Chapter 6

The Black Wind Ridge was situated southwest of Gourain City.

Around dusk, the winds were bellowing.

Le Xaan bought a broad saber from a blacksmith and then headed for the place.

He did not plan to really reach there but to test his own martial arts on the road leading to the Ridge.

He had no intention of revealing his proficiency in the Black Tiger Blade Style to anyone, which could be employed by him as a trump-card.

In everyone's eyes, Le Xaan was nothing more than a feeble wealthy second generation without any combat capabilities.

With such misguided notions, if anyone were of a mind to attack him, they might well find the table turned by Le Xaan.

Of course, all of this depended on whether Le Xaan's martial arts were exceptional enough or not.

Le Xaan had no idea where Black Wind Ridge was or the distance between Gourian City and it.

In Gourian City, there was no curfew, and the city gates were open even at night. Le Xaan changed into a loose, large outfit and donned a mask. He was currently appearing more like an unassuming traveler.

Under the nightfall, Le Xaan went out of the city.

He gazed into the distance; the pitch-black mountains and ridges resembled colossal monsters in a sound slumber, lying there under the moonlight.

Standing at the city gate, Le Xaan summoned up his courage and stepped forward.

Jingle tingle, jingle tingle...

A caravan on their way back was going into the city.

The bells around the horses' necks were jingling at the mercy of a gust of wind; their sounds drifted over.

Le Xaan went out of the city from one of the side-gates.

The configuration of Gourian City's city wall could be considered as strange; there were numerous city gates and thus the city wall never granted Gourian City enough protection at all, since too many spots were open to attack.

"You come back at night as the past few days."

"It couldn't be helped... it's too dark on the road, and one of the carriage's wheels was broken and needed to fixed. Too much bad luck... "

At the main city gate, the conversations could be heard from far away between the head of the caravan and one of the city guardians.

Le Xaan was at one of the side gates with a narrow path.

Under the vaulting ceiling, two burning torches hung, creating a dim light that allowed for clear vision within a half-meter radius.

"The place bears a semblance to ancient times on Earth... "Le Xaan sighed inwardly.

The area outside the city was pitch-black all over.

"With no flashlight or streetlight, wilderness was the best place for wild animals to hunt their preys, including humans."

Le Xaan hesitated for a moment, but his martial prowess vanquished his fear.

Furthermore, the Back Tiger Blade Style's mental scripture taught him how to adjust to a dark environment.

A black tiger was a predator itself in the darkness; the mental scripture had schooled him in telling an enemy's location by feeling the flow of air.

After tightening his belt, Le held the broad saber tight and quickened his pace down the road.

A while later, he took out a flint from his waist pouch and removed a torch from his back.

He put a piece of flint on the torch and then rubbed it with another piece.

Pa!

A series of sparks flew over the torch.

A tongue of flame arose, and then the torch began to blaze.

Finally, an illumination appeared in the darkness.

Le Xaan looked back and discovered that the lighting from Gourian City was rather dim for him.

With the torch in hand, he proceeded forward.

"According to those hunters, wild wolves haunt this place. But it still depends on my luck whether to come across them or not."

He did not have the guts to head for the Black Wind Ridge, since he knew of the existence of demons and ghosts in this world. And thus, he decided to stay not too far away from Gourain City.

If not for the fact that he found no means to test his martial prowess within the city, he would definitely come here to try his luck.

Before long, he spotted some traces left by wild wolves --- piles of grayish-white oval-shaped droppings.

Le Xaan picked a stone and then prodded the dropping with it.

The feces had already hardened and, upon breaking it apart, revealed some nail-like objects from within.

"That's it... The piece of shit must have been here for several days. He recalls the old hunter mentioning that he had seen the wolves here yesterday "

Le Xaan, holding the torch in hand, drew his blade from its sheath behind his waist.

The broad saber had a handle as long as that of a sickle.

Holding the hefty blade in one hand proved a little awkward for Le Xaan.

Thus, he stuck the torch into a crevice of the rocks beside him.

All around him was stony ground with few trees. So, he wasn't afraid of sparking a wildfire.

After securing the torch firmly in place, he took out a paper wrapping from his waistband. Enclosed within was a slab of fresh pork.

He unfolded the wrapping and laid it on the ground.

The meat was still bloody, its pungent smell carried away by the wind.

Le Xaan situated himself behind a large boulder, seeking cover, and began to wait.

The wind was biting cold.

Le Xaan held himself firmly against the rock while looking over at the bait from time to time.

Time dragged on slowly.

"Whoo..."

Soon, a spate of flickering sounds drifted over, sounding either like the wind's moan or the howls of some type of animal.

Suddenly, a dark silhouette sprang out from the shadows, its emerald eyes piercing through the darkness.