On the other side of the hollow, Shen Chongming and the other three were slowly approaching, following the traces left by the wolf pack in the snow.

"Young Clan Leader, we can't go any further."

Among the four, Zhao Tuan spoke in a deep voice.

Shen Chongming stopped, frowning as he looked around hesitantly.

"Youran, what do you think?"

He turned to look at Chen Youran behind him.

"I listen to the Young Clan Leader."

"But... Brother Tuan is right, it's too deep in here, it could be dangerous."

Shi Miao, who was nearby, came over and said, "We've come all this way and haven't encountered any demon beasts. If we return empty-handed, it would be quite disgraceful."

Zhao Tuan squinted at him and said, "Is life or face more important?"

"If something were to happen to the Young Clan Leader, would your entire Shi Family use their lives to pay?

Zhao Tuan didn't care about so-called face.

Among the four, only he and Shen Chongming were Qi Cultivation Realm cultivators, and they were both only at the Qi Cultivation First Level.

Being so deep, about one or two hundred miles from the hunting area, if they encountered danger, he felt his death would be in vain, but Shen Chongming was the Young Clan Leader of the Shen Family. If anything happened to him, even if the three of them died, it would still be considered a failure to protect their lord.

Moreover, three of the four were Immortal Seedlings with spirit roots, extremely important to the Shen Family.

Training isn't meant to be a death mission; losing any one of them would be a heavy blow, except for himself.

"Brother Tuan, don't be angry."

Shen Chongming smiled and comforted him.

He knew Zhao Tuan was concerned for his safety.

But after tracking for so long without seeing a trace of the prey, it left him rather unwilling to give up.

"Awooo——!"

As the four hesitated, a low wolf howl suddenly echoed from the forest ahead!

Next to them, Shi Miao quickly climbed up the sturdy old tree nearby and looked in the direction of the howl.

From the height of the old tree, he could vaguely see a group of more than ten people on the other side of the distant hollow, and among them was a massive moon-white giant wolf.

"Young Clan Leader, there are people!"

"Over ten of them!"

Rapidly sliding down from the old tree, Shi Miao spoke with a serious expression.

Upon hearing this, Shen Chongming's brow furrowed slightly.

The four of them were now near the central region of Hidden Dragon Mountain.

People from Yunshui Town definitely wouldn't come here.

So, these sudden people...

"It should be the Barbarian Race." Zhao Tuan spoke in a deep tone: "Young Clan Leader, we must leave quickly!"

In recent years, due to the fight over territory in Hidden Dragon Mountain, Huang Qingzhou led many martial artists from Yunshui Town in several clashes with the Barbarian Race in the direction of Dragon Coiling Mountain.

Shen Yuan had given orders back then, demanding a tough stance against the Barbarian Race.

As a result, both sides had casualties in the numerous clashes.

Fortunately, Hundred Beasts Mountain didn't seem keen on becoming enemies with the Shen Family; they slightly restrained the Western Wilderness Barbarian Race tribes and tacitly accepted the boundary lines delineated by the Shen Family.

"Brother Tuan, hold on a moment."

Shen Chongming hesitated for a moment, then beckoned a gust of gentle wind to float up lightly to the ancient tree Shi Miao had just climbed, looking into the distance.

In the hollow, the Western Wilderness Barbarians were being led by a disciple from Hundred Beasts Mountain towards the wolf pack.

At the forefront of the group, the moon-white giant wolf appeared like a noble king, and as it approached, the entire wolf pack in the hollow prostrated themselves, displaying submission.

The moon-white giant wolf approached the wolf pack, which contained hundreds of gray wolves, and gazed down at the three wolf demons that had already transformed into demon beasts, and they engaged in a unique interaction.

A moment later, the moon-white giant wolf returned to the disciple of Hundred Beasts Mountain.

They pressed their foreheads together, and within a few breaths, it seemed the Hundred Beasts Mountain disciple had obtained the answer he sought.

His expression shifted as he pondered briefly before he began walking slowly out of the hollow.

"Sir."

"How should we handle this wolf demon?"

A Barbarian tribesman respectfully cupped his hands.

"Leave one, the rest are yours."

The disciple from Hundred Beasts Mountain spoke indifferently, not looking back.

The dozen or so Barbarian tribesmen were overjoyed at these words, immediately drawing their curved sabers and swiftly killed the two wolf demons on the spot.

They skillfully collected the blood of the wolf demons, extracted the demon essence pills, and then hoisted the wolf demon corpses onto their shoulders and carried them away.

From beginning to end, neither the three wolf demons nor the other gray wolves present dared to resist in the slightest.

The lone surviving wolf demon's eyes flickered with a trace of fear; after a few mournful whimpers, it drooped its tail and chased after the moon-white giant wolf.

Shen Chongming summoned a gentle breeze and slowly descended back to the ground, looking somewhat puzzled.

"Young Clan Leader."

Zhao Tuan approached.

"That person could control a moon-white giant wolf, likely the Immortal from Hundred Beasts Mountain that Ah Die spoke of."

"What is an Immortal from the Immortal Sect doing in Hidden Dragon Mountain with the Western Wilderness Barbarians?"

Shen Chongming wore a perplexed expression, unable to fathom the situation.

"Let's go, we're heading back."

This area, with the presence of the Western Wilderness Barbarians and Hundred Beasts Mountain disciples, was clearly not somewhere Shen Chongming could stay any longer.

The four decisively gave up and prepared to seek other prey.

The three-day hunting competition quickly came to an end, and Shen Chongming and the others wasted some time tracking the wolf demon. Along with some bad luck, they only managed to hunt two demon beasts of about the Qi Cultivation Second Layer and several common wild beasts.

However, they were only here for training anyway, so the hunting results didn't count toward the competition, and it didn't really matter.

After tallying the game, awards were handed out, and everyone dispersed.

The four approached Shen Wenxing.

"Ah Die, we encountered something strange in the mountains."

Shen Chongming thought for a moment and decided to speak about tracking the wolf pack and encountering the disciples of Hundred Beasts Mountain.

Shen Wenxing's eyes narrowed slightly after hearing this.

"I understand, you can go back and cultivate now."

The following evening, Huang Qingzhou returned from the mountains.

He was now at the peak of Qi Cultivation Third Layer. Fighting in the mountains and against the Western Wilderness Barbarian Race, he was occasionally attacked by demon beasts. Now nearing his seventies, he carried a bit more evil qi, but his vigor and spirit were even stronger than before.

"Father-in-law, did you return in haste because of an emergency?"

In the manor's side room, the father-in-law and son-in-law sat opposite each other, and Shen Wenxing offered him a cup of tea.

Huang Qingzhou accepted the cup and said, "Earlier today, a disciple from Hundred Beasts Mountain came to me, saying that a disciple from their sect had gone missing and they wanted to cross our defense lines to search the mountains."

"I didn't agree, but they were very determined."

"I came here to hear your opinion."

"I observed that they didn't seem to be lying, and if we insist on not allowing them, I'm afraid there might be conflicts."

Upon hearing this, Shen Wenxing lightly stroked the teacup in his hand, frowning in deep thought.

"The day before yesterday, during the hunting competition, Chongming and several others tracked a wolf pack deep into a place a hundred miles southeast of Dragon Coiling Mountain, where they also encountered a disciple from Hundred Beasts Mountain leading over ten Western Wilderness Barbarian Race people."

"According to Chongming's description, those people indeed seemed to be searching for something."

"Should we let him in to search?" Huang Qingzhou put down the teacup and asked.

Shen Wenxing hesitated.

Hundred Beasts Mountain had always been domineering, and sending someone to negotiate instead of forcibly breaking through was actually giving face to the Shen Family.

If we refuse again and again, it might indeed lead to a conflict.

However, if we allow them in, Dragon Coiling Mountain harbors a mysterious little pine tree capable of producing Innate Wood Essence Qi.

Although the little pine tree is protected by an array, he couldn't guarantee that Hundred Beasts Mountain wouldn't have special means to notice something.

Of course, these are just superficial reasons.

He now had two deeper concerns.

Firstly, was this move by Hundred Beasts Mountain a test?

If it was a test and the Shen Family compromised, would they push even further, with more excessive demands and actions?

Secondly, he recalled that at the time of the Dragon Coiling Mountain Martial Arts Hall's establishment, his third brother Shen Wen'an had killed four disciples of Hundred Beasts Mountain in that area.

Though the incident had happened three or four years ago and the bodies might have turned to dust by now, with Immortal Techniques being unpredictable, who could guarantee that Hundred Beasts Mountain didn't have secret skills like Luoxia Mountain's "Dawn Shadow", allowing them to find the bodies, uncover clues, and deduce that the four had died at Shen Wen'an's hands?

How should the decision be made?

Shen Wenxing slowly stood up, pacing with his hands behind his back.

At that moment, he felt tempted to consult his father, Shen Yuan, in the backyard.

But remembering his father's previous teachings, he restrained himself.

"Pros and cons..."

Murmuring softly to himself, Shen Wenxing pondered for a moment, then turned around and said, "We cannot compromise on this matter."

"Please, father-in-law, go back and tell the disciples of Hundred Beasts Mountain that our Shen Family has guarded that place for years, and we have never seen any disciples from their side come here."

He had made up his mind.

Compared to letting them come and search, compromising posed greater risks.

The Shen Family had always taken a firm stance on boundary issues, and this refusal was consistent with their past actions.

"What if they forcibly break through?" Huang Qingzhou asked with a serious expression.

He was only at Qi Cultivation Third Layer, and the martial artists from the villages in Yunshui Town he commanded were all at the Body Tempering Realm.

While they could resist the Western Wilderness Barbarian Race, if the disciples from Hundred Beasts Mountain were to act, their strength would be insufficient.

"Rest assured, father-in-law, I have other arrangements."

Shen Wenxing replied with confidence.

Seeing this, Huang Qingzhou didn't ask further questions.

"Very well, I'll return now."

After seeing off Huang Qingzhou, Shen Wenxing sighed heavily, leaving the manor and, after a moment of hesitation, walked into Black Water Pavilion.

On the first floor of Black Water Pavilion, Shen Yuan was sitting cross-legged cultivating. Upon hearing the commotion, he slowly opened his eyes.

Shen Wenxing cupped his hands.

"Father, I wish to ask Wen'an to oversee Dragon Coiling Mountain Martial Arts Hall for a few days."

Noting that there was no hint of seeking permission in his tone, Shen Yuan nodded slightly, "You go and talk to him yourself."

Shen Wenxing nodded, just about to head to the second floor when Shen Wen'an had already come down from upstairs.

"Big brother, father."

Shen Wenxing looked at him and said, "Hundred Beasts Mountain might make a move soon, and I want you to oversee Dragon Coiling Mountain Martial Arts Hall for a few days."

Shen Wen'an nodded in agreement.

"Wen'an, your current realm..." Shen Wenxing asked out of curiosity.

"Sufficient," Shen Wen'an replied, unexpectedly making a joke.

Hearing this, Shen Wenxing had a strange expression.

"Father, we're off."

The two brothers cupped their hands towards Shen Yuan and left Black Water Pavilion.

Dragon Coiling Mountain Martial Arts Hall.

After the martial arts hall was built, the disciples from Yunshui Town who came to learn martial arts all gathered here.

Currently overseeing the hall were Huang Qi and his brother.

Two years ago, Huang Lin from the Huang Brothers, through diligent cultivation, finally reached the Qi Cultivation First Layer. Although still two minor realms behind his elder brother Huang Qi, he could finally be considered a Qi Cultivation cultivator.

After Shen Wen'an arrived, he handed Huang Lin a cyan jade token containing Supreme Profound Sword Qi, instructing him to deliver it to the mountains and personally hand it to Huang Qingzhou.

He mentioned that if the disciples from Hundred Beasts Mountain made a move and they couldn't resist, they should crush the jade token, and he would rush over immediately.

Huang Lin nodded and left the martial arts hall, while Shen Wen'an's figure flickered, transforming into a sword aura and soaring into the sky.

At the peak column of a hundred zhang tall, the platform he had once cleaved out with a single sword stroke had become mottled and weathered over the years.

Shen Wen'an selected a satisfactory spot, swept away the decayed rocks with a sword aura, and sat cross-legged.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.