Chapter 1054, The Little Girl Wants Something Safer

Translator: Silavin

 

Yan Hua and the others were resting inside a mountain cave, having all arrived at the Hunting Ground.

 

They were currently inside the cave drawing up their battle plan. Since each person carried a considerable number of tasks this time around, they would need to proceed with great caution.

 

“Should we split up?” Bai Si asked.

 

The monkey eared girl felt that splitting up would improve their overall efficiency, allowing them to complete their missions more quickly.

 

After all, they were carrying out many tasks between them: searching for rare plants, searching for small beasts that could be kept in pens, and searching for unusual beasts. Then, there was the final task, which was also the most important: finding large beasts capable of flight.

 

“I also think splitting up to search is the better approach.” Sha Lan gave a nod.

 

“In that case, let us all go our separate ways. The probability of finding what we need will be higher. My only concern is the matter of safety.” Yue’s expression was one of grave seriousness. This was no game of pretend. One had to remember that everyone was now inside the Hunting Ground.

 

All manner of Ferocious Beasts inhabited the Hunting Ground, and there was every chance they might encounter something extraordinarily savage.

 

“There will always be danger regardless, but we will never complete our missions if we refuse to take any risk.” Yan Hua’s expression was equally resolute as she continued, “What’s more, we came prepared this time. We are nothing like before, when our equipment was lacking, so let us not worry too much.”

 

“I agree with Ah’Hua’s thinking. Success will never come without taking risks, so we have to try.” Ai’er nodded repeatedly.

 

The butterfly girl had always admired Yan Hua deeply, and hearing this line of reasoning only made her agree all the more.

 

“I also agree with this decision. Let us split up and search separately, then regroup back at the cave when night falls.” Sha Lan had her cat ears flick a little. “Whether or not we have found any leads, we must return to the cave once it gets dark. Do not make others worry.”

 

“Let’s do that then. The Shaman has not given us a fixed deadline in any case, so we at least have enough time to do a search.” Yue swished her long silver-white hair.

 

“Since it is still light out, let us head out and begin searching right away.” Yan Hua rose to her feet with her spirits high and asked. “Oh, right. Have you all rested enough? Do you need to rest a little longer?”

 

“No need to rest. What kind of Warriors would we be if we grew tired over something like this?” Ai’er had the air of a ‘small monkey declaring itself king with no tiger around to challenge it’.

 

“Ha ha ha… That is good to hear. Was it not you who used to complain about being tired all the time?” Sha Lan teased.

 

“*Ahem…* I am not going to bother with you from now on. I am going to be the first one to find something.” Ai’er puffed out her cute little mouth, spread her butterfly wings, and flew out of the cave.

 

“She really runs away quickly.” Yan Hua followed right behind her out of the cave.

 

The other girls fell in behind them one by one, beginning their descent down the small path beside the cave.

 

By the time of day, it was roughly noon, so everyone had ample time ahead of them.

 

“How about this: I will head deeper in towards the front, and the rest of you go left and right.” Yan Hua suggested.

 

“Sure.” Sha Lan and the others each chose the direction that suited them and headed off.

 

*Step step step…*

 

Yan Hua drew her long whip and kept it at the ready, placing every step with exceptional care.

 

The dense primitive forest was fraught with danger at every turn, and each step had to be taken with the utmost vigilance.

 

Nobody could know what creature they might step on, only to be bitten. If it were a non-venomous creature, it would still be an unpleasant experience, but a venomous one? That might cost the person their life if they did not amputate the limb in time.

 

“Let me look for the plants first. The Shaman drew several diagrams.” Yan Hua muttered as she pulled the diagrams from her bag.

 

At this moment, Yan Hua found herself a little envious of Sha Lan, whose memory was truly remarkable. Sha Lan could retain everything without needing to keep consulting the diagrams.

 

That was not a luxury Yan Hua had. She had to keep pulling out her diagrams to cross-reference what she found, just to determine whether it matched what she was looking for.

 

“Also, need to find some beasts that can be kept in pens, preferably ones that can be eaten.” Yan Hua murmured to herself, repeating what Su Bai had told her over and over, her red eyes scanning the surroundings continuously.

 

The pressure on her right now was immense. Not only did she have to search for things, but she also had to keep her awareness of the environment around her at all times, since nobody could predict which direction a man-eating Ferocious Beast might come lunging at any given moment.

 

“This is not it, that is not it either, this one looks similar but is definitely not right, this one is identical in shape, but the colour is all wrong…” Yan Hua was like a student absorbed in some field study, picking things up to inspect them, sniffing at them, then tossing them aside the moment she decided they were wrong.

 

Beyond plants, she had also been observing small animals, and there was no shortage of small creatures to be caught, only they all appeared to be inedible.

 

Their appearances alone were ferocious enough to put anyone off, let alone the notion of penning them up and eating them. One doubted anyone would even dare to keep them at all.

 

“Dang it. I ran into a wall this quick. Can these things actually be found in the Hunting Ground?” Yan Hua furrowed her brow, and her mind began turning to more appealing alternatives. “I think capturing Ferocious Beasts is far more enjoyable. I will leave the plant-searching to Ai’er. She is bound to go after something safer. Yes, that’s it!”

 

Having murmured this to herself, Yan Hua’s face broke into a smile. She dropped all the plants she was holding, stuffed the diagrams back into her bag, and leapt up onto a nearby tree in a single bound, beginning to climb steadily towards the top.

 

She knew perfectly well the principle that standing high gives one a far-reaching view, and she intended to get to the highest point to see whether any large airborne Ferocious Beasts were anywhere to be found.

 

*Rustle rustle rustle…*

 

As the sounds of her ascent continued rhythmically, Yan Hua quickly reached the very top.

 

She retrieved a telescope from her bag and began surveying the surrounding environment with careful attention.

 

“Nothing but small birds, or ones that could carry one or two people at most. Useless as a transportation vehicle.” Yan Hua looked deeply disappointed and put away the telescope, then called her Peak Eagle over from where it had been circling.

 

When they had been resting in the cave, she had let the Peak Eagle go off to find its own food. It was a Ferocious Beast after all, and the matter of filling its stomach was something it could sort out for itself.

 

Yan Hua had originally intended to survey the sky for large Ferocious Beasts from the highest point of the tree, and instead she had found her Peak Eagle with a freshly satisfied belly.

 

*Screech screech screech…*

 

The Peak Eagle flew over and kept calling out in an affectionate, wheedling manner, trying to nuzzle against Yan Hua, only to be refused by its owner.

 

“If you nuzzle me like that, we’ll both fall.” Yan Hua leapt onto the eagle’s back in a single bound.

 

Yan Hua decided to conduct an aerial survey to continue her search. The probability of finding something that way might well be higher.