Following Pan's footsteps, about a hundred steps inward, the scenery suddenly opened up; a natural valley came into view.
Rippling waters, green shade spread all around. Snow-white sheep grazed in the valley, robust horses strolled leisurely on the hillside, and a hundred plump bulls and cows gathered by the clear stream to drink... Livestock of all sizes, numbering in the thousands, filled the valley with vibrant life, everything in good order.
And as soon as any animal left its specific activity area, dozens of hunting dogs scattered at the mouth of the valley or perched above would dash over like the wind, barking wildly to herd the stray back to its place, diligently guarding the property entrusted to them by their master.
With such a heroic stance, one could tell they were excellent hunting dogs.
Accompanied by Pan at the entrance of the valley, who gently tapped his shepherd's staff on a rock at his feet, dozens of hunting dogs came at the sound, surrounding their master with wagging tongues, making a joyful racket.
"Look, these are all fine dogs I've carefully trained!"
The half-man, half-goat shepherd, with pride written all over his face, opened the Magic Circle Diagram, and amidst Luo En's strange gaze, he adeptly fed some fresh mutton to the beloved dogs by his side, and then pointed proudly to a few of the most ferocious ones as he introduced them.
"These are the best ones; Princess Artemis will definitely like them. I plan to offer all of these to Her Excellency!"
"Alright, I will present these on your behalf to Lady Artemis."
Luo En smiled and nodded, raising his hand to lead a few of the chosen hunting dogs from Pan's hand, and he amiably suggested.
"However, you got hurt tonight, it's inconvenient for you to travel far, best stay in the temple and rest well."
However, upon hearing this, Pan's expression changed instantly, and he quickly stepped forward, blocking Luo En's way to the cave entrance.
Looking at Pan standing before him, Luo En smiled slightly, patted the other's shoulder, and revealed a warm smile.
"Don't worry, it's just delivering a few hunting dogs; I can handle it."
Feeling the overpowering strength on his shoulder which left half of his body somewhat numb, Pan's face stiffened, filled with regret inside.
Indeed, the little trick he played on the road was still held against him by this fellow.
Eventually, under Luo En's somewhat mocking gaze, Pan struggled to force out an expression uglier than crying and sheepishly revealed his true intent for his eagerness.
"Actually, I also wanted to take this opportunity to ask Lady Artemis for the hand of one of the Nymphs under her command as a wife."
Indeed, unbidden generosity suggested ulterior motives.
As a descendant of Hermes, this lustful goat certainly wouldn't be offering his hard-earned hunting dogs without a scheme.
The beautiful Nymphs under Artemis's command were the reason Pan came knocking.
Luo En listened to the shepherd's plot with a smile, then slowly began to speak in a deep voice.
"Do you wish to die?"
Stimulated by these words, Pan's face instantly darkened, bearing a gloomy expression.
"What do you mean by that?!"
"Lady Artemis and the hunting Nymphs by her side have all sworn to chastity. Even the King of Gods, Zeus, was expelled for laying hands on a chaste Nymph. Yet you plan to use a few hunting dogs to take away one of her hunting Nymphs, making her break her vow willingly..."
Luo En glanced at Pan with a deep and meaningful look as he countered.
"So, are you more honorable than His Majesty the King of Gods, or is your head harder than the arrows of the Goddess of the Hunt?"
At this remark, Pan was taken aback, fear and hesitation flickering in his eyes.
He was lecherous but not stupid; he clearly understood the underlying warning in Luo En's words.
Artemis wouldn't give away one of her Nymphs for a few hunting dogs.
Moreover, if he indeed angered her, the Goddess of the Hunt might shoot him on a whim, as if he were a rabbit.
He didn't possess the noble status or the strength of the Divine King, and he might end up sacrificing himself without gaining anything.
But then, the image of the Nymphs' graceful figures and beautiful faces by the firelight flashed through Pan's mind, and he couldn't help but offer a reluctant defense.
"Lady Artemis has already accepted my gift; shouldn't she reward me in some way?"
"You could try and see whether she wishes to reward you with a Nymph or with an arrow!"
Luo En rolled his eyes at the lecherous goat, whose bad intentions were clear from the start, and retorted coldly.
"Don't say I didn't warn you, do you know why there are only 19 hunting Nymphs left with Lady Artemis when there were originally 20?"
"Why?" Hearing that ominous voice, Pan involuntarily swallowed in his dry throat and asked,
"Rumor has it that an Ocean Nymph named Olla encountered someone from the Sea of Okeanos near Sicily, and well, the Sea Beasts of the outer sea were almost hunted to extinction, even Occhanos, the father of monsters, became war booty."
Thinking of the recent hunting gathering of Apollo, Artemis, and Athena, as well as the rumors about the Sea of Okeanos and the now imprisoned Lord of the Seas, Pan felt a chilling dread.
Just for touching a Nymph, could it have blown out of proportion like that?
"Of course, I'm just saying, believe it or not, it's not my business, anyway."
Saying this, Luo En threw the dog leash back into Pan's hands, acting as if he had no involvement in the matter.
But when it came time for Pan to make the decision, the lascivious shepherd revealed his timid side, holding a few hunting dogs and hesitating to step out of the cave.