Chapter 4

Ningcheng, despite having "city" in its name, is actually just a small town on the southwestern border of Longhua Kingdom, with a population of around 100,000. According to the kingdom's regulations, it does not yet qualify for a city lord appointed from above to manage it. Instead, a few ordinary tax officials are responsible for resource allocation, while the Hu family and a few other major clans jointly manage the town's affairs.

Ningcheng is surrounded by mountains on all sides, with a strategically important location. If viewed on a map, it resembles a small shrimp enveloped in a thick skin. However, it is a sensitive area for all the surrounding empires, and even the slightest provocation can cause significant upheaval.

To the north lies Qingyuan Mountain, rich in mineral resources, which is a key area contested by several major clans. To the south is Longjia Mountain, home to various beasts and abundant medicinal herbs, attracting countless adventurers. To the west is Hengduan Mountain, with its treacherous terrain, acting like a giant knife that splits Longhua Kingdom from Panhu Kingdom. Both countries station large numbers of elite troops here to prevent the other from launching a surprise attack and advancing deep into the heart of the empire.

Only to the east is Tushan, which was once a place of outstanding natural beauty. However, many years ago, a great battle took place here, resulting in the deaths of countless top experts. The bloodshed dyed the entire mountain range red, and the color has never faded. Since then, the mountain has been cursed, with no vegetation growing on its peak.

Because of this, when the Hu family's ancestor occupied the mountain a thousand years ago, the other families did not object much. After all, the resources around Ningcheng were abundant, and there was no need to fight over this cursed place.

The Hu family's forbidden area, the Moon玄 Cave, is located in a rather hidden spot on Tushan. At this moment, inside the cave, a young man with green hair is standing with his mouth wide open, emitting a loud roar.

This person is none other than Hu Gao, who has just arrived in this unfamiliar world. He never expected that between his two collarbones, there would be an additional object, and it seems to have grown there naturally, impossible to remove.

Hu Gao can only bend his head as far as possible to try to see the pendant clearly, but he can only see a small green corner. This detail is similar to the pendant depicted in the mural. Could this be the so-called "穿越者福利" (穿越者福利 means "穿越者福利" in Chinese, which can be translated as "穿越者福利" in English, but for clarity, it is better to translate it as "穿越者福利" or "穿越者福利")? The legendary "golden finger"?

"Is there even a golden finger without a user manual? What a lousy merchant! I'm an engineering student, at least!" Hu Gao tried various methods—licking it, dripping blood on it, turning it thirty times to the left and thirty times to the right—but the pendant remained completely unresponsive.

Just as he was feeling extremely frustrated and conflicted, a series of loud noises suddenly echoed, accompanied by terrifying whistles. The ground beneath his feet shook violently, almost knocking him off his feet.

Such a big commotion—could it be that some wild battle enthusiasts were experimenting with new tactics, causing a butterfly effect that triggered an earthquake?

Hu Gao couldn't help but curse. He had only just arrived in this world for less than a day, and he was already encountering such a situation. This was really unfair. Moreover, he was still inside the cave. If it collapsed, he would be trapped here.

Thinking of this, Hu Gao didn't hesitate to run out of the cave. Perhaps because he hadn't exercised in a long time, when he finally emerged, he was panting heavily, hands on his knees, like a dead dog.

"Stop!"

A loud shout startled Hu Gao. He looked up and saw a young man, seemingly around his age, pointing at him with a cold, icy finger.

This young man was significantly taller than Hu Gao, with a handsome, chiseled face, fair skin, and a hint of a cruel aura, making him appear particularly cold. His green eyes scanned the surroundings like a wolf hunting for prey.

Hu Gao had heard people talk about acting cool, but now he truly understood what real high-coldness was. He forced himself to calm down. This was the Hu family's forbidden area, with numerous outer restrictions. How did this guy get in?

Did he break in by force? Thinking of the earlier intense sounds and vibrations, Hu Gao opened his mouth. To be able to forcibly break through the restrictions around the Hu family's forbidden area, this young man's martial prowess must be incredibly strong. A flick of his delicate fingers could end Hu Gao's journey to this world. Was this heaven's way of making him taste the bitterness of the other world?

The high-cold young man stared at Hu Gao, his brows furrowed. "Boy, answer my question, or die!"

Hu Gao's heart raced. If this was someone from another clan who had risked entering the forbidden area, they must have a purpose. They must have learned about the Hu family's guardian deity's descent and wanted to eliminate the threat early. He had seen this kind of plot many times in his previous life.

Looking at the young man, who was more than a head taller than him, he smiled calmly and said, "Who sent you? Could it be that you want to pay respects to our Hu family's successor?"

"Pay respects? Ha ha ha, let me tell you, I am Lang Sheng, the first genius of the Lang clan. I came here today to kill your Hu family's successor. Tell me where he is!"

The high-cold young man laughed loudly, showing no respect for the so-called "Hu family successor," his eyes full of arrogance. He never imagined that the ten-year-old boy in front of him was the very person he had been searching for in the forbidden area.

What the f**k! Hu Gao almost wet himself in fear. Was this Lang clan's young man a middle schooler? He actually called himself the first genius and dared to come to the Hu family's forbidden area alone. Heaven was really unfair!

Even more shocking was the immense pressure released by this high-cold young man, Lang Sheng. Hu Gao almost fell to his knees, feeling his chest tighten and his heart about to burst. He was just an ordinary person, how could he withstand such torment!

"I... I know where he is." Hu Gao knew he couldn't resist and had to buy time for rescue. He didn't want to die, so he quickly pointed to the sky and said, "I was sent to take care of the successor. After he arrived at the forbidden area yesterday, he hid in the sky. There are many restrictions and mechanisms in the sky, and I couldn't see him once he flew up."

Influenced by his previous life's concepts, he believed that the main defense of an area was in the air. The restrictions and mechanisms above the forbidden area should be even more powerful.

This young man from the Lang clan could break through the surrounding restrictions and reach the forbidden area, but he might not be able to break through the aerial restrictions and could even be killed by them.

"Is what you said true? If I find out you're lying, I'll rip out your organs one by one and eat them in front of you." Lang Sheng glanced at the sky and said menacingly.

"How could I dare to lie to you? I even heard the high priest tell him to stay in the sky, as it would help him recover his strength faster." Hu Gao remained calm inside but put on a terrified face, as if he was scared by Lang Sheng.

"Hmph, I'm glad I came early!" Lang Sheng coldly snorted. A burst of blood-red light immediately radiated from his body, surging around him. Then he stomped the ground, and his body shot up like a rocket, piercing the air with terrifying force.