ASCENSION OF THE MARTIAL KING

05

"Don't tell me it's a wild tiger," Liang Feixing muttered warily as he stared into the dark canopy of trees.

"It is." Zhang Wei responded, just as a leopard peeked out of the trees and growled at them.

"Damn it... Run!" Upon seeing it, Liang Feixing exclaimed and was about to make a run for it but Zhang Wei grabbed him by the sleeve and pulled him to his side.

"Don't speak." He placed his index finger on his lips in a shushing motion before signaling to the side with his head. Liang Feixing gave a small nod before the two quietly tiptoed into the bushes.

It was only then Liang Feixing noticed that a deer was grazing opposite and the leopard was waiting to pounce on it. It didn't seem to have noticed the two of them and approached the deer unawares.

"We finally found a forest deer but some wild animal snatched it away," Liang Feixing lamented. "We should get going before it notices us here."

"No, wait." Zhang Wei shook his head and stopped him from getting up. "Another animal is coming along the path and it is likely a tiger. Let's see what will happen."

The other youth looked confused but he nodded and squatted back beside him. "Oh, okay."

They watched the leopard inch closer to the unsuspecting deer and it made no sounds except for the occasional rustle of leaves and the soft grazing sounds of the deer.

Without warning, the leopard sprang from the shadows, its powerful muscles propelling it forward. The deer had only a split second to react before the predator's claws sank into its haunches, dragging it to the ground. The forest erupted with the sounds of the struggle: the deer's frantic bleats and the leopard's feral growls.

Liang Feixing winced as the leopard tore into the deer's flesh, blood staining the forest floor. "That's brutal," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Zhang Wei nodded, his eyes still fixed on the scene. "Hmm."

Suddenly, the foliage rustled loudly in the distance and a tiger appeared. Its golden eyes locked onto the leopard and its prey, and it let out a low, menacing growl.

The leopard, sensing the new threat, paused and looked up, its muzzle stained with blood. For a moment, predator and predator stared at each other, each assessing the other.

"We need to move, now," Liang Feixing whispered urgently. "While they're distracted."

"Wait." Zhang Wei insisted as he slowly tiptoed toward the bushes behind the leopard.

Liang Feixing's face instantly became pale and ashen as he whisper-yelled, "What are you doing? Don't court death!"

But Zhang Wei didn't respond and continued to tiptoe. He lingered in the bushes for a few moments as the two animals advanced toward each other and the moment the tiger pranced at the leopard, he ran toward the deer lying dead on the floor. Instantly, he grabbed the dead animal and slung it over his shoulder, feeling the heavy weight pull him down.

'This body is too weak,' He thought.

But, he didn't waste a moment and rushed toward the opposite side, mouthing to Liang Feixing who was staring at him with his mouth agape, "Run!"

Liang Feixing didn't need to be told twice. The two of them, as silently and quickly as they could, ran away from the two animals that had started tearing at each other with the deer on Zhang Wei's shoulder.

Once they were far enough, Liang Feixing exhaled heavily, his heart still pounding in his chest. "That was too close."

Zhang Wei didn't respond and placed the deer on the forest floor to examine it. Once he was done, he turned to look at Liang Feixing and found him staring at him with a strange look in his eyes.

"What's wrong?"

Liang Feixing quickly shook his head negatively. "Nothing. How is it? Is it dead?"

"Yes." Zhang Wei nodded, as he looked back at the dead deer. He feared that the way it was killed would affect the payment and asked Liang Feixing, "Will they accept it?"

"What?" The other party looked confused for a moment but soon understood. "Of course! Don't you remember when that snobby brat told us to skin it as he only needs the skin?"

Zhang Wei seemed relieved and he held up the deer as if he was weighing it. Eventually, he sighed with satisfaction and got up, patting his sleeves. But his actions only confused Liang Feixing further.

He shook his head and muttered with gusto, "Zhang Wei, you're really daring. I almost died out of nervousness back then. How did you even think of snatching the deer?"

Zhang Wei was unbothered by his excitement. He looked around like he was looking for something and answered, "When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits."

"Haha!" Liang Feixing laughed. "You even dare to play two wild animals."

He only gave a small smile before pointing toward a tree in the distance. "We can't carry it around with us while we hunt; it will weigh us down. Let's keep it there and come back to get it later."

"Under the tree?" Liang Feixing frowned. "Other animals will smell the blood and feed on it."

"No, not under," Zhang Wei replied as he pulled up the deer again and marched toward the tree. He handed it to Liang Feixing before climbing up the tree and it was only then the latter noticed a crevice in the tree.

He watched as Zhang Wei forcefully stuffed the deer into the hole before climbing down the tree and dusting his palms. "Let's go. The animals won't climb the tree and birds won't notice it from up."

Liang Feixing was stunned for a moment but he soon regained his composure and that strange look appeared in his eyes again. "Oh, okay."

Then, the two of them continued to walk forward. Zhang Wei glanced at him and asked, "What's left?"

"The badger and five herbs," Liang Feixing responded.

"Let's find the badger first."

"Okay."

The badger was relatively easier to capture. Liang Feixing knew the setts where they burrowed and nested but the first one ran away when they tried to capture it.

So he got a few fruits to bait the next one and it fell for it but the moment he tried to capture it, it ran in the opposite direction toward Zhang Wei. Zhang Wei who was prepared for it quickly put a stone in his slingshot and struck it in the head.

They picked it up and put it in Liang Feixing's satchel since it was small-sized. Then, they continued on their way to find the herbs, stopping from time to time to check the plants on the way if it was any of the ingredients.

Liang Feixing stood by a tree and held his waist as he said, "Angelica root, purple heart grass, notoginseng and chrysanthemum grow in the same area. Let's go deeper into the forest where we found chrysanthemum the other day."

Zhang Wei did not know where he was talking about maybe because the host had forgotten but he nodded anyway and followed behind him.

They soon reached a cool, shaded part of the forest and Liang Feixing muttered, "They grow in moist and shaded places. Let's split up and find them."

"Okay."

The two split up and Zhang Wei went to a tall area. From years of scavenging in the forest, before he was found by his master, he knew Angelica root grew mostly in tall places. And he had barely walked far when he sighted a plant with purplish-green stem and small white flowers. He quickly strode over and plucked it. But, he strolled around and could not find any other herb.

Meanwhile, Liang Feixing had found two of the herbs. But just when he found the third one - the notoginseng and rushed over to pick it up.

But just as he reached out to pluck it, he suddenly heard a hissing sound. Before he could check what it was, a green snake suddenly shot out from the covering and stuck its fangs toward his outstretched hand.