"Young friend, I didn't mishear you, did I? You're saying you want to go to Ten Thousand Monster Mountain?" Old Man Li's face was full of shock, and the gaze he directed at Chu Feng was filled with a mix of curiosity and fear. It hardly looked like he was staring at a person anymore — more like he was staring at some kind of monster.
From Old Man Li's reaction, and that of everyone else present, Chu Feng could tell that Ten Thousand Monster Mountain was most likely an ominous place — perhaps even a forbidden zone. So he quickly came up with something on the spot.
"To be honest with you, I'm a martial cultivator. When I was in Qingzhou, I heard that Qinzhou's Ten Thousand Monster Mountain was an extraordinary place, hugely beneficial for cultivation. That's why I traveled all the way here — I wanted to see what it had to offer."
"A martial cultivator? You, a little brat like this?" The moment the words "martial cultivator" left Chu Feng's lips, the man with the mustache and several of the burly guards shot him looks of undisguised contempt. Clearly, none of them believed that Chu Feng could possibly be a cultivator.
"Young friend, I don't know whether Ten Thousand Monster Mountain is truly that beneficial for cultivation, but it is a forbidden zone for humans. It belongs to the demon beasts."
"The Supreme Manor once decreed that no faction, no individual, is to enter Ten Thousand Monster Mountain without authorization. If the demon beasts inside are provoked, it could spark a full-scale war." Old Man Li's tone grew grave as he warned Chu Feng, deeply afraid the boy might be foolish enough to venture into the mountain.
"The Supreme Manor? Are they the ones who rule Qinzhou?" Chu Feng asked curiously.
"It seems this young friend really is visiting Qinzhou for the first time and knows nothing about it." The old man blinked in surprise, then explained in detail: "The Supreme Manor was originally called the Supreme Estate. It is the most powerful force in our Qinzhou. As the Supreme Estate grew stronger and stronger, it eventually surpassed the former ruler of Qinzhou — the Earth Mang Manor. So the imperial court revoked Earth Mang Manor's governing authority and handed Qinzhou over to the Supreme Estate to manage."
Hearing Old Man Li's words, Chu Feng could appreciate just how formidable the Supreme Estate must be. To surpass an authority recognized by the imperial court through its own growth — that spoke of real capability. At the very least, it was something the Lingyun Sect could never achieve.
"Are the demon beasts inside Ten Thousand Monster Mountain really that powerful? Even the strongest faction in Qinzhou doesn't dare cross them?" Chu Feng tried to dig up more information.
"Of course. The demon beasts in Ten Thousand Monster Mountain are truly terrifying. They've ruled the mountain for nearly a thousand years now. It's said that millions of beasts dwell within, every last one of them incredibly powerful. Some can even take on human form."
"Especially the Four Demon Kings of Ten Thousand Monster Mountain — their power is absolutely overwhelming. Even the master of the Supreme Manor fears them."
"Fortunately, they remain active only within the mountain. If they didn't, the people of Qinzhou would all be doomed."
"That is precisely why the Supreme Estate issued its decree forbidding anyone from setting foot in Ten Thousand Monster Mountain. If the beasts are enraged and launch an attack on humanity, the punishment extends to the extermination of entire families," Old Man Li continued.
"So that's how it is. It seems Old Man Li really does know a lot about Qinzhou's affairs." Chu Feng found himself developing a degree of respect for the old man. In principle, everyone's knowledge was limited — the lower one's social standing, the less one typically knew.
This was especially true for a small town on the border of Qinzhou. People of Old Man Li's station shouldn't have known this much.
"Heh, actually, I heard most of this from my grandson."
"My grandson is a Core Disciple of the Phantom Thunder Sect, a second-rank sect. To be perfectly honest, my family was poor and destitute. It's only because my grandson has done well that we've been able to enjoy the life we have now." A look of unmistakable pride and joy spread across Old Man Li's face as he spoke of his grandson.
"Master! Master!" Just then, a series of urgent shouts echoed from within the residence. Following the calls, a thin young man came rushing into the hall.
"Oh, it's Wang Er. What's happened? Why the rush?" Old Man Li asked with a smile upon seeing the newcomer, showing just how kindly he treated his household staff.
"It's a letter from the Phantom Thunder Sect." The man called Wang Er handed over an envelope.
"It's from my grandson!" Old Man Li's face lit up. He snatched the letter, tore it open in a few swift motions, and began to read with a beaming expression.
But Chu Feng noticed that the old man's complexion was rapidly changing. First it turned pale, then greenish, and finally it went purple. His whole body began to shake, and before long he slumped to one side and passed out.
"Old Man Li, are you all right?" Thankfully, Chu Feng reached out in time and guided him into a chair. The sight of it threw the entire household into a panic, and everyone rushed over to see what was wrong with the old man.
Chu Feng, meanwhile, picked up the letter that had fallen to the ground. After reading it, he roughly understood what had happened and why Old Man Li had collapsed.
The letter hadn't been written by Old Man Li's grandson. It had been secretly sent by one of his close friends within the Phantom Thunder Sect.
The gist of it was this: Old Man Li's grandson had accidentally offended the Young Sect Master of the Phantom Thunder Sect and was now imprisoned. The friend hoped that Old Man Li could find some way to rescue him.
But Old Man Li was a man who had come from nothing. All his current wealth and comfort had come about because of his grandson. How could he possibly have the means to free him?
What's more, the Phantom Thunder Sect was a colossus utterly beyond their reach. The mere thought of it was terrifying, let alone going there to rescue his own grandson.
No wonder Old Man Li had fainted upon receiving this news. For him, it was nothing short of a bolt from the blue — an absolutely devastating blow.
"Hey — what's Old Man Li's grandson's name?" Chu Feng asked the man with the mustache.
"What do you want to know for?" the mustached man replied warily.
"I asked you for his name." Chu Feng's pupils contracted, and a flash of cold light appeared in his eyes.
The mustached man was so frightened by that look that he crumpled to the ground with a thud, not daring to hold anything back. In a trembling voice, he said, "H-his name is Li Datou."
"Which direction is the Phantom Thunder Sect in?" Chu Feng asked again, and the mustached man gave a detailed answer about the sect's direction and the distance from their current location.
Once he had all the information he needed, Chu Feng turned and left at a brisk pace. The household servants stared after him in confusion, unable to figure out why such a young boy would need to know all this.
The mustached man, however, stood rooted to the spot for a long time, unable to snap out of it. He was still consumed by the fear that had washed over him when Chu Feng had looked at him.
As for why Chu Feng had asked all those questions, the answer was simple: he wanted to help Old Man Li. Chu Feng could tell that the old man was a good person — a genuinely kind and honest man. The entire town would have agreed.
Setting aside the fact that Old Man Li had told him about Ten Thousand Monster Mountain and even provided him with a meal, it was the old man's open-handed generosity and upright character that made Chu Feng feel he needed to lend him a hand.