Upon seeing the giant python, Gu Heng wasn't actually flustered.

There was no need to panic.

It's just a snake!

This was just an ordinary python, albeit a bit long and large, with a head about half the size of his body. Maybe just the weight of its body could crush him, but Gu Heng was an experienced mortal physician who had been in the mountains and hunted before.

Even Little Xi on his leg remained calm, completely unconcerned, still unabashedly playing with her cat paws, showing off her claws.

If a cat isn't afraid of a snake, how could a grown man be?

Although this snake did look like it could swallow him whole.

Gu Heng smiled as he watched the giant python slowly slither over, its vertical pupils opening and closing slowly, flicking its tongue with a "hiss," and Gu Heng noticed the snake's breath was quite strong, accompanied by a heavy earthy smell.

"Brother Snake, I've been walking all day, can't you let me find some peace?"

Gu Heng's tone was calm, as if it were just an ordinary conversation, "You're making it difficult for me..."

"Hiss—"

The python twisted, letting out a low hiss, its massive, menacing head rising up, flicking its tongue aggressively at Gu Heng. It had gained intelligence and understood human speech, which was expected by Gu Heng. Even the stray cat he picked up could understand human language and read words, so it wasn't surprising that the wild beasts and poisonous creatures in these desolate mountains had some intelligence.

Of course, if the snake insisted on eating him, Gu Heng wouldn't just sit and wait for death.

In the System's "Gift" section, the Divine Movement Boots were the most useful, and the second most useful... was specifically for dealing with beasts!

"Come one inch closer, and you'll die."

Su Jinxi lazily lifted her gaze, fixing it on the restless giant python, sending a telepathic message that made the python's movements abruptly freeze.

Because along with Su Jinxi's telepathic message came an overwhelming aura like a landslide or tsunami, a fierce, violent, destructive force that made the python's entire body tremble, ultimately causing it to crouch down, cowering on the ground.

In that instant, the python even doubted that if it dared to move forward even a fraction, that aura would be enough to tear it apart!

"Hiss."

The python shook its head uneasily and quickly retreated, the rustling sound of its movement quickly fading into the forest, leaving only Gu Heng and Su Jinxi sitting there.

"Meow!"

Little Xi was very excited.

Well, it seems this Brother Snake doesn't eat ordinary people like him. It seems what he said earlier really resonated with the snake.

Gu Heng felt the warmth of the fire, pondering whether to hunt some wild game to try the taste.

"Little Xi, wasn't that snake just now quite strange?"

Gu Heng stroked the silver kitten's head, talking to himself, but then he thought, a snake that understands human speech is strange, but isn't the little wild cat on his leg that understands human language and words also strange?

"Master also noticed something was off..."

Meanwhile, Su Jinxi was looking in the direction the giant python had left, lost in thought.

Yes, it was indeed strange.

Because she recognized what kind of beast it was—a Black-scaled Earth Python, a fourth-grade beast, equivalent to a cultivator who had just entered the Out-of-Body stage, not a particularly powerful beast. But just now, in her perception, the strength of this Black-scaled Earth Python was already close to the Divided Spirit stage! It could even contend with a sixth-grade beast!

This was extremely abnormal, because a fourth-grade beast shouldn't be this strong.

Unless... there's something unusual about this place!

This Solitary Mountain, along with its surroundings covered in dense forest, had thin spiritual energy, considered barren land, yet the fourth-grade beast here was strong enough to fight a sixth-grade beast, there must be something wrong!

"Could it be that Master had already discovered something was wrong here?"

The more Su Jinxi thought about it, the more she felt this was the case. He was a mighty figure! If there was something wrong on this Solitary Mountain, he must have noticed it early on, otherwise why would he deviate from the main road, not enter the city, and insist on staying in this desolate place for the night?

"You're interested too, right?"

Gu Heng continued to stroke Little Xi's head, talking to himself.

Oh no, he's so bored he's talking about such nonsensical things with a cat. If he had known, he would have gone into the city, where he could have had some night tea at the market.

Just hoping this little wild cat that understands human speech doesn't think its owner has gone mad.

"Hmm? So Master also noticed I'm very interested in the anomalies here?"

Su Jinxi felt that nothing could be hidden from him.

However, since it was mentioned, why not... go investigate a bit, in case there's really something to gain?

With this thought, Su Jinxi jumped off his leg, seeing that Gu Heng didn't react, which meant he tacitly allowed her to go see what was unusual in this Solitary Mountain!

Then she trotted off quickly on her short legs, leaving Gu Heng with a furry back view.

Gu Heng: "..."

This little guy, going to relieve herself?

Oh well, after all, this is a Solitary Mountain, and she understands human speech, she'll come back on her own later, and if she doesn't, Gu Heng has a way to find her.

He lay back comfortably, and in the dark gaps of the dense forest, new observers appeared.

...

"Why is there a person here?"

In the dense forest, several figures gathered in the shadows of the deep woods, avoiding the moonlight, their presence hidden.

They had to be cautious, because they had suffered losses here before.

They looked at one of the rare clearings in the deep forest, where a young man had lit a campfire and was sitting beside a green stone, looking at a map.

Hmm?

What's going on?

In this area, there was a very strange Black-scaled Earth Python roaming around! Just two hours ago, they were almost killed by that Earth Python, fleeing down the mountain in embarrassment, only daring to return after sunset, hoping to find a way to avoid that python beast.

"That damn snake has strength close to the Divided Spirit stage, how can this guy... just a mortal, sit so calmly on 'Burial Mountain'?"

Someone in the group muttered.

They were rogue cultivators, with some cultivation of their own. All five of them were at the Out-of-Body stage, but this lineup was a bit overconfident in trying to find the possibly mythical "Emperor's Tomb" on Burial Mountain.

The leader had actually learned from a Heaven's Inquiry Master that there was a treasure in this mountain, possibly even the tomb or cave of a supreme being!

And they wanted it!

But forget about the treasure, they couldn't even deal with the Black-scaled Earth Python wandering on the outskirts, and had to wait for the deep night to see if they could sneak past.

But now, instead of the snake python beast, there was a mortal with a campfire on the clearing.

"Why not just kill him! So the news of treasure here doesn't get out, otherwise, the five of us won't even get to lick the soup bowl, let alone eat meat!"

"No way! Are you out of your mind! We can barely sense any true energy fluctuations from him, he's either a mortal or stronger than us, but how likely is it for a mortal to come to Burial Mountain in the middle of the night?"

The leader's words made everyone fall silent.

Indeed, the villages, towns, and cities surrounding Burial Mountain were rife with rumors about this place, saying that people who came here to chop wood or gather herbs ended up haunted by vengeful spirits or eaten by giant beasts. In short, once the rumors spread, mortals certainly wouldn't have the courage to come here.

It's not impossible that some thrill-seekers or skeptics might come here.

If this young man wasn't a mortal, then he was a cultivator stronger than the five of them, but how much stronger?

"Damn, someone else must have learned about the treasure on Burial Mountain!"

Someone said viciously.

"He's alone now, I suggest we use strategy, take him out first."

"What do you all think?"

They exchanged glances in the darkness, agreeing on this approach. That young mortal, or cultivator, had to be eliminated!

For no other reason than because he was in Burial Mountain, and any outsider unrelated to them in this mountain had to be killed on sight.

If not, when they found the treasure, wouldn't it be taken by someone else?

But if they wanted to kill, they had to use strategy.

...

Gu Heng was engrossed in looking at the other side of the map, but at this moment, the rustling sound came from the forest again.

He rolled his eyes.

Could that snake have come back?

So Gu Heng put down the map, took out a golden disc from the System Backpack, placed it in his pocket, and then coldly called out into the pitch-black forest, "Stop hiding, I know you're there!"

His voice was loud, waking the silent forest.

However, the response wasn't from the giant python, but a staggering, dirty, and old-fashioned middle-aged man who stumbled out. His eyes were bloodshot, a sword hung at his waist, but his face was full of vigilance and fear, clearly having experienced some trauma.

"Young brother, young brother! Don't worry, I wasn't hiding on purpose."

The middle-aged man raised his hands immediately upon seeing Gu Heng, finally showing a look of relief, and hurriedly explained to Gu Heng.

"Who are you?"

Gu Heng frowned.

In this desolate mountain, there were other people?

"My name is Wang Qi, I'm a hunter from Wellhead Village nearby. I came into the mountain intending to hunt something to eat, but I unexpectedly ran into a giant python. The other hunters with me lost their lives, and I was scared out of my wits, too afraid to go down the mountain."

Wang Qi said frantically, looking at Gu Heng's unfamiliar and handsome face, recalling the terrifying strength of the Black-scaled Earth Python, his face showed even more tension and fear.

"Oh? You also encountered that python?" Gu Heng asked, puzzled.

"Yes." Wang Qi smiled bitterly.

Gu Heng was taken aback, then understood.

Oh, so the python didn't eat him because it was already full!

Seeing Wang Qi's appearance, Gu Heng couldn't help but feel sympathy. Hunters like Wang Qi had no choice but to go into the mountains to make a living. When Wang Qi mentioned that the hunters from his village were eaten by the snake, he was scared, but not too surprised, as he was used to it.

In this world, it's not easy for mortals to live peacefully.

Even he had to move to another place because of the impending turmoil in Greenwood City.

Alas, shared hardships, shared hardships.

"Sigh, life really isn't easy. Come on, Brother Wang, this place is warmer. Do you have any discomfort?"

Gu Heng poked the firewood pile, signaling Wang Qi to sit down and warm up.

"Oh, thank you, young brother, you're so kind-hearted! But speaking of which, that snake hit me with its tail, and now my chest and abdomen still hurt."

Wang Qi hurriedly waved his hand to decline, but then sat down directly, making Gu Heng want to laugh. He said no, but his body was honest.

"If that's the case, take this."

Injured internally by a python? No problem, he was the top mortal physician!

Even without a Medicine Hall, he was prepared to avoid the embarrassment of having no medicine if he needed to treat someone on the road.

He took out a pill from the System Backpack and handed it to Wang Qi.

But when Wang Qi saw the pill, he was stunned.