This Martial Saint is Too Cautious

Zhou Yuanqing was standing with about ten Martial Artists on either side. When he saw Lin Yan’s figure, Zhou Yuanqing was taken aback for a moment, then quickly walked over. "Young Master Lin."

"Brother Zhou, I’m planning to go into the mountains for a patrol."

Hearing Lin Yan’s words, Zhou Yuanqing smiled. "Should I arrange for some men to accompany you, Young Master Lin?"

"That won’t be necessary."

At the refusal, a knowing look appeared on Zhou Yuanqing’s face. He knew what Lin Yan was really planning to do in the mountains.

"In that case, I wish Young Master Lin a fruitful journey."

Zhou Yuanqing gave a sly chuckle and lowered his voice. Lin Yan just smiled faintly and didn’t respond.

After Lin Yan’s figure disappeared through the entrance, the smile vanished from Zhou Yuanqing’s face. He beckoned to a Martial Artist by his side. "Report to Second Master Zhao that Young Master Lin has entered the mountains."

...

After entering the mountains and passing through the narrow, throat-like mouth of Eagle’s Beak Gorge, the world suddenly opened up before Lin Yan.

Unlike the sheer cliffs of the outside world, the inside of the mountain range was a completely different scene.

Rolling mountains stretched on endlessly, with overlapping peaks and ridges. Ancient trees soared into the sky, blotting out the sun.

He didn’t rush deeper in. Instead, he first found a high rocky outcrop, climbed it, and observed the surrounding terrain from his high vantage point, comparing it with the map in his pocket to get his bearings.

His current position was about five li inside the entrance of Eagle’s Beak Gorge, which was part of the outer region of the mountain range.

According to the map’s markings, the terrain in this area was relatively gentle. There weren’t many ferocious beasts, and consequently, not many precious medicinal herbs either.

’There are, however, plenty of common herbs. If I were to pick a basketful, I could sell it for over ten taels. But I have no use for these herbs myself, and if I really did that, Brother Hai would probably beat me up once word got out. It would be too embarrassing for the Third Branch.’

With a hint of regret, Lin Yan dismissed the thought. He put away his map, leaped down from the rock, and followed a stream bed deeper into the mountains.

He didn’t move quickly, but his steps were very light.

The subtlety of his Smoke-Stepping Technique was on full display on the rugged mountain path.

His toes tapped across gravel, withered branches, and fallen leaves, making almost no sound. His entire body moved like a wisp of green smoke drifting through the mountain forest.

As he walked, he observed the surrounding terrain and the growth patterns of the vegetation.

The *True Understanding of Earth Veins* stated: "Water follows the mountains; mountains end where water stops. The gathering and scattering of Earth Qi can be known by observing water. Where water flows away, Qi scatters. Where water converges, Qi gathers."

Following the flow of Earth Qi, Lin Yan ventured deeper and deeper, until the sunlight could barely penetrate the canopy, and the forest grew as dim as dusk.

SWISH!

Suddenly, a cold glint flashed from the scabbard at Lin Yan’s waist. Directly in front of him, a three-foot-long brocade snake fell from above, its head already shredded by Sword Qi, sending bits of flesh scattering to the ground.

’A White King Snake. Not bad. Enough for a meal.’

Lin Yan tossed the snake’s carcass into a cloth bag at his waist, his gaze fixed on something up ahead.

Not far ahead, a cluster of Dark Red fungi grew on a dead old tree stump. The edges of their caps were tinged with purple, making them particularly conspicuous in the dim forest.

’Lingzhi?’

Lin Yan took a few steps closer to examine it carefully.

’Unfortunately, it wasn’t the Treasure Medicine Purple Lingzhi, just an ordinary Red Lingzhi. Still, it’s quite old and can nourish one’s Qi Blood.’

As evening approached, Lin Yan stopped his search and chose an open hilltop to rest.

After finding the Red Lingzhi, he had successively discovered many more medicinal herbs: twenty-year-old Codonopsis and whole patches of Dendrobium, all of considerable value.

Dinner was the snake meat he had hunted and a wild pheasant, served with some fresh wild mushrooms and wild onions. The aroma was enticing.

After his meal, Lin Yan practiced the Smoke-Stepping Technique for half an hour. Then, he consumed a Bone Tempering Pill and began his Cultivation, using its Medicinal Power.

...

...

「The next day.」

While walking on a ridge, Lin Yan stopped, his eyes falling on the ground before him.

On the grass ahead lay a pile of black ash.

Lin Yan walked over and crouched down. He picked up a pinch of the black ash with his fingers, brought it to his nose to smell it, and then gently rubbed it between his fingertips.

’The ash is dry and loose, not caked together, which means it hasn’t been soaked by rain.’

He looked up at the sky. It had been clear for days, with no rain recently. ’However, the mountain dew is heavy at night. If these ashes were from seven days ago, they would have been damp and caked to some degree, perhaps even with a fine layer of mold on the surface. But this pile, though slightly damp, still feels like powder when I rub it. It can’t be more than three days old.’

Lin Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly. Whether it was a Lin Family herb-gathering team, a hunting party, or the Martial Artists guarding the entrance, every entry into the mountains was logged with a specific time.

He had seen the register at Brother Yuan’s post; no one had entered the mountains in the last three days.

’A Martial Artist who came in from another entrance?’

Pulling his gaze away from the black ash, Lin Yan scanned his surroundings before choosing to press forward, his steps now even lighter and his presence more concealed than before.

The discovery of the ashes had set off alarm bells in his mind.

’Ashes less than three days old means there’s someone else in these mountains—and not someone registered with the Lin Family, or at least not one of Brother Yuan’s Martial Artists. I have to be more careful.’

Normally, upon finding signs of human activity, Lin Yan would have changed direction to avoid them, but not this time.

According to his survey of the Earth Qi’s flow, the strongest current in the vicinity was converging straight ahead. ’There has to be something good up there.’

Half an hour later, upon entering a dense forest, Lin Yan suddenly stopped.

’Something’s wrong.’

’It’s too quiet.’

His right hand moved imperceptibly to rest on the scabbard at his waist.

"Come on out."

There was no response.

Lin Yan didn’t repeat himself. He just stood there quietly, his right hand resting on his scabbard, his gaze calm as he stared ahead.

Ten breaths.

Twenty breaths.

Thirty breaths.

"Quite clever."