The village chief, always aware of the goings-on in the village, felt a sense of relief when he learned of the villagers' actions. However, that feeling quickly dissipated. In the next moment, his expression shifted drastically, as if something had disturbed his very life force. A wave of unbearable pain washed over him, causing him to grimace in agony.
He knew immediately that the village's "Life Source" had been tampered with. It was because of this interference that his powers were slowly weakening. The vital question now was: who had meddled with the Life Source, and why? Could it be that someone had uncovered the village’s long-held secret that had sustained its prosperity for generations? Only a handful of the village elders, those held in the highest esteem, knew of the Life Source and its significance.
Could it have been one of the elders themselves? The village chief was full of doubts. If the elders were involved, surely the old woman would have known about it. Now, he realized he needed to dig deeper, to determine whether it was an outsider or someone from within the village who had interfered with the Life Source.
……
Now, Liu Hai and the group had finally arrived at Nine Fox Ridge. The villagers appeared anxious, especially since none of them had ever ventured there before. All their lives, they had only heard terrifying stories from the village elders about how dangerous Nine Fox Ridge was.
The elders had always warned them that unless absolutely necessary, no one should enter the ridge because most who went in never came out alive. As the villagers pushed forward in a large group, it was as if they were using each other's presence to boost their courage.
Liu Hai couldn’t help but smile slightly as he watched them. They had no idea that he and Zhang Nu had already wiped out all the creatures on the first level. After the villagers explored the first layer for a while, they found nothing out of the ordinary, which left them even more puzzled. The villagers weren't sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing. If the first layer was clear, did that mean that danger awaited them on the higher levels?
Liu Hai knew that continuing further could be risky—he and Zhang Nu had barely survived their encounter on the second layer. If these villagers tried to ascend any higher, they were likely to face the same fate. Seeing that the group was preparing to move upward, Liu Hai quickly stepped in to stop them.
“Granny, do we really have to keep going up?” Liu Hai asked, concerned. “I’ve hunted here before, and I know how terrifying it can get. Without someone powerful to protect us, we may not make it out alive.”
The old woman gently patted Liu Hai on the shoulder, reassuring him with a calm smile. Although the ridge was home to dangerous creatures, she assured him that they wouldn’t be harmed. She explained that during the selection of each new village chief, the elders always made the journey up the ridge.
“Don’t worry, Liu Hai,” she said with a knowing nod. “Just stay close to us. I promise, no harm will come to you.”
Liu Hai was taken aback by the old woman’s confidence. How could she guarantee their safety? Did she really understand the terrifying dangers lurking on this mountain? The tree demon on the second level was especially fearsome—there was no way the villagers could handle it on their own.
Reluctantly, Liu Hai decided to push forward with the others. Even if it cost him his life, he was determined to ensure the villagers made it through unharmed. He stayed on high alert, wary that a monster could leap out at them at any moment.
But to Liu Hai’s astonishment, they reached the mountaintop without encountering a single demon. This was beyond belief. When he and Zhang Nu had ventured here before, they had run into the tree demon as soon as they reached the second level.
Puzzled, Liu Hai remembered the old woman’s earlier assurance. Could it be that she, or perhaps the group of elders, had something to do with their safe passage? He noticed that several of the elders who usually kept to themselves had come along on this trek. It was as if their presence was needed to keep something at bay on the mountain.
Liu Hai couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to the relationship between Nine-Tailed Fox Ridge and the village than met the eye. The elders might know far more than they were letting on, and this entire situation was starting to seem deeply connected to the village’s secrets. With these thoughts swirling in his mind, he continued to follow the group, unsure of what lay ahead.