Chapter 76: Three-colored Spirit Deer

The Hundred Beasts Mountain Range extends over five thousand li from north to south and more than three thousand li from east to west. It is filled with countless perilous mountains and strange peaks, boasting dense vegetation. The range is named the Hundred Beasts Mountain Range due to the vast number of demonic beasts that inhabit it.

Abundant in spiritual energy, the Hundred Beasts Mountain Range is home to tens of thousands of demonic beasts and a multitude of spiritual herbs. It resembles an unlocked treasure vault, drawing countless cultivators from across the Song Kingdom to hunt beasts and seek herbs.

Each day, hundreds, if not thousands, of immortal cultivators venture into the Hundred Beasts Mountain Range. They either hunt demonic beasts or search for spiritual herbs. This place is rife with both danger and opportunities; some achieve success, while others meet failure.

Those who succeed, upon their return, draw even more cultivators into the Hundred Beasts Mountain Range, including many who consider their own strength exceptional.

Deep within the Hundred Beasts Mountain Range, in a dense forest, Liu Yuerong and two companions walked side by side, their expressions relaxed.

Looking around, the dense forest was filled with towering trees over thirty zhang tall. Dead branches and decaying leaves lay about a chi deep on the ground. The canopy of the large trees blocked most of the sunlight, rendering the forest somewhat dim and humid.

"Junior Sister Liu, Senior Brother Wu, I think we shouldn't go any further. Let's return the way we came! It would be troublesome if we were to encounter a third-rank demonic beast," Nangong Chen suggested after a slight hesitation.

"Hmph, I didn't realize you were such a coward. If you're afraid to die, just go back alone," Wu Tianhu scoffed dismissively. "Junior Sister Liu and I will continue hunting demonic beasts. You can't even grasp such a golden opportunity to get rich; it's no wonder you're still stuck at Foundation Establishment Stage Two."

Wu Tianhu, a body cultivator, possessed some combat experience. While Nangong Chen and Liu Yuerong initially lacked such experience, they started by targeting first-rank demonic beasts. With their formidable magical artifacts, first-rank beasts were no match for them. They also encountered a few second-rank demonic beasts, but these too proved no match for their array of magical artifacts and several powerful talismans.

After roaming the outer reaches of the Hundred Beasts Mountain Range for several days, slaying numerous first-rank demonic beasts and gathering a collection of first-rank spiritual herbs, they had gained considerable combat experience. However, first-rank beasts and herbs no longer satisfied their growing greed, so they began pushing deeper into the mountain range.

After days of battling demonic beasts, they had formulated a strategy for tackling them.

Wu Tianhu, a body cultivator, excelled in close combat. Liu Yuerong, a sword cultivator, could control flying swords to eliminate demonic beasts from afar. Nangong Chen's cultivation method was merely average, but he was fortunate to possess a mid-grade defensive magical artifact.

Whenever they encountered a second-rank demonic beast, Nangong Chen would deploy his defensive magical artifact to protect the group. Liu Yuerong would control her flying sword to eliminate the beast from a distance. If the beast charged, Wu Tianhu would engage it. Should Wu Tianhu be unable to resolve the situation, all three would simultaneously unleash powerful second-rank talismans.

Second-rank demonic beasts were simply no match for the trio. The beasts couldn't even land a blow, let alone harm them.

After slaying more than ten second-rank demonic beasts in succession, Wu Tianhu and Liu Yuerong's confidence exploded. They believed that second-rank demonic beasts were not nearly as formidable as their elders had claimed, considering them mere fish on a chopping board, ready for the taking.

These dozen or so second-rank demonic beasts alone had earned them a small fortune.

Previously, the elixirs, magical artifacts, and talismans they required were provided by their sect elders. Now, having discovered they could easily earn spirit stones on their own, a profound sense of pride began to well up within them.

They concluded that their elders had been fear-mongering and that the cultivation world was not nearly as perilous as they had been told.

Nangong Chen possessed average strength, and his most valuable possession was merely a mid-grade defensive magical artifact. Being rather timid, he considered hunting demonic beasts for spirit stones to be the most foolish endeavor. His Nangong family owned shops in several major markets, engaging in profitable low-buy, high-sell practices, which earned them a substantial amount of spirit stones each year. There was simply no need for him to risk his life battling demonic beasts. Life was unique; one mistake could lead to its permanent loss. Spirit stones could be earned again, but a lost life was gone forever.

Wu Tianhu's parents were both disciples of the Medicine King Valley with ordinary aptitudes. Despite being one of the rare body cultivators in the Medicine King Valley, he did not receive extensive resources. Advancement for body cultivators was far more difficult than for regular cultivators, requiring various spiritual materials that demanded substantial spirit stones. Upon realizing that second-rank demonic beasts posed no real threat to them, he naturally had no desire to cease their hunt.

Liu Yuerong, the sect master's only daughter, actually had no shortage of spirit stones. However, she always requested resources from Liu Hongguang, who would endeavor to satisfy her needs while reminding her to use them frugally. Now, discovering she could easily earn spirit stones herself, a wave of pride naturally washed over her.

Most significantly, many Medicine King Valley disciples privately circulated rumors that her Foundation Establishment was solely attributable to Liu Hongguang's influence. She wished to prove to these gossiping peers that she could achieve Foundation Establishment even without Liu Hongguang, and the demonic beasts slain by her sword were the clearest evidence of this.

"Hmph, no matter how many spirit stones you amass, you need to be alive to spend them," Nangong Chen stated, pursing his lips and analyzing objectively. "Even if we don't encounter a third-rank demonic beast, what if we run into a pack of second-rank ones? That alone would be enough to cause us serious trouble. Junior Sister Liu, I really think we should return to Immortal Fate City at once! You can't constantly walk by the river without eventually getting your shoes wet. Our safety thus far is due to two things: first, our magical artifacts are sharp and our talismans are powerful; second, we've been lucky not to encounter second-rank demonic beasts that live in packs, such as wolf-type beasts. If the demonic beasts in the Hundred Beasts Mountain Range were truly so easy to handle, wouldn't other Foundation Establishment cultivators flock here to hunt them for spirit stones? Are they all fools?"

"This..." Liu Yuerong conceded, feeling Nangong Chen's words made sense. If second-rank demonic beasts were so easy to defeat, why wouldn't other Foundation Establishment cultivators flock here to eliminate them?

Just then, Wu Tianhu exclaimed loudly, "Junior Sister Liu, there are two mid-grade second-rank Three-Colored Spirit Deer up ahead!"

Liu Yuerong looked in the direction Wu Tianhu pointed. Several hundred zhang ahead, on a flat expanse, two spirit deer, each about a zhang tall and adorned with three-colored markings on their backs, were drinking water by a lake.

Spirit deer were valuable creatures; these two mid-grade second-rank Three-Colored Spirit Deer would undoubtedly fetch a considerable sum of spirit stones. Live specimens could command an even higher price.

Nangong Chen frowned, stating with a hint of displeasure, "If you two want to go, then go. I'm heading back to Immortal Fate City."

"Senior Brother Nangong, how about we capture these two Three-Colored Spirit Deer, and then immediately return to Immortal Fate City?" Liu Yuerong suggested with a charming smile, her beautiful eyes sparkling.

"This... alright!" Nangong Chen hesitated for a moment before agreeing. "But it's settled, no backing out."

With two mid-grade second-rank Three-Colored Spirit Deer right before them, it was an opportunity too good to let slip away.

A large patch of bushes lay between them and the Three-Colored Spirit Deer, which, because of the obstruction, had not yet detected their presence.

Three-Colored Spirit Deer were extremely timid, prone to scattering and fleeing at the slightest disturbance. Yet, every part of these spirit beasts was valuable; their antlers and blood could be used to refine elixirs. Consequently, due to overhunting by cultivators, wild Three-Colored Spirit Deer were now a rare sight.

After a brief discussion, Nangong Chen and Liu Yuerong each affixed a low-grade second-rank Shadow Concealment Talisman to themselves and cautiously advanced towards the Three-Colored Spirit Deer.

They carried a magical artifact known as the Demon Binding Rope, capable of capturing Three-Colored Spirit Deer alive. However, they needed to remain close to the deer, as deploying the rope from too far away would instantly alert the creatures.

Ten steps, twenty steps, thirty steps... Nangong Chen and Liu Yuerong cautiously advanced towards the two Three-Colored Spirit Deer. Just as they were about a hundred zhang away, a sudden gust of wind blew from behind Nangong Chen.

Nangong Chen inwardly cursed; he knew Three-Colored Spirit Deer possessed an incredibly keen sense of smell. He had inadvertently stepped on demonic beast droppings earlier in the dense forest, and with this gust of wind, the Three-Colored Spirit Deer would undoubtedly pick up the scent.

"Junior Sister Liu, act!" Nangong Chen shouted, summoning a blue rope. As soon as he channeled his magic power, his Shadow Concealment Talisman would become ineffective.

The suddenness of the event left the Three-Colored Spirit Deer no time to react. The blue rope swiftly coiled around the limbs of one Three-Colored Spirit Deer, causing it to collapse to the ground, where it struggled incessantly.

They had initially agreed to advance thirty more steps before making a move, but Nangong Chen's sudden action caught Liu Yuerong off guard, causing her to react a beat too slowly.

Seizing this opportunity, the other Three-Colored Spirit Deer darted its limbs and sprinted towards a nearby valley.

Its speed was astonishing; in a single flash, it covered four or five zhang.

Before Liu Yuerong could fully process what had happened, the other Three-Colored Spirit Deer had already disappeared into the valley.

Naturally unwilling to let it escape, Liu Yuerong, fueled by frustration, cast the Wind Manipulation Art and gave chase.

Witnessing this, Wu Tianhu immediately followed in pursuit.

Nangong Chen hesitated for a moment, then deployed a spirit beast pouch, collecting the bound Three-Colored Spirit Deer within it, before joining the pursuit.