Chapter 71: Entering the Mountain

Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Entering the Mountain

By the time they got home, the meal was already set on the table, and everyone sat down to eat.

Life was better now, and the dishes were much more abundant.

“Sister-in-law, we don’t have much meat left at home, do we?” Second Brother Xiao suddenly asked, seeing the meat in the bowl. They hadn’t gone hunting in the mountains for quite some time, and he was itching to do so.

“Not much. It just so happens we can go to the mountains after we’re done with the work in the fields,” Ms. Yang replied.

When Gu Qingli heard about hunting in the mountains, her spirits lifted, and she wanted to go along too.

She glanced at Xiao Yunjing. He felt her gaze and turned his head to nod at her.

「Three days later, the work in the fields was done, and the three brothers planned to go into the mountains to relax.」

Eldest Brother Xiao and Second Brother Xiao did not object to Gu Qingli joining them, as they believed they could protect her. They also knew that although Gu Qingli appeared fragile, her strength and endurance were much greater than her appearance suggested.

After the three brothers prepared their hunting gear, the four of them set off for the mountain.

“Be careful, Third. Your wife is coming with you,” Ms. Jiang reminded them before they left.

What a worrisome situation! Why would a woman go along? Isn’t she just making an old woman like me worry?

“Yes, Mother.” Xiao Yunjing waved to Ms. Jiang, leading Gu Qingli up the mountain.

Once they reached the mountain, they first checked the medicinal materials they had planted a few days earlier. Since then, the seedlings had grown well and hadn’t wilted at all. They didn’t know that Gu Qingli had been checking on them every day, replanting any that grew crooked or misshapen, so they all looked quite good.

After checking on the plants, the four of them climbed to the top of the mountain and then headed deep into the Azure Dragon Mountain Range. The range was long and wide, stretching endlessly. At this time, they could still see people digging for seedlings in the mountains, who greeted the group of four as they walked by.

After exchanging greetings, the group continued deeper into the mountains. When they were far from anyone, Xiao Yunjing then carried Gu Qingli using his lightness skill.

“SHH! Second, Third, be cautious!” Eldest Brother Xiao, who was flying in front, immediately stopped and gestured for them to be quiet.

Second Brother Xiao and Xiao Yunjing quickly stopped. Xiao Yunjing placed Gu Qingli on a large tree and told her to stay still. The three brothers then flew in the direction of some commotion.

Gu Qingli’s hearing wasn’t as good as theirs, so she just listened eagerly.

“ROAR! ROAR! ROAR…”

After a while, the angry roars of a tiger could be heard.

“A tiger?” Gu Qingli couldn’t help but be startled upon hearing the sound, her heart filling with worry and anxiety. Although she knew the three brothers’ martial arts skills were quite powerful, she couldn’t help but worry. This was a deep mountain, and ferocious beasts other than tigers roamed here.

“ROAR! ROAR! ROAR…”

Soon after, the tiger roars became even more urgent.

Did a fight break out?

Gu Qingli wanted to run over and take a look, but fearing that Xiao Yunjing wouldn’t be able to find her if he returned, she thought better of it and stayed put. She actually really wanted to see a live adult tiger. In her previous life, she had only seen them at a zoo, but that was a long time ago.

“SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH…”

At that moment, a figure appeared before her after a few leaps and bounds.

“Why did you come back? I just heard the roars of a tiger!” Gu Qingli said, her voice noticeably louder when she mentioned the tiger.

“I knew you would be curious, so I came to take you to see. It’s a tiger and a bear fighting,” Xiao Yunjing said, pinching her round nose.

“Mm, okay!”

Gu Qingli obediently hugged his waist, and Xiao Yunjing, channeling his energy, moved swiftly through the forest with her.

Within about a minute, Xiao Yunjing landed on a tree not far from the fight. He sat down, holding Gu Qingli, and the two watched the scene unfold in a small valley where a tiger and a bear were locked in a fierce battle.

The tiger had snow-white fur and was about six feet long and four feet tall. Its white fur was now stained with blood, resembling red plum blossoms against the snow—enchanting and desolate. The White Tiger let out mournful howls from time to time.

Gu Qingli almost felt an urge to help; due to her professional habit, she couldn’t bear to see injured people or animals.

The black bear, on the other hand, was about six feet tall. It seemed injured in the leg and moved clumsily. It slapped at the tiger with its paw, but the tiger didn’t dodge and instead continued fighting head-on.

Gu Qingli’s heart raced.

Why doesn’t it just run away? If it can’t win, it should flee. Is it protecting something? Its cubs?

“Xiao Yunjing, is that White Tiger not running away because it’s protecting its cubs?”

“Yes. We’ll wait until they’re both injured and weak before we go down. They’re at their fiercest right now.”

“Oh.” Gu Qingli actually wished that Xiao Yunjing and the others would take action now, kill the large black bear, or at least drive it off to help the White Tiger escape.

But then again, they are hunters, after all. Like the beasts in these deep mountains, they follow the law of the jungle, seeking profit. How could they share her idea of protecting and cherishing wildlife? Such a thought, if spoken aloud, would probably make several people die laughing. A tiger will eat people; still, save it? Someone must have a fever.

Then, recalling how she herself would catch wild chickens and rabbits, she felt a sense of relief.

Gu Qingli calmed herself and continued watching the intense battle. Before long, both beasts were severely injured. Just as the large black bear roared and pounced on the White Tiger, Xiao Yunjing and his brothers launched their attack. Flying darts, seemingly appearing from nowhere, struck the large black bear—three of them hitting its legs.

The injured black bear, in pain, fell directly to the ground.

After those three darts, three more flew towards the White Tiger: one aimed at its throat and two at its eyes.

“ROAR! ROAR! ROAR…”

The already exhausted White Tiger was hit. It let out a few painful roars and, like the large black bear, collapsed to the ground. Neither of them died immediately; they continued to struggle on the ground.

At this point, the three Xiao brothers moved. Xiao Yunjing again placed Gu Qingli on the tree, ensuring she was seated securely, before flying down to the ground with Eldest Brother Xiao and Second Brother Xiao to finish off the bear and the tiger.

“Heh, today’s harvest is really good,” Eldest Brother Xiao said, patting the fat black bear.

Previously, their skills weren’t good enough to enter the deep mountains. This first trip yielded a bountiful harvest; how could he not be pleased?

“Huh? Third, what are you doing over there?”

“There’s something inside.”

Saying this, Xiao Yunjing ducked into a cave. A short while later, he emerged holding a small white tiger cub, about the size of a small dog.

“Third, you’re not really going to take it back and raise it, are you?” Eldest Brother Xiao asked.

“Yes, I am.”

Eldest Brother Xiao stared at Xiao Yunjing in surprise. “Is that even possible?”

What would happen when it grew up?

“Third, just let it go. We won’t kill it; let nature take its course,” Second Brother Xiao also felt it was inappropriate.

Raising a tiger at home? Wasn’t that nurturing a future disaster?

Xiao Yunjing smiled without speaking. He leaped up to the tree and placed the little white tiger cub in Gu Qingli’s arms.

He gently asked, “Li’er, do you like it?”

If you find any errors ( Ads popup, ads redirect, broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.