Yang Qi came to a decision.
The Array could stop people, but it couldn’t stop animals.
Therefore, he had to go into the mountains and talk to the "Mountain Monarch" in person!
’There isn’t enough time today. I’ll go into the mountains first thing tomorrow morning.’
Having made up his mind, he left the Tiger District with Xiaojiu.
In the evening, the lights of the mountainside dormitory were warm and inviting.
Yang Qi was eating Spirit Rice Porridge with all his Guardian Beasts.
The fragrance of the porridge mingled with Spiritual Qi, making it exceptionally delicious for his furry kids. Even Liu Fu flicked its long tongue, slowly coiling it around the special food Yang Qi had prepared for it—a mixture of Spirit Rice Porridge and Vitality Nutrient Cream.
The atmosphere was peaceful and warm.
Just then, the phone on the coffee table buzzed.
Yang Qi picked it up. It was a long message from Jiang Kai.
"Xiao Yang, we just finished the coordination meeting. The Forest Police and the Forestry Department organized several test teams today. They tried to enter the primeval area simultaneously from different entrances in the districts and counties surrounding Cangshan."
"The result was that in nearly half of the primeval forest area, people who ventured a certain distance in would inexplicably find themselves walking back out. Their sense of direction would completely fail, and their electronic devices were also interfered with to varying degrees."
"But animals are unaffected! That Forest Patrol Officer in White Tower District, Old Cai, took his two hounds, Dahuang and Big Black, deep into that area and returned safely."
"According to Old Cai, his dogs were completely fine after entering. He only managed to avoid getting lost by following them the entire time."
"This means that it’s not just Uncle Cai’s hounds—your Bai Wan, Hu Zi, and Leopard should also be able to enter and exit that area freely! This could be a breakthrough for our potential future animal monitoring or rescue operations."
Yang Qi wasn’t surprised after reading the message.
Just as he’d expected, the Cloud Plate Enchanting Array targeted human senses and perception. It had a limited effect on animals that relied on instinct and smell, especially highly trained canines with a strong sense of direction.
After a moment of thought, his fingers tapped quickly across the screen as he replied.
"Understood. This situation is rare, but since animals can get in and out, I’m planning to take Bai Wan and Leopard into the mountains tomorrow morning after feeding time. I’ll test if they’re truly unaffected and also observe the animal activity in the area."
It wasn’t long before Jiang Kai replied.
"Okay. Be safe. If anything feels wrong, pull back immediately. Also, the Forestry Department might contact you. They’re hoping you can help record some basic data."
"Understood."
Putting down his phone, the corners of Yang Qi’s mouth tilted up slightly.
’This way, I’ll have an "official reason" to enter the mountains openly tomorrow.’
After dinner, he went upstairs to cultivate as usual.
Inside the Spirit Gathering Array set up with Mid-grade Five Elements Spirit Stones, the Great Derivation Spirit-Controlling Technique circulated with increasing smoothness and harmony.
His Cultivation was steadily accumulating, making solid progress toward the Qi Cultivation Sixth Layer.
...
The next morning, Yang Qi went downstairs just as the sky was beginning to brighten.
First, he went to the backyard to dismantle the Demon Extermination Array that had been running all night. Tallying up his gains, he had earned over eight hundred contribution points.
’Eight consecutive draws!’
The first four draws were all standard supplies.
The fifth draw—
[Congratulations, Host. You have drawn a prize: Low-grade Spirit Stone (Wind Attribute)]
’A Wind Spirit Stone! Not bad.’
Yang Qi’s eyes lit up.
The Array’s operation slowly consumed Spirit Stones, so having a replenishment was always a good thing.
The sixth draw—
[Congratulations, Host. You have drawn a prize: Tier One High-Grade Divine Movement Talisman]
’Another High-Grade Divine Movement Talisman!’
Joy sparked in Yang Qi’s heart.
’I’m going into the mountains to search for the South China Tiger today. The area is huge. With this, I can save a lot of time on travel and tracking.’
The seventh draw—
[Congratulations, Host. You have drawn a prize: Comprehension +1]
A cool, lucid sensation instantly flooded his mind, as if a dusty mirror had been wiped clean. His thoughts became exceptionally clear and agile.
’My comprehension increased again!’
Yang Qi was overjoyed.
The eighth and final draw yielded a tube of Vitality Nutrient Cream.
’My luck is pretty good today!’
Yang Qi surveyed his haul with satisfaction.
The Wind Spirit Stone could replenish the Array’s consumption, the High-Grade Divine Movement Talisman was a powerful tool for travel, and the boost in comprehension was a long-term benefit.
In high spirits, he prepared breakfast for the furry kids at home: cat food, dog food, and fresh water.
Afterward, he changed into his work uniform and first went to the Zoo’s warehouse to pick up the day’s food rations for the Gray Wolves and raccoons. He completed the feeding, basic cleaning, and logging the animals’ conditions as quickly as possible.
Returning to his dorm, he made the final preparations for his departure.
"Hu Zi, you’re staying home to watch the house today."
Yang Qi patted the calm, retired police dog. "I’m leaving the house in your care."
"WOOF!"
[Understood.]
Hu Zi acknowledged calmly and walked over to the door, sitting down like a loyal guard.
Liu Fu, still camouflaged in a color matching its surroundings, was perched on the windowsill. It let out a faint hiss from its throat, indicating it understood.
"Bai Wan, Leopard, Xiaojiu, let’s go."
Bai Wan wagged its tail excitedly, and Leopard was even more eager to get going.
Xiaojiu leaped lightly onto Yang Qi’s shoulder and settled down with practiced ease.
Yang Qi drove his Wrangler SUV to the private entrance at the back of the Zoo’s mountain.
Two people were already waiting for him at the entrance.
Both were wearing the uniforms of the Forestry Department, and Yang Qi recognized them.
One was Mr. Zhang from the Forestry Bureau’s Resource Protection Division, and the other was Xiaowang, a technician who often worked with the Forest Police.
"Advisor Yang, morning!"
Mr. Zhang walked up with a smile. "I heard you’re heading into the mountains today? Minister Jiang probably mentioned it to you, right?"
"Morning, Mr. Zhang. Morning, Engineer Wang."
Yang Qi parked the car and got out. "The Minister did mention it. He said I might need to help record some data."