Chapter 16: Feral Beast
Su Yan was confused. If it was meat, although hunting was necessary, for the mountain people, there was no shortage of it even in this mountain market.
But since Song Qi said so, there must be something special about it.
“The butcher shops there are specifically for martial artists and wealthy households in the city. They sell feral beast meat. One jin of feral beast meat costs one tael of silver. If it’s something delicious, like the Purple Flower Fox Pig, the price will be even higher.”
“One jin costs one tael of silver, which household can afford to waste so much?”
For ordinary mountain villagers, one tael of silver might be their household’s expenses for a month.
And one jin for one tael, even if it’s one jin a day, that would be thirty taels of silver in a month.
“What do you think?”
Song Qi just smiled; the fact that martial artists cost a lot of money was not a secret.
Su Yan’s eyes were filled with curiosity, making him even more interested in the feral beasts mentioned earlier.
“I wonder what these feral beasts are?”
“Feral beasts are exotic beasts that have entered a ranked state, transcending ordinary wild beasts. They are also what some of you mountain hunters call rare beasts or treasure beasts.”
Song Qi asked, “Do you remember the Black Claw Tiger that rampaged down the mountain a few months ago? That was a first-order late-stage feral beast, equivalent to the Blood Moving Realm.”
“I remember that hunters’ steel forks couldn’t pierce it, and even heavy crossbows could hardly break its tiger hide.”
“You’re thinking too prettily,” Song Qi said with a contemptuous smile. “Even a first-order early-stage feral beast is equivalent to a martial artist in the Skin Refining Realm. Their skin is like three to five layers of cowhide, and they possess thousands of jin of strength. How can ordinary people contend with them?”
“Only martial artists can kill feral beasts.”
Song Qi’s tone shifted slightly. “Of course, there are also some weaker feral beasts, those on the verge of or just entering the ranked state. This is why you occasionally hear of people hunting rare beasts. However, martial artists still refer to them as feral beasts.”
“If you want to build a good foundation, you need to use good tonics and also replenish with meat. Otherwise, the faster you progress, the faster your body will collapse.”
Song Qi’s words were not light, but they were genuine advice.
Su Yan’s eyes suddenly moved. On the outer mountains of Yunling Mountain, hundreds of peaks were already occupied by influential families and associations like the Little Mountain Association. In the inner mountains, dozens of peaks might also be occupied.
These places had people coming and going, yet there were no traces of too many feral beasts. But this butcher shop could supply them for a long time.
He raised his eyes and asked, “Could these feral beasts be in those Great Desolate Mountains deep within Yunling?”
“That’s right. Places that humans rarely set foot in are where feral beasts rampage. Yunling Desolate Mountains is one such place, but it was intentionally preserved.”
Song Qi stopped speaking at this point, realizing he had said too much.
He just glanced up at Su Yan. “You’ve only just begun Skin Refining. Don’t think about going into those desolate mountains. Even the inner mountains might not be safe to travel.”
Among those bears and tigers and leopards, even if they were just wild beasts, there were still those with the terrifying strength of the Skin Refining Realm, though they lacked some of the supernatural attributes.
In addition, scattered feral beasts would also roam in the inner mountains, though in smaller numbers.
The places in these mountains might not be safe either.
“With my meager abilities, how would I dare to enter the desolate mountains? I am merely curious.”
“Don’t go out of curiosity. If you can enter the inner sect of the Golden Ape Martial Arts School, you will naturally have opportunities to go in, and someone will lead the team.”
After speaking, Song Qi took a sip of tea, lay down, ate pastries, and began to see Su Yan out. “Go hunting in the mountains, your silver won’t last for many days of cultivation.”
Su Yan packed his things and politely took his leave, about to exit.
Suddenly, he heard Song Qi’s voice. “Be careful when you go hunting in the mountains. Don’t travel at night. Pang Tianfeng, whom the yamen is looking for, is not someone to be trifled with. Don’t lose your life.”
Su Yan’s eyes sharpened, and he thought of the image of the gloomy man: ‘Pang Tianfeng, huh?’
He nodded and then exited Hundred Herbs Hall.
With a clatter, the teacup was placed heavily on the tea table.
Song Qi tugged his beard. “Back then, when the shopkeeper took me in, I had to struggle desperately just to enter the Skin Refining Realm in half a month. This kid is quite capable. Even without the Blood Tendon Flower, teaching him would be a good deed. The pastries at Pan Family Restaurant are indeed good.”
——
Su Yan exited the door of Hundred Herbs Hall and did not go to the branch of Tian Feng Weapon Shop.
With only two taels of silver on him, let alone a fine iron heavy bow, it was unlikely he could even buy a new hardwood bow.
He simply left the mountain market and strode towards Yun Qian Village.
‘According to Old Song, once a creature enters a ranked state, it is equivalent to a martial artist in the Body Tempering Four Realms. So, my Yin Water Centipede is equivalent to a Skin Refining Realm martial artist.’
‘No, that’s not entirely accurate. Even feral beasts have their strengths and weaknesses. Judging only by realm to determine superiority would be too hasty. In terms of physical body, the Yin Water Centipede might be slightly weaker, but if it uses poison, even the Muscle and Bone Realm might not be able to withstand it.’
Su Yan pondered his situation. Yunling Mountain was a treasure land, and he hadn’t expected there to be even more ranked feral beasts in the Great Desolate Mountains.
Currently, his Fierce Insect Cauldron had accumulated a hundred jin of beast blood essence. He just needed an exotic insect close to entering a ranked state, or a first-order insect beast.
‘I’ll achieve Skin Refining Minor Accomplishment first, and then go into the inner mountains with the Yin Water Centipede. Two Skin Refining combat powers cooperating should not pose any danger.’
Su Yan hurried on his way and returned to the village. As soon as he entered, he heard a commotion.
“What are you doing!”
Xie Yuzhu’s angry shout came. Su Yan heard it, his expression changed, and he quickly rushed towards the sound.
He saw that outside his own house, a crowd of Yun Qian Village villagers, young and old, had gathered, peeking inside at what was happening.
The voices came from within the crowd, and it was right in his own courtyard.
“Silly Xie, do you intend to repay the debt for Su Dahe and his son?”
A scolding voice came, followed by a groan of pain. Then, the village head, an old man, shouted, “No fighting! Zhao Er Laizi, be careful, or I’ll report you to the authorities.”
“Heh, old man. Debt collection is a matter of course. Do the people of Yun Qian Village not have to repay their debts?”
A dismissive laugh was heard. The Yun Qian Village villagers were momentarily speechless, their eyes shifting.
It wasn’t their business. The Su Yan family owed money. Even if they wanted to help, they had no grounds to, lest they get beaten like Xie Yuzhu.
Su Yan squeezed through the crowd, his face cold. He saw four or five young men who looked like ruffians standing outside his courtyard, holding short knives and sticks. Xie Yuzhu had been kicked to the ground and was groaning, clutching his chest.
Guo Yun and a few other mountain hunters stepped forward to help him up but dared not argue with these thugs who carried weapons.
These were ruffians under Niu Han. There were only four or five of them now, all young and strong, skilled fighters.
If they provoked them, Niu Han might bring twenty or thirty people next time, implicating their families.
“Yan Ge’er is here!”
Someone spotted Su Yan and exclaimed in a low voice, which spread one by one, clearing a path.
Zhao Er Laizi, the leader, glanced sideways in Su Yan’s direction and smiled, as if he had spotted his prey.
“Good kid, hiding for a few days, and finally you’ve come out.”
Several people around him moved closer, brandishing their weapons around them to intimidate.
“Nine out of sixteen return. Your late father borrowed ten taels of silver from our boss. According to the rules, you now owe us seventeen taels and eight qian. A son inherits his father’s debt, so pay up. We heard you caught a lot of herbs and treasure plants.”
