Chapter 29: 29. Dangerous Region (I)
The caravan entered the Dangerous Region and the environment completely changed. Lush forest valleys were no more, replaced by gently rolling hills of grass as far as the eye could see. There were no trees, only green-yellow grass that grew above waist height. The land was flat, monotonous. There was nothing interesting at all, except for the wind.
Gray had never experienced wind like this. In one moment, soft wind would create waves in the grass that rippled across the land. In the next, the wind gusted with alarming intensity. Dust and sand were carried in midair, causing the air to become sharp like whips or tiny razors.
There were even occasional wind storms that blew sideways that were able to knock over carts and sent people flying. Sometimes, the caravan simply had to stop and hunker down when the wind got particularly bad. Each night, the caravan formed a protective circle to protect against this unpredictive environment. Heavy tarps were tied town around the wheels to block the wind and guards slept in shifts to make sure everything stayed in one piece.
The wind wasn't the only danger, a fact which became apparent a few days later…
"Hey, what the hell?" Gray blurted.
He saw something new out of the carriage for the first time. Up to this point, everything had just been grass, rocks, and the blue sky above.
"Hmm?" Tang opened his eyes and looked out.
A cloud of dust emerged on the horizon, which grew in size at a rapid pace. Gray strained his eyes and soon saw that it was a massive herd of strange beasts. As they got closer, he could see small horns, beady black eyes, and massive haunches covered with long green-yellow fur. The beasts were headed straight for them!
"Incoming!"
"Circle the carts!"
"Hurry!"
Nervous shouts and urgent commands spread through the caravan. Everyone stopped and dragged the carts and carriages into a protective circle. The horses and oxen were led inside while the men stood atop the carts with weapons drawn.
The beast herd soon arrived, thousands of them in a solid mass. But instead of attacking, the huge four-legged beasts that looked like furry oxen rumbled past, giving the circle of human impediments a wide berth.
The power of the beasts was undeniable. Each one was filled with immeasurable spiritual strength, far more than any human cultivator in Blue Lake Village and even some of the guards. As a combined mass, if the beasts all decided to charge the caravan, it would have been completely wiped out.
"Relax, they are jade bison. They won't attack us." Tang said, "As long as we do nothing, they will pass and everything will be fine."
"How do you know?" Gray asked.
"Well obviously, they eat grass and not humans. Also, look." He pointed in the direction the herd was traveling where there were some dark clouds in the distance, "They are wind chasers, they seek the power of the sky."
"Huh?" Gray was even more confused.
"Storms. Storms across the plains are natural sources of sky-attribute spiritual energy. The area where one occurs will have a high concentration of such spiritual energy left behind which seeps into the ground and into the grass. This is why jade bison chase after the wind, to feed and rear their young."
"You seem to know a lot. Are they good to eat? Can I jump down and catch one?" Gray asked.
He pointed a few juveniles among the pack. These jade bison certainly looked delicious and could feed a crowd.
Tang scoffed, "Not with your ability."
"Oh yeah? And you can?" Gray shot back.
"I can."
Gray turned and flexed his arms aggressively, "You look quite small and weak to me."
Tang was much shorter and slimmer but strength did not lie solely in physical stature. In the cultivation world, what mattered was their cultivation.
"I can assure you. I am much, much stronger than you." Tang said as his spiritual energy stirred.
It was much stronger than Gray expected but he wasn't afraid. Judging but amount and intensity of color-less strands within the swordsman's body, it was nothing compared to Xueling.
"Oh? You can't be more than the fifth or sixth level of Spiritual Strengthening." Gray said, "That's not that impressive."
Tang expression changed and he looked at Gray strangely.
"How did you know that?"
There was an unnatural and dangerous tinge to his voice. A normal person might not have picked up on it but Gray did. He had fought with many deadly beasts and Tang's demeanor was one of a beast that was alarmed and ready to fight.
Gray was alarmed by the sudden change but didn't panic. He stared back without fear and shrugged nonchalantly.
"Hmm? It was just a random guess. Don't tell me you're really that strong? That's quite impressive." He answered in a casual tone.
Tang blinked a few times and his blank smile returned, "Heh… of course, not. Though you can be assured that I am stronger than you by far. I am already at the third level of the Spiritual Strengthening Realm!"
Gray ignored the obvious lie, "Pretty good but I will catch up with you soon enough."
"Idiot…" Tang muttered.
Tang turned away and didn't speak anymore. Gray wasn't happy either and both ignored each other.
The herd of jade bison eventually passed by without causing any major problems. When the last stragglers were gone, the caravan did not move from their protective position. Everyone was still tense and alert, much to Gray's confusion.
The reason for this became clear a few moments later when distinctive howls filled the air, that of wolves. A pack of hulking, short-haired beasts appeared over the horizon from the same direction that the bison came from. There were at least twenty and they were chasing after their primary prey.
These great plain wolves had distinctive fur that melded into the grass. They were large and fast, each one the size of a large man. They had long sharp teeth and claws that could rip an ordinary human to pieces. Each one was a bundle of death, with powerful cultivation that was not weaker than the strongest jade bison.
The pack neared the caravan and slowed. They smelled the horses and oxen as well as the humans inside. There was easier prey to be had.
One particularly brave wolf ventured forward, testing for any weaknesses. It managed to get within thirty strides of the nearest wagon when a thin dark blur shot out.
"Awowowo!"
The wolf yelped miserably, impaled to the ground with a well-aimed spear. Another wolf tried to approach but barely avoided a second thrown spear. The pack howled and barked furiously but that's all they could do.
The guards weren't pushovers. They were experienced cultivators hired to protect the caravan for exactly this situation. A straight-up fight against such a wolf pack could cause casualties but they were within the protective formation for the carts.
The wounded wolf could not escape. The other wolfs could not approach to rescue it. It eventually bled out and once it died, the pack gave a mournful howl to the sky and dashed off after the jade bison herd. The humans were too tough and they gave up.
"Hahaha! Looks like meat is on the menu again!" A burly voice rang out and there was a roar of laughter and cheers.
The man who spoke was also the one who threw the spears. His skill was impressive, something that wasn't feasible simply with raw strength.
Gray was someone who also utilized thrown weapons against beasts and knew how difficult it was. It required a good eye and a strong arm. Gray had a natural talent for it.
Before he entered cultivation, he was able to hit an earth bear in the eye with a pebble from ten strides away. This was one of the ways he fought off deadly beasts as he was growing up. He didn't know how far he could accurately throw now but he made a note to try it out when he had the chance.
Everyone waited until the wolf pack disappeared. The lone wolf carcass was collected. Afterward, the caravan once again formed into a single file convoy and resumed the journey south.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone