Chapter 59: First Entry into the World of Martial Arts

  The Dragon Armor Mountain Range is like a huge treasure trove, with many precious spiritual medicines, treasures, and materials from the bodies of monsters, etc. Such a treasure land naturally attracts countless adventurers from different places to enter it. It is said that some lucky ones will even pick up a demon pill under a big tree and make a fortune.

  Of course, high returns also mean high risks. The warriors who died in the Dragon Scales Mountains are countless. Some with relatively low cultivation levels can only wander around the outermost periphery of the mountains for dozens of miles. Only those who have reached the Explosive Yuan Realm dare to venture deep into the hundred-mile range, and those who dare to cross the entire Dragon Scales Mountains are undoubtedly strong practitioners who have reached the Transformation Realm.

  Having subdued the Blood Slave, Hu Gao excitedly took Xiao Wu and rushed for half a day, finally seeing in the distance a vast expanse of forest looming ahead, which was the outermost part of the Dragon Ape Mountains.

  "Wo Zifa, I've finally arrived!" Hu Gao exclaimed with a loud gesture, but in a very soft voice to Xiao Wu.

  "Hmm, I smell the aura of a demon beast in the air, and the scent of demon pills!" Xiao Wu poked his head out from behind Hu's shoulder, sniffing hard at the air.

  Hu Gao shook his head helplessly, this foodie indeed didn't take the usual route. However, the Dragon Scales Mountain Range was not like the outskirts of Tu Shan, where one could easily encounter high-level demonic beasts with just a careless move. Fortunately, Xiao Wu had some perception ability and could avoid the danger of high-level demonic beasts in advance.

  As he walked, Hu Gao felt that someone was hiding on the mountain road ahead.

  Could it be that he really encountered a shortcut? Hu Gao was somewhat tearfully amused, having just sent away the vengeful Guo De Yun and his group not long ago. Wouldn't they encounter robbers next?

  Having gone through it once, Hu Gao walked forward calmly.

  A large tree lies across the road, its greyish-white bark is that of a white birch which has shed all its leaves in the autumn wind, revealing a snowy-white stump.

  Hú Gāo stopped and obviously sensed that someone was crouching in the grass by the side of the road, but Hú Gāo stood there for a while, and the person still didn't react.

  Hu Gao didn't dare to proceed recklessly and instead called out: "Come out, I know you're there!"

  As soon as the words fell, a sturdy black man jumped out of the grass with a loud whoosh, dragging a huge iron saw.

  That black man, however, paid no attention to Hu Gao, not even making a sound. He inserted the iron saw into the ground and bent down to pry up those broken stumps.

  Wood chips flew everywhere, and with a few swift strokes, the tree top was split into a snowy white peak.

  This inexplicable behavior made Hu Gao unable to fathom the other party's meaning. Was he just a woodcutter?

  "What do you do?" Hu Gao still didn't dare to move forward, the two-meter-long iron saw blade looked terrifying.

  Hei Han still didn't make a sound, but instead hugged the tree trunk and stood it up on the ground. Then, he let out a loud roar and jumped up while hugging the tree trunk.

  Scared, Hu Gao took a step back.

  Hei Han's two feet touched the ground again, and the tree trunk was firmly inserted into the solid mud.

  At this time, he finally noticed the pedestrians who had been stopped. He dug his nose, wiped his middle finger on the tree trunk, smiled at Hu Gao with a mouthful of white teeth, and still didn't speak.

  Hei Han pointed at the depression on the ground pressed out by the tree trunk. "This road was opened by me."

  He patted the vertical tree trunk again. "I planted this tree."

  ……

  Hei Han hadn't even finished speaking when Hu Gao already understood his meaning.

  What the heck! I actually encountered a robbery!

  "Leave the wealth of the road behind!" Hu Gao took out his Shadowless Sword, catching Black Han's last words. He had already sensed his opponent's strength - a sixth-stage Condensed Shadow Realm cultivator at the peak, roughly on par with himself, and not to be underestimated in terms of power either; it was hard to say who would come out on top.

  "Hey kid, I'm robbing you! Don't mess around! It took me a lot of effort to come up with such an unconventional opening line! Hand over the treasure quickly!"

  ……

  Hu Gao didn't respond, he thought this black guy was quite funny, and at the same time, he sensed that another person had run up from the front of the road.

  Robber's accomplice?

  Hu Gao halted his troops and quietly communicated with Xiao Wu, discussing how to respond.

  That black man didn't move either, one hand grasping the iron saw, the other hand changing fingers to dig his nostrils, staring at Hu Gao without moving his hands, as if using his aura to force the young man in front of him to surrender.

  Before long, people came rushing from afar, and their voices arrived before they did.

  "Damn it! Robbers! In broad daylight, they dare to rob on my turf!"

  After the roar, there was a shrill whistle.

  Hei Hanzi let out a loud roar, his head turned around with his finger still stuck up his nose, and he was shocked. He didn't care about his finger in his nose anymore, and cursed loudly: "Damn it! Devil's Castle! You've ruined my good fortune again! Just you wait!"

  After scolding, the black man took a big iron saw and jumped down the mountain with a swoosh, disappearing into the wild grass thicket below, which was taller than a person. No trace of him could be seen, only a rustling sound was heard, presumably he had gone far away.

  But Hu Gao could sense that the guy hadn't gone far, just staying still in one place. Hu Gao found it interesting and ignored the black man, turning to size up the person who had suddenly run over.

  This is a middle-aged man with an ordinary appearance, but his face is covered with inch-long sideburns that cover part of his face. On the left chest, there is a castle-shaped badge. The middle-aged man shouted towards the direction where Hei Hanzi jumped away:

  "This damned black charcoal head is even more slippery than a snake, and he's let him run away again..."

  The big-bearded middle-aged man scolded for a while, and Hu Gao could roughly hear that the black man was an old offender, a professional robber who had committed multiple crimes and escaped smoothly.

  After scolding, the middle-aged man with a big beard turned to Hu Gao and asked with concern: "Little brother, are you okay?"

  "It's okay." Hu Gao nodded slightly and didn't show much emotion, "May I ask for your advice?"

  "Oh, it's nothing!" The middle-aged man glanced at the badge on his chest and introduced himself: "My name is Qi Hong, I'm from the Demon-Slaying Castle. That black guy earlier was a repeat offender, unfortunately he got away again."

  "Haunted Castle?"

  "Ah, we're an organization dedicated to preventing the yao beasts from escaping the Dragon Scales Mountains and harming humans. Of course, capturing bandits is our side job." Qi Hong's face was filled with pride, even his thick beard couldn't hide it. "Little brother, are you entering the Dragon Scales Mountains? I'll take you there, it'll be safer that way."

  Just as Hu Gao was about to respond, a sudden voice echoed in his mind from Xiao Wu: "He should have some treasure on him, I think it's even more precious than the Black Leaf Grass we got last time."

  "Not worse than black leaf grass?"

  Hú Gāo's eyes lit up, although the black leaf grass he obtained last time was not mature, its value was still terrifying. Now that it had been refined into a Green Body Pill, it was even more precious. On the market, buying one would definitely require a huge amount of gold coins. If he could snatch the treasure from his opponent...

  "That's troubling Brother Qi Hong." Hu Gao nodded with a smile.

  "It's nothing," said Qi Hong, turning around and leading the way. "You're a newcomer to Longhua, aren't you?"

  "Hmm, I am a man from Longhua Country, preparing to enter the Dragon Jia Mountain Range for training." Hu Gao replied, following behind.

  "Haha, so little brother is from Longhua Country, at least half of the people in our Wuyou Castle are also from Longhua Country. However, I am from Biyun Country." Qi Hong turned his head to look at Hu Gao, "Little brother, did you enter the Dragon Scales Mountain Range alone?"

  "Hmm, I came out alone this time too, and didn't find any friends to come with me, because I was planning to temper myself. What's wrong?" Hu Gao asked in puzzlement.

  "Good courage!" Qi Hong turned back and praised, his eyes flashing with joy for a moment. He found that Hu Gao's treasured sword might be extraordinary. "Few family disciples like you, little brother, are willing to enter the Dragon Slaying Mountain Range for training. Even if they come, they usually bring a large entourage. And many people who heard our companions say that the Dragon Slaying Mountain Range is dangerous were scared away and ran back home, haha, it's indeed a sin."

  "Hehe." Hu Gao chuckled twice, but Qi Hong's enthusiasm didn't decrease, and he became more and more excited as he spoke.

  "Little brother, have you decided which direction to enter the Dragon's Backbone Mountain Range?"

  "No, I'm not familiar with the Dragon's Spine Mountains."

  "What's your cultivation level, little brother? I'm quite familiar with the outskirts of the Dragon Scales Mountain Range and can recommend some places for you to train." Qi Hong turned his head again, looking at Hu Gao's still somewhat childish face, and asked.

  "Condensed Shadow Realm, fifth stage. I just advanced not long ago and haven't even reached the middle period yet." Hu Gao replied somewhat embarrassedly.

  Qī Hóng listened and smiled again, "Young brother is really impressive! When I was your age, I was only at the fourth stage of the Condensed Shadow Realm. Truly, the younger generation is to be feared."

  "Hehe." Hu Gao laughed somewhat embarrassedly.

  Actually, Hu Gao had been observing Qi Hong all along and even mobilized Xiao Wu's power.

  Qī Hóng's cultivation wasn't too high, only at the 8th stage of Condensed Shadow Realm, yet it was astonishing to discover that Qī Hóng, even in a situation without any danger exposed, still maintained a strong defensive awareness, every direction could launch the most ferocious and terrifying attack at any time.

  It's not aimed at Hu Gao, but at the dangers in the Dragon-Jade Mountain Range. After all, in such a dangerous place, there may be a fatal crisis at any time.

  Fortunately, Hu Gao was less than two meters away from Qi Hong. Although Qi Hong's vigilance was strong and he tried not to expose any openings for others to attack him even while walking, Hu Gao still saw many fatal flaws on his body at a glance. At least for him, as long as he made a move, he could definitely kill Qi Hong instantly.

  This isn't to say that Hu Gao is targeting Qi Hong, but rather a warrior's habit of thinking. Moreover, since Hu Gao has come out to gain experience, he has made up his mind to observe everything outside and learn things that are useful to himself.

  "In the outer reaches of the Dragon Scales Mountains, there are several valleys that are suitable for your strength, little brother. They are all first-stage initial-level demonic beasts, and some are even mid-first-stage. Which one do you choose?" asked Qi Hong.

  "It's mid-first stage, I've cultivated the Primordial Decree to a considerable level of power, enough to deal with mid-first stage demonic beasts." Hu Gao replied truthfully.

  "That Flame Valley is quite suitable, I heard there are treasures there." Zhi Hong introduced.