The Scarlet Flame Leopard was a fire-attribute demonic beast. It was naturally close to flames, so its territory was near a volcano. The temperature there was rather high, and most of the surrounding plants were mainly fire-attribute spiritual plants.
This group came from the Wang family of Anqiu City. The brocade-robed young master was a direct-line disciple of the Wang family, ranked fourth among the direct line. His name was Wang Xiuyuan, and people called him Young Master Xiu.
This time, Wang Xiuyuan had come to Cangwu Mountain not only because he had heard that disciples of their sworn enemies, the Shang family of Huaiyin City, had come here to search for the spiritual herbs needed to refine Baleful Transformation Pills, but also because they themselves had come to look for a Scarlet Star Flower. It was the main spiritual herb needed to refine Scarlet Sun Pills.
Earlier, they had already investigated the location of the Scarlet Star Flower and made full preparations to harvest it.
As long as they found the Scarlet Star Flower and handed it to the family’s alchemist, then at this Five Cities Pill Conference, the Wang family’s alchemist would be able to refine Scarlet Sun Pills at the conference and suppress the other four cities. Wang Xiuyuan would also be able to render merit within the family, raise his status further, and receive more resources from the family.
Wang Xiuyuan brought his two twin maidservants and a group of guards toward the place where the Scarlet Star Flower was located.
The closer they got to the Scarlet Flame Leopard’s territory, the higher the surrounding temperature became. The two maidservants were already dripping with fragrant sweat, constantly wiping themselves with handkerchiefs. Everyone around them had higher cultivation than they did. Although they also felt hot, it was not to the point that they could not endure it.
“Young Master, the Scarlet Star Flower is over there,” said the guard who had gone to scout.
Wang Xiuyuan looked in the direction he pointed. Ahead was a cave. The exposed mountain walls around it were all crimson, like the colour of something burned by flames. It seemed as if blazing fire was rising from within. Not a blade of grass grew there, and even the air appeared to be distorted by the scorching heat.
The Scarlet Star Flower was inside this cave, guarded by the Scarlet Flame Leopard.
“Where is the Scarlet Flame Leopard?”
“I don’t know. We didn’t detect any traces of it. It probably isn’t in the cave.”
Wang Xiuyuan narrowed his affectionate eyes slightly. According to the information he had obtained, there was a passage inside this cave that led to the volcano. The Scarlet Flame Leopard usually cultivated beside the volcanic lava and guarded the Scarlet Star Flower at other times. Right now should be the time when the Scarlet Flame Leopard went to cultivate by the lava. As long as they moved quickly, took the Scarlet Star Flower, and left immediately, they should not run into that Scarlet Flame Leopard.
After weighing it in his heart, Wang Xiuyuan decided to take the gamble.
“Jiaojiao and Qianqian, stay here. We’ll go in. Be careful,” Wang Xiuyuan said.
It had already been difficult for the twin sisters to reach this place. Knowing that they could not go any farther, they quickly agreed and found a place to hide.
With a flip of his hand, Wang Xiuyuan took out the pure water he had prepared. He drove the pure water to form a barrier, then entered the cave with the guards.
Not long after, a roar that shook the sky sounded from inside the cave.
Jiaojiao and Qianqian, who were waiting outside, were startled. Just as they were growing worried, they saw Wang Xiuyuan and his group running out of the cave in a sorry state. Behind them was an extremely furious Scarlet Flame Leopard, closely pursuing them.
The Scarlet Flame Leopard charged over like a streak of red flame, spitting blazing fire from its mouth. The flames burned the surrounding space crimson. When they reached Wang Xiuyuan’s group, they were blocked by a transparent barrier.
This was the barrier formed by the pure water.
“Run!”
Jiaojiao and Qianqian’s beautiful faces lost all colour. For a moment, they did not know what to do. Then the guards grabbed one each and carried them away as they fled.
The Scarlet Flame Leopard chased after them furiously, as if dragging a trail of fire behind it, refusing to give up.
Within the flames, one could vaguely see that the Scarlet Flame Leopard’s beautiful fiery-red fur had bald patches here and there, and exposed red skin in other places. It looked extremely ugly, as if it had contracted some kind of skin disease.
Wang Xiuyuan fled while feeling furious.
The Scarlet Star Flower had been intercepted by someone unknown. That Scarlet Flame Leopard had clearly taken them as the ones who had stolen the Scarlet Star Flower and had fallen into a berserk state. Although they had pure water protecting them, it would be extremely unwise to clash head-on with a berserk Scarlet Flame Leopard.
It was obvious that before they arrived, the Scarlet Star Flower had coincidentally been taken by someone else. Having lost the Scarlet Star Flower, the Scarlet Flame Leopard was naturally furious. Since they had happened to barge in at that moment, they became the target for the Scarlet Flame Leopard to vent its anger. Looking at the Scarlet Flame Leopard, many parts of its fur were damaged. It should have been injured by poison. The person who intercepted the Scarlet Star Flower must be skilled at using poison.
Wang Xiuyuan quickly deduced the rough situation and became even angrier.
He had better not find out who had taken the Scarlet Star Flower, or else he, Wang Xiuyuan, definitely would not be polite.
—
“Hm? A Scarlet Star Flower?”
Wen Qiao received the Scarlet Star Flower covered in hot mud with surprise, her eyes shining.
The Scarlet Star Flower had not been dug out of the soil for long. The white-bellied wolf spider was clever enough to dig it out with its roots and soil intact, without damaging its root system. The soil contained fire-attribute vital spiritual energy, and it felt hot and restless in her hand.
The white-bellied wolf spider moved its long legs.
Wen Qiao listened for a while, then a strange expression appeared on her face. “You snatched it from a Scarlet Flame Leopard? You poisoned it and knocked it down? Oh, you didn’t use much poison. You only knocked it down, then dug it up and left…”
After listening to the white-bellied wolf spider’s report, Wen Qiao took a pill bottle out of her storage pouch. “There are ten Jade Spirit Pills here. They’re for you.”
The white-bellied wolf spider stretched out one leg and swiftly put the pill bottle away, afraid that Wen Qiao would take it back.
This time, there were ten Jade Spirit Pills. How delightful~~
The Scarlet Star Flower was an extremely rare fire-attribute spiritual herb. It could be used to refine many yang-type spirit pills, so Wen Qiao generously gave it a bottle of Jade Spirit Pills.
The Jade Spirit Pill was a mystic-grade spirit pill that Ning Yuzhou had specially refined for demonic beasts. All demonic beasts loved eating it, and Wen Tutu liked it too. Its benefits for demonic beasts were even greater than other spirit pills. With the Jade Spirit Pill, the white-bellied wolf spider smoothly advanced from fifth rank to sixth rank.
The cultivation of the spirit monkeys who had eaten Jade Spirit Pills had also improved, showing just how beneficial the Jade Spirit Pill was to demonic beasts.
Ever since Ning Yuzhou discovered that demonic beasts could help them find spiritual herbs, he felt that it was much more convenient than searching themselves. So, according to the needs of demonic beasts, he created the Jade Spirit Pill himself, so that Wen Qiao could exchange them with those demonic beasts.
After obtaining the Jade Spirit Pills, the white-bellied wolf spider quickly left, hurrying back to its own nest to refine the pills first.
Wen Qiao and Ning Yuzhou also returned to the valley.
After returning to the valley and setting up restrictions around the area, the two entered the space.
Ning Yuzhou had opened up a special area in the space for planting special types of spiritual herbs and separated it with restrictions.
They planted the Scarlet Star Flower and placed restrictions around it, so that the fire-attribute aura of the Scarlet Star Flower would not affect the growth of spiritual herbs with other attributes.
After planting the Scarlet Star Flower, Wen Qiao ripened some more spiritual herbs. Ning Yuzhou picked the ripened herbs, while Wen Tutu busied himself nearby selecting the spiritual herbs he fancied as snacks to nibble on.
After that, Wen Qiao continued ripening spiritual herbs while absorbing the essence of plants and trees. Ning Yuzhou refined pills at the side.
Two days later, the spirit monkeys came again to deliver spiritual herbs.
Wen Qiao distributed the prepared Jade Spirit Pills to them and received a piece of news from the spirit monkeys.
“A group of people went to steal the Scarlet Star Flower, then were chased by the Scarlet Flame Leopard and fled this way?” Wen Qiao said, unable to resist glancing at Ning Yuzhou.
Ning Yuzhou’s expression did not change.
After thanking the spirit monkeys for the information and sending them away, Wen Qiao scratched her cheek and asked Ning Yuzhou, “If they come here, should we avoid them?”
Thinking of the Scarlet Star Flower inside the space, how could Wen Qiao not understand the cause and effect?
It must be that the white-bellied wolf spider had gone to snatch the Scarlet Flame Leopard’s Scarlet Star Flower. The Scarlet Flame Leopard could not beat it, so it could only let it take the flower away. Then, by coincidence, that group of people barged in, and the Scarlet Flame Leopard treated them as a punching bag.
She coughed lightly, feeling fortunate that when the white-bellied wolf spider had carried the Scarlet Star Flower over to them, no one had seen it.
As for that unlucky group of people, Wen Qiao had no particular thoughts. Returning the Scarlet Star Flower was impossible.
However, she did not particularly want to run into them either. During this period, they had actually encountered other cultivators who had come to Cangwu Mountain to train. Apart from Shang Honglang and his sister, the other cultivators had all avoided them from afar. Even if they did meet, unless necessary, both sides tacitly avoided each other to prevent unnecessary misunderstandings.
The days of training in the mountain were very quiet, yet also especially fulfilling and interesting. Wen Qiao truly did not want too much contact with strangers she did not know.
“Let’s see what happens,” Ning Yuzhou said, stroking her head. “There aren’t many spirit herbs left around here anymore. In a while, we can leave.”
Wen Qiao gave an affirmative sound and soon threw that group of people to the back of her mind.
However, the next day, not long after Wen Qiao and Ning Yuzhou left the valley, they happened to run directly into the cultivators who had fled to this area.
—
Wang Xiuyuan’s clothes were in tatters, and he looked utterly miserable. His body was covered in injuries, and his face was swollen into a pig’s head, blue and black all over. It was completely impossible to tell that he was human. If someone who knew him saw him, they would never recognise him as the usually elegant and radiant Young Master Xiu of Anqiu City.
“Young Master, are you all right?”
“Young Master, your wounds need to be treated.”
“But we’ve used up all our spirit pills. What should we do?”
“Why don’t we head down the mountain first?”
The twin sisters’ eyes were filled with tears as they looked pitifully at their poor young master, wishing they could suffer in his place.
Although the sisters’ cultivation was low, they had been carried by the guards along the way while fleeing, so apart from looking a little dishevelled, they had not suffered any injuries and were still perfectly alive. Compared with them, the others were much more miserable. During the Scarlet Flame Leopard’s attack, all the guards were injured. That was not even the worst of it. Later, they had unluckily barged into the territory of a swarm of poisonous bees. Caught off guard, half of them were stung to death, and only a small number barely escaped.
Earlier, they had mocked the Shang siblings. Only when it was their turn did they realise just how terrifying Cangwu Mountain was. Demonic beasts roamed everywhere, and if one was even slightly careless, one would die without an intact corpse.
Wang Xiuyuan did not speak. His face was swollen into a pig’s head, and his tongue was numb. Even saying a single sentence was difficult.
Although Wang Xiuyuan was the master, his current status in the Wang family had been earned through his own efforts. Naturally, he could not simply let the guards protect him all the time. When they encountered danger, he also charged ahead, which was why he had been injured so severely.
One of the guards protecting them as they fled had sharp eyes. When he discovered a man and woman passing by ahead, his eyes immediately lit up.
“Fellow Daoists, please wait.”
The twin sisters looked at the two in surprise and joy. Meeting people meant they could buy antidote pills from them. That meant their young master’s poison could be cured, and he would not have to continue suffering.
They hurriedly supported Wang Xiuyuan over.
Wen Qiao and Ning Yuzhou stopped and looked at this miserable group. One glance was enough to tell that they had gone through quite a lot and had been tormented rather pitifully by demonic beasts.
In fact, when the Shadow Scaled Guards returned every day, they also looked miserable. To train them, Qian Shou was extremely ruthless. If they did not meet his requirements, he would continue throwing them into demonic beast nests the next day. As long as they still had one breath left and had not died, Ning Yuzhou could save them.
With Ning Yuzhou, an alchemist, as their backing, no matter how badly the Shadow Scaled Guards were tormented, they would not die.
Under this high-intensity training, the Shadow Scaled Guards’ combat strength increased rapidly. With large quantities of spirit pills supporting them, they advanced one after another.
Qian Shou’s strength also became increasingly unfathomable.
“Fellow Daoists, we are disciples of the Wang family of Anqiu City. This is our young master, Wang Xiuyuan.”
The guard reported their background. Anyone who had heard of the Anqiu Wang family would know what that represented. Among the Five Cities of the Pill Alliance, as long as one could form even a slight relationship with one of them, obtaining spirit pills in the future would be extremely easy.
Who would have thought that the man and woman opposite them would remain extremely calm, as if they had never heard of the Anqiu Wang family?
Where did these country bumpkins come from?
Jiaojiao and Qianqian were somewhat dissatisfied with their attitude, but since they needed help, they did not dare show it too obviously.
They quickly explained their purpose: they wanted to buy some antidote pills from them.
Wen Qiao stood to the side, her expression cold and indifferent. Her beautiful face had not the slightest expression. This made Jiaojiao and Qianqian, who had originally looked at her a few extra times because of her beauty, secretly breathe a sigh of relief.
Their young master did not like dull ice-cold beauties. He preferred those who were delicate, charming, cute, and able to relieve boredom and amuse him.
After Ning Yuzhou finished listening, he smiled and said, “So you are disciples of the Wang family. We do have antidote pills. I wonder how many yuan crystals you are willing to pay?”
“How about fifty yuan crystals per pill?”
This price was already ten percent higher than the market price.
Unexpectedly, the smile on Ning Yuzhou’s face faded slightly. He frowned and said, “Actually, we don’t have many antidote pills on us…”
Jiaojiao and Qianqian looked at him in disbelief. This young master looked so pure and elegant, like a clear breeze beneath a bright moon. How could he be so vulgar?
“One hundred yuan crystals,” a hoarse voice sounded.
Everyone looked toward Wang Xiuyuan, who had spoken. Beside his eye was a swollen lump, like a tumour. It was extremely frightening and squeezed his affectionate eyes so badly that not a trace of their seductive charm remained.
Since Wang Xiuyuan was so straightforward, Ning Yuzhou was naturally also very straightforward.
The two sides exchanged yuan crystals and spirit pills at the same time.
After completing the transaction, Ning Yuzhou took Wen Qiao and left. He did not stay behind to build connections just because they were members of the Anqiu Wang family.
This made Jiaojiao and Qianqian even more dissatisfied. They felt that the Wang family had been looked down upon.
—
After earning a sum of yuan crystals, Ning Yuzhou was in quite a good mood.
He handed the yuan crystals to Wen Qiao and said gently, “We’re rather short of yuan crystals right now. Both yuan crystals and spirit jades can be used for cultivation. After we leave Cangwu Mountain, we can sell a batch of spirit pills we don’t need, as well as the resources we found in the mountain…”
Wen Qiao quietly listened to his arrangements and had no objections at all.
Whoever supported the family had to work hard. Right now, it was clearly Ning Yuzhou who was supporting the family, so she had no objections.
“That group just now should be the people who had a grudge against Shang Honglang and his sister.”
Wen Qiao looked at him and asked doubtfully, “How do you know?”
“Shang Honglang said so.”
Wen Qiao: “…How come I didn’t know?” They had clearly all been together at the time, so why hadn’t she heard Shang Honglang mention it?
The corners of Ning Yuzhou’s lips curved in a smile. He said, “Before Shang Honglang left, he mentioned a few things to me and told us to be careful, lest we follow in their footsteps. This Anqiu Wang family, like the Shang family, came to Cangwu Mountain to search for the spirit herbs they need for the upcoming Five Cities Pill Conference. Before entering the mountain, they happened to meet at the foot of the mountain. Because the Wang family caused trouble, Shang Honglang and his sister accidentally offended someone, which led to their current outcome.”
Wen Qiao understood. “So that’s what happened.”
“The one Shang Honglang and his sister offended was a disciple of a major sect. It is said that this major sect disciple is narrow-minded and acts entirely according to his own likes and dislikes.”
“Then he definitely isn’t a good person,” Wen Qiao said.
Ning Yuzhou smiled faintly. “Indeed. Not all disciples of famous and prestigious sects are good people. There are good ones, and there are bad ones.”
Wen Qiao listened seriously and kept his words in mind.
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