Chapter 202: Reliable
Following behind them were twenty to thirty people, all wearing uniform attire with the same emblem on their chests. They were clearly from the same faction!
"So this is Wo Hu Mountain? It seems the rumors about it have some truth to them."
The man in the lead said indifferently, gazing at the deep, dark mountain peak.
"Brother Chen, what should we do? Wo Hu Mountain is said to be very dangerous. Wouldn't it be a bit reckless for us to enter so rashly?"
A young man asked in a low voice, his tone fearful as he glanced at the people around him.
Brother Chen turned around, his narrow phoenix eyes staring coldly at the young man. "You're scared?"
Startled by the question, the young man hastily retreated a few steps. He swallowed hard and said, "Brother Chen, I wouldn't dare. It's just that Wo Hu Mountain is too dangerous. What if…"
SLAP!
Before the young man could finish, Brother Chen slapped him across the face. The blow nearly sent the young man sprawling to the ground.
Brother Chen snorted coldly. "Too much nonsense. Since you've decided to follow me, you need to learn the rules. If you don't want to live, you can get lost right now."
The young man was stunned by the slap. He had never expected Brother Chen to suddenly strike him. It was completely beyond his expectations.
He stared blankly at Brother Chen and stammered, "Bro… Brother Chen, I…"
"Don't call me Brother Chen. Remember this: you're nothing but one of my dogs. All you need to do is listen and obey. Let me tell you, if you want to follow me, then if I tell you to live, you live, and if I tell you to die, you die. Understand?"
Brother Chen said coldly, his tone icy and unyielding.
This man was a disciple from a side branch of the Chen Clan. Although he was much weaker than the disciples from the direct lineage, he still didn't dare to defy Brother Chen.
The young man clutched his swollen right cheek and said through gritted teeth, "Brother Chen, I understand. Please rest assured, from now on, I will follow your every command!"
"So you are teachable. I hope you don't disappoint me."
Brother Chen nodded in satisfaction, then immediately led the way into Wo Hu Mountain.
The young man glared fiercely at Brother Chen's back, his fists clenched tightly and his heart surging with overwhelming hatred.
Brother Chen's actions just now had left him feeling utterly humiliated, but for now, he could only swallow his resentment and endure it. He wasn't willing to leave this branch of the Chen Clan just like that.
Although he was also a Martial Artist, he wasn't well-regarded due to his side-branch origins, which was why he had chosen to seek refuge with this man. But now that Brother Chen had struck him in public, he hated him to the bone.
'Just you wait. The day the Elders take notice of me, I'll definitely kill you!'
The young man cursed viciously under his breath but had no choice but to follow them.
Lin Feng rested for a night in a mountain hollow. The next morning, he prepared to continue his journey.
He could clearly sense that the trees around him were becoming sparser, and he had walked for at least a hundred kilometers without encountering any cliffs. This told him that he had likely chosen the correct route this time.
After walking a few more kilometers, Lin Feng suddenly spotted a mark he had left on a large tree. He froze for a moment, then seemed to remember something.
"Oh, right. I left the brown bear hide and claws here and haven't retrieved them yet."
Lin Feng slapped his forehead and chuckled. He turned, walked a hundred meters to his left, and retrieved the bearskin he had buried underground. He then used a rope to tie it into a bundle.
The brown bearskin was enormous, and it took even Lin Feng a tremendous amount of effort just to tie it up properly.
After hoisting it onto his back, Lin Feng shifted from side to side, and only after confirming that it didn't hinder his movements did he continue forward.
"Hmm?"
After walking for less than half a kilometer, Lin Feng realized he seemed to be lost.
He realized the path he was on seemed to be circling back. This would only waste more of his time, which was the last thing he wanted.
But he couldn't just charge ahead recklessly. If he stumbled upon a ferocious beast or into a trap, he would waste even more time.
'Oh well, if I took a wrong turn, I took a wrong turn.'
Lin Feng gave a wry smile. This kind of situation was unavoidable. After all, Wo Hu Mountain was simply too vast. If he hadn't spent half the night scouting the area, he might have truly gotten lost.
Lin Feng looked around. He was in a dense jungle, surrounded by towering ancient trees with lush foliage that blotted out the sky.
Lin Feng stood still, closed his eyes to carefully analyze his surroundings, and then, with a faint smile, walked straight ahead.
The flora in this part of the jungle was peculiar. An ordinary person would easily get lost upon entering, perhaps even becoming trapped until they died, but that was not the case for Lin Feng.
This was because Lin Feng knew there was a mysterious connection between these plants. As long as he could find the pattern, he could use them to determine his direction and move forward quickly.
He followed a small path through the middle of the forest, pausing every so often to observe his surroundings and determine the correct way forward before leisurely continuing on.
The trees here were extremely tall and dense, their canopies blocking out the sky entirely. No sunlight could penetrate, resulting in an erratic climate that was perpetually damp and overcast.
He had already encountered quite a few wild beasts along this path, but not a single one had managed to harm him.
But as Lin Feng continued onward, his brow suddenly furrowed. From up ahead, he abruptly heard the sound of numerous footsteps.
From the sound of it, there were at least ten people.
'What faction would send so many people out here now?'
His brows knitted together as he immediately raised his guard. Logically, there should be no sign of ordinary people from the secular world in Wo Hu Mountain at this time.
The only ones capable of being here were either from the hidden sects or were Ancient Martial Artists from the secular world.
The hidden sects could be ruled out, as they would have arrived long ago when the news first broke. As for Cultivators, they were, in some ways, far smarter than the hidden sects; they certainly wouldn't be foolish enough to come treasure-hunting in Wo Hu Mountain at this time.
'Thinking it through, only one possibility remained: Ancient Martial Artists from the secular world. But what would they be doing here in Wo Hu Mountain?'
'Their goal must be the same as the hidden sects—they're here for the Red Flame Fruit.'
Lin Feng grew vigilant. He slowly crept toward the source of the footsteps and crouched down in the tall grass.
Soon, several men dressed in black martial attire appeared in his line of sight. They all looked to be in their early twenties, but they had powerful builds and exuded an aura of killing intent. They were clearly seasoned fighters.