Free Web NovelChapter 382: Chapter 382: Beast Circle
"We started from where they entered and have been following the same path," Ye Chutang said. "There are signs of passage on the leaves and trunks here—they must have left them."
Princess Qingyang’s eyes widened slightly.
"You can do that?"
She followed Ye Chutang’s gaze and, sure enough, saw some broken branches. The marks were still fresh.
"You even know about things like this..."
A glimmer of admiration appeared in Princess Qingyang’s eyes.
Such meticulous observational skills were far beyond those of an ordinary person.
Here in the forest, Ye Chutang was like a fish in water, completely in her element.
Of course, Ye Chutang wouldn’t mention that besides these general signs, she had an agreement with Yan and A Feng to leave secret, special symbols whenever they passed through places like this.
That way, even if they got separated, they could use the clues they left behind to find one another.
Ye Chutang pressed onward.
Time slowly ticked by. Aside from the occasional wild rabbit darting out, they didn’t encounter a single soul.
"This place is enormous." A thin sheen of sweat had formed on Princess Qingyang’s forehead, and her brows gradually furrowed. "We’re already deep in the mountain forest. They really came all the way out here?"
Xu Rongqing mused, "Perhaps they encountered prey they wanted to hunt and chased it all the way here?"
"That must be it."
Ye Chutang suddenly spoke up. Her eyes fixed on the ground ahead for a moment before she swung herself off her horse.
Princess Qingyang was taken aback. "Chutang?"
Ye Chutang took a few steps forward, crouched to observe for a moment, then picked up a torn leaf and held it to her nose, sniffing.
"There’s blood here. It should be from a deer."
Only then did Princess Qingyang notice the residual bloodstain on the leaf. It would have been impossible to spot without looking closely.
’But...’
’How can Ye Chutang even identify deer blood by smell?’
’After some thought, Princess Qingyang could only conclude that since Ye Chutang handled all sorts of medicinal herbs day in and day out, she must be extremely familiar with various scents. It made sense that she could identify this one too.’
Ye Chutang glanced around, her expression hardening slightly.
’Judging from the bloodstains here, a young deer must have run through,’ she thought.
’But even after A Feng and the others hit it, the deer still escaped. That’s probably why they continued deeper into the forest.’
Ye Chutang remounted her horse and pointed ahead and to the left. "That way."
Princess Qingyang’s expression changed. "Chutang, we can’t go that way!"
Ye Chutang looked back. "Why not?"
Princess Qingyang explained with a frown, "That’s the Beast Circle. It’s where they keep a lot of newly arrived wild beasts. Those animals are still untamed. They usually have to be properly trained for a while before they’re let out."
To go there now would be putting ourselves in grave danger!
Ye Chutang understood, and her heart sank.
"I have to go."
’I’m sure of it now,’ she thought. ’Something must have happened to Yan and A Feng!’
’A Feng might be impulsive enough to give chase in a situation like this, but Yan is different.’
’He’s always cautious. Even if he didn’t know that was the Beast Circle, he would have thought twice.’
’Besides, most of the people they were traveling with are from prominent families. Someone would have surely mentioned the dangers of the Beast Circle.’
’Yan would have had no reason to let A Feng continue taking such a risk. An accident must have happened, one that meant—’
"I’ll go with you."
Xu Rongqing urged his horse forward. His tone was level, but his expression was resolute.
Princess Qingyang immediately declared, "Alright! We’ll go together! The Beast Circle is no big deal. You think I, a Commandery Princess, would be scared?"
Ye Chutang mounted her horse again.
After riding for about a quarter of an hour, her pupils suddenly contracted.
Straight ahead, a young man lay on the ground, covered in blood!
