Each Person's Occasion

"Third Chief, I'll go take another look around the area and see if I can hunt any other game!"

After receiving permission from the three镖头 (bodyguards), Chen Lu immediately set off.

I walked to the crooked tree, squinted at the sun, and calculated the direction in my mind.

Two thousand zhang, about 6 kilometers, is a mountain path overgrown with dense forest, not to mention finding the location.

The round trip would take at least an hour, and he had to speed up in order not to arouse suspicion.

Chen Lu tightened his sleeves and tied his leg wraps to prevent his clothes from getting caught on the branches.

After taking a picture with a speed talisman, Chen Lu gathered his spiritual energy and traveled at full speed.

With his agile movements and the aid of the Swiftness Talisman, he moved with ease through the ravines and dense forests, his speed undiminished, as if walking on flat ground.

Occasionally, a venomous snake lurking in the shadows would be startled. Just as it was about to pounce and hunt the uninvited guest, it would bite at nothing, turn its head to look, and find that the snake had vanished somewhere.

To be honest, if it weren't for the guidance of the divination, he really wouldn't have dared to venture so far into the mountains.

A moment of carelessness could easily lead to losing one's way and wandering aimlessly in the forest, not to mention the monstrous beasts that entrenched themselves in the area.

If one enters the territory, there will be no trouble if one is in a good mood.

If you happen to be hunting, no matter how agile and swift you are as a cultivator, you will never be able to outrun them in the forest.

Chen Lu stopped several times along the way to avoid going the wrong way.

After about half an hour of running at full speed, Chen Lu finally arrived at the place he had been told.

Here, thick vines, like spider webs, coil around ancient trees that are hundreds of years old.

The layers of branches and leaves blocked out the sun, and even though it was almost noon, the forest was several degrees darker than other places.

But there is one exception: there is a fairly large high slope with no branches or leaves to block the sunlight from all sides.

It was tightly surrounded and entwined by thick, dense vines, like a cage.

Many small and medium-sized spirit beasts cannot squeeze in, let alone a living person like Chen Lu.

The divination indicated that it was an extremely yang medicinal herb. If the sun, which possesses the most yang energy, were blocked, how could it grow smoothly?

If it is in an easily searchable location, it will be devoured by monsters and become undetectable.

Only the very center, surrounded by vines, meets both of these conditions, allowing it to grow steadily for 60 years without being eaten.

However, these vines were incredibly tough, and ordinary swords and knives could not cut them. He gathered his spiritual energy and used his Gengjin Finger technique several times with all his might before he could barely break the thinnest one of them.

This thing can definitely be forged into a long whip-like magical weapon, but unfortunately it needs to be long enough to be forged.

This thing is huge and tough, and it's deep in the mountains, so it's hard to take it out. No wonder the divination didn't include it in the chance.

After crawling inside and glancing around, he discovered a strange medicinal herb about nine inches tall, with a reddish body and leaves inlaid with six rings of pale gold patterns.

Nearby, a tiny blade of grass, no thicker than a toothpick, sprouted from the soil. After examining it for a while, I discovered that it was the same as the extremely yang medicinal herb.

It's just a bit listless, probably because it's been absorbing too much yang energy from the side.

After observing for a while, I felt a slight warmth throughout my body and felt much more energetic.

"The extremely yang elixir has such a powerful effect just by being near it; what would be the effect if one were to consume it?"

Remembering the divination, I knew I should pick them precisely at noon.

It's not noon yet; if it's earlier or later, the medicine's effectiveness might be compromised.

After waiting a while, as the time approached, a soft rustling sound suddenly came from the pile of fallen leaves at the edge of the vines.

A large rat with fiery markings on its fur suddenly darted out, its sharp teeth bared, and pounced straight at the Extreme Yang Elixir.

This is a Fire-Patterned Rat, which loves to gnaw on spiritual plants and herbs. Although it has the cultivation level of the fourth level of Qi Refining, its strength is quite limited and it is no match for him.

Snapped!

He casually unleashed a Gengjin Finger, which precisely pierced the Fire Pattern Rat's skull.

The beast didn't even have time to scream before it fell straight to the ground, lifeless.

He placed the mouse in a storage bag and hurried forward, not daring to delay; the divination indicated the exact time.

Perhaps because it is away from the yang energy of midday, the medicinal effects of this plant will be hidden and it will be difficult to achieve the best results.

He took out his dagger and carefully made cuts around the perimeter.

The entire clod of spiritual soil, spanning half a foot in diameter, was dug up without damaging the roots or stems in the slightest.

I affixed a few amulets that I had taken from the truck and put them into the storage bag.

All of this was done in the blink of an eye.

Chen Lu patted the dirt off his body, squeezed out of the encirclement, and casually straightened the broken vine roots.

It should not be long before another one grows, encircling the area again and giving the remaining medicinal herb a chance to survive.

He confirmed that he had left no trace, and not daring to linger, he used a speed-traveling talisman and turned to run back the way he came.

Having gained experience, the return journey was a bit faster, taking another half an hour to return to where the caravan was located.

Just as they rounded the mountain, they bumped into Zhao Dalong, who was walking back.

He carried a full basket of eels on his back, covered with a few stalks of perilla still covered in mud.

But there was a garment covering his shoulder, and he was moving it carefully, as if he were supporting something.

A man who was usually carefree and easygoing was now moving very quietly, even his breathing had slowed down considerably.

But on his face, he couldn't suppress his joy, and a hint of helplessness.

"Ah Lu! Look!"

Upon seeing Chen Lu, Zhao Dalong's eyes lit up. He silently mouthed something, then leaned over and lifted his shirt to show him.

A gray wolf cub, about the size of an arm, was crawling on his shoulder.

The wolf cub trembled with fear at the sight of sunlight, instinctively growling softly, its eyes filled with terror of the unfamiliar environment.

"Su Zi saw it by the river. At first, he didn't plan to go north, but when he looked at the road, it seemed easier to walk there."

After wandering around for a while, they found a small wolf cub, nearly starving, hiding in a burrow.

Zhao Dalong kept his voice very low and occasionally soothed the wolf cub in his arms.

"I fed the little guy some jerky and water, and now it's attached to me."

"Hmm, not bad, keep it and take good care of it."

Zhao Dalong was very pleased to have found this opportunity, and keeping it for his own people meant it wasn't a complete waste.

The group sat together in a lively atmosphere, ate a meal, rested for a while, and then regrouped and set off again.

As for the four prisoners, after they were given the beast-specific blood-drunken powder and rendered incapable of resistance, each was given a Bigu pill and then left alone. Their mouths were even sealed to prevent them from saying anything that might disturb the peace.

The remaining days passed peacefully. I prayed for opportunities several times, but they were all rare or aged medicinal herbs that were several or even more than ten years old.

Selling it to Baicao Pavilion would probably be worth a dozen or so spirit stones, so overall it would still be a small profit.

Before long, the road gradually widened, and pedestrians and merchants gathered from all directions.

The road, which could accommodate twelve carriages side by side, became somewhat crowded as we went further in.

Looking up, 60% of the people were cultivators on their way, and 30% were caravans escorting goods.

The remaining ten percent are the sons of wealthy families who travel around and know nothing of fatigue or hardship.

The trees and plants on both sides have almost disappeared, replaced by vendors scattered on both sides.

In addition to selling spiritual food, they also provide storage services for spirit horses and spirit beasts.

After all, the Immortal City is a place where every inch of land is precious, and there isn't enough open space to provide food and lodging for a group of animals that haul goods and people.

In addition, this is also a gathering place for the production and sale of counterfeit goods in "Red Bamboo Immortal City".

These people are not very skilled, and what they make can only fool those county cultivators who are not very knowledgeable.

Further away, there are also makeshift shacks built without permission.

The place was extremely chaotic, with gangs, fallen families, and cultivators living together.

Without connections, living there would only mean being a laborer for others.

"Brothers! We're almost at 'Red Bamboo Immortal City'!"

"Scrub the horses clean! Don't let the smell bother passersby!"