The entire forest was teeming with animals, a dark mass.
All kinds of animals, regardless of species, huddled together without any prejudice. Even the usually most irritable black bear calmed down and sat obediently on the ground.
Xi Xizhi certainly couldn't release all the wild beasts from Youyun Mountain, because once they came down the mountain, there was no guarantee what unpredictable things might happen. Aside from the inability to guarantee their safety, some of the unintelligent beasts, if they went berserk and encountered humans, might cause unnecessary casualties.
All Xi Xizhi could do was help them escape this hunting disaster...
Xi Xi, dressed entirely in silver, stood out prominently atop the giant rock in the very center of all the animals.
Peeking out, I saw that although all the animals were sitting in a messy manner, the line was very orderly.
Each species of animal was categorized and sat together. Especially on the right side, the dense swarm of snakes was enough to send chills down one's spine.
Unable to speak, Xi Xizhi could only make chirping sounds.
During this time, Xi Xizhi also continuously released her own spiritual energy to control them, ensuring that these animals would not riot.
As long as all the animals gather here, An Honghan and his group will not be able to find any prey, and the hunt will end.
Xi Xizhi led the herd of beasts toward a secluded spot.
It led the way, while the other beasts, who were already capable of absorbing spiritual energy, maintained discipline.
On the other side.
Many of the military officers involved in the hunt have already noticed something amiss.
"Huh... how come we haven't seen a single animal after wandering around for so long?" a military officer said, sounding very incredulous.
Everyone knows that Youyun Mountain has the most animals; you can usually see two or three every few steps.
In previous hunting festivals, the total number of animals hunted by all the military officers was at least tens of thousands. Why is it so unusual today?
"Yes! What happened? This mountain seems to have suddenly become empty. There isn't a single trace of animal."
"Just half an hour ago, everything was normal, and I encountered quite a few prey."
"How about... we walk a few more steps and see?"
Many military officials were discussing it.
They rode their horses for a long time but still didn't see a single trace of animals, which would have puzzled anyone.
An Honghan rode at the front, and although he was a little puzzled, he did not show any surprise.
The animals in Youyun Mountain have suddenly disappeared, so there must be a reason. It is clear that no human could have done this in such a short time.
Could it be that a spirit or monster similar to Xi Xizhi, capable of cultivation, has appeared on Youyun Mountain? Or perhaps, like the Phoenix Cloud Sable, it can transform into human form?
After thinking it over, An Honghan concluded that the possibility was very small.
Genuine Taoist priests are hard to find these days, let alone spirits with Taoist abilities.
An Honghan suddenly recalled the strange behavior Xi Xizhi had exhibited before visiting Yunshan, and immediately had the answer.
Spirits and monsters are hard to find, and the only one who would dare to disobey and go against one's will is probably that audacious little weasel...
"The rules of the hunt will not change. If no one hunts a wild animal before 5 PM, there will be no winner in this hunting festival."
An Honghan's cold voice reached everyone's ears.
Normally, on the day of the hunting festival, whoever catches the most wild animals is the winner. But today, they have been in Youyun Mountain for an hour and have not caught anything.
How precious is the emperor's promise? Everyone was scrambling to grab it. When An Honghan said that if no one caught the prey, the reward would disappear, who could resist? Many military officials scattered to search for prey, hoping to be the one to catch it and become the final victor.
An Honghan didn't say much. Seeing the military officials leave, he instructed Lin En, "Go and ask the patrolling guards if they have noticed anything unusual."
With so many animals disappearing suddenly, it's impossible that they didn't leave any clues. We should be able to get some information from the guards.
Although Lynn had questions, he dared not ask them aloud. Following An Honghan's instructions, he questioned several guards.
An Honghan held the reins and rode the horse quietly, looking around. The tall, dense bushes were full of life, making it the best habitat for wild animals.
"Your Majesty, according to the guards, they saw many animals running westward." Lynn approached slowly, holding a whisk in his hand.
Since the guards had seen the animals, then the animals of Youyun Mountain must not have disappeared. There must be something fishy about this.
An Honghan didn't say anything, pulled on the reins, and rode off westward.
Lynn hurried after him.
Seeing that he couldn't catch up, he quickly summoned a guard, who then rode a horse to carry him to find His Majesty.
Xi Xizhi and the animals arrived at a more secluded place in the west. The little white rabbits always scurried towards her, as if they had met one of their own kind. Several rabbits pushed and shoved each other, trying to get closer to her.
Xi Xizhi was already small, and now that she was mixed in with a bunch of white rabbits, it was almost impossible to tell whether she was a mink or a rabbit.
Aww...
Occasionally, the roars of wild beasts echoed through the mountains and forests.
Xi Xizhi wanted to stop them from roaring, but they couldn't communicate. Even if she did, not every animal, lacking intelligence, would obediently listen. Especially the tigers and lions, as kings of beasts, accustomed to being above all others, how could they possibly listen to a little ferret giving orders?
This scene greatly alarmed Xi Xizhi, who increased the power of her spiritual energy. She thought to herself, "If I keep roaring like this, what's the point of leading the beasts to safety? What if a hunter discovers them and wipes them all out?"
The area of Youyun Mountain is very large, so it is difficult to find this place in a short time.
As An Honghan rode his horse this way, many military officers followed.
Upon suddenly hearing the roar of a wild beast, the generals excitedly waved their whips and galloped away.
An Hong glanced at him coldly, then continued forward unhurriedly.
"Quick... listen, there's the howling of wolves, it's over there..."
Upon hearing the sound, many military officers shouted and rode their horses westward.
They rode very fast, afraid of falling behind the others.
"Going there won't necessarily be of any use," An Hong said coldly, seemingly very dismissive.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com