Chapter 63: The Prison Fortress

For several days in a row, Shen Xin dared not step outside. During the daylight hours, he stayed within the compound, focusing on his cultivation. After consuming seven Earth Vein Fruits, his mastery of the Earth-Burrowing Technique reached a modest level—at the very least, he could move freely beneath the ground, traversing several hundred meters without difficulty.

He practiced the Visualization Method day and night. Even after sharing moments of tenderness with Yu Yanan, he never failed to sit cross-legged and cultivate, earning Yu Yanan’s frequent admonishments. Yet Shen Xin paid her complaints little mind; having completed his daily tasks to perfection, a bit of grumbling was harmless.

No longer daring to provoke vampires, Shen Xin turned his attention to exotic beasts—the capture of which was now urgent. He knew that by himself, it was impossible to eradicate the vampires of Ox City; even slaying a handful of lesser vampires would be futile. It would do nothing to shake their position, and might instead invite a vengeful response from their more powerful kin.

He had parents, a younger sister, a beloved, and friends—he could not act recklessly. Without absolute certainty, he would not make a move. The vampire route was a dead end, so he resolved to pursue another path, as planned—the capture of exotic beasts.

Shen Xin handed a single Earth Vein Fruit to Tang Ziran, urging her to eat it. Tang Ziran didn’t hesitate and swallowed it immediately.

“Ziran,” Shen Xin said, “in a few days, we’ll head to another province to hunt exotic beasts. Are you confident?”

“I am!” she replied.

“Excellent. Refine the Earth Vein Fruit carefully; we’ll set out in three days.”

“Alright!” Tang Ziran’s straightforwardness made communication easy. Shen Xin felt she was his indispensable right hand—wherever he pointed, she would strike.

The two discussed their approach and the types of exotic beasts to target, then went their separate ways to prepare.

During this time, Shen Xin obtained his driver’s license, expedited thanks to money smoothing the way—no obstacle at all. He then bought a reliable small truck and commissioned several large iron cages.

Everything was in readiness for the hunt.

Three days later, Shen Xin and Tang Ziran set off in the truck, bound for Tianlao City in Tiangang Province. The distance exceeded two thousand li; even on the highway, the journey would take several days.

Stopping and starting along the way, it took them three days to reach Tianlao City. Tiangang Province had twenty cities, not thirty-six.

Upon their arrival, Shen Xin found a hotel and allowed himself a day’s rest.

Tianlao City offered little in the way of entertainment; as its name suggested, it was famous for its prisons. The atmosphere was grim, and amusements were few.

After a day spent exploring the city with Tang Ziran, they continued onward.

Sister Dan had given them a location—an area in the wilderness outside Tianlao City, more than a hundred kilometers distant.

Another round of driving finally brought them to their destination: an unnamed mountain region. Though nameless, the forest was dense, brimming with vitality.

Tang Ziran stepped out and took a deep breath, sighing in delight, “This is the scent of nature—so refreshing!”

Shen Xin gazed at the endless mountains, saying nothing as he pitched the tent and gathered firewood.

Tang Ziran brought back a large bucket of water, announcing, “I’m going hunting.”

“Be careful,” Shen Xin cautioned.

“Don’t worry. The forest is my domain.”

Before Shen Xin’s pot of water had even boiled, Tang Ziran returned with two pheasants and a clutch of wild eggs. She deftly processed the birds, chopping them up and tossing them into the pot, along with the cleaned eggs. She also added wild mushrooms and honey.

“Are you sure those mushrooms aren’t poisonous?” Shen Xin asked, concerned.

“Just cook them well—it’ll be fine.”

That night, the two pheasants nearly disappeared into Shen Xin’s stomach. Tang Ziran ate some eggs and mushrooms, stretching contentedly and remarking, “This is life—so much better than the city! Brother, taste this soup.”

Shen Xin sipped it, unable to stop—the flavor was extraordinary. Only when his belly was round did he finally relent.

“So full!” he exclaimed, lying on the grass, eyes half-closed, staring at the brilliant stars.

“Brother, I plan to head home after a year or so,” Tang Ziran said.

Shen Xin turned to her, a hint of reluctance in his voice. “Is the city not good? Or am I not good to you?”

“It’s not that. I’m just not used to city life. Besides, I’ve earned enough money. My only regret is not finding a kindred spirit.”

Shen Xin sat up, protesting, “You’re still young—don’t obsess over men. Society always moves forward. Cities replace villages—it’s the tide of history.”

Tang Ziran was unconvinced. “If everything becomes a city, what will city folk eat?”

Shen Xin had no answer, so he deflected, “Why worry about that? Do they really need you, the farmer?”

Tang Ziran laughed, “Brother, I’m no farmer—I don’t grow crops. At best, I’m a hunter.”

Shen Xin, annoyed, retorted, “Hunter? Nowadays everything’s protected—you can’t hunt anything. You’d starve!”

“Actually, I wouldn’t. Brother, if I don’t find another man I like, would you help me have a child? I promise not to tell your wife.”

“What nonsense! Don’t be ridiculous. I’ll arrange everything. You can rest easy.”

The pair lay on the ground, chatting until sleepiness overtook them, then retired to their tents.

The next day, their journey continued. Exotic beasts lived deep in the mountains, not on the outskirts.

After much trekking, they finally found their first exotic beast—a Steel-armored Rhino—in a flat mountain valley. The valley was lush, with grass and birds, home to over a hundred Steel-armored Rhinos of various sizes.

“Ziran, wait here. I’ll lure one over,” Shen Xin said.

“Alright.”

Shen Xin crept into the valley, selecting a rhino from two hundred meters away. He activated his Eye Technique, and in an instant, the creature was teleported to him. Shen Xin turned and ran.

The rhino stared in confusion, but upon seeing a human, it charged after him.

Seeing the rhino take the bait, Shen Xin teleported himself another hundred meters away, widening the gap.

Despite its size, the Steel-armored Rhino was fast. Man and beast burst from the valley.

“Ziran, it’s your turn,” Shen Xin called.

Tang Ziran jogged over, positioning herself in front of the rhino and producing a Spirit-feeding Pill.

The rhino’s anger faded upon seeing Tang Ziran; it wagged its tail, slowed, and approached her cautiously, unable to resist the pill’s aroma. Carefully, it licked the pill from her palm.

“Good boy. Let Sister take you outside—the world out there is wonderful,” Tang Ziran coaxed.

The rhino shook its head, emitting joyful noises.

“Bear with me—I’ll store you now. Don’t be afraid,” she continued.

The rhino hesitated, but didn’t flee. Tang Ziran activated her Summoning Technique and stored the beast.

Shen Xin exclaimed, “Ziran, you really are the best. By the way, how many rhinos can your pet space hold now?”

“Two Steel-armored Rhinos,” she replied.

“Then let’s look for another species.”

Shen Xin felt a pang of regret. The primeval forest was so deep that each trip took several days; otherwise, they could have caught more Steel-armored Rhinos, which were worth tens of millions outside.

Their price was no surprise; Steel-armored Rhinos were impervious to blades and bullets, lived in herds, and were exceptionally hard to capture. Their horns were even more valuable than gold.