Translator: yikaii Editor: yikaii

Qi Wu and the others watched in disbelief as the clay statue of the mountain god came to life, wielding a sword to expel the demon!

The mountain god has shown his spirit! Ah Yue said dumbfoundedly.

Qi Wu reacted the fastest: No, theres someone hiding inside the statue!

Indeed, as the sword-wielding mountain god fought with the tiger demon, clumps of clay fell away, revealing the true face of the person hidden within.

It was Lu Yang.

Damn it, Ive waited five days for you! It wasnt in vain that I pretended to be a statue for five days. Take my sword! Lu Yang said fiercely, kicking out.

For someone as quick-witted as him, who enjoyed roaming around, it was extremely difficult to stay motionless inside a statue for five days to avoid detection by the tiger demon.

Before the others could react, the literary and martial mountain god statues also came to life: Lu Yang, we will lend you a hand!

Meng Jingzhou and Barbarian Bone broke free from their clay encasements, displaying their magical powers to eliminate the tiger demon.

Five days earlier, the mountain god temple welcomed three uninvited guests. They took pills that allowed them to fast, hollowed out the mountain god statues, and climbed inside.

The statues were several sizes larger than an average person, easily fitting one inside.

Are you sure this will work? Meng Jingzhou and Barbarian Bone skeptically asked Lu Yang.

Based on the information provided by Brother Barbarian Bone, our only option is to lie in wait for the tiger demon to come Lets go inside first.

Barbarian Bone pondered, was this what the books meant by a gentleman hides his tools within himself?

Exactly, exactly. This must be the meaning. Indeed, one must travel ten thousand miles after reading ten thousand books. Barbarian Bone was overjoyed. He had never understood the meaning of this phrase until now, after undertaking a mission with Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou, achieving such enlightenment.

The master was right; to learn well, one must first find a good role model!

The three chose their respective statues, entered them, and maintained the same posture as the statues, only their eyes visible.

Hey, can you hear me? Lu Yang communicated using telepathy.

Telepathy was a spell the trio had just learned on the road. At close range, it required no spiritual energy, relying on thoughts alone for communication. It was easy to learn and use with a bit of mental training.

I can hear you, Meng Jingzhou and Barbarian Bone replied.

Is the carriage alright? Meng Jingzhou worried about their carriage and old horse.

To avoid attracting the tiger demons attention, they had left the carriage with an inn in Yanjiang County.

We know too little about the tiger demon. What we can be sure of is that its realm is between the early stages of Foundation Establishment and Golden Core. Its cunning and cautious, fearing injury to cultivators might bring trouble, so it only preys on mortals, not cultivators. If cultivators search the mountain, it hides away, impossible to find.

In other words, it avoids conflict with cultivators at all costs, preferring to hide.

The tiger demons long undetected presence on Song Mountain was due to its non-confrontational approach.

We need to hide in advance and eliminate it once it appears!

Tiger demons are sensitive to spiritual energy. We must not use any during our wait.

Thats why they chose telepathy, which doesnt require spiritual energy.

Five days later.

Goodness, after waiting so many days, someone finally shows up.

Looks like a merchant?

Wait, why is there an old hunter? Wasnt it said that due to the tiger demon, all hunters had left Song Mountain?

They had thoroughly investigated Song Mountain, where locals said hunters had long since left, no longer coming down to sell hides.

Ghost!

The three communicated through telepathy, instantly concluding that this was not a guide but a ghost luring people here!

Initially skeptical about the tiger demon, the presence of the ghost confirmed its existence on the mountain.

Did you hear the old hunter? He said he lived with other hunters, and the merchant leader found him there. Its probably not a lie.

Its likely those hunters are also ghosts, posing as normal people to deceive travelers, making their story more credible and avoiding suspicion of being ghosts!

Should we deal with the ghost now? Meng Jingzhou was eager to act.

Lu Yang asked Meng Jingzhou to hold back, analyzing, Dont startle the snake. Did you hear Qi Wu saying hed seek help from the Five Great Immortal Sects? Given the tiger demons cautious nature, it will surely come to deal with them. Lets wait quietly. Once the tiger demon appears, Ill act, and you cover me, meanwhile getting these merchants away from here.

Alright.

Did you hear the footsteps outside the temple? Its probably not the tiger demon.

Hearing Qi Wu and the old hunter planning to send away the green-dressed girl, Barbarian Bone couldnt help but murmur, How foolish. With the female cultivator here, the tiger demon wouldnt dare to kill. It fears its existence being known. Killing her would lead her sect to retaliate; not killing her would lead her sect here anyway, a dead end either way. The only solution is to send the female cultivator away.

See, I was right, the ghost sent her away.

Lu Yang was more calm: On the contrary, with the female cultivator here, the tiger demon wouldnt appear. How long would we have to wait?

Meng Jingzhou suddenly exclaimed, Did you notice the jade pendant on the green-dressed girls waist?

Whats with the pendant? Lu Yang and Barbarian Bone knew many pendants symbolized identity but werent clear on the specifics.

Thats a token from the Moon Laurel Immortal Palace.

Moon Laurel Immortal Palace, one of the Five Great Immortal Sects.

A continuous snow mountain stretches east-west between the Central Continent and the far north, perennially covered in snow, rarely seeing sunny days. Known as the highest peak in the Central Continent, its closest to the moon.

Within the snow mountains lies a magnificent immortal palace, the Moon Laurel Immortal Palace.

She must be at the Foundation Establishment stage. When we fight the tiger demon, lets make as much noise as possible to alert her, and see if shes willing to help.

The opponent was definitely not at the Golden Core stage; a cultivator of that level from the immortal sect would have immediately seen through the old hunter as a ghost, unlike now, being deceived.

After a while, the three watched as Qi Wu and the others fell into a deep sleep, envying their peaceful rest.

Barbarian Bone recited sage quotations to fight off sleepiness: The sage says, I examine myself thrice a day. Are you sleepy? Im not sleepy. Are you sleepy? Im not sleepy

Stop reciting; youre making me sleepy even though I wasnt, Meng Jingzhou asked Barbarian Bone to recite silently, unable to resist yawning.

But I am reciting silently, Barbarian Bone replied using telepathy.

Listen carefully!

Lu Yang ignored their banter, forcing himself to stay alert to any sounds outside.

Theres something stepping on the grass the tiger demon is here!

Hearing Lu Yangs alert, Meng Jingzhou and Barbarian Bone stopped bickering, immediately bracing for battle.

Finally, this beast shows up!

Lu Yang no longer concealed his presence, his body shaking the mountain god statue to pieces, holding the Qingfeng Sword with glowing sword light, illuminating the entire temple.

(End of the chapter)