Yingfeng Valley.

In early summer, the grass grows long and the orioles fly.

The shrubs here at least reach a person’s waist, while the taller ones stand higher than a person, growing towards the wind, with lush water grass.

The hiding place chosen by the hidden enemy is excellent. Once he crouches in silence, it’s truly difficult to find him.

Hyah!

Two fast horses galloped in like a whirlwind.

Whoa...

"Mr. Lin..." In a green garment, Si Miaoxue flew out from the woods and landed on the horse’s back behind Lin Miao.

Fahai, holding a meditation staff, squinted at Si Miaoxue, a hint of astonishment flashing in his eyes.

This woman’s body technique was so exquisite, her level of cultivation was at least in the Meridian Passage Realm, and especially by her voice, she seemed quite young.

Judging by how she addressed Lin Miao, their relationship was clearly quite special.

Such a master, he had never met before.

"Where is he?" Lin Miao gradually pulled the reins, turning his head to ask.

"Inside the valley ahead, I saw him go in with my own eyes," Si Miaoxue said. "This place is called Yingfeng Valley. The entrance is beautiful, but once inside, it’s a different story. My master and I went in once and almost couldn’t make it out."

"Yingfeng Valley harbors fierce pythons that often come out to attack people. It’s one of the dangerous places within Longchuan Canyon!" Fahai also spoke up.

"Does the great monk also know about the fierce pythons?" Fahai didn’t recognize Si Miaoxue, but Si Miaoxue immediately recognized Fahai from Shanglin Temple.

That Lin Miao could invite such a justice-seeking, stubborn monk to deal with the hidden enemy was quite impressive.

This monk was the top martial monk of Shanglin Temple, his powers were sky-high, and not everyone could invite him.

Moreover, he was one of the hidden Peak of Meridian Passage Realm experts in Dongshan City, so even Long Po wouldn’t dare make a move lightly in Dongshan City for fear of being discovered and then subdued for exorcism.

If this old monk found out she was from the Moon Worship Sect, he might very well act immediately.

"I’ve heard about it, though I haven’t seen it. But legends aren’t made up out of thin air. Even if there are fierce pythons, monks are perfect for subduing these monstrous creatures!" Fahai laughed heartily, sounding less scholarly now that he was away from Shanglin Temple.

He was actually quite stifled in Shanglin Temple, spending all days on a vegetarian diet and looking the part of a wise monk. His old bones were about to rust, itching all over. If he stayed any longer, he couldn’t help but leave to wander a bit.

"Master, how about exploring Yingfeng Valley at night to rid us of these fierce pythons?"

"If Mr. Lin isn’t afraid, why should I be?" Fahai waved his meditation staff, and an invisible pressure swept across like waves spreading.

"Master, what valor!" Lin Miao tossed over a sachet. "It repels snakes, insects, rats, and ants, reducing interference for us."

"Thank you."

Fahai accepted without hesitation, catching it with his hand and hanging it on his waist.

They continued forward for a stretch until there was no path. The three had to find a place to tie up the horses and proceed on foot.

"Master, if the three of us move together, the search efficiency will be too low. Why don’t we separate, each about five hundred meters apart, and search in a fan shape inward?" Lin Miao suggested.

"Mr. Lin’s suggestion is good, and I agree," the monk echoed.

"Mr. Lin, you..."

"Miaoxue, although I’m the weakest among the three of us, I’m not entirely powerless. In this arrangement, I’ll be in the middle, and you two can assist me at any time. Every ten breaths, we’ll exchange signals by whistling. One whistle for safety, two for discovery, three for danger!" Lin Miao stated.

"Mr. Lin’s plan is good." Fahai was the first to leap out with his meditation staff, swift as lightning.

Lin Miao stayed in the center, giving a knowing look to Si Miaoxue, and executed the "Wild Goose Walk," speeding straight down the middle path, keeping a distance of four to five hundred meters from Fahai.

Then Si Miaoxue drifted to the right, moving like a ghost in midair, with astounding speed.

Ten breaths later!

A whistle came from Fahai.

Lin Miao responded, and then heard a return whistle from Si Miaoxue on the right.

The three advanced simultaneously, delving deeper into Yingfeng Valley.

Tonight, the moonlight was favorable, its cold glow bathing the valley. While it wasn’t like daylight showing every detail, it was enough for skilled individuals to notice any disturbance under the grass.

By reaching the Meridian Passage Realm, hearing, sight, and environmental perception are greatly enhanced beyond normal.

In an outdoor setting, barring special interference, a Meridian Passage Realm master can sense a radius of two to three kilometers.

Of course, the closer the proximity, the clearer the sense.

Lin Miao was rather special. With his innate differences, advancing to the Blood Fusion Realm drastically heightened his environmental awareness by tenfold.

Particularly under moonlight, the Moon Attraction Chapter was at play, allowing his perception to extend further and sharper in such an environment. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Theoretically, the Sect Leader of the Moon Worship Sect is strongest under the moon, though it was just Lin Miao’s speculation.

His eyes, once adapted to the night surroundings, missed virtually nothing within three hundred meters. His hearing could discern the sound of air being disturbed by a falling leaf, and his sense of smell allowed him to identify the types of grass and flowers in an area even with his eyes closed...

A hundred meters, two hundred meters, five hundred meters...

He caught a faint scent of makeup.

This is a limited edition powder puff produced by "Huayue Hall" in the Great Yue Country, made from the finest materials available in this world.

Such things are not found in Dongshan City.

Yinmei loves beauty, has a cleanliness obsession, and likes to use women’s cosmetics, all of which are top-notch.

So, when no one threatens his safety, there’s no need to pay attention to these details, but now it’s different.

These minor details have become a weakness that exposes him.

Goo goo!

Lin Miao immediately sent the signal for "discovery".

Upon hearing it, Fahai and Si Miaoxue quickly directed their energy and leapt towards the location where Lin Miao’s signal came from, covering hundreds of meters in the blink of an eye.

"Mr. Lin."

"Mr. Lin..."

"I can smell his scent, he should be nearby!" Lin Miao said in a lowered voice.

"Mr. Lin, just ahead is the Deep Valley District, very dangerous, I visited here with my master years ago, inside there’s a silver giant serpent, seventy to eighty meters long, with a girth thicker than a water barrel, if it wasn’t for my master’s fast retreat back then, we might not have made it. So many years have passed, who knows how it has grown." Miaoxue said.

"Miaoxue, are you sure there’s only one?" Fahai asked.

"We only saw one..."

"If the monk’s suspicion is correct, there should be at least two," Fahai said, "Have you smelled a faint fishy odor in the air?"

"Not good, it’s the scent of serpent! Quickly retreat!" Lin Miao grabbed Si Miaoxue and their figures retreated swiftly.

Fahai moved even faster, and in the blink of an eye, the three of them retreated two or three hundred meters from where they had come.

And at this moment.

A silver giant serpent flew out from the depths of the canyon, and yes, it didn’t slither along the ground, it was almost flying through the air, and astonishingly, it had two claws, its giant head held high in the air.

A scarlet serpent tongue flickered like a red lightning, its ruthless eyes fixed on a man dressed in a pink robe.

The dark serpent was pursuing someone.

Moonlight cast on its face, its pale face resembling the White Impermanence from the underworld, extremely eerie.

Who else could it be but Yinmei?

Yinmei suddenly gave a sinister smile toward the retreating position of the three, and his body suddenly ascended, as shadowy palms enveloped the silver giant serpent.

What terrifying palm strength!

If this palm lands solidly, a person might be shattered into pieces in an instant.

The giant serpent opened its mouth and "hissed", being provoked repeatedly, it had lost all patience and opened its massive mouth to bite toward Yinmei.

Yinmei seemed to have predicted the giant serpent’s movement, performing a backflip, shooting like an arrow toward the location of the three.

No good, Yinmei this devil wants to divert the trouble eastward, to draw out the silver giant serpent to stall Lin Miao and others, giving him a chance to escape.

Such a massive serpent, its body reflecting silver light, and it actually grew two claws, it seems like it is evolving into the legendary jiao.

"Three more have come, and there’s that annoying smell..."

The giant serpent’s vertical pupils saw the figures of Lin Miao and the others, evidently recognizing them as accomplices of Yinmei.

These humans, repeatedly disturbing its life, today will not let them leave.

"Ang!"

"Beast, do not be arrogant, watch as this monk smashes your head!" In a moment of carelessness, Fahai suddenly wielded his eighty-pound steel monk’s staff and rushed over.

With the spring force of his legs, he jumped into the air, sweeping the monk’s staff.

The giant serpent’s skyward hiss was immediately interrupted, giving a pained scream, its massive head being launched into the air by Fahai’s staff.

The serpent’s huge body followed, rolling on the ground, sending dirt, branches, and weeds flying in all directions.

Wow, this monk is so fierce!

Lin Miao and Si Miaoxue were stunned, they both knew that Fahai possessed high martial skills, suspected to be the most proficient in Shanglin Temple, but they didn’t expect him to be this formidable.

This silver giant serpent (evolving jiao) is at least considered an exotic beast, exotic beasts are non-human species with powerful capacities or unique abilities, encompassing beasts, birds, and even fish.

Exotic beasts usually inhabit rarely visited locations, such as Longchuan Canyon, which houses numerous exotic beasts, hence it’s deemed a dangerous place.

Numerous exotic beasts live in other secluded areas, typically having their own territories, and rarely conflict with humans, unless their habitats are disrupted.

Though Lin Miao has ventured out of Qingping Town to Dongshan City, having opened his eyes and broadened his knowledge.

But his understanding of this world is only a small facet, there’s still much unknown for him to explore.

This silver giant serpent, at least has the strength of the peak of the Meridian Passage Realm in humans, and perhaps it has set foot into the threshold of Tianyuan.

Observing its nearly fully-formed claws is a sign that it is attempting to transform into a Tianyuan exotic beast.

Exotic beasts differ from humans; it might be ingrained in their genes, as long as they continuously accumulate energy, or activate something within, evolving endlessly, reaching the heights achieved by humans, maybe they also need to cultivate, but their methods might vary from humans.