This martial saint is too cautious.

Great Smoky Mountains!

Lin Yan's figure moved through the mountains and forests; this time, he had been in the mountains for more than an hour.

After the second skin resurfacing treatment, breathing became more sustained and longer, and the effects of the antidote pills lasted longer.

However, Lin Yan was not very satisfied with the harvest from this trip into the mountains. So far, he had only found a few kinds of medicinal herbs, and none of them were particularly old.

The book "True Explanation of Earth Veins" states: In winter, the earth's energy returns to its hidden state, like a snake entering its hole or lying dormant in the abyss. It cannot be seen without deep digging, nor can it be observed without quiet waiting. The earth is closed and dormant, and the energy returns to its roots. Therefore, the earth's surface is devoid of luster, and the grass and trees are colorless. This is not because the earth's energy is declining, but because it is accumulating strength to await the spring's sprouting.

In layman's terms, it means that the earth's energy is hidden in winter, making it difficult to find and judge by the growth of vegetation.

"Forget it, let's wait until next year."

With the year-end approaching, he was preparing to return to the city.

Just as Lin Yan was about to leave, his ears perked up slightly, he bent down and looked to his left.

A faint sound came from the woods to the left. If he hadn't undergone a second skin smoothing process that enhanced his senses, he might not have been able to detect it.

A few breaths later, the sound grew louder and louder, and four figures appeared a few feet away. However, due to the mountain fog, Lin Yan could not see their faces clearly, but the four of them also could not detect Lin Yan hiding a few feet away.

"The terrain here is good, let's set it up here."

Four figures stopped, and a voice came. Then Lin Yan saw the four people squat down for a moment. Before Lin Yan could see their actions clearly, a strong smell of blood hit his nose.

Blood!

Lin Yan's eyes narrowed; he knew what the four had done.

The four men spilled some kind of blood around them.

It shouldn't be human blood, because the stench is too strong.

In the dead of winter, spilling blood in the mountains—was it to lure wild animals?

"Alright, the bait has been laid. Let's leave here and come back in an hour. That beast has a very sensitive nose; it can smell a person from a great distance. Once it smells you, it will definitely not show itself."

Those who can reach this place are at least martial artists who have undergone skin resurrection for many years, and may even be martial artists who have undergone skin resurrection twice.

Lin Yan didn't want to cause trouble, so he didn't show himself for fear of causing unnecessary misunderstandings. He originally planned to leave after the four people left, but when he heard this voice, his eyes flashed with cold light.

He recognized the voice; it was the same Li, the steward from the Prince's Mansion, who had come to test him after he killed the Qingshui Gang.

Since he's encountered it, he doesn't intend to leave.

A few dozen breaths later, the four figures completely disappeared into the miasma. Lin Yan, however, remained motionless, still lying in the bushes, waiting for a full quarter of an hour to confirm that Li Guiyi and the other three were not feigning departure to test him from the shadows, but had truly gone far away, before slowly getting up.

Instead of immediately stepping forward, he retreated several dozen feet, then circled around and returned from another direction.

Lin Yan stood in the area where Li Guiyi and the other three had stood. The withered leaves on the ground were stained with blood, and there was a small piece of minced meat that emitted an extremely foul, fishy smell.

It seems that these bits of meat are the so-called bait.

He never intended to hide in the shadows and do the work of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

That steward, Mr. Li, is a second-level skin-sharpening martial artist. The strength of the other three is unknown, so doing this is too risky.

However, now that they've run into each other, he won't let Butler Li and his group's plans succeed so easily.

Lin Yan unbuckled his belt and, without hesitation, first aimed at the minced meat, then placed a ring of water around it.

Many wild animals mark their territory with urine and feces. Since that beast has such a keen sense of smell, it should also be able to smell the scent it left behind and will not come here again.

After doing all this, Lin Yan left from another direction, not returning to his residence in the town, but heading directly towards the county seat.

……

An hour later, Li Guiyi and his three companions reappeared in the mountains. Looking at the intact pieces of flesh on the ground, Li Guiyi's expression was extremely grim.

The pieces of flesh were still there, but there was no sign of the beast.

"Steward Li, could the rumors be wrong, or is there really no Purple Velvet Beast in the Great Fog Mountain?"

"Shut up!"

Li Guiyi stared coldly at the man who spoke: "Have you forgotten all the rules we followed before we came?"

"Steward Li, please calm down."

The man trembled and quickly apologized when Li Guiyi stared at him. However, he was somewhat unconvinced. Butler Li was being too cautious, worried that there might be someone in the mountains and forbidding him from mentioning the name of the Purple Velvet Beast. In this deep mountain forest, filled with miasma, how could there possibly be anyone hiding there?

Li Guiyi shifted his gaze from the man, and the next moment his figure flashed as he began searching the surroundings. Only after confirming that there were no lurking people around did he stop.

"Could it be that I was overthinking things just now?"

Li Guiyi also breathed a sigh of relief. He was naturally suspicious, and the fact that the Purple-furred Beast hadn't appeared made him suspect that someone was lurking around.

He could not afford to be careless about this matter. The Purple Velvet Beast was a precious medicine, and there was a high probability that it would allow a second-stage Skin-Refining martial artist to successfully break through and enter the third-stage Skin-Refining realm.

Once the news leaks out, all the forces in the county will be mobilized.

The news about the Purple Velvet Beast was definitely true. Under his interrogation, the hunter dared not lie. The only possibility was that the Purple Velvet Beast might not be in this area and had not been able to smell the fragrant musk meat he had prepared for it.

Looking at the Xiangyun musk meat on the ground, Li Guiyi felt a pang of heartache. A pound of Xiangyun musk meat cost a hundred taels of silver, and with the secret medicine he used to stir and refine it, this bait alone was worth two hundred taels of silver.

If he could capture the Purple Velvet Beast, it would certainly be worthwhile, but now that the Purple Velvet Beast has vanished without a trace, his heart is bleeding.

There's no way to gather a second batch of bait in a short time; we'll have to wait until next spring.

……

……

On the third day after returning to the county town, Lin Yan went to the Tang residence for a banquet.

The banquet hall in the Tang residence, which was specially set up to entertain these nominally appointed martial artists, had four tables set up, and quite a few guests were already seated.

Lin Yan quickly glanced around the banquet hall but couldn't find a single familiar face. Captain Ji wasn't there, and he didn't recognize anyone else.

While Lin Yan was sizing up the other martial artists who had undergone secondary skin retouching, they were also sizing him up.

Because of his background and the fact that he had only been practicing martial arts for less than a year, Lin Yan was still an unknown figure in the martial arts circle of Guangping County.

The Tang family was very generous; the wine was of the finest quality, and the dishes were of the finest quality, including venison and snake meat, which could enhance the qi and blood of martial artists, though the portions were not very large.

Lin Yan didn't go too far this time, only taking a small step.

Even the thickest skin has its limits when it comes to the occasion.

In such a crowded setting, as a disciple of the Yang Family Martial Arts School, I still need to maintain the school's reputation.

Midway through the banquet, Tang Shaoqi, the head of the Tang family, also appeared and drank three cups of wine with everyone before leaving. The second-stage skin-smoothing martial artists present did not eat and drink freely. Lin Yan simply exchanged names with the other second-stage skin-smoothing martial artists at the same table, and left when it was almost time.

Lin Yan had only one impression of the head of the Tang family: refined and scholarly.

In modern terms, he was a "housewife killer".

……

……

After Lin Yan and the other martial artists who had undergone secondary skin-sharpening left, an exchange was taking place in the main hall of the Tang family.

Tang Shaoqi looked at his son and daughter with a helpless expression: "Tang'er, if we do this, I'm afraid there will be a lot of gossip about the Tang family in the city."

"Father, who dares to gossip? You're just doing it for your own face."

Tang Yang spoke irritably. The Tang family was known as the number one family in Guangping County. Besides their strength, another reason was because of his father.

The treatment that the father offered to the martial artists on temporary assignments was the highest in the county, so in the eyes of outsiders, the Tang family was naturally the strongest.

"What do you mean by 'for my sake'? That's called forming a bond. Look around the city, who doesn't speak well of our Tang family?" Tang Shaoqi said with great dissatisfaction. "Besides, this is a rule set by your grandfather back then."

"Father, Grandfather's intention back then was to cultivate good relationships with some promising martial artists, not to cast a wide net like you are doing."

Tang Tang spoke softly, not giving her father any face: "If things continue like this, Father, the number of martial artists holding nominal positions in the Tang family will only increase. When we can no longer cover our expenses, and then we dismiss these nominal martial artists, they will resent our Tang family even more."

A small favor is appreciated, but a large one breeds resentment!

These martial artists, who were on temporary assignments, had become accustomed to receiving allowances from the Tang family, and over time they took it for granted.

"Tang'er, is it really that serious?"

Tang Shaoqi's voice softened, clearly indicating that he also knew this possibility was very high.

"Father, I feel that something is going to happen in the county town. The Four Seas Gang has a mysterious background. Not only has it occupied the west of the town, but it also wants to take over the north of the town. The patrol office is just sitting by and doing nothing. This matter is suspicious. Our family should be more careful during this period."

Hearing his daughter mention the Four Seas Gang, Tang Shaoqi frowned. The Tang family also opened pharmacies in the west and north of the city, but those pharmacies rarely sold medicines needed by martial artists. They were mainly for ordinary people to get medicine, and the profit was not high. However, these pharmacies had been affected by the Four Seas Gang recently.

"Alright, then we'll do as you say, Tang'er."

Tang Shaoqi compromised. Although he cared about his reputation, he cared more about the future of the entire family.

"According to my idea, the martial artists who are temporarily employed by our family will not be allowed to serve for more than three years after the first time they are employed, and for more than seven years after the second time they are employed. If they want to continue serving, they must break through to the next level."

Hearing his daughter's words, Tang Shaoqi's eyes twitched several times. According to his daughter's standards, most of the martial arts practitioners would probably have to be dismissed.

Tang Tang also noticed the change in her father's expression. Over the years, because of his pride, her father had allowed any martial artist who held a nominal position to remain in that position indefinitely unless they made a mistake.

If the martial artist had potential, that would be fine, but many martial artists have lost their ambition in the martial arts. No matter how large and powerful the Tang family is, it cannot support the ever-increasing expenses.

"Tang'er, won't this lead to a shortage of martial artists?"

"After dismissing the unqualified martial artists, I will recruit a new batch of martial artists, but they must be young and have potential."

Tang Shaoqi fell silent; his daughter had already thought everything through.

"Alright, you handle this matter as you see fit."