To give Qie Youyi face, Zhao Li grabbed Lang Youqin, who had been thrown back into the tent, and dragged him out again.
Looking at the two unconscious figures on the ground, Zhao Li decided not to disturb Lang Youqin's sweet dreams and only woke up Qie Youyi.
With a mix of persuasion and threats, Zhao Li used a two-pronged approach, and Qie Youyi happily told Zhao Li everything.
It was largely consistent with what Lang Youqin had said, except that this trip into the mountains wasn't to find treasure, but to snatch the remaining Treasure Map Fragments from the Black Demonic Bear.
Zhao Li listened and inwardly exclaimed, 'Well, I'll be!' So, they were fighting tooth and nail and putting on a show just for something they didn't even know if they could get their hands on.
Zhao Li got a Sheepskin Scroll from Qie Youyi. It looked extremely familiar, and his heart stirred. He remembered the fragment he had bought at the Auction House earlier...
Suppressing the urge to take out the fragment and piece them together, Zhao Li threw the two men back.
After leaving, Zhao Li couldn't wait to take out the fragment and try. Although they couldn't be pieced together, they were definitely from the same source, confirming they were parts of the same map.
"Well, I'll be! Did I get the script of the Son of Destiny? I actually stumbled upon other parts of the fragment just like that, and even got a clear clue. Could it be because the treasure is worthless?"
Zhao Li began to mutter to himself, thinking about random things.
Putting the fragment away, Zhao Li pondered for a while and decided to go check on the Black Demonic Bear first. If it worked out, great. If not, it wasn't a big deal. He could explore again when his strength increased in the future.
Zhao Li wasn't in a hurry to set off. He found a spot, lit a bonfire, and prepared to rest for a while. Half a month of living in the jungle had given Zhao Li the habit of keeping himself in good condition at all times.
...
The next day, Qie Youyi woke up and found himself in the tent, as if everything from last night was just a dream. But the feeling of being powerless reminded him that it had all really happened.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. "You good-for-nothing Lang Youqin, you said we'd work together to find treasure, and then you turned around and sold me out! You just wait for me!"
"Brothers, get your gear ready, and follow me back to raid the Black Panther's den."
Qie Youyi still retained some rationality and knew that fighting in the Myriad Beast Mountain Range was ultimately not wise. He simply ordered everyone to speed up and return as soon as possible to raid the Black Panther's den.
On the other side, Lang Youqin felt a wave of relief, never expecting to see the sun today alive.
"I wonder if that person went to find Qie Youyi or the black bear. It's best if that old guy takes care of them both, leaving them both injured so I can reap the benefits."
Thinking of the possible treasure and inheritance, Lang Youqin's eyes gleamed with greed.
Different thoughts and choices led to different outcomes for the two mercenary groups.
...
Whoosh~
Zhao Li exhaled a breath of stale air, ended his cultivation, and opened his closed eyes.
"It feels really good to make progress every day!"
He casually ate some dry food to fill his stomach, took out his map, looked at it, roughly identified the direction, and then Zhao Li got up and left.
With his current physique comparable to a Magical Beast and his ability to control himself, he could maximize the conversion of ingested food into pure energy. If he weren't concerned about his image and taste, eating raw meat and drinking blood wouldn't be impossible.
Zhao Li restrained his aura, hid his figure, and moved through the forest. He walked and stopped intermittently, often seeing Magical Beasts hunting. Some successfully hunted, while others became prey themselves, turning into food for other beasts.
"A fourth-tier Black Demonic Bear has high defense, thick skin, and immense strength. The key is that it's not as slow as other bear-type Magical Beasts; it's simply a freak among bears. Even cultivators at the Dou Spirit level usually can't do anything about it. Although my combat power isn't weak, I haven't fought against strong opponents before, so it's hard to judge. I'll be careful this time and test myself. This is also one of the purposes of cultivating in the Myriad Beast Mountain Range this time."
While traveling, Zhao Li was also thinking about the characteristics of the Black Demonic Bear. Knowing yourself and your enemy is the only way to win a hundred battles.
"Sigh, I didn't ask Master to spar with me before, otherwise it wouldn't be so troublesome now. Now I know the enemy but not myself, and I'm very unsure."
Zhao Li was a little troubled and even had a hint of a desire to retreat.
"Should I go find Master first? I wonder where he's gone to relax."
"Zhao Li, Zhao Li, what's wrong with you? You've been reborn, but you've lost that mindset of 'I'll go even if there are thousands against me' from before. Don't forget why you chose to learn magic, and don't forget that the obstacles you face in what you want to do will definitely be much bigger than this bear."
Zhao Li thought of Ye Yunsheng's determination, and the decision to fight against others. He patted his face, feeling ashamed of his desire to retreat.
"Caution is not wrong, but things are unpredictable. How can everything be perfect? Don't use the banner of caution and stability to make excuses for your timidity. Don't say the words of the Ten Mile Slope Sword God so much that you actually get into character."
Fortunately, Zhao Li wasn't a stubborn person and didn't dwell on things. After realizing that his thoughts were problematic, he quickly figured it out and reminded himself.
...
On the other side, Lin Lan was in a radiant cave, drinking and chatting with a dark-faced, rough, and tall man.
"Brother Lin, come, have another bowl. It's been several years since you've been here. You must have a good drink this time, otherwise, if word gets out, the old lion will think I didn't treat you well."
Xiong Ba raised a large bowl of wine, downed it in one gulp, wiped the corner of his mouth, and said to Lin Lan.
"Hahaha, drink slowly, drink slowly. Old Bear, your drinking capacity is still the same. I can't keep up with you."
Lin Lan also raised his bowl and downed it, but he said with a smile to drink slowly.
After three rounds of drinks, Lin Lan prepared to leave.
"Old Bear, I have some things to attend to this time, so I won't stay long. Let's get together next time."
"Old Lin, don't fool me. What could you possibly have to do? Are you perhaps unable to drink anymore?"
Although Xiong Ba looked honest, once the alcohol kicked in, he wasn't so easy to stop and wanted to keep Lin Lan there.
"Old Bear, I'm not fooling you. I brought a little guy with me into the mountains this time to give him some experience. Although he has good talent, he's still young, and I need to keep an eye on him," Lin Lan said helplessly.
"Oh? Could it be your junior? Well, I'll be, Lin Lan, you're so quiet, I didn't even hear about you getting married?"
Lin Lan's words piqued Xiong Ba's gossipy soul, and he became interested, teasing Lin Lan.
Lin Lan choked, wondering how this bear's mind worked. He simply said, his voice flat,
"He's my disciple. His future achievements are sure to surpass mine."
Hearing this, Xiong Ba fell silent. Having formed a bond with Lin Lan by chance when Lin Lan was still a Great Dou Master, he naturally knew about Lin Lan's terrifying talent. Anyone who could surpass Lin Lan's achievements was someone he should take seriously.
"Brother Lin, feel free to stay here for a while. I'll tell them to be careful; I won't let him die on my territory."
Lin Lan heard this and refused without a second thought. "Old Bear, there's no need. After all, it's training. Potential can only be truly unleashed when facing life and death. Isn't that how you and I came this far, one step at a time? Let him forge his own path. It's just... human strength is limited, and I can only protect him during these times..."
-----------
Machine Translation by: https:// randomtranslator.com/
Read 666+ original & fanfic translations in English, Español, Português, Deutsch, Français, or Русский at: https:// randomtranslator.com/
Join our Discord: https:// discord.gg/NSWvfN7vua
-----------