Chapter Thirty-Four: Dawn in the Rainforest (Part 1)

Zhang Ning seemed utterly unfazed by the malicious comments flooding the screen, yet after walking only a few dozen meters, his clothes were shredded by the ever-present branches and vines, reduced to rags, and thin scratches began to seep blood. Su Ye, ignoring her own dark circles, stared intently at Zhang Ning’s livestream. “Three-Feather Bird filming crew, pay attention! Dim the lighting! Make sure no one can see how much blood His Highness is actually losing. Yes, exactly! Give the impression that the clothes have soaked up all the blood! Comment moderation team, keep the momentum going! Stir up sympathy and affection! And what are the review moderators doing? Why haven’t those sadistic, perverse remarks been filtered out?”

Zhang Ning pressed on, walking further, then said, “Actually, there’s a simple way to determine direction in the rainforest. Many people know it, but I can’t resist showing off a little.” He flashed a sweet smile at the camera.

Glancing around, Zhang Ning selected a “Tall Rongrong Tree” and continued, “Now, I’m going to climb up and take a look.” With swift, practiced movements, he scaled the towering tree—at least several dozen meters high—while the camera followed, offering a sweeping view of the landscape.

Zhang Ning explained, “See how the terrain of the rainforest varies in elevation? That long, banded depression likely marks a river.” Many watching nodded approvingly, thinking His Highness had prepared well in advance.

On the way toward the river, Zhang Ning appeared battered and miserable, steadfastly refusing any healing elixirs, muttering, “I want to fully simulate the state of an ordinary warrior.” His whispered words carried a note of pitiful resolve, prompting many viewers to smile knowingly, suspecting the young prince might soon give up. Yet, when he persisted, their surprise and admiration only grew.

After some time, Zhang Ning finally managed to smile at the camera. “Everyone, take note: when trekking through the Liyin Rainforest, never grab the vines, because they might actually be dangling snakes. Encounters with snakes here are terrifying, and most people don’t carry many antidotes for snake venom.”

The comments poured in with agreement.

“I have all sorts of healing elixirs, but I never used to carry antidotes. Then something happened, and I finally learned my lesson.”

“Exactly, exactly!”

“I learned the hard way too—luckily, I survived!”

“Enough, let’s not talk about it.”

“Hah, you’ve apprenticed under a grandmaster. Why worry about such things? Lucky you!”

“You people have no foresight! I carry several types of antidotes every day.”

“If only I’d seen this video sooner. My cousin once got lost in the Liyin Rainforest... When we found her, her whole body was swollen and bruised—she’d died from snake venom.”

No one could say who started it, but the viewers began to invest their emotions in the broadcast.

So, when Zhang Ning finally reached the riverbank and visibly relaxed, countless viewers felt relieved alongside him.

Wiping sweat from his brow, Zhang Ning said, “Finally, I can have a drink! I’ve barely walked a few steps and I’m soaked in sweat—the rainforest is so humid! Martial artists really have it tough, battling people and nature from the very start—always fighting!”

The comments echoed in agreement. Zhang Ning glanced at them, scooped up some water to drink, then splashed himself, addressing the camera. “Martial artists’ bodies are strong, so we don’t fear the dirty river water. But ordinary people should be careful—never drink from the Liyin Rainforest river directly. If you’re really thirsty, water with Circle Fish or Love Shrimp is usually safe; eating Circle Fish raw also restores strength quickly. But everyone knows the side effects of Love Shrimp... Hmm? Someone says they don’t know? The side effect is...”

He was about to share some practical tips, but suddenly his gaze sharpened. “Look! That’s a Green-Faced Frog!”

The camera swung over.

A frog nestled atop a small stone, its throat pulsing, with a vivid green face on its back, the rest of its body dusky as ink, unsettling to behold.

Zhang Ning explained, “This is the kind of frog that Tang Fortress always posts about in the markets around Liyin Rainforest, called the Green-Faced Frog. It’s completely poisonous and often used to temper Tang Fortress’s teardrop-shaped flying dart—the Tang Maiden’s Tear. You’ve all heard of it, right?”

“What?! Is that true?”

“Is it really this frog?”

“Oh my god, so terrifying, and it’s so small.”

“The Tang Maiden’s Tear from Tang Fortress strikes fear across the martial world, and it’s forged with the venom of such seemingly weak frogs?”

“You’re all so inexperienced. Sometimes, I go into the forest to catch these frogs and sell them at the market—pretty profitable.”

“Respect to the expert above! I’m terrified just looking at these things.”

“His Highness knows so much.”

“Of course, he’s the direct heir of the sacred land!”

Zhang Ning sighed with regret. “But you can’t eat this frog—the color is far too bright. Many brightly colored things are not edible.” He even smacked his lips, startling the commenters who urged him to take out his rations. Yet Zhang Ning, principled as ever, refused. “I’m simulating the situation of someone without any provisions!”

“Alright, let’s find something. Right now, I don’t have any large weapons.”

After drinking, Zhang Ning seemed noticeably more energetic. He found a stout branch, wrapped vines around one end, and struck the water. Soon, shrimp floated to the surface. Zhang Ning remarked, “Unfortunately, I’m not calm enough right now, and my technique is too rough. This way, I can’t catch any fish—otherwise, eating fish would be a real feast.”

He then bent a branch into a bow shape, tied a slender, flexible twig as a string, and fashioned a small, makeshift bow. He wrapped the bowstring around a chunk of dry wood and began to pull.

“If you don’t know any fire-based techniques, don’t have the right talismans, or even lack flint, you can use this method to make fire. Though honestly, if you have none of these things, why are you even here? Maybe you lost them in battle?”

The comments responded:

“Haha, I can feel His Highness’s sarcasm!”

“The streamer’s name is Zhang Ning, right? Everything he’s shared so far seems useful—this method really works for making fire.”

“Your Highness, for those who can’t even make fire, why bother with them?”

“Your Highness, you’re so handsome!”

Zhang Ning looked at the comments calling him handsome and smiled shyly, always mindful of his persona. After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the falling wood shavings finally caught fire. Zhang Ning happily roasted the shrimp and ate with great delight.