Chapter 59

The Longjia Mountain Range is like a huge treasure trove, filled with numerous precious medicinal herbs, treasures, and materials from demonic beasts. Such a bountiful place naturally attracts countless adventurers from different regions to venture into it. It is said that some lucky ones might even find a demonic core under a large tree, making a fortune.

Of course, high returns also mean high risks. The number of martial artists who have died in the Longjia Mountain Range is countless. Those with lower cultivation levels can only wander in the outermost part of the mountains, within a few dozen miles. Only those whose cultivation has reached the Burst Essence Realm dare to venture a hundred miles deep. Those who dare to cross the entire Longjia Mountain Range are all powerful cultivators who have reached the Form Transformation Realm.

Hu Gao, who had tamed the Blood Slave, happily led Xiao Wu and walked for half a day, finally seeing a vast forest in the distance, which was the outermost part of the Longjia Mountain Range.

"Damn, I finally made it!" Hu Gao made a gesture as if howling to the sky but spoke to Xiao Wu in a low voice.

"Um, I can smell the scent of demonic beasts and demonic cores in the air!" Xiao Wu emerged from Hu Gao's shoulder and sniffed the air vigorously.

Hu Gao shook his head helplessly. This glutton was indeed unconventional. However, the Longjia Mountain Range was not like the outskirts of Tushan, where one could easily encounter high-level demonic beasts. Fortunately, Xiao Wu had some sensing abilities and could avoid the dangers of high-level demonic beasts in advance.

As they walked, Hu Gao sensed someone hiding on the mountain path ahead.

Could it be that I really encountered a highwayman? Hu Gao felt a mix of amusement and frustration. He had just dealt with Guo Deyun and his group who were seeking revenge, and now he wouldn't encounter a robbery, would he?

Having experienced it once, Hu Gao calmly continued forward.

A large tree lay across the road, its grayish-white bark indicating it was a birch tree that had lost all its leaves in the autumn wind, with a white stump exposed at the broken end.

Hu Gao stopped, clearly sensing someone crouching in the grass by the roadside. However, after standing there for a while, the person still didn't react.

Hu Gao didn't dare to rashly continue forward and called out, "Come out! I know you're there!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a black and muscular man jumped out of the grass, dragging a huge iron saw.

The black man ignored Hu Gao, made no sound, and stuck the iron saw into the ground, bending down to pry the broken stumps.

Wood chips flew everywhere, and in a few moments, the tree stump was split into a sharp, white tip.

This inexplicable behavior left Hu Gao puzzled. Was he just a woodcutter?

"May I ask what you are doing?" Hu Gao still didn't dare to move forward, as the two-meter-long iron saw looked intimidating.

The black man remained silent, picked up the tree trunk, and stood it upright. Then, with a loud shout, he jumped up, holding the tree trunk.

Hu Gao took a step back in fright.

When the black man landed, the tree trunk was firmly planted in the solid ground.

At this point, he finally acknowledged the blocked traveler. He picked his nose, wiped his finger on the tree trunk, and grinned at Hu Gao, showing his white teeth, but still said nothing.

Then the black man pointed to the ground, where the tree trunk had left an indentation. "This road is mine."

He patted the upright tree trunk. "This tree is mine."

...

Before the black man finished speaking, Hu Gao had already understood his meaning.

Damn! I really did encounter a highwayman!

"Leave your money!" Hu Gao drew the Shadowless Sword and finished the black man's last sentence. He had already sensed the man's strength, which was at the peak of the Sixth Stage of the Condensing Shadow Realm, similar to his own, and he was quite strong, but it was unclear who was stronger.

"Hey, kid, it's me robbing you! Don't mess around! I've thought of such an unconventional opening with great effort! Quickly hand over your treasures!"

...

Hu Gao didn't respond. He found the black man quite amusing and also sensed someone else running down the road ahead.

A partner of the highwayman?

Hu Gao remained calm and quietly communicated with Xiao Wu, discussing how to deal with the situation.

The black man didn't move either, pulling the iron saw with one hand and picking his nose with the other, staring at Hu Gao without making a move, as if trying to intimidate the young man.

Soon, a person rushed over from a distance, and the voice came before the person:

"Damn highwayman! How dare you rob in broad daylight on my territory!"

Following the shout was a sharp whistle.

The black man, hearing the shout, turned his head, his finger still in his nose, and was instantly shocked. He cursed, "Damn! The Demon-Exorcising Castle! Ruining my good deed again! Just wait and see!"

After cursing, the black man picked up the iron saw and jumped down the mountain, disappearing into the tall grass below, leaving only the rustling sound of his departure.

However, Hu Gao could sense that the man hadn't gone far and was just staying in one place. Hu Gao found this interesting and ignored the black man, turning to look at the person who had suddenly arrived.

It was a middle-aged man with an ordinary appearance, his face covered with a beard that obscured part of his features. He had a castle-shaped badge on his left chest. The middle-aged man, facing the direction the black man had jumped, angrily cursed:

"That damn black charcoal head, as slippery as a snake, and he's escaped again..."

After cursing for a while, Hu Gao could roughly understand that the black man was a habitual criminal, a professional highwayman who had committed multiple crimes and successfully escaped.

After cursing, the bearded middle-aged man turned to Hu Gao and asked with concern, "Little brother, are you okay?"

"Still okay." Hu Gao nodded, not showing any particular reaction. "Is there anything you need to instruct me?"

"Oh, that's good!" The middle-aged man glanced at the badge on his chest and introduced himself, "I'm Qi Hong, from the Demon-Exorcising Castle. The black man is a habitual criminal, unfortunately, he escaped again."

"Demon-Exorcising Castle?"

"Yes, we are an organization established to prevent demonic beasts from leaving the Longjia Mountain Range and harming humans. Of course, catching highwaymen is our part-time job." Qi Hong's face was full of pride, even his thick beard couldn't hide it. "Little brother, are you entering the Longjia Mountain Range? I can take you, it will be safer."

Hu Gao was about to answer when Xiao Wu's voice suddenly echoed in his mind, "He should have a valuable treasure. I think it's even more precious than the black leaf grass we got last time."

"Not worse than the black leaf grass?"

Hu Gao's eyes lit up. Although the black leaf grass they had obtained last time wasn't mature, its value was still terrifying. Now, refined into Green Body Pills, it was even more precious, and it would definitely require a lot of gold coins to buy on the market. If he could take the treasure from this man...

"Then I'll trouble you, Brother Qi Hong." Hu Gao nodded happily.

"No problem." Qi Hong said, turning to lead the way, "Is this your first time here? Are you from Longhua?"

"Yes, I'm from Longhua, preparing to enter the Longjia Mountain Range for training." Hu Gao followed behind and answered.

"Ha, so you're from Longhua. At least half of the people in our Demon-Exorcising Castle are from Longhua. I'm from Biyun, though." Qi Hong glanced back at Hu Gao and asked, "Little brother, are you entering the Longjia Mountain Range alone?"

"Yes, I came out alone this time and didn't bring any friends, as I plan to train. What's wrong?"

"Brave!" Qi Hong turned back and praised, his eyes flashing with delight. He noticed that Hu Gao's sword might be quite extraordinary. "Few disciples from noble families are willing to enter the Longjia Mountain Range for training. Even if they do, they usually bring a large group of followers. Many others hear from our companions about the dangers of the Longjia Mountain Range and run back home in fear, ha, it's a shame."

"Ha ha." Hu Gao laughed dryly, but Qi Hong remained enthusiastic and became more excited as he spoke.

"Has little brother decided which direction to enter the Longjia Mountain Range?"

"Not yet, I'm not familiar with the Longjia Mountain Range."

"What is little brother's cultivation level? I'm quite familiar with the outer part of the Longjia Mountain Range and can recommend some training spots." Qi Hong turned back again, looking at Hu Gao's youthful face and asked.

"Condensing Shadow Realm Fifth Stage, I just advanced, not yet in the middle stage." Hu Gao answered somewhat embarrassedly.

Qi Hong's eyes lit up when he heard this and laughed again, "Little brother is really impressive! When I was your age, I was only at the Fourth Stage of the Condensing Shadow Realm. Truly, the young are to be feared."

"Ha ha." Hu Gao laughed somewhat awkwardly.

In fact, Hu Gao had been observing Qi Hong all along, even using Xiao Wu's power.

Qi Hong's cultivation level wasn't very high, only at the Eighth Stage of the Condensing Shadow Realm, but what surprised Hu Gao was that even in this safe situation, Qi Hong still maintained a strong sense of vigilance, ready to launch the most fierce and terrifying attacks from any direction.

This wasn't directed at Hu Gao but at the dangers of the Longjia Mountain Range. After all, in such a dangerous place, fatal crises could occur at any time.

Fortunately, Hu Gao was only about two meters away from Qi Hong. Despite Qi Hong's strong vigilance, even while walking, he tried not to expose any gaps for others to attack. However, Hu Gao could still see many fatal flaws in him, and for Hu Gao, as long as he acted, he could definitely kill Qi Hong instantly.

This wasn't because Hu Gao was targeting Qi Hong, but a habit of a martial artist. Moreover, Hu Gao had decided to observe everything outside and learn useful things for himself when he came out for training.

"In the outer part of the Longjia Mountain Range, there are several valleys suitable for little brother's level, with First Stage early and mid-level demonic beasts. Which level of demonic beast would you prefer?" Qi Hong asked.

"First Stage mid-level, I practice a powerful cultivation technique that can handle First Stage mid-level demonic beasts." Hu Gao answered honestly.

"Then the Flame Valley would be very suitable. I've heard that there are treasures there." Qi Hong introduced.