Ye Tian nodded, "Amidst the thunder, there's a hidden killing intent. I fear some spirit or monster is indeed undergoing its lightning tribulation."
He then asked Liu Siyuan, "Are there any legends of gods, spirits, or monsters on this mountain?"
Liu Siyuan pondered, "Yes! Legend has it that over five hundred years ago, a hunter went up the mountain and encountered a wild boar king. The hunter's arrows and spears couldn't harm the boar, so he climbed a large tree. Strangely, the ferocious boar king dared not approach the tree and left after a while."
"Later, the hunter believed the tree possessed a spirit. To thank it for saving his life, he would go up the mountain to worship it during festivals. Over time, the surrounding villagers also began to worship the tree, and it was said to be very efficacious. Later, when the 'bull-ghosts-and-snake-gods' were being purged, a few young men went up the mountain to chop down the tree. As soon as they swung their axes, dozens of jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards suddenly appeared around them, scaring the young men senseless. They fled down the mountain, crying for their mothers and fathers."
Ye Tian asked, "Is that large tree still there?"
Liu Siyuan replied, "It is, but the forest has grown denser. Fewer people go there to worship, and in the last few decades, no one has."
Ye Tian said, "Alright, let's head to the campsite first."
Upon reaching the campsite, they found it near the summit, a gently sloping area. The mountain breeze was constant and very refreshing. Many students were already setting up camp, with some preparing barbecue grills and other equipment.
The class monitor was drinking water there. Seeing Ye Tian and his companions arrive, he said, "Xia Lei, did you run into Teacher Qian when you came up the mountain?"
Teacher Qian was the class counselor, responsible for two classes. She was rumored to be a beauty. Xia Lei replied, "I didn't see Teacher Qian. She should be arriving soon."
Liu Siyuan chose a good spot and began setting up the camping tent he had bought. It cost over thirty thousand yuan, was large and sturdy, and even came with air conditioning, tables, and chairs.
Seeing Ye Tian's display, the other students began to whisper amongst themselves, wondering who this person was.
Not far away, there was a rock formation resembling a reclining ox. Ye Tian called Xia Lei over and began explaining the precautions for cultivation. True teachings are worth a thousand scrolls of false ones; every piece of advice from Ye Tian was of immense help to her.
Just then, a woman in a trench coat and two male students walked up. The class monitor immediately greeted her, "Teacher Qian!"
The woman nodded and said, "You must pay attention to safety. Are all the students here?"
The class monitor replied, "A few are still on their way up."
Teacher Qian's gaze swept across the area and landed on Xia Lei, who was sitting far from others, talking to a young man. The background of this man looked somewhat familiar.
She asked the class monitor, "Who is that talking to Xia Lei?"
The class monitor replied, "Oh, that's Xia Lei's friend."
Teacher Qian walked over, getting closer. Hearing footsteps, Ye Tian turned to look. Their eyes met, and both showed a slight surprise.
"Ye Tian?" Teacher Qian was very surprised, her tone filled with astonishment.
Ye Tian smiled and said, "Qian Min, long time no see."
This Qian Min was a female classmate of Ye Tian, a very diligent and ambitious girl who was active in various school and extracurricular activities, earning scholarships every year.
Ye Tian and Qian Min weren't particularly close, but their seats were near each other, so they were familiar. At that time, Qian Min looked down on students like Ye Tian who weren't motivated. Her friends were either top students or had impressive family backgrounds. She would selectively ignore people like Ye Tian, offering only a perfunctory greeting when they met.
Later, Ye Tian stopped attending classes, and rumors circulated that he had gone to jail, which made Qian Min look down on him even more. She gradually forgot about him. Now, this sudden reunion brought back distant memories.
Qian Min nodded. She glanced at Xia Lei and mistakenly assumed Ye Tian was Xia Lei's boyfriend. She said, "Xia Lei, come here."
Xia Lei stood up, and Qian Min pulled her aside, saying sternly, "Do you know this Ye Tian?"
Xia Lei smiled and replied, "Although I don't know him very well, I already admire him greatly."
Admire? Qian Min sneered, "Then do you know he's been to jail?"