"All hands prepare, battle is imminent!" Shen Hanshan's voice was powerful and resonant. He drew his longsword abruptly, its cold light flashing like a dragon's roar across the heavens. His eyes were piercing, and his words revealed an undeniable authority.
Immediately, with a slight flick of his wrist, a flash of silver light appeared from his sleeve, and several silver needles streaked through the air like meteors, precisely piercing the vital points of the nearest venomous snakes. The speed of his movements was astonishing. Under the strike of the silver needles, these venomous snakes instantly lost their vitality and became unable to move.
"Sprinkle snake repellent powder!" Shen Hanshan ordered sternly.
Upon hearing this, the surrounding guards quickly took out cloth bags from their waists, shook them gently, and a puff of pale yellow smoke spread out. It was a specially made snake-repelling powder with a pungent and spicy smell, which had a strong effect on repelling snakes.
Wherever the smoke passed, even venomous snakes hiding in the shadows retreated, not daring to approach even a step closer.
Seeing this, Shen Hanshan's lips curled into a cold smile. He knew this was just the prelude; the real challenge was yet to come. He looked around; flocks of birds flew about, but he couldn't see the eyes hidden in the dense forest.
"Stay vigilant. There are more than just us looking for His Highness and Young Master Cui in Chaoyu Mountain. The other side is far more cunning than these venomous snakes," he warned, using his inner strength.
His gaze fell on the limp snakes scattered on the ground. These snakes shouldn't have been mobilized in large numbers unless someone was manipulating them from behind the scenes.
But who exactly is the person hiding behind the scenes?
Just as Shen Hanshan was racking his brains, a slight sound came from the bushes not far away. Shen Hanshan's eyes narrowed, and he instantly sprang up, pouncing towards the source of the sound like a cheetah.
"Sir, spare my life!" A hoarse voice came from not far away.
"Your Highness, be careful!" Du Heng warned instinctively. Although the voice sounded somewhat old, it contained inner strength.
Shen Hanshan's sword tip pressed straight against the man's heart as he coldly asked, "Who are you? How did you discern our identities?"
The other party calmly walked out of the bushes, and everyone then realized that the one who had commanded the venomous snakes to attack them was actually a woman.
She had a bamboo basket full of herbs slung over her left arm, and a bunch of wildflowers freshly picked from the mountains in her right hand.
"I am but a humble village woman from the mountains, making a living by gathering herbs. I stumbled upon you gentlemen here by chance, and I was filled with fear, which is why I spoke up to ask for your help." The woman's voice was soft, but every word was clear, without the slightest hint of panic. "As for how I discerned your identities, it was simply because I saw that you gentlemen were agile and did not seem like ordinary people, so I dared to make a guess."
Upon hearing this, Shen Hanshan's eyes flickered slightly as he glanced at the bamboo basket on the old woman's arm, which was indeed filled with herbs.
He slowly sheathed his sword, his tone softening slightly: "I see, I was wrong about you. But how do you explain your ability to control venomous snakes?"
The woman shook her head gently, a hint of helplessness flashing in her eyes: "This is not my wish, but I am forced by the need to make a living. There are many wild beasts in the mountains. I am all alone. If I had no way to protect myself, I would probably have been eaten by beasts long ago. I have tamed these poisonous snakes since I was a child, only for self-defense. I have never intended to harm anyone."
Hearing this from the side, Du Heng felt a pang of sympathy and stepped forward, saying, "Madam is right. We were here on official business and did not mean to disturb the villagers. Since it was a misunderstanding, we hope Madam will not take it to heart."
The woman bowed slightly to show her gratitude: "Thank you for your magnanimity, sir. I am deeply grateful. However, this mountain is dangerous. If you gentlemen do not have urgent business, it would be best to leave as soon as possible."
Shen Hanshan nodded, his gaze lingering on the distance: "Madam is right, we do indeed have urgent business to attend to. May I ask, madam, have you seen a man and a woman ascending Chaoyu Mountain?"
The old woman paused slightly, as if pondering. After a moment, she smiled and said, "Gentlemen, you may not know, but although Chaoyu Mountain is beautiful, its peaks are high and its waters are treacherous. One wrong step and you could die here. So, usually, no one but me comes to this mountain!"
"Thank you for informing me, Madam." Shen Hanshan nodded slightly to express his gratitude.
"I'll take my leave now," the woman said, turning and walking into the dense forest.
Shen Hanshan stared intently at the woman's receding figure, his gaze darkening slightly.
"Du Heng, have you ever seen a woman over sixty years old with light steps, and whose back is not hunched and whose eyesight is not failing?"
"No, Your Highness!" Du Heng thought Shen Hanshan was telling a joke to ease the tense atmosphere. Then he realized, "You mean, that old woman has a problem?!"
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