Chapter 76
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Chapter 76: Astonishing Gains
Senior Brother Jin accepted the Spirit Gathering Pill, overjoyed. He walked to the side alone, staring endlessly at the pill in his palm, even neglecting Chen Yun who had been following him earlier.
Chen Yun and the others exchanged helpless glances but could do nothing.
“Since he doesn’t want it, let’s divide the Blue Ice Grass ourselves,” Chen Yun suggested, realizing further resistance was futile.
“Ye Yun and I won’t take any. Split them among yourselves,” Su Ling shook her head, her tone dripping with disdain for the Blue Ice Grass.
Ye Yun gritted his teeth. He suspected Su Ling was hinting at securing him a Spirit Gathering Pill, yet her careless attitude made it seem she hadn’t taken his earlier concerns seriously. What cultivator would ever refuse more spirit stones?
If they survived, these Blue Ice Grass could be traded for plenty of spirit stones.
Though irritated, Ye Yun held his tongue when he remembered the Spirit Gathering Pill’s superior value. He merely snorted coldly.
Seeing no objection from Ye Yun, Chen Yun gestured to Duan Chenfeng’s group and began harvesting the Blue Ice Grass.
“Do you truly think I’m so willful I’d ignore your words completely?”
Su Ling’s whisper suddenly tickled Ye Yun’s ear.
He froze.
Turning, he found Su Ling sticking out her tongue at him with a triumphant grin.
Without pause, she tugged his sleeve and hurried through the grass, stopping before a withered yellow flower.
Su Ling brushed her left ring, summoning an ornate golden scissors. She snipped the flower deftly and pressed it into Ye Yun’s palm.
“Hide this,” she whispered, winking.
“What is it?” Ye Yun concealed his excitement as he stored the flower, though his eyes betrayed keen interest. He guessed this unremarkable bloom far surpassed the Blue Ice Grass in value.
“I’ll explain later.” Su Ling stuck out her tongue playfully before pulling him onward.
After walking thirty paces behind a large tree, they discovered a dense cluster of blood-red mushroom-like growths.
“Here they are!” Su Ling clapped excitedly.
Ye Yun gaped at the hundreds of strange crimson fungi. He’d never encountered such plants in any herbalist’s manual.
“What are these?”
“Blood Spirit Mushrooms. For Qi refining stage cultivators.” Su Ling smiled brightly, producing a ladle-shaped tool glowing with gentle white light – another spiritual weapon.
Her hands blurred as she excavated mushroom after mushroom, piling them neatly.
“Quit staring! Start storing these!” She waved her digging tool when she noticed Ye Yun’s hesitation.
Ye Yun frowned. “You want me to collect them?”
“Think I’d give you everything? We’ll split them fifty-fifty. Faster this way – unless you want others stealing them when they notice?” She chuckled, continuing her rapid harvesting.
Suppressing a sigh, Ye Yun began storing the mushrooms as fast as she unearthed them.
Within minutes, all two hundred seventy Blood Spirit Mushrooms vanished into Ye Yun’s storage.
Su Ling rose cheerfully, stowing her tool. “What’s their use? How many spirit stones can we get?” Ye Yun asked, glancing toward the depression where Chen Yun’s group remained engrossed in gathering Blue Ice Grass, oblivious to their activities behind the large tree’s cover.
"Have you heard of the Spirit Nourishing Pill? It’s used by Qi refining stage disciples to quickly replenish spiritual energy. The Blood Spirit Mushroom is one of its main ingredients. Now tell me, isn’t this valuable?" Su Ling answered with a giggle.
Ye Yun’s heart suddenly pounded fiercely in his chest, genuine shock washing over him.
The Spirit Nourishing Pill could rapidly restore spiritual energy for Qi refining stage disciples – something even low-tier cultivators rarely obtained. These life-saving pills held greater market value than Spirit Gathering Pills.
Just how many spirit stones were all these Blood Spirit Mushrooms worth?
This was merely the first layer of the great tomb, yet already overflowing with precious spirit herbs. What unimaginable treasures lay hidden deeper within?
"Ye Yun, where did you take this little girl? We’re in mortal danger here. This isn’t time for flirtations," Duan Chenfeng’s voice cut through the air.
"Let’s return before they grow suspicious."
Ye Yun drew a steadying breath, his face smoothing into neutrality as he emerged.
"Find anything?" Duan Chenfeng called from across the clearing.
Behind him, Yu Minghong and the others approached, having finished gathering the Blue Ice Grass.
"Nothing worth noting. Where’s Senior Brother Jin?" Ye Yun scanned the area, finding no trace of their companion.
"Went ahead alone," Duan Chenfeng snorted. "Got his Spirit Gathering Pill to break through to Qi refining stage. Probably thinks more treasures await beyond the Blue Ice Grass. You think he’d leave this patch untouched otherwise?"
"You think one man can claim all this?" Ye Yun muttered disdainfully, secretly pleased by the development.
"At least you keep your priorities straight. Survival comes before greed."
Duan Chenfeng studied Ye Yun intently before adding, "I aim to locate the array eye and dismantle the restrictions. Join me if you share this goal."
Yu Minghong and Qu Yiping watched silently as Su Ling reappraised Ye Yun. She remembered him as the servant disciple Qin Qianhan could’ve casually killed, now transformed into someone radiating an inexplicable aura of competence.
Wordlessly, Ye Yun fell into step behind Duan Chenfeng. Alone, he stood little chance of escape. For now, the enigmatic cultivator made a tolerable ally.
"This place isn’t right."
Qu Yiping blurted out as they approached the eternal green mountain.
Duan Chenfeng halted, turning with uncharacteristic patience. "Explain."
"No matter how far we walk, that mountain never gets closer." Qu Yiping’s breath misted in the chill air.
Yu Minghong gasped. "He’s right! The mountain looks identical from both the Blue Ice Grass field and here!"
"But the plants are real," the younger cultivator stammered. "The spiritual energy from that mountain feels tangible too. How…?"
Ye Yun’s eyes narrowed as cold realization crept through him.
"Spatial array." Duan Chenfeng’s voice held grim certainty. "The first layer’s array eye lies within that mountain. This entire space warps distance itself – trapping us from reaching it."
