Chapter 4

After the spirit root test, the so-called "Yiguo," the dual spirit root "genius" youth, was personally taken by Elder Saren to the grandest hall behind the square.

Afterward, the other two wild men with three spirit roots were also taken away, leaving only the seven with four spirit roots, including Yuan Ming, who were still led by the naked giant Huzha, and they left the Candle Spirit Hall.

After they had moved far from the area, Huzha suddenly started talking to them.

"I know you all resent me now, but one day, when you look back on what has happened these past few days, you will feel fortunate."

The wild men were still in shock, staring at him with wide eyes. Although they understood his words, no one dared to respond.

"Is it because of the test just now?" Yuan Ming, who had been silent for days, finally spoke, using the Southern Border dialect fluently.

"So you know our Southern Border dialect. That's quite rare."

Huzha was somewhat surprised, giving Yuan Ming a new look, but he continued speaking to himself.

"Many mortals dream of embarking on the path of cultivation and seeking immortality, but they are frustrated by the lack of any means. Although you were forcibly brought here, joining our Bi Luo Cave can be considered a great fortune for you. If one day you can move mountains and seas, summon winds and rains, don't forget me, your guide."

Huzha grinned, pointing at himself with his thumb.

Hearing this, the wild men exchanged glances, but some of them actually thanked Huzha.

The Southern Border values strength and respects absolute power. An opportunity to step onto the path of a strongman is indeed a rare chance.

"What did you mean by 'fur-covered beast slaves' earlier?" Yuan Ming asked again at this moment.

Huzha was taken aback by this, seemingly not expecting that this Central Plains person had been paying attention to his conversation with Elder Saren.

"I've heard that people from the Central Plains are cunning. Now I see that you are indeed more cunning than us in the Southern Border. But let me warn you, being too smart here might not be a good thing." Huzha's face turned cold as he scolded.

After that, he seemed to lose interest in talking to Yuan Ming and the others, leading them westward.

On the way, Yuan Ming ignored the hostile or puzzled looks from the others, silently pondering the information Huzha had revealed.

Becoming a fur-covered beast slave didn't sound like a good thing; otherwise, Huzha wouldn't have been so reluctant to talk about it. However, it seemed that there was no immediate threat to their lives.

As for the so-called path of cultivation, he wasn't sure if it was just Huzha's bluff. Although he couldn't remember many things, he still understood what becoming a immortal meant.

For now, he could only take it one step at a time, first ensuring his survival, and then thinking about other matters.

After about half an hour, Yuan Ming and the other seven, led by Huzha, arrived at a remote area. From a distance, they could see a towering stone wall stretching for dozens of miles. The gate of the stone wall was made entirely of bronze, looking incredibly heavy.

On the inner side of the gate, several fortress-like buildings were constructed.

As Huzha led them past, a man dressed similarly to Huzha emerged from one of the fortresses, spoke a few words to Huzha, and then let them through.

For some reason, Yuan Ming felt that the man's gaze contained a mix of pity and mockery.

After passing through the bronze gate, they found themselves in a dense, primeval forest.

Tall, towering trees were densely distributed, each requiring two or three people to encircle. The massive canopies intertwined, with occasional gaps allowing sunlight to filter through. The ground below was covered with low shrubs.

The forest was shrouded in a thin mist, and a narrow path wound through the shrubs, extending to the horizon.

As Yuan Ming entered the forest, he felt a slight drop in temperature. The sounds of birds and insects filled the air, and his nostrils were filled with the damp earth and the unique scent of plants.

The wild men, upon entering the forest, seemed to relax, as if they had returned home. In contrast, Huzha's face showed a hint of tension, and he would quickly turn his head at the occasional roar of a beast in the distance.

No one had told them what they were supposed to do, and no one dared to ask. However, Yuan Ming had a vague suspicion that this place was unlikely to be a cultivation site.

After walking along the forest path for about half an hour, they came to an open area. In the center stood a massive, dark green stone, several dozen feet tall, with a row of dark red Southern Border characters carved into its rough surface.

"Boundary of the Ten Thousand Mountains, No. 1." Yuan Ming silently read the inscription in his mind.

At that moment, he noticed a tall, gray-robed man standing with his back to them, his hands behind his back.

Hearing the commotion, the tall man slowly turned around. He was a middle-aged man with a stern face and regular features, his thick, dark eyebrows slightly furrowed, and his eyes cold.

"Firecaller Elder, these are the new fur-covered beast slaves. I've brought them to you," Huzha said, his expression slightly tense.

"Good." The middle-aged man, known as Firecaller Elder, nodded.

"I'll go back and report." Huzha responded and turned to leave.

After they left, Firecaller Elder casually glanced at Yuan Ming and the others, his expression indifferent, as if he were looking at trees or rocks, devoid of any emotion.

After his gaze, he raised his hand and tapped a palm-sized purple cloth bag hanging from his waist, emitting a faint, unremarkable light.

Immediately, various strange animal skins appeared in Firecaller Elder's hand.

Yuan Ming rubbed his eyes, unable to see how these things had appeared.

The wild men were all dumbfounded, thinking it was a miracle.

Yuan Ming collected his thoughts and carefully examined the animal skins. He saw a black leopard, a green wolf, a multicolored wild boar, a grayish-white old ape, a brown and mottled bear, a spotted tiger, and even a hairless, green rhinoceros.

He could recognize these skins at a glance because, although they were only half a body, they were all peeled off with the head and face intact. The tusks and horns of the wild boar and rhinoceros were also preserved.

Firecaller Elder walked behind them and put these animal skins on their heads, with the fur hanging down their backs like a short cloak with a hood.

Yuan Ming had the grayish-white old ape skin put on his head. The skin felt slightly itchy against his face, and he could smell a faint, not unpleasant but not pleasant, fishy odor.

Then, Firecaller Elder tapped his waist bag again, and seven brown leather pouches, each with a blood-red, strange pattern, appeared in his hand.

"Over the next three days, you must cross this boundary stone and survive in the forest behind it. During this time, you must each hunt and kill a wild beast, such as a wolf, tiger, or leopard, and bring back the beast's blood in these leather pouches," Firecaller Elder said.

He then threw the leather pouches in front of them.

"Is this the test to become a fur-covered beast slave?" Yuan Ming thought to himself.

At this moment, he noticed that the other wild men's faces had changed, showing reluctance, difficulty, and fear.

"Three days later, if you can complete the task successfully, you will receive a basic cultivation technique, the Blood Qi Method," Firecaller Elder continued.

At this point, one of the wild men, trembling, spoke up: "Elder, can you give us some tools, even a stone axe or a stone knife?"

Without tools, it would be extremely difficult for them to survive in the vast forest, let alone hunt wild beasts and collect their blood. One mistake could cost them their lives.

"Tools? Hmph... You won't need them," Firecaller Elder said with a light laugh.

Before they could understand what he meant, his figure suddenly flashed, and he appeared in front of them, placing his hand on one of them.

As a green light shone from his palm, the man let out a miserable scream, causing the others to retreat in fear.

The black leopard skin on the man's body glowed with a dark light, and the fur stood up. The skin, which was only half a body long, seemed to come to life, extending and covering the man's body.

Yuan Ming watched as the man's eyes turned blood red, with visible blood vessels. His mouth was wide open, and saliva dripped uncontrollably from the corners. The sound coming from his throat gradually changed, becoming less human and more like a wild beast's roar.

This process lasted for about ten breaths. When the man's roar stopped, the black leopard skin had tightly enveloped him, as if it had grown onto his body.

His face had turned into that of a black leopard, but his body still retained a human skeleton, making him look like a half-human, half-beast creature.

After the transformation, he immediately crouched on the ground, his nature seeming to become more beast-like. However, his eyes, which had not fully transformed, retained a hint of humanity, with the blood red color fading slightly.

"Don't worry. This is the Fur-Covering Technique, which will help you survive and hunt wild beasts over the next three days," Firecaller Elder said, then moved to the second person.

As his hand touched the second person, another miserable scream echoed through the forest.

After about ten breaths, a wolf-headed, human-bodied creature with green fur appeared before them.

Despite having seen it once before, Yuan Ming still felt a significant shock. Just by wearing an animal skin, one could transform into such a terrifying monster, which was truly unbelievable.

Although he was extremely unwilling, the situation forced him to comply. If he resisted, he was sure that Firecaller Elder would not hesitate to kill him.

As he thought, Firecaller Elder stepped in front of him, and his hand landed on his shoulder.