet, but it was now sufficient for practical use in combat, proving quite effective.

Pulling aside the carriage curtain, Li Qing gazed at the sprawling mountain range ahead and said, ”Find a place to park the carriage. I’ll head up the mountain on my own.”

”Got it!” the coachman replied casually.

The mountain path was somewhat rugged, but for Li Qing, it was nothing. In no time, he had steadily made his way to Jade Mountain Village.

This was a village nestled at the foot of the mountain. As the saying goes, ”Those who live by the mountain live off the mountain,” and most of the villagers here made their living through hunting.

Many households had animal pelts and bones hanging at their doors, giving the place a somewhat primitive feel.

”Elder, who is the most skilled hunter in your village?”

Li Qing, dressed in a green robe, approached an old man leisurely sitting at the village entrance.

The old man had thinning hair, a face full of wrinkles, and his eyes were perpetually squinted.

When Li Qing spoke, the old man slowly turned his head, sizing up the young man who was clearly not from the village.

”Well now, you’re looking for a skilled hunter? Every man in our village is a top-notch hunter. Going into the mountains is like walking into their own home!” the old man said with a smile.

”But if you’re asking about the most skilled hunter, I’d say I’m second to none!”

Before Li Qing could inquire further, the door of a nearby house suddenly swung open, and a scornful, aged voice rang out.

”Here we go again, Old Sun, bragging in broad daylight without a hint of shame. How dare you claim to be the best hunter in the village?”

Another old man emerged, looking disdainfully at the man beside Li Qing.

Old Sun immediately took offense. ”What do you mean by that, Old Wu? Are you saying you’re a better hunter than me?”

”Of course, back in the day, when the village couldn’t hunt for food, I was the one who bagged a wild boar. The taste of it...” Old Wu’s face took on a nostalgic expression.

However, Li Qing had no interest in listening to their banter. These two old men might have been formidable hunters in their youth, but at their current age, they probably couldn’t even climb a mountain.

Just as he was about to interrupt their argument, Old Sun’s next words made Li Qing raise an eyebrow.

”Hmph, a wild boar is nothing. I once hunted a tiger up in the mountains. I was quite the sight back then!” Old Sun said with pride. Old Wu, not to be outdone, retorted, ”That puny tiger of yours is hardly worth mentioning. Why don’t I take you to see the bear skin hanging in my house?”

”That Blind Bear was definitely fiercer than your tiger!”

”Bullshit! How can a Blind Bear compare to a tiger?!”

”You’re the one talking nonsense. How can a tiger compare to a Blind Bear?”

Listening to these two old men argue about Blind Bears and tigers made Li Qing’s eyelids twitch. They must have been quite the hunters in their younger days.

”Elders, I plan to go up the mountain to hunt a tiger. Could you two recommend a reliable hunter?” Li Qing interrupted their endless debate.

He still wanted to find someone who was spry. Although the two old men had impressive hunting records, at their age, going up the mountain would be a hassle.

Upon hearing that Li Qing wanted to hunt a tiger, both old men turned to look at him, scrutinizing him carefully.

”Young man, tigers are not easy to hunt. A few years ago, some wealthy young masters from the capital came, saying they wanted to hunt a tiger. They ended up encountering a thick-skinned wild boar, which knocked them over and broke several of their bones.”

”Yes, I advise you to give up on this idea.”

Li Qing smiled, took out a gold leaf, and flicked it with his fingers, saying, ”All I need is someone to help me track the tiger. I’ll handle the hunting myself.”

Hunt it himself?

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, still playing with the gold leaf in his hand.

Old Wu shook his head and said, ”Even if you’re an Outer Strength expert, going up the mountain empty-handed would be suicide! You’d be sending yourself to your death!”

”I’ll bring armor and weapons when I go up the mountain. How I hunt the tiger is my business. Once the tiger is found, the hunter can leave.”

”After the deed is done, I’ll only take the tiger’s bones and penis. I don’t want the skin, and I’ll also give a sum of silver.”

The most valuable part of a tiger is its skin, which can fetch a high price.

With Li Qing offering additional silver, it was indeed a generous reward! Hearing these terms, Old Sun looked hesitant, clearly torn.

Seeing this, Old Wu reminded him, ”Old Sun, you’re not thinking of going up the mountain yourself, are you? At your age, shouldn’t you be taking it easy?”

After a long while, Old Sun spoke up, ”I’m not like you, carefree and unattached. If I were to die, no one would even know.”

”My grandson was just born not long ago. I want to send him to the capital for his studies in the future. I don’t want him to continue being a hunter.”

However, Li Qing furrowed his brows and said, ”Old man, can your legs still handle the mountains?”

”Why not? Don’t look at me as an old man, but once I enter the mountains, it’s like returning home!” Old Sun proudly lifted his head and continued, ”What do you say, young man? If you’re up for it, this old man will accompany you up the mountain once. Not to brag, but in this village, you really can’t find many hunters more experienced than me!”

At this moment, Old Wu didn’t speak up to contradict him, instead maintaining his silence.

Li Qing’s eyes flickered, and then he laughed, ”Alright! Deal!”

(End of the Chapter)

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