Chapter 10: Into the Mountains

When the next day arrived, Ling Yue approached her mother and recounted the details of the scuffle and her agreement with Ye Qing from the previous day. "Mother, I no longer wish to go to the martial hall. I want to enter the mountain for a month."

She had expected a round of scolding, but without saying a word, Ye Huangyu went into the house and brought out a bundle containing three days' worth of food and a bottle of liniment—a type of medicinal alcohol used to ease pain and bruises.

"Ling Yue, you're old enough now. Whether or not you hold onto grudges is your choice. Your martial arts may have progressed quickly in recent months, but without real combat experience, they're still of little use. This is the bundle I've prepared for your trip. I won't ask for much—just come back in one piece and defeat Ye Qing in the clan's assessment next month. That will be enough for me."

Every word Ye Huangyu spoke was etched deeply into Ling Yue's heart.

"Mother, if I come across a young wild beast in the mountains, how can I tame it?" Ling Yue suddenly asked before leaving.

The little fox in her Grand Mist Sky space was adorable, but it was also far too alert and quick. There was no way she could catch it by normal means.

Yesterday, she had even left it a bowl of goat milk, but it hadn't touched it at all. Clearly, the little creature wasn't fond of such things.

Maybe she needed to think of another way to tame it.

Ye Huangyu had spent much of her life in the mountains and was no stranger to wild beasts. She used to bring small animals like rabbits home for Ling Yue to keep as pets, but Ye Qing and his gang would always steal them away and roast them for food. After seeing this happen repeatedly, Ye Huangyu had stopped bringing them altogether to avoid upsetting her daughter.

"An adult wild beast can't be tamed by ordinary means. But if you encounter a cub, try feeding it chopped herbs or raw meat. That said, wild beasts are just animals. They don't understand human nature, so taming them is mostly pointless. But if it's a spirit beast cub, that's a different story," Ye Huangyu said casually.

"What's the difference between a wild beast and a spirit beast?" Ling Yue asked, remembering the little fox's speed and agility—far beyond that of a normal animal.

"Spirit beasts can understand human nature and can form a spirit contract with humans. But only large secular schools have records on how to form such contracts. Within Da Xia's borders, spirit beasts are rare and mostly come from noble bloodlines. They won't enter into a contract easily." Ye Huangyu, nearing thirty, had only seen a spirit beast once in a major city of Da Xia.

From her mother's explanation, Ling Yue learned that spirit beasts in Da Xia were ranked into nine levels—nine being the highest, one the lowest. In Autumn Maple Town, the beasts that roamed the wilderness were typically low- to mid-level.

"Ling Yue, when you enter the mountains, you're only allowed to stay in the outer area. Never climb to the peak," her mother warned firmly.

With her current cultivation at the third level of body training, Ling Yue could handle mid-level beasts. But the peak, sparsely populated and full of high-level threats, was far too dangerous.

After receiving more warnings and guidance, Ling Yue packed up and left the northern manor.

But before entering the mountains, she made a quick stop at the medicinal shop.

Since she had broken through to the third level of the body training realm, the Vitality Condensing Liquid no longer had any effect on her.

She knew that the older a Vitality Condensing Grass plant was, the more valuable it became—especially wild strands that had matured for over ten years. In her Grand Mist Sky space, one day of growth equaled a full year outside. Thanks to this, she had stockpiled quite a few spirit grasses over the past month, perfect for selling now.

Inside the shop, the same shopkeeper from her first visit was staring blankly at the entrance. Ever since that day half a month ago, he had been doing this constantly, hoping to see his "little lucky star" again.

And now, spotting her familiar figure, he rushed forward to greet her.

"You're here! Are you selling Vitality Condensing Grass again?" he asked eagerly.

"I have ten strands that are fifteen years old, twenty that are ten years old, and the rest are three to four years," Ling Yue said, laying the grasses on the counter.

The shopkeeper didn't even bother inspecting them. He immediately brought out the money.

"Shopkeeper, you gave me ten percent more than what we agreed," Ling Yue said with a puzzled look after counting the money.

"That extra ten percent is a bonus. If you bring more Vitality Condensing Grass in the future, we'll buy it all," he said, smiling so broadly that his eyes almost disappeared.

The spirit grasses were a goldmine. The extra silver he gave her was nothing compared to the profits he'd make selling them in the city.

To him, it was a small gesture. But to Ling Yue, it meant a great deal.

Including the two silver she earned today, her total savings now came to twenty-two silver.

Without wasting words, Ling Yue bought some insect repellent powder and was about to leave when she overheard a conversation nearby.

"Shopkeeper, we're out of Qingmu fruits. Without them, we can't make any more liniment," a clerk said urgently.

Liniment was a common remedy for bruises and could be made in any average pharmacy. But one of its key ingredients was Qingmu fruit.

"Then we'll stop selling liniment for now. You know Qingmu fruits only grow around Seven Star Mountain, and lately, herb gatherers have been attacked by wild beasts in that area. Some were even killed. Who would risk going there now?" The shopkeeper sighed.

Hearing this, Ling Yue glanced at the Qingmu fruit in the assistant's hand and silently committed its appearance to memory.