Immortality begins with meditation puppets

Chapter 42 Forward Camp, Vision!
Once you leave the area covered by the market formation and cross a vast open field, you'll need to slow down.

We've reached the edge of the hunting grounds.

Every now and then, you can see cultivators chasing after demonic beasts and slashing at them, or demonic beasts chasing after rogue cultivators and gnawing at them.

These scattered battles and little fun between cultivators and demonic beasts went unnoticed by the rest of the group. Seeing that their group was strong and well-equipped, few rogue cultivators or demonic beasts were willing to join them.

After walking steadily for more than half an hour, the group finally had to stop.

Su Qing, who had nestled against Xiong Er's chest as soon as they arrived at the hunting area, glanced down at him.

The view is clear from the high vantage point.

A fierce battle was taking place in the valley where the advance team was bound to pass.

People are shouting, horses are neighing, and monsters are howling.

The mountain spring water gurgled and sang, stained crimson with the blood of humans and beasts.

There is only one monster, resembling a wolf but not quite, with a wolf's head, a tiger's back, and a deer's tail. Its size is as large as a bull. When it opens its wolf's head, there will be casualties. It is extremely ferocious.

This demonic beast is called the Wolf-Tiger Beast, a mid-grade first-tier demonic beast. Among first-tier demonic beasts, it is not considered powerful. A combination of three to five mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators and a body cultivator could easily defeat it.

But at this moment, those facing this monster in the valley were all cultivators in the early stage of Qi Refining.

Some of them rode silver-armored horses and held long spears; they looked quite impressive.

But most people still only hold hoes, sickles, and other tools that the plant farmers use for farm work.

Using these weapons, which were mixed with only a few spiritual materials, and relying on sheer courage, they literally used human lives to heal the wounds of the demonic beasts.

"Have the spirit plant cultivators switched careers to become demon hunters?"

Su Qing watched as a robust middle-aged woman made a single, insignificant cut on the wolf-tiger beast with her sickle, only to have half of her body snatched away by the wolf's jaws. Su Qing frowned and shook her head inwardly.

Although Ge Changyuan had told him that after the spirit fields outside the market were ravaged by the monsters, many spirit plant farmers had no way to survive and went out in villages to hunt monsters, even at the cost of heavy casualties.

But witnessing it with your own eyes is a completely different experience.

"Fellow Daoists behind, please wait a moment. We will kill this beast soon so that you can pass."

While Su Qing was lamenting their misfortune, a middle-aged man stepped out from the fighting crowd, clasped his hands in a salute to the group, and shouted loudly.

Everyone understood what he meant.

Although if everyone intervened, they might lose fewer people and be able to take down the monster.

But it's hard to say who will get the monster then.

I'd rather endure it myself than let someone else steal my prey.

This is the attitude of these former spiritual plant growers in the valley.

Su Qing, who had originally intended to call upon a few lizard warriors to lend a hand, lost the desire to help upon hearing this.

Quietly waiting for the battle to end.

The middle-aged man, wielding a long spear, led four iron-horse riders in a charge from behind the wolf-tiger beast. On both sides, people threw out various tools such as hooks, locks, and ropes to restrain the wolf-tiger beast.

With a few loud thuds, five spears were thrust into the wolf-tiger beast's vulnerable anus. The beast roared wildly, struggling to break free of its restraints and twisting its waist to bite the knights.

But the few iron-horse riders, having succeeded in their attack, fled in an instant. After the others released their grappling hooks and ropes, they picked up another long spear from their horses and, in the same manner, thrust each spear directly at the wolf-tiger beast's vulnerable spot.

The heavily armored iron horse, covered with refined silver and wrought iron, with a frame made of Chinese toon wood, weighed over 800 jin. When it charged, it was quite powerful. It was just that the valley was not a good place to use it. Otherwise, these spiritual plant cultivators might have been able to deal with this wolf-tiger beast more easily.

Perhaps it was because the Baibaoge team was lurking around that both sides in the battle were somewhat uneasy, so much so that they both wanted to end the battle quickly, making the fight even more intense and dangerous than before.

Finally, after losing two lives and seriously injuring several others, the wolf-tiger beast, its tail bleeding profusely, could no longer hold on and collapsed to the ground.

The group of spirit plant cultivators dared not celebrate immediately. It was that burly middle-aged man who seemed to have mastered a Yellow-level combat skill who rode his horse to the front of the group.

After carefully and with a forced smile, he cut off over a hundred pounds of wolf meat, had a few more words with Ma Tuan, and only breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the group pass through the valley and leave them.

The hunting grounds are not like the marketplace. Here, it's a dog-eat-dog world where stealing others' prey or having your prey stolen is commonplace. The fact that the Hundred Treasures Pavilion team let them go is already incredibly lucky for them.

After passing through the valley, the view suddenly opened up. An endless wilderness stretched out before us, overgrown with weeds and dotted with jagged rocks, the air thick with a dry, acrid heat.

The low hills in the distance stretch out like a ferocious beast lying on the earth, but compared to the towering Hundred Beasts Mountain Range further away, these low hills are like children who have not grown up, making it difficult to feel awe.

As far as Su Qing knew, the most monsters were in those low mountains. First-tier monsters came down from the Hundred Beasts Mountain Range and flocked into these low mountains. Powerful clans or individuals occupied the mountains and became kings. It was also the main battlefield of the hunting area.

Their destination, however, was one of the tallest and most majestic mountains in that low mountain range.

Black Tiger Mountain is named after a second-tier Black Tiger statue that is located within it.

Despite saying they were going to hunt the tiger, the group stopped at the front camp of the hunting area after traveling more than a hundred miles.

As soon as I entered.

You can then see the figures of independent cultivators sitting cross-legged in meditation.

After walking a few steps, there were bare-chested butchers who were processing the monsters on the spot. The monsters' blood seeped into the ground, making the soil around the meat stall, which was already stained dark red, even redder.

Further ahead, there were weapon refiners repairing magical artifacts, spirit pattern makers busy mending patterns, and spirit doctors carrying medicine boxes shuttling back and forth.

Perched on Xiong Er's chest, Su Qing had a clear view of the entire camp.

A rogue cultivator crying out in pain from his injury, a rogue cultivator returning victorious, a rogue cultivator who gained nothing...

The stench of blood and flesh, the chaotic noise, and the first-order array that enveloped the entire camp gave Su Qing a savage, rugged, yet unexpectedly lively and intense atmosphere.

"Gentlemen, as agreed, we are responsible for your safety here so that you can do business with peace of mind. However, when the time is right, you will also need to lend us a hand."

In the days to come, I ask that all fellow Daoists help each other out. If you need anything from us, please don't hesitate to ask.

After speaking to everyone, Ma Tuan placed a spirit house in each of the four corners of the open space where they were currently located.

Afterwards, Qinghe asked Liang Haishun to set up a defensive formation around the area where everyone was staying.

Not content with ordering Liang Haishun around, Qinghe gracefully ascended into the air, meeting Su Qing's gaze at Xiong Er's chest. She blinked a few times before smiling and asking:
"Now that we've arrived at the camp, fellow Daoist, aren't you going to come out of the puppet?"

Su Qing opened the hiding cave, stood inside, and raised the spiritual tea in her hand:

“I am not as good as you, fellow Daoist. I have just arrived in such a dangerous place and am still somewhat unaccustomed to it. I do not want to leave for the time being.”

There's still room inside the cave. If you don't mind, you're welcome to come in and sit for a while.

Su Qing frankly stated that the hiding cave was both safe and comfortable, and he did not plan to leave until he was familiar with this forward camp.

Qinghe glanced at the hiding place piled high with various supplies, finding this Daoist Su quite amusing. She smiled and declined Su Qing's invitation before saying:

"The front-line camp is a mixed bag, and there may even be demonic cultivators hiding here. Fellow Daoist's caution is not wrong, but once Fellow Daoist Liang has finished setting up the formation, you can rest assured."

Furthermore, the air here is thick with malevolent energy. Although exorcists come daily to sprinkle talismanic water to ward off evil, we dare not wander about at night. We will need your puppets to help us check for any omissions or deficiencies at night.

Qinghe's voice was gentle and polite, making it easy for people to ask for favors. After accepting their spirit crystals, they asked for puppets to help with patrols, and Su Qing couldn't refuse, so she readily agreed.

"Fellow Daoist, won't you come in and sit down?" Su Qing really wanted to have more exchanges with this fellow Daoist who was both skilled in combat and had a pleasant way of speaking.

"I think I'll pass. Your place is too small, fellow Daoist..."

Qinghe smiled and disappeared back to the ground.

Su Qing glanced at the hiding place, which was no more than three to five square meters, and sighed inwardly that the small size of the house was indeed something that girls would dislike.

After he saw Helian Xian below release a golden spirit house, he became even more dissatisfied with the living conditions in the hiding cave.

"Make money! I have to make money. I won't go back until I've earned a second-tier spirit house!"

After making a confident remark, he still didn't move, standing inside the Hidden Cave, carefully observing his surroundings.

They planned to wait until late at night, when the lizard warriors were on patrol, to quietly release the wood spirit servants.

Making money is important, but safety is also a concern. He wouldn't feel secure without proper security measures.

(End of this chapter)