Long Feng hadn't entirely dismissed the idea of reporting Zhang Yang's possession of the Treasure Seeking Mouse, the Fox-tailed Marten, and the spiritual herbs back to the clan. The education received by disciples of such ancient, venerable families always prioritized the interests of the clan above all else. However, after considerable thought, Long Feng ultimately abandoned the notion. If the clan sent more people, dealing with Zhang Yang wouldn't be an issue—but merely dealing with him. He hadn't spent a long time with Zhang Yang, yet he understood his temperament: Zhang Yang was definitely not the type to accept threats. If threatened, Zhang Yang would likely seek mutual destruction. In this regard, Long Feng had judged Zhang Yang correctly; his disposition was indeed like that. Without Zhang Yang, even if they captured the Fox-tailed Marten and the Treasure Seeking Mouse, they would be useless. Spirit beasts were far more willful; they would rather die than submit to any coercion. The idea of capturing the Treasure Seeking Mouse and forcing it into service was utter fantasy. And all of this was premised on the assumption that they could capture and control Zhang Yang. If there were even the slightest oversight, allowing Zhang Yang or the spirit beasts to escape, it would result in endless future troubles for their clan. A lone wolf like Zhang Yang, so young yet so formidable, would be a nightmare to handle, even for the foremost great family. Even if Zhang Yang couldn't defeat their elders, none of the disciples of his generation were a match for him. If any of their younger generation were caught alone by Zhang Yang, it would spell disaster. Furthermore, Zhang Yang was still so young; as he matured in the future, he would become an even greater nightmare for their entire lineage. After long deliberation, Long Feng gave up the thought of reporting everything to the clan. He only mentioned that Zhang Yang was a successor of the Medical Saint lineage, highly skilled in martial arts, and that he was temporarily staying here for a few years because he had lost a bet. Being associated with a successor of the Medical Saint lineage would, at least, be acceptable to the family. As clans both inheriting millennia of tradition, their standing was not vastly different.

"You know Wu Ying's identity, yet you still follow me?" After a moment, Zhang Yang quietly asked. He had never revealed Wu Ying’s identity; the Treasure Seeking Mouse was known only in legends, and he hadn't expected Long Feng to discern it. If Long Feng remained unaware that Wu Ying was the Treasure Seeking Mouse, their relationship could have remained amicable. Knowing this fact put Zhang Yang on guard. The significance of the Treasure Seeking Mouse was immense; possessing it was equivalent to owning a trove of riches. This wealth would be even more critical to a major family like the Xuanyuan Clan.

"Since I lost the bet to you, I am your bodyguard. Within these three years, I will not do anything dangerous to you. I have sworn upon my very soul, and my oath will not change!" Long Feng stated calmly, his eyes shining brightly. This was also one of the reasons—the most crucial one—why he was reluctant to report back to the clan. Fundamentally, Long Feng was still a young man, one with flesh and blood and spirit. He could not yet bring himself to disregard honor for the sake of clan interests. He had even spoken favorably of Zhang Yang to the clan, taking full responsibility for the matter concerning the Hua Tuo Residence and the Zhang family, preventing the clan elders from directing their displeasure toward Zhang Yang.

"I believe you!" After observing Long Feng for a while, Zhang Yang slowly nodded. He couldn't detect any sign of deceit in Long Feng's expression. Now, his connection with Lightning was deep; he could sense Lightning's general thoughts. He clearly felt that Lightning strongly affirmed Long Feng's statement, believing he was speaking truthfully. Spirit beasts' senses were far superior to humans'. If Lightning believed it, it was proof that Long Feng was telling the truth. If this was a lie, then he was more cunning than any old fox in the world. A person like that, even without martial strength, possessed immense destructive potential, and there would be no need to even consider... (Shu Shu Wu)

"Thank you for your trust. Now, can you admit the answer to my previous question?" Long Feng smiled faintly, a rather bright expression, seeming genuinely happy about Zhang Yang's trust. "Your guess is correct. I am indeed looking toward the future of heavenly materials and earthly treasures, but finding them is never easy. Even with Wu Ying’s help, it will still rely on luck!" Zhang Yang nodded, speaking softly. At this point, there was no need to hide his true objective any longer.

"Having Wu Ying aboard significantly increases the odds. It’s certainly better than searching without direction. I believe in your luck!" Long Feng also smiled and nodded. He had spoken more today than ever before since becoming Zhang Yang's bodyguard. This deeper exchange with Long Feng eased some of Zhang Yang’s worries. At least for now, Long Feng harbored no malicious intent toward him. As long as Zhang Yang diligently cultivated and raised his internal energy level high enough, he wouldn't fear even the Xuanyuan family. With no one else around, Lightning and Wu Ying leaped out, darting through the undergrowth of the mountain. They hadn't experienced such an environment in a long time.

From the walkie-talkies, sporadic gunshots and excited shouts occasionally drifted over. More and more people were successfully bagging prey. Huang Hai and Li Ya had each secured their kills, and even Wu Zhiguo, through sheer dumb luck, had managed to hit a rabbit with his crossbow. Currently, only Zhang Yang and the couple, Su Zhantao and his wife, had nothing to show for their efforts. Zhang Yang felt no urgency. He hadn't intended to hunt in the first place. If he had wanted to, the two muntjacs and three wild pheasants from earlier wouldn't have escaped. With two internal energy masters like himself and Long Feng, plus a spirit beast like Lightning, even the appearance of a tiger wouldn't pose any threat to them.

"Ah!" "Bang!" A startled cry suddenly came over the walkie-talkie—a woman's voice. They only had one woman accompanying them this time: Fu. Yang Ling carried only a crossbow; she hadn't brought a rifle, as it was too heavy, and she didn't know how to use it, making it better left behind. While hunting, she had stayed close to Su Zhantao, who carried a hunting rifle on his back. Their location should have been relatively close to Huang Hai and the others. Though separated, everyone remained within range of the communicators.

"Yang Ling, what happened?" "Young Master Su, what's going on over there?" Urgent shouts from Long Cheng and Huang Hai immediately followed through the walkie-talkie. Before they could even finish speaking, Zhang Yang’s body shot off rapidly in one direction. Faster than him was Lightning; Long Feng followed closely behind. Three shadows streaked swiftly through the mountain forest. There was no response on the walkie-talkie, only chaotic echoes, among which could faintly be heard Yang Ling’s quiet sobbing. No one knew what had happened to them.

On the other side of the mountain, Su Zhantao stood dumbfounded, clutching his rifle, staring blankly ahead. Behind him, Yang Ling stood trembling, tightly gripping the walkie-talkie, unable to utter a single word. Directly in front of them were five massive wild boars. All five sported sharp tusks and fiercely aggressive eyes, glaring directly at the pair. The largest boar among them bore a fresh bullet wound on its flank, from which blood was still seeping, making its appearance even more savage. Earlier, when everyone else was bagging game and they remained empty-handed, Su Zhantao had grown anxious. He had pulled Yang Ling deeper into the woods because he had boasted to her that he would definitely bring down a large animal this year. Yang Ling had even teased him about it once, asking where this big game was. But not long after, the big game appeared—not just one, but five wild boars materialized before them simultaneously. Neither of them had hunted before, but that didn't mean they were ignorant. In the mountains, wild boars were no less dangerous than tigers. These five were certainly more terrifying than a single tiger; even a tiger would give them a wide berth. In his panic, Su Zhantao fired his rifle. His shot hit, but unfortunately, he had loaded it with standard rounds meant for pheasants and small deer, not the more powerful ammunition. This bullet failed to kill the boar; instead, it enraged it. Surrounded by five boars, Su Zhantao’s strength completely deserted him after firing the shot, making it impossible even to scramble up a nearby tree. Even climbing a tree would be futile. This was the foothills; there were no towering giants here. The trees weren't thick enough; none could withstand the destructive power of the wild boars. Not five, but just one could root a tree over, and they would still meet their doom.

"Rumble!" The wounded boar charged first, followed immediately by the others. Yang Ling screamed again, despair filling her eyes. The five boars were not far; they would reach the couple in less than a minute. In one minute, they would likely become fodder for these five beasts. Su Zhantao suddenly turned, throwing his body over Yang Ling to shield her. He had one more shell in his gun, but that bullet was now useless. This double-barreled shotgun only posed a threat to boars with the heaviest load of buckshot, which also generated the greatest recoil and had the worst accuracy. Su Zhantao had that type of ammunition, but there was no chance to switch. Even if he could reload, he couldn't possibly fight off five boars sequentially. Despair gripped Su Zhantao’s heart. He covered Yang Ling simply hoping to protect her a moment longer, intending that if they were to die together, he would at least depart a moment before her.

"Vermin!" Just as Su Zhantao felt the ground vibrating increasingly intensely, a deep, muffled roar sounded near his ear. What followed was a heavier thud and the pig-like screech of the boar. At the critical moment, Zhang Yang finally arrived. Without hesitation, he charged directly at the lead boar, delivering a swift kick to its head. The running boar was sent flying sideways, landing heavily on the ground. This kick was delivered with full force; the sheer impact left Zhang Yang’s leg stinging and momentarily numb. Not pausing after dispatching the first boar, Zhang Yang grabbed another charging beast with one hand. Utilizing the 'borrow strength to overcome strength' principle of Tai Chi, he spun this boar around in place. That ear-splitting screech was this boar’s cry. It likely never imagined that such a small human possessed enough strength to yank it off its feet and nearly pull out its tusks, causing agonizing pain to its jaw.

Second update: The daily count has broken one hundred! Xiao Yu is extremely excited and thrilled. Thank you all again for your support. Breaking one hundred in a single day means eight chapters. Xiao Yu's schedule differs from most people's, so updates will be a bit late; please be understanding. The next chapter will be updated around one o'clock. Friends who prefer to sleep early can wait until tomorrow; if you wake up early tomorrow, you won't just be reading one chapter. One last thing: if you have monthly tickets, please continue to support Xiao Yu. Every time I refresh the page and see the monthly tickets increase, I feel like I have inexhaustible energy.