The mountain was tall and heavily forested, a vast expanse of lush greenery.0

The Daoist raised his head, his eyes filled with the sight of the thick woodland.0

A mountain like this—whether or not there were tales of wolves, leopards, or tigers—was not one an ordinary person would dare to climb.0

It was unknown whether there was a proper path to ascend or not. Song You, as a traveler from outside the region, saw no such trail.0

Forget about a proper mountain trail, even reaching the forest above from the roadside would require climbing over an earthen ledge that stood nearly as high as one and a half people.0

Upon closer inspection, he noticed some signs of disturbance on the ledge.0

Two people and a horse paused by the roadside. The young girl gazed into the distance, while the Daoist focused on examining the traces left behind.0

The road had been carved into the mountainside, with the slope and earthen ledge rising to the left. The ledge showed signs of collapse, as if some heavy animal unaccustomed to climbing had stepped on it. Upon careful inspection, faint hoofprints could be seen at the top, and the vegetation ahead had been trampled and pushed aside.0

It seemed that someone, accompanied by a horse, had leapt up the ledge to ascend the mountain.0

Such a feat was far beyond the capabilities of an ordinary horse.0

The Daoist raised his head slightly again.0

The forest was dense, and the overhead branches were tangled and chaotic. Such conditions would greatly hinder...8