...
"Thank you, my friend!"
"Meeting is fate. I am Lin Zheyu. May I know your honored name?"
"If you ever go to Songyi City, I will surely treat you to a drink." Lin Zheyu marked his map, put it away, and said with a smile.
The man seemed quite skilled, likely a hunter who has roamed the mountains and forests for years and is surely very familiar with this area.
Making friends with someone like this might come in handy in the future.
"I wouldn't dare say esteemed name. I am Ma Wangcheng," the man said.
"Are you from the Ma Family Manor?" Lin Zheyu asked.
"Yes, indeed."
Ma Wangcheng nodded.
The Ma Family Manor is quite famous outside the city; many of the wild beast meats and herbs in the city are provided by the men from the Ma Family Manor.
"I've long heard about the skills of the men from the Ma Family Manor. Today's encounter truly lives up to its reputation."
Lin Zheyu complimented.
But what he said was also true. Ma Wangcheng's power in the Refining Internal Organ Realm is quite capable, even within Songyi City.
"You're too kind, Mr. Lin. It's merely an undeserved reputation."
Ma Wangcheng smiled.
Everyone enjoys hearing good things; he's no exception.
Especially being complimented by the mysterious, seemingly extraordinary young man in front of him, was even more comforting.
"By the way, Mr. Ma, I have one question. I thought I was well-hidden; how did you discover me?"
Lin Zheyu looked at the man curiously.
After spending so much effort getting close, he intended to understand the subtlety thoroughly, to ensure he won't expose himself easily when hiding and tracking in the future.
"It's not very difficult."
"I've roamed the deep mountains and forests for years and developed a keen sense of smell, very familiar with the scents of the wilderness. I can discern which scents should and shouldn't be present in certain places."
"Mr. Lin, you must have passed by a place full of Red Mountain Fragrance earlier. The scent of this flower is peculiar and only grows in specific environments. Once contaminated, it lingers for a long time."
"During the fight with that wild beast, the sudden emergence of the Red Mountain Fragrance scent, with no wind blowing nor any other wild beast's noise, led me to suspect that someone had arrived."
Ma Wangcheng explained in great detail.
"Impressive!"
Lin Zheyu exclaimed in admiration.
He sniffed himself, either unable to detect an unusual scent or any trace of Red Mountain Fragrance.
"It's just a small trick. Many experienced hunters and herb gatherers can easily tell the difference."
"Mr. Lin, you're unable to smell it this way; the scent of Red Mountain Fragrance is very faint, only distinguishable to those who've been trained and frequently exposed to it."
Seeing Lin Zheyu continually sniffing himself, Ma Wangcheng explained.
"I see. I must have made a fool of myself, Mr. Ma." Lin Zheyu said with a smile. "Thank you, Mr. Ma, for the clarification. If you visit Songyi City one day, just mention my name at the Bidan Tea House and you can find me."
"When you arrive, I will surely host you for a meal as a thank-you."
"You're too kind, Mr. Lin. It was nothing," Ma Wangcheng said, waving his hand with a smile.
"Let's part ways here then; till we meet again!"
Lin Zheyu cupped his fist and turned to dart into the dense forest.
"Hold on!"
Ma Wangcheng hesitated for a moment before calling out to Lin Zheyu.
Lin Zheyu turned around, looking at Ma Wangcheng curiously, unsure of why he was stopped.
"Mr. Lin, you seem unfamiliar with this area, so I wanted to share something."
"It's nearing the hour of Shen. After you reach the vicinity of Lion Valley and return by the same route, it might already be dark."
"After dark, it's best to take a detour and follow the official road rather than going through the Beast Roar Mountain in front. It's not very safe in the mountains at night."
Ma Wangcheng advised.
Though cautious by nature, he was a decent person. He proactively reminded Lin Zheyu of the precautions as he confirmed he wasn't a villain.
"Oh?"
"Is there a powerful beast appearing in Beast Roar Mountain?" Lin Zheyu asked curiously.
He took out a map, searching for the location of Beast Roar Mountain.
After crossing this mountain, the next would be Beast Roar Mountain.
Beast Roar Mountain is teeming with fierce beasts and wild animals run rampant.
Loud roars of wild beasts often echo through the forest, hence the name.
However, to his knowledge, the wild beasts on the outskirts of Beast Roar Mountain aren't very powerful, making it a favorite hunting ground for hunters.
"No, the wild beasts on the outskirts of Beast Roar Mountain aren't strong. The fiercest beast I've encountered there is about the same as the Cyan Fanged Bear just now."
"But recently, someone dug up a corpse in Beast Roar Mountain that came back to life and killed many people."
"The living corpse comes out to hunt and feed every night." Ma Wangcheng said.
Living corpses only come out to operate when the yin energy is heavy at night and usually find a place to hide and rest during the day.
As long as they're not provoked, living corpses generally don't initiate attacks during the day.
"Living corpse!?"
Lin Zheyu's eyes widened in curiosity upon hearing that.
After learning about the power of living corpses from Jia Yanrong and others, he specifically gathered relative information.
Living corpses are akin to zombies from past lives, with bronze skin and iron bones. They don't bite but eat people, particularly fond of blood-rich Qi Blood.
Unlike zombies, living corpses have flexible joints, similar to ordinary people.
Their bodies are filled with the power of dark energy. Those bitten or scratched by them are poisoned by this energy, making it extremely difficult to heal.
"What kind of power does this living corpse possess? Has Mr. Ma encountered it?" Lin Zheyu asked.
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