Chapter 21 (1/2)

Outside of Feiyun, Zhou Zhong led a group of villagers, all of whom were the strongest in the village, marching into the vast mountains in the distance.

Lin Xun was also among the group. He had promised to kill the pests in the spiritual land of Zhou Zhong on the sole condition that he joined the hunting.

Zhou Zhong delightedly agreed.

His wife was in desperate need to regain her Qi and blood as she just recovered from a cold which had severely weakened her.

So he planned this hunting mainly to collect herbs which could supplement Qi and blood.

As an experienced hunter in Feiyun, Zhou Zhong was quite aware of the dangers hidden in the mountains. For his own safety, he had to invite some strong villagers to come together.

When Lin Xun insisted on joining him, he had not been worried. He had heard of the fight yesterday, so he knew Lin Xun was much powerful than the rest companions.

The hunting group, led by Zhou Zhong who had rich experience, spent more than an hour to reach the border of the mountains.

In front of them, the mountains towered over the sky, half of which were wrapped in fog.

Faintly soaring cries of beasts were heard from the deep of the mountains, scaring anyone who tried to intrude.

“Watch out, everyone. Dangers are everywhere. Not only are there fierce beasts but also miasma and poisonous bugs. Stay close, and don’t run about.”

Zhou Zhong took the longbow from his back, held it in his hands, and glanced around in sharp eyes.

The rest villagers also took out their weapons, with heavy look on their faces.

They were strong and vigorous as common people, but they were no practitioners. None of them dared to be heedless.

Lin Xun thought for a while, and grasped the pale cyan dagger in his hand as well.

After this, they entered into the dense woods and soon disappeared.

…

It was a vast forest growing with towering old trees, the luxuriant foliage of which shrouded the sky, making it dim and damp.

Vines as thick as buckets were hanging all over the forest like boa constrictors. Fallen leaves piled up on the ground, dotting with peculiar and voluptuous flowers that were obviously toxic.

The group of villagers led by Zhou Zhong advanced cautiously with their nerves tightened. They did not dare to speak, fearing that their sound would draw the beasts and bugs to attack them.

Lin Xun, on the other hand, was relaxed, so he had time to observe the scenery, even occasionally to pick some herbs.

“Fluorite flower, blue star grass, trefoil silver cane, bitter root with red tail…never expected to find so many spiritual ingredients in such deep mountains.”

He turned excited. As a spiritual apprentice, he had dealt with all kinds of spiritual ingredients since he was a little child, so he could spy out the good stuff from the useless one with a quick glance.

With such experience and ability, he saw a lot of spiritual ingredients along the way, most of which could be used as raw material to make medicine and spiritual ink.

Moreover they could be sold for money, which was really nice.

But unluckily it was impossible to trade them in Feiyun.

The animal-skin bag he carried was as long as a man and had plenty room to store the spiritual ingredients he collected.

“Little Brother Lin, what are you picking these things for?”

When he saw Lin Xun was picking unknown flowers and plants, Zhou Zhong couldn’t help but ask in a lowered voice.

Other villagers had the same doubts in their minds.

Lin Xun made no secret of his actions, and told them the values of each flower and plant, which made them even more confused.

Yet their eyes brightened at the fact that these herbs could be sold for money, so they all asked Lin Xun to teach them.

After he agreed with great pleasure, the villagers started to search for any valuable herbs under his instructions.

It was no joke there was strength in numbers. After the duration of a burning joss stick, Lin Xun’s bag was stuffed up.

The vast forest off the beaten track turned out to be a hidden treasure full of various spiritual ingredients, albeit extremely dangerous.

Without Lin Xun, the villagers who had been cheered up by the surprised discovery would have never learnt that the ordinary flowers and plants in their eyes could earn them money in the market.

Suddenly, Lin Xun came to a stop and waved his hand, signaling the others to do the same.

He then abruptly grabbed the longbow in Zhou Zhong’s hands, quickly climbed up the old tree next to him, took a deep breath, and set an arrow against the string with the sharp arrowhead pointing to some place far away.

The villagers who had not understood at once realized there must be a ferocious beast approaching!