In the world of martial arts, grind your skill level to become a saint.

"I'm just trying it out; if this path is too difficult, then I'll give up."

Su Hao nodded.

He was naturally aware of the many dangers lurking in the Dayan Mountains.

But if ordinary people can go into the mountains to hunt and make a living, why can't he, as a cultivator, do the same?

Moreover, he didn't have the financial means to support himself in staying in the city to cultivate.

"You really are..." Zhou Zhengtang shook his head helplessly.

Knowing that Su Hao had made up his mind, further persuasion would not be of much use.

That's how this guy has always been; once he's made up his mind, it's hard to change it. Last time, I tried to persuade him to join the Yue Shan Quan martial arts discussion, but he still refused in the end.

"Since that's the case, then so be it. Most of the hunters who hunt strange beasts are in the Shilipo area outside the city, near the foot of Yanshan Mountain. It used to be a small village, but because it's the most convenient place to enter and exit Yanshan Mountain, it often attracts people from the city who make a living off the mountain. Over time, it has become an outer town. If you ask around there, you should be able to find a hunter to guide you, but you'll need this..."

Zhou Zhengtang pinched his index finger and thumb together and gestured.

Su Hao nodded slightly upon hearing this, understanding in his heart.

This is normal, since he's going to Yanshan to hunt and learn how to make a living from other people's skills.

Therefore, some price must be paid.

However, now that Su Hao has taken over the rice business and has regular income, plus his temporary position at Zhou's Pharmacy, paying these tuition fees is nothing.

"However, before and after we enter the mountains, I still need to make it clear to you that the dangers in these mountains are sometimes not just poisonous insects and wild beasts, but also the wickedness of people's hearts. Every year, quite a few people lose their lives in Yanshan, and at least half of them die unnatural deaths."

Zhou Zhengtang took it very seriously.

His family runs a business buying and selling medicinal herbs, so they are very familiar with the situation in Yanshan.

The herb gatherers who supplied the Zhou family's pharmacy changed batch after batch each year.

Apart from a few groups of people who have been active in collecting herbs, it is rare to see other lone hunters persisting for several years.

"Yes, thanks for the reminder, Brother Zhou. I'll be careful."

Su Hao nodded.

After chatting for a while, Zhou Zhengtang said he had to go back to his family matters.

Due to the power struggles in Yanshan City recently, many shops and businesses in Zhoujia City have been affected, so Zhou Zhengtang has gone from a carefree young master to a very busy man.

Su Hao naturally didn't want to waste the other party's time, so after saying goodbye to Zhou Zhengtang, he got up and left the Zhou residence.

After leaving the Zhou residence, Su Hao did not immediately go home, but instead returned to the blacksmith shop on Blackwater Street to prepare to modify the crossbow in his hand.

This time, Su Hao decided to go out of the city to hunt exotic beasts. Who knows what dangers he might encounter? It's always good to be prepared.

As for why he didn't learn archery?

Because Su Hao had limited time, and the crossbow was simpler and more powerful than the mainstream archery techniques of the time, both in terms of power and ease of use.

This is why the Great Wu Dynasty banned crossbows but not arrows.

In addition, Su Hao also used wooden boards and sheet metal to drill holes and thread leather ropes through them, creating a simple plate armor that was easy to wear.

This is naturally done to prevent possible man-made attacks by the enemy.

Dayanshan is rich in resources, but it also presents both dangers and opportunities. Faced with sufficient benefits, people's hearts are always easily tempted.

Zhou Zhengtang's words had given him a wake-up call, which he naturally wouldn't ignore.

the next day.

Su Hao changed his clothes and set off early in the morning for Shilipo outside the city.

Shilipo is located about five miles north of the city, not far from Yanshan City.

This is also the only town area in the entire Yanshan City located outside the city walls.

It is also the place where the most herb gatherers and hunters gather in the entire Yanshan City.

Finding the hunter who would guide them was not as difficult as Su Hao had imagined.

However, after wandering around the town for a while, Su Hao hired a middle-aged hunter named He Dazhong for five taels of silver.

He Dazhong was of medium height, with a large beard, thick eyebrows and big eyes. Because he spent many years in the mountains and forests, he was unkempt and looked very rough, like a wild man.

After learning that the other party had over ten years of hunting experience and had successfully hunted some exotic beasts, Su Hao approached him and hired him to hunt for five days.

Faced with Su Hao's high price, He Dazhong, who was usually quite stern, also smiled and spoke very politely.

Although he didn't know why someone who could come up with five taels of silver at once would deliberately choose to hunt in the dangerous Dayan Mountain.

But nobody would turn down money.

Su Hao and I bought some hunting tools in the market, including a water bottle, antidote powder, hemostatic powder, fire tinder, rope, bow and arrow, short knife, and animal bag, etc.

The two then entered the mountains from the north side of Shilipo and began to advance along the mountain path.

As they ventured deeper into the mountains, the surrounding forests grew increasingly dense, and the light became dimmer.

It was autumn, and the mountain wind swept by, causing yellow leaves to flutter down. The sunlight filtering through the branches cast dappled patterns on the ground, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.

rustling...

Su Hao and He Dazhong walked one after the other through the dense forest.

He Dazhong led the way, occasionally slashing at the branches and vines blocking his path with his short knife, while also searching the ground with his eyes.

The basic common sense of hunting is to learn to observe and track the tracks left by prey. This not only makes it easier to find prey, but also helps avoid accidentally entering the territory of wild animals and saves your life.

"Brother Su, when I hunt, besides leaving marks along the way to avoid getting lost, I also need to pay attention to the time. Usually, around 3 PM, I have to head back. The mountains are much more dangerous at night than during the day, as many ferocious animals are only active at night."

He Dazhong stopped in his tracks, pulled off a dead tree branch, and picked out a colorful caterpillar hidden among the leaves before continuing, "If we hunt large prey and it's too heavy to move, we fire a whistle to call for help from the surrounding hunters. We discuss the distribution of the reward and move it together. However, there are some risks involved. After all, you can't see into someone's heart, and people's hearts are the most unpredictable in these deep mountains and forests."

"However, you'll understand these rules once you've been around for a while, but you should always be wary of everyone."

As He Dazhong walked, he whispered his hunting tips to everyone.

Su Hao followed behind, occasionally responding with a word.

The two of them had caught nothing on their journey except for a wild rabbit that He Dazhong had hunted.

He Dazhong was mostly passing on his experience, so he didn't deliberately look for prey.

"Brother He, you mentioned hunting a strange beast in Yanshan. Is that place far from here?"

Su Hao had no interest in hunting ordinary prey, so he quickly changed the subject and brought up the exotic beasts.

"It's not far. After passing the Yinfeng Ravine ahead and crossing the river valley, we'll arrive. Come to think of it, the few times I've encountered strange beasts, it wasn't because I actively sought them out. Rather, I discovered their nests by chance, and then went back to make thorough preparations before successfully hunting them down."

Lin Dazhong said with a smile.